But things didn’t go as Chu Daying wished. Even until her death, she never thought that her good intentions would result in a mistake. When Zhi Yuan, the abbot, entered the palace, it happened to be the twenty-second of February. After the half-month-long ritual was completed, it was already early March. The grass grew lush and the orioles flew, heralding a renewal of all things. The arrival of spring once again reminded Lin Wanyi of many delightful memories at home. This day, Mrs. Dong, still disguised as a servant woman, entered the palace with Second Madam Dong, Mrs. Yun. Upon seeing Lin Wanyi, her eyes were filled with longing for her daughter. "You’ve lost weight, much more than the last time I saw you." Mrs. Dong already knew about her daughter’s pregnancy and severe morning sickness, so her heart was full of anxiety. In her eyes, the heir was important, but her daughter was important too. Hearing about her constant nausea, Mrs. Dong was also very worried at home. Lin Wanyi finally got to see her mother, and she didn’t want every topic to revolve around her morning sickness. So she comforted Mrs. Dong, saying, "Mother, don’t worry. I’m really much better now. If you don’t believe me, ask Xia An." "Madam, don’t worry. The second madam’s medicine has indeed helped her a lot. I’m making sure to take care of the noble concubine, and she’ll be plump and healthy." Hearing Xia An’s teasing words, Mrs. Dong’s worry turned to joy. "Alright, mother won’t talk about me anymore. How is brother doing? Is he much better now? Have all the medicinal herbs sent by Your Majesty been used?" Actually, when it comes to medicinal herbs, most of what the Imperial Family stores is still supplied by the Dong Family. So the ones sent by the Emperor may not necessarily be better than what the Dong Family already has. But it was a gesture of goodwill, so Mr. Lin’s family was still very grateful. "All have been used, all have been used. With your second uncle overseeing, he’s recovering even faster than Mu Zhi. If not for your second uncle’s strict supervision, he might have already started practicing swordplay again." More than three months of recuperation had healed Lin Xingzhi’s injuries by eighty or ninety percent. With the joint efforts of Second Young Master Dong and Second Madam Dong, aside from the scars, no aftereffects remained at all. In fact, scars are not a big issue and can be treated with ointments. However, Lin Xingzhi felt there was no need for unnecessary fuss, as scars sometimes symbolize a man’s honor. So everyone just let him be. "Brother as well, why couldn’t he take care of himself and get so worked up?" "The Fourth Prince sent word that he’s on the list of imperial guards for the Emperor’s autumn hunt, so..." Mrs. Dong looked helpless, but mixed with that helplessness was a bit of hope for the future life. A year ago, their family was the bullied elder branch in the Prime Minister’s Mansion. But now things are much better. Her husband became the Vice Director of the Astronomical Bureau, and she became an imperial decree lady. Their eldest son became a meritorious protector of the Emperor, their daughter became a noble concubine and was pregnant, and their youngest son was also admitted to the long-awaited Imperial College. Even her maternal family, the Dong Family, was flourishing. All of this seemed to begin after their daughter entered the palace. So she sighed deeply and said, "At that time, I didn’t want you to enter the palace at all, but it turned out that your entrance was the turning point that helped the whole family rise. Qianqian, the blessings we have today are all because of you." "Mother, please don’t say it like that. I only got this future because of brother risking his life. Brother is the backbone of our family." Even now, Lin Wanyi was still haunted by the incident where her older brother was stabbed. She feared that if her brother were to perish, she would always feel guilty for the rest of her life. "Yes, yes, and He Song really is... not just you, even I, as an imperial decree lady, have him to thank for earning the status with his life." At this touching point, Mrs. Dong wiped her tears. "Alright, mother, it’s not easy for you to come to the palace, so let’s not talk about unhappy things. I’m more than two months pregnant now, in a few days it can be announced publicly, and by then, with your status, you can enter the palace openly to visit without such grievances as today." "Yes, yes, in the palace, you must be cautious. This is the peace charm I requested for you from Qinglong Temple. You must wear it every day to ensure a safe delivery, understand?" "Understood, mother, don’t worry. I will surely wear it well!" Google seaʀᴄh novᴇlfire.net After chatting with Lin Wanyi, it was Mrs. Yun’s turn to check her pulse. Lin Wanyi felt much more relaxed than when she first started, so she wasn’t as scared. Instead, Mrs. Yun’s brow furrowed more and more as she looked at Lin Wanyi with increasing concern. Lin Wanyi, who was just having a joyous conversation with her mother, couldn’t help but worry when she saw her maternal aunt’s expression. "Second Aunt, is something wrong with the baby? Why are you..." Mrs. Yun shook her head and examined her again carefully. Not until the end did she solemnly say, "You’re going to suffer in the future." Mrs. Dong also worried. From the outside, her daughter seemed fine. "It’s twins, she’s pregnant with twins." Lin Wanyi never even dreamt that she would be carrying twins! But her belly wasn’t noticeably growing much. She reached out to touch it, her maternal instinct becoming more evident. At this moment, Mrs. Dong lost all excitement about becoming a grandmother. With a pale face, she looked at Lin Wanyi, her sadness evident. "What should we do? If you were in the civilian world, having twins would be a huge blessing, but in the palace, have you ever heard of happy news of twins being born in the Imperial Family?" With this, everyone’s face turned grim. Yes, if it were a boy and a girl, it would naturally be a blessing, as this symbolizes harmony and prosperity. But if it’s two princes, one of them wouldn’t survive. If it’s two princesses, perhaps one could be sent away from the palace. The initial excitement of the pregnancy and everyone’s joy turned into deep concern. Mrs. Yun was skilled in medicine, but she couldn’t guarantee she could reduce twins. For these folk opinions, she wasn’t particularly concerned. What she worried about now was whether Lin Wanyi’s body could withstand this challenging pregnancy. And when it came time for delivery, would there be any unexpected complications? These were her real concerns. Seeing Lin Wanyi’s expression become more downcast, Mrs. Dong immediately said, "Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, there will always be a solution." Lin Wanyi managed a difficult smile, trying to use it to comfort others. Unbeknownst to her, to others, her smile seemed more like covering up a disaster. The Emperor arrived during dinner time, aiming to understand the condition of Lin Wanyi’s pregnancy. It’s still a secret to outsiders, so Doctor Dou couldn’t come every day to check. Therefore, to know about the child, they had to wait for Mrs. Yun to enter the palace. From a distance, he thought Lin Wanyi looked much better than before, but upon entering the main hall, he could sense an intense atmosphere of worry.