Chapter 59 Give Me More Children
I really didn't expect that.
The wolves and tigers in this deep palace, after scheming and plotting, all ended up with the same idea... the child in her womb.
"I am deeply grateful for the kindness shown to me by Consort Li."
Shui Xian subtly declined, saying, "Although Yongle Palace doesn't have the most staff, it's enough to take care of me and the future imperial heir."
"I appreciate Your Majesty's kindness, but I dare not trouble Your Majesty to raise my son."
She refused outright, and Consort Li's gentle smile froze slightly.
Consort Li was not a very patient person to begin with, and when she saw that Narcissus was so ungrateful, her pretense immediately crumbled.
She slammed the teacup down on the table with a loud thud.
"Consort Jin, I understand that you are young and naive, so I will be frank with you!"
Consort Li's voice was slightly cold.
"Do you really think that, given your background, you can properly raise the Emperor's princes?"
She looked Narcissus up and down, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes:
"If you give birth to a princess, the Emperor might be merciful and allow you to raise her by his side, thus fulfilling your mother-daughter bond. But if you give birth to a prince..."
Consort Li laughed sarcastically, "I have been with His Majesty for many years and know His Majesty's heart well!"
"Your Highness, how precious and noble is he? His Majesty will surely choose another adoptive mother of high status for him! This is the rule, and it is also for the sake of the prince's future!"
Consort Li believed that she had been with Emperor Zhaoheng for many years.
In recent years, Narcissus is not the only one who has suddenly gained favor.
Only she could remain in the palace and stay by Emperor Zhaoheng's side.
"I summoned you here today to show you the right path... In this vast harem, do you have a better choice than me? I am not only a Noble Consort, but also the daughter of a Grand Secretary!"
"Whether it's status or family background, isn't she a hundred or a thousand times better than you?"
Consort Li's voice grew increasingly cold, "If you know what's good for you, you will voluntarily send the prince to my side, and I will guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and glory. Otherwise..."
"You'd better think carefully about the consequences of opposing me! Crushing you is no harder for me than crushing an ant!"
Shui Xian looked at Consort Li, who had finally shed her hypocritical facade, and her eyes turned slightly cold.
She is no longer a lowly concubine who has to depend on others.
The position of imperial concubine was enough to give her some confidence, let alone the fetus growing in her womb day by day.
Shui Xian raised her eyes and looked directly at Consort Li, her voice calm: "Your Highness Consort Li, may I ask a question?"
"If I were to truly entrust my son to Your Majesty's care... could Your Majesty guarantee that you would not harm me?"
She pretended to be somewhat tempted, as if weighing Consort Li's words.
In reality, Shui Xian was observing Fang Fei's expression as she stood behind Consort Li.
When Narcissus saw a fleeting, almost imperceptible chill in the depths of Fangfei's eyes, she guessed what was going on.
Consort Li stood up, walked slowly to Shui Xian, and gently touched Shui Xian's slightly protruding belly.
"Silly sister, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Consort Li spoke softly, the cold temperature of the nail guard on her pinky finger emanating through her clothes.
"How could I possibly lay a hand on you? You are a great contributor to the Emperor's succession!"
"I assure you... I will take good care of the Emperor's heir, ensuring he becomes the most noble prince in the land! As for you..."
She paused, her smile deepening. "As the birth mother of the imperial heir, I will naturally take good care of you."
——
After leaving Zhaoyang Palace, we returned to Yongle Palace.
Shui Xian could still feel Consort Li's slightly cool hand, like a venomous snake coiling around her lower abdomen.
She sat at the table, dismissed everyone, and kept only Yinzhu by her side.
"Your Highness, why are your hands so cold?"
Yinzhu sensed Shuixian's unease and asked in a low voice, "That Consort Li... what exactly does she want to do?"
Just now, Shui Xian entered the main hall where Consort Li was alone.
Yinzhu was stopped outside. When Shuixian finally came out, she saw that Shuixian's face was pale and her steps were hurried.
She couldn't ask in detail on the way, but now that they were back at Yongle Palace, Yinzhu asked with concern.
Narcissus asked Silver Pearl to light the charcoal brazier in the spring sunshine, and she leaned over to warm her slightly cold hands with the embers.
"She wants my child!"
Shui Xian couldn't understand why Consort Li, in her previous life, had so ruthlessly and viciously wanted the life of the child in her womb!
This time, she was on high alert, fearing that she might encounter the same poisoning or assassination attempts as in her previous life.
She knew better than anyone how ruthless Consort Li was... This woman, who had fought Yi Guichun for many years without being at a disadvantage, might not have any deep scheming, but her ruthlessness and decisiveness were the most terrifying thing!
What's more, she has a cunning and treacherous woman named Fangfei by her side!
"Your Majesty, then... then what should we do?"
She heard Yinzhu ask in a low voice.
Yes, what should we do?
Narcissus closed her eyes and calmly considered the matter. In this moment, she seemed to detach herself from the situation and look at the problem from a broader perspective.
After a long while, she suddenly realized why Consort Li had changed her attitude.
In her previous life, the child she gave birth to was registered under Yi Guichun's name. Consort Li regarded Yi Guichun as an enemy, so naturally she wanted to get rid of her child.
But in this life, Yi Guichun fell from grace, and Shui Xian came from a humble background, which gave Consort Li a golden opportunity!
Narcissus took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
The strong solve problems, while the weak are solved by their emotions.
She looked at Yinzhu, her voice filled with an almost frightening calmness.
"When soldiers come, we will block them; when water comes, we will dam it. No matter how ruthless Consort Li is, this harem is ultimately not a place where she can control everything."
She stood up, walked to the dressing table, and sat down.
"The most important thing right now is to find out what the most crucial person is thinking."
"Your Majesty means...the Emperor?"
Silver Pearl immediately realized what was happening.
"Hmm." Narcissus looked at her slightly pale face in the mirror and reached out to touch her cheek.
"Prepare the best skin-nourishing balm for me. For the next few days, all meals shall be prepared according to the nourishing and beautifying recipes prescribed by Xiaochuanzi."
She needed to be fully prepared for the tests to come.
For the next three days, Narcissus, like a warrior about to go into battle, meticulously honed her weapon... her beauty.
She meticulously cared for every inch of her skin with perfume, and even changed her diet to a light yet nourishing and beautifying combination.
When Emperor Zhaoheng stepped into Yongle Palace three days later, even though he was used to seeing beautiful women, he couldn't help but be amazed.
Narcissus was dressed in a soft, light red satin palace gown, the supple brocade perfectly outlining her increasingly shapely figure during her pregnancy.
She was kneeling to receive the emperor, with the thick darkness in front of her and the flickering candlelight of the main hall behind her.
The interplay of light and shadow illuminated a few strands of her dark hair that fell across her cheeks, adding to her charming and delicate beauty.
"Xian'er..."
Emperor Zhaoheng turned around, took her soft, boneless hand, and helped her up.
"In just a few days, my fairy has become even more beautiful and captivating."
Narcissus slowly raised her eyelashes, a gentle smile appearing in her watery eyes:
"Your Majesty is teasing me again. I only hope that the child in my womb is well; I don't care about beauty or ugliness."
That night, Emperor Zhaoheng naturally stayed overnight at Yongle Palace.
It is said that the moment a woman becomes pregnant is the beginning of her dull period.
Emperor Zhaoheng, however, felt that the narcissus was like a delicate flower being nourished, and it became more and more beautiful every day.
He was careful to maintain his composure, but beauty is alluring. Emperor Zhaoheng felt that tonight he would be the romantic scholar who died under the peony blossoms, truly a romantic ghost.
At the moment when a man is most satisfied, his vigilance is also at its lowest. Narcissus's seemingly casual conversation is actually a subtle test.
"Your Majesty... I've been thinking lately, if I were fortunate enough to bear you a son... what kind of tutor should I find for him?"
Her fingertips lightly traced his sweaty chest as she whispered:
"We must find the one with the best learning and the most upright character, otherwise... I fear that my son will be looked down upon because of his birth..."
Emperor Zhaoheng seemed amused by her innocent words, and he gently pinched the tip of Narcissus's nose: "Xian'er is overthinking it."
"Who dares to look down on my prince? I will personally invite the best teachers in the land to teach him literary and military skills, as well as the ways to govern the country and bring peace to the nation."
“But…” Narcissus looked up at him with her big, watery eyes.
"I come from a humble background, and I fear... I fear my son will be ridiculed..."
Seeing her slightly aggrieved expression, Emperor Zhaoheng's heart softened, and he said gently:
“Silly fairy, he was born into nobility, with a tutor and a noble stepmother to educate him. You don’t need to worry about these things.”
He smiled slightly, looking at her with doting eyes.
"You only need to focus on your pregnancy and give birth to a healthy son for me, and that will be a great achievement."
"The stepmother's... upbringing?"
Narcissus grasped the key point, and her heart sank.
"Um."
Emperor Zhaoheng did not notice her unusual behavior and patiently explained.
“When a prince is born, he will naturally have his own rank. According to ancestral rules, princes are usually raised by concubines or empresses of high status. This is for the sake of the prince’s future and status, not because they do not value you.”
He said, "You should relax, take good care of your health, and give me more sons. When you have made a great contribution by bearing sons, you will naturally be qualified to raise the children of the future."
Emperor Zhaoheng knew that Shui Xian was always well-behaved, and he was fond of her.
But whether it was the remonstrances of court officials or the rules of the ancestors, they were things he could not and did not want to disobey.
He leaned down and kissed Narcissus's lips, feeling a sense of recovery.
Emperor Zhaoheng held her close, carefully avoiding her belly, indulging in her soft, water-like body.
"Xian'er..."
He became interested and kept pestering her for it.
Narcissus suppressed the icy chill surging in her heart and forced herself to cope, her mind as clear as a mirror.
Even though she had risen to the rank of Consort Jin, they could still only see her background.
However... Emperor Zhaoheng's words just now reminded her.
That stepmother in Kunning Palace, that's her chance...
As her body sank deeper into depravity, Narcissus became increasingly lucid.
......
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