"Second sister!" Mingwei blushed slightly and glared at Mingqian, but did not deny it.
The child with Rong Zhen was also what she longed for... not only to make up for the regrets of the previous life, but also to have some other feelings involved.
"Everything is fine at home, so you don't need to worry about home." Only then did Mingxi remember what her grandmother and mother had told her: "Grandmother and mother both said that you should take good care of yourself and give birth to the prince smoothly."
“Your situation is not what it used to be, so you must be even more careful.” Mingxi tried to imitate the old lady’s earnest tone, which made her look quite comical. “You should be extremely careful about your food, your personal belongings, and even every plant, tree, person, and object in the palace.”
Mingwei bit her lip to suppress her laughter while nodding earnestly.
"Also, the Prince didn't make a fuss because he was looking out for you." Mingxi seemed to remember something, straightened her face, and emphasized, "Grandmother said that the situation is special and the Prince is being considerate. You mustn't take it to heart."
After hearing Mingxi's words, Mingwei blinked blankly for a moment before she understood what she meant.
The old lady must be afraid that Rong Zhen would be unhappy if he said he wouldn't reveal the news of her pregnancy for the time being! Mingwei thought with a touch of emotion that the old lady must be afraid that this would cause a rift between the couple, so she specifically asked Mingqian to remind her!
In the old lady's eyes, she will always be a child who never grows up...
“I understand, Second Sister.” Mingwei nodded obediently, and while she was touched, she couldn’t help but mutter, “Grandmother always treats me like a child.”
Mingxi relayed the old lady's and the first wife's words in a rambling manner. At the end, she added a lot of nonsensical remarks, basically telling Mingwei to take good care of her pregnancy and give birth to a big, healthy boy as soon as possible.
"You'll see her at the banquet in a couple of days, but we won't have much time to exchange heartfelt words." Seeing the lingering affection on Mingwei's face, Mingqian quickly added, "In a few days, the old lady will send Granny Fang over to you, along with two other nannies who used to work for my mother. They're all very capable."
Mingwei was deeply moved and nodded repeatedly.
"By the way, Second Sister, how's Third Sister doing lately? What about the other sisters?" Mingwei hesitated for a moment before asking Mingrong.
The attitudes of Consort Shu, Princess Cheng, and Princess Deguang were all ambiguous and strange, making her very uneasy. Considering the complicated family ties between Princess Cheng and the Second Madam's family, and Mingrong's ambitious nature, she always felt that something was going to happen.
When she heard Ming Rong mentioned, Ming Qian's eyes flickered slightly, but she quickly returned to normal. These days, apart from her sarcastic remarks to Ming Wei, Ming Rong had actually been quite well-behaved for a while. "Don't worry, Grandmother has sent people to take good care of Ming Rong. She can't leave the manor even for a moment now."
Mingwei nodded, but still felt vaguely uneasy.
Consort Han's affair, Rong Hao's affair... Consort Shu not only had a grudge against her in her past life, but she still does in this one. She wondered if Consort Shu had noticed something amiss, as she was always finding fault with her. Based on her understanding of Consort Shu from her previous life, she had no doubt about Consort Shu's ability to cause trouble.
"That's good." Mingwei pondered for a moment and said, "I still think that Third Sister will not be willing to marry into the third branch of the Duke of Ying's family. I hope she doesn't do anything outrageous. We must not let her tarnish the reputation of our sisters. Remind Mother to pay close attention to the Duke of Ying's family's movements."
Counting from the top, the one who hasn't married yet is Mingxi, then the three daughters of the second wife, Mingrong, Mingfang, and Minglian, and the six daughters of the third and fourth wives. It wasn't Mingrong's choice; she was framed and her reputation was tarnished, which was also detrimental to her other sisters.
Mingxi also realized the seriousness of the matter and solemnly said, "I understand, so don't worry."
“A few days ago, my eldest sister came back to her parents’ home with her two children from her first marriage. She seems to be doing quite well.” Mingxi didn’t want Mingwei to worry anymore, so she changed the subject and said, “Now that my eldest sister is more at ease, she’s also a bit more plump than before. It’s clear that life is something you have to live, and it’s best that my eldest sister understands this.”
Mingwei recalled Mingrui, who had been crying and begging the second wife just a few months ago. Perhaps she had already become an elegant and composed woman. While feeling sorry for her, she also felt a pang of heartache.
They were all girls as beautiful as flowers, yet they had to endure so much pain. She could have lived a much easier and happier life, but unfortunately, she was ruined by the second master's indifference, by the second wife's manipulation, and by her aunt's greed...
"Alright, it's getting late. The messenger should go back and report. Grandmother brought you some medicinal herbs to help you recover. Now that I see you have a good doctor here, you should consult the doctor before using them." Mingxi stood up, her gaze falling on Mingwei's lower abdomen. "You should take good care of yourself."
She had only been there for less than an hour, and now she had to leave. Mingwei felt a little reluctant to part with her. "It's still early. Second Sister, you can have lunch here before you go."
Mingxi was about to politely decline when she heard footsteps outside, which gradually became clearer.
Then the turmeric brocade curtain at the entrance was lifted, revealing a handsome face. His warm smile made him appear refined and elegant.
"Second sister, please stay for a simple meal, otherwise Awei will cry." Rong Zhen smiled and said, "After lunch, I will have someone send you back."
"Greetings, Your Highness." The two were startled by Rong Zhen's sudden appearance. Ming Qian quickly stood up and bowed. Ming Wei also jumped up from her chair.
Rong Zhen said, "We're all family, Second Sister, no need for such formalities." He then quickly stepped forward and stopped Ming Wei, saying, "Don't get up so suddenly. Didn't Doctor Zhang tell you not to move too quickly?"
"Your Highness!" Ming Wei blushed and said, "How could I be so delicate?" when she looked up and met Ming Qian's teasing gaze.
"Yes, yes, you're not delicate, but you have to think about the little one in your belly." Rong Zhen said with a mix of helplessness and doting: "Just think of it as being for his sake."
Mingxi felt a pang of envy at the intimate and warm atmosphere between the two.
"I've already ordered a simple meal to be prepared. Second Sister, please eat before you go." Rong Zhen said to Ming Qian, "Although Awei didn't say it, she's been thinking about you all. Since you're here, it won't hurt to stay a little longer."
Mingxi was also a straightforward person. Seeing that the couple had put it this way, she no longer refused and said with a smile, "Then I'll gladly accept your offer."
******
It wasn't until early afternoon that Mingxi boarded the car and left, leaving the two sisters with another wave of reluctance.
"We'll see each other again in a few days." Rong Zhen saw Mingwei looking at the rumbling carriage with a hint of reluctance in her eyes, so he couldn't help but comfort her, "After a while, we'll invite Second Sister to our residence more often." He helped Mingwei straighten the fur on her cloak before taking her hand and walking inside.
After seeing Mingxi off, Mingwei's sadness subsided slightly, and she then realized something was amiss. It wasn't even winter yet, and she was being dressed in a cloak trimmed with snow fox fur. She chuckled and tugged at the pure white fur, saying, "Your Highness, don't you think it's a bit too early to wear this?"
“You can’t stand the cold these days.” Rong Zhen didn’t seem to care at all: “It’s always good to dress warmly.”
Unable to resist, Mingwei could only smile bitterly, wrapped in an early winter cloak, and walk silently into the late autumn afternoon.
After returning to the main courtyard, they dismissed Biyun and the others, and the couple sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) by the window and began to talk.
"You went to the flower hall again today?" Rong Zhen's eyes showed a hint of pity. He said softly, "You should take good care of your health now. Just tell Biyun and the others to do things for you. Don't worry, they are all being watched. I don't think they can cause any trouble."
"Now that Prince Yu's mansion is full of delicious food and drink, do they really want to go back and be suppressed by others?"
Mingwei nodded and smiled, "I just heard some nice things at the palace banquet. It would be a waste not to tell them. It's the former master's heartfelt concern! Ultimately, the choice is up to them."
“Your Highness, that pastry shop…” Mingwei’s gaze fell on the plates of candied fruit on the kang table. She looked up and met Rong Zhen’s excited eyes. A complex and unfathomable look flashed in her eyes, and she swallowed the words she was about to say. She finally thanked him, “Thank you, I like it very much!”
Rong Zhen smiled slightly, both proud and satisfied. However, as if he could see what Ming Wei was thinking, he explained, "That shop will still operate as usual, but we will prioritize preparing food for our household. I have already sent two master chefs to learn how to cook there. In the future, if you want to eat something, you can have it cooked separately in our courtyard."
"Actually, I'm not that delicate, and I'm not that picky about food. I'm not a glutton at all!" Mingwei murmured to herself. "The chefs in our household are quite skilled."
Rong Zhen didn't try to gloss over it. Instead, he said seriously, "As the saying goes, everyone has their own expertise. Our cooks are first-rate when it comes to cooking, but they're not as good as the old shop when it comes to making candied fruit."