Just as Ren Yaoqi was pondering these miscellaneous matters, the Princess Consort suddenly asked: “What’s your view on this matter?”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but look toward the Princess Consort.

The Princess Consort smiled slightly: “There have been many matters lately, and we, mother and daughter-in-law, haven’t had a chance to talk together for a long time. It’s fine, there are no outsiders here. You can say anything to me.”

Indeed, the serving maids and nannies who had been attending nearby had all withdrawn at some point.

Before announcing his choice for heir, the Prince of Yanbei hadn’t mentioned establishing an heir to them, as if he had suddenly made this decision. Afterward, neither the Prince nor Princess Consort mentioned this matter in front of them, and Ren Yaoqi hadn’t inquired further. However, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but remember a time when Xiao Jingxi had once asked her if she would be disappointed if he weren’t the heir to Yanbei.

For Ren Yaoqi, whether Xiao Jingxi was the heir or not, he was still Xiao Jingxi. If Xiao Jingxi were the heir, she would be the heir’s consort and fulfill her duties conscientiously. If Xiao Jingxi wasn’t the heir, she would be his young madam, and when he had leisure time, they could spend their days together as they had today – looking at books, painting, playing music, or chess. Such a life would also be quite comfortable. High status brings corresponding responsibilities, and the latter lifestyle wouldn’t necessarily be more regrettable than the former.

However, regarding this matter, Ren Yaoqi indeed had her thoughts. The Prince of Yanbei and Princess Consort’s casual attitude toward this matter made Ren Yaoqi feel that establishing the young master as heir was less of a necessity and more of a deliberate arrangement.

But there was one point Ren Yaoqi couldn’t understand. Although that young heir was born in the palace and raised in the Empress Dowager’s palace, and there was even a fifty percent chance he had been switched, the fact that the former heir’s consort, Zhao Shi, was pregnant should have been true, because the Prince’s Manor had investigated afterward. But why wasn’t the Prince’s Manor at all worried about this posthumous child left by the former heir? This was, after all, the only bloodline left by the deceased heir.

If the Xiao family were like the Ren family, only caring about family interests and disregarding the lives of their descendants, Ren Yaoqi wouldn’t find it strange. But after this period of interaction, seeing the Prince and Princess Consort’s attitude toward their children, Ren Yaoqi felt they were not cold-blooded people.

Furthermore, Ren Yaoqi felt the Princess Consort’s attitude toward the deceased heir was also very indifferent. She never mentioned him in daily life, as if she had forgotten such a person existed. Regarding this point, Ren Yaoqi had vaguely sensed it before marrying into the Xiao family, but then she thought it might be because the heir hadn’t grown up under the Princess Consort’s care, so her feelings for him couldn’t compare to those for Xiao Jingxi and Xiao Jinglin. But after this matter of establishing an heir, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but have doubts. In any case, this whole affair revealed something strange that made Ren Yaoqi think more deeply.

Originally, Ren Yaoqi had also wanted to find an opportunity to ask Xiao Jingxi about it, especially since he had rare leisure time at home these days. However, these past two days, when they were together, they either read books and played chess, or played music and painted, living very comfortably. Ren Yaoqi didn’t want to bring up these matters.

Now that the Princess Consort brought it up, Ren Yaoqi considered it in her mind and was about to speak when Nanny Xin entered, bringing someone with her.

Ren Yaoqi looked up and saw that the elderly woman following Nanny Xin was Nanny Gong, who had helped deliver Ren Yaohua’s baby last time. Ren Yaoqi glanced at the Princess Consort, and both temporarily stopped their conversation.

Nanny Gong squinted and looked at the Princess Consort and Ren Yaoqi seated in the main positions, then came forward tremblingly to pay respects with Nanny Xin’s support. The Princess Consort quickly raised her hand to support Nanny Gong and had Nanny Xin help her sit in a chair nearby.

Ren Yaoqi had been married into the Prince’s Manor for some time, but hadn’t seen this Nanny Gong again. She had previously asked Nanny Xin, who only said that Nanny Gong was old and didn’t like going out much, living in retirement in a small courtyard behind the Prince’s Manor. So Ren Yaoqi had asked Nanny Xin to send Nanny Gong Osmanthus glutinous rice balls and small pastries several times.

The Princess Consort’s attitude toward Nanny Gong was very respectful and affectionate. Because Nanny Gong’s hearing wasn’t good, after they talked at cross purposes for a few sentences, Nanny Gong suddenly looked at Ren Yaoqi and smiled with squinted eyes: “Young Madam, thank you for the glutinous rice balls and pastries you sent this old servant. They were delicious. You don’t know, they all bully this old woman and won’t give me pastries to eat.”

Upon hearing this, Nanny Xin said helplessly, “Nanny, you’re talking nonsense in front of the master again! The physician said you can’t eat too many sweet things. The young maids are all thinking of your well-being.”

Nanny Gong nodded: “That’s right, those little girls are all ill-mannered! They should be replaced!”

Nanny Xin: “…”

Nanny Gong turned to speak with Ren Yaoqi: “Young Madam, come here. Let this old servant check your pulse.”

Ren Yaoqi was stunned. Why would she need her pulse checked when she was perfectly healthy?

The Princess Consort smiled without speaking, while Nanny Xin laughed: “Yes, yes, since Nanny Gong is here today, let her check Young Madam’s pulse. Young Madam, don’t look at Nanny’s age – she’s still very accurate at reading pulses. After she checks your pulse, you’ll surely conceive before long.”

Only then did Ren Yaoqi understand that Nanny Gong’s pulse-checking was to see if her physical condition was suitable for pregnancy. Seeing the Princess Consort looking at her with some hope in her eyes, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t refuse and extended her arm to Nanny Gong. Nanny Xin quickly came over to place a soft pillow under Ren Yaoqi’s wrist.

When checking the pulse, Nanny Gong slightly squinted her eyes, and the fingers on Ren Yaoqi’s wrist even trembled a bit. Ren Yaoqi was somewhat worried whether she could find the pulse.

Nanny Gong carefully checked the pulse three times before letting go and straightening Ren Yaoqi’s sleeve, while asking: “Young Madam, have you been taking the prescription this old servant gave you on time?”

Because Ren Yaoqi had previously been somewhat suspicious of Nanny Gong, she hadn’t taken the medicine she was prescribed.

Seeing Nanny Gong ask, she said: “Because I was taking other body-strengthening prescriptions before, and I was afraid mixing them wouldn’t be good, I wanted to wait until the previous prescription was finished and then start yours after some time.”

Ren Yaoqi wasn’t lying either. Before the wedding, her grandmother had also sent her a body-regulating prescription, which she had taken for a while but had now stopped.

Upon hearing this, Nanny Gong nodded and didn’t say anything.

The Princess Consort smiled and said, “Nanny, how is Yaoqi’s health? What prescription did you give her before?”

While slowly eating an osmanthus cake that Nanny Xin had given her, Nanny Gong said: “Young Madam’s health is fine. Having a baby definitely won’t be a problem. What this old servant gave her was the same prescription Princess Consort used when you were young. If Young Madam takes it for a while, she can conceive earlier, and during delivery, she’ll suffer much less.”

Upon hearing this, everyone present focused their gaze on Ren Yaoqi’s belly, making her feel somewhat embarrassed.

The Princess Consort smiled happily and said to Ren Yaoqi, “I used that prescription before, too. Since Nanny Gong gave it to you, you should try taking it. It is quite useful.”

Seeing the Princess Consort say this, Ren Yaoqi agreed with a slightly red face.

Nanny Gong sat for a while longer, eating quite a few pastries, before being sent back by someone Nanny Xin called. Before leaving, she secretly tried to hide a plate of osmanthus cakes in her sleeve, but Nanny Xin discovered this and scolded her. The Princess Consort, both crying and laughing, had Nanny Xin pack another plate of osmanthus cakes for her to take back.

After Nanny Gong left, someone else came to visit the Princess Consort, so the conversation between Ren Yaoqi and the Princess Consort from before Nanny Gong’s arrival couldn’t continue.

The Princess Consort said to Ren Yaoqi, “If there’s anything you want to know, go back and ask Jingxi. He’ll tell you.” After pausing, she patted Ren Yaoqi’s hand and said, “Good child, you just need to live well with Jingxi. Mother very much wants to hold a grandchild. As for other messy matters, don’t worry about them. Your father and I are still here, and we won’t let you suffer any losses.”

Ren Yaoqi thought that perhaps the Princess Consort was saying this because she was worried Ren Yaoqi had opinions about the Prince establishing an heir, so she was comforting her.

After leaving Jiuyang Hall, Ren Yaoqi returned to Zhaoning Hall. Xiao Jingxi was still in the study and hadn’t come out.

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, then had Sangshen bring out the prescription Nanny Gong had given her last time, and she carefully studied it again. Regarding pharmaceutical principles, although Ren Yaoqi didn’t dare claim expertise, she could still understand a prescription. When she first received the prescription, Ren Yaoqi had looked it over once and found nothing improper. Now, after careful consideration again, she still found nothing wrong. This prescription was indeed very beneficial for women about to conceive.

Thinking that the Princess Consort’s attitude toward Nanny Gong wasn’t strange, and the Princess Consort seemed to approve of her using this prescription, could it be that she had overthought things before? Was there nothing wrong with this Nanny Gong?

Ren Yaoqi reclined on the soft couch, holding the prescription and pondering, when suddenly her hand was empty – the paper instantly left her grasp.

Ren Yaoqi looked up to see Xiao Jingxi standing in front of her, holding the prescription he had snatched from her hand.

“What were you looking at so intently?”

While asking, Xiao Jingxi glanced down at the paper in his hand. Seeing it was all medicine names, he frowned, looked at Ren Yaoqi once, then began reading more carefully.

Ren Yaoqi got up to take it back, but Xiao Jingxi slightly raised his arm, making her grab at empty air. When she tried to snatch it again, Xiao Jingxi smoothly embraced her, rendering both her arms immobile.

Xiao Jingxi was well-versed in pharmaceutical principles. After reading the prescription, he understood what he was holding. His previously furrowed brow relaxed, and he smiled, looking down at Ren Yaoqi, who was struggling in his embrace: “You want to use this prescription?”

Ren Yaoqi, red-faced, broke free from Xiao Jingxi’s embrace and finally snatched the prescription back, wanting to put it away.

Xiao Jingxi followed her: “The prescription is good. Where did it come from?”

Ren Yaoqi had originally not wanted to pay attention to him, but thinking of Nanny Gong, she stopped: “This prescription was given to me by Nanny Gong.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingxi raised his eyebrows.

Seeing his expression, Ren Yaoqi simply asked: “Who is this Nanny Gong?”