For the past few days, Yu Wan had been living in the countryside, while Yan Jiuchao was mostly in the Capital. The two of them had never been alone. After returning to the Young Master Manor, they first fed and coaxed the three little fellows to sleep. When he saw the three fat little fellows, Yan Jiuchao rejected them in his heart. However, when he heard that Yu Wan was also a fat little fellow when she was young, Yan Jiuchao was relieved.
1
After the little fellows fell asleep, the nanny carried them down.
The two of them went to the courtyard to take a walk to digest their food. Then, they returned to the upper room without any hurry.
Zi Su blushed and asked the maidservants to leave. Fu Ling foolishly carried a box of plums that Yu Wan had asked her to pick. “Young Madam wants to eat.”
“Send it tomorrow morning!” Zi Su glared at her and pulled her away.
Perhaps it was because the two of them gradually had a tacit understanding, or perhaps it was because absence makes the heart grow fonder, but that night, Yan Jiuchao was exceptionally charming to Yu Wan. Yu Wan’s eyes were filled with him. Looking at his handsome face that was inches away from her, she felt the joy he brought her and could also understand what she had brought him.
She thought, He must like this too… He only likes hers.
1
Yu Wan felt a little sweet.
The two of them went at it for most of the night before resting at midnight.
It was the twenty-third of May, an auspicious day. There were no clouds in the sky, and the wind was gentle.
Yu Wan was pulled out of bed by Zi Su before dawn. She had always woken up early in the countryside, but ever since they consummated their marriage, she had been a little muddle-headed.
“Young Madam.” Zi Su hung the curtain on the tent hook. “It’s time to wake up.”
“What time is it?” Yu Wan looked at the dark window paper. The day always started early in the beginning of May, but it was still dark now. It was most likely not even four in the morning.
As expected, she heard Zi Su say, “It’s almost four in the morning.”
Yu Wan looked at her empty side. “Where’s Young Master?”
Zi Su took out her clothes and put them on Yu Wan. “Young Master is up. He went to the little masters’ room.”
It was not easy for the children of the royal family either. They had to suffer with them so early in the morning. The auspicious time was in the morning, but they had no choice but to rush to the palace before five in the morning. As a royal wedding, the marriage between the two countries was different. Before the wedding, they had to hold a ritual at the altar of the palace. The Empress, the relatives of the royal family, and the civil and military officials would attend.
Yu Wan changed into Princess Consort Yan’s court dress. It was clearly custom-made, but she almost couldn’t button the front of her dress.
Zi Su looked at the fullness in her shirt and thought to herself that Young Madam was growing too quickly. However, she did not gain weight at the other places at all. She was only fat in the places that she should be fat. Does that mean that she really needed a man’s help to grow those places?
1
Oh my God, what was she thinking?
Zi Su secretly pinched herself and helped her Young Madam put on her clothes.
Her hair was combed by Ban Xia. After all, Ban Xia was a maidservant from a rich family. She was used to doing these things and was better at it than Zi Su.
Ban Xia combed Yu Wan’s hair and put on makeup. Yu Wan’s skin was extremely good, and she looked beautiful even without makeup. After a little makeup, she looked even more beautiful.
Ban Xia had never seen such beauty. That’s not right. Young Madam’s mother was quite beautiful. It was just that she was sick and not in good health.
When Yu Wan was dressed up, Yan Jiuchao also came over with three sleepy little fellows. He held Dabao’s hand with his left hand, Dabao held Er’bao’s hand, and Er’bao held Xiaobao’s hand. At first glance, it looked like this man was holding a stick of rounded candied hawthorn.
1
The candied hawthorns yawned one after another. Even so, they did not wake up angry like other children. They were just a little listless, making Yu Wan’s heart ache.
Yu Wan looked at the man holding their hands. She had changed into Princess Consort Yan’s court clothes, and he had also changed into Prince Yan’s. The unruly little silk plants seemed to have the bearing of a ruler overnight. Yu Wan looked at him in a daze for a long time, unable to look away.
Yan Jiuchao walked up to her and stuffed the little fellows into her arms. He whispered into her ear, “Love-struck fool!”
Yu Wan came back to her senses and widened her eyes. She was extremely sure that she had caught a trace of mischief and smugness in his eyes. She was not angry. He was her husband. Wasn’t it only right and proper for her to be infatuated with her husband?
Fu Ling brought over breakfast. There were several food boxes on the table. She was strong and carried them all in one go.
When Yu Wan fed her sons porridge, the three of them had their eyes closed. After the meal, they knocked their heads on the table and fell asleep.
1
The three little fellows’ clothes had been changed by Zi Su, Tao’er, and the others overnight. Who asked them to be as fat as two people in the countryside after twenty days? When Dabao’s stomach bulged, the buttons fell off.
1
Yu Wan was both angry and amused. She hugged Dabao and buttoned his shirt. The nannies came over to carry the children, but they sadly realized that they actually couldn’t carry them!
2
It was Shadow Thirteen who took over Dabao and Erbao. Shadow Six carried Xiaobao and boarded the carriage like a family of five.
3
Yu Wan and Yan Jiuchao boarded another carriage.
Shadow Six looked at the baby in his arms and then at Shadow Thirteen and the other two babies. His handsome little brows furrowed. He felt that something was wrong!
2
After arriving at the palace, Yu Wan first went to the Empress’s Zhaoyang Palace. She was not the first to arrive. The Eldest Princess Consort, the Third Princess Consort, and many women from the royal family were already chatting with the Empress.
“Your Majesty, Mrs. Yan is here,” Emissary Cui reported.
The Empress was holding her daughter-in-law’s hand. When she heard this, she smiled. “Come in!”
Everyone had been looking forward to this young madam from the commoners for a long time. They had not been able to see her true appearance during the wedding. Today, they had finally seized the opportunity to take a good look at her. When they heard from the Empress that she was a fairy-like beauty, no one dared to believe that a country bumpkin could be so fairy-like.
However, the moment Yu Wan walked into the main hall, everyone fell silent.
The person was wearing a dark blue Princess Consort Yan dress. The collar, sleeves, and hem were inlaid with gold. This dress was designed to be dignified, elegant, and poised, but it was very picky. If one was not careful, it would be easy to give off an old-fashioned feeling. However, Yu Wan made it look perfect. Her slightly childish face was filled with nobility and dignity. At first glance, her facial features were not stunning, but they gave people an extremely comfortable feeling. Her temperament was exquisite, and she was elegant and generous.
Everyone was too surprised and did not dare to recognize her for a moment. They looked behind Yu Wan and after confirming that there was no other woman entering the house and that she was wearing Princess Consort Yan’s court dress, they closed their shocked jaws.
What happened to the country girl? Why was she more like a Princess Consort than them?
Yu Wan walked forward without looking sideways and bowed respectfully. “Greetings, Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty.”
The Empress nodded in satisfaction and waved for her to get up. “We were just talking about you.”
Yu Wan stood up and asked with a smile, “What about me?”
The Empress said pleasantly, “I said that you won the heart of a man and gave birth to three fat boys. You have to come and accompany Sangzhi more often so that she can benefit from your fortune.”
Sangzhi was the nickname of the Eldest Princess Consort. It was said that she had once fallen seriously ill when she was young. They were afraid that it would be difficult to raise her, so they learned the method of giving people a cheap name. However, the name Gou’zi and Niu’zi was too unbearable to listen to, so they named her Sangzhi.
Yu Wan looked at the Eldest Princess Consort’s abdomen that was covered by the court clothes and smiled. “Eldest Sister-in-law is a blessed person. Her stomach is so sharp. I think it’s a boy.”
1
It had only been four months since she was pregnant, so how could she tell whether it was round or sharp? In the past, Yu Wan would not have said such indecent words, but things were different now. There were some things she had to give up and some things she had to hold on to.
So what if it was a flattery? The Empress was still overjoyed.
The Empress introduced the women in the room to Yu Wan. “This is your third sister-in-law.”
Yu Wan bowed. “Third Princess Consort.”
Since the Empress had already said that she was her sister-in-law, the Third Princess Consort did not dare to put on airs as the Princess Consort. She quickly helped her up.
After that, there were the two imperial aunts, Princess Consort Jin and Princess Consort Ling. Prince Jin and Prince Ling were both the younger brothers of the current Emperor. Because their mother’s background was not high, and they were not very hardworking, so they did not participate in the competition for the throne back then, but because of this, they were lucky to survive.
Back then, the Emperor defeated his ambitious brothers and let them have an extremely miserable ending. So in order to salvage his image as a virtuous and noble person, the Emperor treated Prince Jin and Prince Ling well. Although their fiefs could not be compared to Yan City, they were still considered rich. Their mothers even rose from the title of Dowager Imperial Concubines to the title of Dowager Consort and moved out of the Grand Consort Hall that was similar to the Cold Palace to live in a spacious and bright palace.
Prince Jin and Prince Ling were not very smart, but they knew their limits. They knew that everything they had now was exchanged for their obedience back then. It was not that no one had incited them all these years, but they did not dare to rebel. They did not have the brains nor the guts.
Yu Wan politely called her aunt.
There were also a few princesses present. Yu Wan saw them all.
“By the way, why aren’t the three little fellows here?” The Empress asked.
Yu Wan smiled and said, “Their father took them away.”
After showing off his wife, a certain young master began to show off his children again.
2
In the outer hall.
The Eldest Prince: “The Princess played chess well.”
A certain young master: I have a son.
The Third Prince: “The Second Princess draws very well.”
A certain young master: I have a son.
A certain prince: “My son is only seven years old, but he can already ride a horse.”
A certain young master: I have three sons!
2
Everyone: “…”
Alright, you win…