Chapter 25: Everyone Has Their Own Plans

If the Emperor’s children were truly so easy to conceive, then why, after all these years, had he only fathered three? Having the fortune to become pregnant did not necessarily mean one had the fortune to carry the child to term.

Consort Yu’s emotions surged, and her stomach began to feel uncomfortable. She frowned.

Wenqiu was alarmed. “Your Ladyship, are you feeling unwell?”

Consort Yu’s abdomen throbbed with a dull ache, and a sense of uncertainty crept into her heart. She hadn’t seen Xuanyuan Ling in a long time. Now, with Noble Lady Fang suddenly becoming pregnant, the smile on Xuanyuan Ling’s face at the banquet earlier had pierced her eyes. She felt increasingly aggrieved. She said, “Go call the imperial physician.”

Calling for the imperial physician now would surely alert the Emperor. Noble Lady Fang had just become pregnant—wasn’t it obvious this was to stir up trouble and claim the pregnancy had caused fetal distress?

Wenqiu, after all, was Consort Yu’s senior maid. She knew not only would this reflect poorly on them, but also that the Emperor was currently with the Empress. Cutting in like this would surely be inappropriate.

“Your Ladyship…”

“Go!” Consort Yu glared at her. “Can I not command you anymore?”

Wenqiu said hesitantly, “I just fear Her Majesty the Empress might…”

“Hmph.” Consort Yu said coldly, “If I summon the imperial physician, whether or not the Emperor stays with the Empress is her problem.”

Seeing that persuasion was futile, Wenqiu thought the Lady’s health ultimately mattered most, and quickly went to call the physician.

As soon as the imperial physician was summoned to Zhongyu Palace, Xuanyuan Ling naturally got the news.

He had only just arrived at Fengyi Palace and hadn’t even warmed his seat when a message arrived saying that Consort Yu of Zhongyu Palace had summoned the imperial physician.

Xuanyuan Ling’s face remained composed, but inwardly he was annoyed. Not to mention that Noble Lady Fang had just gotten pregnant—this blatant move to embarrass the Empress didn’t faze Consort Yu at all. Clearly, she had been too indulged before, and now she was becoming more and more presumptuous.

The Empress said, “Consort Yu is, after all, pregnant. Your Majesty should go take a look.”

“You are truly considerate,” Xuanyuan Ling said. In truth, he hadn’t been particularly keen to remain at Fengyi Palace anyway.

The Empress nodded and respectfully sent him off. Just hearing those few words from him was enough to ease her heart, even if she still felt bitter.

Once Xuanyuan Ling had left, the Empress said coolly, “Noble Lady Fang’s child has come at quite the opportune time.”

Was it not perfect timing?

If any other woman in the harem became pregnant, she could always find a reason to have the child raised under her own care. But Noble Lady Fang was different. According to custom, after giving birth, she would be promoted. She was already a Noble Lady with the “Fang” title, so her next promotion would be to Consort. Once she reached that rank, she would be allowed to raise her child herself.

Thus, this child of Noble Lady Fang’s could not be claimed, even if the Empress wanted to.

Still, Shen Qing didn’t have any children yet. If possible, the Empress would prefer a child from Shen Qing—her lower status made her easier to control, and there would be no worries afterward. The child would grow up knowing who to rely on.

But now that Noble Lady Fang was pregnant first, if she gave birth to a son, and the Empress still wanted a child to raise as her own, then Fang could not be allowed to stay.

However, childbirth was naturally a matter of life and death, and pregnancy lasted ten months. There was still time to wait and see.

Xuanyuan Ling believed Consort Yu wasn’t truly unwell, but rather trying to steal his attention. Earlier, he had only used it as an excuse to leave Fengyi Palace. He had never actually intended to go to Zhongyu Palace.

Now, Xuanyuan Ling didn’t want to indulge Consort Yu further. “Return to Qianyuan Palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The physician will report back from Consort Yu’s palace.”

“Mm.” Xuanyuan Ling waved his hand and left.

Zhao Hai silently sighed at how Consort Yu was still causing trouble. She was really something else. If the Emperor truly ran out of patience, and she later wanted his favor again, it might already be too late.

Xuanyuan Ling returned to Qianyuan Palace—it was, after all, closer than Fengyi Palace. The two palaces were in opposite directions, and someone immediately reported this change to the Empress.

The Empress remarked calmly, “She still doesn’t know how to behave. The Emperor looks genuinely displeased.”

“Consort Yu’s favor likely ends here.” Now that punishment had begun, things would no longer be as golden as they once were.

This was something the Empress liked to hear. But the fact that the Emperor had not gone to Zhongyu Palace either—he had simply left Fengyi Palace—made it clear he didn’t want to stay there. That alone made it impossible for the Empress to feel good. “Have the guards around Noble Lady Fang’s residence tightened. Don’t let others find an opening. Given the current situation, her pregnancy must be safeguarded. Have her served with great care.”

Jinzhi nodded. “I’ve already given the orders. There’s no way we’ll let anyone harm Noble Lady Fang.”

Shen Qing only found out about all of this the next morning after she awoke. Chunhua and Fang Yun focused mostly on the fact that Consort Yu had summoned the physician but that Xuanyuan Ling hadn’t gone to see her.

She just listened quietly—after all, it made sense.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease, but if you make too much noise, you just become annoying.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather grew hotter by the day. Fortunately, thanks to Xuanyuan Ling’s prior orders, Zhaohua Palace was provided with ice.

But Shen Qing hated the heat.

She really hated the heat. When the temperature was mild, it was still tolerable, but with the rising heat, she became drowsy all the time. Her sleep hours noticeably increased, and she grew lazier, unwilling to move much. Her favorite thing was to curl up in a room with ice and wave a fan a few more times.

Even Shen Qing herself found it hard to bear.

There was no air conditioning in this place—not even a fan. Relying on hand fans alone, Shen Qing looked at Chunhua, who was sweating profusely while fanning her, and couldn’t bear it. “Forget it, I’ll fan myself.”

After spending more time with Shen Qing, Chunhua had come to realize that this mistress was clever, resourceful, and genuinely kind to her servants—quite different from the other mistresses. She even ate like a child. Seeing her so overheated now, Chunhua was genuinely pained. “Let me do it, my lady. If you fan yourself, you’ll just use more energy and get even hotter.”

Shen Qing started to grumble about how the palace clothes were sticky and clinging to her body from the damp heat.

These palace robes were stifling. Shen Qing couldn’t take it anymore and started stripping, until she was left wearing only a dudou (belly wrap). Instantly, it felt much cooler.

Chunhua was dumbfounded. “My lady, you can’t do this! It’s against palace rules.”

“We’re just inside the room.” Shen Qing knew the rules, and she knew Chunhua meant well—but it was so unbearably hot. So she spoke softly, “Chunhua, just let me take it off. Don’t fan anymore either—you’ll tire yourself out. Let’s shut the main gates of Zhaohua Palace and have Xiao Quanzi keep watch at the entrance. If anyone comes, he can report right away.”

Xuanyuan Ling had arrived just in time to hear all of this from outside. He had thought this little girl only acted coquettish when speaking to him. He hadn’t expected her to talk the same way even with her maids.

And knowing something broke palace rules but still doing it? Even stationing a eunuch at the gate?

Unbelievable that she could come up with such a scheme.