Chapter 85 He studied for her and the prince
Inside Kunning Palace, the atmosphere froze because of the Empress's abruptly ended words.
A complex emotion swept through Emperor Zhaoheng's heart. He reached out and steadily supported the Empress.
"Your Majesty need not blame yourself. What happened back then was a cruel twist of fate, not your fault."
Using the support he was giving her, the empress gently leaned into his arms, suppressing a sob.
"It is my fault... I am weak and unlucky, and I have not been able to give birth to a legitimate son for Your Majesty."
"This regret torments me day and night; every time I think of it, my heart aches like it's being torn apart..."
Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze fell on the flickering candlelight in the hall, his voice low and deep.
"I also regret it."
"The struggle for the throne was fraught with danger, and the court was in turmoil. I was exhausted and unable to attend to everything. When you were pregnant, I was unable to be by your side... I neglected you."
He put his arm around her shoulders, which were thin from a long illness, and couldn't help but feel a pang of pity.
Humans are not plants or trees; having spent more than ten years together, how could Emperor Zhaoheng not be moved?
The empress raised her head and looked at him with teary eyes.
"The regret of not being able to bear Your Majesty a legitimate son has been buried deep in my heart until... until the day when Consort Jin came to Kunning Palace."
She gently pulled away from Emperor Zhaoheng's embrace, straightened her body, and said softly:
"She told me that she was willing to entrust the child in her womb to me to raise..."
"Consort Jin's words have enlightened me. Although I cannot give birth, I can still raise a child!"
The Queen's smile was full of hope.
"Since that day, I have been forcing myself to endure my illness, taking my medicine on time, and trying my best to nourish myself, hoping that my health will improve..."
"I want to be healthy and live long enough to see the child born. I want to raise him to be a wise and powerful crown prince like Your Majesty, so that I can share Your Majesty's burdens."
Emperor Zhaoheng nodded slowly, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty.
"I am deeply gratified that the Empress has such a sentiment."
"Consort Jin... is indeed a sensible and righteous person. I am very pleased that she can consider the overall situation so much."
"We are both at ease entrusting the child to the Empress. The Empress can rest assured and recuperate. Once the imperial heir is born, Kunning Palace will surely be bustling with activity."
The Empress's face broke into a deeply satisfied smile as she gracefully bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your trust! I will certainly not fail you!"
The flickering candlelight cast long shadows of the two figures onto the cold palace walls.
That night, Emperor Zhaoheng rested in Kunning Palace according to custom.
——
A few days later, at dusk.
Inside the warm pavilion of Yongle Palace, Shuixian leaned against a soft couch covered with thick cushions, her pregnant belly clearly visible.
Tuoba Guiren sat on a small stool by the couch, talking enthusiastically to Shuixian's belly, her eyes sparkling.
"Little one, did you hear that? When you come out, Empress Tuoba will take you horseback riding!"
As Tuoba Guiren spoke, he even imitated the action of urging a horse on and cracking a whip, his hearty laughter echoing in the warm pavilion.
Shuixian laughed at her words, her eyes crinkling with a gentle beauty unique to pregnant women.
"Sister Tuoba, don't spoil him. If he becomes wild and the Emperor blames you in the future, what will you do?"
"Why would I blame you?"
Tuoba Guiren said nonchalantly, "Whether male or female, one should have a wild spirit! Without a wild spirit, wouldn't that be..."
Before she could finish speaking, she caught a glimpse of a figure silently appearing at the door from the corner of her eye, and was so startled that she almost jumped up from the small stool.
Emperor Zhaoheng had entered at some point, dressed in casual clothes, with a faint smile on his face, clearly having overheard everything Consort Tuoba said.
"If I were to let you ride a horse, I think it would learn to run wild on horseback before it has even learned to walk."
Emperor Zhaoheng approached slowly, his voice laced with mockery.
Tuoba Guiren quickly stood up, looking somewhat embarrassed at being caught, and muttered something under his breath.
"Your Majesty, how come you walk without making a sound...?"
She then curtsied respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, may Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace. I... I take my leave."
She tactfully left the Emperor and Empress alone and withdrew.
Only Emperor Zhaoheng and Shuixian remained in the warm pavilion. Yinzhu brought in some tea, snacks, and tonics at the right time and placed them one by one on the small sandalwood table beside the couch.
Emperor Zhaoheng sat down next to Shuixian and naturally reached out to touch her swollen belly, the gesture intimate and natural.
How are you feeling today? Did the little one bother you?
Narcissus smiled and shook her head: "It's alright, it's just that I'm getting lazier and lazier."
Yinzhu presented the tonic for the night to Shuixian and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, it's time for ginseng soup."
Narcissus looked at the bowl of oily soup and frowned almost imperceptibly.
She subconsciously turned her head away slightly, with a hint of coquetry: "Yinzhu, this soup looks too greasy, let's leave it for now and drink it later."
Yinzhu looked troubled and was about to offer some advice when she saw a hand with distinct knuckles reach out and steadily pick up the bowl of soup.
"I am here."
Emperor Zhaoheng spoke in a deep voice, personally picking up a small silver spoon, scooping up a spoonful, carefully blowing on it to warm it, and then bringing it to Narcissus's lips.
"Even if it's not for the sake of the imperial heir, you should think about your own health. The imperial physician said that your constitution is weak after falling into the water, and you need to nourish yourself properly to build up your strength."
His deep eyes gazed at her, filled with an intense and unyielding tenderness.
"Xian'er, for a woman, childbirth is a perilous ordeal. I want you to be healthy and safe when you give birth to our imperial son."
Narcissus sat up slightly and, with his help, swallowed the spoonful of warm soup.
She intended to take it and drink it herself, but Emperor Zhaoheng insisted on feeding her by hand.
What should have been a quick sip of soup took quite a while to finish.
After drinking the tonic for the night, Emperor Zhaoheng asked Yinzhu to remove the bowl, and then sat down next to Shuixian and picked up an open book.
"I am reading this to you and my son... A ruler should prioritize the well-being of the nation and its people, have the world in his heart, and be able to distinguish right from wrong..."
He spoke slowly, word by word, into the belly of the narcissus, as if he wanted to pass on these imperial principles to the child in the narcissus's womb.
Narcissus listened quietly, her gaze fixed on Emperor Zhaoheng's focused and gentle profile.
The dim palace lanterns cast a warm glow on him, and at this moment, he shed his imperial coldness and revealed the tenderness of a man about to become a father.
After reading a passage, Emperor Zhaoheng closed the book and looked up.
His gaze met Shui Xian's clear eyes, and Emperor Zhaoheng couldn't help but recall what he had heard from the Empress a few days ago.
"Xian'er," he raised his hand, gently stroking her smooth cheek with his fingertips, "I understand..."
“A few days ago, you visited the Empress at Kunning Palace and even offered to let her raise the imperial heir after its birth.”
He sighed softly, pulled her into his arms, and let her lean against his broad chest. His chin rested on the top of her head, and his voice was deep and magnetic.
"You are so understanding and righteous, always thinking of me and the imperial heir... I remember it all. Xian'er, don't worry, I will definitely treat you well."
His embrace was warm and strong, and his steady heartbeat could be felt through the fabric of his clothes.
Such a promise would likely move an ordinary woman to tears.
However, Narcissus nestled obediently in his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest, her thick eyelashes drooping down to conceal the mockery in her eyes.
Be good to her?
They say they'll treat her well, but they won't even give her, the biological mother, the right to raise her own child.
Relying on him? Better to rely on yourself!
Narcissus, nestled in his arms, slowly closed her eyes, savoring the tenderness of the moment and hiding all the coldness in her heart.
——
The following morning, after having breakfast with Narcissus at Yongle Palace, Emperor Zhaoheng set off for court.
As the due date approaches, preparations in the womb become increasingly meticulous.
According to palace rules, a midwife must be selected for Narcissus's delivery.
After seeing the Emperor off, Narcissus got busy with this matter.
Shui Xian took this matter very seriously. When the Empress learned of it, she specially assigned an experienced old nanny surnamed Sun from her own household to assist Shui Xian in making a decision.
The interview was arranged in a side hall of Yongle Palace.
Several midwives recommended by the Imperial Household Department were brought in one by one.
Narcissus sat in the main seat, with Granny Sun standing beside her.
While Granny Sun was asking questions, Shui Xian carefully observed everyone's words, actions, expressions, and eyes.
The previous few either spoke too slickly and flatteringly, or had shifty eyes.
Or perhaps they are too young and lack experience...
Narcissus remained outwardly calm, but inwardly she was weighing the situation.
Until the last midwife was brought in.
She was about fifty years old, slightly plump, and wearing a clean, dark blue cotton dress.
Finally, the midwife knelt down respectfully and kowtowed: "This servant, Zhang, greets Your Highness Consort Jin. May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, with a slight local accent, but her enunciation was clear, exuding a reassuring calmness.
Narcissus gestured for her to stand up and answer, asking questions such as how many children she had delivered.
Zhang's mother answered each question one by one, speaking slowly but clearly and logically.
Her description was simple and unadorned, without deliberately exaggerating her own merits. Instead, she repeatedly emphasized: "Your Majesty, this old woman has no other skills, except that I am steady on my feet and calm on my heart."
Narcissus looked at her calloused hands and then met her calm yet sincere eyes.
She finally smiled with satisfaction and said to Granny Sun, "This Granny Zhang seems reliable; I think she's quite good."
Granny Sun nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty has a discerning eye. Granny Zhang has always had a good reputation among the women of high-ranking families. She is an honest, reliable, and trustworthy person."
Shui Xian immediately instructed Yin Zhu: "Go and fetch that newly arrived lake-blue Hangzhou satin, and give it to Zhang Mama as a reward of one hundred taels."
Upon hearing this, Zhang's mother wore a kind and flattered smile, and repeatedly kowtowed to express her gratitude.
"Thank you so much, Your Majesty! Your Majesty's kindness is too much for this old woman... truly..."
She seemed so excited that she was almost incoherent. Finally, she kowtowed heavily, her voice choked with determination, "This old woman will risk her life to ensure that Your Highness and the young master are safe and sound!"
Narcissus offered a few words of encouragement, reassuring her to settle into the midwife's quarters in the palace and be ready to serve at any time.
Zhang's mother, deeply grateful, accepted the reward and was led away by a young eunuch.
Inside the side hall, Shui Xian watched Zhang Mama's kind figure as she left, but a cold glint flashed deep in her eyes.
Long time no see, Zhang's mother is still such a good actress.
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