Since her mother was not feeling well, she must go back immediately!

Song Yixiao had no time to meet Yuan Xue"e so she asked Jian Xubai to tell Yuan Xue"e that she was leaving before hurried back to Prince of Hengshan"s mansion by carriage with Jinxun.

When they arrived back the prince"s mansion in fear, they heard the goods news—Wei Mengying was pregnant again!

It was because she was tired from pregnancy that she pa.s.sed out.

Song Yixiao was relieved and collected her clothes. The minute that she walked through the moon gate, she heard Prince of Hengshan saying in a soft and loving voice from the half-opened window, "Mengying, you must be more than careful about your health! We have daughters-in-law and our daughters have grown up. You can just a.s.sign the household affairs to them and take good care of yourself!"

"I understand but several of our children are old enough to get married. It is a big deal!" Wei Mengying grumbled in a flirtish manner, "As their mother, I must do my utmost to think for them!"

She blushed and hastened to retreat sensibly.

When she walked out of the moon gate and strode farther, saying to Qiaoqin who was also blushing, "Since His Highness is with my mother, I had better not disturb them. I will come to give her my regards later!"

Qiaoqin was about to say yes with a nod when a group of people walked through the festoon gate. The boy walking ahead saw Song Yixiao and instantly felt delighted, "Sister!"

While shouting, he rushed towards her with his arms stretched out, making the foster nurse and the maids to follow up in a hurry out of worry. They were afraid that he might hurt himself.

"Are you going to meet Mother? His Highness is with her. You may as well go later!" Song Yixiao hastened to walk faster and bent down to catch him. The four-year-old Lu Guanyun was quite strong. He threw himself to Song Yixiao, making her retreat for half a step. She said smilingly, "Walk more slowly next time. I am here waiting for you!"

"Sister, hug me!" Lu Guanyun pulled her skirt and acted like a spoiled child, "It has been a few days since I didn"t meet you. I"ve been so bored."

Song Yixiao touched his head and then held him up, saying with a smile, "How come you are alone? Don"t you have Zhuo"er to keep you company?"

Wei Mengying didn"t maltreat her step-children, but she was still alert to them. Moreover, the prince"s mansion was full of schemes. Before Song Yixiao came here, Madam Kong"s son died mysteriously.

In particular, Lu Guanyun was a boy. Hence, Wei Mengying was seriously protective towards him since he was a child. She forbade him from other half-siblings in case that he might be hurt.

However, he was at the age when he loved playing most. The servants could keep him company but given the distinguished ident.i.ty, they were no match for his real siblings. No wonder he liked clinging to Song Yixiao.

Now when he heard his sister mention the younger sister, Lu Guanyun instantly frowned, "Zhuo"er always sleeps and cries. Even Mother feels that she is a trouble..."

"How can Mother dislike Zhuo"er?" Song Yixiao hastened to interrupt him and said nicely with a smile to him, "Mother loves Zhuo"er very much. She was only kidding. Sweet pumpkin, how can you take it seriously?"

She said so just in case that Lu Guanyun would tell others that Wei Mengying disliked Eighth Commandery Princess for he was too young and naive. If he really did, Wei Mengying might be regarded unloving. Worse still, Eighth Commandery Princess could be thought of being neglected by her mother. As she was also still young, she would probably be tortured by the evil servants in secret!

"If others know about this, they will mistakenly think that Mother loves the male child only!" While asking Lu Guanyun not to talk of that anymore, Song Yixiao thought to herself with self-mockery, "But actually, Mother treats her children differently according to their value."

Wei Mengying forced her eldest daughter to help her son because if Lu Guanyun inherited the t.i.tle of prince, Wei Mengying would be the future dowager consort! However, when she heard that her eldest daughter could become the imperial concubine, she immediately changed her mind. It was not that she didn"t love her children. At least, when she was still in the Song Family, she tried her best to care for Song Yixiao regardless.

Yet, when she left the Song Family, she didn"t care how her daughter would be.

With the unborn child of Wei Mengying taken into consideration, Song Yixiao was a beautiful 14-year-old girl; Lu Guanyun was the legitimate son of a hereditary prince, born by the step-wife and now favored by the father, who was a most promising candidate for the next prince; yet, Lu Zhuo"er was a still baby girl, who couldn"t fight for favor by acting like a spoiled child or be old enough to exchange for something valuable. Besides, too many things happened this year so Wei Mengying would surely feel annoyed by her.

As the fight over the heir of the prince had started, Song Yixiao thought that no matter who was going to be selected, Wei Mengying would spend most of her effort on Lu Guanyun. Lu Zhuo"er was only two years old, who would not be much cared by Wei Mengying.

"I wish that the servants selected for her by Mother would be honest and loyal." If everything went well, Song Yixiao would not stay in the prince"s mansion for long. She was not the daughter of the Prince. After getting married, she couldn"t come to the prince"s mansion too often. Even if she worried about the sister, she could hardly do her any favor. Now she could only sigh and pray silently, "The servants had better not take Zhuo"er lightly because Mother ignores her."

Amidst thinking, she was playing with her brother. Lu Guanyun was adorable but he was still too heavy for a 14-year-old girl. Having held him up for a while, she felt a bit tired and wanted to discuss with him whether she could put him down. Suddenly, Lu Guanyun shouted with delight, "Father!"

Good as sister was, father was even better. Lu Guanyun instantly got off her.

Song Yixiao turned around only to see Prince of Hengshan walk out of the moon gate towards her and Lu Guanyun. Then, she hurriedly put Lu Guanyun down and said in a small voice, "Be careful!"

Prince of Hengshan was more than 40 years old but as he used to join the army and he was a man anyway, he was surely stronger than Song Yixiao. He embraced his dear son smilingly and then held him up. He tossed Lu Guanyun up and down twice before hugging him and kissing him on the cheeks, "Guanyun, you"ve become heavier."

"Father, how is Mother now?" Lu Guanyun often played with him like that so he was not afraid. He put his arms around his father"s neck with a sweet smile, he didn"t forget to show care for Wei Mengying, "I hear from the maids that Mother pa.s.sed out just now?"

"Rest a.s.sured!" Holding his son with one arm, Prince of Hengshan reached out the other arm to pinch his cheek, saying smilingly, "Your mother has been fine!" Then he added, "Guanyun, you will have another brother or sister soon. Are you happy?"

"I want a brother!" Lu Guanyun answered instantly, "Zhuo"er always spends all day eating and sleeping. She doesn"t play with me. So, I want a brother!"

Biting her down lip, Song Yixiao resisted laughing and thought to herself, "Silly boy, do you think a newly born brother can play with you then?"

Prince of Hengshan also felt amused, "Your sister is still too young. After the Spring Festival, she will be old enough to play with you, right?" He talked more with his son and then looked to Song Yixiao.

Song Yixiao hastened to make a curtsey, "Your Highness, wish you all the best!"

"No need for formalities!" Prince of Hengshan was always indifferent to Song Yixiao just like the Dowager Consort but out of his love for Wei Mengying, he was still kind to Song Yixiao and even granted her rewards upon meeting.

Today, he was delighted about learning that Wei Mengying was pregnant again. When he came here, he saw Song Yixiao playing happily with his favorite youngest son. After waiving Song Yixiao of the formalities, he didn"t leave as before. Instead, he looked her up and down, saying, "Within a blink of an eye, you"ve grown up. As I recall, you looked just the same as Si the first time I saw you!"

The kid he referred to as Si was Lu Si, the eldest concubine"s son of his first son, who was born at the almost same time when the legitimate son of Madam Kong was born. He was the one who survived. When Song Yixiao came to the prince"s mansion, he was still in long clothes at that time and now was eight years old.

"This was thanks to your mercy." Song Yixiao heard her and instantly put on a serious face. She looked down and lifted her skirt, saying with great respect, "Without Her Highness the Dowager Consort and your kindness, I could never live here and be well taken care of, and I wouldn"t be the person I am today."

"We do allow you to live in the prince"s mansion but we may not take good care of you." Prince of Hengshan broke into laughter and said, "But you do know how to talk properly. After all, you are raised by Mengying... Xu Ming!"

He summoned a servant, "Bring ten rolls of color silk, ten rolls of brocade and a set of hair and head ornaments for Yixiao. She has grown up. Her hair ornaments and clothes must be renewed all the time. The hair and head ornaments picked for her must be currently popular."

Song Yixiao felt extremely flattered. Prince of Hengshan granted her rewards before but the rewards were gained just because she was on spot when the prince"s daughters-in-law or daughters were granted rewards.

Now that she was rewarded solely with a lot of things, of course she must refuse, "Thank you for your reward! But I have been living here over the past years and spent quite some expenditure. I am rather guilty to receive your kindness. How can I accept such great reward?"

"Just take it!" Prince of Hengshan was not officially her father. Even though he was holding Lu Guanyun in public, they would arouse gossiping for talking too much.

He talked a few more on the spur of the moment. Now he didn"t intend to stay longer. Then he said, "After all, I have watched you grow up. What are you afraid of?"

After saying that, he strode back while holding Lu Guanyun, "Come on. Father is taking you to see your mother."

They were about to enjoy the happiness of family union. It was not convenient for Song Yixiao to go along. Hence, she bit her lips and curtsied towards the Prince"s back, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

After Prince of Hengshan walked farther, Qiaoqin said smilingly, "Congratulations! Miss Song."

Not only her but also the other servants advanced to congratulate her, saying that Princess Consort Wei was deeply blessed and Miss Song would live a wealthy life just like her mother.

"How can I need so many clothes?" Song Yixiao expressed her thanks to them with a smile, saying, "All of you will get a share of the silk and brocade so as to feel the happiness of His Highness and Mother!"

The servants were elated to hear that, thinking that Miss Song was such an articulate woman that His Highness was so generous to her. It would be inevitably improper to distribute the rewards she gained from Prince of Hengshan to the servants but by saying "to feel the happiness", she made a perfect reason to distribute things and also expressed her wishes.

Anyone would compliment her on kindness and generosity.

After promising to distribute the rewards, Song Yixiao exchanged pleasantries with them and then excused herself in the guise of preparing for the birthday gift of the Dowager Consort.

Today she confirmed her retreat, learnt about her mother"s pregnancy, played with her brother and gained the rewards from Prince of Hengshan. Having gone through so many good things, she felt so happy!

Hence, on the way back to the Hanxia Villa, she and Jinxun just kept smiling.

However, after she went back and saw the almost finished birthday gift, her good mood just disappeared!

"What happened?" Song Yixiao stared at the dark-purple stain on the white silk threads, astounded and furious. "I have told you that no one could enter this room lest that the birthday gift would be ruined?!"

She seldom flared up before her servants but now she couldn"t hold back her anger, "What have you done? Did you listen to me or not?"

Ms. Zhao and the other servants were all abashed and wanted to explain when Wei Chan arrived hurriedly and said, "Yixiao, please don"t blame them! It"s my fault!"