Empress Dowager: ??

Yu Tingwan wasn’t the least bit reserved.

She had the courage of a tiger.

After putting down her skirt, she directly took the silver fox fur cloak from Tan Jiang’s hands behind her.

Empress Dowager happily said, "Is this for me?"

"It wasn’t originally."

"But it is now."

Yu Tingwan spoke her mind, without a hint of flattery.

She was even very direct.

"This was originally sold in a shop in Jiangnan, not an ordinary item. It was just this cloak’s good fortune to catch the eyes of the Fifth Prince Consort and Lady Li Pin."

Yu Tingwan said nonchalantly, "The shopkeeper is in a difficult spot, and so am I, but neither of us dares to offend anyone. Would you be so kind as to invite the two of them over, so I can teach them how to behave?"

Empress Dowager: ...

Yu Tingwan’s dark eyes stared at the Empress Dowager.

"You’d be willing to help, wouldn’t you?"

Indeed, the Empress Dowager wasn’t too confident.

Last time, over the matter of some pastries, she had outmaneuvered Yu Tingwan. This time, her selfish motives surfaced again, wanting to play mediator to keep the two young women from becoming too distant.

But listen to your tone, what are you struggling with?

Your mother wasn’t as domineering as you when she was young!

But what could the Empress Dowager do? She gave the nurse a look.

The nurse acknowledged and withdrew.

Empress Dowager: "The Holy Emperor is seriously ill now, you should... hold back a little."

"Li Pin has indeed been misbehaving recently, but she is carrying a child after all."

If Yu Tingwan scares her, it would be hard to explain.

Yu Tingwan saw Gu Wu clear away the chessboard from the small table and tidied it up before she casually put down the fox fur cloak.

She had gotten up a bit early.

Now, she was actually feeling a bit sleepy.

The young lady seemed lethargic, drooping her eyelids, speaking in a muffled voice: "I heard you."

In one ear and out the other.

Just as the Empress Dowager was about to laugh.

She heard her ask.

"In these few years, has Li Pin been the only concubine in the palace to get pregnant?"

Empress Dowager: "That’s how it is. She’s fortunate, able to tough it out."

Yu Tingwan: "The Holy Emperor is quite old already."

"While others cannot conceive, Li Pin can, even though she was only favored once in half a year."

Yu Tingwan: "Then she must be quite capable."

"The child in her belly must be tenacious too."

Yu Tingwan pursed her lips, sincerely: "I’m just an ordinary woman, simple and frail, the most timid kind, whose legs turn to jelly at the sight of nobility. How could I possibly scare her?"

Besides, never mind that Wei Zhao cares about this pregnancy; I care about it too.

Yu Tingwan even occasionally asked about how many bites of food or sips of soup Li Pin had.

For a moment, the air in the hall was still.

Empress Dowager: ???

Gu Wu, who had left briefly and returned with tea and pastries, nodded vigorously: "Yes!"

Empress Dowager: ???

Do you know the nature of your elder sister, and are you choosing to be oblivious?

————

The Fifth Prince Consort, receiving the message, dared not delay and hurriedly sent a carriage over.

"The Empress Dowager never gets involved in matters and has suddenly summoned me without cause, making me uneasy."

Could it be to scold her?

But she thought it over; she hadn’t offended anyone recently.

Seeing her brow tightly furrowed, the maidservant beside her respectfully suggested.

"Mistress, please rest assured."

"You have always been proper in front of the Empress Dowager. Over the years, she’s been neither warm nor cold to her granddaughters-in-law, so her willingness to become closer to you is a good thing."

True.

Besides, she didn’t hear that the Empress Dowager wanted to see Yao Ru.

The Fifth Prince Consort finally managed a slight smile.

However, she lowered her head to play with her brightly painted nails.

Her interest waned.

"She is not my father-in-law’s mother after all. There’s a layer of separation, and even if she grows fond of me, I won’t benefit much."

Elsewhere, Lady Li Pin was also heading towards the Empress Dowager’s sleeping quarters.

But she was with child and had recently been severely nauseous all the way over, delaying her quite a bit.

She didn’t look too good.

This old hag!

Must be deliberately making things difficult for her.

But the thoughts in her heart were definitely not to be spoken aloud.

When she arrived, she unexpectedly ran into the Fifth Prince Consort.

The Fifth Prince Consort, upon seeing her, immediately recalled how this person had foolishly tried to compete with her for a cloak, her face darkened. Her gaze lightly fell on Lady Li Pin’s abdomen.

"What is Lady Li Pin doing here?"

The word "Lady" was deliberately emphasized by her.

"Not staying in your own palace to properly care for the fetus? It’s pouring rain; be careful not to slip, as the road is flat, but certainly treacherous, very apt to trip the unaware. If something were to happen..."

She paused slightly.

Quickly added: "Look at me, saying such inauspicious things for no reason."

Lady Li Pin: !!!

She was so angry she nearly rolled her eyes.

Just then, a nurse from the Empress Dowager’s palace approached briskly: "Both of you, please come inside."

Yu Tingwan had been waiting for quite a while.

The Fifth Prince Consort quickly stepped inside, noticing, besides the Empress Dowager, there was another person.

She smiled and curtsied: "Empress Grandmother, blessings of good health."

The Empress Dowager casually nodded.

The Fifth Prince Consort, who was expert at socializing, was thoroughly snobbish.

She couldn’t be bothered to look at women of lower stature, but if they were useful, she would be especially warm.

There she was.

She looked at Yu Tingwan, her smile unwavering and very enthusiastic.

"Sister Wan is here too?"

"From the first time I saw you, I was absolutely fond of you. That you’re the biological daughter of the Gu family comes as no surprise to me, seeing how much you are to my liking."

Yu Tingwan: ...

Really?

Gu Wu frowned, displeased with the Fifth Prince Consort for taking liberties with Yu Tingwan.

Yu Tingwan didn’t mind; she was even very good-natured and responded to the Fifth Prince Consort.

"Sister Liu."

The Fifth Prince Consort’s maiden name was Liu.

Yu Tingwan: "I felt an instant bond with you too."

Yu Tingwan’s attitude was very proper, her tone innocently like a Little White Lotus: "Though your face is very round, like a pancake. Some people might not find it appealing, but I don’t judge by appearances; I like it very much."

Hui Niang’s crispy cakes paired with hot and sour soup were such an appetite stimulant!

Suddenly she craved them.

Yu Tingwan licked her lips, craving.

The Fifth Prince Consort: ???

What on earth!

What nonsense are you talking about!

She was furious beyond measure, never having been so offended!

"You——"

The Fifth Prince Consort noticed Yu Tingwan’s innocent demeanor, not like someone scheming. Seizing on a key point: "Who doesn’t find me appealing!"

Yu Tingwan seemed to realize, dramatically covering her mouth.

"Oops."

She worryingly tapped her head, speaking on reflex.

"How did I let slip that Yang Jingshu talks about the Fifth Prince Consort behind her back?"

The Fifth Prince Consort: ?!!

Yu Tingwan threw out that line and then ignored her. She turned to look at Li Pin behind the Fifth Prince Consort, her belly not yet showing, yet she held it as if she was about to give birth, being extra careful as she entered.

After all, she carried the Imperial Bloodline, and Emperor Ying valued it greatly.

The Empress Dowager wouldn’t fall out with the Emperor now, directly waived her ritual, just about to grant her a seat.

Yu Tingwan raised a hand, mindful of her lack of decorum as a countryside native.

Shoving the Fifth Prince Consort aside.

"You’re blocking the way."

The Fifth Prince Consort: ?

Yu Tingwan quickly stepped over.

"Lady Li Pin. Walk slowly, there’s no rush."

Yu Tingwan asked gently: "How many months?"

Not waiting for Li Pin to answer.

"Why do you look thinner? Is morning sickness severe?"

Again, not waiting for a reply.

Yu Tingwan politely said: "You must take care of yourself, don’t make me worry, alright? Are the palace supplements sufficient, if not..."

Of course, she penny-pinched and couldn’t possibly send anything to Li Pin.

Stopping briefly, Li Pin finally got a word in.

Utterly flattered.

"That wouldn’t be appropriate."

After all, everything she wanted to eat, the Imperial Hospital provided.

However, Yu Tingwan appeasing her filled Li Pin with delight.

Li Pin: "How could I trouble Madam?"

Yu Tingwan inexplicably glanced at her.

Slowly adding the part she hadn’t finished earlier.

"You’re a grown woman, figure it out yourself."

Li Pin: ??

Yu Tingwan patiently, softly told her: "Don’t always think you can get something for nothing."