Chapter 334: Chapter 33: Aunt
Mindful of Du Yunluo waiting in the bright room, the two did not speak for long.
Jiang Yunuan escorted Mrs. Jiang Deng out and watched her leave with Du Yunluo. She leaned against the door, unmoving for a long time.
"An understanding person?" After a while, Jiang Yunuan laughed self-deprecatingly, finally turning it into a light sigh.
Du Yunluo guided Mrs. Jiang Deng towards Mrs. Xu’s place.
Mrs. Jiang Deng, smiling, said, "I just talked about childbirth with Yunuan; since Madam is not yet pregnant, I shouldn’t speak of such frightening things in front of you."
Du Yunluo raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Childbirth is like facing the Ghost Gate, no wonder Sister Jiang is so concerned. Does she speak so frightfully that it might scare my second sister-in-law?"
Mrs. Jiang Deng’s smile froze, and she said dryly, "A mother becomes strong; her mind is fixed on safely delivering the child, with no room for fear."
"True enough," Du Yunluo responded.
Mrs. Xu was not in the room; the servants said she had gone to Mrs. Lu’s for tea.
Mrs. Jiang Deng’s face showed a trace of regret: "Since that’s the case, I won’t disturb Aunt."
As Du Yunluo sent Mrs. Jiang Deng off, on the other side, Lian Family in Fengyu Courtyard received the news.
"Lian Cheng’s wife’s elder sister-in-law from her maternal family came, went to Baijie Hall, then to Shangxin Courtyard, and finally went to see the third sister-in-law but didn’t find her, so left?" Lian Family asked Nanny Dong with her eyes wide open.
Nanny Dong slowly nodded.
Lian Family, leaning on a pillow, vigorously shook the fan in her hand: "Did she know I was sick?"
"She knew," Nanny Dong replied with a stiff voice.
Lian Family slammed the fan heavily on the Arhat Bed: "Is it that my illness brings bad luck, or she doesn’t put me in her eyes? She didn’t even show her face to her proper mother-in-law, but thought of meeting the third sister-in-law."
Nanny Dong swallowed a mouthful of saliva, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately did not voice "After all, she’s an aunt."
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, according to custom, Madam Wu, Du Yunluo, and Mu Lianhui were to enter the palace to pay respects.
Mu Lianhui, bedridden since the previous night, could not go to the palace while ill and stayed home to recuperate.
Du Yunluo accompanied Madam Wu into the palace.
The outside women who came to kowtow did so according to their rank, bowing to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
Among the crowd, it was the first time Du Yunluo saw the new wife of Duke Jing Mansion. At merely sixteen, she was pregnant and radiant, standing beside the Old Duke’s wife with a kind and amiable smile, speaking at a steady pace, appearing composed.
Judging by appearance alone, she didn’t seem like someone eager to change the regime and mess up household affairs upon entering the mansion.
Old Duke’s wife treated the new wife kindly, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship appeared harmonious.
After observing for a moment, Du Yunluo suddenly understood.
It turned out they misunderstood this new wife, the foolish one shouldn’t be her but perhaps the Old Duke’s wife.
The Old Duke’s wife, unloading the mill and slaughtering the donkey, pushed Aunt Liao aside, unwilling to let Aunt Liao’s people hold a steward’s position anymore.
The new wife, following the Old Duke’s wife’s wishes, caused a commotion and then spent over half a year finally sorting out household matters.
Such a "neither wise nor foolish" new wife became a favorite of the Old Duke couple and Young Master. When she gives birth to a son...
Just as Aunt Liao thought, this Duke Jing Mansion’s internal strife will become quite lively.
There were elderly among the outer women who couldn’t endure the fatigue and gradually returned home.
Madam Wu also planned to return, but a Cining Palace maid came to invite her.
In Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager and Imperial Consort were sitting cross-legged on the Arhat Bed, with a plate of mooncakes on the table between them, Princess Nanyan sitting below.
Madam Wu and Du Yunluo paid their respects.
The Empress Dowager, in a good mood, pointed to Princess Nanyan: "It seems this child has conceived; she just took a bite of mooncake and vomited; I’ve sent someone to call the Imperial Physician."
Madam Wu immediately offered her congratulations.
Du Yunluo, seeing Princess Nanyan’s shy smile, couldn’t help but smile with her eyes.
Previously, Princess Nanyan hadn’t had children and was unwilling to bear children for Prince Rui Li Xiang.
Having married Li Luan as she wished on this occasion, she surely looked forward to the child’s arrival.
But...
If Prince Rui still went his own way, and Li Luan killed his father, Nanyan would certainly accompany her husband to guard the Imperial Mausoleum forever, but the child...
Could Nanyan truly bear the pain of separation?
As Du Yunluo pondered, a voice announced outside, and the Imperial Physician came in and saluted.
The Imperial Physician checked Princess Nanyan’s pulse and then stood up to offer congratulations.
The Empress Dowager was overjoyed, clasping her hands and chanting Buddha’s name repeatedly, both rewarding and praising, making Princess Nanyan blush.
Madam Wu casually glanced at Du Yunluo, remembering that Du Yunluo recently mentioned having a cold constitution.
The Du Family’s medical woman had said it wasn’t to the point of needing medication yet, so Madam Wu hadn’t called for a doctor.
Taking advantage of today’s opportunity, Madam Wu smiled and said, "The Empress Dowager is so pleased; it makes one envious. When will the legitimate eldest branch in my mansion be able to continue the bloodline?"
The Empress Dowager laughed heartily: "Yunluo, your grandmother is talking about you."
At such a time, on such a topic, Du Yunluo could only lower her head in silence.
"Empress Dowager, could the Imperial Physician also check Lian Xiao’s wife’s pulse? Give her a prescription to nurture her body, so that when Lian Xiao returns, I can eagerly await it," Madam Wu said.
The Empress Dowager naturally agreed.
Du Yunluo was a bit surprised. Seeing Madam Wu nodding at her, she still extended her wrist.
As the Imperial Physician checked her pulse, Du Yunluo couldn’t help but sigh internally. Ever since Mu Lianxiao went to war, she hadn’t had chicken soup, otherwise, it’d be interesting to see what this bold Imperial Physician might reveal.
"Old Madam," the Imperial Physician said, "there’s nothing wrong with the Heir’s Wife’s health. Medicine is three parts poison; the wife doesn’t need medication for her health, just regular activity and a balanced routine for good news."
Upon hearing this, Madam Wu asked again, "There’s no sign of a cold constitution either?"
The Imperial Physician smiled: "No, if Madam Wu wishes to strengthen the wife’s constitution, she could have some black chicken soup or red dates to boost qi and blood."
Madam Wu thanked him.
Du Yunluo also rose to salute, and as she lowered her eyes, a thought crossed her mind.
Her body was fine, supposedly capable of conceiving successfully. If there’s no sign later, Madam Wu might grow suspicious.
With suspicion aroused, the subsequent matters could proceed smoothly.
The Empress Dowager had something to discuss with Madam Wu, so Du Yunluo accompanied Nanyan to stroll in the garden behind Cining Palace.
Princess Nanyan patted her flat stomach, saying, "Honestly, I still find it hard to believe."
"Being reborn twice, the first time as a mother?" Du Yunluo asked, smiling, "You’ve been married a year and a half, and I thought you’d have given birth to children early."
Princess Nanyan paused, glanced at Du Yunluo, then looked up at the sky: "I hesitated, hesitated for a year."
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