Chapter 47: Take Good Care of Your Pregnancy
Huamei crawled back to Qingxin Cottage, her face as pale as if she had just been fished out of a flour jar.
As soon as she entered the room, she fell to her knees, crying breathlessly: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! It's bad! The princess...she..."
Wen Yue was leaning on the chaise longue by the window, holding a book in her hand and flipping through it absentmindedly.
Hearing Huamei's wailing, she frowned impatiently and threw the book onto the small table with a crisp "pa" sound. "Why are you crying? Is the sky falling? Speak with your tongue straight!"
Huamei was so frightened by her shouting that she trembled and sobbed as she told him exactly what happened in the kitchen.
She didn't dare to hide anything, especially Princess Cui Jingyue's words, "Now, my sister's health is the most important rule," and the flawless words of "taking care of her" that followed.
As Huamei continued her story, the impatience on Wen Yue's face gradually faded, replaced by a frozen, cold shock. She slowly sat up straight, her eyes, once lazy and charming, now narrowed into a dangerous line.
"...The princess said that from now on, all the food from our small kitchen must be sent to the main courtyard first. She will personally inspect it before sending it to you, Your Majesty.
She said it was for the safety of the Empress and... and the Young Master." After Huamei finished speaking, she secretly glanced up at Wen Yue's face. She saw her face was as gloomy as water and she said nothing. The air in the room seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.
"Good, you're so considerate of me!" Wen Yue managed to utter a few words after a long pause. She stood up suddenly and swept all the tea sets on the small table to the floor.
"Bang—"
The fine celadon was shattered all over the floor, and the scalding hot tea splashed on the gorgeous carpet, emitting wisps of white steam.
Huamei and the maids serving in the room were so frightened that they all knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.
Wen Yue, however, acted as if she hadn't noticed, pacing back and forth in the room, her chest heaving violently. She wasn't stupid, and she instantly understood the viciousness of Cui Jingyue's move.
What safety check? This was clearly strangling her throat!
From now on, what she eats and drinks depends entirely on Cui Jingyue's words.
If she's happy, she'll reward you with a bowl of bird's nest; if she's unhappy, you'll have to accept the leftovers. Even more terrifying is that this poison test, while seemingly protective, actually puts her in an even more dangerous situation.
If there ever came a day when something went wrong with the food, Cui Jingyue could just throw up her hands and say, "I've checked it, there's absolutely nothing wrong," completely shirking all responsibility. By then, even if she had a mouth full of words, she wouldn't be able to explain herself!
The piece of flesh in her belly had been her greatest support for her survival and advancement in the palace, her golden ticket to immortality. But now, this golden ticket was in Cui Jingyue's hands, transformed into a magnificent cage that trapped her tightly.
"Cui Jingyue...Song Qingyuan..." Wen Yue muttered to himself, with poisonous hatred in his eyes.
She originally thought that her biggest enemy was the smiling but treacherous Song Qingyuan in Furong Garden, but she didn't expect that the wife Cui Jingyue, who had been under house arrest for a long time and whom she had always ignored, was the most deadly poisonous snake. If she didn't come out, it would be fine, but once she came out, she would bite her off!
She was shaking with hatred, her nails digging deep into her palms, leaving several crescent-shaped blood marks.
At this moment, a voice came from outside the door: "The prince has arrived!"
Wen Yue was shocked, and the fierceness on her face instantly faded, replaced by a face full of grievance and panic. She took a deep breath, and without waiting for the maid to help her, she stumbled to the door and bumped into the arms of Shen Yanzhi who had just entered.
"Your Highness!" Her voice was filled with tears, and her tears fell like beads from a broken string. "Your Highness, please make the decision for me!"
Shen Yanzhi had just come from the front yard and heard the noise in the kitchen. He had wanted to comfort Wen Yue, but when he saw her tearful look, his heart softened. He put his arm around her shoulders and asked softly, "What's wrong? Who wronged you?"
Wen Yue fell into his arms, crying even more sadly: "I dare not. Princess sister is also for the good of me and the child in my belly, but... I am afraid.
From now on, all three meals a day will pass through the hands of the master, as if I am being watched all the time. I am so scared that I can’t eat or sleep. My lord, I know that I am of humble status and shouldn’t have so many thoughts, but I am really scared!
Her words were incredibly clever. She didn't accuse Cui Jingyue of anything, instead insisting she meant well, simply saying she was afraid and timid, attributing all the conflicts to her own "lowliness" and "sensitivity." This way, she appeared sensible while quietly directing the blame at Cui Jingyue.
However, Shen Yanzhi's reaction was beyond her expectations.
He patted Wen Yue on the back. His tone did not mean to blame Cui Jingyue, but rather to praise her: "Yuer, you think too much. The princess is truly understanding of justice by doing this."
Your pregnancy is a top priority in the palace, and food safety is paramount. Only with the princess personally overseeing it can I rest assured.
As the princess, she has worked so hard for you, your sister. You should be grateful to her. From now on, you should respect the princess more and not have such petty thoughts.
Wen Yue's sobs suddenly stopped. She froze in Shen Yanzhi's arms, as if a basin of ice water had been poured over her from head to toe, leaving her body icy cold.
He...he actually thought that Cui Jingyue was right?
He actually said that he was petty?
A huge wave of humiliation and anger surged in her heart, almost swallowing up her sanity. She bit her lip hard to prevent herself from screaming. It turned out that in his heart, Cui Jingyue's "rules" and "righteousness" were much more important than her grievances and fears!
Shen Yanzhi didn't notice her strangeness at all, and continued to talk to himself: "Okay, stop crying. I have already ordered two capable women to be added to your courtyard. Let them handle any work. Take good care of your pregnancy and give me a plump, white son. That is your serious matter."
After saying this, he seemed to have accomplished something great, and after a few more words of comfort, he stood up and left. He still had to go to the study to deal with some official business, and seemed to feel that the matter had been satisfactorily resolved.
After Shen Yanzhi left, Wen Yue slowly sat back on the couch, the color draining from her face. The room was eerily quiet, the only sound being the soft rustle of broken porcelain pieces in the wind.
Half an hour later, the eunuch in charge of the main courtyard personally carried a food box and led two young eunuchs into the Qingxin Cottage.
"Madam Wen, this is the pregnancy-maintaining food sent by the princess. The princess has instructed that your body is precious, and this examination step must not be skipped."
The eunuch in charge spoke with a forced smile as he opened the food box and placed the four dishes and one soup on the table. Then, a young eunuch stepped forward, produced a silver needle, and, in full view of the crowd, tested each dish. The needle remained sparkling, untouched.
"Madam Wen, please have your meal."
The whole process was filled with ritualistic humiliation.
Wen Yue sat at the table, looking at the steaming, exquisite dishes, but she found them harder to swallow than sand. The food might not be poisonous, but Cui Jingyue's move was more tormenting than any poison.
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