Chapter 19: The Story of Zhen Huan - Summer, Winter, and Spring (Part 18)

“Beep, beep, beep,” right on target.

“If you lack the ability to keep your own child, why fixate on my belly? I could give birth to a hundred children—what does that have to do with you?”

The Imperial Noble Consort Nian was no longer surprised by anything Xia Dongchun said. She chimed in, adding, “Besides, even if you conceive, it doesn’t mean you’ll carry to term. With the Empress protecting the fetus, it’s unlikely to be a daughter.”

Upon hearing this, the other consorts ceased their idle amusement and stopped acting like frightened quails. They began to ponder why there were so few children in the palace.

Soon, they all tacitly fixed their gaze on the Empress.

Seeing this, the Empress slammed the table once more. “Consort Chen, Noble Consort, how dare you be so insolent!”

Xia Dongchun pulled at her ear again. “Powerless rage.”

Imperial Noble Consort Nian followed up, “I have been insolent many times even when forbidden; one more won’t matter.”

The Empress glared with furious eyes as the two women walked away, one after the other, and she was utterly powerless.

Had she known how difficult Xia Dongchun was to deal with, she would never have offended her earlier! Spoiling her would have been far easier. Unlike Noble Consort Nian, with whom she had grudges, she had no enmity with Xia Dongchun and would not have tolerated such disrespect.

One could only say that people are often contemptible; once they soften, there is no turning back.

Xia Dongchun skillfully climbed back into her sedan chair. She had been exhausted lately, wishing she could sleep twelve hours straight.

When Imperial Noble Consort Nian came out again, she caught a glimpse of Xia Dongchun’s lingering shadow.

“She’s gone back to sleep again. How is it that Xia Dongchun never seems to get enough rest?” She said this casually and boarded her own sedan chair to leave.

Noble Consort Nian felt nothing unusual, but Consort Xiang was different. She had been pregnant before, so she knew better. Yet the Zhaohua Palace was filled with talented individuals—how could they not know if someone was expecting?

Could it be a secret?

But on second thought, there was no need to hide it. Consort Chen’s pregnancy was always a matter of certainty.

In the end, puzzled, Consort Xiang followed Noble Consort Nian’s sedan chair.

It turned out that Consort Xiang guessed correctly.

Indeed, it was a secret—but not kept from the harem; it was kept from Consort Chen. Recently, for reasons unknown, Consort Chen had become obsessed with Ye Yun’s story about running while pregnant, always eager to conceive and then run away. The Emperor, frightened, hurriedly sealed off the news.

Ye Yun and her companions were constantly threatened and enticed by Su Peisheng.

They finally agreed unanimously to keep it secret. Until the fetus was secure, no disturbances were allowed.

Xia Dongchun had been troubled lately because the foods she once loved now repulsed her. Even her favorite braised pork knuckle made her nauseous.

She had suspected she might be pregnant. She had been reading stories about running with a baby, feeling her situation matched the books. But Ye Yun told her it was because she wanted a child so badly that she imagined it.

Xia Dongchun wanted to argue, but both Ye Yun and her companion were exceptional physicians.

So she believed them.

Once again, staring at her beloved pork knuckle and trying to overcome the psychological barrier Ye Yun described, Xia Dongchun took a bite.

“Ugh!”

“Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!”

“Take it away! Take it away!”

At that moment, Yinzhen walked in. Seeing her so uncomfortable, he quickly came over, holding his two treasures gently, soothing her with practiced ease.

“What’s wrong, my little treasure? Where does it hurt?”

Holding the tiny person in his arms, he was filled with tenderness. She was still so small and yet about to bear his child.

At that moment, Yinzhen completely forgot that he had just visited Lady Fucha and hadn’t thought she was small at all.

“Hmph!”

She didn’t want to see him now, though she didn’t know why. Seeing him stirred her anger.

“It’s all your fault!”

Yinzhen, familiar with this, responded, “Yes, yes, it’s my fault.”

“Hmph!”

When she bit into a sour pomelo again, Xia Dongchun couldn’t resist and whispered into Yinzhen’s ear, “I’ll tell you a secret.”

Yinzhen looked at her amusedly. “Oh? A secret from my little treasure?”

He lowered his head cooperatively. Xia Dongchun glanced at the three people across the room, giving them a look that said, “You’re spies.”

“I think I’m pregnant, but they haven’t diagnosed it. I suspect they’ve been bribed.”

Yinzhen, the one allegedly bribed: “…”

“Ahem.”

Watching the little woman scrunch her face and whispering furtively to him, Yinzhen’s heart melted. Did this mean she trusted him the most?

Thinking this, his heart softened completely, and he leaned in to kiss the little one.

“Hmm, they’re villains. I’ll go check on you, alright?”

Xia Dongchun instantly brightened, nodding eagerly. “Yes, yes!”

Yinzhen thought, ‘Like a little chick.’

He held the girl tightly in his arms.

She was his daughter.

…

The trio who were suspected: “You’re something, so aloof, treating us like mere tools.”

Su Peisheng watched the Emperor becoming increasingly unrestrained with Consort Chen, full of mixed feelings.

Perhaps his master had realized it himself.

No matter how busy or tired the Emperor was now, he always returned to Zhaohua Palace daily. Even if Consort Chen was asleep, the Emperor would quietly climb into bed and carefully hold her.

His master had always been reserved and indifferent since childhood, never moved even by the perfect Empress Chun Yuan, his mind filled only with the balance of the realm and the peace of the people.

Now, it seemed the Emperor had an additional wish: “To keep Consort Chen safe and sound.”

Su Peisheng watched the two grow ever closer and wisely led everyone out of the room.

Xia Dongchun was now twisting Yinzhen’s hair. “Why do you have half your head shaved?”

Yinzhen patiently replied, “What, you don’t like it, my little treasure?”

Xia Dongchun continued playing with a small braid in her hand. “I don’t like it. It’s not pretty. I prefer the style Ye Yun drew.”

Yinzhen stroked her cheek. “If you like, you can wear Hanfu in the palace from now on.”

After a moment, he added, “Whatever style you like, have Ye Yun design it for you, alright?”

Xia Dongchun was instantly comforted. She now openly complained about anything displeasing her, but he always found the key to soothe her.

From then on, the palace occasionally saw a beautiful, elaborately dressed little peacock proudly showing off.

The Empress, seeing none of it, simply stopped paying her respects.

Not until the flower viewing banquet did Xia Dongchun change back into a Manchu-style dress.

At the banquet, the peonies bloomed magnificently. Xia Dongchun plucked a flower and found a cool spot to sit and play with it.

She didn’t like admiring flowers; she liked playing with them, much like she didn’t like just watching cute cats but preferred to hold and stroke them.

Many things were of no use if only viewed and not touched. After all, the wax plum blossoms in the courtyard were either eaten, brewed, or made into sachets by her.

The Empress glanced several times at the leisurely Xia Dongchun. Although today’s gathering was not directed at her, she could not bear to see her so comfortable.

“Consort Chen, sitting so far away and doing that—is it that you dislike these flowers? Sitting alone must be boring. Come, chat with us, sisters.”