Chapter 112 Chapter 112

[Chapter 112]

When Yan Shiyu arrived at Fengyi Palace, the empress was already waiting outside the palace.

When he saw the emperor, Yan Shiyu raised his eyebrows slightly, walked over steadily, and put his hand naturally in front of the empress, "It's cold, you don't have to go out in the future."

The huge oriental pearl on the queen's hair crown was dazzled by the light, and her eyes slightly curved as she said:

"The weather is nice today, and I want to walk more."

Yan Shiyu didn't say much after listening. After the empress stood firmly, she withdrew her hand. The two hands that were folded together quickly loosened. Yan Shiyu put his hands behind his back again. The empress followed the etiquette and walked on the right hand side of the emperor, and was one step behind the emperor.

In the inner hall, the palace maids had already prepared the meal.

After Yan Shiyu and the empress washed their hands, the maid from Fengyi Palace wanted to serve the dishes, but was held back by the empress. Yan Shiyu then looked up at the empress.

When the Empress saw the Emperor looking over, she personally picked up the jade chopsticks and put the refreshing bamboo shoots and lotus root slices into the Emperor's bowl:

"Although Ying Chongrong looks healthy these days and the dragon offspring in her belly is fine, I have asked the imperial physician and he said that Ying Chongrong's fetus is in an abnormal position and there may be danger during delivery. You must be careful these days."

Yan Shiyu frowned, and the Queen continued, "The Imperial Physician said that it would be best for Ying Chongrong to move around more every day. After the New Year, spring is not far away. I think it would be better to let the maids accompany Ying Chongrong to the Yu Garden. Not only can it relieve boredom, but it will also be best for Ying Chongrong's delivery."

"I'm just worried that some concubines in the palace are always too noisy. If Ying Chongrong is hurt, that would be bad. I want to see what the emperor thinks."

Yan Shiyu put down the jade chopsticks in his hand and said, "The queen has thought it through very carefully."

"If the situation is too big, she will not be willing to leave the palace." After thinking for a moment, he said, "Everything will be as the Queen said just now. When she leaves the palace, two more maids will follow her, and the Queen will also give more advice to the concubines in the harem."

There was a slight glimmer in the Queen's eyes, and she responded to the Emperor, "Yes."

For a while, no one in Fengyi Palace spoke until the meal was over. When Yan Shiyu finished washing his hands, the empress was about to step forward to help the emperor take off his outer clothes so that he could rest for a while. Yan Shiyu shook the empress's hand and said, "Master Meng went to Zichen Palace today."

The queen was startled, then smiled, "Is it because of the matter of selecting concubine Meng?"

Before Yan Shiyu opened his mouth, the empress said, "The harem is not allowed to meddle in government affairs. I am a crude and unskilled person. If Your Majesty tells me about government affairs, it would be like a cow chewing a peony. I think that Master Meng is only interested in Concubine Meng."

"Yes." Yan Shiyu nodded. "He wants me to release Concubine Meng from her confinement. What does the Queen think?"

The empress gently went behind the emperor, took off his outer robe from his shoulders, and placed the emperor's formal dress with a golden dragon pattern in the hands of the palace maid. She said, "Meng Xianshi has been under house arrest for half a year. She did not come out during the New Year holidays. She has always been by the emperor's side. I think she can learn a lesson from her past mistakes by being under house arrest now."

"Besides, Grand Tutor Meng is a man of profound learning, and Concubine Meng, as his daughter, cannot be inferior. I think it would be better to let Concubine Meng leave the palace. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Yan Shiyu sat beside the bed, and the empress sat down as well, her eyes fixed on the emperor.

"How can the Queen still say that she is not talented enough?" Yan Shiyu's dark eyes were dim.

The queen couldn't help but smile and said, "Your Majesty, please don't tease me."

Yan Shiyu said in a deep voice: "Remove the confinement of Concubine Meng, promote her to be a beauty, and grant her a title..."

Yan Shiyu paused for a long time, but the empress was not in a hurry and waited patiently for the emperor. After a cup of tea, Yan Shiyu continued, "Give me the title of Zhang."

When the Queen heard this title, she nodded and said, "'Humble enough to govern oneself, and loyal enough to be loyal', this is the most appropriate way to describe Lady Zhang."

Yan Shiyu lay on the bed, closed his eyes and said, "The Queen will take care of what happens next."

The queen responded to the emperor's words, twisted up a strand of black hair and lay beside the emperor.

…

Linxuan Palace

Yingning watched the nanny correct the empress's fetal position with a gentle look on her face. Tingxu came in from outside in a low mood, glanced towards the inner hall, and waved to Yingning.

Ying Ning looked at the empress in front of her, then looked at Ting Xu, and quietly retreated outside the palace. Ruan Yun also saw Ting Xu's little action, although it was a little strange, but she didn't pay too much attention to it, and smiled and passed it by.

Ying Ning walked out and saw Ting Xu's unhappy face. She smiled and said, "Why? Who bullied you?"

Tingxu looked at Yingning and sighed deeply, "Who dares to bully me?"

Ying Ning tapped her forehead, "I think so too. What is this or that? The Empress can't leave without someone inside. If you don't tell me, I'll go in."

Tingxu hurriedly pulled Yingning to look behind the screen, and said with complicated emotions in his eyes: "The emperor ordered to restore Concubine Meng's position. Now she is no longer Concubine Meng, but Concubine Zhang."

Ying Ning clutched the handkerchief tightly in her hand, "Why would the Emperor allow Concubine Zhang to be reinstated for no reason?"

After looking behind the screen, Ruan Yun's figure finally became rounder. Although she was still bulky and had a protruding belly, she didn't look as scary as before.

Tingxu said impatiently: "Who knows?"

Ying Ning took a breath and whispered, "Don't mention this to anyone else. Just keep it to yourself. Even if you are unhappy, don't let the queen know. The queen is prone to worrying when she is pregnant. Seeing you like this, she will naturally be in a bad mood."

Tingxu nodded, "I know, that's why I didn't tell the queen. You decide how to tell the queen. I'll go check out the pregnancy-preserving medicine for the queen."

"Okay." Yingning watched Tingxu walk out of the inner hall, then went into the inner hall.

When Ruan Yun saw her come in, she asked in a sweet voice, "What's wrong with her?"

Ying Ning smiled and explained, "A maidservant below accidentally spilled water on her skirt, and she came to ask me if I had any extra palace clothes."

Ruan Yun nodded, "I have a light blue dress, you can give it to her."

Ying Ning stepped forward and said, "I'll be there in a moment."

Seeing this, Ruan Yun did not ask any more questions. The two maids standing by stood up and said, "The madam's fetal position is a little abnormal now, but it will not be difficult to correct it if she moves around more."

"Thank you, Madam." Ruan Yun smiled and nodded. "I have been feeling weak lately, and my waist is also aching. The imperial physician didn't diagnose anything. I think this is probably caused by pregnancy."

The maids were all experienced and said in a gentle voice, "This is a common occurrence. Madam, if you massage your waist and legs more often every day, it will be slightly relieved."

Ying Ning stepped forward at the right time and put the silver in her hand into the hands of the maids, "Thank you, maids. Please come back in ten days."

The maids were extremely happy to receive the reward and left quietly.

The fire dragon and charcoal fire in the hall were burning brightly. Ying Ning helped Ruan Yun tie her dress and asked, "What would your Majesty like for lunch today? I will go get it for you."

Ruan Jun touched her belly and said, "I don't know why, but I have no appetite lately. Just bring some back. If there are any sour plums, help me get some."

Ying Ning couldn't help but laugh when she heard this, "How could there not be what the Queen wants?"

Ruan Yun pretended to hit her, but Ying Ning smiled and ordered someone to come in and serve her, and then she randomly asked a little palace maid to accompany her to get the food.

When Tingxu entered the hall carrying the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine, she looked at the medicine cup in her hand and tried to adjust herself before heading towards the inner hall.

Ruan Jun was reading a storybook with great interest. Seeing that Ting Xu was still wearing the clothes she wore this morning, she looked a little hesitant in her almond-shaped eyes:

"You said it was dirty, why are you still wearing it?"

Tingxu was slightly stunned, then lowered her head and hurriedly said, "The majesty's pregnancy-maintaining medicine is ready, I will go get it for her first, I don't have time to take care of these, I will go change it later."

Ruan Yun put down the notebook, thinking that she was a little strange today, but she didn't ask any more questions, and said, "You have people under you, so don't tire yourself out. Just let them do it. Go quickly."

Ting Xu put down the medicine cup and hurried out of the inner hall. The moment she turned around, Ruan Jun's almond-shaped eyes moved up and down, but she didn't see where there was any dirt on her body. She couldn't help but hold the book in her hand a little tighter.

…

The dining room

Eunuch Wang, who was in charge of the kitchen, was very attentive and said, bending over:

"If Ying Chongrong wants something, she can just send someone to tell her. Why bother Miss Ying Ning to come here in person?"

Ying Ning glared at him, "Eunuch Wang is just teasing me, what's the matter? Your Majesty wants some sour plums, do you have any?"

Eunuch Wang suddenly became embarrassed. Ying Ning saw something was wrong and asked, "What's wrong?"

Eunuch Wang pinched his throat and said, "There are still some."

Ying Ning nodded, "Please ask Eunuch Wang to bring me a can."

"Ouch." Eunuch Wang said repeatedly, "The people who bought plums in the palace made a mistake. When they left the palace, they actually forgot about the sour plums. The ladies didn't like the sour plums, so they didn't prepare many. But today...it's not that I didn't want to give them, but someone from Lady Li's palace just came and said that the emperor was going to Lady Li's palace today. They were afraid that the poor appetite would affect the emperor, so they took all the sour plums away."

The little palace maid who came with Ying Ning felt irritated when she heard these words.

Ying Ning's smile disappeared. "You all know that the queen uses a can of sour plums every five days. Today is the fifth day. Has Eunuch Wang told the palace maids of Noble Lady Li that my queen also wants it? So, my queen can't even eat a can of sour plums because she is pregnant with the Dragon Descendant?"

Eunuch Wang waved his hands quickly, "Miss Yingning, what are you talking about? It's just..."

He frowned, squinted his eyes, and looked embarrassed. "Noble Li has arrived at the palace first, and the emperor is going to visit Noble Li. I really can't afford to offend her. Miss Yingning, please don't make things difficult for me. When the purchases arrive tomorrow, I will personally deliver them to Linxuan Palace. What do you think?"

Ying Ning smiled, but her words were not polite at all. "In my opinion, there is no need to wait until tomorrow. With so many sour plums, can Mr. Li use them all? There must be a jar that has not been touched. I will trouble Eunuch Wang to go there. If Eunuch Wang does not go, I will go to the Queen to have a good talk."

Eunuch Wang cried, "This... is already in Lady Li's palace."

Ying Ning looked at Eunuch Wang, "So what if she's here? Even if my queen doesn't want to eat, she still finds it pleasing to the eye."

Eunuch Wang was in a dilemma. He didn't dare to go to Lady Li's palace, and now that Ying Ning was here, he didn't dare to say a word.

"Miss Yingning." Eunuch Wang said with a flattering smile.

However, when Ying Ning saw Eunuch Wang's expression, she knew that he was unwilling to do so, so she said bluntly: "Your Majesty, you are pregnant and cannot be hungry. I will go back to Linxuan Palace first. I will tell your Majesty everything that Eunuch Wang did today."

After saying this, Hua'e glanced at the little palace maid following beside her, understood Yingning's meaning, picked up the food box and went out with Yingning.

Eunuch Wang stretched out his hand a little, but Yingning didn't even look at him and left directly with the calyx. Only Eunuch Wang was left there with a sad face, and he sighed when he saw this scene.

After Ying Ning and Hua E walked away, Hua E couldn't help but ask, "Since Sister said so, what should we do if Eunuch Wang holds a grudge against our palace?"

Ying Ning glanced at her, swung her handkerchief and said, "If I don't say this today, you will be bullied in the future. Everyone will know that Your Majesty doesn't even have a few sour plums to eat."

Hua'e nodded as if she understood, and returned to Linxuan Palace with Yingning.

The meal was placed on the table. Ruan Yun looked at the food in front of her and couldn't help asking, "Where are the sour plums?"

While serving food to the queen, Ying Ning told her what happened in the kitchen today. At the end, she said, "Her Majesty, look, Noble Lady Li's..."

Ruan Yun sneered and said, "She is pregnant, so she is naturally precious, but why should I let her do that?"

Ying Ning said softly: "Your Majesty is talking about that Eunuch Wang..."

Although Wang Deqi could not be faulted in what he did, he never wanted to offend anyone. He had not done anything to her at first, but after what happened today, Wang Deqi could not stay.

Ruan Yun picked up the jade chopsticks and ate the meal slowly, saying, "I am suffering from severe back pain, please ask the emperor to come over."

The emperor could go to Concubine Li's palace because of the dragon in her belly, so she could naturally use the same method to get the emperor to come to Xuan Palace.

How many sour plums could Noble Li eat by himself? She didn't believe that Noble Li's behavior had nothing to do with her.

After dinner, Lin Xuan Palace invited the imperial physician.

The incident caused a huge commotion and the news soon spread throughout the harem.

When the queen got the news, she asked with concern, "How is Ying Chongrong?"

Ran Xia whispered in the Queen's ear, "Ying Chongrong wanted to eat sour plums today, but the kitchen gave all the sour plums to Li Guiren."

The Queen frowned and said, "Wang Deqi's work is really getting worse and worse. Forget it. Let the imperial physician examine Ying Chongrong and come back to this palace to report."

Ran Xia agreed and sent someone out to do it.

Ji Zhaoyi was the first to receive the news and arrived at Xuan Palace. She saw the female doctor massaging Ruan Yun's waist. Her snow-white skin was exposed. She was lying on her side, looking like a beautiful woman lying quietly.

"Is Sister Ying okay?"

The doctor replied, "It is common to have back pain during pregnancy. You need to massage the back more often every day."

Ji Zhaoyi nodded. Seeing that Ruan Yun did not look particularly uncomfortable, he waited for the doctor to finish massaging her before speaking again, "Sister Ying, are you still feeling uncomfortable? My mother also had back pain frequently before, so I learned some methods to help her."

Ruan Yun saw that her eyes were full of cunning, and glared at her unhappily, "Why are you so good at teasing me?"

Ji Zhaoyi smiled and personally picked up the teacup and placed it in Ruan Yun's hand, "How dare I, sister?"

"Although Wang Deqi has never been close to any of the concubines, after what happened to my sister, Wang Deqi cannot stay. I can't guarantee that he won't hate my sister because of this. Moreover, the kitchen is an important place. How can we let him stay?"

Ruan Yun took a sip of tea and nodded, saying, "That's right."

Ji Zhaoyi tightened the handkerchief in his hand from time to time and said, "Come to think of it, I have a very good candidate. Let him be the head of the kitchen. It will definitely be right."

Ruan Yun frowned, "Don't let anyone see it."

"Don't worry, Sister Ying." Ji Zhaoyi smiled slightly, "Eunuch Deng also knows this man."

…

When Wei Maoyuan got the news, he hurried into the inner hall. Yan Shiyu was sitting on the couch reading a book, and Li Guiren was beside him, adding tea and peeling nuts for the emperor from time to time.

Seeing Wei Maoyuan coming in, Li Guiren suddenly felt that something bad was going to happen. Just as she was about to speak to stop Wei Maoyuan, she heard Wei Maoyuan say, "Your Majesty, Linxuan Palace has invited the imperial physician."

The emperor was not planning to visit Concubine Li today. However, on his way to Linxuan Palace, he met Concubine Li's maid on the way. She looked dazed and said that Concubine Li had a heart attack and stomachache, and that she had already asked the imperial physician to come over, so she came to ask for the emperor.

The emperor was already impatient at the time, but Concubine Li in the palace made the situation more serious, forcing the emperor to speak up and come to Concubine Li's palace.

However, when the emperor arrived, the imperial physician had already left. Lady Li had a rosy complexion, a plumper figure than before, and spoke in a sonorous and powerful voice. She did not look unwell at all.

The emperor agreed to let Li Guiren stay for dinner because he saw that she was pregnant with a dragon. Now that something happened in Linxuan Palace, Wei Maoyuan dared not delay at all.

When Li Guiren heard this, his reaction was even more extreme than the emperor's. "Ying Chongrong seems to be unwell, has the imperial physician visited her?"

Yan Shiyu glanced at Li Guiren coldly, and Li Guiren realized that something was wrong. She bit her lip and said, "I am worried about Ying Chongrong."

"You'd better take a good rest." After saying that, Yan Shiyu stood up and turned to go outside.

Nobleman Li stood up quickly and tried to grab the emperor's sleeve, but his hands hit nothing.

Ye Man quickly supported Li Guiren, "My lady, be careful."

Li Guiren sat down, holding his chest, "I can't wait any longer."

Ye Man's eyes were filled with worry, "This... this is clearly forcing someone to do something against their will."

Li Guiren bit his lip, tears welling up in his eyes, "What can I do? I can only let it go."

She closed her eyes and a line of tears flowed down. She wiped her tears and when she opened her eyes again, she said, "Send someone to Linxuan Palace to find out what happened to Ying Chongrong."

Although she didn't quite believe it, if Ying Chongrong was really in trouble...

Noble Li couldn't help but shudder.

…

Linxuan Palace

When Yan Shiyu arrived, all the candles in the inner hall had been extinguished.

Ying Ning and other palace maids got the news and hurried out to pay their respects to the emperor. "May the emperor be well and safe."

Yan Shiyu looked towards the inner hall, and his cold voice was like the chill wind at night, "How is your queen?"

Ying Ning was neither anxious nor impatient, and said, "After the imperial physician left, the queen went to sleep."

Yan Shiyu raised his foot to go in, but Yingning knelt to the side, blocking the emperor's steps.

When Wei Maoyuan saw Yingning's actions, he wished he could take her aside to sober her up.

"The queen said she wanted to be alone for a while and didn't want to see anyone."

Yan Shiyu sneered and went straight into the inner hall regardless of Yingning's obstruction.

Wei Maoyuan passed by Yingning and whispered, "Why are you still helping your wife to hold the emperor back?"

Ying Ning snorted, "Eunuch, you are wrong. It is a fact that the queen is unwell."

Wei Maoyuan was speechless and could only quicken his pace and follow the emperor in.

The inner hall was completely silent, and there was no sound from the bed.

Although the candles were not lit, every step Yan Shiyu took was steady.

On the couch, the quilt covered Ruan Yun's small body. Yan Shiyu reached out and touched Ruan Yun's little face, but found it was wet.

Are you crying?

This was the first thing that came to Yan Shiyu's mind.

Without paying attention to anything else, Yan Shiyu tried to pull open the quilt, but Ruan Yun was stronger than him and grabbed the quilt tightly without letting go. She said in a sobbing voice:

"Your Majesty, why are you here? I am not the only concubine who is pregnant. It would be the same if Your Majesty went to see other concubines."

Yan Shiyu was so angry at her words that his eyebrows twitched. He scolded her, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ruan Yun turned around, and with the bright moonlight outside, Yan Shiyu saw the tears on Ruan Yun's face. Just as he was about to wipe them away, Ruan Yun asked a question without any context:

"Are the sour plums in Lady Li's palace delicious?"

Yan Shiyu sneered, "I didn't get to eat the sour plums, but I did eat a lot of vinegar."

His eyesight was very good at night, and he looked around but did not see the jar of sour plums on the table. He said in a deep voice, "How come my palace can't even afford a jar of sour plums?"

Ruan Yun was furious when she thought of this, and said bluntly, "Your Majesty should ask Lady Li how she could take all the sour plums from the kitchen alone."

Wei Maoyuan was standing behind the screen and heard Ying Chongrong's words. He couldn't help but admire Ying Chongrong. Look at these words, in just a few short sentences, she told the emperor everything that Li Guiren and Yu's kitchen had done.

Yan Shiyu said to the outside: "Turn on the lights."

The palace servants filed in, moving in an orderly manner without making any noise.

In an instant, the inner hall of Linxuan Palace was bright, and the exquisite furnishings exuded a faint luster.

The tears on Ruan Yun's face inevitably fell into Yan Shiyu's eyes. He turned the white jade ring in his hand and said, "When I was still a prince, someone gave me a jar of sour plums. The taste was better than the sour plums in the palace."

Ruan Yun stared at the emperor in a daze. She wanted to speak, but suddenly she thought of something and lost her temper. "The emperor also said that it was outside the palace, but he had to use this word to tempt me."

Yan Shiyu said calmly: "If you want to leave the palace, it's not impossible."

Ruan Jun leaned back on the pillow in disappointment, but suddenly realized what the emperor said. A light flashed across her almond-shaped eyes, and she grabbed Yan Shiyu's sleeve, "What did the emperor say just now?"

Yan Shiyu pinched her tender face, which was so tender that water could drip out of it, and said, "If my beloved concubine didn't hear you, forget it."

Ruan Yun heard the harsh words and bit her lower lip in shame, her whole body burning.

But she was seduced by the emperor's words just now, and gritted her teeth and said, "I just heard it."

Yan Shiyu's dull laughter fell into everyone's ears, and Ruan Yun's ears were stained with a slight red. "The emperor's words must be counted."

If I leave the palace later, I won't have to wait until this year to escape the summer heat in the palace, which is really a very good thing.

Yan Shiyu pulled Ruan Yun into his arms and said, "Get up and change your clothes."

Ruan Jun's eyes widened. "Your Majesty, are you referring to now?"

Yan Shiyu saw her excited look, brushed aside her hair and said, "Yes."

After being helped to change her clothes by the palace maids, Ruan Jun got into the carriage. She still couldn't believe it when she saw the emperor wearing royal blue clothes beside her.

She actually left the palace when it was about to be locked down.

Figures moved on the streets of Shangjing. Ruan Jun opened the car curtain and looked outside. The moment she raised her almond-shaped eyes, she saw a very familiar person on the street.