Chapter 39 Song Wan'er is Pregnant

"No change of clothes..."

Yi Xiu put down the account book in her hand, her brows furrowing slightly. Song Wan'er...

"Madam," Jianqiu, who was serving nearby, couldn't help but speak up.

"No rush, let me think about it." Yixiu waved her hand, dismissing the maids in the room, and sat alone in a chair, lost in thought.

Yixiu's thoughts were somewhat confused. Logically speaking, she was already a Fujin (a high-ranking concubine), and she was favored and had children. The fact that someone in the harem was pregnant would not affect her status.

But Song Wan'er was different. If Qi Yuebin was feared by Yixiu because of his childhood friendship with the Prince, then Song Wan'er was feared because of her deceased eldest princess.

Even when she was still a concubine, Yixiu was already in charge of the inner palace, so she naturally knew that although Yinzhen seemed to have neglected Yunshui Residence after the death of the eldest princess, Song Gege's treatment was always above that of a concubine.

Because of the Prince's secret protection, even though outsiders thought Song Gege was not favored, the people of Yunshui Residence were never bullied.

After all, the eldest princess was Yinzhen's first child. Even though she had passed away, she still held a high place in his heart. Therefore, as her birth mother, Song Wan'er still had some affection and pity for Yinzhen.

In truth, Yixiu knew that this three-tenths of affection couldn't compare to her and the First Prince's current standing in Yinzhen's heart. But people are always greedy, wanting more than they have.

Yi Xiu leaned against the table, stunned, and suddenly realized that she wasn't as content as she thought. The thought of Song Wan'er being pregnant... made Yi Xiu feel unbearably sad.

October 30th is another day for paying respects to the ancestors.

Rou was sitting above Liu Qingxue, and she was already able to ignore the other party's taunts. After all the commotion these past few days, she really needed a strong heart to handle it.

Seeing that Rou didn't react, Liu Qingxue pouted in boredom and remained silent. The others, having watched the show to their hearts' content, didn't say much either. With Yinzhen not in the mansion, there was nothing to fight over or talk about; they simply treated it as another ordinary greeting.

Just as the greetings were about to end, Yixiu suddenly spoke up, saying, "The royal physician was originally here today to check on the First Prince's pulse, but thinking of my sisters, I kept him a little longer..."

Hearing Yi Xiu say this, Qi Yuebin glanced at her expression, then looked at the others, lingering on Song Wan'er for a while before looking away.

"My sisters have served Prince for so long, and now the harem only has the eldest prince as a child. The lineage is indeed scarce. I hope that you can all have children for Prince as soon as possible. Therefore, I have specially invited the royal physician to examine your pulses and treat your bodies."

Yixiu gestured for Jianqiu to bring up the newly appointed physician of the Xu family. Her tone was gentle, displaying the magnanimous demeanor of a matriarch.

"The Princess Consort is kind, but unfortunately some people are not so fortunate." Liu Qingxue, who thought she understood the Princess Consort's meaning, was the first to step forward, bow and express her gratitude, and then mocked Rouze again.

"You..." Rouze's eyes instantly reddened, and she trembled all over. Just like Liu Qingxue, she also thought that Yixiu was using the matter of having offspring to humiliate her.

The Mei and Yuan families standing nearby thought the same thing. They looked at Rouze and then at the Fujin, but didn't say anything more. They only reinforced the impression that the Fujin was not someone to be trifled with.

Song Wan'er unconsciously touched her stomach, feeling somewhat uneasy. Seeing her like this, Qi Yuebin seemed thoughtful, his opinion completely different from the others. Rather than saying that Yixiu had summoned the physician specifically for Rouze, it would be more accurate to say it was for Song Wan'er.

It seems that Song Gege is pregnant?

Unfortunately, Qi Yuebin gave a bitter smile. What good was it to see through it all? The Fujin had a son, and Song Shi could get pregnant, but she had nothing.

As a concubine, Qi Yuebin held the highest position after Yixiu, so the pulse diagnosis began with her. She lowered her eyes, calmly extending her wrist, allowing the physician from the Xu family to take her pulse.

"The concubine is doing well."

"Thank you for your help, Physician Xu." Qi Yuebin thanked him indifferently, her expression blank. It seemed that Physician Xu had also been instructed by the Prince beforehand. If she hadn't had her suspicions earlier and hadn't relied on her maternal family to send in a female physician after several twists and turns, thus learning her true situation, she probably would have continued to hold onto the hope of being pregnant.

Thinking of this, Qi Yuebin showed no outward expression, but inwardly he hated Consort Wuya to the core.

"The pulse is like rolling beads; it's a slippery pulse."

Just then, Physician Xu finished taking Song Wan'er's pulse and reported back with a smile.

"Am I really pregnant?" Before, she had only suspected it, but now that she had received the answer, Song Wan'er was overjoyed and couldn't help but touch her belly, asking again and again.

"Yes, Princess, you've been pregnant for over a month," Physician Xu replied respectfully, understanding her excitement. Having been working at the Prince's residence for less than three months, Physician Xu was quite pleased to have discovered a pregnancy.

"Good, this is good news." Yixiu, who was at the head of the table, suddenly spoke up, looking at Song Wan'er with a smile, and continued, "Sister Song's pregnancy is a joyous occasion. I will send a message to the Prince as soon as possible. The first three months of pregnancy are the most difficult. Sister Song, you don't need to come to the main courtyard to pay your respects for the next two months. Take good care of yourself and I will have Physician Xu check your pulse every ten days."

"Thank you, Madam." Song Wan'er quickly bowed, regardless of why Madam had summoned the physician to examine her pulse today. But since Madam had gone to such lengths for her, she could only accept her gratitude.

"No need for formalities, everything should be for the child's sake." Yi Xiu said with a smile, her face warm, but her heart sank because of Song Wan'er's confirmed pregnancy.

"Physician Xu, please take the pulses of the other sisters next. Perhaps there will be good news." Apart from Rouze, the other three concubines were also favored and already had Song Wan'er. Yixiu did not want a second pregnant woman to appear.

"Yes." The physician from the Xu family continued to take their pulses. Apart from Rouze, the other three were also very much looking forward to it. The backyard was lonely, and they were not exactly favored, so naturally they wanted to have a child.

Unfortunately, none of the three received good news. Rouze, who had been examined before them, was diagnosed with "excessive heart fire." As a result, Liu Qingxue, disappointed, continued to mock Rouze relentlessly.

The ceremony ended with Song Gege's pregnancy, leaving the others disappointed.

The women in the backyard had all left. Yixiu, who went into the inner room to change, immediately frowned and remained silent. Jianqiu and the others carefully served her.

Holding her son who had just woken up, Yixiu's complexion improved somewhat. "Yuankang, Mother's little Yuankang..."

After the eldest prince was taken away to nurse, Yixiu fiddled with her son's rattle drum, turning it as she pondered.

"Jianqiu".

"This servant is here."

“Yuan Kang has just been born, and he needs his father’s love the most. I can’t let anyone take away his affection…” Yi Xiu murmured softly, as if talking to herself, but Jian Qiu beside her already understood what she meant.

“What the Princess Consort says is true. The eldest prince is the legitimate son, and he should receive all of the Prince’s love and care.”

“Yes, my Yuan Kang is the legitimate son…” Yi Xiu made up her mind. She tried to tell herself that it was all for Yuan Kang’s sake. With the eldest princess’s blessing, it would be hard for the prince not to favor Song Wan’er’s child. What would happen to her Yuan Kang then?

The two children are so close in age, what if Song Shi has another son... She can't let Yuan Kang be like she was when she was a child, without his father's love.

Therefore... Song Wan'er's child cannot be kept, at least not now.

"Be careful, take it slow, and don't get caught."

"Yes, I understand."

Yixiu, who had just taken her son back into her arms, showed no trace of the cold-hearted cruelty she had displayed when she ordered Jianqiu to harm people. Holding a rattle drum, she gently coaxed him, "My dear Yuankang, isn't the rattle drum fun? Listen..."