Read Novel Full Chapter 3591: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (10)
Chapter 3591: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (10)
Ning Shu saw Consort Xuan looking heartbroken. She was being despised as ugly by a man because she was pregnant. One had to ask, was this agonizing or what? It was agonizing!
She had not seen the emperor in several months, and the moment he arrived, he called her ugly. Consort Xuan barely held it together to keep from crying.
“This woman has lost her composure.” Consort Xuan curtsied while supporting her belly.
Being called ugly and still having to apologize to the other party, one had to ask, was this agonizing or what? It was agonizing!
“This emperor will come see you again after some time. Beloved consort, I hope next time, you will not look so haggard.” Ao Tianze walked away with his hands clasped behind his back.
“This woman respectfully sees His Majesty off.”
Ning Shu bowed, watching Ao Tianze’s retreating back.
Ao Tianze had deliberately come to find fault just to make Consort Xuan use the things he sent over. Ao Tianze’s determination to eliminate the child truly refused to die.
As soon as Ao Tianze left, Consort Xuan sat down and slumped over the table, crying. She cried so hard her body shook, but her weeping remained melodious and delicate. She did not dare to wail loudly because it would not sound nice, and doing so might displease Ao Tianze again.
Ning Shu just watched Consort Xuan cry without comforting her. Once she cried enough, she would naturally feel a bit better. It was always better than keeping it all bottled up in her chest.
However, as Consort Xuan cried, the children in her belly began to tumble and turn relentlessly. Feeling a bit of pain, Consort Xuan immediately stopped crying and said to Ning Shu in a panic, “Your Highness, this woman’s belly hurts a little.”
The female physician quickly checked Consort Xuan’s pulse and said, “Your Highness, you must not overthink or allow your emotions to fluctuate so violently. Otherwise, it will be easy to disturb the fetal qi.”
“Then my children are fine, right?” Consort Xuan asked with lingering fear. Seeing Ning Shu leisurely drinking tea, she said anxiously, “Your Highness, what should this woman do?”
“Do about what? Did something happen?” Ning Shu said nonchalantly.
“Your Highness, His Majesty disdains this woman so much right now. What if he despises this woman’s children because of me? What should I do, what should I do?” Consort Xuan could sense that Ao Tianze did not like the children in her belly.
“These children are your children, your future pillar of support, and your companions. Your only task right now is to give birth to the children, not to worry about such baseless matters. No matter what happens, these children are of His Majesty’s bloodline,” Ning Shu said calmly.
“Oh!” Consort Xuan felt slightly reassured. She touched her face again and asked Ning Shu, “Did His Majesty not bestow rouge and powder upon this woman last time? This woman wants to apply some rouge.”
The female physician looked at Ning Shu. Ning Shu set down her teacup and said to Consort Xuan, “This empress does not agree with you applying these things, but if you want to apply them, then do so. Besides, this is also His Majesty’s grace.”
Ning Shu nodded at the female physician. The female physician took out a rouge box from the trunk and said, “Your Highness Consort Xuan, this is an imitation this servant made based on the rouge His Majesty provided. Would it not be better to wait until after Your Highness Consort Xuan gives birth to use the rouge and powder His Majesty bestowed upon you to go see him?”
“This…” Consort Xuan furrowed her eyebrows. She felt that she was being completely controlled by the empress with absolutely no freedom. The empress even controlled what she applied to her face.
“This can whiten and nourish the skin, making it smooth and tender while giving you an excellent complexion. Your Highness can try it out,” the female physician said.
“This woman thanks Your Highness for the grace,” Consort Xuan said reluctantly. Her expression looked somewhat displeased.
Ning Shu smiled faintly and said, “Do not be anxious. Every bit of those cosmetics you use is one bit less. There are still a few months until the children are born. Use this to nourish your skin first. When the time comes to apply His Majesty’s rouge and powder, you will be even more radiant and moving.”
Consort Xuan was getting a little tired, so the palace maids helped her lie down to sleep. Ning Shu transferred a tiny bit of spiritual energy into Consort Xuan’s belly. She then released her spiritual consciousness. She looked through the skin of her belly and saw the fetuses inside. Two children were squeezed together in one womb, moving their hands and feet.
Furthermore, it was a boy and a girl. An auspicious pairing of a dragon and a phoenix.
Aside from taking care of a pregnant woman, Ning Shu also had to find ways to gather information about Ao Tianze’s situation through various channels.
They were supposed to be husband and wife, but she knew absolutely nothing about what was going on with Ao Tianze.
The news Xi’er managed to gather was that Ao Tianze frequently summoned royal physicians. It was unknown if there was a problem with his health.
That sounded about right. Ning Shu had actually started to wonder if her aim was off.
“Your Highness, every time the imperial physicians come out of His Majesty’s palace, their expressions are quite poor. They have likely encountered some difficult matter. Could it be that His Majesty…”
Xi’er did not quite dare to voice her thoughts out loud.
Ning Shu massaged the acupoints on her hands and said slowly, “His Majesty is still so young and full of vigorous energy. What could possibly be wrong?”
Ning Shu had the utmost confidence in Ao Tianze.
Xi’er furrowed her eyebrows. She was prone to worrying, despite her young age.
In a situation like Ao Tianze’s, it was hard to guarantee that he would not resort to extreme measures, such as taking aphrodisiacs. If he wanted to consume alchemical pills, that was not out of the question either.
The main issue was that someone needed to present these things to Ao Tianze and let him know that such items existed.
Men were very strange creatures. Even knowing that these things might permanently damage their bodies, they would still take them just to make their third leg stand up again. They wanted to enjoy the pleasure, and it was likely also to satisfy their desire to conquer.
Ning Shu rested her chin in her hand. How could she make Ao Tianze become obsessed with these things? She firmly believed the Imperial Hospital possessed such items.
Generally speaking, an emperor’s body needed to be conditioned and nourished. They were not supposed to use harmful drugs that would overtax the body.
This was especially true for alchemical pills. Alchemical pills were made using a virgin’s menstrual blood, cinnabar, and mercury, all mixed together into a little mud-like ball. Eating one would leave a person brimming with energy.
This world never lacked people who curried favor and sought to rely on shortcuts.
Ning Shu blinked. She then continued taking care of Consort Xuan, ensuring she safely gave birth to the children.
Consort Xuan’s belly grew larger and larger. Carrying two children in her belly was becoming a bit too much for her to handle.
Whether it was out of a guilty conscience or a desire to cover things up, Ao Tianze increased the frequency with which he had the shadow guards bed the consorts. It gave everyone the impression that the Emperor was full of vigorous energy and absolutely incredible.
Every time these consorts served in bed, an older palace nanny would bring a bowl of medicine and force them to drink it. Ao Tianze did not want another incident like Consort Xuan’s to ever happen again.
Once the seed was planted in the belly, it was not easy to get rid of. Now, the Empress hovered nervously by Consort Xuan’s side all day long. He had made several attempts, but none of them had succeeded.
Fu Min did not know that the person bedding the consorts was not actually Ao Tianze. Seeing Ao Tianze favor other consorts while neglecting to visit her made Fu Min’s heart ache.
Fu Min thought that Ao Tianze had grown tired of her and simply could not bring herself to fight for favor. She obediently stayed in her palace, wishing upon the stars and the moon as she waited for Ao Tianze to come over.
Ao Tianze was also suffering bitterly in his heart. If he suddenly stopped visiting the other consorts, would it not make people suspect there was a problem with his health? However, if he went to Fu Min every time, he would have to personally step onto the battlefield. Right now, Ao Tianze’s spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak.
Furthermore, if he only sought out Fu Min every time, would that not push her to the forefront of the storm?
Although Ao Tianze was cold and ruthless toward other women, treating them like pieces of dog shit, he was deeply considerate of Fu Min in every possible thing.