Chapter 287 - 286: Questions
"I’m not that foolish," Du Yunluo clung to Mrs. Zhen’s arm, coquettishly said, "Even if mother doesn’t remind me, I won’t get involved."
Hearing this, Mrs. Zhen felt much relieved and didn’t ask about anyone else in the Marquis Mansion. She said, "Are you and the princely heir still getting along well?"
Du Yunluo pursed her lips and smiled.
Mrs. Zhen also started to smile.
She was so concerned that she asked such a question.
You know your own daughter best. Before Du Yunluo met Mu Lianxiao, she was already very much taken with him. After meeting, her heart was even more attached, making her mother exclaim, "A grown woman cannot be kept at home."
Moreover, considering Mu Lianxiao, just seeing him speak to Du Yunluo on their way back from Tong City, Mrs. Zhen, having experienced it herself, understood clearly.
These two were obviously in love with each other.
Before marriage, Du Yunruo and Shao Yuanzhou hadn’t had much interaction. Mrs. Zhen worried they might feel awkward at first, but her younger daughter and son-in-law wouldn’t have such issues.
Besides, when Mu Lianxiao came to Lianfu Garden to bow his head, the subtle glances the young couple exchanged didn’t escape Mrs. Zhen’s eyes.
She really did ask the wrong question.
Mrs. Zhen cleared her throat and said, "I’m asking if you two are still close. You just passed your coming of age, and honestly, it’s better to wait a year or two to have children. But you know, the Old Madam is eager. What’s more, the princely heir will go on a campaign in a few months, and if you get pregnant, the days won’t be as hard. Just like Yunruo, who stayed home to care for the pregnancy and child while Yuanzhou is at the academy, she doesn’t feel idle."
Du Yunluo didn’t speak but after a while said, "Whether I get pregnant or when I get pregnant isn’t something I can decide."
According to Du Yunluo, now really isn’t the best time to get pregnant and have children.
She hasn’t secured her footing in the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion yet. If her belly grew big, the second house wouldn’t just stand by and watch her give birth. Even with full vigilance, can she prevent anything for the entire pregnancy term, let alone ensuring the child’s safe growth?
It’s not that Du Yunluo intends to boost others’ morale but it’s truly difficult.
Perhaps the second house might slip, but more likely they wouldn’t leave any trace.
Du Yunluo can’t afford to gamble. How could she risk the child she delivered after facing death at the Ghost Gate?
She needs time, to stabilize the situation in the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, at least making the second house cautious before she can confidently have a child.
Of course, these are just her thoughts.
She can’t control when a child arrives.
In her previous life, she and her husband were often apart, but over five years there were still many days together, yet her belly showed no signs of movement.
When she learned the truth, Du Yunluo had her suspicions, but they were just suspicions.
Whether it was her own health or someone tampered, it’s hard to say.
If it was tampering...
Du Yunluo is confident the second house wouldn’t dare use strong medicine on her.
In this life, Madam Wu and Mrs. Zhou are satisfied with her, and her own family cares for her. If she can’t conceive, they would definitely have the doctor or medical woman check her.
If the medicine was too strong, cutting off her chance of motherhood, it would surely be detected by the medical woman.
The second house might control the medical women entering the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, but they can’t control the doctors from the Du family.
Therefore, even if the second house has meddled, it would only be temporary, not harming her body.
Du Yunluo gently said to Mrs. Zhen, "Mother, the princely heir is good to me. It’s just that in the next couple of months, it’s uncertain. If I’m not pregnant when he leaves, maybe we should get the medical woman to nurture my health?"
Mrs. Zhen found it reasonable and nodded repeatedly, "Indeed, you must take care of yourself. If you get too tired, your stomach might hurt during those days. So, we should ask the medical woman to take good care of you. Once the princely heir returns, you’ll be strong."
After Mrs. Zhen finished, she pondered and added, "Really, everything’s still fine in the house, right?"
Du Yunluo bit her lip and nodded, saying, "Mother has asked, let someone fetch Big Sister back. It’s quite cold in the garden, and we shouldn’t let Sister Yi catch a chill."
Mrs. Zhen, amused and exasperated, called Shui Yue inside to instruct her.
Shui Yue went to find Du Yunruo and heard some sobbing halfway. She looked toward the sound and saw a jade green sleeve by the artificial rock.
The Du Mansion treats its servants kindly, but even so, some maidservants would still cry when wronged. Shui Yue had cried when she first began her service, so she was used to it. Crying is better than bottling things up.
Shui Yue located Du Yunruo and took a different path to avoid the artificial rock.
Du Yunruo entered the East Wing holding Sister Yi.
Du Yunluo blinked and teased her, "Now, we won’t speak of things Sister Yi shouldn’t hear."
"My Sister Yi is a young lady and won’t learn your cheek!" Du Yunruo scoffed, "Do you still grab the quilt and kick people in your sleep? Don’t tell me you’ve kicked all the way from your mother’s home to your husband’s house."
Du Yunluo was startled and cried out playfully, "This can Sister Yi hear?"
Mrs. Zhen laughed so hard she couldn’t stand, "Enough, say no more. Every time you reveal each other’s secrets, you’re truly shameless! Our Sister Yi is still the sweetest. Come, let Grandmother hold you."
Sister Yi was lively around people. If anyone played with her, she would happily oblige, so when Mrs. Zhen called her over, she drooled and babbled, making Mrs. Zhen like her even more, cuddling and kissing her.
When the time was right, they all returned to Lianfu Garden.
Old Mrs. Xia, having had some wine at noon, was refreshed. She held Du Yunluo’s hand and spoke some parting words, and when Mu Lianxiao arrived, she said, "Don’t delay, it’s time to return."
Du Yunluo nodded and said goodbye to Du Gongfu and Old Mrs. Xia.
Mrs. Zhen saw them to the second gate.
Mu Lianxiao helped Du Yunluo onto the carriage and followed her in.
Du Yunluo lifted the curtain and spoke a few words to Mrs. Zhen as the carriage slowly departed from the Du Mansion.
Du Yunluo turned her gaze to Mu Lianxiao and said, "I didn’t see Second Sister-in-law and Third Sister-in-law at Lianfu Garden just now. Did you drink my two brothers under the table, making their wives have to take care of them?"
Mu Lianxiao laughed at her words, his long dark eyes seemingly glimmering with water, and he tilted his head to lean on Du Yunluo’s shoulder, "They were never a match for me; they stopped drinking with me early on."
Du Yunluo glanced askance at him, and huffed before curving her eyes into a smile.
But didn’t they get drunk even if they didn’t drink with Mu Lianxiao?
They might not be entirely knocked out, but an afternoon nap was definitely necessary.
"And what about you?" Du Yunluo asked him, sniffing a faint fragrance, the scent of incense used in Du Gongfu’s study, calming yet invigorating, "Did you go to Grandfather’s study?"
"Yes," Mu Lianxiao replied, "I accompanied Grandfather and Father-in-law for a game of chess."
Du Yunluo stifled her laughter and deliberately asked, "Chess? Did you win or lose?"