The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 895 - 895 413 Affectionate Couple (Second Update)

Chapter 895: 413 Affectionate Couple (Second Update) Chapter 895: 413 Affectionate Couple (Second Update) Not long ago, the wife of Prince Ning returned to her parental home, where she accompanied her seriously ill mother until her mother’s health improved before coming back to the prince’s residence.

For this reason, Gu Jiao’s visit to the residence to take her pulse had been delayed.

Gu Jiao was still unaware that the wife of Prince Ning had returned; the wife of Prince Rui was the first to know, and she hurriedly had a carriage prepared to go to Prince Ning’s residence.

“Elder sister-in-law!”

Just as the wife of Prince Ning’s carriage stopped at the entrance of the residence and she was about to board it, she heard the delighted voice of the wife of Prince Rui.

The wife of Prince Ning withdrew her foot, which was already on the carriage step, and turned to look at the wife of Prince Rui, who was getting down from another carriage, and couldn’t help but tease, “Slow down, when has anyone with such a big belly ever walked so fast?”

The wife of Prince Rui was almost running.

She walked up to the wife of Prince Ning with a smile and asked, “How is your mother feeling now?”

“Oh, much better,” the wife of Prince Ning nodded with a smile. “You, carrying a child, should be resting and taking care of yourself at the residence. What brings you out?”

The wife of Prince Rui replied, “I heard that elder sister-in-law had returned, so I especially came to visit you. These past two months, with nothing much to do in the residence, I learned a little about cooking. This is dried apricot that I made myself. Please don’t look down on it.”

As she finished speaking, the maid behind her handed over a ceramic jar filled with dried apricots.

The maid beside the wife of Prince Ning reached out to take it.

The wife of Prince Ning thanked her, “You’re very thoughtful. I’m just about to enter the Imperial Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and Consort Zhuang. Would you like to come along?”

The wife of Prince Rui smiled, “I was thinking the same!”

The wife of Prince Ning’s gaze swept over her prominently swollen belly and hesitated, “But with your condition…”

The wife of Prince Rui waved her hand, “It’s alright! I can take the carriage!”

A hint of envy flashed in the eyes of the wife of Prince Ning as she took her hand, “Alright then, come aboard.”

The two sat in the carriage of the wife of Prince Ning.

The entourage quickly arrived at the Imperial Palace, where the wife of Prince Ning took great care of the wife of Prince Rui, being even more cautious than Prince Rui himself.

The wife of Prince Rui wanted to say there was no need to be so nervous, as her pregnancy felt as if she wasn’t pregnant at all, but as the words reached her lips and she thought of how the wife of Prince Ning had miscarried three times, she kept her mouth shut.

She cooperated and adopted a much more careful demeanor than usual, slowing her steps down.

“Is it difficult being pregnant?” Along the way to Kunning Palace, the wife of Prince Ning made small talk with her.

The wife of Prince Rui’s eyes flickered, “Uh… it is hard. I can’t sleep at night, and sometimes my calves cramp.”

The wet nurse always asked her that, but she had never experienced it.

If there was anything difficult, it was probably the constant need to use the restroom.

And right now, she felt that need again.

“What’s wrong?” The wife of Prince Ning asked, looking at the wife of Prince Rui with a frown on her face.

The wife of Prince Rui said sheepishly, “I… I need to relieve myself.”

The wife of Prince Ning replied, “There’s a Greeting Room over there. I’ll go with you.”

The wife of Prince Rui protested, “No need, I can manage.”

“I’m not at ease letting you go alone,” insisted the wife of Prince Ning, and the wife of Prince Rui had no choice but to accept her company.

When the two arrived outside the Greeting Room, they never expected to encounter the Crown Princess coming out from inside.

All three paused for a moment.

Despite the Crown Princess having a higher status than the other princesses, she still courteously addressed the wife of Prince Ning as “elder sister-in-law.”

The wife of Prince Rui rolled her eyes.

She didn’t like Wo Linlang, to the point where she couldn’t even be bothered with basic courtesies.

Especially since the last time she caught Wo Linlang entangled with another man, she disliked her even more.

Everyone knew about the animosity between Prince Ning and the Crown Prince, and naturally, the wife of Prince Ning also maintained a certain distance from the Crown Princess, but on the surface, they seemed to get along.

She nodded slightly at the Crown Princess in greeting.

The Crown Princess said, “I have matters to attend to and must leave. Elder sister-in-law, I take my leave, and also to you, third sister-in-law.”

The wife of Prince Ning replied, “I bid you farewell.”

The wife of Prince Rui responded to her with another roll of her eyes.

After the Crown Princess left, the wife of Prince Ning said to the wife of Prince Rui, “Go ahead now.”

“Okay,” responded the wife of Prince Rui, then headed to the Greeting Room.

That was the problem with pregnancy, too frequent trips to the latrine. The wife of Prince Rui came out of the Greeting Room and, with the help of the attendants, washed her hands and applied moisturizer before quickly joining the wife of Prince Ning to visit Empress Xiao’s Kunning Palace.

Neither was a direct daughter-in-law of Empress Xiao. After exchanging formalities and completing the necessary courtesies, they left Kunning Palace.

Afterward, both went to Consort Zhuang’s Yongshou Palace, where they stayed a bit longer. Consort Zhuang had some expectations for the child in the womb of the wife of Prince Rui, after all, the child was of her own lineage. The favor enjoyed by the couple of Prince Rui added strength to Prince Ning.

“You must bear a son,” Noble Consort Zhuang said, holding Princess Rui’s hand.

Princess Rui gave a sheepish smile, “That’s not something I can decide.”

Noble Consort Zhuang thought for a bit, then asked, “Do you prefer sour or spicy food?”

Princess Rui answered honestly, “I like both. Sometimes, I crave spicy, other times sour, and occasionally sweet.”

Princess Ning’s expression became a bit distant.

Being considerate of her daughter-in-law’s feelings, Noble Consort Zhuang did not continue the topic of children. Instead, she called her personal maid, “Go ask where Prince Ning and Prince Rui are. If they are in the palace, have them come to Yongshou Palace for a meal and invite Consort Yu as well.”

Consort Yu, mother to the third prince.

Although princes living separately after establishing their own households could no longer enter and exit the Imperial Palace as freely as before, it wasn’t difficult for Noble Consort Zhuang, given her status, to see her sons.

Before long, Prince Ning and Prince Rui came over from Jinluan Hall.

“My lord,” Princess Ning greeted Prince Ning with a bow.

Prince Ning hurried over to support her, holding her hand with tenderness in his eyes, “You don’t need to be so formal here with Mother. It’s the same as being at home in our residence.”

Princess Ning smiled and replied, “Yes.”

Soon, Consort Yu also arrived, and Noble Consort Zhuang hastily had the palace maids set the meal.

Noble Consort Zhuang sat alongside Consort Yu, with the two couples seated on either side of them.

Prince Ning and his wife were graceful and courteous in their manners, treating each other with mutual respect.

On the surface, Prince Rui and his wife also seemed very proper, but privately, Prince Rui rubbed his leg against his wife’s.

Princess Rui glared at him, Eat your food!

Prince Rui casually peeled a shrimp for his wife and placed it in her bowl, only then noticing that everyone’s gaze had fallen upon him.

He was startled, nearly forgetting that they were in the Imperial Palace, not in their own residence where they had to follow the rules.

The couple couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

Prince Ning smiled with his usual gentle charm, “The shrimp in Mother’s palace is well made.” He also peeled one for Princess Ning, “Suxin, try it as well.”

Suxin, the intimate name Prince Ning gave to Princess Ning after their wedding.

Princess Ning smiled warmly, “Thank you, my lord.”

…

After lunch, Noble Consort Zhuang went to rest for the afternoon. The group left Yongshou Palace, Consort Yu returned to her own Sleeping Palace, and the four of them walked towards the palace gates together.

“Be careful.” As they passed under a large tree, Prince Ning used his hand to shield Princess Ning’s head.

When he removed his hand, they noticed a caterpillar on the back of it.

Princess Rui could not name the type of tree, but she often saw caterpillars hanging from them, spinning silk.

A caterpillar hung right in front of her, and if Prince Ning hadn’t called out, she would have walked right into it.

Princess Rui remarked with admiration, “Eldest brother is so thoughtful!”

Prince Rui muttered, “I’m also very thoughtful!”

Princess Rui said with quiet resentment, “Oh? Then why didn’t you notice the caterpillar in front of me, my lord?”

Prince Rui scratched his head, “That was…”

“Was what?” Princess Rui asked, looking at him.

“I was just about to get rid of it for you!” Prince Rui firmly refused to admit he hadn’t noticed the small creature!

Princess Rui huffed, “You’re just not as considerate and meticulous as my eldest brother!”

Prince Rui couldn’t argue with that, the eldest brother being the most considerate among all the princes, not only to his elder sister-in-law but also to his younger brothers, and even towards the Crown Prince, his arch rival, he could find no fault.

The moods of pregnant women can sometimes be inexplicable. One second, Princess Rui was bickering with Prince Rui, and the next, she became sentimental, “What if… what if the child doesn’t survive… Would you still treat me as well as my eldest brother treats his wife?”

Prince Rui scolded her, “What nonsensical talk is this? How could the child not survive? Don’t jinx it! My son is perfectly fine!”

Princess Rui sighed, “I’m just hypothesizing. I just think that my eldest brother is really good to his wife.”

Prince Rui couldn’t dispute this either.

Prince Ning and Princess Ning had known each other since they were young. They could not be called childhood sweethearts, but it wasn’t an arranged marriage without prior acquaintance either.

After their marriage, they lived in harmonious accord, their only regret being Princess Ning’s childlessness. Fortunately, Prince Ning never neglected her for her inability to bear children, and he always spoke highly of her in front of Noble Consort Zhuang.

Noble Consort Zhuang was not an easy person to get along with, and the harmony between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law could not have been possible without Prince Ning’s effort.

This was a man who would never let his wife be wronged.

Princess Rui clutched the hem of Prince Rui’s robe and said coquettishly, “Promise me, you’ll be to me as my eldest brother is to his wife, always this good throughout our lives.”