"Mother, Mother, look what good things I brought you!"
Ning Wan rushed back as soon as she finished school with the Princess, skipping even her usual after-school snack stall. She ran out clutching a food box tightly in her arms.
"Mother, where are you? Come out quickly."
Jiang Yuwei smiled as Qiu Yue helped her out of the study.
“Ning Wan, you’re a grown woman now. What kind of behavior is this, always being so loud and boisterous?”
When Ning Wan saw Jiang Yuwei come out, she immediately rushed over, pushed past Qiu Yue, and pulled her to sit down in the pavilion. She then proudly opened the food box in her hand.
"Mom, look what good things I brought you."
Jiang Yuwei looked at the golden tangerines in the food box, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
"This is a rare item. Where did you find it?"
Ning Wan picked out the largest tangerine from the food box and carefully peeled it.
"This was a gift from the Princess. I didn't eat any of it and brought it all back for my mother. Now that you are pregnant, you should eat more of this rare food so that the baby in your belly can also have a taste."
As she spoke, Ning Wan handed the peeled orange to Jiang Yuwei.
"Mom, try it! If you like it, I'll have my dad ask someone to buy you some more."
Jiang Yuwei picked up an orange and popped a segment into her mouth. The juicy, sweet and sour flavor instantly filled her mouth. She hadn't had a good appetite for many days, a matter of great concern to everyone in the Prince's mansion. But eating the orange suddenly whetted her appetite, and she suddenly felt like eating something.
"Qiuyue, go and tell the kitchen to prepare some light and refreshing dishes. I'd like to eat something."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Yue immediately agreed happily and went to the small kitchen to make arrangements. These past few days, Madam had only been able to eat a few bites at each meal. Her due date was fast approaching, and everyone was worried that Jiang Yuwei's health would be damaged if she continued to eat like this. Now that they heard that Jiang Yuwei was finally going to eat, they all rolled up their sleeves and did their best to cook. They would be grateful if Madam could eat even one more bite.
When Ning Huaizhi returned, he saw Ning Wan sitting beside Jiang Yuwei, keeping her company while she ate. Ning Huaizhi hadn't seen Jiang Yuwei eat so heartily in a long time.
"Yuwei, can you eat now?"
Jiang Yuwei looked up and smiled at Ning Huaizhi.
"Huaizhi, come sit down and have something to eat. I don't know why, but the food that the kitchen made today really suits my taste. You should try it too."
Ning Wan put food into Jiang Yuwei's bowl as she spoke:
"Mom, eat more. Don't worry about Dad. He won't starve. By the way, Dad, why didn't my brother come back with you?"
Ning Huai smiled indulgently.
“You silly girl, you’ve forgotten your father now that you have a mother. Your brother went to a gathering with some young colleagues today and won’t be back for dinner tonight. Let’s eat our own food.”
Jiang Yuwei gestured for Qiuyue to serve Ning Huaizhi rice, then said with a worried expression:
“I’ve noticed that Ning Zhao has been spending a lot of time with his colleagues lately, and they’re all from prominent families. People from such backgrounds are bound to be a bit spoiled. I’m worried that Ning Zhao might suffer if he associates with them. Now that Ning Zhao is older, he’s become more and more opinionated. He keeps everything to himself and doesn’t want me to worry about him. As his father, you’d better protect your son.”
Ning Huaizhi picked up his dinner, took a bite of vegetables, and said casually:
"What's there to be afraid of? Ning Zhao now has a powerful family background. They'll have to think twice before trying to bully him. Although Father doesn't care about court affairs and only wants to enjoy himself with Mother, Ning Zhao still has me, his father, to protect him. Besides, you know Ning Zhao is smart and has done a good job in protecting the people and the country. Even the Emperor intends to give him an important position. Ning Zhao won't suffer any losses if he associates with them. Don't worry about these things. You're about to give birth, and I've already sent a message to Father, asking them to return to the capital as soon as possible."
"Why should such a small matter alarm Father and Mother? You're making a mountain out of a molehill."
Ning Huaizhi placed a piece of meat in Jiang Yuwei's bowl.
"How can this be called a small matter? This is a major event for the Prince's mansion, adding more people to its household. Father and the others were very happy to hear the news and are rushing back without stopping. I estimate they will be back in the capital in the next few days."
Jiang Yuwei smiled and nodded.
"Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say. The end of the year is approaching, and if Father and Mother return to the capital, we can have a proper celebration this year. I need to get started on the preparations."
Ning Huaizhi sighed.
"You, you just don't know how to take care of yourself. You're heavily pregnant now, how can you worry about these things? But it's the same every year, so let your sister-in-law take care of things this year. If you're not comfortable with it, I'll just send someone to let you know. Your sister-in-law isn't unreasonable."
Seeing Ning Huaizhi's words, Jiang Yuwei didn't say anything more. She was truly willing but unable to manage; her belly was growing rapidly, making even turning over in bed difficult. Asking her to take on the responsibilities of managing the household affairs was simply too much for her.
After Jiang Yuwei became pregnant, the imperial physician examined her several times. Judging from the size of her belly, it looked more like she was carrying twins, though whether it was a boy or a girl was unknown.
Jiang Yuwei had a big appetite today and ate quite a lot. She hadn't felt anything while eating, but now, as she ate, she felt increasingly short of breath. The baby pressing against her chest was making her feel suffocated and nauseous. Just as she was about to get up for a walk, the gatekeeper came running in, stumbling and scrambling.
"General, Madam, something terrible has happened!"
Ning Huaizhi, fearing that this ungrateful servant would frighten Jiang Yuwei, immediately stood up and blocked her way, coldly saying:
"What's wrong? Calm down and talk it out!"
Seeing that Ning Huaizhi was angry, the servant immediately knelt down, panting heavily.
"Yes, General. A servant from Wan Hua Lou just came to report that our young master was drinking by the river when he saw a woman attempting suicide by jumping in. He went down to save her, but unfortunately, he had just finished drinking and was too weak. He had been down there for quite a while and no one had come back up, so Wan Hua Lou sent someone to report..."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuwei's expression immediately changed drastically, and she instantly felt a sharp pain in her lower body.
"Zhao'er, he's confused! Quick, send someone to find Zhao'er!"
Ning Huaizhi turned around and saw Jiang Yuwei's face was deathly pale. She seemed about to collapse, and blood was dripping from the ground beneath her feet. Startled, Ning Huaizhi quickly supported her.
Upon seeing this, Qiuyue immediately exclaimed in surprise.
"Quickly, go and fetch a midwife! The lady is about to give birth!"
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