Chapter 96 Pregnancy Again
The days passed quietly as preparations were underway for Princess Yongning's 100-day celebration.
Finally, the winter solstice arrived, which also happened to be the hundredth day since Shuixian gave birth to Yongning.
Before dawn, Yongle Palace was already bustling with activity.
Shui Xian got up early and was helped by Yin Zhu and the palace maids to do her hair and makeup.
She wore a crimson auspicious robe befitting a concubine, and a magnificent floral crown on her head, exuding nobility, solemnity, and extraordinary bearing.
However, her mind was not on her appearance at all; all she could think about was her daughter, whom she would soon see at the banquet.
"Yinzhu, have you prepared the pair of small bracelets inlaid with pearls that the princess will wear today? Also, make sure the princess wears the red silk bib that I embroidered myself, wishing her peace and safety year after year, close to her skin, for good luck."
As Narcissus straightened her cuffs, she earnestly gave him instructions.
Yinzhu was carefully arranging a small brocade box when she heard this and quickly replied, "Your Highness, don't worry, the bracelet is here. This servant will..."
Before she could finish speaking, she opened the small box and her expression changed slightly: "Your Majesty! That...that gold-threaded red silk undergarment is gone!"
"What?!" Narcissus frowned and looked over.
Yinzhu emptied everything out of the box and searched through it several times, her usually calm expression revealing a hint of anxiety.
"Your Highness finished embroidering it a few days ago, and I clearly put it in the bottom of this box by hand! How could it be missing?"
Seeing this, the other palace maids also hurriedly helped search the dressing table, and the hall was immediately in chaos, but they found nothing.
Narcissus frowned.
Although the bib was small, it was a gift she had painstakingly embroidered for her daughter's 100-day celebration, stitch by stitch, over several sleepless nights.
Her gaze swept over the palace servants coming and going in Yongle Palace. Since giving birth, the Empress had the Imperial Household Department add many more palace servants for her.
When using daffodils to nourish the body, one cannot simply pass through them one by one. I have only tried two occasionally, and both have been fine.
After all, it was the Empress who issued the decree to send palace servants selected by the Imperial Household Department.
Narcissus could not be strictly interrogated and selected, as that would embarrass the Empress.
She could only have Yinzhu serve her personally on weekdays, and the other close palace maids were all chosen from those who had served her for a long time.
However, with so many people and so many tasks, mistakes are bound to happen in the rush.
"That's enough!"
Narcissus waved gently, indicating that Yinzhu and the others no longer needed to search.
"Perhaps one of the palace maids was negligent and put it in the wrong place. The auspicious time is approaching, and we cannot delay."
She instructed Yinzhu, "Go to the storeroom and fetch that extremely precious jade ruyi as a gift for the princess... We'll investigate this matter thoroughly after the banquet, lest we delay important matters!"
She couldn't let this unexpected event ruin her daughter's 100-day celebration.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yinzhu was solely responsible for arranging the gifts for the 100-day celebration. At this moment, the bib that Shuixian had embroidered by hand was missing, and Yinzhu's face was full of guilt.
Narcissus gave her a nonchalant look, then moved to a side hall for breakfast.
As dawn broke, several delicate dishes of congee and side dishes were laid out on the table.
As soon as Shuixian sat down at the table, she suddenly smelled a heavy, pungent odor of sesame oil. She felt a little nauseous, but not to the point of wanting to vomit.
Shui Xian's expression changed slightly. She quickly covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, frowned, and pushed away the small dish in front of her that was drizzled with a thick layer of sesame oil.
"Why does this smell so strongly of oil?"
Yinzhu quickly stepped forward and removed the dish.
"It must be the Imperial Kitchen's negligence! They were so busy with today's grand banquet that they dared to be so careless with even the masters' breakfast! Your Highness, please calm down and have some congee to tide you over. I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly after the banquet!"
She ladled a bowl of congee and placed it in front of Narcissus.
Narcissus barely suppressed the nausea and nodded, assuming it was a mistake by the imperial kitchen.
She managed to drink a few mouthfuls of congee, but then couldn't eat anything else.
As the appointed time approached, Narcissus, surrounded by palace maids, gracefully made her way to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the banquet was to be held.
As they walked to the bottom of the white marble steps outside the palace, they happened to meet Prince Duan, who was entering the palace with his wife.
Shui Xian nodded slightly in courtesy: "Greetings, Prince Duan and Princess Consort."
Prince Duan, however, was unusually shrewd today. Dressed in his princely robes, he looked quite respectable and politely returned the greeting: "Greetings, Consort Jin."
Princess Duan, who was beside him, also greeted him according to etiquette.
The couple made way at the temple gate, allowing Narcissus to go first.
However, just as Shui Xian and Prince Duan passed each other, she couldn't help but catch a glimpse out of the corner of her eye of Prince Duan casually touching a purse at his waist.
The glance he gave her seemed to hold a deeper meaning, making her feel uneasy.
Narcissus couldn't help but glance at the purse at his waist, but with so many guests watching, she couldn't afford to lose her composure in the slightest.
She could only suppress her disgust for Prince Duan, maintain perfect composure, and gracefully enter the magnificent Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, because Princess Yongning's 100-day celebration happened to fall on the same day as the Winter Solstice, Emperor Zhaoheng specially issued an edict to hold a grand celebration, inviting members of the imperial family, high-ranking officials, and ladies of the court.
Inside the palace, the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, and toasts were exchanged, creating a scene of royal joy and peace.
Narcissus took her seat.
On the table in front of him were a variety of delicacies and exquisite snacks carefully prepared by the imperial kitchen.
However, the same oily smell as in the morning lingered around her nose again.
Even though she deliberately avoided those greasy pastries, the taste lingered like a leech, impossible to get rid of.
wrong.
Narcissus pondered to herself.
For such an important banquet, the imperial kitchen would never make such a basic mistake as serving breakfast!
The only explanation was that the problem lay with her... She subconsciously touched her lower abdomen, remembering that her period was late this month...
Yinzhu, who had been standing behind Shuixian, noticed that her face was slightly pale and there seemed to be a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. She quickly bent down and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Shui Xian slowly shook her head and whispered, "It's alright. After the banquet, immediately have Pei Jichuan wait at Yongle Palace. Tell him that I'm a little tired today and that he should come to check my pulse."
She needed to confirm her suspicions.
"Yes, I've got it."
Shui Xian picked up a piece of crystal-clear candied orange, barely suppressing the churning in her stomach, and decided to go to the side hall to see her daughter first.
Before the banquet had officially begun, she got up on her own and quietly left the table with Yinzhu.
The side hall of the Hall of Supreme Harmony has been transformed into a warm and comfortable place, specifically for Princess Yongning to rest.
As soon as Shui Xian reached the door, she heard Emperor Zhaoheng's deep and gentle voice and the Empress's gentle response coming from inside.
Just as the palace maid guarding the gate was about to announce her arrival, Narcissus stopped her.
"It's alright, I'll just wait outside. There's no need to disturb the Emperor and Empress."
She stopped behind the door and, through the wide-open palace gate, saw Emperor Zhaoheng and the Empress standing side by side beside Yongning's small bed.
They were like an ordinary, loving couple, looking down at their beautiful, adorable baby daughter in swaddling clothes.
The Empress leaned slightly forward and said softly to the small bed, "Yongning looks so energetic today. Look at her little face, so rosy."
At this moment, Emperor Zhaoheng reached out and gently touched his daughter's small hand, casually asking, "How has Yongning's appetite been these past few days? It seems to me that it's gotten a bit heavier than it was a few days ago?"
The Queen's smile remained unchanged. When Narcissus heard this, she did not answer immediately, but instead turned her body slightly as if by accident.
The Empress looked at the wet nurse standing to the side and asked in a natural tone:
“Zhang Mama, the Emperor asked about Yongning’s diet and daily life. You take care of the princess every day and know the details best. Tell the Emperor quickly.”
The old nanny Zhang immediately stepped forward and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress."
"Her Highness has a very good appetite and sleeps soundly at night, usually only waking up once. The imperial physician came to take her pulse just the day before yesterday and said that Her Highness is perfectly fine."
The Empress nodded with a smile and said softly to Emperor Zhaoheng, "Your Majesty, listen, everything is fine in Yongning. I have instructed Zhang Mama and the others to serve you with the best care, without daring to be careless in the slightest."
Outside the door, Narcissus finally noticed something was wrong and paused slightly.
If she was taking such good care of him, how could she be completely unaware of Yongning's condition? And why did the wet nurse have to come forward to answer her questions?
Previously, every time she visited Kunning Palace, the Empress always appeared to be well-mannered and devoted.
Now that she thought about it carefully, she realized that she had never seen the Empress visit Yongning...
Even though Yongning was only in a side hall of Kunning Palace.
Before Shui Xian's doubts could be dispelled, the Empress's voice rang out again from inside the palace, carrying just the right amount of concern, as if it were just a casual chat between husband and wife.
"By the way, Your Majesty, a few days ago, Consort Jin was stopped and spoke a few words with Prince Duan near Kunning Palace..."
"After you went back, did you talk things out with the Emperor? It's really a pity that Granny Sun was so talkative. It would have been bad if it had caused more trouble between the Emperor and Consort Jin."
Emperor Zhaoheng seemed unconcerned, his gaze still lingering on his daughter's face, and casually replied, "Yes, we've already discussed this, so the Empress doesn't need to bring it up again."
The narcissus outside the door had a slight tremor in her eyes.
Only now did she realize that the Empress knew about how Prince Duan had tried to stop her.
Shui Xian was absolutely certain that the Empress and the Emperor were not referring to the time at Tingyuxuan, because Tingyuxuan was quite far from Kunning Palace.
And near Kunning Palace... only earlier than Tingyu Pavilion, when Prince Duan suddenly stopped her and spoke to her in a teasing tone, making her very uncomfortable.
Shui Xian frowned, the image of the Empress's always gentle and virtuous face flashing through her mind, and a strange feeling arose in her heart.
As she was about to leave the doorway to think things through, she was holding onto Yinzhu's hand when she suddenly heard Granny Sun's voice from behind her.
"Greetings, Consort Jin! Why aren't you going in?"
Granny Sun's voice was quite loud, attracting the attention of the Empress and the Emperor inside the hall.
The next moment, Narcissus met the Queen's eyes.
The Empress smiled and said, "Consort Jin, come in quickly."
Her smile was as gentle as ever, but Narcissus inexplicably felt a chill rise from her heart.
wrong......
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