Princess NanAn and the housekeeper exchanged a glance, both shocked.
Although Nie Yao had not married and was still waiting to be wed, she was already under Prince NanAn’s protection, so calling her Princess Consort wasn’t inappropriate.
Could her illness be fake, and is she truly pregnant?
Princess NanAn was excited, but she dared not show it, afraid of being happy for nothing.
No one knew how much she longed to hold a grandson.
Watching the bellies of the Heir’s wife of Beining Marquis and the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Dingguo mansion grow day by day, she didn’t know how envious she was of Marchioness Beining.
Princess NanAn summoned a servant to inquire if Nie Yao was pregnant. Based on the months, the belly should be noticeable by now.
The servant rushed in, and when questioned by Princess NanAn, he scratched his head and said, "I didn’t see Miss Nie’s belly."
Princess NanAn frowned, "Didn’t see it?"
The housekeeper said angrily, "What were your eyes looking at?"
The servant quickly replied, "It wasn’t because I was careless; Miss Nie t in the study, with the desk blocking her, so I really didn’t see her belly."
Princess NanAn was both disappointed and delighted.
If she guessed correctly, Nie Yao must have avoided the servant seeing her by eting him in the study.
Otherwise, why would she specially have soone deliver a fox fur cloak to her and et guests in the study?
No mistake this ti.
It mustn’t be wrong this ti.
Because Doctor Wei is Su Jin’s esteed teacher, in Princess NanAn’s view, he is reliable, so this matter wasn’t hidden from him.
Seeing everything was fine, Doctor Wei got up to leave, and Princess NanAn thanked him and had the housekeeper escort him out.
Once Doctor Wei left, Princess NanAn could no longer contain her joy and paced back and forth in the room.
She had soone fetch Prince NanAn back because she couldn’t wait to share this good news with him.
The maid hurried to relay the ssage, but the housekeeper called her back, "Co back."
Princess NanAn looked at the housekeeper and asked, "What’s this about?"
The housekeeper said, "Princess, you’re so joyfully confused that you’ve forgotten the Empress’s situation..."
Like a bucket of cold water, Princess NanAn’s smile disappeared completely.
She was indeed joyfully confused.
She completely forgot about the Empress.
The Empress had ordered Fengfeng to stay celibate for Princess Shouning for three years, although one year is her limit.
If the Empress knew Yaoyao was pregnant, she might fly into a rage.
Yaoyao must have known she was pregnant, which is why she chose to return to Yinzhou, to prevent Fengfeng from knowing and spare the NanAn Mansion any trouble.
Princess Consort Zhenbei knew she was pregnant but chose not to disclose this fact directly, subtly informing Fengfeng to ease his worries.
But none of them envisioned this outco; how did one night of intimacy lead to pregnancy when, back then, she had hoped and waited for her pregnancy like yearning for stars and the moon?
Princess NanAn issued an order of confidentiality, forbidding anyone to spread word of this matter.
Fortunately, only a few knew, and those serving within her quarters were trustworthy.
Even though the maids couldn’t spread this outside, Prince NanAn still had to be found.
And Prince NanAn returned quickly, as he was just about to leave the mansion when he rode back.
Seeing Prince NanAn, Princess NanAn shared Doctor Wei’s speculation with him, and Prince NanAn asked, "Could it be a mistake?"
"I think it’s not a mistake," Princess NanAn replied.
"Doctor Wei is Princess Consort Zhenbei’s esteed teacher."
Prince NanAn then asked, "What do you plan to do?"
Princess NanAn sat down and said, "I’m also troubled by this matter, not knowing what to do."
Firstly, Prince NanAn is far away at the border, and it can’t be that he rushes back to arrange the marriage before hastily returning, right?
State affairs are always more important than family matters.
Secondly, getting through to the Empress won’t be easy; after all, Princess Shouning sacrificed her life to save their son, and Princess NanAn doesn’t want to hurt the Empress’s feelings like this.
Thirdly is Nie Yao herself; traveling pregnant isn’t good for her or the fetus. What if sothing bad happens?
If Nie Yao were rely pregnant, that would be one thing, but knowing she is, doing nothing—how could her conscience bear that considering it’s her long-awaited eldest grandson?
Princess NanAn was convinced Nie Yao carried her grandson, but Prince NanAn was more cautious, "No matter if she’s pregnant or ill, her health needs nurturing. Prepare so supplents and have Mrs. Qian take them to Yinzhou. Before Yaoyao returns to the capital, let Mrs. Qian stay in Yinzhou to care for her."
Such an arrangent is currently seen as the most prudent solution.
With Mrs. Qian assisting Nie Yao, whether pregnant or ill, Princess NanAn felt assured.
Princess NanAn looked at Mrs. Qian, "I’ll trouble Mrs. Qian to make this trip."
Mrs. Qian laughed and said, "What trouble? If anything, this old servant wishes she could grow wings and fly to Yinzhou."
The Prince was raised under her watch, and just as the Princess wishes to have a grandchild, so does she.
Princess NanAn, fiery and hurried, especially happy now, turned to the storeroom, took all the precious supplents she had, packed them into a box that wasn’t enough, and then took a maid to the street to buy another box.
While Princess NanAn was happily buying supplies here, Marchioness Jingguo and others at the Beauty Pavilion were waiting for her, one missing for the gathering.
They waited for a good hour without seeing her, and Marchioness Jingguo got a bit anxious, "She arranged for us to et, but how co she hasn’t shown up?"
"Could sothing have happened at NanAn Mansion?" Marchioness Beining worriedly asked.
Duchess Dingguo laughed, "What could happen? Even when Duke Chong was in control, there were no problems, especially not now. Let’s not think too much; sending soone to inquire will suffice."
A maid went to inquire at NanAn Mansion, and upon hearing, the housekeeper realized Princess NanAn had completely forgotten about her mahjong ga.
Now occupied with preparing supplents, she’s in no mood for mahjong.
Making an executive decision, the housekeeper said, "Invite Dongxiang Marquis’s wife to Beauty Pavilion."
Then—
Marchioness Jingguo and the others didn’t wait for Princess NanAn; they welcod Mrs. Tang instead.
The group, "...."
Princess NanAn bought items worth three thousand taels in one go, personally supervising the servants loading them onto the carriage.
The next day, at dawn, Mrs. Qian departed from the capital directly for Yinzhou.
Eager to see Nie Yao and confirm whether she was ill or pregnant, the carriage sped all the way, nearly scrambling Mrs. Qian’s insides.
Seven days later, the carriage stopped at Nanyang Marquis Mansion’s entrance.
As she alighted from the carriage, Mrs. Qian vomited elegantly, almost unable to stand.
If not for recognizing the NanAn Mansion carriage, the servants of Nanyang Marquis Mansion would’ve cursed, finding vomiting at their doorstep unacceptable, huh?
Nie Yao was not pleased upon hearing soone from NanAn Mansion had co again; she didn’t want to see anyone from NanAn Mansion now, fearing exposure and feeling anxious.
Furthermore, this ti it’s Mrs. Qian.
To be trusted by Princess NanAn isn’t so easily fooled, right?
Yet whether foolproof or not, she had to try; hopefully, after delivering the items, she would leave.
Just like before, Nie Yao t Mrs. Qian in the study.
Mrs. Qian happily, with assistance, went in.
She greeted and moved towards the desk, stopped by the maid, "What’s Mrs. Qian doing?"
Mrs. Qian laughed, "What’s a little maid stopping for? Do you think you alone understand tending to a pregnant woman?"
The maid’s eyes widened.
Nie Yao paled slightly.
Mrs. Qian bypassed the maid to see behind the desk, the little abdon how it made one so happy.
Heaven pity ; at last, my days of hardship haven’t gone in vain.
The heavens’ favor turned bad luck into good.
Watching Mrs. Qian, Nie Yao’s ears blushed, feeling she hid well enough; how did they find out?
But she knew Mrs. Qian wasn’t as easy to deceive as the servant last ti, having prepared ntally for discovery, unexpectedly finding they already knew.
"Did Princess Consort Zhenbei tell the Princess?" Nie Yao asked.
Su Jin took the bla.
Yet she carried it only for a mont, relieved by Mrs. Qian, "Had Princess Consort Zhenbei spoken, I’d have long since co to serve you."
Nie Yao even more puzzled, looked at the maid.
The maid shook her head repeatedly.
She hadn’t said a word.
Not a peep.
"Doctor Wei, Princess Consort Zhenbei’s esteed teacher, guessed it," Mrs. Qian laughed.
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