Ze Hao said sincerely, "Uncle, don't mind that I am a prince and my wife is a princess. I will always be your nephew and niece, your juniors. If we do something wrong, you should scold us. You don't need to worry about our status."
Hearing Ze Hao's words, his face trembled slightly with emotion. He smiled and said, "Uncle understands!"
These two children are sensible and have never relied on their status to bully them. The children understand him, but he cannot ignore the difficulties of the children.
When no one was around, he still called the children by their names. When outsiders were present, he would change their titles so as not to embarrass them.
The next morning, Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Ze Hao went to the骠骑大将军府 (Piao Ji Da Jiang Jun Fu), which was Fan Xu Dong's residence. The entire uncle's family lived there.
Piao Ting was in the inner courtyard, directing the servants on what to do. When she heard that her sister-in-law had arrived, she immediately grabbed the hem of her skirt and ran over. Several maids and wet nurses followed behind her, all very nervous, shouting for her to be careful as they chased her.
"You're already married, yet you're still like a child. Look at how pale your maids' faces are from your fright."
Piao Ting grinned at Zhao Jiaqi and twisted the silk handkerchief in her hand shyly. "I... I'm just happy to see you!"
"Oh, Princess, you shouldn't run and jump even if you're happy. Your pregnancy isn't stable yet!" the wet nurse who arrived chided her in a low voice.
"Oh, I'm fine. Don't be so nervous. I know my own body!"
She was treated like a porcelain doll, and even wasn't allowed to sleep with her husband at night, for the sake of the child.
The wet nurse wanted to say more, but Zhao Jiaqi dismissed her. "Go down and make some lean meat porridge. Don't bring it up for at least two hours, or the flavor won't be right. It's not good for pregnant women to eat it, so go!"
Granny Xu was also a cunning old fox. She naturally understood that the Princess was annoyed by her nagging and wanted to have the servants do it. She intended to keep a close eye on the Princess, but was startled by a sharp look from the Princess. "Are you not going yet? Do you want someone to drag you away?"
"Yes, this old servant will go now!" Granny Xu curtsied and turned to remind the Princess again before reluctantly leaving.
Seeing this, Zhao Jiaqi helplessly shook her head. "Your wet nurse treats you like her own daughter. She's a good one. Don't always find her annoying. You should still listen to her; it won't hurt you."
Piao Ting walked over, affectionately hooked her arm, and pouted. "I know. Granny Xu is watching me on behalf of my mother. But I'm still early in my pregnancy, and she's already so strict. If my belly gets bigger, won't she make me lie in bed and not move at all?"
If that happened, what would be the difference from taking her life!
So, while her belly wasn't big yet, she'd run as much as she could!
Zhao Jiaqi chuckled and shook her head. "When you go out in the future, remember to bring a few maids with you, and refrain from running and jumping. When you're further along, just walk around the manor. Giving birth is not to be taken lightly!"
"Got it!" Piao Ting stuck out her tongue at her and smiled, then pulled her into her room.
She missed those children dearly. In a short while, she had the servants bring the three children over. Looking at the three little girls, she was extremely fond of them.
"Sister-in-law, why is Yu Meng looking more and more like Eldest Brother? She's sturdy and strong. Her little arms and legs are much thicker than Xue Yao's!"
Piao Ting acted as if she had discovered a new continent, pulling Yu Meng up and down to examine her carefully. Her expression was solemn. "Sister-in-law, this won't do. If she grows up to be like Eldest Brother, what man would dare to marry her? Send her to me later, and I'll have the governess teach Yu Meng the etiquette of the boudoir!"
As she spoke, her slender hands pinched Yu Meng's little face. The flesh was indeed firm, looking like she could take a beating.
Yu Meng was two years old and understood some words. She was immediately unhappy. Learning those embroidery things was worse than letting her practice a set of boxing.
She immediately refused, "I'm going to be a general when I grow up. I don't want to learn those affected young lady's manners. It's embarrassing enough!"
Piao Ting was stunned and asked her, "Why is it affected? It's teaching you what a girl should do. It's called cultivation, don't you understand?"
To compare cultivation to affectation, there was probably only this unruly child from her sister-in-law's family in the whole world!
Yu Meng scoffed, "What's the use of good cultivation? You can't win a fight, and it's still about speaking with fists!"
Suddenly, Zhao Jiaqi's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. She rebuked her, "Nonsense! Cultivation refers to your upbringing as a girl, your character, your knowledge, your ability to distinguish right from wrong... and so on. It's not about who has the stronger fist!"
A two-year-old child was learning his father's crooked logic and thought it was glorious to win a fight!
It was truly a sight to behold!
"Piao Ting, lend me your governess. I must personally supervise the three of them when we get back!"
Seeing that her sister-in-law was truly angry, she nodded repeatedly. Yu Meng and Xue Yao, the two little ones, pouted. Little Jun Jun shrugged helplessly.
Fine, she could only learn etiquette again with the two younger sisters.
However, this time, it seemed her mother would supervise them very strictly. They would inevitably have to learn the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. The thought of those scholarly phrases made Little Jun Jun's smile falter.
As soon as Zhao Jiaqi let the three of them go, Yu Meng ran to Fan Ze Hao to complain about Zhao Jiaqi.
Yu Meng shook her father's arm, acting cute and even resorting to a sob story. "Dad, Mom scolded me and told me to learn boudoir etiquette. I don't want to. I just want to learn to ride horses with Dad and be a female general!"
Fan Ze Hao's heart ached when he saw the little girl's tears falling like water. He rubbed her soft, fragrant hair and coaxed her gently, afraid of scaring her with a loud voice. "Alright, alright, you don't have to learn. You'll learn to ride horses and be a female general! Don't cry, good girl, Dad feels very distressed."
He couldn't get enough of rubbing her, so he held her in his arms and kissed her caramel-colored forehead again.
Yu Meng raised her tear-streaked face and asked him, "Go and tell Mom that I don't want to learn. Can we go now, Dad~~"
The beloved daughter's request, of course, had to be fulfilled. He acted impulsively without thinking and rushed to the backyard with Yu Meng.
Xue Yao, with her short legs, wanted to follow, but Little Jun Jun grabbed her. "Let's wait here. Dad will be back soon!"
Xue Yao was confused and didn't understand why Jun Jun was saying that, but she knew that since she was older, what she said must be right, so she didn't go to the backyard to join the fun.
On the other hand, Little Jun Jun found a stool and sat down. She didn't even need to think. Her father went to argue with her mother, and he would definitely be scolded. If he didn't come back with his head hanging, she would lose.
"Wife, wife, let me tell you, Yu Meng is still young. She can't learn rules now. Let's talk about it when she's older!"
Before he even arrived, his voice could be heard. His voice was so loud that it could be heard ten miles away.