Zhangsun Shi waved her hand and said, “I’m fine, don’t listen to this girl’s nonsense. She always loves to make a big fuss over nothing. What premature labor? I’m only five months along—how could anyone give birth so early?”
“Since elder sister is now with child, being careful is appropriate. However, Imperial Physician Qiu is not a master of women’s medicine, so I’m afraid even if he came, he wouldn’t be able to diagnose anything.” As she spoke, she said to Ruyi, “I remember Imperial Physician Li has considerable research in women’s medicine. Go to the palace and ask him to come examine elder sister.”
Zhangsun Shi hurriedly called out to stop Ruyi, “There’s no need for such trouble. I’ll be fine after resting.”
“Even if nothing is truly wrong, seeking peace of mind is still good.” Seeing that Zhangsun Shi was about to refuse again, she added, “If elder sister absolutely refuses, I’ll have no choice but to tell husband about this matter and ask him to make the decision.”
Seeing that she had brought Li Shimin into the discussion, Zhangsun Shi had no choice but to say, “Very well then, let’s do as younger sister suggests.”
Ruyi tactfully said, “This servant will go immediately.”
After Ruyi left, they once again proceeded toward Muhua Pavilion. Fearing that Zhangsun Shi might experience abdominal tightness again, they walked this stretch extremely slowly, taking nearly twice the usual time to arrive.
After receiving the goat milk handed over by a servant and drinking half a cup, Zhangsun Shi said, “Xiuzhu, go fetch that red brocade pouch from the innermost part of the third compartment of the pear wood cabinet.”
“Yes.” Shortly after Xiuzhu left, she returned carrying a large red brocade pouch with continuous blessing characters embroidered along the edges. After Zhangsun Shi took it, she withdrew from within a pair of full green jade bracelets. Under the sunlight streaming into the room, they seemed to have water flowing within them, with almost no impurities.
Xiuzhu exclaimed in surprise, “Isn’t this the pair of bracelets that His Lordship gave you when you married, saying they were left by Madam? I’ve been wondering why I never saw Miss wearing them—so they were stored there.”
Zhangsun Shi smiled and stroked the bracelets, saying, “These bracelets are so precious, and they’re heirlooms of the Li Family—how could I bear to wear them?” As she spoke thus, she placed one of the bracelets back into the brocade pouch and handed both the pouch and bracelet to Yunyi, “This bracelet should be kept by younger sister.”
Xiuzhu hadn’t expected that she had asked her to retrieve the bracelets in order to give them to Yunyi. She felt displeased in her heart, but in front of Zhangsun Shi, it was inconvenient to say anything, so she could only keep it bottled up inside.
Yunyi was also extremely surprised and repeatedly declined, saying, “This is something Madam left for elder sister. How can I accept it? Elder sister, please take it back.”
“You and I are both husband’s wives. What mother-in-law left for me, isn’t it also left for you? What’s wrong with accepting it—unless you don’t acknowledge yourself as husband’s wife.”
“Of course not, it’s just that…” Before Yunyi could continue, Zhangsun Shi had already said, “Since it’s not that, then hurry up and accept it. Mother-in-law’s spirit in heaven would also agree with what I’m doing.”
Seeing her resolute attitude, Yunyi had no choice but to accept it and said gratefully, “Then I thank elder sister very much.”
Zhangsun Shi smiled and said, “If there’s really anyone to thank, it should be me thanking you. If you hadn’t exposed Princess Xin’an’s conspiracy, husband would have already been beheaded by now. How could he be like now, with the storm clouds passed and the sky clear, the whole family complete and together?”
“This was what I should have done. Moreover, if it weren’t for me, Xin’an wouldn’t have done such things either.”
Zhangsun Shi smiled and said, “Recently my body has been getting heavier day by day, and my energy is getting worse and worse. I’m afraid matters concerning husband and the household will require younger sister to worry about them more.”
Yunyi nodded and said, “I will. Elder sister should rest peacefully and recuperate. I’m waiting for four months from now when the child calls me auntie.”
Zhangsun Shi laughed with a “puchi” sound, saying, “How could a newborn child speak? Do you think it’s Nezha?”
Yunyi also realized her slip of the tongue and laughed for a while before saying, “In any case, I’m determined to be this auntie. Elder sister must not refuse to agree.”
Zhangsun Shi stroked her bulging abdomen and said with a smile, “If you’re willing to love this child, I’d be overjoyed—how could I not agree?” After a pause, she changed the subject, saying, “Is Qiyun Pavilion still to your liking? If you feel anything is not good, just tell me, and I’ll have people change it according to your wishes.” Qiyun Pavilion was the small courtyard where Yunyi lived.
“Elder sister has arranged Qiyun Pavilion very well. I like it very much—there’s no need to change anything.” After a moment’s pause, she suddenly said, “Thank you, elder sister.”
Zhangsun Shi thought she was thanking her for the matter of Qiyun Pavilion and immediately said, “It’s just a small matter—no need for thanks.”
“No.” Yunyi shook her head and said earnestly, “I’m thanking elder sister for always helping me unconditionally and accepting me since we’ve known each other. If not for elder sister, I might not have been able to marry husband. Please allow elder sister to accept my bow.” As she spoke, she rose and curtsied to Zhangsun Shi.
Zhangsun Shi hurriedly pulled her up, saying, “At this point, why say such distant words? Sit down quickly.”
Jixiang laughed lightly from the side, saying, “Ever since entering this Muhua Pavilion, Princess and Second Young Madam have been constantly thanking each other. Actually, if you ask this servant, we should most thank Yuwen Huaji and Cui Ji and the others. If they hadn’t rebelled and murdered the emperor, and persecuted the Princess, how would Young Master Du have gone to request the Prince Consort, and how would the Princess have come to Chang’an? Isn’t this what they call ‘fate brings together those separated by a thousand li’?”
A trace of disdain flashed in Xiuzhu’s eyes as she said coldly, “What ‘fate brings together those separated by a thousand li’—that’s just words from opera scripts. If you ask me, everyone keeping to their proper place is best.”
Jixiang had originally spoken casually, but unexpectedly she had been rebuffed neither softly nor harshly. She immediately felt displeased and was about to argue with her when Yunyi said, “Miss Xiuzhu speaks correctly—everyone keeping to their proper place is best. Unfortunately, worldly affairs are impermanent. The more one wants to be content with their station, the more often they find themselves unable to control their circumstances. Take the common people of the world—when did they ever want to fight wars, when did they ever want to leave their homes and wander, eating grass and swallowing dirt? Yet they have no choice but to do so.”
Xiuzhu said nothing. Although Yunyi becoming Li Shimin’s equal wife was already fact, she had never had good feelings toward her.
Zhangsun Shi glanced at Xiuzhu and said, “Younger sister, don’t listen to Xiuzhu’s nonsense. Jixiang spoke correctly—that you and husband could be together after years of separation is fate. That you and I could become sisters is also fate. You and I should treasure this fate well.”
After another round of such gentle conversation, Ruyi entered with Imperial Physician Li. After the latter had performed his courtesies, he took a thin silk cloth from his medical bag and covered Zhangsun Shi’s wrist, carefully taking her pulse. After a while, he said, “How long has Second Young Madam been experiencing abdominal tightness?”
Xiuzhu answered on her behalf, “It started around the time when Young Master was wrongly accused of killing His Majesty and imprisoned. Initially it was two or three times a day, but in recent days it’s increased to five or six times. We’ve consulted physicians before, who said it was due to fatigue and that rest would cure it.” As she spoke, she asked nervously, “Imperial Physician Li, this servant has heard people say that abdominal tightness can cause premature labor. Is this true?”