“One of our informants in the main courtyard said that the Fujin (princess) only took action because she suspected that Consort Yin was pregnant,” Li Zhongde whispered to Madam Li.
"What did you say? Are you sure?" Li's voice rose an octave.
“Absolutely true, and this servant suspects that this Lady Yin is not actually suffering from heart palpitations and needing to rest for over a month, but rather using this opportunity to nurture her pregnancy.” Li Zhongde nodded and then dropped another bombshell.
"Didn't the Fujin (principal wife) try to seduce her? How could she still be pregnant?" Li Shi was so angry that her face turned green. She cursed the Fujin in her heart for being so useless, trying to seduce her but failing.
"This servant doesn't know either. Perhaps Lady Yin discovered it." Li Zhongde was also unsure of what was going on.
"You, have someone confirm whether this Lady Yin is pregnant or not. If... you know what will happen." A sinister glint flashed in Lady Li's eyes. Lady Yin hadn't worried about her before, even when she was favored. A hen that couldn't lay eggs wasn't worth her attention. But if she could get pregnant and give birth, that would be a different story. This was truly a troublesome person.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will have someone investigate immediately." Li Zhongde also knew the seriousness of this matter. What was it that allowed his princess to live so comfortably in the inner courtyard? Of course, it was her beautiful appearance and her ability to bear children. But this Princess Yin, although he didn't want to admit it, was indeed more beautiful than his own princess. If she couldn't bear children, that would be fine, but if she could, then she would be a formidable rival to his princess in the inner courtyard.
Yin Qingyi had been living a very comfortable life for the past month and a half, completely unaware that she had been targeted by Madam Li. After lying in bed for three days, and after the royal physician confirmed that she was alright, she was finally allowed to get out of bed.
"Princess, it's getting colder every day, you shouldn't go out." Qiu Ju looked at Yin Qingyi, who wanted to go out for a stroll in the courtyard, and was a little worried. It was November and it was going to snow soon. Inside the house, thanks to the master's care and the availability of enough charcoal, it was naturally not cold. But it was different outside. She was afraid that the sudden change in temperature would cause the master to catch a cold, which would be terrible.
"Is it going to snow soon?" Although Yin Qingyi wanted to go out, she knew it was better not to. Ancient times didn't have the advanced medical conditions of modern times; even a cold could be fatal. Besides, she was pregnant, and her immunity was already much weaker. It wasn't that she was tired of living; naturally, Qiuju's persuasion stopped her from going out.
"Yes, it'll be in the next few days." Qiuju nodded.
"It's snowing! It's snowing, Princess! It's snowing!" Chunlan's excited voice suddenly came from the doorway.
"Keep your voice down," Little Gold's voice rang out.
"Qiuju, can't I really go out? Just one look, just one look, is that okay?" Upon hearing this, Yin Qingyi's heart, which had been at rest, immediately began to stir again. Snow! She had never seen snow in her past life. As a true southerner, she had only ever seen snow on television. So, upon hearing that it was snowing, her heart was truly restless.
“Princess, you absolutely cannot go out when it snows. The snow melts into water that is bone-chillingly cold when it hits you,” Qiuju disagreed.
"Qiuju~" Yin Qingyi tugged at Qiuju's clothes and looked at her pleadingly.
"How about we open the window and see?" Qiu Ju couldn't resist Yin Qingyi's coaxing and took a step back.
"Can't we go out?" Yin Qingyi continued to plead, blinking her big, bright eyes at Qiu Ju.
"What are you saying? Where do you want to go?" Yinzhen saw Yin Qingyi's pitiful appearance as soon as he arrived at the door. He had only heard half of what she said, so he couldn't help but ask.
"Your Majesty! What brings you here today? It's snowing." Yin Qingyi immediately let go of Qiuju's hand and jumped to Yinzhen's side.
"Slow down!" Yinzhen was so frightened that he hugged Yin Qingyi tightly, his face dark with anger, and he glared at Yin Qingyi as if he wanted to beat her up.
"My lord, I was just so happy to see you, please don't be angry," Yin Qingyi said coquettishly, sticking out her tongue.
"You're so glib. I've only been away for two or three days. I didn't see you acting like this even when I was away for ten or fifteen days. Tell me, what do you want this time?" Yinzhen was not fooled by Yin Qingyi's sweet words. After spending the last few months together, he had figured out this little woman. She was definitely not one to do things without a reason. Her current overtures to her must mean she had something to ask for.
"Your Majesty is wise. It is like this, this concubine wants to go out and see the snow, really just to see it, right under the eaves. This concubine will absolutely not go out and get wet." Yin Qingyi raised her hand to swear, her small face full of longing as she looked at Yinzhen, as if she would cry in front of him if he didn't agree.
"Nonsense! It's snowing and freezing outside. What if you catch a cold? You're pregnant!" Yinzhen's face darkened further, and he disagreed. The term "baby" was adopted from Yin Qingyi, because Yin Qingyi forbade them to call it a little prince, saying that if it were a little princess, she would be sad in her womb. But they also couldn't call it a little princess, in case it was a little prince. So Yin Qingyi decided to call it "baby," whether it was a little prince or a little princess, it could be called that.
"Put on more clothes, it's really just one look, Master~" Yin Qingyi wasn't afraid of Yinzhen's dark face at all. In the past few months, this man had given her a dark look so many times that she was already immune to it.
"...Go, dress your princess in more clothes, and put that fox fur coat on her too." Yinzhen glared at Yin Qingyi, who blinked at him. In the end, Yinzhen was defeated.
"Yes." Even if Qiuju was unwilling, there was nothing she could do. She could persuade the princess, but she dared not utter a word of persuasion for the master.
"Your Highness is the best." Yin Qingyi praised sweetly, and after glancing at the servants beside her who all had their heads down, she quietly tiptoed and kissed Yinzhen on the cheek.
"You! Stop fooling around." Yinzhen's handsome face was flushed red, and he looked at Yin Qingyi with a mixture of anger and unease.
"This concubine is not being naughty, this concubine misses you, Master." Yin Qingyi blushed and hid in Yinzhen's arms.
"Ahem, you're still a little pregnant, it's not advisable now." Yinzhen's eyes darkened slightly when Yin Qingyi said that, recalling the foolishness they had shared during that time. However, after looking at Yin Qingyi's still flat stomach, he finally held back.
“…Then we can wait until next month. Your Highness mustn’t not come to see me then.” Yin Qingyi paused for a moment. This was different from what she had thought, but it didn’t matter. She had actually been thinking about it too. However, just as Yinzhen had said, the pregnancy was still early, and it wasn’t the right time to do that. But it would be fine in the second trimester.
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