Chapter 206 The Queen Mother's Gift
"Oh, I'm pregnant, it's good to be pregnant..."
Empress Dowager Jiang nodded with an indifferent expression, picked up a piece of crispy candy and stuffed it into Doukou's mouth.
Doukou grabbed her grandmother's neck and asked, "Grandmother, what does it mean to be pregnant?"
"I'm happy, I'm happy..."
Yan'er is pregnant? !
Just when Lu Haozhi was wondering why his mother was so calm after hearing the news, he saw Empress Dowager Jiang suddenly put Doukou on the ground, stood up and walked straight out.
Lu Haozhi was greatly confused and hurriedly chased after her, asking, "Mother, where are you going?"
Empress Dowager Jiang said, "No, no, I have to go and take a look. Miss Yan is pregnant, this is... this is a great joy!"
Lu Haozhi hurriedly stopped her and said with a smile, "Mother, are you going to just rush into Tishun Hall like this? Won't that arouse suspicion?"
Empress Dowager Jiang stared at him for a moment with her eyes wide open before she finally came to her senses and said, "That's right, that's right. Of course, we can't just let it go like this."
After saying this, she returned to the room and repeatedly said to Zang Xiu, "Quick, go to the storehouse and get the longevity lock I kept. Also, the few pieces of satin sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs the other day, and the talismans I got from Bao'en Temple." Before she finished speaking, Empress Dowager Jiang rubbed her hands together and paced around the room, feeling both happy and worried. "We're in such a hurry and haven't prepared anything. What else should I take? Yes, pack the Ruyi gold barley seeds in a box, and also take the phoenix-bead gold hairpin and the hook lotus cloisonné bracelet I got last year."
She listed a lot of things in one breath, almost confusing Zang Xiu.
Fortunately, Zang Xiu had been with her for most of her life, so she had sharp eyes and ears, and a clear mind. She remembered everything and said with a smile, "The Imperial Concubine is pregnant, which is truly a great joy. But the Empress Dowager, please don't be too anxious. Wait for me to get them one by one." She then asked, "Which longevity lock is this that the Empress Dowager mentioned? The Empress Dowager has collected several longevity locks over the years."
Empress Dowager Jiang clapped her hands and said, "Oh, what else could it be! It's the one with the red gold Qilin." She paused for a moment before ordering, "Take the gold and jade necklace with you as well."
Zang Xiu listened and went to do his job as he was told.
Empress Dowager Jiang was so happy that she paced back and forth in the room and refused to sit down. Lu Haozhi, who was so tired, followed her around.
Empress Dowager Jiang's mind suddenly brightened. She turned and stared at her son. After a long pause, she asked, "Emperor, you are not old, so you deliberately made up a lie to please an old woman like me? I tell you, if you dare to joke about this, I will break your legs!"
Lu Haozhi cried out in injustice, "My dear mother, how dare I do that! Yan'er is really pregnant. She calculated that she has been pregnant for about a month."
Empress Dowager Jiang glanced at him and nodded slightly. "That's all right." But she asked again, "Why did you calculate the date yourself? Didn't you consult the imperial physician?"
Lu Haozhi was stunned for a moment and replied, "Not yet... Queen Mother also knows that Yan'er is a doctor herself, and she can't hide it now, so..."
“Nonsense!”
Empress Dowager Jiang raised her eyebrows and scolded him, "Although she knows some medical knowledge, pregnancy and childbirth are not about treating people. This is her first child, which is the most important thing! You are about to become a father, why are you still so clumsy?" After scolding her son, she shook her head and sighed, "No, no, I have to go and see him. I can't let you mess around."
Lu Haozhi was scolded for no reason and felt a little aggrieved. He whispered, "Mother, you once boasted that my eldest brother was born in a stable..."
Before he could finish, he saw Empress Dowager Jiang glaring at him, and he immediately shut up.
Empress Dowager Jiang poked him on the temple. "It was a different time then. Back then, we were defeated, and I was fleeing with your father. How can it be the same?"
Doukou opened her eyes wide. Although she didn't quite understand what the adults were saying about pregnancy, she knew something good was going to happen. She was so anxious that she circled around Queen Mother Jiang and Lu Haozhi, shouting, "Mom is pregnant! I want to see her. Take me with you!"
Lu Haozhi picked her up and said with a smile, "Be good, we'll meet again another day..."
"Your Majesty," Empress Dowager Jiang glanced at Doukou and smiled slightly, "Just take her with you."
Lu Haozhi frowned slightly and asked, "Mother, such a grand gesture will arouse suspicion, won't it?"
Empress Dowager Jiang said calmly, "Then let them be suspicious."
Lu Haozhi's mind turned and he immediately understood. Although he didn't quite approve of it, he didn't contradict his mother in person.
Under the repeated urging of Empress Dowager Jiang, the people in Shoukang Palace finally packed up the things she had previously ordered in a hurry, gathered the ceremonial guards, and set off for the Yangxin Palace with the emperor.
Meng Yan was packing up her needlework and silks in the main room of the Tishun Hall when she suddenly saw Yunxiang rushing in, panting and laughing, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty... The Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and Her Royal Highness the Princess have come to see you!"
Meng Yan was slightly startled, and suddenly she was surprised and happy. She quickly stopped the work in her hands, pushed the sewing basket towards the kang, and ordered, "Hurry up and prepare tea and snacks."
Just as he finished speaking, he heard a sweet and crisp childish voice outside, "Mom——!"
A red figure, like a small ball of fire, rushed in from outside and threw itself into her arms.
Meng Yan cried out "Ouch!", touched her little head, and said with a smile, "Little girl, you almost killed me! Have you been listening to the Imperial Grandmother these days?"
Doukou raised her fair little face, smiling as adorably as a doll in a New Year painting, but tears welled up in her dark eyes. She nodded vigorously, "Yes, Doukou is very well behaved and never makes the Empress Dowager angry."
She tried her best not to let the tears fall, because Aunt Zang Xiu had told her before that one should not cry on festive occasions, otherwise it would attract bad things.
She didn't want to bring anything bad to her mother.
"The Imperial Grandmother and Madam Zangxiu are both very kind to Doukou, but... I just miss my mother so much..."
Meng Yan's nose also felt a little sour, "Mom misses Doukou too..."
But for now, they all need to be patient.
As the mother and daughter were talking, they heard a hearty laugh and Empress Dowager Jiang and Lu Haozhi walked in.
Meng Yan hurriedly took Doukou's hand and stood up, going to greet her. Just as she was about to salute, she was stopped by Empress Dowager Jiang.
Empress Dowager Jiang beamed with joy. "Now that you're a twin, you can forget all these conventionalities." She took her hand, looked her up and down, her smile growing even wider. "Look at your rosy little face, and you've become a bit plumper than before. Well, well, it seems you're doing well here. I'm relieved."
Lu Haozhi muttered quietly, "Mother, you said that as if I would treat Yan'er harshly."
Empress Dowager Jiang ignored him completely and just sat on the kang arm in arm with Meng Yan. She asked with a smile, "When did you find out? Is the news true?" She also asked about any recent health problems.
In front of the whole room, Meng Yan felt a little shy and spoke in a low voice, describing her stopped menstruation, morning nausea, and fatigue. Then she said, "I didn't mean to deceive the Empress Dowager, but the time is too short and I can't be sure. It wasn't until the past two days, when my pulse stabilized, that I dared to tell the Emperor."
Empress Dowager Jiang listened, nodded, and smiled, "Yes, it was the same when I was pregnant with Prince Yi and the Emperor. Girl, don't blame me for being so careful, you're my first child after all. When the Emperor just came to tell me the news, I couldn't believe my ears. Seven years... seven years..."
Meng Yan lowered her head and smiled faintly, but her heart was tightening.
How could she blame the Empress Dowager? This old lady was arguably the person in the world, besides Lu Haozhi, who was most looking forward to the birth of this child!
In her previous life, after learning that she had a miscarriage, the Empress Dowager aged a lot overnight.
When Empress Dowager Jiang looked at her, she was so happy that she didn't know what to say. She ordered Zang Xiu to take out all the gifts she had brought, and immediately spread them all over the kang.
The longevity lock, wishful golden barley, cloth, gold bracelets, and even a few talismans made Meng Yan dazzled.
Among the gifts, there were two longevity locks. One was a red gold Qilin dancing with a ball, which she had seen in her previous life. She was pregnant at that time, and the empress dowager had someone send it to her. The other one was made of gold and jade, engraved with a four-sided Ruyi pattern. The inlaid mutton-fat white jade had a slightly cloudy luster, and seemed to be quite old.
Meng Yan felt a little strange. Why would the Queen Mother give her such an old thing?
There must be something to this.
She picked up the longevity lock and said with a smile, "This lock is quite rare in style."
Empress Dowager Jiang smiled faintly at her. "This was made by the Imperial Household Department at the order of the late Emperor when I gave birth to the Emperor. The Emperor wore it until he was twelve years old, safe and sound, when he finally took it off. I hid it at the bottom of a box, thinking I'd give it to my little grandson. Now that you're finally expecting, I'm bringing it to you."
The emperor wore a longevity lock when he was born, and now it is given to her... The meaning contained in this and the expectations of the elders are naturally self-evident.
Meng Yan suddenly remembered that in her past life, Empress Dowager Jiang had sent someone to tell her, "There are better ones. Wait until the child is born and bring them over."
It turns out that this is the thing it refers to.
She held the lock tightly in her hand and said softly to Empress Dowager Jiang, "Don't worry, Empress Dowager. I will definitely give birth to this child safely and raise him well."
Empress Dowager Jiang smiled and nodded, but Lu Haozhi put a hand on her shoulder.
Meng Yan turned around and they smiled at each other. Only they themselves knew the deep meaning of these words.
Meng Yan looked at the gifts next to her. Zang Xiu described each one to her. She felt something was wrong. The patterns on those silk fabrics were either precious elephants or gourds. They were all for children, and there were even a few talismans to induce labor.
This birth-inducing talisman is often obtained from a temple by a pregnant woman in the hope that her child will be born quickly and safely.
How come she just showed signs of pregnancy and the Empress Dowager brought it to her in an instant?
And what about those cloths and silks? What does the Empress Dowager collect them for?
Zang Xiu said, "Your Highness, these natal charms were all obtained by the Empress Dowager from Bao'en Temple over the years. She said that even though they weren't needed right now, having them was a good omen for expecting a child. And the silk and satin cloths have the same meaning. Over the years, they've accumulated more and more. Now that Your Highness is finally pregnant, she's sending them all to me."
Empress Dowager Jiang never revealed these things to her...
Meng Yan looked at Empress Dowager Jiang and choked up, saying, "Empress Dowager..."
Empress Dowager Jiang waved her hand and said with a smile, "Alright, stop with all this nonsense, it's not worth it. Don't cry, crying during pregnancy is bad for the baby's eyes."
Meng Yan rubbed her eyes and smiled again.
On this day, Empress Dowager Jiang, Lu Haozhi, Meng Yan, Doukou, and the little Bubble in her belly had a happy reunion dinner together in the main hall of Tishun Hall.
After lunch, Empress Dowager Jiang drank another cup of tea before taking Doukou back to Shoukang Palace.
Lu Haozhi and Meng Yan stayed together, talking about some intimate private things, and nothing happened for half a day.
At night, the two of them washed and went to bed.
Meng Yan lay on the pillow and was about to fall asleep when Lu Haozhi hugged her.
She glanced at him and smiled faintly, "Your Majesty, let me make three rules."
Lu Haozhi tapped her nose and said, "I know that in your heart, I have no credibility at all."
Meng Yan hugged his neck and smiled, "Yes, it's because the emperor used to be so anxious."
Lu Haozhi laughed a few times, stroked her hair behind her head, and said nothing.
Meng Yan noticed it and asked, "Is the emperor worried about something?"
Lu Haozhi looked into her eyes and said, "Today, Queen Mother brought Doukou here with such fanfare. I am a little worried...that those people in the harem will become suspicious."
Meng Yan blinked and said, "Then let them be suspicious."
Lu Haozhi sighed, turned sideways, and hugged her waist, "Why are you saying exactly the same thing as mother?"
Meng Yan smiled and said, "Actually, since the Empress Dowager came here today, I understand everything. The Empress Dowager is a thoughtful person. Even in her ecstasy, she knows her limits. How could she act impulsively? Doesn't the Emperor want to wipe out the Liang family after the New Year? Now that I'm pregnant, this is the perfect time to lure the snake out of its hole."
Lu Haozhi hesitated and said, "That being said, it is unavoidable..."
Meng Yan smiled, sketched something on his chest, and said softly, "Your Majesty, don't be afraid to do anything just because you have a child. Once someone has a handle or a weakness, nothing can be accomplished." As she spoke, she looked up and smiled, "Could it be that Your Majesty feels that he can't protect me and my child?"
"Of course not!"
Lu Haozhi blurted out without thinking. He was of course confident that he could guard the Yangxin Palace like an iron barrel. If he couldn't protect his wife and children in this life, he would be unworthy of being a human being.
Meng Yan hugged his neck and whispered in his ear, "Then, Your Majesty, don't worry. Just wait and see."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
