Chapter 1080: Chapter 1070: After the Rain (2)
Chief Chang took it and placed it open on the Dragon Case in front of the Emperor, naturally collected the cooled cup of tea, and personally took it to the back hall to pour it away.
The Emperor casually flipped through a few pages and looked at Min, saying, "Since she rarely copies it, you should take it back and look at it carefully."
"Yes." Min walked over with both hands to receive it, saluted Chief Su, and withdrew.
Back in his room, Chief Su closed the door and recounted the meeting with Le Xiu in detail, then said, "The Empress said it wouldn’t be long, but I haven’t figured out what she meant even after thinking all the way."
Min’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart was in turmoil. If it were yesterday, he might not have understood, but after what happened just now, he could guess seven or eight parts of it. Le Xiu must have known about the Emperor’s health to say such a thing.
No wonder she was so straightforward in requesting to go to the Imperial Awakening Temple. These days he also couldn’t figure it out, but now everything was clear.
The Emperor’s body, it seemed, was already hollowed out.
If not, there wouldn’t have been the incident with Princess Consort Ying being demoted for using medicine... but it also indicated one thing, the Emperor must have long stopped sharing a room with the concubines of the harem, otherwise, how could that incident have happened.
"Elder brother." Someone called from outside the door at this time, and Chief Su said immediately, "It’s the Second Prince, Your Highness."
Min pursed his lips, then donned a smile and personally got up to greet him at the door, indeed seeing the Second Prince standing in the courtyard. He smiled and said, "Second brother, come in and sit."
"Alright." The Second Prince responded with a smile, clasping his hands in salute to Min, and followed him into the main hall. The two sat facing each other as a female official served tea. Min asked, "Does my second brother have something to discuss?"
"Yes." The Second Prince nodded, "There were some parts from yesterday’s lecture that I didn’t quite understand. I pondered all night but couldn’t figure it out," he said, looking at Min in admiration, "So I wanted to come and ask my elder brother."
Min slightly nodded, "There are also parts I haven’t comprehended," thinking for a moment, "Why not come with me to Wenhua Hall to consult with the tutor together?"
The Second Prince agreed, "That’s an excellent idea from elder brother," saying this he stood up first, and Min instructed Chief Su, "Go and see if the Third Prince is around; invite him to join us."
Chief Su acknowledged and left.
Min and the Second Prince chatted and laughed as they went out. The Second Prince walked half a step behind Min, with a respectful attitude. When they encountered female officials and eunuchs along the way, he nodded and smiled without a trace of his former arrogance.
Min looked sideways at him, his eyes flickering, and his attitude was even more amiable than the Second Prince, with the demeanor of an elder brother.
Xiqiu’s "health gradually improved," and occasionally she could move the Imperial Concubine’s Couch to the courtyard to bask in the sun in the mornings and evenings. Chunliu kneeled beside her to massage her legs, smiling as she said, "Bihuai should have arrived in Shandong by now. She was worried a whole night before leaving, unable to sleep. I wonder what it’s like when she actually sees them."
A month ago, Bihuai and Su Quansheng got married. Since both worked in the mansion, according to the Marquis Mansion’s rules, only one could remain. Bihuai cried, saying if she couldn’t stay, she wouldn’t marry. Since Xiqiu didn’t care much for these rules and Bihuai was her maid, she turned a blind eye like Chunliu and kept her close.
Su Quansheng’s hometown is in Shandong, and after getting married, he wanted to take Bihuai back to pay respects to the ancestors. Xiqiu permitted them to leave for Shandong seven or eight days ago.
"An ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws eventually." Nanny Cen brought newly brewed ginseng tea and placed it aside, "Su Dazhuang and his wife are easy to get along with, Bihuai won’t be bullied. Besides, they wouldn’t dare."
Chunliu covered her face and laughed, and Xiqiu joined in with a light chuckle, asking, "Has Biwu written back?" Tong Quanzhi took Biwu back to Liaodong, and they wouldn’t meet again for another three years.
"No." Chunliu sighed when thinking of Biwu. How could she handle her relationship with the Seventh Master like this?
Xiqiu felt a headache remembering it. She didn’t know how to broach the subject with the Second Lady. After all, there’s no precedent for taking a concubine without marrying a wife. The Second Lady was right, Tong Quanzhi is a Captain now and not boasting. If he becomes a General in the future, it wouldn’t be suitable for the whole mansion to be managed by a single concubine, and how would it look if only a concubine was seen in social dealings with other ladies? Even if she were willing, what would others think? How would Tong Quanzhi deal with others in the future?
She understood the Second Lady’s concerns and agreed with her point, so she was also at a loss for the moment.
She remembered Tong Xiyan’s suggestion: to have someone take in Biwu as a daughter and solve the status issue that way.
She thought of this too, but if she was the one to handle it, the Second Lady would eventually know, and she would inevitably feel that she was favoring her maid over Tong Quanzhi, so she couldn’t intervene and could only wait for an opportunity.
"Let’s not talk about this." Nanny Cen saw Xiqiu’s gloomy expression and interrupted Chunliu’s words, "I went to see the Second Young Master Tong yesterday." She couldn’t help but laugh, "Growing up sturdy, just like carved from the same mold as the Seventh Master."
Talking about Tong Minzhi’s son lightened Xiqiu’s mood a bit too. The child looked just like Tong Minzhi did at that age, with bushy eyebrows, big eyes, and a sturdy, cute look.
"I saw him too," Chunliu added with a smile, "His eyebrows and eyes also resemble the lady’s."
Nanny Cen covered her face and laughed, "Naturally, since our lady is his real aunt."
Xiqiu chuckled lightly. Just then, Tianjing peeked into the courtyard and said, "Madam, someone from Shouning Bo Mansion is here."
Xiqiu was stunned and nodded, "Please ask them in." Tianjing responded and soon after, a maid dressed in an elegant green overcoat entered, smiled brightly, and announced, "Congratulations to the Fourth Madam, the Second Lady found out she’s expecting this morning."
"Eighth sister?" Xiqiu sat up straight and smiled, "That’s wonderful news..." She then asked, "How long has it been? Is she well?"
The maid answered each question, "Not yet two months. The Second Lady is eating and drinking well." Then hesitated, "According to our old lady, she even gained a bit of weight."
Clearly, the Shouning Bo Mansion was very pleased that Tong Xiyu was finally expecting.
Xiqiu was also happy for Tong Xiyu. Otherwise, the Lou Family might really have to adopt a son to raise under her name.
"Rewards." Xiqiu instructed Nanny Cen, who immediately responded by taking a pocket to reward the maid. Xiqiu said further, "Select some fine ginseng and bird’s nest from the storeroom, accompany her once and visit on my behalf."
Nanny Cen acknowledged and went off, and Xiqiu continued to ask the maid many questions in detail.
Nanny Cen and the maid took a carriage to Shouning Bo Mansion, meeting Madam Jiang at the gate. She saluted, and Madam Jiang smiled, "It’s just right, come in with me."
"Yes." Nanny Cen agreed and followed Madam Jiang inside with Nanny Qiu. Madam Jiang wasn’t a stranger at the Lou Mansion, having visited several times. On entering the garden, they saw someone approaching, wearing a pale blue direct coat, looking so thin that a breeze could blow him away, face ashen with dark circles under the eyes. Madam Jiang stared at the person, taken aback...
Nanny Cen was also startled.
"Sister-in-law." It wasn’t until the person saluted that she woke from her daze and responded in surprise, "Brother-in-law?"
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