Chapter 84 Yes, they had a child.
Inside the main hall of Yongle Palace, thick carpets of elaborate colors were laid out everywhere because Narcissus was now deeply pregnant.
A faint medicinal scent filled the air, the smell of the tonics that Narcissus used daily.
Shui Xian sat in the main seat, with a pair of jade unicorns bestowed by the Empress on the table beside her. She examined Consort Jing below her.
A subtle sense of estrangement flowed silently between the two.
"Please have some tea, Consort Jing. This is newly harvested pre-rain Longjing tea, a tribute item."
Narcissus gestured for Silver Pearl to serve tea, her voice gentle.
"Sister Xie Jinfei."
Wen Jingfeng nodded slightly, picked up the teacup, and moved with elegance.
Another palace servant brought tea and snacks, which Wen Jingfeng ate quietly, her eyes lowered, giving her a somewhat aloof appearance.
After drinking tea for a while, the aroma of tea gradually masked the faint medicinal smell in the hall.
Wen Jingfeng put down her teacup, turned her head slightly, and said to the trusted palace maids standing behind her, "You may all step back and wait outside the hall."
The palace maid respectfully responded and withdrew silently.
Wen Jingfeng's gaze then turned to Yinzhu, who was next to Shuixian.
Narcissus understood and gently raised her hand: "Yinzhu, you also retreat to the palace gate and guard it. No one is allowed to approach without being summoned."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Yinzhu glanced warily at Consort Jing and retreated to the inside of the palace gate as instructed.
From her position, she couldn't hear what the two were saying, but she still kept a wary eye on Consort Jing.
In the vast main hall, only Shui Xian and Wen Jingfeng remained at this moment.
Shui Xian sat upright in the main seat, her gaze calmly fixed on Wen Jingfeng below her.
The newly brewed pre-rain Longjing tea unfolded in the celadon cup, its clear tea aroma finally overpowering the faint medicinal smell in the hall.
Wen Jingfeng lowered her eyes, her pale fingertips brushing the rim of the cup, her posture elegant and serene.
When he looked up again, Wen Jingfeng said in a clear voice:
"My entry into the palace was arranged by the Empress Dowager and Consort Wan, all for the purpose of sharing my sister's favor."
Her bluntness caught Narcissus off guard.
Shui Xian couldn't help but re-examine the completely unfathomable Consort Jing sitting below her.
She was only sixteen or seventeen years old, with an exceptionally beautiful face and a cool and aloof temperament, yet her brows exuded a composure far beyond that of her peers.
Shui Xian raised an eyebrow slightly: "Consort Jing is straightforward... You wouldn't be here to declare war on me at this moment, would you?"
Wen Jingfeng gently put down the teacup, the jade porcelain clinking together to produce a clear, crisp sound.
“Consort Wan sent people to find the Wen family and threatened me with the future of the family to force me to enter the palace. She only took a liking to my face, which looks just like my aunt’s.”
She slightly curled the corners of her lips, revealing a world-weary helplessness that was beyond her years.
“If my father and brothers were not unreliable, and the future of my sisters in the clan were all tied to this place, how could I... willingly step into these square palace walls?”
Shui Xian noticed that when Wen Jingfeng said this, her fair hand unconsciously touched a wooden hairpin in her hair.
The wooden hairpin was simple in design, with a fish playing among lotus leaves, and it didn't look like something from the palace.
The surface of the hairpin had become shiny from being rubbed by its owner many times, clearly indicating that it was something Wen Jingfeng cherished.
Wen Jingfeng gently stroked the hairpin, but her gaze gradually hardened.
“But now that I am here, I, Wen Jingfeng, will not wallow in self-pity and wait for my death. Consort Wan forced me to enter the palace, but once I enter, the choice of whom to accompany me and the path to take is up to me.”
Wen Jingfeng slowly stood up, her plain palace dress making her slender figure appear as upright as bamboo.
“I have no ill intentions toward my sister. I know that words alone are not enough and my sister will not easily believe them. I only hope that time will prove that what I said today is true.”
She slightly curtsied before Narcissus, performing an equal bow rather than the hierarchical one between concubines, saying, "I hope you are well, sister. Jingfeng takes her leave."
Shui Xian noticed that Wen Jingfeng no longer referred to himself as "your concubine" but instead used the terms "you" and "me".
She nodded slightly, and after saying what she wanted to say, Wen Jingfeng turned and left with great ease.
Wen Jingfeng's skirt brushed silently against the thick, soft brocade carpet as she walked straight toward the palace gate.
That figure was aloof and solitary, as if carrying an air of frost and snow that kept people at a distance, yet strangely revealing a tenacious spirit.
Yinzhu quickly pushed open the door and bowed to see Consort Jing out.
Narcissus remained seated, her gaze following the figure in plain clothes as it disappeared outside the palace gates.
After a long while, he let out a soft breath, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
"What a remarkable person Wen Jingfeng... truly a fascinating individual."
She supported her back and slowly walked to the open palace door.
Looking at the bright midday sun, his eyes were downcast, as if he were deep in thought.
Yinzhu came over and asked in a low voice if Shuixian had ordered the meal.
Shui Xian came to her senses and said to Yin Zhu, "Serve the meal. Go and call Consort Tuoba to dine with me."
Yinzhu paused for a moment, then asked, "Aren't we going to wait for the Emperor?"
Since returning from the Summer Palace, Emperor Zhaoheng has not visited Yongle Palace for several days.
Narcissus gently shook her head, showing no sign of disappointment.
"Have you forgotten? Today is the fifteenth. Now that the Empress's health is improving, according to the rules, the Emperor will go to Kunning Palace on the first and fifteenth of each month."
"His Majesty is diligent in his duties and rarely dine in the inner palace. We probably won't be able to expect him to come at noon today."
"Go and summon Consort Tuoba."
Yinzhu curtsied and replied, "Yes."
——
Just as Narcissus had predicted, that very night, the Emperor arrived at Kunning Palace.
Inside the main hall of Kunning Palace, candlelight shone brightly, and Emperor Zhaoheng and Empress sat facing each other at a golden nanmu dining table.
The imperial dishes on the table were exquisite, but lacked the warmth of everyday cooking. The hall was filled with the scent of agarwood, a fragrance that the Empress often used and which was mixed with medicinal aroma.
"His Majesty has been working hard lately. He should eat more of this ginseng and astragalus stewed chicken, which is the best way to nourish him."
The Empress herself picked up the jade chopsticks and served Emperor Zhaoheng a small piece of chicken breast, her movements gentle and skillful.
Emperor Zhaoheng nodded. "Your Majesty, you've gone to great lengths. How have you been feeling lately?"
As he spoke, he ate his meal and asked with concern.
The Empress lowered her eyes slightly, a gentle smile playing on her lips.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. We can still manage, but..."
She paused, a hint of sadness in her voice.
“Sometimes I often think to myself, as the Empress, I am frail and sickly, unable to share the Emperor’s burdens, and instead have become a burden to the Emperor. I am truly ashamed.”
"Your Majesty is mistaken."
Emperor Zhaoheng put down his jade chopsticks, his voice steady, revealing little emotion.
"I knew you were frail many years ago. But when I chose you as my wife, I never valued your robust physique."
"You are the daughter of the Grand Tutor, virtuous and kind, a model of a noble lady. Since you are my choice, how can you say that you are a burden?"
Emperor Zhaoheng respected his empress.
Because of the emperor's words, a thin blush rose on the empress's fair face. She looked up at Emperor Zhaoheng, her eyes revealing a tender light of reminiscence.
"Does Your Majesty still remember... our first encounter in the plum garden?"
"At that time, I accompanied my father to a banquet in the palace. Lost in admiring the plum blossoms, I saw His Highness standing deep within the plum grove, dressed in a black brocade robe, his bearing extraordinary, like a banished immortal..."
Her voice was soft, and the glimmer in her eyes moved with her memories, depicting a scene of a young girl's passionate emotions.
"At that time, my heart was pounding like a deer, but I never dared to imagine that I would become the Emperor's wife."
Emperor Zhaoheng listened quietly, his face as gentle as ever.
After she finished speaking, he slowly said, "Of course I still remember it. The scene is still vivid in my mind. I didn't expect that more than ten years have passed."
"The Empress is indeed worthy of being the daughter carefully taught by the Grand Tutor... As a wife, she is gentle and virtuous; as a subject, she is self-disciplined and respectful. She is the most perfect mother of the nation."
Emperor Zhaoheng's voice was gentle, and he did not hesitate to praise the Empress. However, if one listened carefully to his words, one could not help but notice a slight distance between them.
Emperor Zhaoheng respected his empress. This respect stemmed from her status and symbolism, and from the Liu family's heavy military connections and influence in the court during the most crucial period of the struggle for the throne.
At that time, he gave the position of Crown Princess to the daughter of the Grand Tutor, who had made great military achievements, and the position of Concubine to the daughter of the Grand Secretary to consolidate his power.
Every marriage is a carefully calculated political bargaining chip, and has nothing to do with romantic love.
After entering the palace, the Empress was frail and often stayed indoors, entrusting the affairs of the inner palace to Consort Li and others.
Emperor Zhaoheng respected her as a husband, but there was always a layer of distant politeness between them, lacking the intimacy between ordinary couples.
The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight.
Emperor Zhaoheng seemed to sense the tense atmosphere as well. He picked up a cloth and wiped his mouth, his gaze sweeping over the Empress's slightly sickly face.
He brought up another topic, his tone much more natural: "I've heard that you've been taking good care of Consort Jin these past few days. Thank you for your hard work."
The Empress's fingers, which were holding the jade chopsticks, paused almost imperceptibly, and then a gentler smile spread across her face.
"Your Majesty is too kind."
Her voice was gentle, with just the right amount of relief, "Consort Jin's pregnancy is a rare and joyous occasion in the harem, and even more so, a matter of great importance concerning the foundation of the nation."
The Empress's words echoed what Emperor Zhaoheng had said earlier.
As empress, she was more perfect than anyone else.
"As the Empress, I naturally must protect her and ensure she can rest and give birth to a healthy heir for Your Majesty."
At this point, the Empress seemed to recall the past and sighed softly.
"Looking at Consort Jin now, who is pregnant, and how much she longs for her child, it reminds me of my child many years ago."
A glimpse of shattered light and shadow flashed in her eyes, and she said sadly:
"However, I am unlucky; the child stopped developing before it was even full-term..."
The Queen's words came to an abrupt halt; she abruptly raised her hand to cover her lips.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty is speechless!"
She rose hastily, her voice choked with sobs, and bowed deeply, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze deepened, and he couldn't help but think of the child who had stopped breathing after birth.
That was the child he had with the Empress.
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