Chapter 87: Good News

Under the open sky, the drafty roof swayed wildly in the wind. Yun Kui couldn't remember how much time had passed; everything before her eyes was blurry, except for the man's kiss, which was so clear and profound.

She had many concerns and was afraid of being discovered, and her nervousness was evident in her body.

In the cool autumn weather, a breeze brushed against the skin, bringing a slight shiver. The man's forehead was covered with fine sweat, and his veins bulged.

Yun Kui gripped his outer robe tightly, suppressing her voice as she asked, "Did you bring any guards?"

Xiao Qi'an continued, "They are all keeping watch at a distance. Without my orders, they dare not approach rashly."

Yun Kui was still worried: "You... slow down, I'm only wearing this one piece of clothing."

She really thought it was just a horseback riding trip!

Seeing that he didn't want to listen, she was about to say something more, but he forcefully sealed her lips with his, saying, "Relax."

After an unknown amount of time, Yun Kui's face was covered in tears, and she felt as if she were about to be blown away by the wind. Suddenly, a burnt smell came to her nose.

She shuddered and quickly reached out to press him down: "Did you burn the chicken and rabbit you roasted?"

The man nearly gave in to the sudden tremor, and whispered in her ear, "It's burnt, I'll go hunting again later."

Yun Kui gritted her teeth and endured the hardship, but the tense and exciting battlefield in the wild made her scalp tingle. She wanted to release her emotions loudly, but she was afraid of being heard. So she could only bite his shoulder tightly and let out muffled groans.

The consequences were naturally horrific—the pheasants and rabbits were all roasted to a crisp.

Yun Kui dressed herself, barely able to sit up, watching him throw away the charred prey. Not long after, he returned with a wild goat. She was so astonished she didn't know what to say.

If she hadn't known that he was an excellent archer, she would have thought he had ordered the guards to go hunting.

Roasting a whole lamb takes at least an hour. Yun Kui watched as he skillfully skinned and processed the lamb, then used a dagger to cut off a piece of hind leg meat and lamb tenderloin, skewering them into alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and then roasting the rest of the lamb on the grill.

The meat skewers cook quickly, soon sizzling on the wooden rack. The mutton fat drips onto the firewood, instantly igniting a fierce flame. Then, the spices brought along are sprinkled on top, and the rich aroma of roasted meat and fat hits you right in the head, making your mouth water.

Yun Kui watched as the raw meat gradually turned golden brown, licking her lips. Xiao Qi'an, seeing that it was almost done, picked out the best piece of meat for her, saying, "Be careful, it's hot."

Yun Kui happily took it, blew on it, and took a bite. The meat juice and oil overflowed in her mouth, fresh, fragrant, crispy, and spicy. The rich meaty aroma instantly filled her entire mouth.

"I thought that once I entered the palace, I would never be able to eat these again."

She had fallen in love with the taste of mutton buns back in the Sheng family mansion, but unfortunately, that flavor was only found in the alleys of the common people. She never expected that after becoming empress, she would be able to go out with him to ride horses and roast meat.

As Xiao Qi'an turned the grill, he said, "Of course I have to treat you better. Otherwise, you'll always be thinking about how good other people are to you and longing for life outside the palace. How can I keep you here?"

Yun Kui raised her chin, her face full of arrogance: "You don't need to feel inferior. You are an emperor, handsome and brave. My requirements are not that high. Someone like you is enough."

Xiao Qi'an smiled, looking at her with deep eyes: "So, is there a reward?"

Yun Kui was slightly taken aback. Seeing his Adam's apple bobbing, she subconsciously became wary. "What...reward do you want?"

Xiao Qi'an cut off two pieces of lamb chops and handed them to her, saying, "You can pay me back now, we'll talk about it after you finish eating."

Yun Kui accepted the food hesitantly, and after enjoying it immensely, she quickly forgot all about what he had said.

After they finished eating, the guards would come and collect the remaining mutton after they left.

Xiao Qi'an took her to the stream to wash her hands. The two watched the sunset by the stream for a while until night fell, when Yun Kui reluctantly got up.

After eating his fill of hay, Benxiao nudged her palm with his nose, clearly already regarding her as the mistress of the house.

Xiao Qi'an leaped onto his horse, then pulled her up by the waist. Yun Kui gasped in surprise as she was turned around, facing his prominent Adam's apple. She asked nervously, "Why...why are you sitting like this?"

Xiao Qi'an looked down at her, his gaze deep: "A reward."

He gripped the reins tightly, looking straight ahead: "Hold on to me."

The journey was bumpy.

Yun Kui had never felt that the journey had been so long and arduous. She felt completely broken and didn't know how many times she had cried.

After returning home, Xiao Qi'an carried her directly into the clean room for a bath, then back to bed, and gently applied ointment to her.

Yun Kui's voice was hoarse from shouting, and she closed her eyes, not wanting to look at him. "Take back those words of praise you."

Xiao Qi'an: "Hmm?"

Yun Kui said angrily, "You're no good at all!"

Xiao Qi'an sighed softly and kissed her ear. "Alright, I went too far today. How about I apologize?"

Yun Kui sniffed, her lower abdomen still throbbing slightly. "How can I apologize?"

Xiao Qi'an thought for a moment with feigned seriousness, "How about I forgive you for deceiving the emperor earlier?"

Yun Kui looked completely stunned, and a little guilty: "W-what crime of deceiving the emperor?"

Xiao Qi'an rubbed her tummy. "What do you think?"

"Could it be about when I faked being sick last time? Hmm..."

Having inadvertently revealed her true feelings, she instinctively covered her mouth, then, realizing what she had done, slapped her forehead in frustration, "So you knew all along!"

Xiao Qi'an: "You need to understand that I'm willing to be considerate of you because I love you, but that doesn't mean I can easily fool you, understand?"

Yun Kui: "Consideration? Is this what you call consideration? Lord Shen would never do such a crude thing. He always gives in to Madam Shen..."

Xiao Qi'an: "Do you think he doesn't know that Madam Shen is faking illness?"

That was the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examinations back then. Later, he took charge of the Office of Transmission. During Emperor Chunming's reign, no official's dirty secrets or corruption could escape the eyes of the Office of Transmission. How could he not see that Lady Shen was faking illness?

After hearing this, Yun Kui envied Madam Shen even more. "He knew Madam Shen was faking illness but didn't expose her. He continued to treat her gently. Isn't that even more commendable?"

Xiao Qi'an said coldly, "If you knew that he got this marriage through dirty tricks, you wouldn't say that."

Yun Kui: "What methods? That Shen..."

Xiao Qi'an pinched her belly. "Alright, you're not allowed to mention other people's business anymore. I don't want to hear Shen Yanyu's name from your mouth again."

Yun Kui angrily removed his hand, "I don't need your service either!"

...

After enjoying a few days of leisure in Yanshan, she returned to the palace. Apart from an autumn sacrifice, there were almost no major events in the palace that required her attention. The harem was empty, and there were no more of those dirty, scheming affairs.

There were two princesses who wanted to bring their nieces to the palace to pay their respects, but after being reminded by the nanny beside her, she realized that they probably just wanted to show their faces in front of the emperor and intended to bring them into his harem.

Yun Kui told Xiao Qi'an about this.

Xiao Qi'an only asked her, "Do you want them to enter the palace?"

Yun Kui said, "Of course I don't want to, but she is the Grand Princess, Father's sister. How can I not see her? I heard that the Grand Princess Qingyang's niece is the most beautiful woman in the capital. I don't know what you mean, so I dare not make a decision on my own..."

Her voice trailed off as she met the man's dark, intense eyes. She tried to hide behind the bed, but someone grabbed her ankle and pulled her back. In the end, she had no choice but to beg for mercy with tears in her eyes.

She clutched her aching back and sobbed, "What if outsiders gossip about me and call me a jealous woman?"

Xiao Qi'an said, "Then we'll treat it as a case of great disrespect."

“My father only had my mother back then, and outsiders didn’t dare to say anything. As for these noble ladies of the imperial family,” he said, “you don’t have to see them if you don’t want to.”

With his approval, Yun Kui simply claimed to be ill and refused to see Princess Qingyang's visiting cards afterward. After being turned away several times, Princess Qingyang stopped trying to contact her.

She dealt with Xiao Qi'an at night and conserved her energy during the day. When the weather was fine, she could even go out of the palace for a trip. Her life was incredibly comfortable.

That night, Xiao Qi'an returned to Kunning Palace, but the Empress was nowhere to be seen. He asked Qingdai and learned that she had left the palace.

Qingdai said, "Her Majesty sent someone back to say that today is Minister Sheng's birthday, and the sky is overcast with the possibility of rain tonight. She suggested that he stay at the Sheng residence for two days and told His Majesty not to wait for her."

Xiao Qi'an only regretted that during their passionate night in bed last night, he had agreed to her request to leave the palace today.

He returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation alone to handle government affairs, his face ashen and dark, and the palace eunuchs serving him were all trembling with fear.

Outside the palace, the cold rain began to fall without warning, its endless noise leaving one feeling restless and frustrated with nowhere to vent.

This was the first time Cao Yuanlu had served His Majesty in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for the first time. However, without the Empress by His Majesty's side, His Majesty felt as if he had returned to the time when he was plagued by headaches. His brows were furrowed, and he tossed and turned at night, unable to sleep. Even when he changed the incense in the burner to calm the mind, it had no effect on His Majesty.

He could only cautiously suggest, "How about I send someone to invite Her Majesty the Empress back?"

Listening to the patter of rain outside, Xiao Qi'an coldly curled his lips and said, "Fine."

He wanted to see how long she could endure not seeing him.

The next morning at court, all the officials clearly felt the oppressive and gloomy atmosphere in the hall. The emperor even severely punished several officials who had neglected their duties. The officials were all trembling with fear, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Sheng Yu saw this and, after court, he didn't even go to the Ministry of War. He went straight back to his residence and found his young lady still lazily sleeping in her room. Only when she heard him return did she slowly get up to wash up.

The girl looked radiant, with a natural blush on her cheeks, as bright and beautiful as a crabapple blossom in spring.

The title of Empress did not impose too many constraints on her, forcing her to become solemn, serious, and unsmiling, or to become a different person. She remained the same as before, still possessing the languidness and romance of a young girl.

Sheng Yu sincerely hoped that she would be free and happy, but now that she was the Empress, even if His Majesty indulged her, she could not be too arrogant because of his favor.

After much thought, Sheng Yu decided to tell her about His Majesty's furious outburst at court that day.

Yun Kui seemed unconcerned, "I have always kept in mind that the inner palace is forbidden from discussing politics. As for what happens to His Majesty in the court, I have never interfered."

Sheng Yu didn't mean for her to discuss politics. "I mean, His Majesty's bad mood, could it be related to your frequent departures from the palace?"

Yun Kui took a sip of porridge. "He said it himself. I can leave the palace whenever I want."

Could it be that you couldn't hold it in after just one night?

Yun Kui slept very comfortably. These past few days, he had been tormenting her every night, and she couldn't wait to stay home and have some peace and quiet. It just so happened that it rained last night, so she used that as an excuse not to go back to the palace.

Sheng Yu said, "It's alright to occasionally leave the palace incognito, but there's never been a precedent for an empress to stay at her maiden home. Besides, His Majesty is deeply devoted to you and is almost always by your side. How can you..."

He secretly hoped the girl would spend more time with him, but as a subject, he had to consider the hierarchy between ruler and subject, fearing he would fall into the emperor's eyes. The girl was getting carried away and pushing her luck.

Yun Kui reassured him, "I'm going back to the palace tonight and won't stay outside for long."

Sheng Yu nodded and ordered someone to heat up the mutton buns he had bought that morning and bring them over.

Steward Liu knew that the Empress liked the buns from this shop, and since the palace couldn't make the same fragrant and spicy buns, he had people line up to buy them early in the morning and kept them warm on the stove.

Yun Kui also missed the taste of mutton buns, but today, as soon as the mutton buns were served, the oily and spicy aroma wafted over, and she felt inexplicably sad.

Perhaps because she had just woken up and the mutton smell was too strong, she took a sip of porridge to calm herself down. Not wanting to disappoint Steward Liu, she took a bite of a steamed bun, but the unusual muttony smell made her feel nauseous. She couldn't hold it in any longer and ran to the washstand, vomiting up everything, including the porridge she had just eaten.

Sheng Yu's expression changed slightly, and he quickly stepped forward to pat her back, "What happened? Is the mutton not fresh today?"

Yun Kui shook her head, feeling nauseous, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Sheng Yu hurriedly called out, "Quickly, go and fetch a doctor!"

Yun Kui was about to say no need, but the discomfort quickly passed after she vomited. She tried to stop him, but the servant had already dashed out of the hanging flower gate.

The room was full of lonely people, and no one knew what had happened to her.

The doctor from Tongxintang quickly arrived with his medicine box to take her pulse. The entire household watched in fear, terrified that something might happen to the Empress's health.

After a moment's thought, the old doctor slowly smiled and said, "Your pulse is smooth and slippery, like pearls rolling on a plate. You are pregnant."

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone's faces lit up with joy, and Yun Kui was even more surprised: "I'm pregnant?"

The old doctor said, "I have been practicing medicine for forty years and I would not make a mistake. The young lady is already more than a month pregnant."

Yun Kui's heart was pounding.

More than a month, could it have been those few times in Yanshan?

She couldn't help but touch her lower abdomen, which was still flat and showed no signs of abnormality, but there was a little life growing inside her.

She's pregnant with Xiao Qi'an's child; they're going to have a baby!

Overjoyed, Sheng Yu immediately gave the doctor a reward, but out of consideration for Yun Kui's status, he instructed someone not to reveal it. As for the medicine to stabilize the pregnancy, the best imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital would oversee the entire process, so he didn't need to worry about it.

Seeing that he was about to send someone to the palace to report, Yun Kui quickly stopped him, "Father, don't rush. I want to tell His Majesty the good news in person when he comes."

Looking at her smiling daughter, Sheng Yu was happy for her both personally and professionally. "It's fine if you make the decision, but you need to be extra careful with your diet and activities these days, and don't overwork yourself."

Yun Kui nodded. After having breakfast and resting for a while, she still couldn't stay still and wanted to go out for a walk and buy some things for the child.

Although the Imperial Household Department would make a big fuss about preparing clothes for the princes and princesses, she still wanted to go out and stroll around in person, cherishing the opportunity to wander the streets. She figured that someone wouldn't agree to her leaving the palace again for the next year.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Xiao Qi'an patiently waited until the third day, his expression growing increasingly grim each day, and he threw out more than a dozen memorials.

Even Cao Yuanlu became increasingly anxious.

"Why hasn't Your Highness returned to the palace yet? Does she no longer want His Majesty?"

"What's so good about outside the palace? Doesn't Your Majesty miss His Majesty at all?"

Thinking of this, he suddenly heard a crisp cracking sound from above. He raised his eyes tremblingly, and what he saw startled him even more.

His Majesty's imperial brush was broken in two!

The man's fingertips were white, the veins on the back of his hands were bulging, and he exuded a cold aura.

Just as Cao Yuanlu was about to step forward to inquire about the injury to his finger, he saw his emperor suddenly stand up, his face grim, and stride out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

He hurriedly followed, exclaiming, "Oh dear, His Majesty is going to personally go out of the palace to arrest the Empress!"