Lady Shao wasn't willing to let it go. She dragged Shen Yuning to a nearby medical clinic and cheerfully called out, "Do you have a gynecologist?"
The medical apprentice saw that they were dressed elegantly and had servants attending to them. Clearly, they were from a prominent family. Maybe they were in a hurry and thus didn't invite their regular doctor to come to their home.
He quickly led them in and carefully said, "Ladies, please wait a moment. Our best female doctor in the clinic is seeing a patient. I'll go and urge her."
Lady Shao waved her hand and told the maid to take out a silver ingot and hand it over. "No need. An ordinary doctor will do. We just need a diagnosis for my daughter."
The medical apprentice sized up Shen Yuning and quickly nodded. He didn't dare to really invite just anyone casually. He specifically asked the shopkeeper and found an old doctor on duty to come to the hall.
The old doctor felt her pulse. After a moment, he stood up to offer congratulations.
Lady Shao was so overjoyed that she didn't know what to do. Usually not one for extravagance, she repeatedly said, "Reward them. Hurry. All the doctors in this clinic will be rewarded. Come, this young lad will also be rewarded."
Hearing this, the medical apprentice was extremely delighted and quickly said many auspicious words to offer congratulations.
Shen Yuning was still in a daze. After a while, she came to her senses and asked, "I... am I pregnant?"
Lady Shao was still chatting merrily with the old lady. "This pregnancy of your granddaughter - in - law is a good one. It has brought good news for her two younger sisters too."
The old lady perked up and quickly asked, "Is Miss Xin pregnant too?"
Lady Shao nodded. "Yes. We just found out in the room. Today is truly a day of great joy. Two of our girls in the family are pregnant."
Shen Yuning was still confused. "But... I've only been married for two months... And it's different from what happened to elder sister."
Lady Shao smiled and took her hand. "Isn't it just over a month into the pregnancy? You're not being careful. I'm afraid your mind is all on the court affairs. You're as muddled as your sister. And every woman has a different pregnancy symptom. Your sister - in - law is having her third child, and each pregnancy has been different."
Hearing this, the old doctor repeatedly offered congratulations again. "Oh, there are three pieces of good news in the lady's family. This is truly remarkable."
Lady Shao's eyes were creased with smiles. She repeatedly told them to give rewards and also told the servants in the family to quickly go and report the good news to the master and the young masters. They were also to go and report it to the Zhu family and the palace.
After the good news was reported, they still had to go to the second branch to deal with Concubine Bai's matter.
The second - branch residence was not like the Marquis Mansion, grand and imposing with several doormen guarding just the entrance. It was just a simple mansion.
Lady Shao was in a good mood today and politely asked someone to knock on the door and announce their arrival.
However, the doorman who came out was not very smart. He just frowned and asked, "The people from the Marquis Mansion are here? They didn't say in advance. What's the matter?"
The maid who knocked on the door was extremely angry and shouted, "The old lady of the Marquis Mansion is here. Does she still need to report in advance?"
Hearing this, the doorman hesitated and mumbled that he would go and announce.
But the maid wasn't willing to wait. She turned back and signaled two bodyguards to push the door open and shouted, "The old lady is in poor health and has been ill these days. It's fine that no one came to welcome us, but do you really want to keep the old lady outside the door, waiting in the cold wind?"
The cold wind at this moment was indeed a bit chilly, but it was just the beginning of winter and not the season of biting cold.
But the doorman was stunned by what the maid said and didn't know how to reply at all. He just let them march in.
Lady Shao supported the old lady and walked slowly. When they were about to reach the main hall, Xue Yuxuan was adjusting his hat and hair while rushing out in a hurry.
Seeing the old lady, he gave a sheepish smile and called out, "Mother, why did you come? I heard you were ill?"
The old lady had been ill for a few days, and Lady Shao had sent a message to the second branch early on. But the second branch was in a complete mess at the moment. Xue Yuxuan had just heard about it in passing and didn't really care.
Now that the old lady mentioned it, she looked very displeased. "I've been ill for more than a day or two, but I haven't seen anyone come to visit me. I haven't seen my Han'er come to see me either. So, I came here myself."
Hearing the old lady's words, Xue Yuxuan realized that she only seemed to care that her granddaughter hadn't come to visit her, and didn't seem to care about the others at all.
Sweat rolled down his forehead, and he said in a low voice, "It's all my fault. These days, the family..."
The old lady didn't seem to want to listen to him. She walked straight into the hall.
Lady Xiao followed and came out. She originally wanted to support her mother - in - law, but was ignored. The old lady supported Lady Shao with one hand and held Shen Yuning's hand with the other as she sat down on the upper seat.
Xue Yuxuan quickly asked someone to make tea and bring it over. He was thinking that with his mother coming in such a manner, she probably didn't just come to visit but might be here because of the current rumors outside.
Thinking like this, he said, "Miaomiao has really been out of line. Has it reached your ears, Mother?"
The old lady didn't respond. She took a sip of tea and then asked, "Where's Han'er?"
At this moment, Xue Yujiao, who had been pretending to be well - behaved at the back, was immediately dissatisfied. Originally, she had been very resentful seeing this bitch Shen Yuning being so highly regarded by her grandmother. But she thought that since Shen Yuning was now the Princess Regent, the whole first - branch family must have already known the news and thus wanted to curry favor with Shen Yuning.
Now hearing her grandmother only talking about Xue Yuhan, that bastard - born girl, and not even looking at her once, she was extremely angry.
Immediately, Xue Yujiao stood up and stared with wide eyes. "She's just a bastard girl. What's there to ask about? Who knows where she's gone to play around? Maybe she's as cheap as her mother and has gone to meet a man."
These words were vulgar. The old lady slowly put the teacup on the table. She didn't even look at Xue Yujiao but just looked at Xue Yuxuan and asked, "Is Han'er your daughter?"
Xue Yuxuan was startled. He frowned and quickly said, "Of course she is. Of course she's my daughter."
Then the old lady looked at Lady Xiao. "Back then, when you damaged your body and couldn't have more children because you gave birth to the second son for him, did I ever blame you even a bit? Did I ever force you to take a concubine?"
Lady Xiao also lowered her head and shook it. "Mother is kind and never... It was I who felt ashamed towards the Xue family, so I asked my mother from my natal family to make the decision and take in a concubine."
The old lady nodded. "Yes. Concubine Bai was a proper concubine you asked for from your mother of your natal family. Han'er and Xier were able to come to our Xue family as descendants because of you. Since they call you mother, they are also your children. So, who is Han'er's mother?"
This question was aimed at Xue Yujiao. Just now, she had said that Xue Yuhan was as cheap as her mother, but her mother was indeed Lady Xiao in front of them.
Lady Xiao looked very embarrassed and lowered her head, not daring to say a word.
Xue Yujiao had never been able to hold her temper. She immediately shouted, "Her mother is her aunt. What is she? She doesn't deserve to be my mother's daughter."
Lady Xiao urgently wanted to cover her daughter's mouth, but Xue Yujiao was not obedient at all and kept making a fuss.
The old lady rubbed her aching temples and said, "If you don't want to recognize her, it's okay. A Zhao, since you've adopted Yuning as your daughter, you won't mind adopting one more, right?"
Lady Shao wasn't as affectionate towards Xue Yuhan as she was towards Shen Yuning. Xue Yuhan had a dull personality, and Lady Shao rarely even saw her. But now that her mother - in - law was asking, without a moment's hesitation, she immediately put on a smile. "Mother, that girl Yuhan is very well - behaved and obedient. I like her very much."
Xue Yuxuan's forehead twitched. He quickly stepped forward and said, "Mother, no. Yuhan is my daughter. How can..."
The old lady turned to look at him. "Do you recognize her as your daughter?"
Xue Yuxuan looked blankly at his mother, then at his elder sister - in - law, and finally his eyes landed on Yuning. It was false to say that he didn't regret it. Why did he get so muddled back then and insist on driving away such a smart and lovely daughter?
But now, Xue Yuhan...
He couldn't make up his mind and just felt even more annoyed.
Xue Yujiao jumped up and immediately rolled on the ground, wailing loudly. "What kind of relatives are you? I'm the legitimate daughter. Why is everyone so partial? It's okay to be partial to Xue Yuxin, but why are you partial to them?"
Angry, she jumped up and was about to pounce on the old lady.
Fortunately, Shen Yuning was quick - eyed and quick - handed. She stepped forward and gave her a slap, knocking her to the ground.
Lady Shao let out a cry of surprise and quickly stood up to support Shen Yuning, looking at her with concern. "Yuning, are you okay?"
After being slapped, Xue Yujiao saw that her grandmother and elder aunt only cared about Shen Yuning. She was both angry and aggrieved and couldn't help shouting, "Look, look. I, a legitimate daughter of the Xue family, am not as good as this merchant girl from outside."
The old lady ignored her. She quickly asked Lady Shao to support Shen Yuning to sit down properly and then said, "My child, don't worry about me. I'm fine. You must take good care of yourself."
She sat up straight and looked at Xue Yujiao impatiently. She then nodded at Xue Yuxuan. "Your daughter is like this. Don't you care?"
Without hesitation, Xue Yuxuan stepped forward and gave Xue Yujiao a slap, making her dare not say a word.
Lady Xiao was greatly shocked. She urgently pounced on her daughter and looked at her husband in disbelief. "You, you... Just now it was clearly Yuning who hit Yujiao. Why didn't you protect your daughter but instead hit her?"
Hearing all this noise, the old lady felt extremely annoyed in her heart. She simply waved her hand and asked, "Han'er isn't at home? Where's Xier?"
As she was speaking, a young man strode in, followed by a thin and haggard woman.
The old lady stood up straight and stared blankly at the young man, calling out, "Xier?"
The young man was indeed Xue Yuxi. There was no trace of his former high - spirited look in his eyes. He just woodenly called out "Grandmother" and then knelt down to kowtow.
"Now, I don't know if I can still call you Grandmother. I beg Grandmother to make a decision and expel me from the Xue family."
The woman behind was Concubine Bai. She quickly knelt down and kowtowed. "No, no, no. Old lady, the young master is a descendant of the Xue family. He must not be driven out. It's all this servant's fault. It's all this servant's badness. This servant is willing to die. I just beg the old lady to take care of the second young miss and the young master..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xue Yuxuan was furious and was about to kick Concubine Bai, but was blocked by Xue Yuxi.
"You slut. You've disgraced our Xue family. You're willing to die? If I don't drown you in a pig cage, I won't be able to relieve my hatred."
Shen Yuning stood up, looked at Xue Yuxuan, and loudly asked, "Lord Xue said that Concubine Bai has disgraced the family. Do you have any solid evidence? If not, it's slander. The laws of the Great Zhou are strict. For slander, the lightest punishment is ten blows with a cane, and the heaviest is exile. Lord Xue is an official of the court. He shouldn't want to have such a lawsuit on his hands, right?"