Chapter 112 Blood Swallow's pain came without warning, extremely swiftly...
"Your Majesty, I was reluctant to let my sister do any work, but she was so focused on Your Majesty's birthday today and insisted on coming to offer her congratulations in person," the Empress explained gently. "I... really couldn't persuade her otherwise."
Consort Jing raised her pitiful face. "It's a family banquet today, which is why I dared to come. I'm overjoyed to be here on Your Majesty's birthday and just wanted to share in your blessings and happiness." As she spoke, she gently touched her belly, her eyes filled with maternal tenderness and affection for the emperor.
She could have chosen not to come today, but if she didn't show up, she would inevitably be seen as arrogant and spoiled, and she didn't want her child to face that before even being born.
This is also a good opportunity to gain some more favor from the Emperor.
In the palace, a mother's status rises with her son's, and a son's status rises with his mother's—this has always been the case. The more affection the emperor shows to a woman, the more lenient he will be towards her child in the future.
Seeing her like this, even though the emperor had many worries, he was filled with tenderness. He could only shake his head helplessly and instruct the empress, "Very well, empress, you must take good care of Consort Jing and make sure there is no mishap."
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I understand." The Empress quickly agreed, personally helping Consort Jing to sit down on the soft chair below her, and carefully placing a soft cushion behind her back.
Looking from afar, Meng Lingyao saw that Consort Jing had a rosy complexion and smooth skin, without the brown spots she had worried about, and felt a sense of relief for her.
The banquet began, and delicacies were served in a continuous stream. Amidst the clinking of glasses, the atmosphere gradually became lively. After several rounds of drinks, the emperor's face was slightly flushed, and he was in high spirits. He looked around at the several young couples in the hall and spoke with a smile.
"Today's family banquet is all with family members. I am delighted to see all of you young children. However..." He changed the subject slightly, "You have been married for some time now, so why haven't I heard any good news yet? I am looking forward to holding a few more grandchildren and enjoying the joys of family life!"
Upon hearing this, the young couples in the hall displayed varying expressions. Meng Lingyao lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and pretended not to have heard anything.
Zhao Ruxuan's fingers tightened suddenly around the wine glass, her knuckles turning white. She and the Third Prince rose almost simultaneously, bowing their heads in apology.
"Your subject/wife is incompetent and has failed your father/Your Majesty's expectations." The two voices overlapped, Zhao Ruxuan's face was expressionless, but her heart was full of sarcasm.
Offspring? How could they possibly have offspring?
Thinking of the news she had heard from the maid this morning, she almost had to stare at her toes to hide the mockery in her eyes.
The emperor waved for them to rise, took another sip of wine, and sighed.
It's unclear whether it's just that his lineage has difficulty conceiving. He himself didn't have many children; of his two sons, one had been married for several years without having children, and the other had been married for several months without any sign of pregnancy.
When his gaze fell on Consort Jing's protruding belly, a smile of relief appeared on his face. Thinking that he was still able to have another child at his age, he felt comforted and deeply grateful that he was still vigorous despite his advanced age, no less capable than the young people present.
The emperor on the stage was deeply moved, while the eunuchs and palace maids serving the banquet below continued to serve various dishes with practiced ease. At this moment, several young eunuchs brought up an exquisite silver covered bowl. When the lid was lifted, a steamed perch was revealed. The fish was whole, its flesh snow-white, and it was topped with emerald green scallions and bright red pepper strips, steaming hot.
The moment the lid was lifted, a fishy smell filled the warm hall.
Zheng Yu, who was sitting slightly below the emperor, was listening solemnly to him when the stench hit her nose. Her face turned pale, and her stomach churned. She couldn't control herself and quickly covered her mouth with her sleeve.
With a "Ugh—", she vomited on the spot.
"Yu'er!" The Second Prince was first taken aback, then as if he had thought of something, his face instantly lit up with great joy. He stood up abruptly, and even stumbled because of the sudden movement, almost falling to the ground, but fortunately he managed to hold onto the table in time.
"You...you're pregnant?" His voice trembled with excitement, almost incoherent, as he shouted towards the outside of the hall, "Imperial physician! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"
The emperor, seated high on his throne, sobered up considerably in an instant, his body involuntarily leaning forward. The second prince's birth mother, Consort De, jumped to her feet in a frantic rage, her voice shrill, "Quick! Go fetch the imperial physician! Hurry!"
Zheng Yu herself panicked. Looking at the slightly messy table in front of her due to her outburst, and smelling the fishy smell mixed with the sour smell of vomit, she felt embarrassed and uncomfortable, her face turning red and white in turns. The little palace maid standing beside her reacted very quickly, immediately stepping forward and using a clean cloth dipped in water to wipe and clean the area.
Soon, the imperial physician on duty, carrying his medicine chest, came running in, panting. He didn't even bother to wipe his sweat before immediately kneeling to take the Second Prince's wife's pulse. The hall fell silent for a moment, all eyes fixed on the physician.
A moment later, the imperial physician withdrew his hand, a smile appearing on his face. He turned and respectfully kowtowed towards the throne, proclaiming loudly, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Empress! Congratulations, Second Prince! The Second Prince's Consort is pregnant! Judging from the pulse, she has been pregnant for over a month!"
"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!" The emperor was overjoyed, saying "excellent" three times in a row, and slammed his hand heavily on the imperial desk. "Heaven blesses our royal family, a new addition to the family, an auspicious omen! Reward! A generous reward!"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
"Congratulations, Your Highness the Second Prince! Congratulations, Your Highness the Second Prince's Consort!"
The hall was filled with jubilation as everyone offered their congratulations and raised their glasses in celebration.
Chengrui Hall was not spacious to begin with, and although a eunuch brought incense, the fishy smell mixed with the fragrance made Consort Jing feel even more uncomfortable. She frowned and covered her nose with a handkerchief. Seeing this, the Empress took the initiative to arrange for her to rest in a side room for a while.
Meng Lingyao has a discerning nose; the smell entered her nostrils and caused a slight churning in her stomach. She was about to get up and leave for a moment when Consort Jing, who was not far away, saw her movement and waved to her.
She was finding it unbearable, so she readily stood up and whispered to Pei Xu, "I'll accompany Consort Jing and be right back."
Pei Xu nodded slightly, glanced at her expression, and asked with a hint of inquiry. Meng Lingyao gently shook her head, indicating that it was alright.
Led by palace maids, the group left the bustling Chengrui Hall and arrived at a tastefully furnished side hall at the back. The hall was filled with a faint, calming incense, and the air was fresh, a stark contrast to the stale atmosphere of the main hall.
Consort Jing sat down on the cushioned couch, let out a long sigh, and her expression softened considerably.
"I feel much better now." She patted her chest lightly and looked at Meng Lingyao. "Thanks to Lingyao for keeping me company, otherwise I would have seemed pretentious being here alone."
Meng Lingyao sat down opposite her and said gently, "Your Majesty is too kind. Pregnancy is a time of heightened sensitivity, and besides, that smell really wasn't pleasant."
"The matter of pregnancy is truly..." Consort Jing sighed, pointing to her cheek, her expression somewhat gloomy, "Look, I still can't escape it, I've developed some freckles after all."
Upon hearing this, Meng Lingyao moved closer and examined the concubine closely by the bright lights in the hall. Her skin remained delicate and fair, but several faint light brown spots could indeed be seen below her eyes and on her cheekbones.
She knew that Consort Jing, though seemingly glamorous in the palace, was actually walking on thin ice. Coupled with the anxiety of pregnancy, this was why she was so concerned about this almost invisible blemish. She herself was someone who valued her appearance and knew the troubles involved, so she naturally wouldn't say something like, "Why care about appearance when you already have a royal heir?"
She squinted and pretended to examine it for a while before laughing, "My dear Empress, you've really put me in a difficult position. Luckily, I have sharp eyes, otherwise I really wouldn't have been able to see it!"
Consort Jing smiled, amused by her, and the gloom between her brows dissipated somewhat.
Meng Lingyao then said seriously, "However, since Your Majesty cares about this, I do remember seeing a few prescriptions in ancient books that are said to have miraculous effects on fading pregnancy spots. I will think about them carefully later, and if they are effective, I will definitely send them to you first."
Consort Jing's eyes lit up with joy. "That's wonderful. I trust your abilities." She was clearly much more relaxed.
A palace maid entered from outside the hall carrying a small stew pot and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is thinking of you and has specially ordered the kitchen to prepare bird's nest soup for you. Please have some to nourish your body."
Consort Jing said gently, "Your Majesty has gone to great lengths. Please thank Your Majesty for me."
The palace maid placed the stew pot on the small table in front of Consort Jing and bowed before retreating.
Consort Jing glanced at the crystal-clear bird's nest, and gently pushed the cup away. "Although it's a good thing, consuming it like this every day..."
Her personal maid whispered, "Your Majesty, it is, after all, His Majesty's good intention."
Consort Jing shook her head. The fishy smell from the palace still seemed to linger in her nostrils, and she had no appetite at the moment.
After a moment's thought, she turned her gaze to Meng Lingyao and smiled, "Bird's nest nourishes the skin and replenishes the blood, it's the best for women. Lingyao, why don't you use it for me, so as not to disappoint His Majesty's kindness, what do you say?" As she spoke, she reached out and held Meng Lingyao's hand, smiling, "Consider it as your elder sister inviting you to try the palace's cooking."
It was common for high-ranking concubines in the palace to give imperial gifts to trusted people as a sign of closeness. Seeing her kindness, Meng Lingyao did not want to refuse her, so she smiled and agreed, "Since Your Majesty is so kind, then I will respectfully accept your offer."
She picked up the small bowl, inside which the bird's nest was stewed to perfection, sweet and soft, and she finished it quickly.
Seeing that she had finished using it, Consort Jing was in a good mood and said, "I have plenty more. I'll have someone pack some for you to take back later."
Meng Lingyao smiled and thanked her.
The two talked for a while longer in the side hall before returning to Chengrui Hall. The banquet was nearing its end, and people were chatting quietly in small groups, the atmosphere much more relaxed than before.
When Pei Xu saw Meng Lingyao return, his gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he asked, "Is it chilly outside?"
Meng Lingyao shook her head. "The side hall is very warm and there is no draft."
Pei Xu's gaze remained fixed on you, his brow slightly furrowed. "You don't look too well."
Meng Lingyao subconsciously raised her hand to touch her cheek. It felt slightly cool, but she didn't feel anything unusual. She asked in confusion, "Is there? Perhaps it's because of the light in the hall."
Pei Xu didn't say anything more, but silently picked up the teapot, poured half a cup of warm tea, and handed it to her.
Meng Lingyao reached out to take it, and the moment her fingertips touched the slightly hot cup, a sharp, excruciating pain shot through her abdomen. The pain came without warning, incredibly fast, as if a sharp blade, tempered in an ice cave, had been plunged into her stomach, cruelly twisting and churning.
Her breath hitched, her outstretched hand fell limply, her fingertips brushing against the rim of the cup.
Clang—
The teacup fell to the ground and shattered instantly, the warm tea splashing onto her skirt.
Meng Lingyao curled up, pressing one hand against her aching lower abdomen and the other tightly gripping Pei Xu's sleeve, her nails almost digging into her flesh. Fine beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on her forehead, and her face drained of color, turning ashen white.
"So graceful!"
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Author's Note: Update time has been changed to 10:30 PM recently. [Please][Please][Please]
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