But the grievance on her face when she turned around made the maids and old servants in the courtyard want to laugh but couldn’t.

Those who knew that she was restricted from going out shopping understood, but those who didn’t might think she was punished to kneel because of pregnancy.

Xueling supported Qin Hanhan and walked ahead, while behind them Mrs. Xu was scolding Chu Shun, saying that other matters might indulge the Heir’s wife, but this concerns the child; how could he be so careless?

If anything happens, there would be no place for regret.

Chu Shun thought to himself that with him around, nothing would happen, but since he didn’t want Qin Hanhan to vent, he obediently accepted Mrs. Xu’s words.

Mrs. Xu even thought Chu Shun had changed his temperament, believing that his experience at the border had made him much steadier.

After settling in the small courtyard, the first thing Mrs. Xu did was write a letter back to the Capital to report safety and praise Chu Shun.

Poor Mrs. Xu, the letter had just been sent out when she found that the Young Master was still the same Young Master, unchanged at all...

Mrs. Xu did not know that Chu Shun and the others had moved to live in the town. Early in the morning, she rushed to the location of the military camp and was stopped in front of it, learning they were in the town, and hastily headed back.

After a long and exhausting journey, Mrs. Xu felt her bones were almost shattered.

But upon seeing the Little Princess teasing Yuanyuan with toys on the low bed, all her fatigue vanished.

Though neither child was her little master, her presence was to welcome the little master.

Originally, Marchioness Jingguo also wanted to come, but Marquis Jingguo disagreed, and coupled with the Old Madam Jingguo’s ill health, she couldn’t leave, so she had to send Mrs. Xu over.

Besides Mrs. Xu, Marchioness Jingguo wouldn’t trust anyone else to come.

Marchioness Jingguo missed her granddaughter terribly, while Princess NanAn and Duchess Dingguo were busy happily playing with their grandchildren and had no time for mahjong, and Marchioness Beining, well, the Heir’s wife of Beining Marquis had given her three granddaughters at once, enough to hold.

Only Marchioness Jingguo was idle and bored, visiting door to door, always leaving in good spirits, but returning home with a sour mood.

Seeing the Heir’s wife is about to give birth and yet not in the Capital.

Mrs. Xu could only imagine how anxious her madam was.

Mrs. Xu also brought gifts picked by Marchioness Jingguo for the Little Princess and the Young Prince.

"These two children look so wonderful," Mrs. Xu couldn’t take her eyes off.

The courtyard was quite large, with space left even after Mrs. Xu and others moved in, making it even more lively.

Mrs. Xu wouldn’t let Qin Hanhan go out, and Su Jin knew Qin Hanhan was anxious. To prevent her from being too restless, Su Jin also gave up on the thought of going out for a stroll.

After all, Qin Hanhan came to the border to find her; otherwise, she wouldn’t have had to endure hardships at the border for most of the year.

In the evening, the sky was gray, and it even started to rain in the latter half of the night.

When morning came, the rain hadn’t stopped, having drizzled for half the morning. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

After the rain, the sky was exceptionally beautiful, azure, like a piece of jade—almost even more beautiful than jade, ethereal and transparent.

The border is dry with little rain, making such a sky even more cherished.

Manager Li led people to set up two swings in the courtyard.

One large and one small.

The large one looked quite ordinary.

The small one was exquisite, intended for the Little Princess to sit and play on, with a fixed seat to ensure she wouldn’t fall.

After the carpenter finished, the wet nurse put the Little Princess on top and gently rocked her.

The Little Princess kicked her small feet, directly kicking her shoes off.

She laughed joyfully.

The Princess Consort held Yuanyuan while sitting nearby, the Little Princess no longer competing with her nephew for favor.

After a previous fuss, the Princess Consort held the Little Princess all morning, unwilling to let go; once the Little Princess learned to walk, she enjoyed swaying herself, yet the Princess Consort either wouldn’t let her or would immediately hold Yuanyuan once she put her down.

After three rounds, the Little Princess no longer competed with Yuanyuan for a hug.

Because competing poorly might mean she can’t play.

Sometimes Su Jin would hold Yuanyuan while the Princess Consort sat there, and the Little Princess would even pull the Princess Consort to let her hold Yuanyuan.

After playing for half the day, the Little Princess was tired and lay down beside Yuanyuan to sleep.

The maids drew down the triple layer curtain to let them sleep quietly.

Finding herself idle, Su Jin took a hoop to do some needlework.

Xingxing, feeling bored, pulled Xique to stroll around the streets.

With so many people caring for the Little Princess and the Young Prince, they hardly had any role, and with them asleep, they wouldn’t wake for at least half an hour.

Half an hour was enough for them to have fun.

Xingxing loved to play, which Su Jin knew.

She didn’t stop them from going out, knowing with Xingxing’s nature, she wouldn’t suffer losses.

Moreover, a servant would follow behind them when they went out.

Essentially, Xingxing would slip out for a stroll every day, today with Xique, tomorrow with Caiju, the day after maybe with Xueling.

On this day, Xingxing carried candied jujube in hand, eating sugared gourd as she headed back to the courtyard.

Just as she reached the alley entrance, she heard urgent voices saying, "Please move aside, please let us through!"

Xingxing turned, and Xueling pulled her back a few steps.

Seeing two servants carrying a stretcher forward.

Lying on the stretcher was a middle-aged man dressed decently, his body covered in mud, his face slightly scratched, yelling in pain, seeming like a leg injury.

"How did he get injured so badly?" Xingxing remarked empathetically.

"Are they coming to ask my miss to treat the leg?"

She said, biting down on the sugared gourd.

Xueling saw this and replied, "I don’t think so, right?"

The Heir’s wife holds a noble status; not everyone can ask the Heir’s wife to help treat them.

The servants hurried along, vanishing before finishing their words.

Xingxing and Xueling had just reached the courtyard door, about to step up the stairs, when behind them, a servant led a doctor forward.

"Doctor, please hurry, my master is in severe pain," the servant urged.

Xingxing stepped back a few steps, watching the servant lead the doctor into the neighbor’s place.

"Seems like that unlucky fellow who fell is our neighbor," said Xingxing.

"I heard Mrs. Jiang say, the family next door is decent; they even sent a congratulatory gift when we moved here."

Although it wasn’t anything precious, just a painting, it was the thought that counted.

Back in the mansion, Xingxing mentioned this to Mrs. Jiang, who said, "It’s rare to meet such good neighbors even here. Though we won’t stay long, we should maintain good relations; Manager Li will surely prepare a gift to visit."

Visiting isn’t like a housewarming gift; it shouldn’t be rushed — estimating it’ll be a couple of days before sending.

After talking, Xingxing put the matter out of her mind.

Unexpectedly, the next day, while Su Jin and the Princess Consort were playing in the garden with the Little Princess, Su Jin’s sharp nose caught the scent of burning paper offerings.

At first, it was faint, only slightly present.

Soon, the smell grew stronger.

The scent wasn’t pleasant, and Xingxing rubbed her nose, saying, "I saw the man next door yesterday, seemed badly injured, but even if they couldn’t heal him, he wouldn’t die so easily, right?"

Such a courteous family, how did they become so unfortunate?

And yet, they had just moved into the small courtyard, and now the neighbors were holding a funeral — it’s quite ominous.