Yueru carried Zizai back to the Prime Minister's Mansion. Little Bamboo was guarding the gate, bored out of his wits. "Sister Yueru?" Just as he let out a yawn, Little Bamboo opened his eyes and saw Yueru rushing in with the child in her arms.
"Little Bamboo, you're dozing off again." Yueru was about to go in and pay respects to the old madam, but Little Bamboo insisted on playing with Zizai for a while. "Sister Yueru, you should've asked Miss to give Zizai a nice name. 'Zizai' sounds so ugly."
"Little Bamboo, are you thinking about getting a wife?" Yueru neatly snatched the child back. "When you're old enough, ask the young mistress nicely to find you a good match." With that, she carried the child away.
"Sister Yueru!" Little Bamboo shouted after her, but it was no use. All he wanted was to be a pageboy to follow the young master.
Why was it so difficult?
"Little Bamboo, why don't you talk to the young master yourself?" the steward asked with a smile.
"I'm scared," Little Bamboo hung his head. "What's so good about being the young master's pageboy?" a teasing voice came from the side. "Of course, it's to go to the battlefield with the young master and protect him." No.
This voice sounded so familiar.
Little Bamboo suddenly looked up and saw a familiar figure. "Young master!"
Mei Haoxuan said with a smile, "The young master doesn't need your protection. A real man should shed his blood on the battlefield. Promise..." Then he walked into the mansion with his head held high.
"Father, Mother. Has Yueru come back?" Mei Haoxuan's voice came in before he even entered the door.
"Young master," Yueru bowed slightly to Mei Haoxuan while holding Zizai. "Quickly tell..." Xia Ruolan glared at her son. Just as Yueru was about to tell Mei Haoxuan about Mei Qingxue's whereabouts, he interrupted.
"Yes, old madam." Yueru then told her about Miss Mei's long - standing infertility. Xia Ruolan sighed softly. "Xue'er has had a smooth life all along, but this is the most important thing for a woman."
"And then?"
"Miss got the emperor's permission to stay in Pujing Nunnery on Xiantai Mountain for a while. Miss heard that the Goddess of Fertility enshrined in the nunnery is very efficacious."
"So that's how it is," Xia Ruolan nodded. Mei Haoxuan knew very well that his younger sister was not the kind of person who would go to worship Buddha. She must have done something she couldn't tell the family.
"Xue'er is really something. If it's just this matter, there's no need to hide it from the family. If she had told us earlier, she could have gone with me." Luo Jiao was massaging Xia Ruolan's shoulders and whispered, "I think little aunt is just anxious. Mother, if little aunt doesn't come back, we can go to the palace."
"Yes, Mother," Mei Haoxuan looked at his wife and nodded gently. All the things they had imagined their sister might have done were wrong. Anyway, she wouldn't be worshiping Buddha.
"Yueru, did you see Miss when you went to the palace?" Luo Jiao asked. "Young mistress, I didn't see her. Miss always likes to sleep in. She hasn't changed in all these years. It was Xuanqiao who said that Miss would come back to the Prime Minister's Mansion in a few days."
"So that's good," Mei Haoxuan looked at Yueru carefully, but didn't find anything strange on her face.
"Mother, I'm still on duty. I'll go back to the palace first. Maybe I can see my sister there."
"Just do your duty well. You'll see your sister if she comes home." Xia Ruolan knew he had rushed back during his break, so she urged him to go back to the palace quickly. Although no one was keeping an eye on him now, he still had to be loyal to his duty.
"Yes," Mei Haoxuan glanced at his wife and then turned to leave. He had ridden his horse back and was now in a hurry to go back to work. Since Yueru hadn't seen Mei Qingxue, there was no way to be sure if his sister was in the palace. This little girl was getting bolder.
"Old madam, if there's nothing else, this servant will take her leave."
Just as Yueru was about to leave, Xia Ruolan saw that she was as humble as ever and said with a smile, "Yueru, don't call yourself a servant anymore. You're the wife of a sixth - rank official now."
"Old madam, even if I'm the wife of a sixth - rank official, I'm still a servant of the Prime Minister's Mansion. I'll never forget this in my whole life. I owe my present status to the kindness of the master, madam, and Miss." Yueru knelt on the ground with the child in her arms. Xia Ruolan motioned for Luo Jiao to help her up, but Yueru didn't dare to let the young mistress help her.
She immediately stood up and took a step back.
"You're a grateful person. That's good. Xue'er didn't promote you in vain," Xia Ruolan glanced at her. "You can go now." Yueru was grateful for the master's kindness and hoped for more kindness in the future.
"Mother, Yueru has really climbed up. She used to be a slave."
"Yes. When the emperor was still a prince and in poor health, none of the maids in the mansion wanted to follow your little aunt as a dowry maid. It was this Yueru who grew up with Xue'er since childhood. They were very close. And she's so grateful. Xue'er didn't misjudge her," Xia Ruolan said with emotion.
"What about Xuanqiao now?"
"Xuanqiao is also a good girl. She used to serve me. After Yueru got married, I chose her for your little aunt. Now that she's old enough, it's time to let her go."
"Has Mother found a good maid for little aunt?" The Four Springs in her family would be suitable. "What do you think of the Four Springs from my natal family, Mother?"
"Do you want to send concubines to your brother - in - law? Your little aunt would be furious," Xia Ruolan guessed Luo Jiao's intention.
"Mother, that's not what I mean. My natal family originally sent the Four Springs to me thinking they could be my husband's concubines. But I sent them back. You know, my father never liked having too many people in the family. I was thinking that it would be better to send them to serve little aunt. When they're old enough, they can get married and leave," Luo Jiao said every word sincerely. Her family was prominent and didn't need to curry favor with anyone.
"All right, I know. We'll ask your little aunt when she comes back," Xia Ruolan slowly stood up. As she was getting old, she didn't have much energy and needed to take a nap.
"Mother, I'll go and check on Yi'er. He might have woken up from his nap."
"Don't always keep a boy in the room," Xia Ruolan yawned and turned into the back room. "Yes!" Luo Jiao replied softly and then backed out.
"Young mistress, the young master is awake," the maid carried Yi'er in front of Luo Jiao. Luo Jiao played with him for a while. "Take the young master to the swing and play for a while."
Luo Jiao watched the maid take Yi'er away and then lay down on the couch and took a nap. Only when you have a child do you know how hard your parents have worked. Now that she was a wife, she understood how difficult it was for her mother and mother - in - law.
Luo Jiao closed her eyes and didn't know what she was thinking. Then she fell asleep in a daze.
When she woke up, it was already getting dark. Taking care of Yi'er recently had really exhausted her. She didn't expect to sleep until this time.
"Yi'er, go and pinch your mother's nose," Mei Haoxuan encouraged his son. Yi'er patted Luo Jiao's face with his small, chubby hands, finding it interesting. Then he giggled.
Hearing her son's laughter, Luo Jiao opened her eyes. She had really been too tired recently. "Xiaojiao, why don't we hire a wet - nurse?"
Luo Jiao shook her head. "Husband, Mother raised you and little aunt so well. She must have her own way. I want Yi'er to grow up to be like you." When she went back to her natal family, her mother had told her that children raised by wet - nurses had many bad habits and were not close to their parents.
After she got married and learned that her husband and little aunt were also raised by their mother - in - law, she thought her mother's words were really accurate. Look at how close her husband and little aunt were, and their relationship with their parents - in - law.
"Then you'll be so tired," Mei Haoxuan looked at the dark circles under his wife's eyes. "Husband, what are you saying? How can you understand your parents' hard work if you don't raise a child? I only have one Yi'er, and Mother is here to help. I think of how Mother raised you and little aunt, and I admire my mother - in - law the most."
"My mother is really wonderful. Father is also good. Anyway, you've married into a good family. You have good in - laws, a good little aunt, and a good husband."
"You're so glib. I know little aunt is good too. I want to give little aunt some gifts to show my appreciation, but I'm afraid she'll dislike them."
"Do you think my sister is that kind of person? My sister is very picky about the fabric of her clothes. In the past, her underwear was all made by Mother. I think your handicraft is good. I've asked Mother for my sister's measurements. Why don't you make clothes for her in the future?"
"What if little aunt dislikes my craftsmanship?" Luo Jiao was worried.
"Silly girl, my sister won't dislike it." Mei Haoxuan thought his wife was just too cautious. Don't think that Mei Qingxue had changed just because she became the queen. She was still the same as before.
"Xuanqiao, do you think Mother will believe me?" Mei Qingxue was lying lazily.
"Your Majesty, this servant won't make any unfounded comments. Please don't ask this servant," Xuanqiao bowed and then backed out. When she lied to Sister Yueru this morning, she had been very smooth.
Anyway, there was nothing she could hide from Miss. Miss's eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. She had a natural respect for Mei Qingxue.
"Xuanqiao, where's Her Majesty?" Du Guqing saw Xuanqiao standing outside and asked. "Her Majesty is inside."
"Is she not sleeping?"
"No!" Mei Qingxue had been sleeping day and night for several days after she came back. Traveling was really tiring. No wonder people always said it was better to stay at home for a thousand days than to go out for a single day.
After living for several lifetimes, she had never felt this way before.
"Xue, how was your rest?" Du Guqing asked.
"The more I sleep, the lazier I get. I don't even want to go and inspect my own properties," Mei Qingxue looked at Du Guqing and said lazily.
Looking at her lazy appearance, Du Guqing felt pity in his heart. "You can leave it to An Ying. I think he's doing a good job."
"An Ying is already very busy. Recently, I don't know which sect has been misbehaving. An Ying went to deal with it and hasn't come back yet. I don't understand what those sects are thinking. Opposing me? Aren't they just seeking death?"
Don't they want to live a peaceful and happy life? Mei Qingxue couldn't understand at all. Did they oppose her just because she was a female leader?