strictlysupreme Chapter 182 Yixiu 51
Chapter 182 Yixiu 51
"Gege, how could you tell the Fourth Prince your name?"
The little girl next to her was about to cry, and it was too late for her to stop her.
"Shh, no one knows about it, and don't tell anyone when you get back. Do you hear me?"
"Yes~"
Fu Cha Minyu was in a good mood admiring the lily of the valley in front of her. She had known since she was a child that she had no say in matters of marriage.
There are only these two grown-up princes in the palace, and her future is very clear: she will either be a prince or a member of the royal family.
If I could strive for the best one among the limited choices, it would be a pity that everything depends on the emperor.
The weather quickly turned colder, and it was time for everyone to return to the palace.
The emperor once again stepped into Nian Shilan's courtyard with mixed feelings. He had a beautiful woman by his side these days and would soon have a new child.
Logically, he should be at ease, but he always thinks of Nian Shilan, thinks of how she looked when she first came into the mansion, and recalls the years they spent together.
Nian Shilan's thin figure appeared on the screen. The emperor subconsciously reached out to help her, but forced himself to hold back.
"Get up quickly!"
"Shilan, I haven't seen you for a long time. How come you've lost weight again? Is it because the imperial physician isn't taking good care of you? Or is it because the food here isn't to your taste?"
Nian Shilan's voice was filled with obviously suppressed joy, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing fine."
After chatting for a while, the emperor finally explained his purpose. "Shilan, I know you want to see me, but staying in the garden for so long really makes you feel wronged."
"Come back to the palace with me, please. In my heart, your appearance doesn't matter."
"Your Majesty, there is no need to say more. I don't feel wronged. I am very happy in the garden."
The emperor heard the sadness in Nian Shilan's words and sighed helplessly, "The Concubine Yi in the palace is pregnant. I am thinking of giving the child to you to raise after it is born."
"It's not good for your health to be depressed all day. Having a child around can make you more lively."
Nian Shilan frowned in disgust, annoyed that the emperor brought up old matters again.
I feel every day that my biological mother doesn't love me. Why don't I put myself in her shoes at this time? The emperor can separate mother and child with just one word.
How could he not blame his father for being a bad person?
They are all disgusting people who like to use their own flesh and blood to do favors.
Bah! Shameless!
"Your Majesty, I am incapable of caring for the heir in my current state. Furthermore, Concubine Yi is a gentle woman. If the child she carried for ten months cannot remain with her, she will surely be distressed."
"I will not be such a bad person anymore."
The emperor was stunned, obviously not expecting Nian Shilan to really refuse.
The last time he said that there were no heirs in the palace, it could be said that he was just drawing a pie in the sky that no one knew when it would be fulfilled. But now it is different, it is a fruit that he can pick with just a stretch of his hand.
She actually refused?
I will also consider Lady Yi...
"You've changed a lot since you got sick!"
Hearing the emperor's sigh, Nian Shilan rolled her eyes silently, "I'm sorry to have made the emperor laugh. How can we always be the same as before?"
"If you put yourself in her shoes, there's really no need to treat a mother like this."
"Forget it, since you don't want to, forget it."
Seeing that Nian Shilan was beginning to feel lost, the emperor quickly changed the subject and turned the ring in his hand a few more times.
"I still want to take you back to the palace. Even if we can't meet, it's good to sit and talk with you like this."
After the emperor's heartfelt confession, Nian Shilan finally gave in.
Followed the emperor back to the Forbidden City.
Songzhi was filled with reluctance as she packed her things, "Your Majesty, you've lived well here, and now you have to go back to that little place again."
Nian Shilan gave her a cold look.
"What are you talking about? You have no sense of propriety, and you even disdain going to the palace."
Songzhi knew Nian Shilan wasn't really angry at first sight, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I just feel that I have wronged you."
"What's wrong with that? What the family is planning now is nothing but playing with fire."
"I have to go back to the palace to guard it. My nephew died in battle and my brother is sick. As the greatest hope of the clan, how can I really remain indifferent?"
I have to say that Nian Shilan really understands the emperor.
This conversation was indeed a test. The Nian family was doing well and was at the peak of its prosperity.
Nian Gengyao suddenly became obedient, and this time he even fell ill. The huge obstacle gradually disappeared on its own.
The emperor was also worried that the Nian family was retreating to advance.
Nian Shilan has not appeared in public since returning to the palace, but her private life has not been affected at all.
Perhaps because she had experienced the feeling of being powerless, she became particularly fond of being active after she recovered, and there were many new things in the Yiku Palace.
In addition to Wen Yi's favorite swing and the colorful rope shuttlecocks that the palace maids often played, Yixiu also had people send badminton and other things.
This thing is easy to use and can also exercise the body. Nian Shilan liked it at once.
She has to eat well, sleep well, take good care of her body, and live long to be the winner.
When I was in a good mood, occasionally dealing with the emperor and chatting with him was not so annoying anymore.
This winter is particularly cold, with several heavy snowfalls early on.
The pregnant women in the palace were all well taken care of and no problems occurred at all, which made the emperor have a rare favorable impression of the queen.
In any case, the queen is useful in managing the harem, which is good.
He was satisfied but the Queen Mother was unhappy. It was not easy to summon the Queen after the announcement of closing the palace. It was as if the other party had not received the news.
In the blink of an eye, it was the twelfth lunar month. With Wen Shichu's full care, Shen Meizhuang did not suffer too much during her pregnancy.
Knowing that more exercise before giving birth is beneficial, she walks a few laps in the yard after breakfast every day.
It was snowing heavily outside, and Shen Meizhuang and her daughter were having breakfast in Cunju Hall.
The kind-looking lady smiled as she watched her daughter eat. "Drink more. Food is limited in winter. I'm sorry to have troubled you."
It is said that the Forbidden City is the richest place in the world, but after entering the palace, I found that the rules here are more complicated than I imagined. My daughter has never liked oily meat, but she has to eat it for the sake of this child.
There was really only so much she could do, but fortunately the high-ranking ladies in the palace were not cruel and ruthless people.
It's also lucky.
"Mom, look at what you said. I don't feel wronged. The winter bamboo shoot chicken soup you make is the best."
Shen Meizhuang smiled and acted coquettishly towards her mother. In the past, when she was at home, she only thought that she had to be dignified and steady. Only after she really left home did she realize how short the days she could accompany her parents in this life were.
Madam Shen picked up a piece of choy sum with chopsticks and placed it in Shen Meizhuang's bowl. "The Empress was so kind as to have the Imperial Household Department send fresh Hericium erinaceus and green vegetables. I should personally go and thank her when I get the chance."
Shen Meizhuang understood what her mother meant, and thinking of the kindness shown by the Queen when she flew the kite that day, she did not refuse.
"Don't worry, mother, I understand."
Mrs. Shen has been in the palace for more than a month, and she can clearly see the relationship between her daughter and the emperor.
How could she not understand the flesh that fell from her body? She was proud by nature, and it was impossible for her to bow her head and please the emperor. Now it was fine as it was, the position of the head of a palace was enough.
Regardless of whether the baby is a boy or a girl, there is no harm in being on good terms with the childless queen.
After dinner, Shen Meizhuang wanted to go to the corridor to enjoy the snow but was stopped.
"There is still snow in the yard. Let's not go outside today. Be careful not to catch a cold." Mrs. Shen smiled and stopped Caiyue from taking the cloak.
"Mother~" Shen Meizhuang held Madam Shen's arm and rocked gently, but ultimately failed to get what she wanted.
After a while she was glad she hadn't run around.
"Caiyue, quickly call the imperial physician!"
During the days that Madam Shen had been here, she had already prepared everything in an orderly manner. Although the palace servants were nervous, they were not panicked and prepared the things needed for the delivery according to the instructions.
The news spread quickly, but Shen Meizhuang's delivery was exceptionally smooth. Not long after the emperor and the concubines arrived, they heard the cry of a baby.
The midwife came out joyfully to announce the good news, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Concubine Hui has given birth to a beautiful princess. Both mother and daughter are safe."
The emperor clapped his hands and laughed happily, "Princess, reward me too!"
Knowing that Shen Meizhuang and her daughter were safe, Zhen Huan finally loosened her clenched hands and moved forward to see the newborn princess.
The thing that worried her the most has passed. No one really cares about the half-month gap. As long as the princess grows up safely in the future, everything will be fine.
Mrs. Shen looked at her daughter's pale cheeks by the bed and felt so distressed that she turned her back and wiped her tears quietly.
She has raised her daughter for more than ten years, and now she is going to be a mother.
The emperor felt a little regretful that the princess was not a prince, but he loved her just as much. After diagnosis by the imperial physician, he determined that the princess was in good health and there was no risk of premature death.
So he gave her the name Jinghe early on.
At the same time, the imperial physician of the Yanx Palace went more frequently. Fu Cha Yixin was eager to know whether the baby in her belly was a boy or a girl, but the imperial physician would not tell her such things.
If I say something wrong, I will inevitably be punished.
An Lingrong didn't mind. She was now looking forward to her mother's arrival. As for the gender, it didn't matter.
Could it be that she is a daughter and you can just throw her away?
Shen Meizhuang now feels that she is the happiest. Looking at her fair and tender daughter, and with her mother by her side, she wishes that days like this could last a little longer.
However, things went against her wishes, and as the year drew to a close, Mrs. Shen also had to leave the palace.
"Mother knows that your life in the palace is not easy. Now that you have the princess, no one will be able to embarrass you in the future."
"If you don't want to... don't force yourself."
On the eve of leaving the palace, the mother and daughter were talking in private. Mrs. Shen hesitated for a long time before finally speaking out.
"You must keep the princess's affairs secret. You're lucky she's a daughter. As long as you keep a low profile, no one will deliberately target you. Be careful in the future."
"Mother!"
Shen Meizhuang raised her head from Mrs. Shen's arms in astonishment. She couldn't believe that the matter had been exposed.
Mrs. Shen sighed and reached out to wipe away the tears of fear from Shen Meizhuang's face.
He hugged his trembling daughter back into his arms, "The look in his eyes when he looked at the princess was so surprising, and you..."
"In the future, remember not to look at him in front of others. Mother doesn't know what happened, and I don't want to ask. You've been a sensible child since you were young. I think you have your own difficulties. Your father won't know about this."
"Mother only asks you to be careful and protect yourself."
Shen Meizhuang sobbed and nodded continuously.
"You're still in confinement, don't cry, or you might hurt your eyes."
Mrs. Shen was also shocked when she first found out. She couldn't believe that her well-behaved and polite daughter would do such a bold thing.
After calming down, the anger faded away, and what followed was guilt and heartache.
As a woman herself, she certainly knew that her daughter would not really fall in love with the emperor who was as old as her father, but she had no choice. As a woman from a prominent family, this was inevitable.
After Shen Meizhuang fell asleep, Mrs. Shen called Caiyue aside.
"Madam..." Caiyue lowered her head, her fear of the mistress of the house did not disappear after entering the palace.
"Caiyue, you and the girl grew up together. We, as her parents, don't know how many times we can see her again. From now on, you will be the only one to accompany her."
Mrs. Shen held Caiyue's hand affectionately and gave her instructions.
Caiyue nodded repeatedly after hearing these words and quickly expressed her loyalty, "Don't worry, Madam. I will definitely take good care of the girl."
Madam Shen nodded with satisfaction, then said worriedly, "You know about the princess's affairs, so I have a favor to ask of you."
"Madam, please give your orders."
"If the truth ever comes to light, even if it costs the princess her life, I will make sure my daughter is safe!"
Caiyue was startled by Mrs. Shen's words, her eyes widened and she dared not respond.
"Mei Zhuang's life is the most important. Consider it my plea to you. She will definitely be reluctant to let go, but there's nothing we can do about it."
At this time, if you want to confirm the bloodline, you need to do a blood test. Even if there is a way to fool it, the emperor is always suspicious, and the best way is to eliminate the trouble forever.
The blood will coagulate about an hour after a person dies, and at that time no one would attack a dead princess.
Caiyue had no choice but to agree, and Mrs. Shen felt relieved.
Shen Meizhuang was completely unaware of all this. She felt lost for a long time after her mother left, but fortunately she had her daughter by her side.
In the Yanxi Palace, An Lingrong was looking out the door expectantly.
Baojuan smiled and consoled her, "Don't worry, young lady. I've just sent someone to ask. Madam is at Jingren Palace meeting the Empress. I think she should be arriving soon."
"My mother has never traveled far, and she was late this time because of the journey. I don't know how she is doing."
As An Lingrong spoke, her eyes couldn't help but turn red.
As he was speaking, Bao Que's excited voice came from outside, "My lady, the lady is here!"
An Lingrong excitedly stood up and went down to greet him.
The mother and daughter hugged each other tightly as soon as they met. Soon, Mother An realized that she should bow first, so she pushed her daughter away gently and knelt down.
Looking at her delicate and beautiful daughter, Mother An almost didn't dare to recognize her.
"Mother, please get up."
An Lingrong hurried forward to help, and the mother and daughter sat down to talk properly.
Feeling the warmth in the palace, An's mother finally let go of the worry that had been hanging in her heart all the way. She had never seen such things in her life and had always been worried about whether her daughter would suffer or be bullied in the palace.
Operas often say that harem struggles can easily result in deaths, and she was really scared.
"Mom, come over here and warm me up. How was your journey? Are you feeling unwell in such cold weather?"
An Lingrong took the ginseng soup from Baojuan and handed it to her mother, "Drink it quickly to warm yourself up, mother."
"Okay, okay, I'm fine. You're in a heavy mood, so don't move."
An Lingrong looked at her mother with a smile. Her face was rosy and her body was fuller. She looked more energetic.
The clothes she was wearing were made of the material she had sent home, and the jewelry was newly made. It seemed that her good father had bought them temporarily to keep the family going.