Chapter 67 Chapter 67 [VIP]
The maids around her all retreated, and Emperor Yuan Shuo leaned over to look at her. The beauty was full of pride, staring at him with sparkling eyes, expecting him to give the same reaction.
She should be happy... right, being pregnant with this child?
Shen Youyi quietly approached, tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "Your Majesty, why don't you smile? Do you suspect that this child is not yours?"
Haozi was alone, leaving the place to the two of them. Her embarrassing words could not be spread. Emperor Yuanshuo pinched her cheek and whispered angrily, "Your tongue should be pulled out. Yi Niang, how dare you come to Jiade Hall alone!"
He was almost mad at her. If the eunuch really believed her words and didn't come to report, and there was no King Zhao watching her all the time, even if she fainted, how could the Queen Mother take her pulse or ask for medical treatment!
However, he began to have some doubts. Yi Niang had been pregnant for a long time, so why didn't she have any signs?
The envoy of the Song Court tactfully told him that the concubine fainted probably because she had difficulty eating and was too worried, and she should be extra careful when sitting, lying down, and walking. Fortunately, she was young and in good health, but if the emperor could not help but visit her in the future, for the sake of the royal heir, they would have to wait for about half a month.
He was scared just thinking about it. This little bastard, did she know that she was pregnant from the beginning, and yet she dared to be so careless and spend a night with him?
She knelt on the ground for a long time today. She really doesn't want to live!
No matter how much my mother dislikes her, she will never teach a pregnant concubine to answer on her knees!
As expected, Shen Youyi suppressed the smile on her lips and whispered, "Why wouldn't I dare to come? You know I'm afraid of death, so why would I come here to seek death? I just want to use this matter to make the queen happy. If you do this, won't the queen dowager think too much?"
She fainted for just a moment, without any warning. When she woke up again, she had been carried to the side hall by Emperor Yuan Shuo, and someone was feeding her water. This alarmed everyone, and if she stood up to defend herself, it would only add fuel to the fire. So she simply pretended and waited until the imperial physician arrived to speak.
Emperor Yuan Shuo was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I thought your confidence came from me."
He liked her so much that he couldn't bear to touch a hair on her head. Even if A Niang scolded her, he couldn't stand it. But he was wrong. Yi Niang was much more docile and talkative in front of the Queen Mother than in front of him. She would not be so stubborn as to remain silent and make people tremble with anger.
She would also say that the beauty is still there but the love is gone.
Shen Youyi grabbed his fingertips and shook them, then pressed them against his head, insisting that he sit down: "My dear, I'm still very dizzy. Is it okay for me to lean on you and talk?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo sat stiffly beside her, and was unexpectedly kissed on the cheek by her. Her rapid breath tickled his neck, and his anger suddenly dissipated. He looked sharp and whispered a warning, "Yi Niang!"
Shen Youyi forcefully hugged Emperor Yuan Shuo. She expected he wouldn't resist, so she placed her still groggy head on the man's shoulder and whispered, "With a child like this, things will be much easier. But if I don't say it out loud, the old lady will always have some grudges against me. I don't want to embarrass Your Majesty, nor do I want you to argue with the Queen Mother... Who knew the ears would report it so quickly? The argument seems to have intensified."
People also have selfish desires, and perhaps she is the one with a knot in her heart. Shen Youyi grumbled, "I have done nothing wrong. Why should people think that I can only return to His Majesty's side if I am pregnant? If the old lady knew I was pregnant first, she would definitely be very happy and would not tell my true feelings to a 'dying person' like me."
People in the palace valued harmony and consideration, but she actually didn't like the feeling of being glossed over. Grudges and prejudices would never be eliminated by new joy.
Those people thought from the bottom of their hearts that she was a seductress who could seduce the emperor, and the reason she was able to stay here safely was just because she was lucky enough to be pregnant with the child the emperor most desired.
She had wanted to do the same before, but even though it seemed unsuccessful, it did not prevent her from surviving.
Emperor Yuan Shuo couldn't bear to hear her say such unlucky words. He supported her waist and frowned, saying, "So, as the child's father, I wasn't the first to know about this. And I'm being accused of being a heartless king who abandoned you?"
"Your Majesty, haven't you seen how difficult it is for a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law to get along? I know Your Majesty is only saying that because you treat me well, but there's nothing wrong with saying that. If you really treated me coldly, would you be reluctant to give me a small salary to support me until the end of my life?"
Shen Youyi chuckled softly in his arms, gritting her teeth and saying, "Who told Henglang to act so pitiful, not letting me touch him, not even taking medicine, not eating, not sleeping, trying to starve himself to death? You're making me feel guilty?"
Isn't that what she calls obedient? "I think this child has been tossed around with me for a long time, so he should still be very strong. Your Majesty is weak and frail, how long can he hold on? He was confused for a moment, so I will do whatever you want!"
Who, at such an old age, still wants to deceive her? He is so shameless!
Emperor Yuan Shuo felt a surge of heat on his body. He recalled Yi Niang's soft resistance at night and the words he had blocked back. He pinched her buttocks and lowered his voice, "No wonder my mother said you are the best match for me."
He thought that there would always be someone who would subdue him, which would also make him angry.
But after all, I still feel a little scared. Yiniang is young. The royal family has a child. From pregnancy to childbirth, I don’t know how much it matters. She has no discomfort.
Shen Youyi, however, had the leisure to inquire about other things, and Haozi asked curiously, "Old Lady?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo glanced at her lightly, and said in a low voice that made people feel uneasy: "Mother is a little angry, but not completely at you."
When the imperial concubine became pregnant, the queen mother would compare the dates in the Tongshi and the regularity of the imperial concubine's monthly menstrual period to know the time of the child's birth. The harem had no heirs for many years, and the queen mother knew that her son was domineering, so she was extremely restrained in the harem and had no habit or need to look through his Tongshi from time to time.
But when she looked at her son in July, he seemed fine. But as time went on, his expression became more and more subtle. She would glance at her son from time to time, and almost wanted to take out last year's old album.
It was hard for her not to suspect that the emperor had cheated on this matter and was a little vague a few times. Since she was the only one who received the favor, missing one or two times would not hinder the verification.
She never thought that this son seemed cold and uninterested, but he was willing to give everything to the imperial concubine!
Although he often had Shen by his side, he should have known the limits. He might not have actually shown her much favor. Unexpectedly, she indulged herself so excessively in private, often taking an hour or two before asking for water.
Neither of them spoke the truth. The Queen Mother was so angry that she almost laughed at the thought. However, she could neither control the emperor, whose power was growing day by day, nor did she want to care about his favorite concubines.
This matter was not entirely caused by the Imperial Concubine. Although the Queen Mother was a little annoyed, she was concerned about the child in Shen Youyi's belly and said impartially: "Emperor, there must be a limit to your happiness. You are an elderly man. Now that the Imperial Concubine is pregnant, you must be more cautious."
Neither of these two sons satisfied him, and he was too lazy to go to the harem. But if he didn't visit his concubines, how could he produce a new prince? Since the imperial concubine was pregnant, she would surely be able to give the emperor more children in the future.
She felt really sorry for the prince, but the past was gone. The best fate for this child was to live a life of wealth and leisure. She had no way to change the emperor's mind, but the happy event before her was real.
Emperor Yuan Shuo relayed the story in a more subtle way, but Shen Youyi still bit her lip and couldn't raise her head.
It took a long time to recover.
Emperor Yuan Shuo comforted her, saying, "Aniang has given you many treasures. Now her anger is directed at me, and she will not hold it against Yi Niang."
Shen Youyi raised her head, her eyes like water, and looked at him steadily, almost melting his heart. He thought she would be embarrassed and blame him pitifully, but she opened her red lips slightly and asked nervously, "Then your majesty is only angry with me when he knows all this, and is not happy at all?"
The smile in Emperor Yuan Shuo's eyes almost burst out, but when he saw the smugness in her eyes, he restrained himself a lot. He hugged the expectant beauty tightly, and his voice was so soft that it trembled: "Yi Niang, how could you think I am not happy? I have never been so happy in a day!"
That was the child he thought might never come. He almost wanted to send her and his own flesh and blood away, but it came anyway. When they were both unaware and resented each other, it was still firmly rooted in the mother's womb, even concealing its own existence.
He tentatively put his palm close to her belly, which had almost no curve, and felt the presence of the little guy. He could hardly restrain the tenderness in his heart. They were such a confused and rough couple as parents, but they still had such a good fortune today.
Such a sensible child brought his mother back to him.
Emperor Yuan Shuo sighed softly. It seemed that he had done too many cruel things in his life, such as killing his wife and imprisoning his children, and he did not think that he would receive any retribution.
However, it seemed as if Heaven had deliberately played a little joke on him, causing him to slip into the abyss if he wasn't careful, and to miss the family happiness that was once within his reach.
Shen Youyi finally felt somewhat satisfied. She held the emperor's palm tightly, revealing the emotions that had been hidden for a long time, and said with joy: "Yi Niang is also very happy. I want to give birth to children for Your Majesty, and I only want to give birth to children for you."
She had thought about becoming a mother a long time ago, but she had often given up on that hope. Only after marrying Xiao Che did she briefly try to regulate her body. She didn't want the child to be born in confusion and be the prince's illegitimate child, nor did she want to give birth to a child for the father of her enemy.
Just like those female wolves and beasts, or even ordinary animals, only the noblest and most pleasing males are worthy of giving birth to strong and healthy offspring.
Humans are the most intelligent creatures on earth, but they are also animals. They are just subject to more rules and moral constraints. Their parents and relatives decide their marriages for them, and they rarely get to choose the father of their children.
"Giving birth to a child is a very painful and tiring thing. If he is not the husband I like, no matter how powerful he is, I will not want his blood to be born from my belly."
She whispered, "I only knew about this a few days earlier than Your Majesty, but I didn't want Your Majesty to think that I came back to you just for this child. I just wanted to come and see you. If there really is something wrong, maybe I can even cheer you up."
Before entering the palace, she did not know how seriously ill Emperor Yuan Shuo was. Even if she was pregnant with a prince, the sudden national mourning meant that the crown prince or the son of the previous emperor were the most likely to ascend the throne.
This child did not become a bargaining chip for her survival, nor was it a tool for her to threaten anyone. She had infinite tolerance and tenderness for this lump of flesh and blood that had never seen a hundred years, and it was not even entirely due to the bond of blood.
She didn't dislike the child's father; she was satisfied with his qualities, both inside and out. He was qualified enough to be her child's father. Her body had already willingly accepted him before she did: "I only want to bear children for the man I love, and no one else can do it except Your Majesty."
Whatever a beautiful woman who is good at lying says makes people want to take it as the truth. Emperor Yuan Shuo felt sad. She was still trying to deceive people at this time, but he could no longer take it seriously like he did at the beginning and discern the truth from her every word.
The fact that she said this showed that she was sincere. Even if she really returned to him for the child's future, there was nothing wrong with it. He also loved this child very much.
As long as the result is satisfactory, does it matter?
Shen Youyi reached out and put her arms around his neck, saying softly, "In fact, the Queen Mother would never do anything to me. Her love for me comes from His Majesty's love and favor. You are her favorite son, and you are so sick, the Queen Mother will not be really angry. It's just that His Majesty is too concerned and keeps watching me too closely, which makes him worry about gains and losses."
Sometimes she was surprised that someone like her would feel some regret and guilt for him... Her appearance did indeed destroy the harmony and joy of the family.
When he was so angry, she obviously didn't want to argue in front of him at all, and she didn't even want to coax him. But today she was a little more humble, and was thinking about how to let him know about this matter in a few days, so that he could feel a little happy.
Even though she was dealing with a heartless man, and she had such bad intentions in mind, she still felt a little soft-hearted. She didn't want him to hurt his mother's heart in order to keep her.
Emperor Yuan Shuo sighed softly, "Yi Niang, the Queen Mother should really know these things."
"I'm not saying these things to make the old lady happy." Shen Youyi turned her head away somewhat unnaturally, and said shyly, "Those who should know already know, isn't that enough?
Emperor Yuan Shuo's heart softened. He had almost nothing to ask for anymore: "I know that Yi Niang did this for me."
He did not sentence Yi Niang to death, nor did she get hurt by any bumps along the way, and he didn't even have to use any extreme methods. Yi Niang returned to him again. This was both human effort and God's will.
It was not convenient to stay in Jiade Hall for a long time. Emperor Yuanshuo asked the imperial physician in detail and learned that she fainted just because she couldn't eat much. In addition, Shen Youyi absolutely refused to be carried back on a couch, so the two of them left in a sedan chair.
The thick curtains were all lowered. The emperor's chariot was very spacious, and Shen Youyi did not feel cramped with her head resting on his legs. Naturally, she wanted to be lively for a while, but this would cause him a lot of worries. So she simply wanted to be quiet and use him as a pillow.
Emperor Yuan Shuo saw her slender fingers concentrating on playing with his waist, as if she had obtained some very novel toy. He wondered if she was laughing at the absurd thoughts of seeking children in her heart. He felt a little embarrassed, but it was not easy to avoid her, so he could only protect her head and bend slightly.
Of course he couldn't avoid it. He lowered his eyes and saw Yi Niang smiling sideways with shallow dimples on her face.
Anger and love could linger in his heart at the same time. Emperor Yuan Shuo felt helpless and asked softly, "What are you laughing at, Yi Niang?"
It was difficult for him to control himself in front of her, and she loved teasing people, so it was inevitable that she would react.
Shen Youyi listened to the crisp sound of golden bells in the ceremonial procession and thought of another thing. When she thought of the love affair when she was a girl, she no longer felt so regretful, but when Emperor Yuan Shuo asked her, she was still startled and hesitated a little.
After all, this is related to the prince, and what Emperor Yuan Shuo can't stand the most is the past between the prince and her. This man is so petty!
But she hadn't had anything substantial to say to the Crown Prince at that time, so she stammered, "I remember the first time Haozi met His Majesty many years ago."
Emperor Yuan Shuo was slightly puzzled. The first time they met should have been at the Duke of Yan's Mansion. Not long after Yi Niang entered the palace to be selected as a concubine, he went out to fight and had not seen these beautiful and young ladies. He only selected a few women with good family backgrounds and reputations for the crown prince and the royal family to marry, and released the rest.
Sometimes when he thinks about it, he can't help but feel sorry. If he knew that she was among those beauties, he would definitely have carefully examined her, kept her in the Zichen Palace, and started loving her early.
Shen Youyi thought that Emperor Yuan Shuo couldn't do anything to her now. She hesitated for a while, but didn't want to tell more lies to cover up the truth step by step. She said vaguely: "When I first entered the palace, my brother told me a lot about you. Sometimes I would disguise myself as a palace maid and sneak to the Taiye Lake. I could catch a glimpse of His Majesty's carriage, and I couldn't help but want to take another look."
Emperor Yuan Shuo slowed down his movements of caressing her face. He did not remember such a thing happening. Seeing the countless palace maids and eunuchs paying homage to the emperor's carriage from afar, he might not be able to find her even if he rolled up the curtains.
However, at that time, he would often meet the prince studying and painting in this place on some days. The Taiye Lake in summer was covered with clouds and mist, lingering around the pavilions. It was as vast as the rivers and seas, and seemed like the fairyland of Penglai. Emperor Yuan Shuo saw him painting the small lotus flowers in the pond and did not take it seriously.
He would even stop occasionally to say a word or two to the prince.
The emperor's fingertips hooked a strand of hair and gently twisted it. His voice was low and gentle, as if he was extremely interested: "What was Yi Niang doing at that time?"
At that time, Yi Niang had not seen much of the world. Without the prince's temptation, he didn't believe that she would dare to risk her life just to take a look at the waterfowl in Taiye Lake.
Shen Youyi also missed her carefree self at that time. She concealed half of it: "I was collecting dewdrops on the lotus leaves in the corridor to make tea, and I heard His Majesty talking to someone."
That person is the prince.
Emperor Yuan Shuo took a deep breath. Didn't she want wealth and honor at that time? Even if the prince was timid and cowardly, couldn't she take a few more steps and show herself in front of the emperor?
At that time, he would have become interested in her without knowing it... She could have come to him earlier!
But Shen Youyi only had his sweet voice in her ears, and he showed a little interest in her thoughts at the time: “Yi Niang feels that I am not worthy of the name and am greatly disappointed?”
Shen Youyi shook her head disapprovingly. In fact, based on the prince's description, she just felt that it was very appropriate.
How could someone speak to his own son in such a strict manner? The prince was majestic in front of others, but when he was in front of Emperor Yuan Shuo, he didn't even dare to breathe. Of course, there was a factor that he was almost caught, but her father and brother would never speak like this.
"I imagine Your Majesty must be as solemn as the gold and silver idols in the temple, walking in a proper manner, and speaking as tiredly as my teacher. I wonder when your wife and children will ever smile again."
Emperor Yuan Shuo's expression turned cold, but he didn't let her see it. He said softly, "It's really hard for you to ask Yi Niang to dance for me."
The men she had been with before were all more handsome than the other, and would be servile enough to please the girls. But when she suddenly met the elder who was the prince, she certainly did not feel the slightest affection for him.
He suddenly felt a little resentful. Why didn't her amnesia occur at this time?
Shen Youyi laughed for a moment. She was not unaware of his anger, so she didn't mind coaxing him. She said softly, "That's not the case. I regretted it the moment I saw Your Majesty. Why didn't I have the courage to look at your face at that time? Otherwise, I would have wanted to..."
Anyway, the child in her belly is the most important, and Emperor Yuan Shuo will not do anything to her because of this. No matter how much sweet talk he said, no matter how many nice things he said, he would not be responsible. She asked Emperor Yuan Shuo to lower his head and talked to him nicely for a while before they separated.
The Empress Dowager meant to keep the Imperial Concubine in the Zhaoyang Palace, but Emperor Yuanshuo was not reassured. Instead, he kept her in the Zichen Palace and arranged for the Imperial Physician and the female officials of the Imperial Pharmacy to take care of her.
Even Tan Rui and Sui Chao, who used to serve her, were transferred back.
He had already revealed his illness once in the palace, and he was not prepared to continue being ill. Soon, the story of the imperial concubine's virtuous deeds of rushing back to the palace upon hearing the news, serving the emperor without taking off her clothes until she fainted, and being diagnosed with pregnancy spread throughout the palace.
Although Shen Youyi shared a bed with Emperor Yuan Shuo, she rarely saw him these days. There were countless people around her, fearing that she would make any mistakes. Even during the first three months of her pregnancy, when her pregnancy was most unstable, she almost ran around with the child all the time.
The Shangshi Bureau prepared different delicacies for the imperial concubine every day according to her current taste. In addition to the fixed process of tasting the dishes, these meals were even shared with several pregnant women selected from outside the palace by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
She should be thankful that she has always been in good health. This child has been through many ordeals, but nothing has happened. Envoy Song suggested that if she is fine, it is better to take warm tonic medicine. It would be a blessing if she can eat a few more bites. Don't use too many drugs to maintain the pregnancy, otherwise it will backfire.
The seven hundred people who made clothes for her were never dismissed. The female officials of the Shangyi Bureau wanted to please the imperial concubine, so they secretly asked Sui Chao to ask whether the sizes of the dresses should be increased.
Emperor Yuan Shuo had bought her Yiyi for the empress's canonization, but Shen Youyi thought that border affairs were urgent and he valued this child very much now, so he naturally would not be willing to be so hasty. He just went to take a look at the gorgeous clothes.
The court has issued a new notice to select strong young women who have given birth to children to be candidates for wet nurses for princes and princesses. According to Tan Rui, there are always 120 women who have given birth to children on standby in the palace. However, since there were not many children born in the palace later, these people did not necessarily only serve the emperor's children. Occasionally, relatives would ask for them, and these wet nurses might not be so particular about their diet.
Now that the imperial concubine has a child, of course she has to choose someone more suitable. She has to check her horoscope, her background, the qualifications of her previous children, whether she can read and write, and the color and smell of her milk. She will pick out forty and let the prince and princess choose the wet nurse that suits them.
What happened to the imperial concubine in the past is no longer a secret, and the emperor seems to be using this method of overemphasizing it to demonstrate his attitude.
This was not a good omen for the nobles who had been inclined towards the crown prince. However, many years passed before the harem heard the good news again. The great news undoubtedly diluted the haze hanging over Chang'an. No one mentioned the witchcraft incident anymore. Emperor Yuan Shuo, who had claimed to be ill, reappeared in the court. The court officials who had just experienced the intimidation of the foreign relatives and the barbarians tacitly chose to remain silent about the matter of the imperial concubine.
When the emperor is angry, millions of people will die. It is not worth it for the emperor to sacrifice the lives of his entire family for favoring a woman and refusing to listen to advice.
Shen Youyi only occasionally heard about external affairs. Emperor Yuanshuo did not allow the concubines to come to the Purple Palace to see her. Without his company, she had to stay in the bedroom and rest quietly. It was not until the Yulin Army brought her family back to Chang'an from the residence that Emperor Yuanshuo agreed to go on a trip with her and visit the Shen family for the first time.
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