Chapter 359: The speaker says it unintentionally, the listener takes it to heart

This discussion ultimately ended in Du Shanü's embarrassed retreat.

But the aftermath was still extremely strong, leaving Du Shanü somewhat absent-minded for several days straight.

Only after several days, when she was lying on a lounge chair in the government office garden sipping tea, did she actually still have this matter on her mind.

The rocking chair swayed slightly, Du Shanü was eating watermelon, muttering vaguely:

"Afang......"

"Afang is really too intense."

What this "intensity" means, Du Shanü finds hard to say and also can't explain clearly.

However, Yu Baobao, who was keeping her company nearby, seemed to understand; she lifted her head from her work, tilted her head, and laughed:

"Wife Master earlier joked that Chunrijian was bewitched by Chen Weifang, but in fact she herself is just as bad!"

Du Shanü's hand holding the watermelon paused, almost choking:

"Nonsense!"

"I haven't! Afang and I are as pure as scallions mixed with tofu——"

Fortunately, right now only the two of them are in the garden, and Chinu isn't here; otherwise she'd surely overturn the vinegar vat at home.

No, no, no, that might not necessarily be the case.

Chinu and Afang's relationship has always been quite good...

No, no, no, that's not something she could think of!

Du Shanü struggled to steady her belly, then planted her feet on the ground:

"What about Chinu? Earlier she said she was going to get cow's milk—is she preparing to start by assisting with the cow's delivery?"

This remark was just offhand; Yu Baobao has been by Du Shanü's side all along, and since Du Shanü doesn't know about it, he naturally doesn't either.

Thus, seeing that Yu Baobao was about to look bewildered, Du Shanü quickly changed the subject:

"What are you planning to do today?"

Yu Baobao's father likes doing handicrafts, something Du Shanü had heard from Yu Baobao long ago.

But Du Shanü never knew that during her time away from home, Yu Baobao's own handicraft skills had also leapt forward.

It was just a simple long wooden box containing a few loose items; over these days Yu Baobao fumbled around, tapped and knocked, and occasionally managed to produce some fun little gadgets——

Sometimes a top, sometimes a shuttlecock, sometimes a little bamboo horse...

Plus countless wooden animals, wooden dolls, cricket cages, flower shuttlecocks, and rattling drums...

Even today, what Yu Baobao handed over to Du Shanü was especially special—it turned out to be the precursor of a tangram, a whole set that can be freely assembled into a Yanji.

After receiving it, Du Shanü didn't even bother to gnaw the watermelon rind, almost staring wide-eyed:

"This, this you can actually make?"

"She had never before taught Yu Baobao how to make such little toys!"

"In Du Shanü's eyes, Yu Baobao has always been naive about worldly matters, pure and spotless..."

"Well, to be honest, she just doesn't seem like someone who would use her brain much."

"But today, Yu Baobao actually managed, without her guidance, to create this kind of educational toy that isn't yet widely promoted at this stage!"

Yu Baobao's brows and eyes relaxed, the curve of his lips bright and gentle:

"Oh dear, Wife Master! I've said it before—I'm just a little bit slower than ordinary people, not stupid!"

"Besides, my mother used to enjoy playing thousand-autumn games and similar cards; seeing them often, I naturally developed some ideas of my own!"

"Truly obedient!"

"Truly obedient!"

Du Shanü has shouted the same line in her heart countless times——

"Yu Baobao, you're truly a good treasure!"

Although Du Shanü's decisions have always been extremely hard to change, her pregnancy is indeed completely voluntary on her part.

But in fact she has always been worried about one thing——

As of now, there has never been a ruling female emperor or empress.

Most people don't quite understand that if women are to be honored, they must follow the principle of the female bloodline.......

Therefore, Du Shanü previously had been very afraid that Yu Baobao would mind the existence of the child in her womb.

Yes.

Afraid.

However, this fear does not come from the shame of female prohibitions or female virtues.

But rather, she fears that Yu Baobao dislikes it, and then would rally Yu Lve and a series of Yin Dynasty old officials to suppress this child, thus plunging into that conflict that Du Shanü finds extremely frightening......

That is, internal strife.

Seizing the heirship, seizing the throne—such things occur frequently in any dynasty.

Especially judging from the earlier meaning of the "radiating gathering child," this unborn child seems destined to be overwhelmed by others......

People, after all, never believe in fate.

Or rather, before fate catches up with them, they always think they can be the exception.

Du Shanü is no exception.

She hopes that Chinu will love this child, Afang will love this child, Yu Baobao, Yu Lve, Chunrijian and everyone else will love her firstborn child.

Every life, at birth, is not expected to have a death date.

And Du Shanü only hopes that this child's life path will be somewhat easier than hers.

So many toys, so much sincerity...

Fortunately, it's Yu Baobao.

If someone else were the principal wife, Du Shanü would not feel she had today's peace.

Du Shanü held the exquisitely crafted small table, let out a breath; Yu Baobao saw her wife master sigh, immediately came over, gently placed her head on Du Shanü's knee, and carefully hooked her little finger.

In that instant, Du Shanü even felt that behind Yu Baobao there was a large tail, hooked high, constantly twisting......

Indeed......

Indeed......

What a plump, delicious big wild cat!

Du Shanü froze, unable to speak.

Yu Baobao puffed up in anger and wagged her tail...... no, she hooked Du Shanü's little finger:

「What's wrong, Wife Master! _(: 3」∠)_」

「I made this little toy for Guai Zaizai; don't you like it? If you don't, I'll make another—don't sigh! 」

「When the Wife Master sighs, he feels the sky collapsing, the sky collapsing! 」

「It was originally made to relieve boredom, yet the more it relieves boredom, the more boring it becomes? 」

「Is this right! 」

「Damn it, if only his skills were better! 」

「By then I could make anything, making until the Wife Master and Guai Zaizai stop sighing...... 」

「No, I really like it. 」

Du Shanü naturally stroked Yu Baobao's head and said with a smile:

「I was just thinking, it's good that it's you...... also fortunate that it's you. 」

「A husband who is sufficiently gentle, broad-minded, and big-hearted. 」

「Though he does not migrate, nor can he easily follow rivers' wanderings, when the rivers surge forward and he finally grows weary from labor, there is always a place to return to. 」

「His eyes shine bright, his affection is endless, he is as constant as mountains and seas, even more so as the unceasing sun and moon. 」

「Du Shanü touched Yu Baobao's brows and eyes; her bearing was majestic like a mountain, her face held pure light—everywhere were the brows and eyes she had once imagined she would deeply love. 」

「Du Shanü let her fingertips and mind wander freely, until...... 」

「Yu Baobao innocently asked her another question. 」

「Yu Baobao's eyes gazed longingly, her inner self as if still water holding its breath: 」

「I'm also very happy to have met you, Wife Master! (〃'▽'〃)」

「Right, Wife Master, I've wanted to ask you something for a while, but I didn't dare; now that Nunu is gone, I can finally ask! 」

「I want to ask: after you give birth to Guai Zaizai, you will surely go out to conquer the world—who will raise Guai Zaizai afterward? If no one will, could you entrust the child to me? I will certainly, certainly treat this child as my own—」

「Clang——! 」

「With a crack, the teacup fell to the ground and instantly shattered into pieces. 」

「Du Shanü suddenly lifted her head, only to see, not far away under the corridor, a deathly pale Chinu standing there. 」

「Beside his feet lay several shards of porcelain glimmering with cold light. 」

「Chen Weifang, accompanying Chinu, remained calm, walked straight past Chinu and approached Du Shanü gracefully. 」

「His posture and expression showed no fault; even the smile at the corner of his mouth was perfectly appropriate, yet the smile never reached his eyes: 」

「Wise Lord...... you were waiting outside with Ouyang An on a spring day; do you wish to see them now? 」

?? Small table: the precursor of the tangram, a folding-board toy developed in the Song dynasty, capable of forming various patterns.

? Speaking frankly, this group of eminent officials meeting Shasha is actually karmic retribution; but Shasha meeting this group of eminent officials...... how could that not be a great karmic retribution?