"Hey, big fool, don’t you think there’s something wrong with the prince’s taste? Apart from everything else when hosting guests, he even put a big plate of corn cakes in the middle?"

The tea was excellent, and the fruits were abundant, but this big plate of cornbread seemed a bit too abrupt.

Fanli didn’t mind at all, continually picking up the cornbread and stuffing it into his mouth. He had a big appetite and got hungry fast. Small fruit plates were too much trouble to eat, so he still felt the cornbread was substantial.

When the sword maid asked the question, Fanli responded:

"In the early years, the Sixth Prince’s life was so poor that he almost couldn’t get by. My lord sent us to bring him a huge cart of cornmeal, which helped him through that crisis."

"Oh, is that so? So is this cornbread a symbol of friendship between our lord and the Sixth Prince?"

Fanli hesitated for a moment, then seriously nodded.

At this moment, a woman walked out from the inner room. Her belly was slightly protruding, she wore cloth shoes, and her hair was styled up. She appeared charming and alluring while also exuding a sense of carefree disposition.

Fanli kept sitting on the ground, continuing to munch on the cornbread. The sword maid, however, stood up first, obviously guessing the woman’s identity as the daughter of the He Family, whom the Sixth Prince was about to marry.

"Are you the ones sent by Lord Pingye?" He Sisi asked with a smile.

"Yes." The sword maid nodded.

"My prince often tells me that he and Lord Pingye are friends who have been through life and death together. When I heard the servants say that Lord Pingye sent someone, I couldn’t help but come to have a look."

As she spoke,

He Sisi reached out and grabbed the sword maid’s fair wrist,

touched it,

and exclaimed:

"At such a young age, you’re already so juicy and attractive. In a few more years, you’ll be mesmerizing. I wonder which talented young man will have the luck to win you over."

Coming from common folk, He Sisi spoke with a friendly tone, like she was chatting with sisters on the street.

"Wow, how far along is the baby?"

The sword maid seemed more interested in He Sisi’s belly.

He Sisi reached out and touched her own belly, saying:

"Still early, you know they say it’s a ten-month pregnancy."

"Hmm."

"Is Zheng Fan’s person here?"

Ji Chengjue’s voice preceded his appearance.

Fanli silently picked up another piece of cornbread and started chewing it.

"Are you Fanli?"

Ji Chengjue looked at Fanli and asked.

"That’s me."

"You’re quite burly, with the demeanor of a great general."

Ji Chengjue then looked at the sword maid, wondering if this girl was a gift from Zheng Fan.

Such customs were quite common nowadays, and they usually involved gifting young ones.

But upon seeing the short sword at the sword maid’s waist and the ornaments on her body, Ji Chengjue realized he was overthinking it.

Indeed,

someone with the surname Zheng wouldn’t do something so improper just to curry favor with him.

"What’s your name?" Ji Chengjue asked.

"Sword Maid." Fanli answered on her behalf.

"Hmm, a very unique name."

Fanli added, "Our lord gave the name."

"It does seem like his style."

Fanli clapped his hands, wiped the cornmeal from his mouth, and said: "Your Highness, Lord sent us to congratulate you on your big wedding, and the gift is in the courtyard."

"Oh, that, I’ve seen it."

Ji Chengjue said to Master Zhang by his side:

"Arrange everything for them properly."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Fanli and the sword maid were taken away to rest.

Ji Chengjue got up, walked over to He Sisi, took her hand, and said:

"I already told you to rest at home, no need to come out to meet guests."

"Yes." He Sisi didn’t argue and certainly didn’t mention feeling bored.

"Oh, by the way, can you guess what that Zheng fellow sent as a wedding gift?"

"What did Lord Zheng send?"

"Three pigs, with red ribbons tied around their necks."

"Pfft, why is it pigs again."

"Haha, do you know what’s even more interesting?"

"What is it?"

"These three pigs were bought by Zheng Fan’s subordinate from your father’s shop, bought from my father-in-law to be sent to my place by my brother-in-law."

"Hehehe."

He Sisi bent over with laughter, clutching her belly.

"Sigh."

Ji Chengjue also found it amusing yet helpless and couldn’t help but sigh:

"I always said that the one named Zheng is interesting, but I didn’t expect his subordinates to be just as interesting."

"It’s a pity Lord Zheng is guarding the frontier, making it difficult to meet him. I also want to see the famous Lord Pingye."

"He has his duties, and I have mine. Sisi, this big wedding, your father and brothers can’t come, will you hold it against me?"

"I’m merely a commoner girl, marrying into royalty is already reaching high, how can I ask for more? Husband, if you ask me about these things, it makes me feel like you’re losing your grandeur."

"Hahaha, it’s not about grandeur, it’s just that I, Ji Chengjue, for my wedding, can’t allow it to be frugal and make-do."

As he spoke,

Ji Chengjue gently caressed He Sisi’s belly,

and said:

"Now, I am no longer alone, Sisi, please forgive my selfishness. I am walking a path with no retreat.

We, and our child, including your father and brothers, actually have no retreat anymore.

Either,

our entire family walks a path neatly together,

or,

the child in this belly will one day sit on that throne."

The turning point for many men is the birth of their child.

You instinctively want to fight for more for your child, to strive for more, to take all the best things in this world and give them to him.