A wu was startled and hurriedly asked, “Wh-what happened?”
Lady Meng spoke softly, “Imperial Noble Consort, you are like my second parents.”
A wu was surprised, “What on earth is going on?”
Actually, she was a little uneasy in her heart, afraid she might have caused some trouble for others.
But Lady Meng did not explain.
She only knelt and said, “From now on, I will pray for Your Highness every day, wishing you an early birth of a noble son, with endless blessings and peace.”
A wu vaguely guessed something but didn’t dare ask further.
Instead, after solemnly kowtowing, Lady Meng took her leave.
A few days later, A wu suddenly heard that Lady Meng had fallen ill and was bedridden, and soon after, she passed away.
She hurried to ask Concubine Hui, but Concubine Hui hesitated, avoiding the question.
A wu vaguely suspected something and that night asked Emperor Jingxi directly.
Emperor Jingxi, with a cold expression, was adjusting his sleeves without looking up and casually said, “She’s dead, isn’t she? Then let her be dead.”
A wu didn’t believe it.
Grabbing his sleeve, she said, “Your Majesty, please tell the truth. What really happened?”
Emperor Jingxi said, “Imperial Noble Consort, let go. Anyone who doesn’t know would think you’re interrogating a criminal.”
A wu quickly let go.
Emperor Jingxi spoke irritably, “What does it have to do with you?”
A wu snorted and ignored him.
‘What a temper!’
It wasn’t until the two of them had disrobed and were about to sleep that Emperor Jingxi suddenly spoke again: “She was sent away. Her childhood sweetheart took her away.”
A wu was delighted, hardly daring to believe it.
“Really?”
Emperor Jingxi looked at her bright eyes and said faintly, “Since she’s been in the palace for so many years, I also rewarded her with some silver. How her life will go depends on her childhood sweetheart’s intentions. If she loses the bet, it’s her own fate. If she wins, then she can live a life in hiding.”
Listening to this, A wu couldn’t help but laugh.
She happily hugged Emperor Jingxi and said, “I knew Your Majesty was the best. How could there be such a merciful Emperor?”
Emperor Jingxi’s face wasn’t very good.
He coldly said, “This kind of thing can only happen once. There will never be a second time. Don’t daydream.”
He implied something, but A wu was completely oblivious.
She laughed heartily and tilted her face up to plant a “smack” kiss on his chin.
‘What a good Emperor!’
***
As the weather grew hotter, A wu’s belly swelled, carrying twins, especially large, making movement very inconvenient.
However, on the Imperial Physician’s advice, to make childbirth less painful, A wu still needed to move around daily, which was naturally very tiring, and she wanted to slack off.
But Emperor Jingxi was meticulous.
Since the Imperial Physician insisted on daily activity, there was no stopping.
So he had A wu stay in Fengtian Hall, accompanying her during intervals between court affairs, walking along the corridors of Fengtian Hall.
After a while, it was inevitable to encounter ministers coming for meetings.
Although the ministers deeply felt that the Emperor spoiled and indulged Imperial Noble Consort too much, considering that the Emperor had been without heirs for fifteen years and suddenly now had some, their indulgence was understandable, so they all turned a blind eye.
While walking with Emperor Jingxi, A wu also met the Imperial Son and Lu Yunjian.
The Crown Princess had given birth a few days earlier to a little Imperial Grandson.
By conventional logic, an Emperor having a legitimate eldest grandson at the age of thirty-three should be ecstatic.
However, Emperor Jingxi’s mind was wholly on his delicate consort, with no other thoughts.
So upon hearing the news of the eldest grandson, his reaction was indifferent—giving the appropriate rewards but without a hint of excitement.
For this, the Crown Princess was clearly displeased and cried several times during confinement.
If it weren’t for A wu, how could her legitimate eldest grandson have been so honored?
As for the Imperial Son, upon encountering A wu, his eyes subtly scanned her swollen belly.
The once delicate and graceful young lady was now blessed with the Emperor’s favor and carried his offspring, her abdomen round.
Standing by her side was his father, usually reserved and stern, now gently extending his arm to protect her, carefully holding her hand, soothing her with kind words.
In this lifetime, the Imperial Son had never seen his father coax anyone like this.
He couldn’t articulate his feelings; he didn’t know whether to be jealous that A wu received such care from his father or jealous that his father let such a charming woman carry a child, his sibling.
Or perhaps, he should be happy for A wu?
A wu was like drifting duckweed, now cherished by the Emperor, who would protect her for life.
Lost in his thoughts, his gaze lingered too long on A wu’s belly.
When he looked up, he suddenly saw his father smiling warmly at him.
A man accustomed to authority did not need to put on a stern face.
Just this smile was enough to make his son nervous and uneasy.
The Imperial Son quickly stepped forward and respectfully greeted, first kowtowing to his father, then saying, “Your son pays respects to Imperial Noble Consort.”
Since she was already Imperial Noble Consort, following Dahui’s custom, the Imperial Son would perform the son’s etiquette, calling himself ‘son,’ but not calling her ‘mother consort’ since she was not his birth mother, only addressing her as ‘Imperial Noble Consort.’
However, Emperor Jingxi said lightly, “Still use the respectful mother’s ceremony.”
The Imperial Son’s heart skipped a beat.
Recently, he had heard some rumors about the Zhen’an Marquis Manor in the East Sea and couldn’t help but speculate.
If Zhen’an Marquis Manor really fell, the Empress would be in danger, which would give A wu a chance to rise to Empress.
He could hardly imagine A wu, the delicate woman once cradled in his arms, becoming Empress, his legitimate mother… and giving birth to his siblings…
His chest ached with bitterness and frustration.
He didn’t understand how the world had changed, nor how to face his siblings in the future—after all, if only he had been more capable in those two months, maybe A wu would have borne his bloodline and given birth to his children.
If she bore his, she wouldn’t bear those siblings.
But now, he had no choice.
After a long silence, he finally said, “Your son pays respects to Mother Consort.”
The words ‘Mother Consort’ came out dry, as if squeezed through clenched teeth.
For the son’s inner struggle and bitterness, Emperor Jingxi paid no mind.
He knew this son too well to not easily control him.
He smiled warmly and kindly said, “You’re a father now. The Crown Princess just gave birth, so be attentive and learn to love your wife. In a few days, when the child completes the full month, there will be a celebration. You must take it seriously.”
Emperor Jingxi’s words instantly brought the Imperial Son back to reality.
The Imperial Son hurriedly said, “Yes, Father’s orders are understood.”
A wu naturally noticed the Imperial Son’s complex, hesitant gaze, but thinking that the Imperial Son had another woman bearing his child while she was missing, she felt no guilt.
A man who slept with other women during her absence had nothing to feel guilty about.
She calmly accepted the title of ‘Mother Consort.’
Then she nestled against Emperor Jingxi’s arm and smiled, “Imperial Son, please convey to the Crown Princess that she must take care of herself after childbirth. If I have time tomorrow, I will visit her.”
The Imperial Son did not expect A wu to speak this way—she had such the demeanor of a matron!
He could only nod in agreement.
Emperor Jingxi looked approvingly at A wu, his eyes full of satisfaction.
Encouraged, A wu continued, “By the way, didn’t I get some nourishing medicines recently? They’re all good. I’ll have the Palace Ladies send them over as a token of this elder’s goodwill.”
Emperor Jingxi’s gaze was practically applauding.
His little Imperial Noble Consort understood manners and knew how to speak.
The Imperial Son’s forehead almost broke out in sweat.
He now felt that his father truly was unshakable in the face of turmoil, no wonder he was experienced with great affairs.
And his A wu seemed to have an even thicker skin than his father.
Among the three of them, he was the only one who looked inexperienced.
Finally, the Imperial Son took his leave.
Emperor Jingxi said, “I’ve been keeping your Mother Consort company these past few days. You should pay more attention to the tedious affairs of the court. Take a look at those memorials from the Ministry of Personnel, draft your replies, then bring them to me.”
Imperial Son: “……”
He finally understood—Father accompanies A wu, he does the work!
A wu had also met Lu Yunjian.
Whether Lu Yunjian had gone through something or not, he looked thin and pale.
Being an outsider, he didn’t dare look at A wu once.
After bowing, he hurriedly left with hurried, awkward steps.
A wu casually glanced at Lu Yunjian’s retreating figure.
Tsk, his waist was no thicker than a handful, that posture, that charm, almost like a sickly beauty.
But… whatever, a good-for-nothing man, far inferior to Emperor Jingxi!
***
Even though A wu’s belly was large, Emperor Jingxi still fulfilled his promise, hosting a grand seventeenth birthday ceremony for her.
The ceremony was solemn but quiet, as all in the harem now deferred to A wu.
What touched A wu the most was Princess Dening, who gave her a rare golden headpiece from her own coming-of-age ceremony.
A wu naturally did not dare to accept it since it was bestowed according to rank and title, not to be worn casually.
But Princess Dening insisted, her eyes earnest as she looked at A wu, “You should wear it, just wear it secretly. I think you look better with it on!”
A wu couldn’t refuse and put it on.
Princess Dening carefully examined her and liked it even more, circling around her joyfully, “A wu, you’re just beautiful!”
That evening, A wu praised Princess Dening to Emperor Jingxi, her eyes growing red as she spoke.
What a good daughter, too bad she wasn’t hers!
Emperor Jingxi heard her words and said, “Only a year older than you. You still have to be able to give birth.”
A wu snorted, “Anyway, she calls me Mother Consort now.”
She had already started enjoying the feeling of being a mother consort, ready to receive filial respect.
Emperor Jingxi pondered slightly, then chuckled, “I once said that although I have some dissatisfaction toward the Imperial Son and Princess Dening, they are both kind-hearted children.”
Hearing this, A wu quickly covered her belly and said loudly, “The children I bear will also be kind and intelligent, and they will be beautiful too!”
Though the Imperial Son was good and Princess Dening was lovely, she could not let her children be inferior.
They had to be praised as well!