“Mm… I don’t particularly like any of them.” Bai Qingyan said, though recently she had been quite fond of eating some fresh and spicy things.
Although the old saying goes “sour for boys, spicy for girls,” seeing how remarkably agile Bai Qingyan was after becoming pregnant, Dong Shi felt it was a boy. For a moment, she didn’t know what kind of clothes to prepare for the little grandchild about to be born.
Nanny Qin covered her lips with a handkerchief and smiled: “The Empress Dowager is worried about what kind of little clothes to prepare for the unborn imperial heir.”
“Those bright colored fabrics from earlier probably won’t be useful – let’s switch to some plain colors that can be used whether it’s a boy or girl!” Dong Shi said with a smile.
Now Dong Shi’s heart was filled with thoughts of the child in Bai Qingyan’s belly, eagerly anticipating the child’s birth!
Dong Shi smiled as she touched Bai Qingyan’s belly, her gaze turning toward the young ladies outside who were squealing and laughing. Someone’s kite had gotten tangled with another’s, and seeing it couldn’t fly high, they could only withdraw, shouting for their cousin to show some backbone.
“Your Majesty…” Fu Ruoxi quickly came up the wooden steps covered with red felt carpet, kneeling on one knee outside the pavilion and saying to Bai Qingyan: “Your Majesty, the guard Yue Shi from beside the Imperial Consort has arrived, saying she was ordered by Your Majesty to organize the Imperial Consort’s books and deliver them.”
Hearing this, Dong Shi looked toward Bai Qingyan, wondering if Murong Yan was using this as an excuse to send a letter to Bai Qingyan.
Bai Qingyan hadn’t expected Yue Shi to arrive so quickly. She nodded and said to Fu Ruoxi, “Have Yue Shi come over!”
“Yes!” Fu Ruoxi acknowledged and went to summon Yue Shi.
Soon, Yue Shi arrived. After bowing to Bai Qingyan, she said: “Your Majesty, Yue Shi has already organized all of our master’s books and brought them to Your Majesty. Yue Shi has also brought a family letter from the master’s nephew to Your Majesty. Please, Your Majesty, review it.”
Yue Shi bent forward and respectfully presented the letter from her bosom with both hands.
Nephew?
Bai Qingyan calmly accepted the letter. It seemed… after Xiao Rongyan’s death, Xiao Rongyan’s nephew, the world’s richest merchant, would take over Xiao Rongyan’s business.
“Weizhong, grant a seat…” Bai Qingyan said while opening the letter.
Weizhong acknowledged and brought a soft cushion for Yue Shi to kneel upon.
In the letter, Xiao Rongyan asked whether Bai Qingyan and the child were well, and told her about how Xi Liang had already sent envoys to Yan requesting grain, with Yan prepared to sell to Xi Liang at prices dozens of times higher than the market rate.
He also mentioned that he had already had someone organize all of Empress Ji’s books properly, and this time had Yue Shi bring every single volume without exception. He cautioned Bai Qingyan… even Empress Ji had said these governing principles were too advanced, advising against their brothers studying them, so he felt that while Bai Qingyan could read them, they didn’t have much reference value.
After that came Xiao Rongyan’s expressions of longing for Bai Qingyan, urging her to take care of herself, and declarations of deep love.
Bai Qingyan read with her ears turning slightly red. After finishing, she refolded the letter and looked up at Yue Shi sitting properly, smiling: “In that case, I’ll write a reply to the Imperial Consort’s nephew, and trouble you to take it back.”
“Yue Shi will certainly complete this mission.” Yue Shi straightened her back and cupped her fists.
·
Lady Fang and Nanny Guan supported Wang Shi as they moved farther and farther from the sounds of revelry. Lady Fang said to Nanny Guan: “Nanny… please trouble yourself to go to the carriage first to fetch clothes for Fourth Lady. I’ll support Fourth Lady to the changing tent first, lest Fourth Lady catch a cold later – if that happened, this commoner would truly deserve death.”
Nanny Guan glanced at Lady Fang with suspicion in her heart, but heard Wang Shi say: “Nanny, please bring my copper-green dress and skirt…”
“Yes!” Nanny Guan was still uneasy, instructing Ling Yun and Ling Xiu to take good care of their mistress before going to fetch Wang Shi’s garments.
Lady Fang watched Nanny Guan leave and smiled: “Fourth Lady will be wearing the copper-green dress later, which won’t match particularly well with the jewelry on your head. I happen to have brought a set of jewelry – please don’t disdain it, Fourth Lady, but accept it!”
“That’s not necessary…” Fourth Lady said gently, “The clan leader’s wife didn’t do it intentionally!”
Lady Fang’s eyes immediately filled with tears: “Please still accept it, Fourth Lady! Otherwise… this commoner will certainly be blamed by the clan leader when I return! This commoner’s heart is also filled with guilt and unease. A set of jewelry isn’t worth much money – it probably can’t even match the silver cost of the outfit I ruined for you, but it can give this commoner peace of mind. Please fulfill this commoner’s wish, Fourth Lady.”
Wang Shi had no choice but to agree, thinking she would find an opportunity later to reward the clan leader’s wife with a set of jewelry, returning double what she received, to spare the clan leader’s wife from always worrying about this matter and feeling uneasy.
Lady Fang quickly turned with a smile: “Then may I trouble one of you young ladies to go to my pavilion and find a maid named Pu Liu, have her bring the set of white jade inlaid with green gemstone headdress I brought!”
Ling Xiu glanced at Ling Yun: “Then this servant will go! Ling Yun, you take good care of our mistress… I’ll be right back!”
“Thank you for the trouble, young lady!” Lady Fang said with a smile.
In the several temporary tents erected in the secluded area, fine soft five-blessing felt carpets were laid for noble ladies to change clothes…
Further back were the tents for noble ladies to relieve themselves and change clothes. Not many guards were arranged here, and the imperial guards were also far away. Lady Fang had long ago arranged for people to wait here. Now with only this one gentle and weak maid left beside Wang Shi, she would be very easy to deal with.
Lady Fang had just helped Wang Shi enter the large changing tent when Ling Yun, following behind them, felt a pain in her neck and fainted.
Lady Fang glanced back and, seeing Ling Yun being dragged away, curved her lips in an extremely faint smile. She helped Wang Shi sit down, her gaze falling on the gilt three-legged auspicious beast incense burner and sweet porcelain teapot on the small table.
“I’ll pour a cup of tea for my lady!” Lady Fang said.
Wang Shi nodded, untying her cloak fastening and casually draping the cloak to one side, asking: “Why don’t I see any maids or nannies serving here?”
Lady Fang smiled as she poured tea for Wang Shi, saying: “They’re probably off being lazy somewhere, but it doesn’t matter – this commoner will serve my lady. My lady needn’t be formal with this commoner. It was this commoner’s fault to begin with, and this commoner is delighted to have the opportunity to make amends.”
“You didn’t do it intentionally, don’t dwell on it so.” Wang Shi wound the prayer beads around her slender wrist and accepted the teacup Lady Fang handed her, taking a sip.
White mist curled up from the incense burner, carrying a sweet, cloying powder scent, not like the incense usually used by noble families…
Lady Fang sat down beside Wang Shi, dabbing the corner of her lips with a handkerchief while unobtrusively covering her nose and mouth.
Before long, Wang Shi’s eyelids began to droop heavily, feeling extremely drowsy. She just managed to place the sweet porcelain gold-painted teacup in her hand on the small table before her vision went black, and she fainted.
Lady Fang covered her nose with the handkerchief and quickly opened the lid of the auspicious beast incense burner, dousing it with tea water. She then poured out the incense ash from the burner and wrapped it in her handkerchief, spilled the tea from the teapot, and only then called out: “Someone come!”
Soon, several strong and sturdy women entered from outside.