Chapter 575: Pregnant with Pearl [Thanks! Bow again! Owed chapters: 39K]

End of the Shen hour (around 5:00 PM)

The sun was about to set,

and as the sunlight decreased, the temperature also dropped.

Inner city, Xingguo Lane,

Qi Xiao Xiao Gongye's residence,

Back courtyard main hall,

Princess Pingning sat on the Luo Han chair, holding a teacup with full decorum, blew on it lightly, and took a small sip.

"Madam, Buwei has been brought over."

"Hmm."

Princess Pingning placed the teacup on the table and took a deep breath.

A moment later,

The brocade cotton curtain at the door was lifted by a maid, and Buwei walked in with his head lowered.

"This little one has seen the Princess."

Buwei bowed and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Hmm. Today Heng'er went to the Sheng family, did anything happen during that time?"

Princess Pingning asked with a straight face.

Buwei lowered his head and bowed: "Replying to the Princess, the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye... nothing happened at the Sheng family."

"Since he was so happy when he left, why has he been pulling a long face ever since he returned, not even showing a single smile?"

Buwei shook his head: "Replying to the Princess, this little one does not know."

"Don't know?" Princess Pingning asked back in a deep tone. "Then tell me, what did Heng'er do after arriving at the Sheng family."

Buwei bowed: "Yes, Princess. After the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye arrived at the Sheng family, he first visited Scholar Zhuang, then went with Brother Jing and the others to pay New Year's respects to the Old Madam of the Sheng family... During the meal, this little one was always by the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye's side."

Listening to Buwei's narration, Princess Pingning's expression gradually became much calmer, and there was even a slight smile at the corners of her mouth, saying: "Old Master Yu really evaluated Heng'er like that?"

"Yes, Princess, this little one heard it very clearly from the side."

Princess Pingning took a deep breath and said: "That's enough, go down."

Buwei bowed in response, took two steps back, turned, and left the main hall.

The managing Mama standing beside Princess Pingning said: "Princess, listening to what this boy Buwei said, the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye had nothing improper today."

"Hmph!" Princess Pingning gave a light cold snort: "I also didn't expect Heng'er to be praised so much by Old Master Yu. But, is there really nothing improper?"

Hearing Princess Pingning's rhetorical question, the managing Mama's eyes turned, and her expression became somewhat unsightly.

The managing Mama bowed slightly and said: "The Princess is right. The Young Xiao Xiao Gongye was praised by Old Master Yu, but he is still in a bad mood after coming back. There must be some hidden reason inside."

Princess Pingning picked up the teacup and took a sip, saying: "When was the last time we saw the Sheng family's young ladies?"

"Replying to the Princess, it should be the time before the New Year when the Cheng Xiao Xiao Gongye's residence sent out invitations for people to attend a banquet."

"And before that?"

Seeming to be recalling what she saw that day, Princess Pingning closed her eyes and asked again.

"Sigh... Princess, before that... it was the Chrysanthemum Appreciation Gathering in the west of the city during the Double Ninth Festival last year."

Princess Pingning shook her head and said: "The Sheng family's young ladies didn't all go that day."

The managing Mama nodded with a face full of recollection: "The Princess truly has a good memory! Thinking about it carefully, it was the time after Qingming when we saw the Sheng family's young ladies at the horse polo field in the west of the city!"

"It seems the Sheng family's eldest branch also went that day."

Princess Pingning recalled for a moment and said: "Not bad."

Watching Princess Pingning's expression, the managing Mama glanced at the maids in the main hall and whispered: "Princess, are you saying that the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye is unhappy because of the Sheng family's young ladies?"

Princess Pingning kept a straight face and didn't speak.

"Then should we find an opportunity to tell the Sheng family and let the three young ladies leave the school first?" The managing Mama asked tentatively.

Princess Pingning waved her hand: "No! Heng'er went to the Sheng family to study as a guest. I heard from Madam Wang that the three young ladies being able to enter the school was also the Old Madam of the Sheng family who gave the word. We have no reason to say that we don't want the young ladies to study in their own school."

"If our family said that, and they didn't care about face and replied that they didn't want to see our young lady and would go to another school, then our Qi family's face would be completely lost."

"Scholar Zhuang is a rare and excellent teacher!"

The managing Mama nodded repeatedly and said: "The Princess is right. Although the Sheng family is not well-known in Bianjing, their in-laws include Old Master Wang, who is entitled to be enshrined in the Taimiao, and the Marquis Yongyi's residence, which is currently in service. They are not a family of low status."

"The six young masters currently studying at the Sheng family school are also all Juren."

Listening to the managing Mama's words, Princess Pingning said "Hmm," and after drinking some tea, her eyes were full of thoughtful expression.

After thinking for a while, Princess Pingning said: "Although the Sheng family doesn't have any titles, being able to be brothers-in-law with Xu Zaizhang, in the eyes of ordinary high-ranking, powerful families, it is also a very good marriage."

"The Princess is right! Doesn't the Young Xiao Xiao Gongye often say at home that the Sheng family's Second Young Master has profound academic knowledge? If he passes the Jinshi examination, the Sheng family's status could also be higher."

Princess Pingning nodded: "Hmm, a family with three or four Jinshi is worth praising. It's a pity..."

As she spoke, Princess Pingning gave a light laugh.

It's a pity that with Princess Pingning's status as the eldest daughter of the Xiangyang Marquis residence, the foster daughter of the Emperor and Empress, and the nominal foster sister of the future Emperor, plus the Qi family's title, she still looked down on the Sheng family somewhat.

Putting down the teacup in her hand, Princess Pingning stood up from the chair. Not knowing what she thought of, she gave a light laugh and said: "If only the Xu family's Brother Jing had a younger sister."

Of course, Princess Pingning meant that if the Xu family could have a young lady of a similar age to Qi Heng.

Quyuan Lane,

Marquis Yongyi's residence,

Back courtyard,

Xu Zaijing, carrying his three maids who were holding things, entered the courtyard of the mistress.

"The Fifth Young Master is here."

The little maid standing at the door called out with a smile.

"Mother! I'm back!"

Xu Zaijing lowered his head with a smile, passed the lifted cotton curtain, and entered the room.

"Hmm?"

Looking at the people in the room, Xu Zaijing asked in confusion: "Sister, why haven't you gone back? Second Brother thought Eldest Sister, you had returned to the Marquis's residence, and he had returned himself."

Pingmei nodded, and she and Anmei had smiles at the corners of their mouths, but their faces were also slightly embarrassed.

Xu Zaijing glanced at his mother, Sun Shi, who was sitting on the Luo Han chair. Looking at Sun Shi's expression, he said: "Mother, what's wrong with you all? Could it be..."

The several noble ladies in the main hall all had increasingly embarrassed expressions, and Sun Shi lowered her head slightly.

Xu Zaijing's eyes widened: "Could it be... my marriage has been settled?"

Upon hearing this,

Xie Shi, who had returned from the small paper workshop in the afternoon, looked at Xu Zaijing with a smile and said: "Go, go, go! No!"

"Oh..." Xu Zaijing felt relieved in his heart, looked around at everyone's expressions, and said: "Sister-in-law, Sister, you look like this, what is it?"

Anmei held back a laugh, glanced at Sun Shi, and said: "Little Five... we are going to have another younger brother or sister!"

Xu Zaijing: "(O_o)??"

Looking at Anmei, Xu Zaijing said: "Sister, if you say that, aren't you afraid Mother will beat..."

Raising his head to look at his mother, Sun Shi, Xu Zaijing didn't continue. The main hall instantly became quiet.

At the door of the main hall, Qingcao, Yunxiang, and Huaxiang, who were holding the lifelike flowers, looked at each other in disbelief.

"By the way... Mother, on the way, I saw some lifelike flowers with excellent craftsmanship, and since my sisters are here..."

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing beckoned to Qingcao and the others.

Subsequently, Xu Zaijing sat on a chair, looked at his sister and sister-in-law who had changed the subject, and whispered to Anmei: "This, how did you know?"

Anmei held a lifelike flower in her hand and said: "This afternoon, Physician Ren came to the house to pay New Year's respects. Mother said she had no appetite recently, so Physician Ren took her pulse, and then we knew."

"How old is our mother..." Xu Zaijing whispered.

Anmei scratched her temples in helplessness.

"Where is Father?" Xu Zaijing asked.

"At noon, he was dragged away by Old General Cao to drink." Anmei said.

"Oh... how many months?"

Anmei pursed her lips and held up three fingers.

Xu Zaijing touched his forehead in helplessness.

In the evening,

Before dinner, Pingmei and Anmei had already returned to their respective husband's families.

Xu Zaijing also used the excuse that he had eaten too much at the Sheng family and returned to his own courtyard.

Mistress's courtyard,

Inside the bedroom,

Marquis Yongyi, Xu Minghua, who had just returned to the residence, walked in with the smell of alcohol on him.

Looking at Sun Shi, who was sitting by the table with one hand on the table, clenching her fist tightly, Xu Minghua said: "Madam, the people in the house hurriedly found me and asked me to come back, saying there was good news. What happened?"

Just as he approached the table, Sun Shi glared fiercely at Xu Minghua.

"Hmm? There is good news, why is Madam looking at me like this?"

Before Xu Minghua finished speaking, Sun Shi stood up, walked over, and started pounding on Xu Minghua's chest with her fists.

"You old rascal, you old shameless one, I have no face to live anymore!!"

Sun Shi's actions left Xu Minghua in a daze.

"Madam, I... what did I do???"

While asking, Xu Minghua looked to the side at Mama Zhu, who had served Sun Shi for many years.

Mama Zhu glanced at Sun Shi, bowed, and smiled: "Marquis, Madam, she..."

After Mama Zhu finished speaking,

Xu Minghua looked at Sun Shi's expression, his face full of astonishment as he said: "This, I, Madam, you..."

"Slap!"

Sun Shi gave Xu Minghua another fierce punch.

Xingguo Lane,

Ningyuan Marquis residence,

Madam Bai and Gu Tingyi poked their heads out, eyes wide, watching Pingmei, who was speaking, without blinking.

Then, Madam Bai said in disbelief: "Ping'er, Sister Sun is at this age, and she can... conceive?"

Pingmei pursed her lips and nodded: "Physician Ren took the pulse herself."

After Gu Tingye woke up from the shock, he said: "Then the one in Madam Sun's belly has a high seniority."

Pingmei sighed with a smile and touched the head of her son, Gu Shixing.

Gu Yankai, sitting on the other side of Madam Bai, was stunned by what he heard, then shook his head while smiling, his eyes full of admiration.

Chunming Lane,

Huyan family residence, Madam Pan was also looking at Anmei with a face full of surprise, saying: "An'er, this matter is not something to joke about."

"Mother, how could I joke!"

Madam Pan nodded, a smile appeared at the corners of her mouth, and she said: "The in-law's body is truly healthy enough."

Anmei said: "Mother is right, my maternal grandmother gave birth to ten children."

Madam Pan smiled: "Hoping that you, An'er, can also be as healthy as your mother and help our Huyan family flourish."

Time passed,

A new day,

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year,

On this day, officials from the Ministry of Rites would accompany the sons of the capital's nobility to shoot arrows with the Northern Liao envoys at the Southern Imperial Garden.

Great Zhou Imperial Palace, inside the Empress's palace,

The Emperor, who was on a seven-day break, was having breakfast with Imperial Prince Zhao Fang, the Empress, and the Princess.

When Zhao Fang used public chopsticks to pick up the food he liked and put it into the little Princess's bowl, the Eunuch Eunuch Huai Bao walked in with a smile, holding a horsetail whisk.

Seeing his foster son, the Grand Eunuch beside the Emperor asked: "What's the matter?"

Eunuch Huai Bao walked to the front, bowed to the Emperor's family, and looked at the Emperor, who was drinking porridge. Eunuch Huai Bao pondered for a moment.

"Hmm? Speak!" The Grand Eunuch said, raising his voice slightly.

Eunuch Huai Bao pursed his lips and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Marquis Yongyi's wife, she..."

After listening to Eunuch Huai Bao's report, the Emperor and Empress both frowned slightly.

"The Marquis Yongyi's wife is pregnant? You didn't hear wrong, did you?" The Empress glanced at her son and daughter and shook her head.

"Replying to the Empress, this servant has confirmed it repeatedly."

Zhao Fang, beside the Empress, looked at the Emperor with a face full of happiness and said: "Father, the Marquis Yongyi is truly vigorous in his old age!"

The Emperor put down his porridge bowl, nodded, glanced at Zhao Fang, and then glanced at the Empress.

Zhao Fang looked at the Emperor's gaze, his eyes turned, and he continued: "But, Father is still more powerful."

The Emperor raised his eyebrows noncommittally.

Jiying Lane,

Sheng family,

Weiruixuan,

Wang Ruofu sat by the table, holding her grandson Xu Xingzhong.

"Zhong'er, if you want to eat anything, tell Grandmother, Grandmother will pick it for you!"

"Mother, you are too doting on him! Let him pick it himself!"

Wang Ruofu glanced at Hualan, who was speaking, and said: "When you were this big, your father and I didn't have the heart to let you pick food for yourself."

After speaking, without looking at Hualan, Wang Ruofu continued to coax her grandson, while Sheng Hong raised his soup bowl, drinking soup while looking at his grandson with a face full of smiles.

Rulan curled her lips as she watched her nephew being doted on in her mother's arms.

At this moment, a maid walked in from outside the door, bowed to the crowd, and said: "Master, Madam, someone from the Marquis's residence has come, saying..."

Wang Ruofu frowned while holding her grandson, preparing to speak, but listening to the maid's report, the words in her throat simply couldn't come out.

Sheng Hong had a mouthful of soup in his mouth, and it took great perseverance not to spray it out.

Half a quarter of an hour later,

Shou'an Hall,

Sheng Hong looked at the Old Madam, who was eating, bowed, and said: "Mother..."

After listening to Sheng Hong's words, the Old Madam frowned and glanced at Mama Fang and Mama Cui, who were also in disbelief beside her, and said: "Ah? Hong'er, what did you say?"

Sheng Hong repeated it again.

The Old Madam shook her head with a smile and said: "This is truly good news."

In the blink of an eye, another day passed, and it was already the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.

On this day, the three days of gambling opened in the capital had ended, and the envoys from various countries who had come to the capital to pay New Year's respects left the capital one after another.

Nanjiangtang Lane,

Rong family, Huisue Courtyard,

The maid Ningxiang walked hurriedly through the moon gate and entered the courtyard.

Lifting the cotton curtain with quick hands and feet, she entered the room, scanned the outer room, and seeing that her young lady was not there, Ningxiang walked quickly toward the inner room.

"Ningxiang, you're back! Hey, where are the snacks you bought?"

Entering the inner room, looking at Rong Feiyan, who was quietly making incense, Ningxiang couldn't care about the question from Seeing Xi Bu to the side and hurriedly leaned over and said urgently: "Da Niangzi, just now this servant went to buy snacks and heard, heard..."

Rong Feiyan stopped her hands from making incense, looked up at Ningxiang, and smiled: "Heard what?"

After Ningxiang finished speaking while panting, Rong Feiyan's smile froze on her face. She put down the incense-making tools and said: "Who spread this... Madam Sun, she is already..."

Seeing Xi Bu, to the side, nodded repeatedly.

"Da Niangzi, it's true! The Marquis Tuoxi, Marquis Ningyuan, and several other Marquis residences are all spreading it!"

Looking at Ningxiang's determined appearance, Rong Feiyan slowly held her cheeks with both hands and looked at Seeing Xi Bu in surprise, saying: "Heavens..."

Not far from the Rong family,

East side of the Imperial City,

Chai family, Qiusheng Garden.

Chai Zhengzheng looked at her mother, Madam Chai, and said: "Mother, you said you heard it from the British Xiao Xiao Gongye's wife?"

Madam Chai nodded repeatedly: "Yes! Old Madam Lian went to the Zhang family to ask! Before, when the British Xiao Xiao Gongye's wife gave birth to the Fifth Daughter, she wasn't young either, so she always had some experience in this regard, right."

"After knowing the news, Old Madam Lu went to the Zhang family to ask for instruction, and only then did the British Xiao Xiao Gongye's wife know!"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded blankly and said: "Madam Sun, her body is truly healthy!"

After speaking, Chai Zhengzheng smiled again.

"Zhengzheng, what are you laughing at?" Madam Chai asked in confusion.

Chai Zhengzheng: "Mother, nothing, I just want to know what Xu family's Fifth Young Master looked like when he knew this news."