Wei Yu reacted extremely quickly, asking almost immediately, "What about the Princess of Ding'an? Is she hoping for a boy or a girl?"
"I like both."
Wei Yu's lips curved upward, and she said sincerely, "Although the Princess of Ding'an likes both, I think," she paused, "it would be better for your Ding'an Prince's Mansion to have a son first. If something were to happen... and there wasn't enough time..."
Her words were vague, but everyone knew she was referring to the Xiao family's curse incident.
While the Xiao family hadn't kept the matter of Eunuch Changshou confessing in his suicide letter a secret, they hadn't widely publicized it either.
So, it was normal for Wei Yu not to know.
However, the Empress Dowager did know.
Hearing this, her brow furrowed again.
On her birthday banquet, she naturally didn't want to keep hearing inauspicious things like curses or miscarriages.
She's still young, the Empress Dowager thought to herself again, and her dissatisfaction with Wei Yu rose another level.
Strange, she had only thought her to be innocent and adorable before, never realizing she was tactless or incapable of handling important matters.
Perhaps it was also due to her high expectations for the Crown Princess, after all, she would be the future mother of the nation, and being merely innocent and adorable wouldn't suffice.
The Empress Dowager glanced at Wei Yu.
Consort Wei gently nudged Wei Yu, giving her a look, and said with a smile, "You, you really do worry too much."
Wei Yu pursed her lips and smiled, "I've said too much, please don't mind, Princess of Ding'an."
Xiao Yun said coldly, "If you know you talk too much, then speak less."
Wei Yu's face flushed, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
She had assumed that since she was betrothed to the Crown Prince, others would give her some face, and therefore she spoke more brazenly than before. She hadn't expected Xiao Yun to be so audacious, showing her no consideration at all.
She looked at the Crown Prince with a wronged expression.
However, the Crown Prince's expression was indifferent, as if he hadn't seen anything. He said to Xiao Yun, "She's young, A'yun, don't take it to heart."
Wei Yu felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her face turning crimson, feeling even more humiliated. She stood there, isolated and helpless, as if stripped bare, enduring everyone's sympathetic gazes.
Wei Yu had never experienced such humiliation in her life.
Of course, she clearly realized that this humiliation was not from Xiao Yun, nor from Wang Qingyao, but from the Fifth Prince, Yuan Ran.
Although Yuan Ran had already been established as the Crown Prince, he still needed the substantial financial support of the Ding'an Prince's Mansion. Even though Xiao Yun was a dying man, Yuan Ran did not underestimate him in the least.
Between his future Crown Princess and the Ding'an Prince, he had unhesitatingly chosen the Ding'an Prince.
Wei Yu felt betrayed.
But she had no choice. She could only endure the grievance, her eyes red, and decisively apologized to Wang Qingyao.
Wang Qingyao curled her lips sarcastically, "It's nothing, why would I bother with a young girl?"
Wei Yu clenched her palm and stared at Wang Qingyao with malice for a moment. The pent-up frustration seemed to find an outlet.
She looked at the triumphant Wang Qingyao and thought, "You won't be so smug for long."
"Is the Princess of Ding'an's due date next month?" Consort Chen, who had been silent, suddenly asked.
Wang Qingyao looked at her, smiled gently, and nodded, "Yes."
"Is everything prepared in the mansion?"
This time, before Wang Qingyao could speak, the Old Consort Dowager replied, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Everything is ready. The midwives and wet nurses are already living in the mansion."
Consort Chen nodded and sighed, "A woman giving birth is like one foot in the gates of hell, so dangerous!"
The Empress Dowager's face turned completely dark.
What was all this? One was ignorant, and the other was even more so!
The gates of hell were even mentioned.
Consort Chen, completely oblivious to the Empress Dowager's radiating resentment, cautioned Wang Qingyao, "You mustn't be careless. Don't be lazy these days, walk around more, and it will be easier when you give birth."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."
The same words, spoken by someone who genuinely cared and someone who spoke them insincerely, were different.
The person involved could feel it.
Wang Qingyao sat for a while, and after saying so much, her face showed signs of fatigue.
The Empress Dowager, understanding, asked, "Are you tired? Would you like to rest for a bit? The banquet will begin shortly."
Wang Qingyao thanked her and said, "I won't wait for the banquet to start. I'll rest for a bit and then head back. Please forgive me, Empress Dowager, it's just that the weather is hot, and I'm not feeling well."
The Empress Dowager, having experienced childbirth herself, naturally understood, and she had always doted on Xiao Yun, so she nodded.
Feng Jiangduo was about to accompany Wang Qingyao to rest, but the Empress Dowager called out, "Nange, sit here and chat with this empress."
The Fifth Princess seized the opportunity, "Why don't I accompany the Princess of Ding'an?"
Saying this, she stood up.
Wang Qingyao gave her a gentle smile, "With the Prince here, there's no need for you all."
Her eyes flickered, and she gave Xiao Yun a charming glance. Xiao Yun understood and stepped forward to support her.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Fifth Princess."
The Fifth Princess smiled and did not insist.
Xiao Yun supported Wang Qingyao to the adjacent warm room. Naturally, there were palace maids to attend to them, and a maid came in to ask Wang Qingyao what she needed and if she required any service.
Wang Qingyao was very cautious. Even in the Empress Dowager's palace, she wouldn't accept anything without careful consideration. At this moment, her throat was parched, but she still asked the maid to leave.
"I'll lie down for a bit and then leave," she said. "I'm dying of thirst."
"Bear with it for a moment," Xiao Yun said. "Zhenzhu and the others are waiting at the Vermilion Bird Gate. The carriage is stocked with tea. I'll pretend to lie down for a bit and then take you out."
Wang Qingyao nodded. Just then, a maid reported from outside the door that the Emperor had arrived and asked for the Ding'an Prince to speak with him.
Xiao Yun then went out.