The people behind impatiently urged, "Dazhuang, are you done staring? We still have so many people waiting!"
Called out like that, they felt embarrassed to continue gawking and shuffled away, making room for others.
This wave consisted of the four maids, Huo, Yin, Qiu, and Dong, along with the cooks Mi and Mian. They would be serving the four young masters from now on and naturally wanted to make a good impression.
Lu Huo was excited about the prospect of carrying these four little darlings around. With so many servants in the household, she knew the little ones would be closest to her, which made her immensely proud.
Lu Yin dared not get too close, afraid of passing his mange to the young masters.
Qiu Qiu looked from one to another, finding them all adorable.
Tong and Tie also paid their respects to the four young masters. As part of the family, they were proud to be ranked so highly.
The crowd watching the four treasures finally dispersed as it grew dark.
More people kept coming, wanting to see Xiao Bao, but Prince Yu waved them away.
"Auntie, this King is very hungry. Bring the food quickly!" Prince Yu called out to Tian Guihua, who usually appeared with plates of food.
"Yes, yes, coming right up!" Tian Guihua wouldn't dare to delay and immediately set up Prince Yu's meal.
She didn't dare to get angry at being called "Auntie." Who would dare? He was Prince Yu! The Prince Yu who could chop off heads without batting an eye!
Everyone else also busied themselves with setting up tables and chairs, and the meal was soon ready.
Tian Guihua took the food for the elder master and mistress into their room.
The meals for the four wet nurses, besides plain rice, consisted of dishes and soup made according to the nourishing recipe provided by Granny Wu. The pig trotters and peanuts were stewed until they melted in the mouth, the chestnut chicken soup was fragrant and sweet, and there were even many precious vegetables and fruits!
The wet nurses were surprised by the excellent meals prepared by the masters. At this rate, they wouldn't have to worry about their bodies being depleted by excessive breastfeeding.
After finishing his meal, Prince Yu lingered anxiously outside Bai Sheng and Lu Ye's room.
Others thought Prince Yu was just pacing to aid digestion, but only Granny Zhong, who knew the secret, understood his thoughts. He wanted to see how the elder mistress was doing but, as an outsider, he couldn't enter, hence his impatience.
However, she couldn't interfere with this matter. Sighing, she closed her eyes, telling herself she wouldn't pity Prince Yu.
Inside the room.
Lu Ye refused to leave Bai Sheng's side for even a moment. He finished his meal quickly and lay down beside her, gently holding her hand. Seeing her sleep so deeply, he felt a pang of fear, afraid she might never wake up again.
Holding her hand continuously offered him some peace of mind.
Bai Sheng was sleeping very, very deeply.
She had a strange dream. In it, she was four or five years old, wearing a beautiful dress, living in a large and opulent house. Many people bowed to her when they saw her.
A man and a woman, also dressed beautifully, called her "good daughter, little treasure."
She found it strange. She had been abandoned by her birth parents shortly after birth and found by Grandma Bai. Her snobbish parents would never call her "good daughter," let alone "little treasure."
The faces of everyone in the dream were blurry. Bai Sheng blinked hard, trying to see their features clearly, but they remained like hazy images, only outlines without distinct faces.
One day, people around her suddenly started shouting and fleeing in panic. She was also grabbed and carried away, and she knew nothing of what happened afterward.
It wasn't until midnight that she slowly awoke. The candlelight in the room was dim, and the silence was profound.
Thinking about the dream, she remained lost in thought for a long time. Noticing someone holding her hand, she turned her head and saw Lu Ye sleeping beside her.
Bai Sheng felt a warmth spread through her heart. This fellow must have been extremely worried this afternoon, hadn't he?
Bai Sheng raised her hand and gently touched Lu Ye's thick eyelashes. Lu Ye's eyes snapped open.
"My treasure! You... you're awake?!" Lu Ye hugged her tightly, his excitement almost overwhelming.
Bai Sheng smiled weakly, "Husband, I'm hungry."
"Alright, wait here. I'll... I'll go warm up your food." Tian Guihua had specially prepared Bai Sheng's meal for the evening, which only needed to be reheated.
Lu Ye jumped out of bed excitedly, ready to head to the kitchen.
The four little treasures were in the next room, cared for by the wet nurses. The addition of new rooms had made the household more spacious.
Lu Ye tiptoed, about to open the main door, when he heard a knock.
What a coincidence?
He opened the door and saw Wang Xiaoma urgently reporting, "Master, twenty-odd men in black are approaching Red Tree Slope!"
Lu Ye's heart jolted.
The Crown Prince and Empress were quick with their actions!
"You lead your men to delay them. Just delay them, absolutely do not engage in a direct fight. I'll go inform my treasure and be right there!" Lu Ye ordered Wang Xiaoma.
The assassins sent by the Crown Prince and Empress must be skilled. Others engaging them in a direct fight would likely only lead to their deaths. On Red Tree Slope, only he could handle this situation.
As Lu Ye was about to turn, Wang Xiaoma grabbed his arm. "Master, don't rush. We found those people and were preparing to gather the guards to eliminate them. But when we got closer, we saw that all twenty-odd men had been poisoned by snakes and scorpions, and had collapsed. I'm reporting to you now because I want you to send more men to 'pick up' the bodies."
Such good fortune!
Lu Ye nodded. "'Picking up' the bodies will be my task. Xiaoma, immediately gather all the guard members and thoroughly patrol around Red Tree Slope to prevent any stragglers."
"Yes, Master!" Wang Xiaoma turned immediately to organize the guard team.
This commotion woke everyone in the room.
Upon hearing about the assassins, no one panicked. They had been preparing for a potential confrontation for days, and their mental fortitude was quite strong.
Lu Ye immediately turned and returned to the room.
"Assassins?" Bai Sheng heard the conversation between Lu Ye and Wang Xiaoma.
Lu Ye's expression was grave. He nodded. "My treasure, please bear with your hunger for a moment. I must go out to see. If there's any danger, do you still have the strength to enter the space?"
Bai Sheng was unsure if giving birth would affect her speed in entering the space. After all, she had been exploring its functions bit by bit, like squeezing toothpaste. She said, "I'll try."
With that, she willed it, and her person disappeared from Lu Ye's sight. A moment later, she reappeared on the bed.
Lu Ye was relieved. "That's good. My treasure, listen. If any villains approach, you and the four cubs should enter the space directly. Don't hesitate, even if outsiders are present."
Bai Sheng nodded. "Yes, I will. Husband, you must be careful too."
"Don't worry," Lu Ye quickly kissed her forehead. "Treasure, take out a bag of food for the snakes and scorpions."
Bai Sheng willed it, and a small sack appeared on the floor before her.
Lu Ye picked up the sack, then instructed everyone in the room to gather in Bai Sheng's room. When he was gone, they were to lock the door.