Chapter 79: Cherished Tang Courtyard

"Your Majesty handles countless state affairs each day; how could you be distracted by petty matters of the imperial harem?"

Xiao Mingshu suppresses the surge of shock and anger in her heart, her voice still gentle yet faintly tense, "These trivial matters are best left to me to arrange."

Her phoenix eyes lower slightly, her face still bearing the dignified, virtuous demeanor, but the fingertips hidden in her sleeve have already pressed deep into her palm.

Chu Yunzheng doesn't even glance at her, only says coldly, "The courtyard beside Yangxin Hall is vacant; have it cleaned, and Consort Wan will reside there."

Xiao Mingshu's smile barely hangs on, her fingertips clutch the handkerchief tightly, yet her voice remains steady, "That courtyard has been uninhabited for a long time; cleaning it will likely take some time."

"Perhaps we should first let Consort Wan temporarily stay in Kunning Palace; once the courtyard is properly cleaned, moving there later won't be too late…"

Before she finishes speaking, Chu Yunzheng cuts her off directly: "No need."

He leans down, grabs Wan Tang sideways and lifts her, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Wan Tang will first reside in Yangxin Hall; when the Qinghui Courtyard is cleaned, she can be moved then."

Xiao Mingshu's pupils contract sharply, she can no longer maintain her composure: "Your Majesty, this is against protocol!"

Chu Yunzheng pays no heed to the Empress frozen in place, and strides away, still holding Wan Tang.

Xiao Mingshu stands where she is, watching the receding back, her body beneath the flowing phoenix robe trembling slightly.

Her meticulously cared-for nail snaps with a "Snap!", blood seeping out, yet she feels no pain at all.

Outside the hall, Fēng xuě gathers, making her silhouette appear ever more cold and solitary.

"Empress, it's too cold here; please take care of yourself, let's return first!" Aunt Bai Wei sees this, hesitates a moment, then steps forward cautiously to advise.

Xiao Mingshu stands dazed, her eyes revealing a bitter, aching sorrow.

Her voice now carries a hint of tremor.

She fixes her gaze on the already distant back, the mist swirling: "Bai Wei, did you see?"

"The Emperor just walked away holding her like that."

Xiao Mingshu's voice chokes briefly: "I love the Emperor so much, yet the Emperor always treats me with formal respect, as if we were merely guests."

"Why? Can't he just look at me properly?"

A tear, hot and burning, suddenly falls.

Bai Wei, seeing this, quickly supports Xiao Mingshu: "You are the Empress, the motherly exemplar of the realm, naturally different from those women who survive on favor."

"Yes! This palace… is the Empress…"

Xiao Mingshu straightens her back, making her posture even more upright.

She restrains the emotion in her eyes: "I also don't know how Lady Qi is now; accompany me to see."

"Ah, it's rare to see Xiao Mingshu cry!"

"Can she not cry? She's loved the Emperor since childhood; even as Empress, she is still a person with feelings."

"She has too many scheming thoughts, yet says let us Tangtang stay in Kunning Palace, clearly just watching us like a hawk. If the Emperor didn't favor Tangtang, who knows when she'd ever clean that courtyard."

"The courtyard definitely won't be cleaned properly; after all, even if it's empty, it's only a five‑minute walk from Yangxin Hall, the Emperor's resting place. The Empress doesn't even have the right to live there, so Xiao Mingshu naturally refuses."

"Knocking on the bench, wake up the love‑struck brain upstairs. No matter what the scumbag dragon is doing now, from the moment she chose not to trust Tangtang, their union was doomed."

Wan Tang listens to the chaotic voices in her mind, racing against time to find useful information.

Inside Yangxin Hall, the dragon's saliva incense wafts gently.

Chu Yunzheng personally places Wan Tang on the dragon couch, his palm lightly covering her slightly swollen abdomen, a rare softness appearing in his eyes: "The physician said that in a few more days, the child will move."

Wan Tang lowers her brows obediently, a perfectly timed faint smile at the corner of her lips: "I have been longing for it every day."

She gently twists a corner of the brocade quilt with her fingertips, her face showing docile joy, yet her eyes remain composed.

What he cares about has always been only this child.

Chu Yunzheng lifts his hand, brushing her slightly pale cheek: "These days have been hard on you."

Wan Tang leans her face onto his palm, tears welling in her eyes at the right moment: "With the Emperor's words, any suffering is worth it for me."

Her voice is soft, tinged with a few chokes, resembling a frail woman who, after endless grievances, finally receives pity.

Chu Yunzheng's eyes darken slightly, his thumb rubbing her eye corner, wiping away the tear that had not yet fallen.

Outside the hall, Li Defu's cautious voice comes: "Your Majesty, Lord Lin has an urgent matter to request an audience."

Chu Yunzheng slightly furrows his brows, yet rises: "I will go and return shortly."

He turns his head toward the physician standing nearby, his tone leaving no doubt: "Take good care of Consort Wan."

"Your Majesty." Wan Tang suddenly calls him softly, her eyes showing a hint of unease, "I only trust Xie Taiyi."

Her fingertips tremble slightly, like a startled bird: "The others… I fear…"

She doesn't finish speaking, yet it's enough for Chu Yunzheng to understand her concerns.

His gaze darkens, and he says immediately: "Approved; from now on, only Huang Huairen will take your pulse."

After Chu Yunzheng strides away, Wan Tang slowly leans back onto the pillow, the fragility in her eyes vanishing instantly.

She gently strokes her abdomen, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips.

The charcoal fire burns quietly, and the warm chamber is scented with a faint whiff of Calming Incense.

Wan Tang leans on the soft pillow, gazing at the emaciated Xie Taiyi before her, her eyes instantly reddening.

She quickly orders Li Ping'er and Xiao Shunzi to stand guard at the door.

"Xie Taiyi." Her voice trembles, fingertips clutching the blanket corner tightly, "I have implicated you."

Xie Huairen quickly kneels, his graying beard trembling slightly: "Your words are heavy, Master! Had it not been you alone bearing everything, Old Minister and my entire family would have long been exterminated."

"It is Old Minister who owes you an apology…"

He says, muddy tears streaming from his eyes, his voice choked: "Since you were imprisoned, Old Minister has longed daily to go to Cuivei Palace, but the Xu family stations people day and night watching the Xie residence; even stepping out to buy medicine is subject to inspection."

"Old Minister… Old Minister is incompetent…"

Wan Tang forces back tears, personally helping him to his feet: "Please don't say that."

The two remain silent for a moment, then Xie Taiyi suddenly lowers his voice, his expression solemn: "Empress, Old Minister must tell you."

"This pregnancy—was it only because you took the Forbidden Medicine that you conceived?"

Wan Tang's heart skipped a beat: "What does it mean?"

Xie Taiyi took a yellowed medical book from the bottom of the medicine chest, his fingers trembling slightly: "Back then we also took a reckless gamble, which is why we used the Forbidden Medicine."

"But at that time the Old Minister didn't have a chance to say that after taking it one could forcibly induce pregnancy, and the fetus would grow one or two months faster than normal."

He lifted his gaze, his eyes full of worry: "But this medicine is dangerous; after taking it delivery will inevitably be difficult. If the Empress can stay calm and rest with little movement, she might make it to full term."

Wan Tang's fingertips were cold: "What if she can't?"

Xie Taiyi closed his eyes briefly: "If emotions swing wildly, or if she engages in intercourse, I'm afraid she'll see blood before six months."

"Then I will personally treat her, sacrificing the small to save the great. If someone else does it, I'm afraid it could kill both mother and child."

The unfinished words hung like a knife over her head.

Wan Tang inhaled deeply, forcing herself to stay calm: "I understand."

"Empress, rest assured!" Xie Taiyi suddenly kowtowed heavily, "The Old Minister has been formulating an antidote these years; I will surely keep you and your child safe!"

Wan Tang nodded and called outward: "Xiao Shunzi, see to it that Xie Taiyi leaves the palace personally."

When the footsteps faded, she gently placed her hand on her abdomen, a flash of resolve in her eyes.

She didn't want to hurt anyone, but people would hurt her.

Her mother was kind, but what will the final outcome be?

That day her brother's fingertip may still be buried beneath the pear tree.

Each of these details constantly resurfaced before Wan Tang's eyes.

【Ancient women gave birth by passing through the Gate of Ghosts; I never expected so many side effects.】

【Now a direct C‑section is the solution; before there was truly no way. The child's risk is simply too great.】

【Are you fools? No matter how big the risk, is there any other choice? Can't you see the situation now? Without a child, Wan Tang, not only is protecting her brother impossible, she can't even survive herself.】

【Speaking of Xu Yanchuan, my Su Yanci really is a great person. Not only did he find a chance to transfer him, but also tended his wounds all the way. After arriving there, he even arranged a teacher to train him in martial arts, and he has become increasingly refined.】

Suddenly hearing news of her brother, Wan Tang's mouth curved upward.

The best recent thing is hearing that her brother is getting better and better.

Wan Tang leaned on the bed, gazing upward, her hands covering her lower belly.

"Mother, are you watching from heaven?"

"Yanchuan is fine, and your daughter will also become a mother."

At this point Wan Tang's nose tingled, and she whispered, "Mother, please rest assured."

"The daughter will now avenge you; the suffering Wang Jingyi made us endure, she will savor in detail…"

Before dawn, the Qinghui Courtyard was already brightly lit.

Xiao Mingshu, in a plain palace robe, stood in the Langxia, a single phoenix hairpin tucked in her hair, her eyes tinged with a faint blue shadow, clearly having not slept a night.

Seeing Chu Yunzheng arrive with Wan Tang, she immediately stepped forward, smiling gently: "Emperor, I feared the palace staff were clumsy, so I kept a close eye on them to ensure the courtyard was tidied properly."

She turned to Wan Tang, personally supporting her arm: "Sister, are you satisfied? If anything is lacking, just tell this palace."

Her fingertips pressed slightly harder when touching Wan Tang's wrist.

Wan Tang bowed her head modestly: "Thank you, Empress, for your concern."

She stroked her abdomen, tears welling in her eyes: "What virtue or ability do I have to cause the Empress such toil?"

Xiao Mingshu's smile was kind: "You carry a dragon heir; naturally you are of great value."

Chu Yunzheng stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping the newly refreshed courtyard, rarely showing a hint of approval: "The Empress has taken heart."

Just as Xiao Mingshu let out a sigh of relief, Chu Yunzheng suddenly said: "This courtyard still lacks a name plaque."

He took Wan Tang's hand, his tone gentle: "I have just thought of a name, Cherished Tang Courtyard, how does it sound?"

Xiao Mingshu's smile instantly stiffened.

"Cherished Tang, cherish Wan Tang."

"This is not a plaque; it's a blatant declaration of favoritism before the Six Palaces!"

"Emperor." Xiao Mingshu forced herself to stay dignified, "Is this name too blunt? Perhaps…"

Chu Yunzheng gave her a faint glance: "I think it's very good."

Xiao Mingshu dug her fingernail into her palm but forced a smile: "Sister, look, the Emperor loves you so much."

When the others withdrew, Chu Yunzheng personally carried Wan Tang into the inner chamber.

"Do you like it?" he kissed the crown of her head, "After I finish my paperwork, I can walk a few steps to see you."

Wan Tang leaned in his arms, listening to his strong heartbeat, a sincere smile curling her lips.

Morning light seeped through the window, illuminating the newly hung plaque of "Cherished Tang Courtyard," its gold lacquer sparkling in the sunrise.

Sunrise filtered through the carved lattice windows into the hall, the consorts seated in order, their gazes all inevitably drifting toward Wan Tang.

Today she wore a light apricot‑colored palace robe embroidered with crabapple blossoms, accentuating her slender waist, with only her abdomen slightly swollen, indicating the presence of a dragon fetus.

"Princess Wan, you look radiant," Li Pin said with a smile, handing a cup of red date tea, "I heard the Emperor rewarded us with blood swallows again yesterday."

"Indeed," Wang Meiren chimed, "the plants in Cherished Tang Courtyard were all personally selected by the Emperor."

As they spoke, footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the hall.

Lady of Grace Qi, supporting a palace maid's hand, entered slowly, dressed in a goose‑yellow palace robe, her abdomen more pronounced than Wan Tang's, her complexion pale and her eyes tinged with a faint blue shadow.

The hall fell silent instantly.