Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Li Qiyue was pregnant.

It was joyous news of the highest order. She had already been favored to begin with, and now rewards flowed into her courtyard like water, carried in one after another.

When I arrived, Zhao Yan was sitting by the bed, feeding Li Qiyue her pregnancy-stabilizing medicine spoonful by spoonful. Li Qiyue was acting delicate and spoiled-one moment asking for candied fruit, the next wanting water to rinse her mouth, and then asking Zhao Yan to read her a storybook.

Zhao Yan doted on her, but with me, an outsider, standing there, he inevitably looked a little embarrassed and gave a couple of light coughs. Li Qiyue immediately grew unhappy. She turned her back, wrapped herself in the quilt, and rolled toward the inside of the bed. Zhao Yan at once softened his voice and coaxed her.

With the scene like this, it was no longer appropriate for me to remain. I exchanged a few polite words, set down the Jade Guanyin I had brought, and left.

Once we reached a deserted place, Chuntao could not help sounding rather indignant. She said the Imperial Noble Consort was showing off right in front of the Empress. I told her not to talk nonsense.

What was there for Li Qiyue to show off? The Emperor favored her-everyone in the palace knew it. I was more willing to believe this was simply how she and Zhao Yan usually got along.

That afternoon, Mother entered the palace.

I had guessed she would come, so I had already ordered someone to prepare her favorite Junshan Yinzhen.

Li Qiyue had enjoyed the Emperor’s exclusive favor for a long time. Now that she was pregnant and could no longer attend his bed, minds in both the court and the inner palace would naturally begin to stir.

Thinking about it that way, I actually felt Li Qiyue was rather pitiful too. She was good in every way except for her birth. Her commoner background allowed the Emperor to love her without restraint and without worrying about powerful in-laws, but it also meant that when she was at her weakest, she had no maternal family to support her. How many pairs of eyes were fixed on her, scheming against her?

Who knew whether this child of hers would even make it into the world.

Mother was still the gentle noblewoman I remembered. She did not bring up the matter of heirs. She only fanned me steadily, stroke by stroke, and watched over me as I drank chilled mung bean soup.

In the end, I was the one who spoke first.

I signaled for Chuntao to go outside and keep watch. No matter who came, she was not to let them in.

“The child born to the Imperial Noble Consort can only be considered the eldest son. Only a son born to the Empress is legitimate.” I sighed, then continued, “I know my position. Tell Father not to worry.”

A flicker of pity flashed through Mother’s eyes. “You have always been sensible. You understand the stakes in these matters. Even if I had not made this trip, your father would still have trusted you. It’s just… you and the Emperor have been married for three years now. If you need it, I have some…”

“I don’t need it.” I hurriedly cut her off.

And just like that, the subject seemed to come to an abrupt end.

We chatted about family matters and exchanged a few private words. As dusk approached, Mother gave me a few reminders, then rose to return to the residence.

All of a sudden, I caught hold of her sleeve. “Mother! That brocade pouch… I already opened it…”

Mother stood motionless for a long, long while. When she turned back, tears were already streaming down her face. She held me tightly, her voice hoarse and rasping, as if squeezed from a broken bellows.

“Yao’er, my poor, ill-fated child… let Mother take a good look at you again…”