Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“Ahem, ahem!”

The Empress deliberately coughed twice, quickly drawing everyone’s attention. She smiled as she spoke. “I hope all my sisters will become pregnant, one by one. But everyone knows that pregnancy also depends on fate.

I truly hope my sisters can all have happy news, so the palace can be lively from top to bottom.”

“If Her Majesty wants the palace lively, that’s easy.” Consort Hua snorted and fired back without restraint. “As long as Her Majesty also becomes pregnant… Oh, look at me, talking nonsense again. At Her Majesty’s age, trying to have a child would be like an old clam producing a pearl. I just don’t know whether Her Majesty still has that kind of fortune.”

“Consort Hua!” The Empress’s face turned ashen.

A child was the deepest wound in her heart. Now that Consort Hua stabbed it in her face, she could no longer keep up that Buddha-like mask.

“What, Her Majesty won’t let this concubine speak the truth?” Consort Hua pressed her lips into a smile and flicked her gaze toward Li Si Qi. “I think Attendant Xin is an honest person who loves to say honest truths. I’m planning to learn from her.”

“Hee hee!” Li Si Qi answered with a silly grin. “Consort Hua, you’re a straightforward person. You like what you like, you don’t like what you don’t like. You dare to love and dare to hate. That’s amazing!”

“Oh my, that’s music to my ears.” Consort Hua beamed, her gaze toward Li Si Qi growing gentler. “I’m exactly that kind of person. Looks like Attendant Xin understands me pretty well.”

“I do.” Li Si Qi nodded. “Your Highness gives this concubine so many rewards. How could I not understand?”

“You hopeless thing, you’re thinking about my rewards again.” Consort Hua laughed as she scolded, then waved her hand grandly. “If I really am pregnant this time, I’ll give you double rewards.”

“Alright, thank you, Consort Hua.”

You could never have too many good things. No matter who gave them to her, she wouldn’t turn them down. Just then… Zhou Ning Hai led several imperial physicians inside. “Your Highness, the imperial physicians are here!”

“Quick, all of you, come in!” Consort Hua’s voice was excited. “Check my pulse. One by one, hurry. Imperial Physician Zhang, come here!”

“This…” Imperial Physician Zhang did not check Consort Hua’s pulse right away.

He first paid respects to the Empress. The other imperial physicians followed and paid respects as well. For a moment, they didn’t attend to Consort Hua. Consort Hua looked annoyed and rolled her eyes, but she didn’t blame them.

“Everyone, rise.” Seeing that Consort Hua did not steal the spotlight again, the Empress finally felt a bit more satisfied. She spoke a string of pretty words. “The new sisters have been in the palace for more than two months now. I also want to know whether any of the consorts have become pregnant. So I especially had the imperial physicians make this trip. Since all the sisters from each palace are here, let the imperial physicians check everyone’s pulse. Perhaps there will be wonderful happy news to please His Majesty and the Empress Dowager.”

“Yes, this humble official obeys!” The imperial physicians responded at once.

Since the consorts treated Consort Hua as the highest, Imperial Physician Zhang led the others to check her pulse first. Consort Hua waited patiently, full of anticipation. However… The instant Imperial Physician Zhang took her pulse, he nearly got scared into a heart attack. A sheen of cold sweat sprang onto his forehead, and his face gradually turned pale.

His eyes seemed to lose focus, as if his whole mind had been shocked empty.

“What is it?” Seeing his expression, Consort Hua grew nervous. “Imperial Physician Zhang, tell me the truth. What’s going on?”

Since Imperial Physician Zhang was His Majesty’s man, Consort Hua trusted his medical skill.

“Consort Hua…” Imperial Physician Zhang forced a smile that looked worse than crying. “It seems you’re pregnant.”

“Really?” Consort Hua was ecstatic, her voice full of disbelief. “Imperial Physician Zhang, you didn’t lie to me? And what do you mean by ‘it seems’? Explain it clearly to me!”

“Consort Hua, this humble official has confirmed that you are pregnant.” Imperial Physician Zhang wiped the sweat from his forehead and swallowed. “Why don’t you have the other imperial physicians confirm it as well?”

Consort Hua cried out urgently, “Quick, all of you, come check my pulse!” The other imperial physicians didn’t dare delay and quickly stepped forward to examine her. She didn’t notice the Empress’s expression, as if she’d seen a ghost. After all, no one understood better than she did that Consort Hua could not possibly be with child.

Someone who was steeped in Huan Yi Incense day after day – how could she ever become pregnant? She stared at Imperial Physician Zhang. Imperial Physician Zhang gave her a bitter smile, then lowered his head and did not dare meet her eyes. The Empress couldn’t help shuddering.

She knew this was far too strange.

“How am I?”

“Your Highness, you’ve been pregnant for more than a month.”

“Am I really pregnant?”

“Replying to Your Highness, you truly are with child.”

“Imperial Physician, how is my child?”

“Your Highness, your body is in excellent condition, and the child is very healthy.”

… Listening to Consort Hua and the imperial physicians, the consorts all showed envy in their eyes. No one expected Consort Hua to be the first to become pregnant.

“Reward them – everyone gets rewarded!” Consort Hua was overjoyed.

With her face glowing and her brows dancing, she played the generous benefactor again. Her gaze happened to land on Li Si Qi, and she said happily, “Attendant Xin, I’ll reward you with gifts three times more than the others.”

“This concubine thanks Your Highness.”

Before the gifts even reached her hands, Li Si Qi had already thanked her several times. Consort Hua continued giving orders. “Someone, hurry and report the good news to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager.” Seeing her act like this was a heaven-and-earth celebration… Li Si Qi suddenly felt very curious about what that dog of an emperor and the Empress Dowager would look like after hearing the news.

As for this child, would that mother and son get rid of it, or keep it?

“Imperial physicians.” The Empress finally found her voice again.

She looked at Consort Hua, who was excited and glowing with happiness, and for some reason, her heart felt sour. Her gaze swept quickly over the other consorts present, and she said, “Check my sisters’ pulses as well. Perhaps we can catch some of Consort Hua’s joyful fortune, and there will be several more pregnant women.”

“What Her Majesty says is right.” Consort Hua, for once, spoke in a mild tone. “Let’s see whether you have that kind of fortune.”

The consorts could only obediently let the imperial physicians check their pulses.

“Congratulations, Noble Lady Fu Cha. You have happy news – about one month.”

“Congratulations, Noble Lady Bo Er Ji Ji Te. You are about one month pregnant.”

“Congratulations, Noble Lady Shen. You are pregnant, likely around one month.”

Three imperial physicians spoke in turn to offer congratulations. That news completely blew up Jing Ren Palace. Some were happy, some were stunned, some were envious, some were unwilling… But the Empress trembled with rage again. Sure enough, human joys and sorrows did not connect.

With her mood ruined, the Empress quickly drove all the consorts out of Jing Ren Palace. In her fury, she personally smashed Jing Ren Palace to pieces. As the captain of the miscarriage squad, how could she allow these women to give birth to children?

“Qiu Qiu, what happened!” The Empress looked like a vicious ghost. “How could they be pregnant? How did you do your work?”

“This servant deserves death!” Qiu Qiu and Hui Chun knelt before the Empress.

“You do deserve death!” the Empress snarled. “How did you let them become pregnant? How do those wretches deserve to give birth to children? I absolutely will not allow them to give birth. Do you hear me clearly?”

“Yes! This servant remembers!” The two of them answered at once.