The royal hunting was still a few months away, but Mei Qingxue was extremely anxious. News from the hunting ground said that there were no traces found, yet an uneasiness lingered in her heart. The feeling was persistent, making her restless.
Du Gu Qing thought Mei Qingxue was being overly worried. So he accompanied her back to the Prime Minister's Mansion for a short stay, even though it meant getting up earlier every day to go to court.
"Come on. We'll go back to the Prime Minister's Mansion today," Du Gu Qing made up his mind. He could sense his wife's anxiety and thought that going home might soothe her.
"Okay," Mei Qingxue agreed immediately. She hadn't seen Yi'er for a long time, and she missed everyone at home. The purple butterfly on her chest had calmed down and no longer felt hot.
Everything seemed to return to the way it used to be.
"Xuan Qiao, don't talk too much when we're back, or you'll be in trouble," Mei Qingxue pretended to threaten her personal maid fiercely. She hoped that her act of praying to Buddha could be kept a secret.
To Mei Qingxue's surprise, no one asked her anything after she returned to the mansion. Well, it was better this way, sparing her the guilt of lying.
"Sister - in - law, let me hold Yi'er," Mei Qingxue reached out her hands towards Yi'er. Yi'er wasn't shy at all. He giggled and opened his little hands, wanting Mei Qingxue to hold him.
"Little sister - in - law, don't be in a hurry. You're still young. Maybe in a few years, you'll have your own," Luo Jiao said this with great courage.
"Sister - in - law, I'm not in a hurry. It's others who are. I haven't had enough fun yet. I don't want to take care of a crying baby," she said and then focused on playing with Yi'er in her arms. Du Gu Qing saw the look in her eyes when she looked at Yi'er. It was obvious that she liked the child.
"Sister - in - law, after we return to the palace, you should come to the palace more often with Yi'er. Otherwise, I'll be bored alone," Du Gu Qing saw how much Mei Qingxue liked Yi'er. He knew that she actually liked children, and he couldn't help but sigh slightly in his heart. He had tried so hard, but they still didn't have a child.
"Sure, brother - in - law," Luo Jiao was already used to it and was no longer as restrained as before.
"Let's go and pay respects to our parents," Mei Qingxue felt relaxed as soon as she got home. This was her home, and there was no need to be so tense.
"Xue'er," Xia Ruolan called out as soon as she saw Mei Qingxue. They hadn't seen each other for a few months. This child didn't even come back to visit them. Yi'er could already sit up.
"Mother," Mei Qingxue called out sweetly, acting coquettishly like when she was a child. Xia Ruolan lost the tone of scolding her and looked doting instead. "Look, your sister - in - law and nephew are laughing at you."
"I don't care. They're all family. Let them laugh..."
Mei Qingxue didn't care at all. "Mother, where's father?" He should have been back long ago. He couldn't be catching turtles again, could he? "Is he catching turtles again?" What was so fun about those slow - moving turtles?
"Your father and your sister - in - law's father have gone fishing with a group of old friends," Xia Ruolan said. Mei Qingxue was stunned for a moment. Why were they fishing again? That was something for old men in their seventies and eighties.
"I bet father will stop after two days," Mei Qingxue said.
"You're right. Today is the second day," Xia Ruolan thought it was funny when she thought of Mei Zhenguo. He was so leisurely now, always causing trouble every day.
"Mother, just let father have fun. Since he has nothing to do, it's better than causing trouble outside," Mei Qingxue's words made Xia Ruolan nod in agreement.
"Mother, shall we have the kitchen cook today, or order some dishes from outside?" Luo Jiao said with a smile. "Every time we come back, it's the same taste from the kitchen. How about trying something different?"
"Sister - in - law, let the kitchen cook. I like the taste at home," Mei Qingxue hadn't seen her father for several days. She knew that fishermen wouldn't stop until sunset, so she didn't say anything more.
"Okay then, little sister - in - law. You and brother - in - law accompany mother while I go to the kitchen to make arrangements."
"Okay, sister - in - law. I want that corn soup from last time."
"Sure," Luo Jiao answered and went out. Most of her little sisters were married. They were extremely envious when they heard about how harmonious the relationship was between the mother - in - law, father - in - law, husband, and sister - in - law in Luo Jiao's family.
Because when they got married, they had to follow the rules set by their mother - in - law. Only Luo Jiao didn't have to follow those rules and didn't suffer any grievances. The whole family loved and respected each other. They were so envious that if it weren't for the inconvenience of visiting, they would have come to the Prime Minister's Mansion to see for themselves.
"Li Huotou, make today's meals better. The young lady and the young master are both at home."
"Yes, young mistress," the voices in the kitchen became louder. The young lady and the young master came back and wanted to eat their cooking. The faces of the cooks were full of pride, and they cooked with extra care.
"Young mistress, you can rest assured. We've been in the mansion for many years..." Li Huotou was about to say something else when Luo Jiao interrupted, "It's not that I don't trust you. It's just that the young lady wants to drink that corn soup from last time. Why don't I remember having this dish?"
Li Huotou thought for a while. "Young mistress, there's no such dish. It's not corn soup. It's pine nut milk soup."
"Then make this. The young lady likes it."
"Okay, okay."
After Luo Jiao instructed the kitchen, a faint smile appeared on her face. The last time she went back to her natal family, her mother also said that she had married well. She also said that no wonder the young lady of the Mei family had an extraordinary temperament at that time. It turned out that she had the destiny to be the mother of the country.
"Xiaojiao, why are you so happy? Where's the baby?" Mei Haoxuan came back and first looked for the baby, then went to pay respects to his mother.
"The little sister - in - law is holding him and playing."
"Xue'er is here?" Mei Haoxuan's face lit up when he heard this. "I'll go and see my sister and brother - in - law first." He hadn't seen his sister for a few months. He would secretly ask her where she had been later. They were siblings. How could he not know what his own sister would do? Anyway, Mei Qingxue would never be the kind of person to pray to Buddha and eat vegetarian food.
"Go then. Make sure Yi'er doesn't pee."
"So what if he pees? Children's urine is a good thing. Let my sister get some good luck from us," Mei Haoxuan said indifferently. Besides, children were not adults. They couldn't control their pee.
Last time, Yi'er peed all over him. Even when he was on duty, he could still smell the milky and urine smell on himself.
"Go quickly. Mother and the little sister - in - law are having a heart - to - heart talk in the room. It's not good for brother - in - law to sit there alone."
"Xiaojiao, you're right!"
"Mother, I'm back from my duty," Mei Haoxuan paid respects to his mother and then looked at Mei Qingxue and Du Gu Qing.
"Sister, mother is going to take a nap. Let's take a walk in the garden?" Mei Haoxuan just wanted to ask his sister where she had been in those few months. Mei Qingxue had already made up her mind. She would never tell anyone. After all, what she had done was unprecedented and might even be considered rebellious. It was better for her brother not to know.
"Okay, brother," Mei Qingxue stood up slowly. "Mother, I'll go for a walk in the garden with brother and Du Gu Qing. I'll be back soon." When did her mother start taking a nap? This was not good. It meant that she was weak. "I'm actually a bit tired," Mei Qingxue said with a smile on her face, but her heart was heavy.
"Okay."
When they walked into the garden, Mei Qingxue whispered to Mei Haoxuan, "When did mother start taking a nap?"
"About half a year ago," Mei Haoxuan thought for a while and then answered.
"Why don't we call a doctor to take a look?"
"Mother's personality, you know it well," Mei Haoxuan was also helpless. Their mother looked gentle, but she was actually very stubborn.
"Du Gu Qing, send a royal doctor tomorrow to check the pulses of everyone in the family!" Mei Qingxue directly called the emperor by his name. Mei Haoxuan glanced at the emperor. Although he was his brother - in - law, he wouldn't be so bold.
"Okay. I'll go right away." Du Gu Qing called Han Zhao, who was not far away. "Go and invite a royal doctor."
"Yes," Han Zhao took the order and left. It didn't take long for him to bring back a royal doctor, the old man who had been in the Sixth Prince's Mansion last time.
"Royal doctor," the old doctor quickly saluted the emperor and the queen. "Doctor Liu, please check the pulses of the old lady and the young mistress to relieve the queen's worries."
"Yes," Xuan Qiao went into the back room and invited Xia Ruolan out again when she was about to take a nap. Mei Qingxue pulled her hand with a smile. "Mother, I knew you wouldn't fall asleep so soon. Du Gu Qing has invited a royal doctor to check your pulse for good health."
"You're always so fussy," Xia Ruolan knew that her daughter was concerned about her health. She playfully scolded her daughter and then thanked the royal doctor.
"Please sit down and stretch out your hand," Doctor Liu put a small cotton pillow on the table, and Xia Ruolan stretched out her hand. Doctor Liu gently placed his fingers on her wrist. After a while, he said, "The old lady has been over - worried recently, and her poor sleep has led to a deficiency of qi and blood. You just need to take good care of yourself."
"Doesn't that mean she's been too worried?" It was all her fault. It must be because she hadn't shown up that her mother was so worried.
"What should we do?"
"As long as I prescribe a few doses of medicine for conditioning and you rest well in the future," Doctor Liu said.
"Thank you," Mei Haoxuan quickly thanked the old doctor. After the doctor prescribed the medicine, Mei Haoxuan asked a maid to invite Luo Jiao.
"Please sit down, young mistress. Let me check your pulse," Doctor Liu said.
"Thank you, doctor," Luo Jiao immediately returned to her former self when she saw a stranger.
Doctor Liu stood up with a smile on his face. He saluted the emperor and Mei Qingxue. "Congratulations to the family. The young mistress is pregnant."
"Really?" Mei Haoxuan was the happiest. Xia Ruolan's face was also full of joy. Luo Jiao blushed with embarrassment. "Thank you, doctor." Actually, her menstruation had been late this month.
She had suspected it herself, but it had only been half a year, and Yi'er was still breastfeeding. Thinking of Yi'er, Luo Jiao blushed and asked, "Doctor, our eldest son hasn't been weaned yet. I wonder if it will have any impact?"
Doctor Liu counted on his fingers. "It's okay, young mistress. The young master can stop breastfeeding in three months and start drinking cow's milk and rice soup."
Luo Jiao was relieved when she heard that it was okay.
Only Mei Qingxue looked a bit dejected. She had been married for two years without any news, while her sister - in - law had given birth to one and was pregnant with another. It really made her speechless!
Du Gu Qing knew what she was thinking and gave her a comforting look.