Chapter 46 The Emperor's Favor is No Longer a Problem
As students flocked to the capital to prepare for the upcoming imperial examinations, the power dynamics within the inner palace were quietly shifting.
It is not surprising at all that Wen Changzai was the first to be promoted.
Since Emperor Zhaoheng returned to the palace after personally plowing the fields, Consort Wen has been the most favored among the six concubines.
After being promoted to the rank of Noble Lady, she moved into the Yichang Palace of Consort De. Consort De lived a secluded life, devoted herself to Buddhism, and was almost forgotten by Emperor Zhaoheng despite her status as a consort.
Yichang Palace was located in a remote area, and the palace was not luxurious. No one in the palace knew why Consort Wen, who was currently in favor, had chosen that place.
Shui Xian, along with Consort Li and Consort Wan, were among the few who understood why Consort Wen chose to reside in Yichang Palace.
That place was once the residence of the late Emperor's Consort Wen.
In order to become a perfect substitute, Yi Shuyao really made sure that every aspect of her life corresponded to that of the late Emperor Wen Pin.
Shui Xian didn't believe that Emperor Zhaoheng hadn't seen through Yi Shuyao's, or even the Yi family's, intentions.
However, the emperor's long-standing regret ultimately outweighed his suspicions.
Following Wen Changzai, it was Tuoba Changzai who was promoted to Noble Lady, which was a surprisingly rare occurrence.
Tuoba Changzai had been in the palace for almost a year, and in that entire year, she had hardly ever served the emperor twice.
However, after she performed a dance at Yongle Palace, Emperor Zhaoheng suddenly became interested in her and summoned her three times within a month.
It is astonishing that she was able to gain favor from Consort Wen, who was currently enjoying the Emperor's deepest affections.
After her promotion, Consort Tuoba moved into Yongle Palace and resided in the East Annex Hall.
Besides the two of them, Emperor Zhaoheng promoted three other concubines to the rank of Changzai during this period.
One of the reasons she was chosen was when she went to Yongle Palace to visit Consort Tuoba, where she happened to meet Emperor Zhaoheng, who was visiting Shuixian in the main hall. That very night, she was chosen to be his concubine.
Suddenly, many concubines vying for the Emperor's favor appeared near Yongle Palace, and the palace road leading to Yongle Palace was also filled with concubines hoping to catch a glimpse of the Emperor.
Shui Xian ignored this and focused on resting and recuperating in the main hall of Yongle Palace.
Although Emperor Zhaoheng has not stayed overnight at Yongle Palace these days, she is not flustered at all, and is taking good care of the imperial heir in her womb according to Xiaochuanzi's prescriptions and suggestions.
A thick fox fur coat was spread on the soft couch by the window. She leaned against it, her fingertips holding the letter that her father had secretly sent to the palace through someone else.
The letter stated that Zhou Yan, as instructed, had taken advantage of the inn to secretly observe those students from humble backgrounds who were talented but frustrated due to lack of connections in the upcoming imperial examinations. He would select those with strong willpower and perhaps recruit them to provide assistance.
She smiled slightly and brought the letter close to the gilded incense burner in the corner.
The next moment, flames licked the thin paper, instantly turning it into a handful of ashes.
In the afternoon, spring colors gradually deepened in the Imperial Garden.
Narcissus walked slowly, supported by Yinzhu's wrist. Her lower abdomen was already showing a noticeable curve, but her movements were not slow. On the contrary, thanks to the nourishment of pregnancy, her skin was as smooth and lustrous as the finest mutton fat jade, and she exuded a breathtakingly serene beauty.
"I wondered who had claimed the best view in this garden, and it turns out it was Consort Jin."
A sour voice came from behind.
Consort Li arrived in full regalia, her magnificent skirt sweeping across the stone steps of the Imperial Garden, her pure gold headdress reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight.
She looked Narcissus up and down, her gaze sweeping over Narcissus's protruding belly, a hint of jealousy flashing in her eyes.
Consort Li, her lips as red as blood, opened her mouth and said, "Consort Jin is now pregnant with twins, and the Emperor's favor has faded. How come she has the leisure to come out and enjoy the scenery?"
She sneered, "Indeed, the old guard should know better than to make room for the new ones. The scenery in the palace is never certain of tomorrow's events. Consort Jin, don't you agree?"
Consort Li's words clearly implied that Consort Wen had recently gained favor, while Narcissus had not been favored for a long time due to her pregnancy.
Shui Xian stopped and turned slightly to nod: "Greetings, Your Highness."
She raised her eyes, and instead of being angry, she said softly, "Your Majesty is right."
Consort Li raised an eyebrow in surprise, not expecting that Narcissus would actually back down.
The next moment, Narcissus continued:
"In terms of seniority, how dare I compare my meager favor with Your Majesty? Your Majesty was born in the Prince's residence and has served you for many years. I have only been fortunate enough to receive your favor. How dare I presume to call myself a former servant?"
She was telling the truth; Consort Li had accompanied the emperor since the time he was a prince. But to Consort Li, it sounded extremely grating!
Consort Li's well-maintained face twitched slightly as she stared intently at Shui Xian's dazzlingly smooth face, her heart burning with jealousy.
She could almost feel every fine line hidden behind her makeup on her face!
Consort Li loved beauty, and now that she saw these newly entered beauties in the harem, how could she not feel jealous and resentful!
Consort Li wanted to get angry, but her gaze swept over Narcissus's belly again.
The wicked plan of abandoning the mother and keeping the child swirled in her mind. She took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed her anger.
She gave an extremely stiff smile: "Consort Jin's mouth is getting sharper and sharper. You should take good care of yourself, I'm tired."
Consort Li turned around almost hastily, and quickly left, supported by a palace maid.
He walked quite a distance before suddenly stopping, turning back to stare intently at the pale blue figure of the narcissus deep within the Imperial Garden.
She clenched her fists, her well-maintained nails digging deep into her palms: "Be smug! I'll let you be smug for a few more days! When you... I'll make you taste what it means to wish you were dead!"
Back at Yongle Palace, the warm pavilion was filled with a faint, calming medicinal fragrance.
Xiao Chuanzi stood respectfully with his hands at his sides. Only after Yinzhu helped Shuixian sit down on the couch did he step forward and respectfully take her pulse.
He placed his fingertips on Narcissus's wrist, examining her intently.
After a moment, he withdrew his hand and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty's pulse is steady and strong, the pregnancy is stable, and the little prince is very healthy."
He paused here, lowering his voice even further, "As for the Imperial Household Department... has Your Majesty considered putting the green plaque back up?"
Ogawa spoke cryptically, but Narcissus understood his meaning.
Yesterday morning, the imperial physicians at the Imperial Hospital took her pulse and gave a similar diagnosis, saying that she was now three months pregnant, the pregnancy was stable, and she could serve the emperor normally.
Putting aside her favored status, just the thirst she felt during her pregnancy... Narcissus suddenly felt a bit hot and picked up a round fan to fan herself lightly.
Since she became pregnant, she hasn't had many symptoms, and she hasn't even felt nauseous much, except... she occasionally thinks about the nights when she was favored by her husband.
She asked Xiaochuanzi about it indirectly, but Xiaochuanzi only said it was a normal reaction during pregnancy.
Previously, due to the unstable pregnancy, Shui Xian could only drink some cooling soups. Now that the pregnancy is stable, it is time for her to see the Emperor.
Narcissus leaned against the soft pillow, her fingertips gently stroking her slightly protruding belly.
"There's no rush regarding the brand."
Her voice was calm, tinged with thought, "Let's talk about it in a while. What I want is not the frequency of my favors, but..."
Narcissus didn't finish her sentence; she left some things unsaid.
Imperial concubines are, after all, not as good as ordinary couples.
Now that I'm pregnant, even if the pregnancy is stable, it's difficult to receive frequent favors.
With countless new concubines in the harem, if she wanted to maintain a sense of novelty with Emperor Zhaoheng, she had to make every time she served him unforgettable.
Shui Xian had Xiao Chuanzi use herbal decoctions to nourish her body, not only for the sake of the child, but also for her own sake.
In her past life, she knew nothing and allowed Yi Guichun to bestow upon her countless nourishing treasures. However, the excessive nourishment caused her to become bloated, and in the later stages, even her skin developed unsightly lines.
This time, after carefully questioning the imperial physician and Xiao Chuanzi, Shui Xian learned that the mother's body cannot be nourished indiscriminately, as the fetus's nutritional needs for growth are limited.
If you keep eating it, not only will your figure become excessively out of shape, but the fetus will also become too large, which will be detrimental to the final delivery and may even cause the fetus to become stuck in the birth canal, resulting in dystocia and the death of the mother!
In this life, Narcissus entrusted the entire matter of recuperation to Ogawa.
Xiao Chuanzi bowed his head deeply: "This servant understands."
One day, at lunchtime, Emperor Zhaoheng came to Yongle Palace.
These days, he has not stayed overnight at Yongle Palace for a long time, so he often comes over during breakfast or lunch time.
Narcissus would usually wait for him to dine together, but today, when he stepped into the warm pavilion, Narcissus seemed to be taking a nap in the inner room because she was tired.
Emperor Zhaoheng lifted the curtain and stepped in, his gaze falling on the narcissus on the couch.
She wore her hair loosely in a bun, dressed in a soft, light apricot-colored brocade robe, with a pale yellow gauze overcoat.
The midday sun shone through the half-open window, bathing her in a warm, hazy golden glow.
Her slightly protruding belly was gently covered by a thin blanket, concealing its curves. This, however, reminded Emperor Zhaoheng of her delicate beauty before pregnancy, and the tender moments they had shared on this very bed...
Emperor Zhaoheng unconsciously slowed his pace, as if the disturbances in the court had been largely dispelled by the tranquility of the room.
He waved away the palace servants who wanted to report, gazed quietly for a moment, and then walked to the bedside and sat down.
Narcissus had woken up the moment he stepped into the inner room; she had been weighing the timing and waking up at the opportune moment.
Only after Emperor Zhaoheng sat down beside the couch did she slowly open her eyes, still hazy from just waking up. Seeing it was him, she tried to rise, saying, "Your Majesty..."
"Lie down, don't move." Emperor Zhaoheng reached out and pressed her shoulder, the soft touch from his fingertips stirring his heart.
He took her hand, which was resting on the blanket, and felt that her skin was soft and delicate, even more so than before she was pregnant.
Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze lingered on her slightly parted cherry lips. His heart, which had been somewhat distant due to his new favorite, was suddenly jolted by something.
He leaned down, his breath, hotter than at noon, brushing against her earlobe, low and husky with suppressed snoring:
"The imperial physicians have informed me that your health... is no longer a problem for receiving my favor."
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