Read Novel Full Chapter 3587: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (6)
Chapter 3587: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (6)
Ning Shu’s face beamed with joy as she asked Consort Xuan, “Have you had a court physician look at you?”
A layer of crimson flushed Consort Xuan’s pale face as she replied, “This woman has not sought out a court physician. I only thought my lack of appetite was due to the hot weather. Furthermore, this woman’s monthly cycles have always been irregular, so I didn’t pay it much mind.”
“With the weather being so hot, you should have sought out a court physician for some pills to stimulate your appetite and strengthen your spleen,” Ning Shu said with a smile.
The court physician arrived quickly. He checked Consort Xuan’s pulse and then said to Ning Shu, “To answer Your Highness, Her Highness Consort Xuan is already one month pregnant.”
“Wonderful! His Majesty finally has an heir.” Ning Shu smiled and said to Consort Xuan, “Starting today, you must focus on nurturing your pregnancy. There cannot be a single mishap. The child you give birth to will be His Majesty’s eldest child, so absolutely nothing can go wrong.”
“No, starting today, I am going to eat, live, and sleep with you until this child is born. The inner palace is in desperate need of a child, and His Majesty is not getting any younger,” Ning Shu said as she paced around.
Consort Xuan was dumbfounded. She immediately said, “Your Highness, this woman could not possibly trouble Your Highness like this.”
Ning Shu waved her hand. “Starting today, the most important matter in this inner palace is Consort Xuan’s dragon heir. This dragon heir must be born at all costs. If anyone dares to overreach, this empress does not mind chopping off their hands for them.”
Ning Shu’s sharp gaze swept over everyone present. The consorts were all frightened by Ning Shu’s fierce demeanor and bowed one after another, saying, “This woman obeys the decree.”
Ning Shu waved her hand. “You may all leave. Consort Xuan will stay.”
The consorts all took their leave. Consort Xuan touched her stomach while looking at Ning Shu with a hint of fear in her eyes.
“Extinguish all the incense in the room,” Ning Shu said to Xi’er.
Xi’er immediately used water to put out the incense in the burner and then opened the windows.
“Although I do not know if the incense is harmful, it is still better not to burn it. Do not burn it in your palace from now on either,” Ning Shu said to Consort Xuan.
Consort Xuan nodded. “This woman will remember this.”
“When this empress said I would eat and live with you, I was not joking around. You also do not need to worry that I will do anything to you,” Ning Shu said.
“This woman truly does not dare to trouble Your Highness. I feel deeply terrified.” Fine beads of sweat had even broken out on Consort Xuan’s delicate nose.
“Do not bother with these useless words. This empress will not lay a hand on you. On conventional terms, this empress wants to protect the child in your belly more than anyone else. Right now, everyone in the court and the country, including His Majesty, believes that this empress is an immoral empress. If you lose your child as well, do you think this empress will meet a good end? This empress is being straightforward with you today. You must give birth to this child.”
Consort Xuan bowed. “Many thanks, Your Highness. It is just that eating and living together, this…”
“It is no matter. Starting today, this empress will live with you and move into your palace.”
Ning Shu said to Xi’er, “Just pack a few sets of clothes.”
“Your Highness…” Xi’er was somewhat disapproving. For the empress to be living in a consort’s palace was highly improper.
“Go.”
After that, Ning Shu moved into Consort Xuan’s Weiyang Palace. She had someone meticulously inspect everything inside Weiyang Palace. This included all the antiques, calligraphy, paintings, jewelry, rouge, and even the clothing.
She also had her maiden family, the Tan family, find a female physician knowledgeable in medicine to enter the palace, as well as a maidservant skilled in martial arts.
Both the female physician and the martial-arts-trained maidservant were there to protect Consort Xuan. With the addition of Ning Shu, there was a very high chance of keeping the child in Consort Xuan’s belly safe.
Consort Xuan stared dumbfounded at the decisive and swift-acting Ning Shu. In just a short period, her palace had taken on a completely new look.
Ning Shu tilted her head and looked at Consort Xuan. “Consort Xuan, now that you are pregnant, you should wear less rouge and powder. It is bad for the child, and it makes it easy for others to plot against you.”
“This empress will listen to Your Highness,” Consort Xuan could only say helplessly.
However, looking at the empress’ demeanor, it did not seem like she wanted to harm the child in her belly.
Furthermore, sharing a bed with the empress at night was a truly bizarre experience. The empress rested her hand on her stomach, gently stroking it stroke by stroke. It really made her hair stand on end.
However, before every meal, the female physician would first inspect all the food, including the bowls and chopsticks. After the inspection, the Empress would take the first bite before letting her eat.
Consort Xuan’s current goal was simply to give birth to the child safely. Whether it was a boy or a girl, it would be His Majesty’s eldest child. It would definitely hold a special place in His Majesty’s heart.
When Ao Tianze, who had finished recuperating, heard that a consort in the inner palace was pregnant, boundless fury immediately surfaced in his heart.
Even though he was the one who ordered someone else to sleep with them in his place, these consorts were still over the moon about getting pregnant. Ao Tianze just wanted to behead the pregnant consort.
“You know what to do, right?” Ao Tianze looked at the shadow guard kneeling before him.
The shadow guard gave an assent, but then said somewhat hesitantly, “The empress is eating and living together with Consort Xuan.”
“So what if the empress is there? Just let her do the deed,” Ao Tianze said. It was the perfect opportunity for her to strike.
“Her Highness brought a female physician from the Tan family, as well as a maidservant with some martial arts skills. It is not very easy for us to make a move,” the shadow guard said. “Every meal goes through all sorts of inspections.”
Heh, this empress was truly acting responsibly.
Ao Tianze rubbed the space between his eyebrows and stood up. He headed for Weiyang Palace. Since she was pregnant, he had to reward her with something.
When Ao Tianze arrived at Weiyang Palace, he was greeted by two women.
Ning Shu smiled and said to Ao Tianze, “Your Majesty, Consort Xuan is pregnant. After ten months of pregnancy, she will give birth to an imperial prince. This empress congratulates Your Majesty.”
Ning Shu clearly saw Ao Tianze’s eyebrow twitch. Consort Xuan looked absolutely radiant. Supporting her waist with her hand, she put on the posture of a pregnant woman and slightly thrust out her stomach as she called out to Ao Tianze, “Your Majesty.”
Ao Tianze’s gaze swept over Consort Xuan’s stomach. “You have worked hard, beloved consort. These are all rewards this emperor is bestowing upon you. Use them well. This emperor hopes that even during pregnancy, you will remain beautiful and moving.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Consort Xuan looked with a beaming smile at the items the palace servants were holding. There was rouge and powder, luxurious jewelry, and some strange, interesting trinkets.
Ning Shu narrowed her eyes slightly and said with a smile, “Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This woman will definitely protect the dragon fetus well and ensure that Consort Xuan safely gives birth to a healthy dragon heir.
“This woman will certainly provide Sister Xuan with a pleasant pregnancy so that she can give birth to an intelligent child,” Ning Shu said with immense magnanimity. Her face even bore an expression of sheer joy, as if she were the one who was pregnant.
“The empress has worked hard. The empress has her own Jiaofang Palace and has no need to live in Weiyang Palace,” Ao Tianze said.
“This woman does not find it hard, not hard at all. As long as Sister Xuan can smoothly give birth to a dragon heir, this woman will be completely satisfied. Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This woman will definitely take excellent care of Sister Xuan and prevent any mishaps from befalling her.”
Ning Shu wore the expression of a loyal, patriotic, tolerant, and magnanimous mother of the nation.
Ao Tianze clenched his fists inside his long robes and said with a gratified tone, “You truly are this emperor’s good empress.”
Ning Shu maintained her smiling face. “It is this woman’s unavoidable duty. Congratulations to Your Majesty on becoming a father.”
Congratulations on unexpectedly becoming a father!1To be more exact, the phrase used here 喜当爹 (xǐdāngdiē) is a neologism/slang meaning ‘to have a wife or girlfriend who bears or raises children of other men.’