Wang Qingyao did not attend the Wei family's lotus banquet, assuming the matter was over.
However, a few days later, Wei Yu sent her a personal invitation, stating that the lotus banquet had too many people and she hadn't considered the inconvenience for a pregnant woman. To express her apologies, she specially invited Wang Qingyao to a small-scale lotus banquet at the Wei residence.
There weren't many guests, just Wei Qing, Wei Yu, and the Wang sisters.
How considerate.
Previously, ladies of the Wang sisters' caliber were not part of her social circle. Now, for Wang Qingyao's sake, her social standing had been lowered.
Wang Qingyao held the invitation and examined it several times, feeling something was amiss.
Could Wei Yu be so kind as to host a lotus banquet specifically for her?
It felt like a trap!
Unsolicited favors often hid ulterior motives.
She showed the invitation to Xiao Yun, who also found it suspicious and directly told her to ignore Wei Yu.
However, Wei Yu was, after all, the future Crown Princess. Even though they were at odds behind the scenes, they were expected to maintain a cordial relationship on the surface.
Therefore, Wang Qingyao specially replied to Wei Yu, stating that she had been suffering from severe morning sickness recently, unable to eat anything and confined to bed, let alone go out.
This excuse was always effective, and even if Wei Yu suspected she was faking it, she couldn't say anything.
And so, the matter was dropped.
The summer heat was intense, and with her large belly, she couldn't go anywhere. She spent her days either playing cards with Bian Siyue and the others or having them conduct prenatal education for the baby, playing music, and reciting poetry. Or she would call Wang Qingzhen over for some casual chats and gossip.
Fang Yuan and Zuo Yun also visited frequently. Fang Rui was over nine months old, plump and fair, with arms like lotus roots.
He was at the stage of babbling, unable to form complete sentences, often expressing his thoughts with "ah ah ah." He was very interested in Wang Qingyao's belly and had tried to touch it a few times.
Zuo Yun, fearing he might playfully hurt Wang Qingyao, stopped bringing him along for subsequent visits.
She gave Wang Qingyao the outgrown clothes for Fang Rui, all washed clean and perfumed.
"Please don't mind that they're old. There's a saying that it's good luck for newborns to wear old clothes from others, and some people even collect clothes from a hundred households for newborns."
Wang Qingyao knew this saying. She looked through the small garments one by one, finding them quite charming, like clothes for a doll, miniature and exquisite.
Seeing Wang Qingyao's alarmingly large belly, Fang Yuan asked worriedly, "Sister Yao Yao, your belly is so big, won't it explode?"
She was pinched on the arm by Zuo Yun.
"Bah, bah, bah, don't speak ill of the dead. Don't speak ill of the dead."
Wang Qingyao didn't mind and laughed heartily, teasing her, "When you get pregnant, you'll know if it explodes."
Fang Yuan's face showed a mixture of fear and longing.
Zuo Yun asked, "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
Zuo Yun knew that Wang Qingyao's public statement was that she couldn't tell the gender of other people's unborn babies, but she knew Wang Qingyao could actually see it.
She was curious, so she asked casually.
Wang Qingyao shook her head, "I don't know."
This was true. Wang Qingyao's clairvoyance could see the gender of fetuses in other people's wombs, but when she looked in the mirror at herself, she couldn't see anything.
She didn't know why.
She honestly told the truth, but Zuo Yun didn't quite believe her, giving her a playfully chiding look that said, "You won't even tell me."
She was amused and exasperated, "I really don't know."
Fang Yuan said, "Then what do you want to give birth to? Twins, ideally a boy and a girl, so you'll have both in one go."
Wang Qingyao thought the same way. Dragon and phoenix twins would be ideal, but she didn't know if heaven would grant her wish.
Since moving out, Feng Jiangduo never proactively visited the Prince of Ding'an's mansion. Even when Wang Qingyao invited her, she would leave on time and never stay overnight.
Last time, Consort Fang had expressed her opposition to Xiao Mo and Feng Jiangduo's marriage. After being lectured by the Old Consort, she no longer voiced her objections, but her body language and expressions were a silent protest.
There was nothing that could be done about it.
Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were natural enemies.
Fortunately, Consort Fang had a gentle nature and didn't meddle in affairs. If she didn't like it, she didn't like it; in the future, she would simply show respect from a distance.
It wasn't a big deal.
Since Xiao Mo had said he wanted to propose, the Old Consort had promptly written a letter to the Prince of Ding'an. If all went as expected, the Prince of Ding'an would arrive soon.
When Feng Jiangduo was taken away, Wang Qingyao had said it would be three years. Now, less than a year had passed, and his beloved granddaughter was about to get married.
Consort Fang was unwilling for Xiao Mo to marry Feng Jiangduo, and the Prince of Ding'an was also unwilling for Feng Jiangduo to marry Xiao Mo!
Wang Qingyao's belly grew larger and larger. She suffered from back pain, couldn't sleep well, and had frequent urination. She had to go to the toilet five or six times during a game of cards.
She eagerly awaited the delivery and vowed never to have a second child.
However, in ancient times, the prerequisite for not having a second child was having a son. Wang Qingyao silently prayed that at least one of the twins would be a boy.