Yun Chu had just finished her morning meal.

Tingxue hurriedly came to report that the palace had sent an imperial physician.

After members of the imperial family became pregnant, they needed to inform the Imperial Household Department, which would arrange for an imperial physician to come diagnose the pulse and register it in the records.

Yun Chu sat on the daybed and allowed the imperial physician to check her pulse.

“Congratulations, Your Highness and Your Highness the Princess Consort. This is a pregnancy pulse. The pulse is stable, the child is healthy, but you should still take some pregnancy-stabilizing medicine.”

The imperial physician quickly wrote out a prescription.

Then he returned to the palace to report.

By afternoon, rewards from the palace came pouring in.

Rewards from the Emperor, rewards from the Empress, and also rewards from Consort Yin, including gold, silver, jade objects, fabric, jewelry, as well as ginseng and medicinal herbs.

Chu Yi was in excellent spirits and rewarded all the servants in the prince’s manor.

Having received rewards, the servants were all very happy, saying all sorts of auspicious words.

Among the crowd, Ding Dong stood there.

Now that the Princess Consort was pregnant, she naturally could no longer serve the Prince, so wouldn’t her opportunity have arrived?

She had lurked in the prince’s manor for over half a year. As the days passed one by one, she grew increasingly anxious.

Fortunately, hard work pays off for those with perseverance. The opportunity was right before her eyes—it all depended on whether she could seize it.

Yun Chu had the servants tally the rewards that came from the palace and store them in the treasury.

She looked at the treasury ledger and said, “Take that vase with the hundred flowers brocade pattern, along with these fabrics, wrap them up and send them to Tingshuang.”

During the half year spent outside, Tingshuang had given birth to a big, healthy baby boy. The child was now three months old.

While Tingshuang was giving birth and recovering during confinement, all the affairs at the hot spring estate were handed over to Jiu’er. Now, Jiu’er had become a capable senior maid who could manage things independently.

Next, Tingxue would soon marry and quickly become pregnant and give birth. Yun Chu was thinking of having Tingshuang come to the prince’s manor to serve as a head matron.

After arranging these matters, Yun Chu felt somewhat weary.

When she didn’t know she was pregnant, she had energy to do everything.

Once she learned there was a child in her belly, her body seemed to automatically begin self-protection.

After taking the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine, Yun Chu reclined on the daybed and fell asleep.

Chu Yi came over after handling some matters. Moving quietly and carefully, he picked her up and placed her on the bed in the bedroom.

He sat by the bedside, looking over the prince’s manor ledgers, handling them casually as he went.

Before long, he had worked until dusk. Yun Chu slowly awoke, somewhat annoyed as she said, “How did I sleep for so long?”

“If you want to sleep, then sleep. Don’t always worry about other things,” Chu Yi said gently. “What would you like to eat? I’ll have someone bring it.”

“I want to eat pickled radish,” Yun Chu thought for a moment and said. “The pickled radish sold by that old man at the west city gate is the most delicious.”

Chu Yi didn’t order servants to buy it, because those servants on horseback weren’t as fast as him. He rode his horse to the west city gate and bought the pickled radish.

The pickled radish mixed together with hand-pulled noodles was very delicious.

Yun Chu, for once, didn’t have morning sickness and ate very contentedly.

Just as she finished eating, several young servants came in carrying a bed board: “This servant greets Your Highness and the Princess Consort. Where should this bed board be placed?”

Chu Yi pointed to the inner chamber: “Place it right next to the bed.”

Then he called for maids to come in and spread bedding on the bed board, placing quilts and pillows.

The maids and young servants outside all began discussing in low voices.

“The Prince and Princess Consort are truly affectionate. Now that the Princess Consort is pregnant, the Prince still wants to sleep in the same room with her.”

“He’d rather sleep on the floor than be apart from the Princess Consort. The Prince really dotes on the Princess Consort.”

“Previously, the Prince never married. I thought the Prince was… ahem, who would have thought the Prince had someone else in his heart all along.”

“What do you think—will the Princess Consort’s child be a boy or girl?”

“It would be best if it’s a princess, so there won’t be any power struggles in the prince’s manor.”

“If it’s a legitimate son, we servants will probably have difficult days ahead…”

The servants knew this was a sensitive topic and didn’t dare discuss it too much. After saying a few sentences, they dispersed.

Ding Dong stood by the side wing of the main courtyard, her eyes flickering.

She stood there for quite a while. Seeing the two young masters arrive, after a moment, the Prince came out from the room.

She lowered her head and walked over, stammering as she called out, “Your Highness.”

Too many people in the entire prince’s manor paid respects and greetings every day, all calling out like this. Chu Yi paid no attention and continued walking forward.

Ding Dong felt very wronged.

She hadn’t appeared before the Prince for over half a year, and he had forgotten who she was again.

“Your Highness, this servant is Nanny Er’s daughter, Ding Dong.” She stepped forward and said, “Since my mother went to the estate to retire, her health has been deteriorating. A few days ago, she wrote a letter saying she’s missing one medicinal ingredient. This servant can only gather courage to ask Your Highness.”

Chu Yi frowned: “What medicinal ingredient is missing?”

“A hundred-year-old ginseng.” Ding Dong’s voice became choked with emotion. “Please, Your Highness, save her life. Ding Dong will surely repay Your Highness’s great kindness.”

Chu Yi said indifferently: “Go find Manager Cheng.”

Having said that, he walked straight away.

Ding Dong bit her lip tightly.

Her mother had raised the Prince. Having learned her mother was ill, shouldn’t the Prince at least ask about her condition?

Yet he walked away so coldly.

However, from another perspective, the Prince was willing to give a hundred-year-old ginseng without even asking—this was enough to show that her mother still held some position in the Prince’s heart.

As long as the Prince still remembered this debt of gratitude, she still had a chance.

Yun Chu slept drowsily for three or four days. Finally, her spirits improved somewhat—at least she didn’t fall asleep the moment she touched the bed.

She began preparing for Tingxue’s wedding.

Manager Cheng had someone consult the almanac and arranged the wedding for the twelfth day of the twelfth month. The day was fast approaching.

Yun Chu prepared a generous dowry according to the same standard as when Tingshuang married.

“Princess Consort, the Crown Princess has arrived.”

Yun Chu straightened up: “Please show her to the flower hall and serve tea first.”

She changed out of her home clothes before rising to go to the flower hall.

“Congratulations, Third Sister-in-law. Please accept these bird’s nest products for nourishing the pregnancy.” The Crown Princess’s face was full of smiles. “Third Brother’s descendants are indeed rather few. Once this child is born, Prince Pingxi’s manor will also be livelier.”

“Thank you, Crown Princess.” Yun Chu accepted the bird’s nest and sighed. “Half a year ago, after Concubine Fang lost her pregnancy, I left the capital with the Prince. I don’t know how Concubine Fang’s condition is now?”

The Crown Princess said: “She’s still young. After half a year of recovery, her health has improved. Third Sister-in-law, don’t dwell on it too much.”

She paused and said, “Actually, I came today not only to congratulate Third Sister-in-law on the pregnancy, but also for another matter.”

Yun Chu naturally knew the Crown Princess had come with a purpose.

She had even guessed what it was about.

“Previously, Mother Empress spoke with Third Brother, and Third Brother said he needed to consider it.” The Crown Princess lowered her voice. “I wonder how Third Brother’s considerations are going?”

Yun Chu sighed and said: “These past six months, the Prince has grown accustomed to being carefree and temporarily doesn’t wish to return to court. I’ll try to persuade him.”

Right now, the Empress and Prince Gongxi were going back and forth against each other. Their Prince Pingxi’s manor had absolutely no need to get involved.

Watching from the sidelines and protecting themselves wisely—that was the best strategy.

“Good, I understand.”

The Crown Princess stood up.

Third Brother just wants to watch tigers fight from the mountain, doesn’t he?

She would deliberately drag Third Brother into the water.

If something happened to the Yin family, could Third Brother still sit still?