Chapter 5, Pregnancy

I complied with the order, donned a cloak made of wild duck feathers, and, with a headband on, followed the Emperor, leading Yan'er out of the Phoenix Roost Hall

I arranged Yan'er’s hair: "Your Majesty, there is no need to overthink; you have done a good deed." "A good deed? If that is truly the case, then all the hardships would be worth it. But who knows what it is really for?" Yan'er impatiently flicked her sleeves.

The warm breath suddenly left me in a daze, stripping me of the strength to argue, and I had no choice but to comply. I sighed, got up, and fetched Yan'er a feather satin cloak edged with black fox fur from around us, then placed a hood on her head and lit a purple gold incense burner in the white mink's paws. The Emperor, seeing that Yan'er was dressed appropriately, turned to me and said: "You should also pick out a thick garment and come along."

I knelt down and said, "The Empress is with child, and the Empress Dowager has advised against traveling. I hope Your Majesty will understand." The Emperor rose and walked to my side, giving a sly smile, and leaned in close to my ear, saying, "I trust you know how to speak to the Empress Dowager."

Caught in a dilemma, the curtain of the peony flower adorned with phoenixes was lifted, and the Emperor stepped in, approaching with a beaming smile

Wang Meiren is indeed a captivating beauty. She is adorned in the currently fashionable cloud brocade, which contrasts with the loose garments, tailored into a narrow waist and wide sleeves, with a trailing hem that flows like a phoenix's tail. Complemented by tassels hanging beside her, her graceful movements further accentuate her slender figure. The peach-pink hue enhances her fair and delicate skin, resembling peach blossoms touched by spring dew, with her eyes sparkling with charm, evoking affection. It is no wonder that she enjoys such favor from the Emperor, making her the envy of many. Perhaps it is the knowledge of her future fate that elicits particular sympathy for her; I watch her calmly, lamenting the loss of such beauty. Within the harem, to be the favored one inevitably breeds resentment. Most women below wish for her pregnancy to vanish. The flamboyance of her presence stirs much discontent, even drawing the ire of the Empress Dowager. The concubines in the palace, eager to amuse the Empress, concocted jokes to entertain her, creating a lively atmosphere filled with floral scents and soft laughter. Yet, Yan'er shows no interest; upon seeing the Empress's despondent demeanor, everyone gradually quiets down, suppressing their chatter.

I cleared my throat lightly, bringing Yan'er back to her senses. Yan'er smiled at Madam Chen and recited the words I had taught her last night with great fluency: "Madam should also strive, as it is the duty of the sisters to ensure the Emperor has many offspring." The numerous concubines all nodded in agreement. However, Wang Meiren showed a look of disdain; although she also nodded, her eyes were scanning the surroundings.

"What if I decide not to pretend anymore?" Yan'er asked sharply, her expression filled with indignation. "Your Majesty must not do that; if so, Qingyi will have no choice but to atone with her life," I said softly, crouching behind Yan'er to help her adjust the collar of her nightgown. Yan'er turned to look at me intently, her clear black-and-white eyes seemingly probing my innermost thoughts: "Qingyi, tell me, what benefit does this bring you? Why are you so desperately entangled in this?" Looking at Yan'er's stern face, the truth almost slipped out, but in an instant, I swallowed it back down. Yan'er would not understand the turmoil in the court; instead, it would only cause her premature worry. It would be better to delay and share the burden of this blame, which would be beneficial for her. Thus, I bowed and said, "I am merely following the Empress Dowager's orders to alleviate the Empress's worries, and I have no other concealments." Yan'er shook her head, smiling sadly: "So you also do not speak the truth to me." She dismissed my service and turned to step into the inner hall, her small figure draped in the large white gauze nightgown appearing even more fragile. A cold wind swept in, causing the edges of her garment to flutter, accentuating her lonely and desolate silhouette. I felt a pang in my heart, a bitterness difficult to express. Just one step away, yet it felt like a thousand mountains and rivers apart, and I could no longer find that heartfelt connection.

"I am not cold, Your Majesty and the Empress should return to the palace. Be careful not to catch a chill," I said with a smile. Yan'er took the Emperor's hand and quickly entered the palace. Jinmo and I used the feather duster to brush the snow off the Emperor and Empress.

I rose at the command and called Jin Mo to prepare the chopsticks and bowls for the Emperor. The Emperor pulled Yan Er closer, stroking her hair, and noticed her expression of discomfort. He then glanced at the nearly untouched dishes on the table: "What’s wrong? Is Yan Er sulking and refusing to eat?" Yan Er pouted, her eyes glistening with tears that rolled back and forth, struggling to hold them back from falling. She turned to glance at me: "They, they won’t let me go out to play." "So you’re angry then?" The Emperor affectionately ruffled Yan Er's hair. "How about this, Yan Er eats her meal, and I will take you out to play." The Emperor playfully tapped Yan Er's nose with his finger, smiling gently as he made his promise. She turned to glance at me again: "They, they won’t let me go out to play." "So you’re angry then?" The Emperor affectionately ruffled Yan Er's hair. "How about this, Yan Er eats her meal, and I will take you out to play." The Emperor playfully tapped Yan Er's nose with his finger, smiling gently as he made his promise.

"Your Majesty, please wait until the Emperor has finished his meal before discussing these matters," I advised, lowering my head. "It is fine, I am not hungry. Dress Yan'er warmly; it is a bit cold outside," the Emperor said as he stood up and pushed Yan'er towards me.

She found the items bestowed by the emperors and empress dowagers to be unsightly, claiming that their presence caused her great discomfort. She ordered me and Jin Mo to distribute these items as rewards to the various palaces

The continuous stream of celebratory crowds made the Weiyang Palace exceptionally busy, with the comings and goings of the inner palace and the officials' wives overwhelming the attendants. The various gifts of gold, jade, and exquisite trinkets piled up in the two side halls of the Weiyang Palace. Aside from reminding Jin Mo and the other palace maids to be cautious, I had to serve the Empress closely at all times, fearing that any slip could lead to a leak of information. "This humble servant and her sisters have come to congratulate Her Majesty the Empress on her great joy." In front of the inner hall, a vibrant display of flowers adorned the scene, as Madam Chen and several concubines knelt below to offer their congratulations, the sound of their jingling ornaments was quite pleasant. The Empress had simply styled her hair in a casual falling horse bun, adorned with a gold hairpin inlaid with eight treasures, with strands cascading down to her ears, and she did not wear any earrings. She was dressed in a loose, everyday garment, reclining lazily on a golden nanmu couch, watching the kneeling figures below.

The news of the Queen's pregnancy spread throughout the imperial harem after being confirmed by the court physician, and the Emperor chose to remain silent after being urgently summoned by the Empress Dowager

In a moment, the palace maid assisted Madam Chen as she gracefully arrived. Following her was a Zhao Liangdi, who also resided in Yuhua Palace.

I received the order and selected some crimson satin and smoky shadow gauze to take to the Yuhua Palace. Jin Mo was quite excited; although she had been in the palace for over two months, she had not been able to move freely due to various restrictions. Along the way, she laughed and jumped with joy, while I remained silent, watching her. Upon arriving at the Yuhua Palace, I instructed someone to announce our arrival. Since it was a reward from the Empress, I stood outside the palace waiting for Madam Chen to come out to express her gratitude and receive the reward.

Madam Chen smiled and said to the Empress: "The Empress's pregnancy is a significant matter for the state, and coincidentally, Lady Wang is also with child. This is a blessing for the nation and for us concubines as well." Yan'er paid no attention to Madam Chen's flattery, her eyes fixed thoughtfully on Lady Wang's slightly protruding belly.

"Rise, my sisters, let us not be bound by these cumbersome formalities." The queen straightened her posture, feigning a gesture to bestow mats upon everyone.

Everywhere, white shadows flit about, accompanied by a chorus of sighs. Everyone has turned into figures with red noses and flushed cheeks. Although their hands are so frozen that they can hardly grasp anything, they still desperately clutch at the snow

Madam Chen and Beauty Wang sat at opposite corners of the main table, while the other ladies and the seventh and eighth sons were seated in pairs at the two corners below them

What a scene this is, momentarily leaving me in a daze. It resembles a father's affection for his daughter, evoking a sense of home. Long ago, my father also doted on me in this way, while my mother watched us with a gentle smile. Yet now, that image has faded far from me, never to be found again. Unconsciously, my eyes grew warm, and I turned my head up, staving off the tears that were about to fall. Yan'er excitedly pulled the emperor to sit at the table, eagerly scooping fragrant rice into her mouth, swallowing it in large bites, fearing that if she were slow, the emperor might change his mind. I regained my composure and helped the emperor with his chopsticks and bowl, stepping aside. He did not move his chopsticks, merely smiling as he watched Yan'er devour her food, his gaze filled with boundless affection. In just a few moments, Yan'er finished her meal and shook the emperor's arm, saying: "Uncle Emperor, let's go play; Yan'er has finished eating."

Be careful when stepping down the stairs. Before I could react, Yan'er suddenly grabbed a snowball and threw it at me, hitting me squarely on the cheek. Yan'er laughed and skipped away, her laughter seemingly erasing the unpleasantness of the past few months. Her laughter was infectious, and as I wiped the snow off my face, I couldn't help but burst into laughter as well. The Emperor soon joined the fray, and snowballs came flying at me from all directions. I desperately dodged, and the more clumsily I ran, the happier Yan'er seemed to be. I took a moment to hide behind a copper vat in front of the hall and, seizing an opportunity, threw the snowball I had in hand. The Emperor and Empress could not allow a servant to retaliate so audaciously, so I intentionally aimed my snowball to hit a little eunuch who was close to the Emperor.

The palace maids were panting, and some young eunuchs who had lost were lying in the snow, refusing to get up, their bodies covered in snow like snowmen, which made Yan'er laugh uncontrollably. Tired from playing, Yan'er simply sat on the cleaned steps. I ran over to pull her up and used a handkerchief to pat off the remaining snow on her skirt. The Emperor also came over, took Yan'er's hand, and asked, "Are you happy?" Yan'er nodded happily, her rosy little face beaming with a smile. "Then let's go back, don't catch a cold. Look, Qingyi is frozen too." The words stirred two different reactions in my and Yan'er's ears. I felt my face flush; such concern left me at a loss. Yan'er looked at me and wrapped my frozen face with her small hands, breathing out warm air, the white mist brushing against my eyelashes, making me giggle from the ticklish sensation.

"You all must be tired, so please go back," Yan'er said weakly to everyone. In an instant, everyone dispersed. I helped Yan'er change her clothes, and she sighed, saying, "As soon as I see Wang Meiren's belly, I feel scared"

I paused my actions and looked at her, saying: "This servant will pay more attention to alleviate some of the hardships for Your Majesty, the Empress."

Zhao Liangdi had entered the palace for three years and had once been pregnant, but later suffered a miscarriage for no apparent reason. Overwhelmed by her longing for her child, she became cold towards the Emperor and lost his favor. To secure her position, she sought the support of Lady Chen. Upon seeing these rewards, Lady Chen naturally felt pleased, as the other gifts in the palace were merely hairpins and rings, while these silks and satins were this year's newly received tributes. The two knelt in the direction of the Weiyang Palace to express their gratitude, while the palace maids bent forward to lift the rewards over their heads and present them.

The white mink fur cape, with its flowing design, and the white round dragon cotton robe, accentuated his complexion, making it appear even more pale and bloodless

The playful antics of the three of us attracted the attention of the palace eunuchs and maidens, who stopped to watch. A snowball immediately incited the young eunuchs to retaliate, while the maidens beside me began to create snowballs to counterattack. In an instant, the Weiyang Palace was filled with flying snow, and laughter echoed throughout. Yan'er and the Emperor mingled among the crowd, waiting for the right moment to launch a surprise attack. The colors of Yan'er and the Emperor's clothing stood out brilliantly against the snow, yet no one dared to retaliate. They both enjoyed their safety, becoming increasingly aggressive in their attacks. The sky was filled with snow particles scattered by the snowballs, glistening with a silvery light, dazzling and captivating, while the air was infused with the fresh scent of snow.

I hurriedly greeted Yan'er, who merely offered a casual nod. I, on the other hand, performed a grand bow. "Get up, we are all family here, frequently coming and going. It is rather tedious to be so formal with these rituals," the Emperor waved his sleeve, signaling for me to rise.

"Is His Majesty staying overnight at Weiyang Palace today?" I asked cautiously. "I still have memorials to review, let us return to Lingxiao Hall," he replied after checking the time. Naturally, Yan'er’s attempt to keep him was unsuccessful, and she pouted in frustration. The accompanying eunuchs assisted the Emperor onto the carriage as he departed. After seeing the Emperor off, I smiled and helped Yan'er change into her casual nightgown. I had just finished attending to Yan'er as she rested on the couch when Eunuch Huang from Jianzhang Palace sent word for me to come and pay my respects. I thought for a moment, feeling it was sudden. Yan'er immediately sat up, looking at me anxiously. I reassured her, "I will return shortly, Your Highness should rest first." After covering Yan'er with a blanket, I instructed Jinmo to take good care of the Empress. I adjusted my clothing and followed the eunuch to Jianzhang Palace.

Yan'er has become much more burdened in her thoughts, and the fate arranged for her leaves her uncertain about the future she is to face, as well as whether her actions are right or wrong. The once cheerful child has suddenly lost some of her usual laughter, and the bond between us has grown distant and thin, with her daily life filled with heavy worries