Yao Shi had a heavy scent of powder and cosmetics on her, very different from the subtle jasmine-scented hair pomade and oils that Qin Yining was accustomed to using, which Bingtang prepared for her. Yao Shi carried the common fragrance of powder with rose scent.

Qin Yining wasn’t used to the smell, but fortunately her nausea and discomfort had already subsided, so she didn’t show any unusual reaction.

Once inside the room, Yao Shi looked at the elegantly colored screen depicting magpies perching on branches and frowned with disdain. “This screen’s color is no good, too plain. You’re with child now and need to look at more festive colors. I’ll have someone replace it with a better one later.”

“Thank you, Old Madam. I’m used to seeing this screen. If you replace it with a new one, I’d rather not get accustomed to it. Let’s just leave it as is.” Qin Yining smiled slightly.

But Yao Shi said disapprovingly, “You’re young and don’t understand. Now that you’re pregnant, the room should be more festive.”

“Is that so?” Qin Yining’s brow furrowed slightly in confusion as she said, “But the imperial physician also said that overly vibrant colors indoors would make people restless during summer. The red seat cushions I used before were all removed on his orders. With what you’re saying, I don’t know whom to listen to now.”

Pang Xiao said, “It’s your own room. As long as you find it pleasing to look at and comfortable to live in, that’s what matters. I think that screen is quite nice. No need to change it.”

Yao Shi had been refused by Qin Yining, and her son wasn’t even speaking in her favor. She felt a bellyful of anger but knew this wasn’t the appropriate time to show her emotions.

So Yao Shi suppressed the matter and didn’t mention it further. She affectionately took Qin Yining’s arm and led her around the screen to the side hall, pulling her to sit on the warm couch by the window.

Watching Qin Yining carefully sit down while cradling her belly, with Pang Xiao hovering beside her like a protective mother hen with his hands ready to support her, Yao Shi couldn’t help feeling bitter in her heart. She felt that her son now had his whole heart turned toward an outsider, with no place left for his own mother.

“With your body being heavy now, it’s inconvenient for you to move around. Since it won’t be convenient for you to come to Pine Crane Hall in the future, I’ll come visit you often.”

Qin Yining sat sideways, lowering her eyes. “Old Madam is welcome to come anytime. This daughter-in-law always welcomes you.”

“Look at this sweet little mouth.” Yao Shi smiled and beckoned to Xun He and Mi He behind her. “I had them prepare some chicken soup, slow-cooked over low heat with things that are good for your body. All the oil has been filtered out too. Try some.”

Mi He and Xun He brought over the food box they’d been carrying, using cotton cloth to lift out a clay pot from inside and removed the lid.

Smelling the light and fresh aroma of the chicken soup, Qin Yining didn’t feel any discomfort and smiled. “Thank you, Old Madam.”

“We’re family. Why be so polite?” Yao Shi leaned forward and extended her arm to gently pat Qin Yining’s belly. “This is our Pang family’s eldest grandson in here.”

Qin Yining just stroked her belly and smiled without saying anything.

This remark made Qin Yining very uncomfortable.

Did this mean that if she weren’t pregnant, she wouldn’t be worthy of a bowl of soup from their family?

Knowing that Yao Shi didn’t consider her one of their own, when she heard Yao Shi so bluntly express that her “caring concern” was entirely because of the child in her belly, she still felt very uncomfortable. It was an indescribable feeling. Qin Yining didn’t know if others would feel the same way, but she couldn’t control her emotions.

Xun He and Mi He went to fetch small bowls and spoons. Yao Shi personally ladled chicken soup for Qin Yining.

Pang Xiao also pulled over a chair to sit nearby and said, “Mother, ladle me a bowl too. It smells quite fragrant. I want to try some too.”

Yao Shi glared at Pang Xiao irritably. “How old are you to be fighting your wife and child for food? You’re not allowed to eat. This was all prepared for Yi Jie’er. There isn’t that much to begin with. If you eat it, what will your wife have?”

“What’s there to worry about? Yi Jie’er can’t finish it all. I’ll help her eat some so it won’t go to waste.”

As he spoke, he got up to take the soup bowl Yao Shi had ladled.

Yao Shi quickly dodged away, slapping Pang Xiao’s hand. “Go away, don’t fight Yi Jie’er for food.” Turning to Qin Yining with a gentle smile, she said, “Don’t mind him. You should drink it while it’s hot.”

Qin Yining smiled and accepted the chicken soup, gently placing it on the small table in front of her. “This happens to be the time for taking my pregnancy-stabilizing medicine. They said to take it on an empty stomach. I’ll take the medicine first, then use the chicken soup to chase away the taste in my mouth.”

Pang Xiao nodded. “That works too.” He turned to instruct someone outside, “Bring the Princess’s pregnancy-stabilizing medicine.”

Soon, Bingtang was seen carrying a black lacquered wooden tray with a small white porcelain bowl containing most of a bowl of black medicinal liquid, walking slowly over.

“Your Highness.”

Qin Yining picked up the medicine bowl and drained it in one gulp.

That black, foul-smelling medicinal liquid that Yao Shi found unpleasant to smell had been consumed in one go.

After all, she wasn’t a proper young lady raised in a wealthy household. Having picked up common habits from living outside in her youth was one thing, but even her manners were so crude—drinking medicine like downing alcohol in one gulp.

Yao Shi looked down, thinking of the refined young ladies she’d encountered in the Pang household before. Comparing them to Qin Yining, she found fault with everything.

While Qin Yining was taking her medicine, Bingtang had been observing Yao Shi’s expression. Seeing Yao Shi’s look of disdain for Qin Yining while forcing a gentle demeanor, anger flared in her heart.

Then her gaze fell on the soup bowl on the table.

Among the rich aroma of chicken soup and the fresh scent of scallions, there seemed to be a familiar slightly bitter taste.

What was it?

Bingtang smiled and said, “Old Madam is so thoughtful. This chicken soup must be filled with good ingredients, right?”

Yao Shi hadn’t expected a mere servant girl to dare speak to her directly. Truly, she wasn’t from any proper noble family—even the servants weren’t properly trained.

Yao Shi criticized inwardly and couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge Bingtang.

Bingtang neither got angry nor apologized. She just smiled and said to Qin Yining, “Your Highness, after taking your medicine, you need to rest quietly for half an hour. It’s best not to eat anything, lest the chicken soup with added herbs clash with your pregnancy-stabilizing medicine.”

Hearing Bingtang say exactly what she needed to hear, Qin Yining inwardly praised Bingtang’s cleverness while looking somewhat troubled. “Old Madam specially sent this chicken soup, and it’s still hot. It would be such a waste if I don’t drink it.”

“Exactly.” Yao Shi grew somewhat anxious, with a hint of wariness in her heart. “That medicine is so bitter. You should at least have a bowl of chicken soup to change the taste in your mouth.”

Bingtang sneered inwardly but smiled on the surface. “It’s better not to drink it now. Wait an hour, and I’ll reheat the chicken soup for Your Highness. That way we won’t disappoint Old Madam’s kind intentions, but drinking it now would indeed cause the medicines to clash.”

“You… how dare you!” Yao Shi, having been refused repeatedly, had reached her limit of tolerance.

Seeing that Bingtang was desperately trying to prevent Qin Yining from drinking the chicken soup, Pang Xiao’s mental alarm bells rang loudly. He also smiled and said, “Forget it, Mother, don’t be angry. Yi Jie’er has a good appetite now. We can set the chicken soup aside and reheat it later—it will taste just the same and certainly won’t disappoint your kind intentions. It’s such a small matter. Don’t argue with a servant girl.”

He then waved at Bingtang. “Go on, get out of here.”

Bingtang immediately and smartly curtsied in acknowledgment, and even managed to move both the clay pot of chicken soup and the ladled bowl onto the tray, walking away swiftly, giving Yao Shi no chance to stop her.

Yao Shi felt dissatisfied and wanted to scold angrily, but she noticed that Pang Xiao’s expression when looking at her was already not quite right. If she said more, it would inevitably arouse suspicion.

So Yao Shi stiffly twitched the corners of her mouth, forcing out a smile. “Fine then, rest a bit before eating. In the future, if you want to eat anything, just tell me. If you want anything, tell me too. You’re now our family’s precious treasure and hero. Don’t be too modest and shortchange yourself.”

“Thank you, Old Madam.” Listening to her feigned concern, Qin Yining felt no emotion whatsoever.

Yao Shi chatted with Qin Yining for a few more exchanges, but seeing that no matter what she said, the other party remained indifferent, she began to feel bored and got up to leave first.

As soon as Yao Shi left, Pang Xiao immediately called for Bingtang.

“What was wrong with that soup just now?”

At first, he had wanted to drink it and Yao Shi had stopped him. Later, after Bingtang had looked at it, she repeatedly mentioned medicine clashing, and had boldly and disrespectfully taken the soup away. Bingtang wasn’t someone who made trouble unreasonably, and she was skilled in medicine. There must have been something wrong with the chicken soup.

Bingtang glanced at Qin Yining and hesitated before seeming to make up her mind. “Your Highness, herbs had been added to that chicken soup, including codonopsis, which would normally be very good. However, perhaps the kitchen staff were careless and mixed safflower into the chicken soup. This servant smelled something amiss at the time, so I just took it down to taste it carefully and confirmed there was indeed safflower in it.

“As Your Highness knows, safflower has the effect of promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation, dispersing blood stasis and relieving pain. For ordinary people, it would be fine, but if a pregnant woman consumes it and it activates the blood, the consequences would be unthinkable.”

At this point, seeing that Pang Xiao’s expression had turned cold enough to freeze someone to death, Bingtang’s legs went weak and she knelt down.

“Your Highness, please calm your anger. This servant shouldn’t have spoken out of turn, but if this matter isn’t resolved, it will be Your Highness who suffers in the future. These days as this servant has moved about the manor, I’ve often heard people from Pine Crane Hall mention when Old Madam was confined before. Some say that the reason Grand Madam was so angry as to confine Old Madam and even move out of Pine Crane Hall was because, because…”

Reaching this point, Bingtang suddenly regretted it. She really shouldn’t have said such things in front of Qin Yining, causing her heartache. Carrying twins was already such hard work, yet the people in this household were not only unhappy but also doubted her chastity.

Pang Xiao already understood, knowing that Bingtang was concerned about Qin Yining’s feelings and therefore stopped talking. He sighed, “I understand. You may go now.”

“Yes.” Bingtang stood up, looked at Qin Yining with concern, and withdrew.

Seeing Bingtang’s expression, Qin Yining sighed. “Let’s just let this matter be. I didn’t drink the soup anyway. Besides, it wasn’t Old Madam who made it. Perhaps the servants mixed up the ingredients.”

Actually, if it had been an outsider trying to harm her child, Qin Yining would have fought them to the death long ago.

But now Qin Yining couldn’t do anything.

Because Pang Xiao’s eyes were already red. If she provoked him further, she didn’t know what impulsive things he might do. She really didn’t want Pang Xiao to have a falling out with his family because of her. After all, they still had to live under the same roof.