Chapter 43 Strange

As darkness fell, Qiushui Pavilion became like a stagnant pool.

Rong Shuyi lay on the bed, her eyes fixed on the carvings above her head. The pain in her body had subsided, but the pain in her heart was far from over.

"Your Majesty, Consort Jia has arrived." Banxia entered the inner palace and whispered to Rong Shuyi.

When Consort Jia entered the palace, she saw Consort Rong being helped to sit up on the bed. She stepped forward and exempted Consort Rong from bowing, saying, "You should lie down properly. There's no need for you to bow."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Rong Shuyi paused to process her words, then sat on the couch and bowed her head to Consort Jia.

"If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn't have let you go." Consort Jia frowned, feeling sorry for her, and said.

Consort Rong neither nodded nor shook her head: "It was my own fault..."

"You haven't eaten yet? No matter how upset you are, you can't go without eating. I had someone make some porridge; try to drink some later."

Consort Jia sighed as she looked at her haggard and distraught appearance: "The most important thing for you now is to take good care of your health. You can have children in the future."

Rong Shuyi's eyes welled up with tears. She bit her lip, trying to suppress her emotions. She took a deep breath, which trembled slightly. "...Your Majesty is right. I understand."

It's one thing to understand, but it's perfectly normal to not be able to figure it out right away.

Consort Jia glanced briefly at her palace, then said to the palace servants who were waiting quietly to the side, "Be careful not to let your mistress catch a cold these next few days."

Banxia hurriedly agreed.

After they had finished talking, Consort Jia told Consort Rong to rest well before leaving the palace. Banxia followed closely behind her to see her off.

After the group walked out of the main hall, seeing that the sound should no longer be able to carry, Consort Jia said, "That porridge was made by the small kitchen at my request. When it is sent over later, please let your mistress have some."

Banxia only dared to show some sorrow after leaving the inner hall, and hurriedly nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

"Or has your mistress had any favorite foods lately? I'll have the kitchen prepare some and send them over." Consort Jia looked at her and asked, "Didn't they send over some cherries a few days ago? If your mistress likes them, I'll just give the order."

Banxia took Jia Pin's concern to heart. Upon hearing this, she shook her head and said, "Your Majesty, those cherries were too sour. I only ate a few and then stopped. As for what I like to eat... I usually have a light palate and don't really have any favorites. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

Oh, I see.

Consort Jia remained calm, her face filled with pity, and said, "She vomited blood just a month ago, and now she has miscarried and fallen ill. Your mistress only has you to trust now, so you must take good care of her. By the way, the imperial physician has come to check on her health several times since then. What did he say about her condition? Has her previous illness improved significantly?"

Banxia knelt down and kowtowed to Consort Jia, saying gratefully, "The imperial physician has come several times and said that Your Highness's illness has greatly improved. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Please rest assured, Your Highness, this servant will definitely take good care of Your Highness."

Consort Jia looked down at her and smiled, "That's good, then I can rest assured."

Back at Changying Palace, Consort Jia stood by the window admiring the moon. As the weather grew warmer, the night became more restless.

She gently fanned herself, pondering Banxia's words with great interest.

Today, the imperial physician diagnosed Consort Rong Shuyi as being more than two months pregnant. It is pitiful that she has now suffered a miscarriage.

However, about a month ago, the imperial physician also examined Rong Shuyi's pulse. Even though he couldn't detect pregnancy when she was present that day, he still couldn't detect pregnancy after some time had passed.

Rong Shuyi neither craved sleep nor craved sour flavors; she exhibited none of the typical symptoms of pregnancy.

Moreover, she herself seemed unaware that she was pregnant, otherwise she wouldn't have gone onto the ship.

From this perspective, her pregnancy seems rather unusual.

The moonlight was bright in the night.

Chu Mingheng stayed in Longyu Pavilion until Lan Wu finished washing up before going to the small study in the outer hall to hear Chen Kang'an report some things.

There wasn't much to say; I heard it all in just a few words.

Chen Kang'an's expression was serious, but his mind was in turmoil. He really didn't know where the concubines in the harem got such audacity to fake a pregnancy. If they weren't careful, their entire families could be executed.

But he naturally didn't say anything, only lowered his head and waited for His Majesty's reaction.

After a moment, His Majesty calmly ordered, "Have the imperial physicians take good care of her."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Chu Mingheng didn't say anything else and got up to return to the inner hall.

I haven't been to Longyu Pavilion for a few days. The ruler I used to intimidate Lan Wu that night has been hidden away by her. I don't know where she put it. At least I couldn't find it at a glance. But there are a few more booklets in the corner of the shelf.

He randomly picked up a book, glanced at it, read a couple of pages, then closed it and put it back on the shelf.

A short while later, Lan Wu came out.

Her black hair was tied up, and a trace of natural color finally returned to her face, though her eyes were filled with weariness.

"Go to the bed and sleep if you're tired. I'll be there in a bit," Chu Mingheng said, then ordered someone to fetch water again.

Lan Wu slowly climbed into bed, and before Chu Mingheng could come out, she unknowingly fell asleep on the pillow, only to wake up again during the night.

She opened her eyes and looked into the pitch-black tent. She blinked slowly, unafraid of ghosts, but her mind was filled with thoughts of Rong Shuyi's child.

Why is this happening?

In her previous life, Rong Shuyi had never been pregnant.

"Hmm—" After thinking for a while, a hand suddenly covered her lower abdomen. The palm was warmer than her belly and pressed against her skin. The single palm was about to envelop her entire abdomen.

Startled by Chu Mingheng's sudden action, Lan Wu made a sound instinctively, but she immediately stopped, her ears filled with the warmth of another person's breath.

Chu Mingheng, whether awake or not, urged Lan Wu to go to sleep.

"Didn't I tell you not to overthink things?"

Lan Wu felt a little guilty, wondering how he knew.

So she lowered her voice even further and said, "I don't want to think about it anymore, I'm going to sleep."

After she finished speaking, she closed her eyes. Perhaps she was still thinking about something, because Lan Wu dreamed of the words she had spoken to Chu Mingheng in her previous life.

She guessed that Chu Mingheng didn't like children, but she didn't know why. Despite being favored for more than half a year, there was no sign of pregnancy in her belly. Even though the imperial physicians said that her health had improved a lot, she still wasn't pregnant.

Once, she tentatively asked Chu Mingheng if she looked good.

"Go look in the mirror yourself." Chu Mingheng didn't even bother to glance at her.

Lan Wu was unwilling: "I have been beautiful since I was a child. The ladies of the music hall all say that I am lovely and beautiful."

Chu Mingheng seemed to be disturbed by her noise, so he put down the book in his hand and asked her to come over.

When Lan Wu excitedly went over, Chu Mingheng ordered her to shut her mouth and stand aside to serve him.

Lan Wu couldn't help herself and impulsively asked Chu Mingheng, "Does Your Majesty not wish for a little princess as cute as a concubine?"

That question was left unasked.