Marriage to the Royal Prince's Uncle

C97. Unfaltering Devotion: His Love, Her Anchor.

Chapter 97

After the arrival of winter, Yunzhu found herself avoiding going out as much, mainly due to the cold weather and the inconvenience brought about by her late-stage pregnancy.

Meng Shi and Gu Min made the ritual visit each year, often bringing with them Yunzhu's little niece.

Born in February, Yunzhu calculated secretly when she felt her pulse, suspecting strongly that the baby in her belly was conceived on the night her niece was born. Yunzhu recalled vividly the night when she and Cao Xun visited her brother and sister-in-law to admire their newborn baby.

What began as a casual conversation was, however, misunderstood by Cao Xun, causing her to feel anxious and sleepless that night. It took several nights before she felt willing to share the bed with him once more after being frightened by his fierceness.

This bond led Yunzhu to grow even fonder of her niece, believing there was indeed a special connection between them. "As she grows older, she resembles her aunt more and more. She will surely grow into a beauty."

Observing her little niece crawling around on the couch, the smile never faltered from Yunzhu's eyes.

Gu Min sighed, "I wish she looked more like her aunt."

Her beauty, however, could no longer be described simply as beautiful after she joined her father, Li Yong. They shone even when enveloped in ordinary cloth, standing out even among crowded streets. The radiance, it seemed, could not be concealed.

Meng Shi smiled and uttered, "Both of you are attractive. Thankfully, she didn't take after her father."

Gu Min immediately envisioned the imposing figure of her husband Li Yao, who stood tall. She then looked at her daughter; indeed, she harbored no regrets at all.

Two days after having entertained her mother-in-law's family, Sun Yurong visited once more with her son Nian Ge'er.

As her son's first year birthday on November the tenth approached, Sun Yurong personally delivered the invitation to Yunzhu. Sun Yurong expressed her worry, saying, "You're due to give birth in a month. If you start your labor early due to our visit, the Duke will pounce on our family without mercy. Hey, stay at home and send us a gift when the time comes."

Yunzhu raised her eyebrows. "How shameless of you. Either forget about my gift, or treat me to a banquet."

Sun Yurong: "I am indifferent toward you at present."

Yunzhu: "You were once pregnant too. The journey is only two quarters of an hour by carriage, and it's not bumpy."

Sun Yurong: "Very well, I sent the invitation anyways. As long as the Duke does not hesitate to have you attend, I hope you will come to support my son."

When Cao Xun returned home in the evening, Yunzhu presented him with the invitation.

Cao Xun saw it and inquired, "Do you wish to attend?"

Yunzhu nodded.

Cao Xun: "Then I will accompany you."

Yunzhu asked purposely, "Are you not concerned that I may experience complications during pregnancy? Yurong doesn't even want me to go personally."

Cao Xun smiled and replied, "As long as I am by your side, you need not worry."

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Xu family's first-year banquet arrived.

At Duke Dingguo's estate, the carriage for the masters had been prepared long in advance. The coachman was a highly skilled individual whom Cao Xun specifically requested Manager Zhang to select for the young lady before Yunzhu's marriage. He drove the carriage with great steadiness.