Good Ending: She Swears She Will Not Let Him Die!

Chapter 245: Chapter 244: The Imperial Decree

When Xia Anxin went to the Shao Family to deliver the childbirth bag, she encountered the wedding procession from Dingyuan Marquis Mansion going to the Jiang Family.

The streets were filled with onlookers, and the wedding procession had scattered many copper coins, causing everyone to scramble for them, creating a lively atmosphere.

Xia Anxin lifted the curtain of her sedan chair for a glance, and only after the procession had passed did she instruct the porters to move on.

At the Du Mansion’s Qinghui Garden, Mrs. Zhen was resting on a couch.

This trip to Tong City had worn her out, and she couldn’t recover overnight.

Du Yunluo came to greet her, also feeling groggy.

Seeing her daughter, Mrs. Zhen felt a pang of heartache and said, ”Go back and rest some more.”

”No, I won’t!” Du Yunluo kicked off her shoes and snuggled into Mrs. Zhen’s arms, curling up beside her, ”I’m sleeping with Mother.”

Mrs. Zhen was amused and exasperated, patting Du Yunluo’s back a couple of times.

Shui Yue didn’t disturb them; she brought a stool into the main room to do some knotwork, until someone outside announced Xia Anxin’s arrival, prompting her to get up and go out to greet her.

Xia Anxin smiled and said, ”Is Third Aunt in the room?”

”Our madam and the young lady are taking a nap; would Second Young Madam please wait while I call them?” Shui Yue replied.

Xia Anxin was about to object, but Shui Yue had already gone inside.

Du Yunluo rubbed her eyes and sat up, while Shui Yue tidied Mrs. Zhen’s clothes and helped both of them freshen up before inviting Xia Anxin inside.

After a few polite exchanges, Xia Anxin spoke about her visit to the Shao Family.

”Eldest Sister-in-law looks quite well; I can’t tell much about the belly, but I heard from the maids around her that it’s quite large, which must mean a healthy child,” Xia Anxin remarked.

”A healthy child is good; it’s easier to raise and saves a lot of worry.” Mrs. Zhen smiled, but then frowned, ”If the belly is large, then I fear Yun Ru might suffer.”

Du Yunluo looked at Mrs. Zhen, understanding that for mothers, their daughters are always the most important compared to grandchildren.

”Mother,” Du Yunluo held Mrs. Zhen’s hand, comforting her, ”I heard from the maids that Eldest Sister-in-law looks like someone who gives birth easily, so she’ll be fine.”

Mrs. Zhen blinked, not quite knowing how to react to such a remark.

In the room sat a madam who had borne three children, a married woman, and an unmarried girl; surprisingly, it was the girl who spoke of ”easy birth” and ”difficult birth.”

Mrs. Zhen, torn between laughter and reproach, tapped Du Yunluo’s forehead, ”What nonsense are you spouting! Have you no shame!”

Beside her, Xia Anxin blushed deeply, lowering her head without a word.

Du Yunluo thought secretly, though, that she wasn’t wrong. If it weren’t for considering Xia Anxin’s presence, she would have bluntly said ”big hips, easy birth,” since Xia Anxin was petite and slender, nothing like that at all, and Du Yunluo feared embarrassing her.

Mrs. Zhen shook her head repeatedly, quickly changing the subject, ”Yun Lang’s wife, did Yun Ru say anything? Has the wet nurse and midwife been chosen at the Shao Family?”

Xia Anxin said, ”Three wet nurses have been selected, and Eldest Sister-in-law asked me to help look at them, so they’ve all been called over. I can’t tell much, only that they all seem decent and speak appropriately, so they should be good at child-rearing. Eldest Sister-in-law said she would let the child choose whose milk he or she prefers once born, and keep that one.

The midwife has also been arranged; she visited a few days ago and mentioned that Eldest Sister-in-law has at least half a month before delivery, advising her not to worry or panic.”

Mrs. Zhen felt more at ease hearing this, recognizing Madam Shao as a considerate mother-in-law who thought of everything for Du Yunru.

Xia Anxin continued, ”Oh, Eldest Sister-in-law asked me to tell you that her sister-in-law, Miss Shao, has been matched up by the family, and the matter has been settled, with the wedding set for next year.”

Mrs. Zhen and Du Yunluo exchanged a glance.

With Miss Shao married off, Du Yunru’s life would become a lot more comfortable.

Mrs. Zhen thanked Xia Anxin, then asked Shui Yue to fetch a gold silk collar button, saying, ”I know you have a cream-colored long coat, and this collar button will match perfectly.”

Xia Anxin tried to decline but eventually accepted it with a smile.

Once out of Qinghui Garden, she gently pinched the collar button in her hand.

Miao had said rightly, Mrs. Zhen is someone who knows how to live, which explains her good relationships.

Two days later was Du Yunnuo’s coming-of-age ceremony.

Du Yunnuo was all smiles, but as soon as the guests left, her smile faded.

Du Yunluo, being her praiser, stayed behind in the room and seeing her like this, couldn’t help but ask, ”Are the customs too complicated?”

Du Yunnuo pressed her lips together and shook her head. Then, glancing at a brocade box on the table, she asked, ”Is that from Third Sister?”

Inside the box was a small handheld screen, painted with a scene of young girls playing among flowers, laughing merrily.

Looking at it, Du Yunnuo couldn’t help but laugh, ”Isn’t this a painting of us?”

Du Yunluo leaned over for a look and started laughing as well, ”Third Sister’s painting skills have really improved.”

”Clearly, she’s had nothing to do after marriage, other than painting,” Du Yunnuo pouted, and after saying so, her expression turned a bit melancholic, ”Having nothing to do seems enviable.”

Du Yunluo suddenly understood; Du Yunnuo was anxious about her uncertain future.

”Fourth Sister, marriage is also about fate; when it’s meant to be, it will happen. Just look at Third Sister; at her coming-of-age, Second Aunt was so worried her eyes turned red, and after half a year of no progress, it suddenly settled just like that.” Du Yunluo said.

Du Yunnuo didn’t respond.

There was nothing Du Yunluo could do about it; it was up to Du Yunnuo to come to terms with it herself.

At the end of September, a message came from the palace, saying that in a few days a high monk would come to the palace to give a lecture, and the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Consort wanted Du Yunluo to join them in listening.

Having been summoned to Cining Palace, Du Yunluo naturally agreed.

The monk gave his lecture in the small Buddhist hall at the side of Cining Palace, attended by a few summoned ladies of nobility and several concubines from the inner palace.

Du Yunluo sat with Princess Nanyan, whispering, ”Why haven’t I seen the Princess?”

”The Princess hasn’t been well these days,” Princess Nanyan replied, seeing that no one around could hear them, and leaned over to whisper, ”It’s about the Duke Zhen Guo Mansion’s affairs.”

Du Yunluo looked at Nanyan inquiringly.

”The Princess said she won’t marry without a sister-in-law accompanying her,” Nanyan explained.

Du Yunluo was taken aback.

Only a princess could make such demands; ordinary girls wouldn’t dare to be so picky about their sisters-in-law.

Du Yunluo looked across to the Duchess sitting not far in front, wondering if she had found a satisfactory granddaughter-in-law candidate.

What family in the capital would be willing to marry their daughter into the Duke Zhen Guo Mansion to a chronic patient?

Princess Yunhua didn’t want to marry so hastily before confirming that potential sister-in-law.

After the monk’s lecture, the concubines took their leave.

The Empress Dowager kept the Duchess to talk, as well as Princess An Ran and Du Yunluo.

Rubbing her mildly aching forehead, the Empress Dowager sighed, ”Help me persuade Yunhua; who behaves as headstrong as she does? After all, she’ll be living at the Princess Mansion in the future; her sister-in-law has nothing to do with when they enter the Duke Mansion.”

The Duchess maintained a smile, but her eyes held only helplessness and sorrow.