Chapter 22: The Story of Zhen Huan - Summer, Winter, and Spring 21

Though Yinzhen was flipping through a book, his gaze kept darting to the little one sitting opposite him. Seeing the child clutching a fluffy, pitiful bundle on the chair, looking utterly abandoned by everyone, he immediately understood the situation.

With that thought, veins began to throb on Yinzhen’s temple. “Su Peisheng, go fetch Ye Yun.”

Su Peisheng glanced at the Noble Consort across from him and instantly understood. “Yes.”

Still, he couldn’t help but add, “Your Majesty, you’ve been quite busy lately. The Consort might just be lonely; that’s why Ye Yun wrote it.”

Yinzhen said nothing, merely giving Su Peisheng a cold look, causing the man’s legs to tremble. Bearing the weight of the emperor’s gaze, he swiftly left to fetch Ye Yun.

...

“Your Majesty,” Ye Yun greeted as she was caught off guard while typing her novel, *The Overbearing CEO’s Little Wife*, right at the dramatic moment of the “chasing after the wife” climax.

Yinzhen continued flipping through his book. “Stop reading.”

Ye Yun was speechless.

Cutting off income is like killing one’s own parents, didn’t he know that?

Su Peisheng kept signaling her with his eyes. After looking around, Ye Yun’s gaze settled on the Noble Consort, and she understood.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Mm, you may leave.”

Then, glancing at Su Peisheng, who looked like his backside was on fire, “You too.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, I shall prepare a fresh cup of tea for you.”

Yinzhen put the book down and sat opposite Xia Dongchun. “What would you like to eat tonight?”

The scene was unfolding with the usual “I’m not listening, I’m not listening” protest, but Xia Dongchun was instantly pulled back to reality.

“What to eat?”

“Mapo tofu, garlic pork slices, cold cucumber salad, steamed bass, braised crucian carp... sweet and sour pork ribs.”

Watching her count seriously on her fingers, her adorable little expression made him want to hide her away.

“Good.”

He leaned in to kiss her forehead.

“Alright.”

Then he kissed the tip of her nose.

“Whatever Nuobao wants.”

Finally, he puckered her lips.

“Boiled dumplings... mmm...”

~

At dinner, Xia Dongchun puffed her little lips as Yinzhen cradled her, feeding her.

“Come, one more bite. Nuobao is still growing.”

Most of Ye Yun’s books were about mundane romantic tales, but Yinzhen had noticed that girls continued to grow until at least eighteen or even twenty.

Whenever he thought of this, guilt weighed on him as he looked at the child’s protruding belly.

The more her belly grew prominent, the heavier his worries became.

...

“Nuobao, how about living with me in the Qingliang Hall?”

Xia Dongchun blinked in confusion.

“Why?”

“I’m worried about you. Come with me; it’s more comfortable there.”

Seeing her conflicted expression, he added, “There’s even a swing. I’ve had many pandas made for you.”

Ye Yun thought silently: Uncle, you sound like you’re trafficking a minor.

Su Peisheng caught the hint immediately and hurriedly issued orders.

Without going into details, the result was that a sleeping Xia Dongchun was taken to Qingliang Hall.

The commotion was so great that within less than half an hour, the entire harem knew.

The supposedly “convalescing” Empress’s condition worsened.

The Year Noble Consort, eating watermelon, found the fruit suddenly tasteless.

Several pregnant consorts felt uneasy, especially Shen Meizhuang.

In the Xiangyue Pavilion, Noble Consort Shu and Noble Lady Yue, already in an awkward chat, fell into a tacit silence upon hearing the news.

Shen Meizhuang couldn’t help but say, “She’s truly been favored to the extreme.”

Noble Lady Yue was speechless.

Actually, you’ve known for a while. If she hadn’t thrown a tantrum and given us a few months’ reprieve, our bellies would all be empty by now.

She didn’t dislike Consort Chen; from the start, there was no ill will. The gap was too great; it was impossible to hate.

But that didn’t mean she wanted to continue watching this person’s lofty airs. They were now evenly matched—half a pound versus eight taels—so who cared about whose face to show?

“Sister, I’m not feeling well; I’ll go back first,” she said, leaving without waiting for a reply.

Shen Meizhuang’s expression darkened. “Cai Yue, go summon Chun Changzai.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Cai Xing, seeing this, said, “Your Highness, you’re already a consort. If you bear a child, you might be promoted to imperial concubine. There’s really no need...,” but she hadn’t even been favored herself, so why support someone else?

The Emperor was practically glued to Consort Chen’s side. Why get involved? Do you think being a consort is uncomfortable?

Why not have a bit of Noble Lady Yue’s calmness?

In truth, Shen Meizhuang had no grand schemes. Perhaps she just felt uneasy. Even knowing it wouldn’t succeed, when the Empress approached her, she hesitated.

Well, it didn’t matter; it wasn’t a problem. She was only offering some convenience and hadn’t done anything else.

“Go,” she said.

Cai Yue sighed.

Reading too many books isn’t good—too much pride and lofty ideals filling one’s head, constantly looking down on this and that.

~

On August 3rd, during Consort Chen’s birthday banquet at the Central Lake Pavilion, many concubines and nobles gathered.

Xia Dongchun, under Yinzhen’s watchful gaze, ran to Princess Ziyun’s side, showering her with affection.

“Mother, I missed you so much.”

“Did you miss me?” the princess murmured, pulling her daughter close and checking her from head to toe, finally settling on her plump little face with a relieved smile. “I missed you too.”

A moment passed.

Two moments.

Then Yinzhen said, “Su Peisheng, bring your lady over.”

Su Peisheng hesitated but, under Princess Ziyun’s deadly glare, brought Consort Chen to the main seat.

Yinzhen carefully helped her sit beside him, feeding her small bites.

Xia Dongchun happily ate while watching the song and dance performance.

Yinzhen wiped the juice from her mouth.

Shen Meizhuang glared, her hand unconsciously twisting the handkerchief in her grasp.

An Lingrong secretly observed Shen Meizhuang’s every move. Sometimes she didn’t know why, but she deeply loathed Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan.

The same aloofness, the same pretentiousness.

Just like now, Consort Chen was far more noble than her, yet she always looked down on her.

In fact, Shen Meizhuang genuinely looked down on Xia Dongchun, thinking she was only the daughter of a fourth-rank official, uneducated, unruly, disrespectful to the sovereign, except for her face...

Perhaps Shen Meizhuang’s gaze was too intense. Xia Dongchun hadn’t noticed, but Yinzhen saw and frowned.

He gently patted the girl’s head, subtly blocking Shen Meizhuang’s view.

He signaled Su Peisheng, “Bring back the people near Noble Consort Shu.”

Su Peisheng thought, “Goodness, what has Noble Consort Shu done to offend the Emperor? The Empress may be ill, but those little moves never stopped. The Emperor had people assigned to every pregnant consort.”

Now that those people were withdrawn, with Noble Consort Shu’s intelligence...

Su Peisheng shook his head. It looked difficult.

Yinzhen wasn’t indifferent to the children. From the start, he knew royal children were hard to conceive, carry, and raise. Before conception, they were already in competition. A successful birth meant the whole realm would raise the child; if not, one had to accept reality.

Therefore, he never cared for unborn children, only granting their mothers status and power to increase their chances of survival.

But now it was different. He would have no other children but Nuonuo, so these few children must all be kept.

...

The banquet proceeded smoothly.

Suddenly, a song rang out, and a young girl appeared on the lotus pond.