Chapter 299 Let His Majesty have this blessing.
Jiang Wan Ning coughed twice and changed the subject, "Your Majesty, perhaps we should go see the Empress first."
"Ah, right, right, right," Xiao Yu said. "Wu Panpan, take the Princess of Langya over there."
"I and Achuan will wait here."
"Yes." Wu Panpan led Jiang Wanning toward the Empress's palace.
Seeing that everyone had left, Xiao Yu leaned closer to Pei Yanchuan and asked, "Who exactly upset you?"
Pei Yanchuan said irritably, "Doesn't Your Majesty know that nighttime is when people should be resting?"
"Your Majesty does not understand?"
Xiao Yu then understood why Pei Yanchuan had been so hostile towards him ever since he entered the palace and the Imperial Study.
It turns out I was the one who interrupted his good time.
Xiao Yu looked down at Pei Yanchuan's 'second brother' with sympathy, "Having to hold it in isn't easy, is it?"
"How about I find a few palace maids from respectable families and send them to you?"
Pei Yanchuan glared at Xiao Yu. "Your Majesty should keep it for yourself. If you make such a suggestion again, I will tell Ningning."
Xiao Yu was taken aback. He really didn't dare to offend Jiang Wan Ning so far. "I'm only doing this for your own good."
"It's normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. You should also take a few concubines to reduce the pressure on the princess. That way, he won't have to suffer so much next time this happens, right?"
Xiao Yu gestured with his eyes towards Pei Yanchuan's 'second brother'.
Pei Yanchuan turned around and sat down, saying without any politeness, "This kind of blessing should be left to His Majesty."
"Your Majesty is staying here with me because you're afraid of being entangled in the inner palace."
Seeing that Pei Yanchuan had bluntly exposed his little scheme, Xiao Yu decided not to hide it anymore. He waved his hand and dismissed all the eunuchs and maids, leaving only the two of them in the hall.
Xiao Yu plopped down opposite Pei Yanchuan, picked up the wine pot and poured a small cup for himself and Pei Yanchuan each. "Sometimes I really envy you," he said.
"You're really lucky, kid. The Princess of Langya is worth a thousand troops."
"The Duke of Rongguo gave all the businesses he had built up in his life to you, the princess, as well as the businesses she had built herself. Her uncle was also a wealthy merchant. A large part of the wealth of Dongling Kingdom was either in her hands or in the hands of her closest relatives."
"My teacher, Grand Tutor Zhou, is considered the pillar of Dongling. Now, he has another friend, a princess from Xixia."
"Most importantly, her medical skills are now superb. Even my empress has become a little fan of you, the princess. She talks about you all the time. When she talks about you, the expression on her face makes me think that my empress is talking about her lover if she weren't talking about the princess."
"Even I sometimes feel inferior to her in terms of status. What man in the world wouldn't want a woman like her?"
Pei Yanchuan's face was full of smugness, "It's just that no one else has a chance."
"Even His Majesty doesn't have it."
Xiao Yu...
"To be honest, if she hadn't married you, I would have really thought of taking her into my harem, but I would never do anything to betray you."
"But don't get too cocky, kid. Just because I can't doesn't mean others can't." Xiao Yu grinned mischievously. "I heard that Tuoba Wenjing was quite fond of the Princess of Langya."
"It is said that during the Mid-Autumn Festival in a few days, the Western Xia originally intended to send Tuoba Ling'er, also known as Shen Ruzhi, and Tuoba Yan'er, but Tuoba Wenjing volunteered to come instead."
"It seems their motives this time are impure. Even if they have other purposes, their lustful desires for you, their princess, are still alive."
Seeing Pei Yanchuan's face growing increasingly sour, Xiao Yu added, "Let me make this clear first: I did not grant your permission, but matters concerning Xixia are not under my jurisdiction either."
"I suppose my word doesn't count."
"I believe in Ningning. Even if a god descended from heaven, he would not do anything to betray me."
Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow at Pei Yanchuan's sour face and the hand gripping the wine glass so tightly that the veins bulged, "I believe it too."
"Then why are you nervous?"
Pei Yanchuan gulped down a glass of wine. "I didn't."
"Isn't Your Majesty going to see the Empress?"
Xiao Yu waved his hand, "With you, my princess, here, I have nothing to fear. I've finally managed to escape some peace and quiet, so you should keep me company and have a drink."
Inside the Empress's bedroom.
After Jiang Wanning completed a series of examinations for Empress Song Zhuyi, she said softly, "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. There is nothing seriously wrong with your health."
What did you eat today?
"Your Highness, Her Highness's diet is strictly prepared according to the instructions of experienced palace maids and medicinal meals provided by the Imperial Hospital," a young palace maid replied softly.
Jiang Wan Ning nodded, "If Your Majesty wants to eat anything, just ask Yu Hai. He said that if it's edible, then Your Majesty can have it. There's no need to be too careful."
The young palace maid glanced at the Empress, then bowed her head and said, "Yes."
The Empress whispered to Jiang Wan Ning, "I saw a little blood today, could it be from the child...?"
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have examined you, and there is nothing seriously wrong with your health. During pregnancy, as long as it is not too frequent, it is generally nothing to worry about."
"I think your stomachache today is due to fear and tension."
The Empress let out a long breath, her tense body instantly relaxing. She waved her hand to dismiss the servants in the room before saying to Jiang Wan Ning, "Ning Ning, to tell you the truth..."
"Ever since Ranran entered the palace, I have had nightmares every night. In my dreams, she is holding a knife and trying to cut out the child in my womb, saying that it is her child."
"I don't want His Majesty to know about Ranran's affairs, for fear of implicating the Song family."
The Empress looked distressed. "But now, whenever I see her smiling face, it's like seeing a demon."
"Yet His Majesty always makes her come to keep me company."
"Ningning." The Empress grabbed Jiang Wanning's hand. "What do you think I should do?"
"In this entire palace, not the entire Eastern Mausoleum, the only person I can trust is you. The Song family... the Song family only values power; whoever can bring greater value is the best."
Jiang Wan Ning gently patted the Empress's hand and softly comforted her, "Why doesn't Your Majesty try to think about this from a different perspective? His Majesty also values this child very much."
"Yu Hai is still in the palace. As long as the Empress's diet and daily life are checked by Yu Hai, there will be no problem. In this harem, the most common thing is poisoning."
"We'll avoid that. As for the fat ones, Your Majesty can secretly train a few maids who know martial arts by your side."
Empress Song Zhuyi nodded, "You're right, Ningning, you really have a way with things. I'll go and make the preparations right away."
Jiang Wan Ning replied softly, "Your Majesty, please rest assured."
“However, I’m more worried about Yu Hai than Her Majesty right now.” Jiang Wan Ning frowned slightly. “With him around, it’s inconvenient to poison Her Majesty.”
"Then that person will definitely target Yu Hai. Only when Yu Hai is not by the Empress's side can they better poison her."
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