Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 1056 - 1054_1

"This time, do you want to come with me to my post?" Jingrui stood up and sat next to Zhu Yan, reaching out to hold her hand as he asked.

Although Zhu Yan was pregnant, he had promised her he would take her with him to his post the next time. So Jingrui decided to ask for her opinion. If she wanted to go, he would take her with him.

This time they didn’t have to rush. Zhu Yan’s pregnancy was stable; as long as they walked slowly, there should be no problems.

On hearing this, Zhu Yan considered for a moment before shaking her head: "Let’s wait until the child is born."

Even though the child in her womb was now stable, and Zhu Yan did want to be with Jingrui, she guessed his job was not so safe. She was now six months pregnant and could not help him much. Moreover, she might distract him. So she decided to stay in the Imperial Capital, waiting until after the baby was born to join him.

Luckily, her mother-in-law and father-in-law, along with her young uncle and young aunt-in-law, were easy to get along with, so she was quite happy living in the Imperial Capital.

Hearing this, Jingrui nodded: "Okay, waiting until the child is born is also fine. Only, if you don’t accompany me to my post, I may not be able to be with you when our child is born. Also, I will not be able to return home to celebrate the New Year with you."

Because going back and forth required too much time. If he returned to the Imperial Capital two or three times a year, he would be spending nearly half the year on the road as a Magistrate.

Zhu Yan had thought about this. However, hearing Jingrui confirm it, she was inevitably disappointed, but she insisted: "I understand. After the child is born, once I’m done with the confinement period and Spring is here again, I will come to find you."

Spending a lifetime together doesn’t have to be rushed.

"Alright, when the time comes, I’ll see if I can find time to come back to accompany you two."

"Why you say ’you two?’" Zhu Yan became dissatisfied after hearing this. "What if it’s a daughter?"

"Alright then, you and our daughter!" Jingrui quickly corrected himself.

Zhu Yan: "..." She felt as though she had just hit a bale of cotton with her fist.

...

This time, Jingrui brought back a lot of things. He even brought back some things for Di Shaowei and Zhao Youwei’s wives, since Xiao’er was close to them. He decided to give their stuff to Xiao’er to deliver.

Xiao’er sent people to deliver invites to Ming Jingya and Fu Ranhui, asking them to come to the Mansion to collect their things.

Upon receiving the invite, the servant at the Marquis Zhongyong residence replied saying that Ming Jingya would come by in a couple of days because she had taken the children to visit Ming Zhijie.

Fu Ranhui visited the next day. Seeing how much fuller Xiao’er looked, she felt a pang of envy. Despite getting married slightly before Zhu Yan, why hadn’t she fallen pregnant yet?

Mrs. Zhao, knowing Zhu Yan was pregnant, no longer dared to make cold remarks. However, she often said in recent days how lucky Zhu Yan was to have fallen pregnant so quickly, monopolizing all the good fortune for their family!

Fu Ranhui also hoped to have a child with Zhao Youwei. That way, life in the Zhao Mansion wouldn’t be so boring.

Frankly, after Fu Ranhui got married, Xiao’er had always seen her looking happy. Now, seeing her look somewhat lost, she asked: "Princess, what’s the matter? Are the things General Zhao sent making you miss him?"

Fu Ranhui’s face turned red upon hearing this. She glared at Xiao’er: "Who says I miss him? I’m just wondering why I didn’t fall pregnant like you all did. It would have been nice if we could all have our babies around the same time! I’m thinking about whether I should follow your brother’s caravan to Zhan’er Island when he leaves."

In fact, that was Mrs. Zhao’s idea. Mrs. Zhao felt that since Zhao Youwei was no longer young, Fu Ranhui should go to Zhan’er Island to accompany him and return to the Imperial City once she fell pregnant.

Xiao’er, hearing this, understood Fu Ranhui’s impatience. Zhao Youwei was usually unable to return to the Imperial City unless there was an imperial decree.

Jingrui would still have a term of duty and sometimes needed to return to the Imperial City to report. However, generals guarding the border were not allowed to leave their posts easily. So, Fu Ranhui wanting to get pregnant would indeed have to go to Zhan’er Island herself.

But the current situation on Zhan’er Island was not conducive for getting pregnant and giving birth!

Xiao’er thought about it and decided to inform Fu Ranhui about the conditions on Zhan’er Island so she wouldn’t consider going there.

Fu Ranhui was taken aback. "Are you saying that if we stay on Zhan’er Island for too long, we would become like the sick? What happens to my husband - Zhao Youwei?"

"Don’t worry, Princess. The soldiers on the island take the antidote every once in a while. As long as they’ve taken the antidote, they will definitely be fine. But if you’re planning to get pregnant and give birth there, I advise you not to. Wait a couple more years until the place becomes safer to live."

Now, Fu Ranhui was no longer thinking about getting pregnant or giving birth. She was worried about Zhao Youwei’s health. She decided to pack some nourishing herbs and let Jingrui take them to him. It was almost winter, so she also prepared some cotton clothes for Jingrui to take to him.

Yun’er was about to get married. She had chosen a sea wedding. "Xiao’er, during Yun’er’s wedding, will Jingrui just get off the boat somewhere after getting on, go directly back to his post, and not take the boat back to the Imperial City?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao’er nodded: "Yes, there is a part of the journey that is convenient by boat. If he returns to the Capital it would be wasting time, wouldn’t it?"

"Then I’ll go back and prepare some things. You tell him to help me take them to my husband, okay?"

"Okay!" Xiao’er replied. She had no reason to refuse; it was the least she could do!

"Then I’ll say goodbye for now. I’ll go back and prepare the things. I’ll come over to accompany you some other day!" Fu Ranhui stood up and hurriedly left.

Xiao’er shook her head, smiling.

After Fu Ranhui left the Wang Mansion, she went to the cloth shop and the clothing store on the street and bought a lot of fabric and ready-made clothes. Then she went to the medicine shop to buy some ginseng and other health-boosting herbs. She returned to her house with these purchases.

When she got back, Fu Ranhui opened the parcel to see what Jingrui had brought for her.

Zhao Youwei had sent her some jewelry, some Western curios, and a letter. When Fu Ranhui saw these things, she felt as if she had eaten honey. She opened the letter and read it. The contents were to let Fu Ranhui go to his study to find a map for Jingrui to take over. Although he didn’t say anything to her directly, Zhao Youwei had asked her to do something for him, making her feel valued and satisfied as his wife.

So she rushed to Zhao Youwei’s study to find the map he mentioned. However, the map wasn’t in the box on the bookshelf as described in the letter.

So Fu Ranhui started to search around. Whenever she saw a box, she would open it to look inside. It wasn’t until she opened a box from the highest shelf, covered with dust, did she finally find what she was looking for. She was so shocked that she just stood there, stunned.