Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

The emperor, wearing an outer robe, sat on a soft couch in the outer hall, his brows furrowed.

Imperial Physician Qin was taking Consort Rong's pulse in the inner palace. The curtains were drawn low, and only the faint sound of the medicine box being opened and closed could be heard.

He rested his fingertips on his knees, tapping them repeatedly, unable to calm his mind.

The scene from just moments ago was still vivid in her mind. Consort Rong's face suddenly turned deathly pale, her body went limp, and a dark red stain spread across her skirt.

There wasn't much blood, but it was glaringly obvious.

There was still no movement from the inner palace. The Emperor pinched the bridge of his nose, his face expressionless, but his heart was filled with anxiety.

Bao Zhong gently placed the teacup on the low table, bent down, and spoke in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, the Empress has always been blessed with good fortune and will surely turn misfortune into good luck. Please have some tea to soothe your throat. The imperial physician is still inside; if there's no movement, that's a good thing."

The emperor did not respond.

Bao Zhong said no more, straightened up and stepped aside, standing with his hands at his sides, but his gaze subtly swept towards the curtain in the inner hall.

Jiang Shuo Ning stood by the bedside, watching Imperial Physician Qin kneel on the ground, his hand resting on Consort Rong's wrist as he intently took her pulse.

I recalled the Emperor's question: "Is this how you usually serve your master?"

She knelt on the ground and admitted her mistake, but in her heart she only took it as a perfunctory statement.

Now, seeing Consort Rong lying there so quietly, her face almost translucent with whiteness, she finally realized the weight of those words.

If only we had summoned the imperial physician sooner.

She pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and clasped her hands together on her lower abdomen, her fingertips slightly curled.

Chun Chan stood to the side, unusually quiet, only letting her hands hang down silently.

After a while, Physician Qin withdrew his hand, a smile on his face, and quickly stood up, walking briskly and with a bent back out of the inner hall.

Jiang Shuoning and Chun Chan exchanged a glance and immediately followed them out.

Imperial Physician Qin knelt at the Emperor's feet, suppressing the joy in his voice:

"Your Majesty is overjoyed! The Empress is two months pregnant. Fortunately, she received timely treatment, the fetus is stable, and the Empress is currently out of danger. However, she must rest and recuperate in the future and avoid any further stress or agitation."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor paused for a moment, then stared at Physician Qin in disbelief:

"Wasn't it said that Consort Rong's body was damaged back then, making it difficult for her to conceive again?"

Physician Qin bowed his head, his voice respectful yet firm:

"Your Majesty, I am also quite surprised. Although Her Majesty's constitution is weak, this pregnancy came unexpectedly but also safely. Perhaps it is because Her Majesty has taken good care of herself in recent years, or perhaps it is the will of Heaven. Judging from her pulse, the fetus is very healthy. As long as she takes good care of herself, she will surely be safe and sound."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's throat bobbed slightly, then he burst into loud laughter, a laugh filled with a long-lost sense of joy.

"Good, good, good! Rewards, everyone will be rewarded!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Shuoning, Bao Zhong, Chun Chan, and the others immediately knelt down on the ground:

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

The Emperor waved his hand, his smile unchanged: "Rise, all of you. You've all worked hard tonight; you'll all be rewarded later."

The crowd thanked them and stood up, stepping aside with their hands at their sides, each with an undisguised joy on their faces.

Chun Chan secretly tugged at Jiang Shuoning's sleeve and winked at her, but Jiang Shuoning ignored her and remained silent with her eyes down.

The Emperor's gaze fell on Jiang Shuoning, who was kneeling on the ground, and his voice deepened:

"Jiang Shuoning, serve your master well. If there is any further mishap, I will hold you accountable."

Jiang Shuoning bowed her head, her voice steady: "Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will certainly remember."

The Emperor stared at the cinnabar mole between her eyebrows, paused for a moment, and a dark, unfathomable light flickered in his eyes.

"This pregnancy of Consort Rong was hard-won, and everyone in Yihua Palace has been very careful. Let Consort Rong stay here tonight and get some rest. She can return to Yihua Palace tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will take good care of Her Highness," Jiang Shuoning said.

The Emperor adjusted his outer robe, got up, and walked outside.

Everyone knelt to see him off. Only after his figure disappeared at the palace gate did Chun Chan let out a soft sigh and whisper in Jiang Shuoning's ear:

"The way His Majesty looked at you just now was so different from how he looked at others..."

Jiang Shuoning didn't reply. He simply stood up, dusted off his knees, and turned to walk towards the inner hall.

Bao Zhong followed the Emperor out of the palace gates. The Emperor suddenly stopped, standing under the eaves, looked up at the moonlight, and spoke in a voice neither loud nor soft:

"I remember that after her child died five years ago, she never mentioned having another child. Now that she is suddenly pregnant, I am quite happy."

The child's arrival was just too opportune, which makes one think a few steps ahead. Don't you think so?

Bao Zhong hung his head and only responded with a low "Yes," not daring to say anything more.

The emperor stood for a moment, then lifted his foot and continued walking forward.

The moonlight blanketed the ground, and Baozhong followed behind, the words "think a few more steps" weighing heavily on his heart.

His thoughts shifted slightly, and a chill ran down his spine.

The emperor was not pleased, but suspicious.

The Rongfei family's influence is deeply entrenched, and the timing of this child's arrival is so opportune. Although the Emperor expresses his joy, he is probably already weighing the pros and cons in his heart.

(under)

Jiang Shuo Ning stood in front of the bed, tucking Rong Fei in, when Rong Fei slowly woke up.

"Your Majesty, you're awake?"

Consort Rong looked at her, her voice weak: "What's wrong with me?"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations!" Jiang Shuoning bowed and smiled. "Imperial Physician Qin has diagnosed Your Majesty as being two months pregnant. His Majesty is overjoyed."

Consort Rong was startled, as if she hadn't heard clearly, and looked at Jiang Shuoning with a hint of confusion in her eyes: "Pregnant?"

"Your Majesty is absolutely right, it's the truth." Jiang Shuoning said with certainty.

Consort Rong stared at her blankly, opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but then swallowed it back.

After a while, she slowly stretched her hand out from under the covers and gently covered her lower abdomen, her fingertips slightly curled up, as if confirming something.

"Is I... really pregnant?"

Jiang Shuoning nodded slightly, her voice softening further: "Your Majesty is very fortunate. The baby is healthy and the imperial physician said that as long as you take good care of yourself, everything will be fine."

Consort Rong seemed stunned by the news, or perhaps slowly processing it; the dazed look in her eyes gradually turned into joy.

A slight smile played on her lips: "Where is the Emperor?"

"His Majesty waited outside for a long time, and only left after learning that the Empress was safe and sound. He said he would come to see the Empress again tomorrow," Jiang Shuoning replied.

Consort Rong remained silent, gently placing her hands on her lower abdomen, her fingertips slowly caressing the brocade quilt. The smile on her face deepened, like water melting layer by layer beneath the ice, finally rippling onto the surface.

She suddenly looked up at Jiang Shuoning, her voice incredibly soft:

"Shuoning, remember to present the Dragon Boat Festival banquet booklet to the Emperor tomorrow. Who says I can't conceive again? I'm going to put on a grand banquet for my child."

"Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will present the register to His Majesty early tomorrow morning," Jiang Shuoning replied.

Seeing Consort Rong smile gently at her lower abdomen, a smile that carried a tenderness she had never seen before.

It's as if all the sharp edges and defenses in this deep palace have been temporarily removed at this moment.

The following day, at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The Emperor flipped through the roster and program list in his hand, his fingertips tracing each line.

Suddenly, he paused, looked up at Jiang Shuoning standing in front of him: "Are the princes and princesses listed here?"

Jiang Shuoning bowed slightly, his voice steady:

"Your Majesty, yes. Since the Dragon Boat Festival banquet is a celebration for the entire harem, Her Majesty's intention is that the princes and princesses should also join in the festivities."

It's rare for the young masters of the various palaces to gather together, so this is a good opportunity for them to get to know each other and chat.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's gaze lingered on the roster for a moment, as if the phrase "recognize the relatives" had been on his mind.

After a long pause, he closed the booklet, set it aside, and glanced at her. "Was this idea Consort Rong's, or yours?"