A wu felt this overwhelming love nearly drowning her.
For the first time, she truly realized that this man had truly taken her under his wing.
Princess Dening and the Crown Prince had been blessed from birth because of him, something no one else could hope for.
But a woman unrelated by blood could become connected by bearing his child.
She happily gripped Emperor Jingxi’s sleeve, “Your Majesty, A wu is so happy. I wonder if I’ll have a little prince or a little princess.”
She suddenly thought of something, “Do you want a little prince? What if I give birth to a little princess, will you like her? You don’t just want a prince, do you?”
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got—he must like the little princess too!
Emperor Jingxi hurried to reassure her, “Little princess or little prince, both are good. As long as the baby is born safely, that’s all that matters. A wu, don’t think about anything else—just rest and take care of yourself. When the baby is born, I’ll love it no matter what.”
But A wu remembered something else, “What about my promotion? What about A wu’s promotion?”
Emperor Jingxi was stunned, then couldn’t help laughing.
He pressed his forehead to hers affectionately, teasing, “Such a little official-climber, you never forget this.”
A wu demanded, “Of course! I want a promotion—three ranks up!”
Emperor Jingxi quickly promised, “A wu will be promoted as much as she wants.”
In truth, even without a promotion, everyone knew that the little Imperial Noble Consort Ning was the Emperor Jingxi’s cherished treasure.
Her food, clothing, travel, and monthly silver were all personally overseen by him.
How could she be wronged in the slightest?
A wu was overjoyed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Good!”
At this moment, the Empress Dowager also came to see A wu.
A wu hurried to get up and pay her respects, but the Empress Dowager wouldn’t let her leave the bed, telling her to lie down and rest.
The Empress Dowager’s eyes and brows were all relaxed and smiling, her face so full of kindness it almost overflowed from her wrinkles.
She began to discuss all sorts of arrangements, explaining how A wu should be cared for, giving a long list of instructions in one breath.
A wu sat on the bed, respectfully listening.
Emperor Jingxi couldn’t hide his smile, staying by her side with gentle, well-behaved eyes.
After talking for a while, the Empress Dowager suddenly glanced at Emperor Jingxi and said, “I almost forgot—Emperor, you should pay attention as well.”
Emperor Jingxi: “Mother?”
The Empress Dowager glanced at her son, then said slowly, “She’s only just pregnant, the fetus isn’t stable yet, so don’t fool around.”
With these words, the entire bedchamber fell silent.
The atmosphere became subtle.
But the Empress Dowager didn’t care.
She turned gracefully and left.
After a long while, A wu glanced at Emperor Jingxi and saw a faint blush appear on his stern face.
He was no longer young, and probably never thought he’d be lectured like this by the Empress Dowager in his life.
She blinked, not sure what to say.
Emperor Jingxi pressed his lips together, coughed lightly, and looked at A wu, “Be more careful from now on. I won’t be reckless again.”
A wu blushed too.
She grabbed the soft pillow beside her and threw it at him, “It’s all your fault! All your fault! The first time I went to the Empress Dowager, she lectured me and told me to keep you in line!”
Bah, how could she ever keep him in line!
Emperor Jingxi caught the pillow with a laugh, came over to hug her, and accepted all her complaints, “Alright, blame me, it’s all my fault.”
A man about to become a father again, at this moment, had the best temper of his life.
***
After A wu became pregnant, she felt as if, all at once, countless people were revolving around her.
Emperor Jingxi immediately ordered the Six Palace Matrons and Twenty Bureaus to select the best staff, while the Imperial Physicians, Imperial Pharmacy, and Imperial Medicine Bureau each chose experienced personnel.
These people were stationed at Langhua Hall, handling all kinds of matters and checking A wu’s health and diet daily to ensure the imperial heir would be safely born.
As for the other bureaus, such as Shangshi, Shangnian, and Shangyi, they all had their duties and were to respond to Langhua Hall’s orders at any time.
In addition, two experienced old obstetricians were on standby, drawing the Birth Chart daily based on the fetus’s position, accurately locating it, and assisting with massage, herbal diets, and so on.
Great Hui had been founded for 120 years, and to ensure the safety of imperial heirs, had developed a complicated set of rules.
Now that Emperor Jingxi, at thirty-three, had suddenly gained this heir, the Empress Dowager was overjoyed and even more afraid that anything might go wrong.
In this cocoon of care, A wu was amazed.
In her Langhua Hall, there were two Imperial Physicians and several female officers.
These female officers came daily to check her pulse, but before that, they had to change clothes and bathe, then step over a brazier burning fragrant wood before entering the hall.
After the pulse check, they had to write a pulse record every day, leaving a medical file to be checked at any time by the best gynecologists of the Imperial Physicians’ Institute.
If she felt even a little unwell, gynecologists, obstetricians, and other senior Imperial Physicians would come to check her pulse at once.
As for her daily medicinal meals, they were even more strictly controlled.
From the Imperial Pharmacy to the dispensing room, each medicinal meal was made in duplicate: one portion to be tasted by the prescribing Imperial Physician, then by the Hospital Director or Deputy Hospital Director, then an inner official, and only after all confirmed it was safe would the other portion be brought to her.
When the medicinal meal arrived, it was served in a silver bowl, sealed with the “Imperial Seal of Medicine” and the Yellow Dragon Seal.
Only when her female officer watched it being unsealed would she be fed.
In short, she felt deeply that there was a great web around her, protecting her tightly.
Even a slight frown from her would cause a stir, and if she ate a bite less one day, someone would be anxious about it.
At such times, she’d recall scenes from operas where a concubine would cause another to miscarry by feeding her something.
How could that happen here!
The Imperial Physicians and female officers around her were all walking on thin ice, extremely cautious.
Her pregnancy was not only her own hope for the future, but also their lives and livelihoods.
If anything happened to her, at best their careers would be ruined, at worst their families would be doomed.
If she gave birth smoothly and the Emperor rewarded them, their futures would be bright—a lifelong honor.
With such tight and thorough protection, which harem lady—without connections or learning—would dare to harbor ill intent?
To put it extremely, if anything happened to her pregnancy, she could imagine the Emperor would be so furious he’d interrogate even the doves flying past Langhua Hall!
It took A wu several days to get used to being surrounded by so many attendants.
When her days finally settled into a routine, it was already the eighth day of the new year.
The Emperor had already resumed court, the festivities were over, and everyone had returned to their usual lives.
One day, while chatting idly with Concubine Hui, Concubine Hui asked, “Haven’t you noticed anything different this year?”
A wu: “What’s different?”
Concubine Hui: “For example, firecrackers? Fireworks?”
A wu was puzzled, “I don’t seem to have heard them? Maybe I just didn’t notice.”
She had just found out she was pregnant, so happy she could jump for joy—how could she have noticed such things!
Concubine Hui sighed.
Only then did A wu realize, “What’s going on?”
Concubine Hui smiled, “The Emperor flew into a rage for you.”
A wu: “?”
Emperor Jingxi came to see her every day, no matter how busy he was.
He seemed delighted—there was no sign of anger!
Concubine Hui: “Because of the day you fell. They said you first slipped, which meant you were already unwell. If they’d noticed in time and called the Imperial Physician, maybe you wouldn’t have fainted later. So the Emperor held the Six Palace Matrons and the Shangyi officials on duty that day accountable, even punishing the officials in charge of the carpet and the food and drink.”
A wu was incredulous, “Why? What for? It wasn’t really anyone’s fault.”
Even she hadn’t realized it at the time, thinking it was just carelessness.
She even thought the fall might have been a coincidence, not because of the pregnancy.
Concubine Hui, however, became serious, “The Emperor has his reasons. After all, matters concerning the imperial heir are of utmost importance. If those below are careless and the Emperor is enraged, it’s only natural.”
A wu fell silent for a moment and slowly understood.
That day in the hall, she had indeed been treated coldly, or rather, because of her own lack of steadiness, she had been looked down upon.
Emperor Jingxi clearly disliked this and wanted to make up for it.
He couldn’t punish the Princess Consort of Prince Duan, nor could he blame the Empress Dowager—it wasn’t a big deal.
So he used this as a pretext.
Actually, reprimanding the officials on duty that day had already embarrassed the main culprits—it was hitting the target indirectly.
Concubine Hui said, “The Emperor also ordered that no fireworks be set off in the palace this year—only silent firecrackers—so as not to disturb the Imperial Noble Lady’s rest.”
A wu: “…No wonder I didn’t hear anything.”
Concubine Hui laughed, “But the Emperor also said, since Imperial Noble Consort Ning is with child, great grace is bestowed, and the harem shall be rewarded, to show the Emperor’s boundless favor. So everyone is sharing your good fortune—even if there are no firecrackers, no one minds.”
Only then did A wu breathe a little easier.
She had been afraid that if she left Langhua Hall, everyone would look at her with resentment.
Concubine Hui smiled and sighed, “Don’t overthink it. Now that you’re pregnant, the Empress Dowager is delighted, the Emperor is overjoyed—no amount of favor is too much.”
A wu listened, stroking her still motionless belly, and felt a bit nervous.
There wasn’t just a child in her belly—it was a golden nugget, a dragon egg!