Reunion Year
Wu Zetian's morning sickness was as unpredictable as the weather in June.
One moment he could eat a whole bowl of soup with vinegared celery, the next he would be so disgusted by the smell of cooking oil coming from the imperial kitchen that he would vomit until he was dizzy and faint.
Emperor Gaozong was so worried about this that he even considered building a small kitchen next to the Chengxiang Hall.
(Inner monologue: Is the boss planning some kind of special infrastructure project for my wife's pregnancy? Budget overrun warning!)
That day, Wu Zetian lay on the couch, watching Li Zhi sigh and lament over a memorial.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a budget request from the Ministry of Works for the renovation of Luoyang Palace.
"What is Your Majesty worried about?" She picked up a salted plum. "It's just that you're short of money."
Li Zhi smiled wryly: "Meiniang, you may not know this, but this year's tax revenue from various regions..."
"Stop!" Wu Meiniang quickly interrupted his complaints (inner monologue: I'm going to get morning sickness if I keep listening), "I have a method called 'work relief'."
She counted on her fingers for him: "Look, the harvest in Guanzhong is bad this year, and many people are idle. Why not recruit them to repair the Luoyang Palace? We'll provide them with food, lodging, and wages. The people will have work, the project will be done, and the court will be spared the trouble of conscripting laborers—a win-win-win situation!"
Li Zhi's eyes grew brighter as he listened, and he spun her around three times in his arms, exclaiming, "My Meiniang is truly..."
"Stop! I'm dizzy!" Wu Zetian quickly shouted to stop, (inner monologue: I'm really going to throw up if you keep spinning like this!)
During the most comfortable months of her second trimester, Wu Zetian took "working while lying down" to the extreme.
She leaned against the soft pillows while reviewing memorials, and Li Zhi sat beside her on the couch and read them to her.
When faced with thorny political issues, she could come up with a solution in the blink of an eye.
That day, the conversation turned to the Western Regions trade routes being harassed by the Turks, preventing caravans from passing. Just as Li Zhi was about to send troops, Wu Zetian lazily spoke up:
"Fighting and killing is too expensive. Your Majesty would be better off establishing a few 'special economic zones' in the Western Regions, with a three-year tax exemption. Then send an elite force disguised as a merchant caravan to conduct entrapment and law enforcement... no, to lure the snakes out of their holes."
As she was speaking, she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh dear!" Li Zhi was so startled he dropped his pen: "What's wrong?"
Wu Meiniang took his hand and placed it on her stomach, exclaiming in delight, "He kicked me! He must think this idea is brilliant too!"
Li Zhi felt the slight movement in his palm and was so excited that he stammered, "This...this must be a prince! My crown prince!"
(Inner monologue: What if it's a princess? Wouldn't your dream of becoming the crown prince be ruined?)
Before long, the year was drawing to a close, and Wu Zetian, seven months pregnant, attended a palace banquet.
When Consort Xiao's confinement period ended, she made a point of wearing a complete set of ruby jewelry to the event, dazzling everyone with its brilliance.
After several rounds of drinks, Consort Xiao approached with a wine cup: "Sister, your pregnancy is getting increasingly difficult; you must be careful. I heard that there was a concubine in the previous dynasty who, while about to give birth..."
"Consort Shu," Li Zhi suddenly spoke, his voice not loud but enough to silence the entire room, "your headdress is too dazzling, it startled Consort Wu. Take it off."
Consort Xiao's face turned deathly pale instantly.
Amidst the gloating gazes of the assembled concubines, she trembled as she removed the priceless headdress.
Wu Zetian lowered her head to sip her tea, concealing the smile on her lips.
(Inner monologue: The boss's way of protecting his wife is simple, direct, but effective!)
On New Year's Eve, the emperor and empress stayed up together to ascend the tower.
On New Year's Eve of the second year of the Yonghui era, heavy snow covered Chang'an.
The floor in Chengxiang Palace was warm and cozy from the heating. Wu Meiniang, wrapped in a silver fox fur coat, was eagerly looking at a plate of freshly made sugar-coated fruit.
(Inner monologue: First time staying up late on New Year's Eve since I got pregnant! These candied fruit fritters smell so good, I think eating just one should be fine...)
When Li Zhi finished reviewing the last memorial and came in, he saw her looking like a cat that had stolen some fish.
He strode forward and swiftly intercepted her hand reaching for the plate: "The imperial physician said that fried foods should not be eaten in excess."
Wu Zetian stared longingly at the sugar-coated fruit so close to her, swallowing hard: "Just one..."
"Not even half a piece." Li Zhi's attitude was firm, but he turned around and took out a bowl of warmed milk and bird's nest soup from the food box. "Eat this."
(Inner monologue: Here comes the domineering CEO-style care again!)
At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), the Emperor and Empress ascended the Wumen city tower hand in hand.
Looking around, Chang'an was ablaze with lights, and the sounds of firecrackers rose and fell.
Wu Meiniang, holding onto the railing, suddenly exclaimed "Eh!"
"What's wrong?" Li Zhi immediately became alert.
"Your Majesty, look!" she pointed southeast. "Isn't there something flashing over there?"
Before the words were finished, a burst of fire shot into the sky, exploding into a dazzling golden chrysanthemum in the night sky.
Immediately afterwards, hundreds of streams of light arrived one after another, illuminating the entire imperial city as if it were daytime.
"It's fireworks!" Wu Meiniang exclaimed excitedly, grabbing Li Zhi's sleeve.
This was the first time she had ever seen such a grand fireworks display since she traveled through time.
Li Zhi's expression changed drastically, and he pulled her behind him protectively: "Wang Dequan! Quickly find out who set off the fireworks! Imperial Guards—"
"Your Majesty," Wu Meiniang suddenly laughed, "look closely, the sparks from the fireworks have all fallen into the Taiye Pond."
It turns out that this was the "water lily" newly developed by the Imperial Workshop, specially chosen to surprise the Emperor and Empress on New Year's Eve.
I never expected that the surprise would almost turn into a shock.
(Inner monologue: My boss's paranoia is hopeless...)
Li Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, looked down and saw her smiling with her eyes crinkling, snowflakes glistening on her eyelashes, and his heart suddenly softened.
He took off his cloak and wrapped it tightly around her, then led her to a corner of the city wall.
There, a soft couch, a hand warmer, and a food box of her recent favorite snacks had been set up.
"What is Your Majesty doing?"
"I've consulted the imperial physicians," Li Zhi said, raising an eyebrow with a hint of smugness, "They said pregnant women shouldn't stand for long periods."
The two sat side by side on the tatami mat watching the fireworks.
As another round of fireworks exploded, Wu Zetian suddenly felt a gentle kick in her stomach.
"Your Majesty!" She quickly pulled his hand to her belly, "Your son is protesting, saying the fireworks are too loud."
Feeling the strong fetal movements beneath his palm, Li Zhi suddenly said, "After he is born, I will take you to Mount Li to see real fireworks."
Wu Meiniang leaned on his shoulder and laughed, "Then we have to pay the military pay his father owed to the Hebei Circuit first."
(Inner monologue: Prenatal education should start with teaching people how to collect debts!)
At midnight, bells and drums sounded in unison.
Thousands of fireworks rose into the sky at the same time, illuminating each other's smiling faces.
"Meiniang," Li Zhi said softly amidst the commotion, "this is our first year of family reunion."
Looking at his profile illuminated by the fireworks, Wu Meiniang suddenly felt that all the thrilling experiences she had gone through since her transmigration were nothing compared to the warmth of their palms touching at this moment.
(Inner monologue: Well, if every New Year's Eve is like this for the rest of my life... it's not so bad.)
The snow fell heavier and heavier, quietly covering the road we had come from.
Looking at the city lights, Li Zhi suddenly said, "Once the child is born, I will grant a general amnesty."
Wu Meiniang leaned on his shoulder and chuckled, "Your Majesty, why don't you pay the military pay owed to Hebei Province first?"
“You…” Li Zhi tapped her forehead helplessly, “You really don’t want to suffer even the slightest loss.”
(Inner monologue: Of course, as a mother, I have to save money for my child!)
Snowflakes drifted down silently, landing on their clasped hands.
Wu Meiniang touched her belly, thinking that these years in the deep palace had a unique flavor because of the person beside her and the child in her womb.
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