Chapter 40: Pregnant Again
“I wouldn’t know about that. When I was in the Capital City, I never met this Liu Qiniang, nor did I have the chance to use anything she made,” Wen Mingqian said softly. “I imagine she must have been a legendary woman.”
“Whether that’s true or not, it doesn’t matter. Having you now is better than anything,” Madam Yu said, putting aside the past. “Speaking of which, you’ve been too troubled.”
“Madam, you are being too formal. Please never say such things again,” Wen Mingqian said with a slight seriousness. “Since you trust me, consider me a confidante. If a confidante treats me as such, I will treat them as a confidante in return. Being too polite would truly make me uneasy!”
“You child, you are both upright and kind, truly delightful,” Madam Yu said. “You’ve been here half the day and haven’t properly had any tea or eaten a single piece of dim sum, only worrying about us.
It’s still some time until lunch. I won’t keep you any longer. I’ll have these two accompany you to our garden for a stroll. It’s better for young ladies like yourselves to chat and laugh together.”
Madam Fang took Wen Mingqian’s right hand, and Zhong Meier hugged her left arm. Together they said, “Let’s go, let’s go to the garden to play! They just replaced the ropes on the swing yesterday, let’s go on the swing!”
Wen Mingqian was ushered out by this pair of sisters-in-law, not even having time to bid farewell to Madam Yu. Behind them, a crowd of maids and servants followed, a truly grand spectacle.
The Zhong Family garden was vast, twice the size of the Gong Family’s.
Wen Mingqian, of course, did not go on the swing. She and Madam Fang sat in the octagonal pavilion, drinking tea and eating dim sum.
Zhong Meier, meanwhile, was accompanied by maids and old women and played on the swing for a long time.
During this time, Madam Fang chatted with her about everyday matters. When Consort Song was mentioned, Wen Mingqian spoke of her with nothing but praise, without any jealousy or slander.
After a sumptuous lunch at the Zhong residence, Wen Mingqian took her leave. Madam Yu repeatedly urged her to stay and then repeatedly instructed, “Good child, please come visit us often. I will be happy if you come by frequently.”
She then had her daughter-in-law and daughter escort Wen Mingqian to the carriage.
At the entrance, Madam Fang ordered a brocade box with a lock to be brought over, the key hanging beside it.
“Sister Wen, this is something my mother-in-law insisted on giving you. Please, please do not refuse,” she said, directly ordering someone to place it in Wen Mingqian’s carriage.
Wen Mingqian naturally had to decline a few times, but Madam Fang’s attitude was also very firm. “We already said not to be so formal, so how can we let you suffer? This was already a troublesome task, so please understand us and put our minds at ease.
Besides, we will be relying on you to continue formulating prescriptions for us in the future. This is also for the long term.”
“Thank you, Madam, Elder Sister, and Younger Sister, for your understanding. Since you’ve said all this, I, Mingqian, cannot refuse out of politeness,” Wen Mingqian said, her cheeks slightly flushed. “But I truly feel unworthy of receiving it.”
“Oh, dear sister, please accept it! In a few days, my sister-in-law and I will come to your home to visit you,” Zhong Meier said affectionately.
She was young, and Wen Mingqian had truly helped her resolve a major worry, so she was grateful to her from the bottom of her heart, viewing her as the greatest good person in the world.
“Alright, then you must come!” Wen Mingqian’s eyes showed a warm anticipation, appearing utterly sincere.
However, only she herself knew how much of it was true and how much was false.
She was no longer the Wen Mingqian who wore her emotions on her sleeve.
“Sister Wen, hurry and get in the carriage! The sun is so high, be careful not to get sunburnt,” Madam Fang said rather forcefully, urging Wen Mingqian into the carriage. “You’ve been troubled today, go back and rest well.”
Wen Mingqian then bid farewell, got into the carriage, and headed straight back to Ru Yang Bo Mansion.
Upon returning to Lingyue Pavilion, Gong Changan was taking his nap. Zhang Ma sat beside him, fanning him, and was also feeling drowsy.
However, as soon as Wen Mingqian entered, she became alert. She stood up and said, “Miss is back. Did you eat at the Zhong residence?”
“I did. You can rest now!” Wen Mingqian said.
“I’m not tired,” Zhang Ma said. “Miss, please change your clothes!”
Zhang Ma helped Wen Mingqian change into her everyday clothes and then noticed the brocade box from the Zhong family. She picked it up and shook it, saying, “It’s so heavy. It must be full of valuable items inside.”
“You can open it and take a look! I don’t know what’s inside,” Wen Mingqian said as she sat down for tea.
Zhang Ma used the key to unlock it. Inside the box, there were indeed several pieces of precious jewelry, as well as a stack of banknotes, each for one hundred taels.
“Tsk tsk, Madam Zhong is truly generous,” Zhang Ma chuckled. “That’s true, this isn’t a business transaction after all, and it’s not convenient to give money one time after another.”
“It’s enough that we both know. People like them would certainly not let us suffer a loss,” Wen Mingqian said, only glancing at the box.
“Our things are worth that price, and Madam Zhong knows her own expenses clearly,” Zhang Ma said, relocking the box and lowering her voice. “Miss, while you were out this half-day, something happened in the West Courtyard.”
“Concubine Song? What happened to her?” Wen Mingqian asked.
“I didn’t know at first. He Hua came back from outside and told me,” Zhang Ma pouted. “Hasn’t that one been saying she’s not feeling well these days? Today they invited a doctor to examine her, and it turns out she’s pregnant again.”
“Oh?” Wen Mingqian raised her eyes slightly. “My child and her child are truly fated!”
“Indeed! When you left the Capital City, she was pregnant with Gong Bao’an. Now, less than a month after our return, she’s pregnant again,” Zhang Ma said with a cold laugh. “We must be careful this time!”
Wen Mingqian merely smiled slightly upon hearing this. “She will certainly not be at peace. With this opportunity, she will naturally try to make a fuss about it.”
“Heh! In my opinion, she’d better behave herself. To harbor wicked thoughts while pregnant is to create bad karma for the child in her womb,” Zhang Ma rolled her eyes dramatically. “This world operates on cause and effect. What good fruit can come from continuously sowing evil seeds?”
“Master hasn’t returned yet. He’ll surely be happy when he hears this news,” Wen Mingqian said with a smile.
“We’ll know when he returns tonight,” Zhang Ma snorted. “A pair of scoundrels!”
“Don’t send any more food to Master these days,” Wen Mingqian said. “Be careful not to get into trouble.”
“I was thinking the same thing. I never liked making it for him anyway,” Zhang Ma said frankly. “Does he, Gong Er, even deserve it?!”
“How about this: after Master learns of this, tomorrow you will return two people from this courtyard, saying that the Little Madam is pregnant and needs more people to care for her. These people were originally assigned from her courtyard, so they will be more convenient to use,” Wen Mingqian said calmly.
“That’s a grand and fitting reason. It will work,” Zhang Ma smiled. “It also serves to remove a few spies from our courtyard.”
“Let Aunt Tian and Liu Er stay!” Wen Mingqian said. “Those two are quite clever and know what’s important.”
Zhang Ma understood Wen Mingqian’s meaning. These two could be swayed.
Afterward, Wen Mingqian lay down to rest. The days were getting longer now, and it was impossible not to take a nap. In the latter half of the day, one easily loses focus.
