Chapter 97 [VIP]
Chapter Summary: Extra Chapter
Not long after Xie Xuan and Yu Jing left, the imperial physician arrived.
Xie Ying poured a cup of tea and let it cool. The imperial physician took two steps forward, bowed to Xie Ying, and said, "Your humble servant greets Consort Xie."
"Get up," Xie Ying told him, then said to him, "I've been feeling really tired lately, and I can't seem to wake up properly. I get sleepy again in no time. Can you take a look at me?"
"Then allow me to take the beauty's pulse first," the imperial physician said in a low voice.
"Okay," Xie Ying replied.
The imperial physician hurried forward, taking out a pulse pillow and a silk handkerchief from his medicine box. Xie Ying reached out and placed her hand on the pulse pillow. The physician then placed his hand on her pulse, pondered for a moment, and asked, "When did your period begin, my lady?"
Xie Ying became a little nervous and thought carefully: "It has been a long time since my period started, but my period has never been accurate."
After Xie Ying finished speaking, she asked, "Is there anything wrong?"
The imperial physician hurriedly knelt down to offer his congratulations, saying, "Congratulations, my beauty! Congratulations! You are pregnant!"
Upon hearing this, the people around Xie Ying knelt down to congratulate her, saying, "Congratulations, beautiful lady! Congratulations, beautiful lady!"
Xie Ying was stunned, and softly repeated, "What did you just say?"
The imperial physician looked up and repeated, "The beauty is pregnant."
She was pregnant. Xie Ying lowered her hands and stroked her belly. So she was carrying a child. She had only been in the palace for a short time, and she was already pregnant! For a moment, she couldn't describe her feelings; her thoughts were a jumble of emotions.
After learning of her pregnancy, Qi Jin visited Wan Ying Pavilion even more frequently, even though Xie Ying was pregnant and unable to serve him in bed.
"The ginseng chicken soup is quite good today," Qi Jin said to Xie Ying after tasting a spoonful of the soup.
Xie Ying nodded in agreement, saying, "It tastes quite good."
"Use as much as you like," Qi Jin instructed.
"Okay." Xie Ying replied. Since she became pregnant, she had been drinking nourishing soup every day. Although it tasted good, she couldn't drink it every day.
Seeing Xie Ying's expression, Qi Jin said calmly, "If you don't like it, then you won't drink it."
"I don't dislike it, it's just that I have indeed drunk a bit too much these past two days." Xie Ying replied somewhat embarrassedly after Qi Jin pointed it out.
Qi Jin did not respond, but silently drank his soup.
Xie Ying noticed that Qi Jin seemed somewhat unhappy. After the dishes were cleared away, Qi Jin worked on some official documents at his desk for a while. Xie Ying glanced up at Qi Jin's expression, feeling a little uneasy.
Qi Jin stood up and walked to the bedside. Xie Ying said, "Your Majesty, let me help you undress."
Qi Jin stood lazily, looking at Xie Ying, who met his eyes. His eyes were somewhat fox-like; when he looked at someone, his eyelids drooped slightly, making it impossible to discern his emotions. He had thick eyebrows, a high nose bridge, and thin lips, exuding an air of nobility, yet carrying a hint of harshness. His soft blue attire softened his otherwise sharp features.
Xie Ying walked up to Qi Jin. Qi Jin raised his hands, and Xie Ying, as usual, reached around his waist to undo his belt. Suddenly, she felt a weight on her shoulder and was pulled into Qi Jin's arms.
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to force yourself.” Qi Jin’s low, husky voice reached Xie Ying’s ears, “especially in front of me.”
Qi Jin wasn't oblivious, but the moment he did, he felt a strange, inexplicable sense of dejection.
Xie Ying took a moment to process it and said that it would be a lie to say she wasn't moved at that moment. Qi Jin was truly in love with Xie Ying, and Xie Ying could feel it.
"Mm," Xie Ying replied.
"Let's get settled in as soon as possible," Qi Jin said, moving back slightly by half an inch to untie Xie Ying's belt. Xie Ying looked at Qi Jin in surprise, "Your Majesty, I can do it myself."
"Let me do it." Qi Jin continued working.
He had always been served by others, and he had never served anyone before. His movements were very clumsy, so Xie Ying watched as Qi Jin slowly untied the cloth.
Once on the bed, Qi Jin held Xie Ying in his arms, gently placing his hand on her stomach.
"I heard from the people below that you've been vomiting a lot lately?"
"I am feeling somewhat unwell."
"Has the imperial physician been summoned?"
"The prescription has already been written, Your Majesty need not worry," Xie Ying said.
"Mmm," Qi Jin replied lazily, his voice already tinged with drowsiness.
"Ugh." Xie Ying spat out what was in her mouth, feeling a terrible sour taste in her throat.
"Are you alright, my beauty?" Dan'er asked as she patted Xie Ying's back to help her catch her breath. Xie Ying raised her hand, and Dan'er quickly handed her some tea. Xie Ying drank the tea, rinsed her mouth, and then felt a little better.
I've been vomiting more and more lately, and I can't eat anything. The medicine I take isn't helping either.
"Help me to the bed," Xie Ying said weakly.
"Yes." Dan'er helped Xie Ying over. She hadn't eaten much and had vomited a lot, so she was weak and exhausted. Xie Ying lay down on the couch and fell asleep soon after.
When Qi Jin arrived, Dan'er had just finished brewing the medicine and was about to take it in to see if Xie Ying had woken up.
"This servant greets Your Majesty," Dan'er said, bowing to Qi Jin while carrying the medicine.
Qi Jin glanced at the medicine in her hand and asked, "How is she?"
Dan'er replied somewhat nervously, "Today we only had some clear chicken soup; we vomited up everything else that was served."
"Have you taken all your medicine?"
"I've been drinking it for days, but it's still the same," Dan'er replied.
“Xu Xinshu.” Qi Jin turned slightly to the side.
"Your servant is here," Xu Xinshu hurriedly stepped forward and replied.
"Go and invite another imperial physician to take a look."
Xu Xinshu was taken aback at first, then replied, "Yes."
When Xie Ying woke up, she turned over and realized something was wrong. Someone was hugging her from behind, and she knew without a doubt that it was Qi Jin. Xie Ying lay there for a while to clear her mind, then turned around and asked Qi Jin, "Why didn't Your Majesty call out to me when you came?"
"It's rare for you to sleep so soundly. If I were to wake you, wouldn't that be my fault?" Qi Jin whispered to Xie Ying.
"I heard from the men below that the patient is still vomiting badly even after taking the medicine?" Qi Jin asked softly.
"Hmm, it's only been a few days since I started drinking it, so it probably won't happen that quickly," Xie Ying guessed.
"I have had another imperial physician come and take a look."
"Your Majesty, there's no need for such trouble."
"How can you call your matter troublesome?" Qi Jin replied, and Xie Ying said no more. He wouldn't change his mind once he made up his mind, and besides, asking the imperial physician wasn't a big deal.
Qi Jin lay with Xie Ying for a while longer, then called for someone to come in and serve him when he got up.
"Your Majesty, the imperial physician is already waiting outside," Xu Xinshu said to Qi Jin as he entered.
"Let him in."
"yes."
The imperial physician entered the inner palace, greeted Qi Jin and Xie Ying, and then took their pulses.
"Qin Jin's prescription was ineffective after three days of drinking it; that's because he's incompetent," Qi Jin said in a low voice, as if talking to someone else, yet also as if talking to himself.
The imperial physician nervously raised his sleeve to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and replied somewhat guiltily, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the prescription I have written will have a beneficial effect."
"That's good then." Qi Jin glanced at him and replied with satisfaction.
The imperial physicians had left, and it was almost time for dinner, so the meal was served. The late autumn night felt particularly desolate even inside the palace. Xie Ying, sitting on the soft couch, felt a bit cold and gestured for Dan'er to bring her a cloak. Unexpectedly, Qi Jin noticed first; being closer to the shelf, he casually grabbed his own cloak and went over.
Qi Jin's cloak was made of the finest material, and most importantly, it was embroidered with a five-clawed dragon. As the cloak was handed over, Xie Ying slightly raised her hand and looked at Qi Jin.
"Your Majesty, this is probably against the rules."
Qi Jin glanced at the dragon pattern on the cloak: "It's alright."
As he spoke, he draped the cloak over Xie Ying's shoulders. The cloak felt warm against her skin, and Xie Ying's heart softened in that instant.
After dinner, Xie Ying vomited for a while, but Qi Jin didn't mind. He sat down next to Xie Ying, patted her back, and handed her water.
"Has the medicine I just prescribed been brewed?" Qi Jin asked Dan'er, turning slightly to the side.
"Your Majesty, he has pulled through."
"Go and keep an eye on it; bring it over when it's ready."
"yes."
Xie Ying's lips turned white from spitting out, and Qi Jin took a handkerchief from the side and wiped them for her.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xie Ying reached out to take the handkerchief, but Qi Jin stepped back to avoid it. "Let me do it."
After a while, Dan'er brought over the medicinal soup, and Qi Jin readily accepted it.
"You may all step back."
"Yes." The crowd responded and withdrew.
Qi Jin fed Xie Ying the medicine spoonful by spoonful. Xie Ying sipped it slowly, her heart pounding as she looked at Qi Jin. Qi Jin's expression was gentle; his brows were slightly lowered, and his eyes were as deep as a still pool. Xie Ying stared at him, as if falling into a pool, and then, almost unconsciously, leaned in and kissed Qi Jin's cheek.
Caught off guard, Qi Jin spilled some of the medicine he had just ladled out. Xie Ying gave him only a light kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the water, before quickly returning to her original position. When Qi Jin looked up, he saw a blush rising on Xie Ying's face as she lowered her head. He turned and placed the medicine on the small table, then reached out and pulled Xie Ying into his arms, kissing her deeply.
He had never imagined that Xie Ying's medicine would be so bitter. Yet Xie Ying's lips were incredibly sweet, and the combination of the two was so intoxicating.
Qi Jin kissed her forcefully, and Xie Ying seemed to sense Qi Jin's arousal. She reached out and gently nudged Qi Jin, whispering, "Your Majesty."
The next second, a tingling sensation ran down Xie Ying's neck. Qi Jin pressed Xie Ying's neck twice with his hand, as if soothing a cat.
"I understand."
Xie Ying herself couldn't pinpoint exactly when she fell for Qi Jin. Perhaps it was the first time he saw her practice swordsmanship. Or perhaps it was the first time he kissed her. On summer nights, in the cramped little kitchen, he would fan her. The two of them would sit together in the hall, each doing their own thing. On autumn nights, like now, they would lie neck to neck, embracing each other in sleep.
"Your Majesty," Xie Ying called softly.
"Um."
"Has Your Majesty decided on a name for your child?"
"If he is a prince, he will be called Qi An; if he is a princess, he will be called Shao Yu. Sui Sui, what do you think?"
"Qi An, Shao Yu," Xie Ying repeated softly.
"good."
He had genuinely considered being good to her back then, but he also knew that the truth would eventually come out.
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