Chapter 56 (None)

Huang Liang recited a string of ornate parallel prose, and Jiang Ling understood only the phrase "to be appointed as a concubine."

The four concubines were still one short; even those who were pregnant were only granted the title of concubine. Jiang Ling cursed Emperor Yuanming for being stingy. However, a promotion was always a good thing, and Jiang Ling happily accepted the imperial decree to express her gratitude.

Aruo thoughtfully took out a purse and handed it to Huang Liang. Jiang Ling, suppressing his heartache, said, "Please come in and sit down, Huang Liang."

"This servant still needs to go to Cuiwei Pavilion to deliver the imperial decree. I'll come back for a cup of tea when I have some free time," Huang Liang said with a smile.

It turned out that the honor wasn't solely hers; Consort Duan also received a promotion. The joy of that promotion immediately faded.

Huang Liang, observing Jiang Ling's forced smile, bowed and said with a smile, "His Majesty said that Consort Jiang's mother was granted the title of Shuo Ren, and her sister-in-law was granted the title of Gong Ren. They also happened to enter the palace today. It's a double celebration for the family!"

Jiang Wenxiu served in the imperial gardens as a sixth-rank official. Jiang Chengwang was a minor official, a low-ranking eighth-rank supervisor. Shuoren was a fourth-rank imperial consort, while Gongren was a sixth-rank official.

According to the rules, the two men should have been granted the same rank as the Jiang family father and son. The fact that they were granted additional titles was all thanks to Jiang Ling.

"Cuiwei Pavilion has been bestowed the title of Beauty, this servant must hurry and deliver the imperial decree," Huang Liang said with a smile.

Jiang Ling was overjoyed, having risen two levels from the ranks of "Talented Woman" to "Beauty." After seeing Huang Liang off, Wen Juan arrived with Xue and Tao.

Jiang Ling looked them over; Xue had a kind and gentle face, and Tao had a delicate and pretty countenance. With Wen Juan's prompting, the two exchanged greetings, their movements noticeably stiff and uneasy.

"No need for formalities, Mother and Sister-in-law, please rise quickly." Jiang Ling suddenly felt a real sense of being in a superior position and said with great emotion.

Wenjuan led the two to their seats. A'ruo served tea and snacks, then left with Wenjuan, leaving Jiang Ling to talk with her family.

With no one else in the room, Madam Xue looked at Jiang Ling with red eyes and said with heartache, "Your Majesty has lost weight."

Jiang Ling was about to speak when Xue continued, "Before I entered the palace, I would eat at least three bowls of rice with my eldest son. But after I became pregnant, the baby in my belly was moving around and I couldn't eat anymore?"

As expected, the saying "a family full of gluttons" was well-deserved. Jiang Ling couldn't help but feel a little closer to Madam Xue, and said with a suppressed laugh, "I didn't vomit too badly, and I can eat and sleep well. Eating too much is not good either; too much of a good thing is bad. Mother should also advise my elder brother to be careful and not ruin his health."

“When I was pregnant with the Empress, I vomited so badly that I couldn’t eat anything. I was afraid that the Empress would be like me back then.”

Madam Xue breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and said, "Oh, thank God, it's good that they can eat and sleep. Your father and elder brother have no choice but to eat this one thing, and it's always a blessing if they can eat it, so I'll let them be. Since Your Majesty has spoken, I'll go back and try to persuade them."

Jiang Ling smiled and nodded, then asked, "How is Mother and Sister-in-law's health? Where are Xiao Lang and Nan Nan? Why didn't you bring them to the palace?"

“We are all well, Your Majesty, please don’t worry,” said Madam Xue.

Tao interjected, "Young Master has entered the private school to study, and Nannan is naughty. We'll take her to the palace to pay her respects to the Empress after she has learned the proper manners."

After the Jiang family arrived in the capital, they lived in a residence bestowed upon them by Emperor Yuanming. Jiang Ling heard that Emperor Yuanming had also given them some gold and silver to help them settle down in the capital.

When Jiang Ling met Jiang Wenxiu before, Emperor Yuanming was present, so she couldn't ask too many questions. But now that only the three of them were there, she asked them one by one in detail.

"The house was right next to the capital city and close to the palace. The two courtyards were painted and renovated in a brand new style. When we arrived in the capital, even the kitchen was neatly arranged with oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar."

Madam Xue whispered, "After receiving the imperial decree summoning him to the capital, your father has been restless day and night. How could a mere county magistrate have the good fortune to see the Emperor? Your father is clumsy with words, only good at eating, and not favored by the higher-ups. He has never been promoted all these years. When Your Highness was selected for the palace, it was because the higher-ups deliberately added Your Highness's name to the list. I was very worried at the time. Your Highness is not good with words either. What if you offend the Emperor..."

Seeing that Xue was starting to cry, Tao said, "It is Jiang's good fortune that Your Highness has entered the palace. Your mother loves Your Highness. Now that you are in the capital, you can come to the palace to pay your respects often."

Realizing she had said the wrong thing, Madam Xue quickly wiped away her tears with her handkerchief and sighed softly, “The capital is full of high-ranking officials and nobles, and one can easily bring trouble upon oneself. Our whole family lives off your father’s salary. Life was easy when we were in the county government, but it’s difficult in the capital.”

She held up a finger, winked at Jiang Ling, and said, "The Emperor has bestowed upon you a thousand taels of silver and ten bolts of silk fabric. Your elder brother has also been given a job, so life will be much easier for you. Your Majesty, please don't worry."

Tao looked around, lifted her blouse, and untied two bulging purses from her waist. Xue did the same, and the two placed the four purses beside Jiang Ling.

Madam Xue said, "There are a total of one hundred taels of silver in here. Silver is heavy and inconvenient to carry into the palace. I'll take this for now and bring it to Your Highness next time I go to the palace."

Jiang Ling stared in disbelief, thinking to herself that the two women's belts were indeed very sturdy. She had been saving her monthly allowance, intending to give some to Madam Xue, but she never expected that they would actually bring her silver.

"Mother, sister-in-law, please put it away quickly, I don't need the money," Jiang Ling hurriedly declined.

Tao said, "Your Highness has many expenses in the palace. The Emperor bestowed a thousand taels of silver, and the whole family has discussed it and decided to leave it all to Your Highness. If Your Highness is doing well, the Jiang family will be doing well too."

We all prosper together, and we all suffer together.

Jiang Ling thought of Consort Li, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I have already been made a concubine by the Emperor, and my monthly salary is enough. Since you have brought these in, I will keep them for now. You can keep the rest for future needs."

Madam Xue and Madam Tao were overjoyed and were about to rise to offer their congratulations. Jiang Ling quickly gestured for them to sit down, saying, "There are only a few of us, so there's no need for such formalities. You can't stay in the palace for long, so I'd like to tell you something first."

The two quickly sat up straight and listened attentively to Jiang Ling's words.

"First of all, we must prevent Father and Elder Brother from taking or demanding anything, and ensure they are upright."

Jiang Ling was not virtuous; the examples of the Zhao and Li families showed that human desires are endless. She was to bear the weight of the Jiang family's wealth and prosperity, a responsibility too heavy for her to shoulder, and one she was not capable of carrying.

"Secondly, do not provoke the Zhao, Lin, or Liu families. If anyone associated with these families comes to find Father or Elder Brother, you must come to the palace to tell me immediately."

Jiang Ling refused to trust anyone, especially now that she was pregnant. The princes and princesses were both a weapon and a hindrance.

"Finally, Father and elder brother must study the law thoroughly and remember the rules."

Laws and rules may not necessarily protect you, but acting within the bounds of laws and rules can mitigate certain risks and is the last and most direct layer of protection.

Xue and Tao readily agreed, and Jiang Ling chatted with them for a while longer until it was time for lunch. After lunch, the two took their leave of the palace.

Jiang Ling was tired and was about to take a midday rest when Emperor Yuanming arrived.

"Why isn't Your Majesty resting?" Jiang Ling asked, turning his back and yawning.

Ever since Jiang Ling suspected she was pregnant, Emperor Yuanming would spend all his free time by her side. After confirming her pregnancy, he was overjoyed and spent most of his time staying at Fanying Pavilion.

Emperor Yuanming, accustomed to Jiang Ling's disdain, looked her up and down and asked with concern, "I've come to see you. How are you feeling today? Did you vomit a lot?"

"I am well, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern," Jiang Ling replied listlessly, her eyelids drooping.

"Go back to your bedroom and rest. I'll take a nap with you." Emperor Yuanming stood up, and Jiang Ling could only follow him to the bedroom, where he undressed and got into bed.

The two lay down, and Emperor Yuanming gently embraced Jiang Ling, asking, "Are you happy to see your mother and sister-in-law?"

"I'm happy. Thank you, Your Majesty," Jiang Ling replied with his eyes closed.

Emperor Yuanming paused for a moment, then gently coaxed, "Now that your mother and sister-in-law have become ladies of high rank, they can send their own invitations to the palace if they wish to enter; they won't need to wait for your summons."

"The title of Lady of Imperial Decree sounds glamorous, but it's just an empty name with no salary. During festivals, weddings, and funerals, she has to come to the palace to pay homage. In the sweltering heat, she has to wear three layers of court robes, and in the dead of winter, it's even more unbearable."

Jiang Ling inwardly grumbled, but outwardly expressed her gratitude with practiced ease: "Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated by this concubine."

Emperor Yuanming was furious, but slowly said, "You are currently pregnant, and it would be a cause for celebration to bestow rewards upon you. However, you are pregnant and cannot bear the hardship. We will celebrate properly after you give birth."

Jiang Ling was tired, and Emperor Yuanming's incessant rambling made her increasingly irritated. On the surface, she respectfully agreed, but in her heart she thought, "So he's here to curry favor. What a stingy fellow, only making me a concubine, not even a high-ranking consort. Besides, it's not like he only made me one. Who knows if he made me one while he was making her one?"

Emperor Yuanming was almost laughing with anger. He doted on her and promoted her family.

In the end, she even wronged him, believing that he only benefited from her position as Consort Duan!

Emperor Yuanming gritted his teeth, staring at Jiang Ling in his arms, and muttered to himself, "I'll settle accounts with her after she gives birth!"

In the days that followed, the palace remained peaceful. Then, in May, two pieces of good news came from the harem: two concubines who had entered the palace that year became pregnant one after the other.

Unfortunately, Consort Xu miscarried in less than two months. Consort Zhuang, on the other hand, fell ill frequently and her pregnancy was fraught with danger.

Time flies by, and in the blink of an eye, it's November.

Judging by the time, Jiang Ling was nearing her due date. Duan Cai Ren had been pregnant earlier than Jiang Ling, but there was still no sign of labor.

The imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital were busy running back and forth, while the midwives and wet nurses had already been carefully selected and moved into the palace to watch over them day and night.

Jiang Ling has a very good diet, and her figure has not changed much compared to before pregnancy, except that her belly has grown bigger and her face, hands and feet are slightly swollen.

It was a cold, drizzly winter day. After breakfast, Jiang Ling didn't go out, but paced back and forth slowly in the main room.

Wenjuan stayed close by her side, afraid she might fall. Jiang Ling wanted to laugh, so she stretched her arms and said, "Wenjuan, I'm fine, don't be so nervous."

Wenjuan saw Duan Meiren at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. At that time, Duan Meiren was already almost twice the size of Jiang Ling.

Both Xue and Tao have stated that a fetus that is too large is difficult to deliver. A fetus that is too small is also not good, as the woman will lack strength during childbirth, the fetus will be weak, and it will be prone to illness.

The imperial physician measured Jiang Ling's abdomen and said everything was normal.

However, Wenjuan couldn't help but feel anxious, thinking about the hardships of childbirth, especially since there was still no news from Consort Duan. Not daring to let Jiang Ling find out, she quickly smiled and said, "This servant has gained some weight. I'll follow Your Highness's example and walk around more after meals to aid digestion."

"Oh dear!" Jiang Ling was about to say that she wasn't fat when she felt a sudden urge to urinate and walked towards the bathroom in annoyance.

During the early stages of her pregnancy, Jiang Ling experienced some anxiety, but she quickly recovered.

Since things had come to this, there was no other way but to face it bravely. Thanks to her good attitude, the baby in her womb was quite obedient and didn't cause her too much suffering. Her pregnancy was relatively easy.

In the later stages, she had to go to the toilet frequently and could only fall asleep leaning against a soft cushion, which bothered her quite a bit.

Wen Juan quickly called for the palace maid Zishan to come forward and help her, but Jiang Ling said, "I can walk by myself, it's alright."

Zishan was the most outstanding among the young palace maids. Although she was young, she was very steady and quick-witted, and was chosen by Wenjuan to serve her closely. She looked down at the ground and pointedly reminded her, "Your Highness, be careful, there are water stains on the ground."

Wenjuan kept a close eye on things every day, checking everything with A'ruo. She had stayed by Jiang Ling's side the whole time, never leaving the main room for even a moment. How could there be water stains in the room?

She quickly looked down and saw that Jiang Ling's skirt was wet, and her feet had left wet marks where she had stepped.

Wenjuan was startled. When she came to her senses, she couldn't help but panic and said urgently, "Your Majesty's water has broken! Quickly, summon the imperial physician and the midwife!"