In the early morning, a few birds chirped crisply outside the window.

After Yuxi finished her morning exercise, she walked out of her room, looked over to where the birds were chirping and said, “Birds are chirping this morning. There’s surely going to be a happy occasion today.” Thinking that today was the day when Yuchen returned to the residence, Yuxi could not help but smile.

Zisu reminded, “Miss, it’s time to freshen up, or you’ll be late again.” Yuxi had become an over-fried youtiao and almost the last one to arrive at every gathering. Zisu felt that this habit of Yuxi’s was really bad.

After freshening herself up, Yuxi went to the Main Courtyard. It was good that she was not the last to arrive this time, just like in the past, but Wen Shi was.

A maid helped Wen Shi walk into the room. When Yuxi looked at her, she did not know why, but she was reminded of Concubine Mei with the same posture that one day.

Qiu Shi couldn’t tolerate it when Wen Shi was acting like this. She commented coldly, “If San Dimei is not feeling well, then, no need to come over. Outsiders who didn’t know would think we have treated you harshly!” To become sisters-in-law with such a person indeed degraded her style.

Wen Shi countered, “Dasao, today is the Third Girl’s return day. How can I, as her formal mother, not come? Even if I am not well, I still have to come.” The Lord had forbidden her to show up on Yuchen’s wedding day, but how could she also not show up on the day of her return?

Yuxi squeezed in before Qiu Shi could say anything, “San Shen, that’s not right. If you don’t feel well, you should ask the physician to take a look. Even if you don’t think of yourself, you should think of the child in your belly. If anything happens to the baby, wouldn’t it be my San Jie’s fault then?”

Wen Shi responded with a smile, “I’m fine. I do not feel unwell.” Qiu Shi was not very good at fighting, but this Fourth Miss’ mouth was like a knife. With just one sentence, she could choke people to death.

The maid walked in and announced, “Old Lady, First Lady, the meal is ready to be served.” Although Han Jianming had inherited the title, how the servants addressed these two did not change for now.

Everyone then went to the dining hall. The Old Lady sat in the main seat, Qiu Shi sat on the Old Lady’s left, and Yuxi sat next to Qiu Shi.

There were many things that pregnant women needed to avoid eating, and many of the items on the table Wen Shi could not eat. Thus, the Old Lady had the cook prepare special food for her.

Wen Shi took a bite of the bird’s nest congee and said with a grimace, “Mother, the bird’s nest you have here is delicious. The one I usually eat has no taste at all.”

When Qiu Shi heard this, she was full of anger. Since Wen Shi became pregnant, she kept requesting either a bird’s nest soup or chicken soup. The people in the kitchen had been doing a lot of work these days because of her. Furthermore, she would also eat all the food she could see. It was alright if she only ate them, but she was still particularly fussy about them. “No one is forcing you to eat something you don’t like. From now on, you don’t have to ask the kitchen to prepare it. You can just buy whatever things you want to eat.” That woman must have thought that silver just fell from the sky.

Wen Shi blushed a little and said, “Dasao, I merely craved for something good when I was pregnant, and they’re all to nourish this child of mine. Why do you have to be irritated with me?”

Qiu Shi burst out, “Did we mistreat you by making you eat vegetables and radishes all day long when you were not pregnant with your child? Alright, I’ll have someone bring the accounts over later and see what you’ve been eating every day since you married into the State Residence.”

The Old Lady’s expression looked very unpleasant. She coldly swept her eyes at Wen Shi and said, “Finished? Are you done? If you don’t want to eat, then go back.” Previously, Wen Shi looked like she knew what she was doing but somehow revealed her true nature once she got pregnant.

As the atmosphere suddenly became terrible, the maids were more careful in their actions. Yuxi was not affected by the situation and just drank a bowl of non-glutinous rice congee. She then ordered the maids to serve another bowl.

Wen Shi expressed her opinion with a smile, “For Fourth Girl to have such a good appetite, I’m envious when I look at her.” Any girl who could eat so well would be laughed at if the outside world knew about this.

Yuxi wasn’t the type that would swallow insults and humiliation silently. Hearing this, Yuxi slapped her chopsticks on the table and coldly said, “Our Han family is not like the Wen family, where you can’t even get enough to eat. But it’s also lucky that your Wen family is poor until you can’t get enough to eat that you can’t even walk steadily. Otherwise, how else would you have the opportunity to sit here, right?” That was a lot of information for everyone to hear.

When Wen Shi heard these words, her face turned white. Her reaction made those present become even more, and they wondered what precisely the Fourth Miss meant by these words. T

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The Old Lady’s face completely darkened as she looked at Wen Shi and said, “Go back.” There was a limit to her tolerance.

At these words, Wen Shi’s face turned to the colour of pig liver. She wanted to faint, but she knew very well that if she dared to faint, the Old Lady would have her dragged away.

After Wen Shi left, the Old Lady looked at Yuxi and cautioned, “It’s okay to have such a big temper at home. But when you go to your husband’s house and still have this kind of attitude, you’ll be the one who suffers.”

Yuxi answered with an unchanged face, “Don’t worry, Grandmother. I have a sense of decency.” It was just as well that she was about to be married. In different circumstances, the Old Lady would have scolded her.

After breakfast, everyone waited for Yuchen inside the Main Courtyard.

Yuxi became speechless because of this act from the Old Lady. It was only two-quarters past chenshi, and Yuchen would not arrive until at least a shichen later. The Old Lady was not even afraid of hearing any complaints when she kept everyone waiting inside the room for such a long time. Yuxi had to admit one thing, though. The Old Lady was indeed getting old and not acting as properly as she used to.

Wang Ao (1450 – 1524) wearing Mang Pao (蟒袍, lit. “The Python Robe”), which could be worn only by the highest rank officials. The right to wear such dress was seen as a special honour that emperors bestowed on officials who had done great deeds for the empire. Ming Dynasty era. – Wiki

Image Credit | Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Everyone waited for nearly one and a half shichen before Yuchen, and the 10th Prince arrived. Yuchen was dressed in a red court dress, with tiny pomegranate petals embroidered on the corners of her skirt. On her head was a golden hairpin with red stones and pomegranate flowers, and her face was thinly powdered. Standing with her was the 10th prince, who wore his python robe, making them a perfect pair.

Yuxi looked at the two people standing side by side. This scene was the same as when she was in her previous life. Remembering that moment, she didn’t know how much she envied Yuchen! Now, she felt nothing.

Seeing that Yuxi was dazed, Zisu pinched her, bringing Yuxi back from her trance. At this time, Yuchen was greeting the Old Lady with the 10th Prince.

Yuchen brought back quite a few gifts for each one of them. Yuxi received a top quality set of the four treasures of the study.

Yuxi took the gift with both hands and responded with a smile on her face, “Thank you, San Jie.” She remembered that she had received a pair of golden ruyi hairpins in her previous life, which was a world away from the present she received now.

After the first meeting ceremony, the 10th Prince went out. It was only natural that Han Jingyan should be the one to entertain the 10th Prince.

The Old Lady took Yuchen’s hand, let her sit beside her, and inquired, “Does His Highness Jing Wang treat you well?” Although Yuchen’s face was rosy and her complexion looked good, it seemed that she was doing exceptionally well. But the Old Lady was still uneasy. She had to get the answer from Yuchen personally.

Yuchen smiled and said, “His Highness treats me very well.”

After talking for a while, it was time for lunch. As Yuchen had returned to her home, lunch was naturally served together as a family.

After finishing lunch, Yuchen smiled and requested from the Old Lady, “Grandmother, I want to go back to Tingyun Pavilion to have a look.” After living in a place for more than ten years, one would always have a different feeling for that place.

The Old Lady patted Yuchen’s hand gently and agreed, “Okay. Let Yuxi accompany you!” She was too old to walk, or else she would have accompanied Yuchen.

When Yuchen and Yuxi left the Main Courtyard, looking at a dozen people in front and behind, there was an additional momo with an unfamiliar face. That momo always stayed close by Yuchen’s side as if she was currently doing her job. Under such circumstances, it was impossible for the two even to whisper.

Until the entrance of Tingyun Pavilion, Yuchen spoke to her momo, “Momo Gui, you accompany Momo Tian to have a cup of tea while I go in with Si Mei.”

This Momo Tian did not retort but sensibly followed Momo Gui to the side room to drink tea.

Only after the others had left did Yuchen explain to Yuxi. “That Momo Tian was given to me by Guifei Niangniang, saying that she could take good care of my daily life, including my eating and drinking.” Some secrets were being implied in such a simple sentence. T

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Yuxi understood it clearly. Song Guifei’s caring act towards Yuchen was a lie, but monitoring her was real. It was already bad enough to have such a mother-in-law. So all those things she had heard before about the Song Guifei loved for Yuchen were just lies for outsiders, and she asked, “Is Song Ce Fei playing any tricks again?”

A touch of disdain crossed Yuchen’s face as she told Yuxi, “On the night of my wedding, Song Ce Fei sent someone over to say that she had pregnancy complications. His Highness and I went over to see her. And we didn’t return to our bridal chamber until the second half of the day.” This was not a secret. Even if she did not say anything, people in her maiden residence would soon know about it.

Yuxi laughed. “She’s trying to get under your skin, isn’t she? Though her method was not up to the standard, you’ll be doing what she wants if you get angry. Although Song Ce Fei is not a smart person, the people around her are not stupid. With Song Guifei and the Song family as her backers, it’s going to be troublesome to deal with her!”

When Yuchen heard this, a smile appeared on her face. “You are the only one who dares to say this to me.” She would put up with this for now. One day, she would make Song Ce Fei pay back her back with interest.

Yuxi smilingly said, “Let’s not talk about such unhappy things. Do you want to listen to a tune? I’ll play a newly learned melody for you.”

Yuchen nodded her head in agreement, “Sure, just to see if you have made any progress.” It was just that being at home had allowed her to be more relaxed.

After listening to the tune, Yuchen looked at Yuxi and asked, “I haven’t heard this tune before. Where did you learn it?” Seeing that Yuxi said that the tune was called «Welcoming Spring», and then seeing some redness on Yuxi’s face, she immediately understood. “This tune was given to you by Second Master Chen, right?”

Yuxi was not one to act coy as she immediately answered, “That’s right! He knows that I like to listen to cheerful music, so he specially composed this for me. San Jie, since I’m telling you this, you mustn’t tell anyone else. If the people of Marquis Taining’s residence knew about this, they would think I didn’t care about Chen Ran’s future.” The other people were scrambling to read books and prepare for the examination, but Chen Ran wasted his time composing music.

A flash of envy flashed in Yuchen’s eyes as she said, “Don’t worry. I won’t say anything. Speaking of which, out of the three of us sisters, it is you, Yuxi, who is the most blessed.”

Yuxi put down her bamboo flute and smilingly stated, “We are all blessed people.” No matter how much work she had to do in her husband’s home, she could only live well if she could support herself.

Time always flew when one was having a fun time. In the blink of an eye, it was time for Yuchen to return to the wangfu. Yuchen took Yuxi’s hand and reminded, “Si Mei, when you get married, come visit the wangfu more often.”

Without even thinking about it, Yuxi agreed, “Okay!” It would be beneficial to her to have a good relationship with Yuchen.