Chapter 112 Concubine Ling

Xie Junyao returned to the bedroom. Wen Wanyu had just woken up. She placed her hand on her forehead and asked softly, "Did the emperor call for the imperial physician? I think I heard the physician's voice."

"Um."

His voice was a little heavy. Thinking that he was worried about her, Wen Wanyu lowered her hand from her forehead and placed it on his hand, comforting him, "Your Majesty, don't worry. I'm just too sleepy. There's no need to mobilize troops."

"Why don't you call a doctor?" Xie Junyao's face turned cold.

"Huh?" Wen Wanyu propped herself up and immediately panicked: "Is there something wrong with my body?"

People in ancient times had short lives. Could she be suffering from some kind of illness? Especially after seeing that face, Wen Wanyu was even more afraid that she might die.

"You're fine, don't worry." Xie Junyao hugged her in his arms and rested his chin on her forehead.

"You scared me. Why does the emperor... look unhappy?" Wen Wanyu stayed quietly in his arms.

Xie Junyao said, "There's something good. Wanwan, do you want to know now?"

After all, Wanwan is still young, and he is also worried that Wanwan may not want to get pregnant so early.

Wen Wanyu's mind suddenly became clear. Recalling her recent physical abnormalities—lethargy, increased appetite, and irritability—she asked in a trembling voice, "I... I can't be..."

"Are you going to be a mother?"

Xie Junyao nodded.

He stared at Wen Wanyu, unwilling to miss a single expression or glance from her. He asked with concern, "Wanwan, don't you want to?"

Wen Wanyu shook her head.

Touching her flat belly, she still couldn't believe there was a little life inside. She lowered her eyes and said in a daze, "I'm just not ready to be a mother yet."

She was only 18, which in modern times would have been a recent college student. She knew, and she could accept, that she might have one or two cute little friends who would call her "Mom," but that day would come too soon.

Xie Junyao looked at her, covered her belly, and said softly: "I will always be with you."

"You are still young, and it may take another half a month to confirm the diagnosis. You don't have to worry during this period." The eyes looking at her were dark and bright.

Wen Wanyu looked at him, nodded unconsciously, and responded obediently: "Okay."

Xie Junyao took her back into his arms, his movements gentle, as if she were a porcelain doll. He lowered his eyes to look at the person in his arms, the tenderness flowing in his eyes almost overflowing.

He said, "This isn't the first time I've been a father, but it's the first time I've been looking forward to having a child like this."

For the first time, I felt a mixture of joy and sorrow, two layers of emotions that were hard to describe.

"Yeah." Wen Wanyu didn't know what to say.

He held her tighter. Xie Junyao asked with a smile in his eyes, "Are you hungry?"

"Some."

"Serve the meal." Xie Junyao called out.

…

Sitting in front of the dressing table, Concubine An combed a strand of black hair in front of her chest and asked casually, "Have you found out?"

The news that Wangyou Palace was calling for the imperial physician spread to the harem. At this moment, everyone pricked up their ears.

Yingxiang shook her head and said, "The imperial physician and the servants of Wangyou Palace are very tight-lipped. Even the imperial physician is unwilling to speak."

"That's what the Emperor ordered," Concubine An said. She appeared calm, but her movements were already chaotic.

She paused combing her hair and muttered to herself, "Call the imperial physician, but he won't say anything. The emperor ordered it."

Her expression remained unchanged as she speculated, "Could Ling Zhaoyuan be pregnant?"

"She monopolizes the emperor every day, so she must be pregnant."

As she spoke, she became more and more certain, but suddenly fear washed over her. If she was indeed pregnant, given the Emperor's fondness for her, she would be a Noble Consort after the birth of the child. If it was a prince, she could even become Empress...it was all possible.

She said in a deep voice: "Find a way to pass the news to Fuyao Palace."

Half a month passed in a flash, and during this half month, Wen Wanyu hardly left the Forgetful Palace. This further confirmed Concubine An's suspicion.

The imperial physician came to check Ping An's pulse and confirmed that she was already one month pregnant. Although the emperor was delighted, he did not forget to warn the imperial physician to take good care of both mother and child.

Ever since she became pregnant, the thing Wen Wanyu did most was to ask Bai Su and Qing Dai whether she was really pregnant, and at this time Bai Su and Qing Dai would always tell her patiently: Yes.

In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve.

Wen Wanyu didn't go to the New Year's Eve palace banquet. Firstly, she felt it was crowded and she could easily be seen. Everyone in the palace had been watching her these days. Secondly, she preferred to have a small family dinner with Bai Su, Qing Dai, and Xiao Quanzi.

Without Wen Wanyu, Xie Junyao felt the palace banquet was meaningless. He drank alone, the hustle and bustle of the place having nothing to do with him.

Concubine Jin sat in her seat, sipping pear blossom wine, feeling a sense of melancholy. Less than a year had passed, and yet the palace seemed to have undergone drastic changes. For example, the seat beside the Emperor was vacant, the Empress was imprisoned, and even the once-favored Concubine Zheng hadn't been released from confinement. Rumors circulated within the palace that the Emperor disliked her... Her contemporaries were even more drastically different.

The eunuch came in and announced the good news: "Your Majesty, Concubine Yu gave birth to the fourth prince."

Xie Junyao smiled faintly: "Okay!"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations, Your Majesty." Everyone stood up to congratulate him.

Since the Second Prince's untimely death, there had been no happy events in the palace for a long time. Yu Meiren was incredibly lucky to have given birth to a prince.

Xie Junyao raised his head slightly in thought, and after a moment he said, "The fourth prince gave me the name Yan, Xie Jingyan."

After saying this, he waved his hand and took out an imperial edict, saying, "By the will of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: [Zhaorong Cheng, Zhaoyuan Wen, Jieyu Shen, Meiren Yu, and Cairen Lin], dignified and wise, able to control their temper, peaceful and auspicious, harmonious and pure, prudent and mature, diligent and submissive, harmonious and pure, with a gentle nature, virtuous and exemplary, and virtuous. They are hereby conferred the titles of [Shufei, Ling Guifei, Jin Zhaoyi, Jieyu Yu, and Meiren Lin], this is my decree!"

When this imperial edict came out, everyone was shocked.

What shocked them was that Ling Zhaoyuan had been promoted to Consort Ling! She had jumped three levels in a row!

Xie Junyao calmly twirled his ring, as if anticipating their shock. "Any objections?"

"I dare not."

After the palace banquet, Xie Junyao and others were on the road that Jin Zhaoyi had to take to return to the palace.

"Your Majesty? I pay my respects to Your Majesty." Concubine Jin bowed in surprise.

Xie Junyao said, "From now on, you will be the one raising the Fourth Prince."

Jin Zhaoyi stood there motionless, stunned: "Is this... true?"

Li Dexian laughed and said, "What are you standing there for, Consort Jin? Why don't you thank me?"

Jin Zhaoyi finally came back to her senses, "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty!"

"No need to thank me. It was Concubine Ling who made the suggestion." With that, the sedan chair lifted up and headed towards Chengqian Palace. Concubine Jin had indeed behaved quite a bit during this time. I hope Concubine Jin will not forget Wanwan's kindness in the future.