Little Cardamom

On the first day of the new year, the emperor held a court meeting in the Golden Luan Hall as usual.

Jiang Xu is usually not used to going to court, but the grand court meeting is unusual and it is not easy to be absent, so he got up at five o'clock.

Ming Tan got up too, and she put on Jiang Xu's court clothes, and she didn't forget to tie knee pads in his trousers, babbling: "I heard my father talk about the grand court meeting on the first day, and the etiquette was complicated and complicated. If you go, your husband doesn’t often give a big gift, so it’s better to tie it up.”

Jiang Xu didn't make a sound and let her move.

After helping Jiang Xu get dressed, Ming Tan also put on his cloak and sent him all the way to the gate of Qi'an Hall. The sky was gray and it was not yet bright.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the face, and without waiting for his reaction, she pushed him away: "Husband, hurry up, it's not good to be late."

Jiang Xu looked at her slightly flushed cheeks, gave a soft "um", then turned and walked out of the mansion.

A string of shoe prints drifting away gradually fell on the snow, where Ming Tan couldn't see, he bent the corner of his lower lip almost imperceptibly.

…

In fact, for Ming Tan, there were not too many things to do on the first day. He went to the ancestral hall to offer incense to his father-in-law and mother-in-law who had never met, received a bunch of familiar and unfamiliar invitations, and sent people to send a bunch of acquaintances. There is nothing else to do with greeting posts that are familiar or not.

The second day of junior high school was very busy, on the day of returning to Ning, she got up early in the morning to freshen up, and took Jiang Xu together to worship the God of Wealth. When she went out, she didn't even have time for breakfast, so she asked Su Xin to make some cakes in a hurry.

After leaving the door, the road was full of noisy vehicles and horses, and it was extremely congested. Because there were gifts on the vehicle, it was not easy to abandon the vehicle and ride the horse halfway. The short distance took nearly half an hour.

When the two arrived at Jing'an Hou's Mansion, Shen Hua and his wife, who also returned to Ning, had already arrived. Shen Hua looked a little rounder than before, and her belly began to show.

This time Gui Ning got together, the man talked about government affairs, and the two of them chatted happily with Mrs. Pei.

It's just that Jiang Xu still needs to go to the palace today, so he can't stay for a long time. After sitting for a while, he agreed with Ming Tan to pick her up after finishing his work, and then left before lunch.

Unexpectedly, not long after Jiang Xu left, Mingchu and her husband Feng Sanlang also made a special trip from Hezhou to Beijing to return to Ning.

This is the first time Mingchu has returned to the Jing'an Marquis Mansion after she got married. She combed her hair in a woman's bun, wore expensive hairpins, and wore a new scarlet jacket that is also fashionable in Beijing. She looks very good. It can be seen that the Feng family did not treat her harshly according to Ming Tan's order last time.

I don't know whether it was because he had learned the lesson before and dared not make mistakes, or he was trying to behave well in front of his father in order to restore some of the worn-out father-daughter relationship. Ming Chu looked very peaceful when he saw Ming Tan and Shen Hua today.

If she doesn't look for trouble, Ming Tan doesn't bother to bother with her, just pretends that she doesn't exist. The same is true for Shen Hua.

But Mingchu's peace was only for a while, and while she was having lunch, she suddenly looked at Shen Hua, and asked quite kindly: "I heard that cousin Hua is happy?"

Shen Hua paused for a moment, then nodded politely.

Mingchu asked again: "I wonder if there is any taboo for being pregnant? My eyes are darkened, and I still don't know anything."

As soon as these words came out, everyone at the table was silent for a moment.

"What do you mean by that, you are also happy?" Ming Ting asked far away, putting his chopsticks away.

Mingchu lowered his head and smiled, "Yes, my daughter is already one month pregnant."

Feng Sanlang also hurriedly added: "Chu Chu's pregnancy was just one month old, and my son-in-law thought that the road would be bumpy and he shouldn't go out, but after Chu Chu got married, he hadn't returned to the Hou's mansion, so he missed Mr. Yue Zhang very much, and still wanted to go out. Then I personally told the two elders the good news, but my son-in-law couldn't help it, so I took Chu Chu to Beijing to pay New Year's greetings."

Ming Tingyuan nodded, and looked at Mingchu with a much more relieved look.

"It turns out that the third sister is also happy." Shen Hua smiled softly, and replied in a gentle voice, "There are so many taboos for pregnant people, and I can't remember them all, but my mother-in-law told me early, the things to taboo I don’t do anything on weekdays.”

Speaking of this, she asked curiously: "Third sister, you are also one month pregnant. Didn't you ask a doctor to carefully list the taboos and hand them over to the kitchen at home? How could you be so blind?"

Mingchu: "..."

She said this just to draw out the words of pregnancy without any trace, and to respond to someone who is not pregnant. This Shen Hua still never forgets to fall into the trap when speaking!

Mingchu didn't fall for it, but her husband, Feng Sanlang, was afraid of being misunderstood by the Yue family for treating her harshly, so he hurriedly explained: "Of course I invited her, the doctor made a three-page list of taboos. I haven’t eaten any taboo food again.”

Mingchu pinched him under the table, and only then did he realize that this explanation was inconsistent with what she said earlier, so he stumbled and tried to make up for it: "Chu...Chuchu is the same as my cousin, yes, I don't remember much. I don’t know what to eat and what not to eat.”

Hearing this, Shen Hua took a look at Ming Tan. It's just that Ming Tan didn't respond, and only picked up vegetables for Ming Tingyuan and Pei Shi from time to time.

Mingchu was not reconciled to seeing her act so insignificantly. After holding back for a long time, he still couldn't help asking: "How is Fourth Younger Sister recently? Is there any movement in her body?"

"I don't know what kind of movement the third sister is referring to?" Ming Tan raised his eyelids.

"Fourth sister, don't pretend you don't understand. You and the prince have been married for a long time. Don't you think there is any joy? This is a big deal to reproduce children. Fourth sister needs to pay more attention. If you can't do it yourself, the aunt in the house will give birth Yes, it’s the same if you hug and raise yourself, it’s better to be kind than to raise kindness.”

Mingchu didn't hold back after all, and gloated and said it happily.

Feng Sanlang sensed something was wrong and couldn't stop it.

Ming Tan chuckled, and didn't raise his eyes to look at her, he just talked about what happened at the stage when he went to Yongchun Garden earlier——

"...that Empress Shuyi took advantage of her pregnancy to give advice on the family affairs of the Dingbei Palace. Guess what? In a rage, the Holy Majesty restrained her feet and demoted her position."

Shuyi, who is pregnant and favored in the palace, has her status lowered because of her talkativeness, let alone others? Hearing this, Feng Sanlang broke out in cold sweat, and hurriedly pressed Mingchu to stop her talking nonsense.

He gave him a clear look.

Feng Sanlang complained incessantly in his heart, he really felt that his daughter-in-law was a bit too thick, and thought she was a sister in her boudoir, but now she is the high-ranking Princess Dingbei, with a world of difference in status, where did she have the courage Feel free to make a mistake!

Mingchu was just trying to be brave on the surface, after hearing Mingtan's words of "take care of yourself", he felt really nervous in his heart, so he didn't say anything more.

There was no more episode in Guining, although Ming Tan didn't show the slightest difference in front of Ming Chu, but on the way back home, she couldn't help feeling melancholy, even Ming Chu was pregnant, why wasn't she?

Although she didn't think much about having children, whether or not she could have it and whether she wanted to have it were two different things. When it was mentioned several times, she couldn't help but care about it.

After Guining in the second day of junior high school, it is the New Year greetings among relatives and friends.

Jiang Xu didn't care about everything, it was all thanks to Ming Tan, the mistress of the house, who greeted him. Of course, the people who greeted him were all people she knew well. Zhang Huaiyu, Lu Ting and Shu Jingran were the only ones who came to the mansion to pay New Year's greetings because of Jiang Xu.

The three of them came together at noon, although they knew each other very well, they still prepared a lot of gifts.

Coincidentally, not long after they were seated, a cup of tea was served when someone came to spread the word that Miss Chang Guogong and Miss Zhou family had come.

Zhang Huaiyu and Lu Ting paused for a moment when they heard the words.

Being a guest on this New Year's Day doesn't pay much attention to the defense of men and women, Ming Tan invites them in together, but unexpectedly, only one of the two people who passed on the message came in.

Before Ming Tan could ask, Lu Ting asked first, "Where's Miss Zhou?"

"Back to Lu Dianshuai, Miss Zhou's family has something to do, she came outside the mansion, and suddenly went back." The servant replied.

Bai Minmin glanced at him: "Didn't you hear that someone is coming outside? Jing Wan is the most polite. The wedding is approaching. How can a man and a woman meet outside? You have to ask!"

Zhang Huaiyu suddenly opened the folding fan, raised his eyebrows, and pointedly said: "Then it seems that Miss Bai has not learned from Miss Zhou's family. She knows that my son is here, but she still comes in."

"...?"

"you!"

Bai Minmin's face flushed suddenly, from embarrassment to anger.

But soon, she took another deep breath, and smiled angrily: "Master Zhang will really put gold on his face, who came because of you, I heard that Second Master Shu is here—"

Speaking of this, she looked at Shu Jingran with a smile, gave a pretentious blessing, and her tone became gentle three degrees: "Second Master Shu, long time no see."

Shu Jingran's scalp was numb, he laughed dryly, and hurriedly nodded in return: "Miss Bai is very polite."

Zhang Huaiyu was not calm anymore, she stared at Shu Jingran for a while, then looked at Bai Minmin, and closed the folding fan in her hand a little: "You, why are you like this?"

"What about me?" Bai Minmin said confidently.

"You are a girl who wants to marry others, but you still covet others!"

"Who said I'm going to promise someone else? Zhang Shizi, you can't talk nonsense, you can talk nonsense if you like, don't damage my innocence."

…

These two are also enemies, they didn't know each other before, and they didn't talk to each other when they met, but now, no matter where they meet, when they start talking, they can only hear the two of them come and go and refuse to give in to each other.

Ming Tan managed to find a place to speak, and asked what they wanted to eat, so she sent people to arrange dinner early.

It's just that a few people bumped into each other today, and dinner is destined to be useless here.

Knowing that Zhou Jingwan came and left, Lu Ting couldn't sit still for a long time, and found an excuse to leave first. Zhang Huaiyu and Bai Minmin quarreled for a while, but somehow the atmosphere suddenly eased. Zhang Huaiyu mentioned that the performance of the barbarians in a tile shop was particularly wonderful, and Bai Minmin, as if he had been charmed, hurriedly urged him to take him to see it.

In the end, only Shu Jingran was left alone for dinner. After dinner, Jiang Xu led him to the study to discuss matters.

Ming Tan didn't bother her. Since years ago, her husband frequently entered the palace and discussed matters with others. Occasionally, she could see a map of Rongzhou when he entered the study. It should be on the agenda.

The two discussed with candles until late at night, Ming Tan was concerned that her husband didn't have much for dinner, so he prepared a midnight snack and sent it to Wanjuanzhai where the study was located.

The night was dark, and before Wanjuanzhai arrived, she saw a figure quietly coming out of the side door from a distance, heading towards the back door of the palace.

Ming Tan paused a little, that figure was definitely not a hidden guard, it looked a little strange, but also a little familiar, she seemed to have seen it somewhere...but she couldn't remember it for a while.