The Chaoyang Palace was filled with the sweet fragrance of fruits and melons. Even in late autumn, charcoal had been lit for warmth, making the room cozy and inviting. Standing before a large desk was a slender woman, but her belly was swollen; she appeared to be seven or eight months pregnant.
The brush moved freely in her hand, and the fresh fragrance of fruits was delightful. Tears welled up in the woman's eyes and dripped onto the paper she had just written on, wetting her clothes.
"My lady, didn't I tell you to rest properly? You're only two months away from giving birth, how can you treat your body like this?"
Xia Ju, who was carrying the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine, was visibly alarmed upon seeing this scene. She quickly helped the woman to a chair, gently patted her shoulder, and comforted her softly, feeling helpless inside.
It's not that the master is overly sentimental; the main problem is that the situation is so distressing and upsetting. Who could be happy when they're pregnant, promised to be the wife by their husband, only to have their elder sister steal it away?
"I'm fine, just a little sad." Bai Wuyou shook her head, gently patting her chest, her sorrow deepening.
What she cared about wasn't losing her position as the principal wife, but that her husband had fallen in love with another woman. Her older sister had always been more outstanding than him, the apple of their parents' eye, while he was just a lowly concubine's daughter, whose mother had died early, and who was struggling to survive in this inner court.
Her only good fortune in this life was marrying her husband and escaping the control of the Bai family. The time she was pregnant was the happiest time of her life. Her only wish in this life was to be able to love her husband for a lifetime.
Heaven knows how excited she was when she learned she was pregnant. To be able to bear a child with her beloved, to become his only wife, and to share a bed with him in life and a grave with him in death was his greatest wish in this life.
But all of this was ruined by her elder sister. She knew her elder sister was beautiful, the most beautiful woman in the capital, but her elder sister was already engaged. If the emperor were to marry her as empress, it would probably cause the whole world to laugh at them.
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. The Emperor still cares about you and will never abandon you." Xia Ju was also uncertain, but she still wanted to reassure her mistress.
"I hope so," Bai Wuyou said softly, his voice tinged with uncertainty. In truth, he already knew the answer in his heart. His sister was so beautiful and kind; she was exactly the kind of woman the Emperor loved. How could the Emperor possibly let her go?
When the time comes, he will inevitably have to plead with the Empress Dowager to allow his sister to enter the palace.
At night, Bai Wuyou dismissed all the palace servants, lay on his bed and looked at the candlelight. The dim candlelight flickered and danced like a graceful dancer.
Crystalline tears slid down her cheeks, wetting her pillowcase. Bai Wuyou hugged herself tightly, curling up into a ball, surrounded by an icy chill.
The Chaoyang Palace used to be brightly lit, and with someone always by my side, I never felt the coldness. Now that person is gone, the palace is as indifferent as the rumors say.
In the blink of an eye, the night passed, and as dawn broke, the woman on the bed opened her eyes again, and everything quietly changed.
A woman dressed in a snow-white undergarment sat in front of a dressing table, supporting her swollen belly. The mirror reflected her pale face. Her long hair was casually draped over her shoulders; it was jet black and glossy. Her features were delicate and pleasing to the eye, but she could not be described as beautiful.
Her ten fingers were slender, with a thin layer of calluses, a mark left by years of hard work. Even after becoming an imperial concubine, her past could not be concealed.
"Master, why are you up so early? Hurry up and put on some clothes so you don't catch a cold." Xia Ju spotted Wu You sitting there at a glance, quickly closed the door, and draped a white fox fur cloak over him, afraid that her master would catch a cold.
The soft downy fur tickled her face, and her body felt warm and comfortable. Wuyou gave a faint smile. "I'm fine. Xiaju, help me wash up. I need to go to Cining Palace."
Xia Ju paused slightly as she tidied Wu You's long hair. Could it be that her mistress was going to compromise herself? She couldn't help but feel wronged for Wu You. She had finally made it through, but now the young lady had reappeared. She really couldn't stand to see her mistress doing well.
A woman already engaged seduces her brother-in-law while visiting her pregnant sister—how shameless! Of course, these thoughts can only be silently grumbled in one's heart; no one dares to utter a word aloud. Everyone knows that Bai Yiran, the eldest daughter of the Bai family, is exceptionally beautiful, captivating the emperor to the point that he is willing to bear the stigma of stealing a minister's wife just to marry her as his empress.
Sometimes Xia Ju couldn't help but believe the rumors circulating outside. She thought that this young lady must be a fox spirit reincarnated, otherwise she wouldn't have such great charm that the emperor would disregard all propriety and shame.
“Master, you don’t need to wrong yourself at all! At worst, we can close the gates of Zhaoyang Palace and pretend to be deaf and dumb, so as not to wrong yourself.” Xia Ju had grown up by Bai Wuyou’s side since childhood and had a very close relationship with him. She was loyal and did not want to see her master suffer.
"Xia Ju, you're still too naive. No matter what we do, the result will be the same. It won't change anything at all, and it will only give people the impression that I can't tolerate jealousy. Rather than that, we might as well do the Emperor a favor and leave him with an impression of being gentle and virtuous."
Wuyou shook his head. Back then, Bai Wuyou was in the same situation, but he had struggled several times before being forced by the Emperor to plead for his sister, giving the Empress Dowager a way out. In the end, everyone was happy, but he ended up pleasing neither side and was inexplicably disliked.
"Your Majesty has been wronged." Xia Ju knew this was true, but she still felt indignant for her mistress, and her tone was more reproachful.
"As long as the Emperor is happy and my child can grow up safely, a little hardship is nothing." Wuyou gently stroked her belly. This child was Bai Wuyou's lifelong obsession, and she was determined to protect this child.
The Cining Palace was filled with the rich scent of sandalwood. Everyone knew that the Empress Dowager was fond of Buddhism, and sandalwood was burned in the palace all year round, so the scent was naturally strong.
Dressed in simple yet elegant attire, with her long hair flowing freely, the Empress Dowager knelt on a prayer mat, chanting incantations. Her expression was one of deep devotion, and the prayer beads rolled slowly in her hand, radiating an air of serene composure.
"Your Majesty, Consort Xian requests an audience." Zhang, the Empress Dowager's trusted confidante, whispered in her ear. The Empress Dowager remained unmoved, but a hint of relief flashed in her eyes. Consort Xian had finally lived up to the Empress Dowager's expectations; she had come to her own doorstep.
The Emperor's actions were already unethical; not only did he forcibly take a minister's wife, but he also broke his vow to Consort Xian, which was truly excessive. The biggest victim in this matter is undoubtedly Consort Xian. If she remains adamant and refuses to back down, this situation will likely become very difficult to resolve.
That's why the Empress Dowager kept stopping the Emperor, hoping that Consort Xian would back down first. Fortunately, Consort Xian lived up to expectations and proved to be a clever woman.
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