Chapter 75 [VIP]

Chapter Summary: Anticipation.

"Your Majesty, news from Wanying Pavilion: Consort Xie is pregnant!"

Upon hearing this news, Qi Jin was somewhat incredulous: "The imperial physician examined him?"

"Yes, Physician Li personally took my pulse," Xu Xinshu replied respectfully.

"I understand. You may leave," Qi Jin said calmly.

"Yes." Xu Xinshu responded and withdrew. Qi Jin looked at his trembling hands, unable to describe his current feelings.

Although he married young, he had no children yet, and hearing this news now, he felt quite conflicted. The pregnancy meant that if Xie Ying took good care of herself, her child would be born in ten months. A tiny, soft child who would call him "Father." Thinking of this, Qi Jinjin felt a moment of tenderness.

He sat at the table for a long time, thinking for a long time, and finally called Xu Xinshu in.

"Go to Wanying Pavilion."

It was almost time for dinner when Qi Jin arrived at Wan Ying Pavilion. The area in front of the pavilion was bustling with activity. The golden osmanthus trees beside the courtyard had not yet finished blooming, and a faint fragrance still lingered. There were many fine items in the courtyard: glass cups, gold necklaces, and white porcelain vases with auspicious symbols. Upon seeing Qi Jin enter, the people in the courtyard all knelt down and bowed, saying, "This servant greets Your Majesty."

Qi Jin looked at the things scattered all over the yard and said, "Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Everyone stood up.

"What is this?" Qi Jin asked, looking at the things.

"Your Majesty, this was bestowed upon us by the Empress Dowager and the Empress this afternoon," the palace maid replied honestly. As soon as she finished speaking, Qi Jin heard a familiar voice beside him, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

She wore a light, bright yellow dress embroidered with fluttering butterflies, and her long, glossy black hair was styled in a bun, adorned only with a simple white jade hairpin with floating flowers. She was elegant and refined, gentle and charming.

Qi Jin didn't speak, but instead reached out to help Xie Ying up. Xie Ying looked up at Qi Jin, and the two walked into the hall together.

Qi Jin and Xie Ying sat down in the hall. Qi Jin kept staring at Xie Ying, who awkwardly called out, "Your Majesty."

Before Xie Ying could finish speaking, Qi Jin's hand landed on her abdomen. Xie Ying was stunned as Qi Jin's hand rubbed back and forth on her stomach.

"I heard your maiden name is Sui Sui?" Qi Jin asked naturally, without the slightest embarrassment.

"Yes." Xie Ying wondered why he was bringing this up now.

"Sui Sui," Qi Jin called out.

"Your Majesty, I am here," Xie Ying replied softly. Qi Jin raised his hand and touched Xie Ying's earlobe. "Did Xie Jin give you this name hoping for your safety and well-being year after year?"

Just as Xie Ying was about to respond, Qi Jin continued, "Then I will call you Sui Sui from now on."

He didn't seem to expect an answer from her, continuing to mutter to himself. Xie Ying paused for a moment, then let him be. But what he said next made her heart tremble.

"Sui Sui, what do you think we should name our child?" Qi Jin said, glancing down at Xie Ying.

When Xie Ying learned she was pregnant, she was completely stunned. She had thought she would have a child, but she didn't expect it to happen so soon, so quickly that she didn't have time to react. As for the name, she hadn't had time to think about it carefully, and after a moment of hesitation, she said, "Your Majesty can decide."

Qi Jin patted Xie Ying's head: "Then I'll have to think about it carefully."

The two sat on the tatami mat, talking softly. The afternoon sun was bright, its rays casting warm, yellow light through the window. Qi Jin wasn't bad to Xie Ying, but he wasn't particularly good either; yet, Xie Ying felt a deep-seated fear of him. Besides fear, there was also an awkwardness of unfamiliarity. After all, she had only met Qi Jin a few times before, and now they were in such an intimate relationship—it was still strange. However, perhaps the news of her pregnancy was too shocking, and seeing Qi Jin talking to her so intimately, she felt a momentary softening of her heart. But it was only for a fleeting instant.

It was only natural for Qi Jin to stay for a meal since he had come at this hour, but she hadn't expected him to stay overnight. She was pregnant and unable to serve him in bed, and Qi Jin didn't come to the palace often, so Xie Ying had assumed he would stay overnight at someone else's place.

In the past, Qi Jin would read the memorials for quite a while before resting, but today he put them down early and went to bed with Xie Ying. The daytime commotion had exhausted Xie Ying, and she fell asleep soon after lying down. Qi Jin, however, couldn't sleep. He lay there for a long time, still wide awake, the sound of Xie Ying's even breathing filling his ears. The candles in the outer hall hadn't been extinguished, but with the curtains drawn, Qi Jin could vaguely see Xie Ying's silhouette. He unconsciously reached out, but just before touching her, he snapped back to reality and lowered his hand.

Xie Ying was diagnosed with a pregnancy of over two months, and by the end of the year, she was almost three months along. She was doing well a few days ago, but recently her morning sickness had become increasingly severe; she couldn't eat anything and had lost a lot of weight. Qi Jin seemed very concerned about the baby in Xie Ying's womb, and whenever he had free time, he would spend some time with her.

When Yu Jing arrived at Wan Ying Pavilion, she heard retching sounds before even entering. She had been somewhat surprised to hear it at first, but now, seeing Xie Ying so thin, she only felt heartache. She hadn't known that pregnancy was so difficult for women in the mortal realm. Yu Jing continued inside. Presumably, a palace maid had gone in to inform her, for Xie Ying was about to rise and bow to Yu Jing when she saw her approaching, but unexpectedly turned and bent over to vomit in front of the spittoon.

"No need for formalities." Yu Jing hurried over to Xie Ying and patted her back. "Have you still lost your appetite after taking your medicine these past two days?"

While patting her back, Yu Jing asked Dan'er beside her, and Dan'er replied, "The beauty is vomiting badly, so she won't need much medicine."

Xie Ying was feeling better now, and her breathing gradually calmed down. She said to Yu Jing, "Your Majesty, please don't worry, I'm fine."

“You’ve lost a lot of weight, so it’s nothing to worry about,” Yu Jing said softly, turning to look at A Yu. “The plum juice in the Cining Palace’s small kitchen is excellent. A Yu, have someone make some and send it over. It will whet your appetite.”

"Thank you, Your Majesty." As Xie Ying spoke, Yu Jing noticed that Xie Ying had put an embroidered item in her hand.

"Now that things are like this, let the subordinates take care of these things," Yu Jing said, thinking Xie Ying was just passing the time.

"Since I have nothing else to do, I'll sew some little clothes by hand. I heard from the nanny that if we wait until the baby is about to be born, it will be too late to make them." Xie Ying said this with a faint smile on her face.

Seeing Xie Ying's reaction, Yu Jing remained silent and peered over to look at the embroidery in Xie Ying's hands. It had a pale blue background with unfinished flowers on it.

"These flowers look like they belong to a girl," Yu Jing remarked casually, unaware of the rules of the palace. Everyone around fell silent, not daring to utter a sound. If anyone else had said that, they would probably be kneeling on the ground begging for mercy by now.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I also wish to be a princess." Xie Ying didn't hide anything from Yu Jing and said it directly. As Xie Ying spoke, her hands didn't stop moving.

Looking at Xie Ying, Yu Jing felt that she was different from before she was pregnant. Her eyes held a newfound firmness and gentleness.

It seems she still has high hopes for this child.

"Your Majesty, these are official documents concerning Youzhou," Su Siyang said, placing the documents beside Qi Jin.

Qi Jin didn't take it, but simply asked, "How is it?"

“What we found is quite different from what Jin Yu said. Xie Jin did not embezzle and sell military rations privately. On the contrary, Jin Yu’s subordinates smuggled a lot of them.” As soon as Su Siyang finished speaking, Qi Jin’s voice rang out.

"Lord Su, I believe that you and the Xie family are now irreconcilable enemies." Qi Jin's voice rose slightly at the end, and his gaze toward Su Siyang was quite intriguing.

Su Siyang stood frozen in place, staring at Qi Jin in utter astonishment. Qi Jin knew everything about his affair with Sheng Hua and Xie Xuan. When Qi Jin had privately entrusted him with this case, he had been somewhat suspicious, thinking Qi Jin was testing him. After much deliberation, he decided to tell Qi Jin the truth. He never imagined Qi Jin wanted to recruit him. Qi Jin was laying a trap, a scheme to ensure the Xie family's utter ruin and eternal damnation. Since Qi Jin had said so, if Su Siyang refused, he would likely have no way out. Qi Jin had left Su Siyang absolutely no choice.

"Your Majesty is right, I know what to do," Su Siyang replied, bowing his head.

"If word gets out or we slip up..." Qi Jin continued calmly.

"Your Majesty, I understand." Su Siyang bowed hastily in response. This matter could only succeed; failure would make him the instigator. A useless pawn was no loss, even after all he had done for Beihuai.

"Alright, you may leave now," Qi Jin continued.

"Yes." After dismissing Su Siyang, Qi Jin stood up and called Xu Xinshu in.

"What are your orders, Your Majesty?" Xu Xinshu asked me respectfully as he entered.

"The affairs of the previous dynasty need not be known to the inner palace. If any news leaks out, it will be your fault." Qi Jin's seemingly random words left Xu Xinshu somewhat bewildered. However, he still respectfully replied, "Yes, this servant will instruct the people below."

"It's not an order, I demand perfection!" Qi Jin then said sternly.

Qi Jin's sudden outburst startled Xu Xinshu, who immediately knelt down, saying, "Yes, yes, this servant understands."

Qi Jin stood up from his seat, and Xu Xinshu subconsciously followed suit, asking, "Where is Your Majesty going?"

"Wanying Pavilion".

Xu Xinshu was still in a daze, but Qi Jin's words immediately brought him to his senses. Qi Jin seemed to be doting on the one in Wan Ying Pavilion a bit too much. Now that Wan Ying Pavilion was pregnant, and Qi Jin was trying to find ways to undermine the Xie family's power, the news he was talking about was naturally news about the Xie family; the harem was now Wan Ying Pavilion's.

But this matter is still difficult to handle. There are no secrets in this world that stay hidden forever. People will always have their mouths open, and there's no way to stop the rumors in the palace. It's only a matter of time before they reach someone's ears.

Thinking of this, Xu Xinshu sighed. Every day, there wasn't a single thing that was easy to handle!

"Has the prescription been taken, and is it still not working for you, Miss Xie?" Qi Jin suddenly remembered something and asked.

"Yes, the beauty vomited badly, so taking the medicine was naturally necessary..." Xu Xinshu replied anxiously.

"Useless thing!"