Chapter 32

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

"Imperial Concubine Xi"

"Noble Consort Zhou"

"Subject/Concubine greets Noble Consort Zhou Niangniang"

A large group of people stood up with a rustle, their scalps numb as they saluted and greeted Zhou Ningyan, who was being helped in.

Shen Yao stared unblinkingly at the other party; after several months apart, Zhou Ningyan had become even more emaciated than before.

Her complexion was wax-yellow, fatigue that even top-quality rouge and powder could not conceal. Tsk, with Zhou Ningyan's pregnancy, it looks like she really is going to stake her entire life on this.

"Imperial Concubine Xi, long time no see."

Zhou Ningyan's voice was hoarse, gone was the previous clear and pleasant tone; it sounded full of friction.

Shen Yao frowned slightly, not understanding why Zhou Ningyan had run out at this time.

The two of them, their pregnancy times differed by less than three months.

Now Shen Yao had smoothly completed her postpartum confinement; judging by Zhou Ningyan's body and the timeline of carrying a single child, this person seems about to give birth.

"Noble Consort Zhou, indeed it has been a long time; your pregnancy is also seven months along, is it not?"

Her gaze swept lightly over Zhou Ningyan's extraordinarily large belly; Shen Yao smiled at the corner of her mouth and took the opportunity to mention a couple of things to pay attention to during pregnancy, especially in the late stage.

She had finally managed to come out once; she absolutely could not get entangled with Zhou Ningyan.

Zhou Ningyan's expression stiffened slightly, and at the same time she felt a slight annoyance in her heart.

This Imperial Concubine Xi really knows which pot not to open and lifts that very one; her own body, she herself knows best — clearly a child she cannot deliver, the precautions for ordinary pregnant women are utterly useless on her.

Now that Imperial Concubine Xi says this, could it be she is deliberately mocking her?

Mocking her for not knowing people, mocking her for absurd fantasies, mocking her for bringing it on herself… her heart involuntarily stirred up; Zhou Ningyan's arm trembled slightly, and the maid supporting her noticed and hurriedly gripped it tight.

Terrible, the mistress's emotional fluctuation is obvious; they must leave as soon as possible.

"Niangniang, Niangniang?"

Wenhe called out to Zhou Ningyan twice in worry; fortunately Zhou Ningyan remembered her purpose for going out, she exerted force with her palm and slowly exhaled a breath.

Her other thin, jade-white hand touched her high and lofty abdomen; Zhou Ningyan smiled, "Yes, in a few more days it will be a full seven months.

Now the Imperial Physician says my body is somewhat weak, but the child in my womb is developing well.

Therefore I often come out to walk and stroll, appropriately move my body to prevent difficult childbirth later.

Ai, look at my memory; once pregnant I always like to forget things left and right.

You several, quickly rise from the salute."

The last two sentences, Zhou Ningyan directed her gaze at the several low-ranking concubines on one side.

These were all the ones who had thick skin and didn't leave before; now they received another show of force from Zhou Ningyan, staying any longer was impossible.

They stood up and nodded dryly; the few of them looked at each other, and in the end it was a concubine of delicate appearance who spoke up, citing the lateness of the hour as reason to leave the pavilion before them.

"Yo, leaving so fast — is it because this palace came over?"

Zhou Ningyan looked at the few of them with a half-smile, her gaze tyrannical and unkind.

The few who wanted to leave: …

The delicate concubine froze a smiling face, looking even uglier than crying, "How could it be? This concubine truly has matters in her palace; before Niangniang arrived, this concubine already wanted to take leave and depart."

"Yes yes, Noble Consort Zhou Niangniang is benevolent and tolerant; surely she can understand us."

Mm, speaking is speaking, but at the end she backhanded a moral blackmail.

Shen Yao felt that if she were Zhou Ningyan, she definitely would not let these few people leave easily.

Sure enough, hearing those nauseating adjectives applied to herself, Zhou Ningyan immediately let out a cold laugh, "This palace did not know Imperial Concubine Liu possessed such eloquence; not going to a teahouse outside the palace to be a storyteller is truly a pity."

Zhou Ningyan stood right in the corridor leading into the pavilion; she would not budge, so the others could hardly climb over the wall to leave.

Moreover, Zhou Ningyan carrying a huge belly is a dangerous figure in the Huang Hou; at this moment, whoever dares go up and touch her, the unlucky one will be themselves, not her.

Words chasing words spoken to this point, everyone directly froze in place.

Wanting to leave but unable to, they could only listen to Zhou Ningyan talking to herself there.

Of course, Zhou Ningyan didn't just speak herself; she also very cleverly dragged Shen Yao into speaking together.

Shen Yao is not stupid; from Zhou Ningyan's words, she could feel that what the other party mentioned most was the child in her own belly, and what she answered most was also talk related to the child.

Hiss

Shen Yao's peripheral vision glanced at the few concubines to the side who each harbored their own thoughts; she thought to herself: Zhou Ningyan's performance today, wouldn't it be digging pits for these few people?

But, why?

"Hmph! Elder Sister look, merely pregnant and she already looks down on us."

"Shh! Lower your voice, Noble Consort Zhou has a bad temper; be careful she hears and settles accounts with you."

"Afraid of what? She can get pregnant and so can I; it's just a prescription — she thinks she's keeping it secret, but do others take us for deaf and blind, not knowing?

It's already spread throughout the Huang Hou; it's not like it can't be found out."

"If you really use that prescription to get pregnant, Noble Consort Zhou's expression won't look too good; if the prescription has any difference, wouldn't we be asking for bitter suffering?"

"Elder Sister just thinks too much; we are young, and unlike Noble Consort Zhou who has taken medicine for years.

In my words, Noble Consort Zhou being like this can only blame her own body for not living up to expectations.

If I used the prescription, I certainly wouldn't end up like this."

"…"

Finally released by Zhou Ningyan's magnanimity, several minor consorts gathered together, and what they spoke of was surprisingly a secret prescription for bearing children.

Originally, from some unknown time, a secret prescription that could smoothly enable Zhou Guifei to become pregnant had spread out.

Everyone disbelieved at first, but with Zhou Guifei's attitude of strict prevention and tight guarding, they slowly changed their attitude.

At present, eight or nine out of ten people in the Huang Hou have given birth to this idea.

The timid ones are still watching and waiting; the bold ones have already taken it and are awaiting the effect.

The several people who gathered before Shen Yao today count as the wavering sort, but stimulated by Zhou Ningyan's words, they also aroused the desire to become pregnant and bear children.

Yes, women who enter the palace — what they think of in their hearts is either favor or offspring.

Now that the path to offspring is laid out in the open, who could refuse?!

"Originally so; this matter, how could this palace not know?"

Hearing Qiu Yue's words, Shen Yao touched her chin; she turned her head to look at Zhou Ningyan, who had already walked away without a trace, and thought to herself: this person is truly ruthless — she herself doesn't want to live anymore, so she drags all the women of the Huang Hou to be buried with her.

Mm, worthy of a daughter from the Right Prime Minister's House; this decisive, killing personality will presumably not let off Zhao Yunyue who schemed against her either.

Qiu Yue hurriedly explained to her own master: it's not that she didn't want to tell; she really had mentioned this matter, only at the time her luck was bad — Shen Yao was in late pregnancy, and her spirits weren't very good all day.

Moreover, at that time most of Shen Yao's energy was either on her belly or on Xiao Jin's three children; where would she have time to analyze the seven-seven-eight-eight from Qiu Yue's words?

Furthermore, whether it was Shen Yao or Qiu Yue, they both looked down on this kind of secret prescription for bearing children, harboring a contemptuous attitude in their hearts, making it hard to view it objectively.

Then, naturally missing it was within expectations.

Shen Yao shrugged her shoulders: "Hearing it now, it's not too late.

Just looking at Zhou Guifei's appearance, since it's spread in the Huang Hou, the Emperor's side should also know."

So what is Xiao Yanchen's attitude? Tolerance or overturning the table?

Shen Yao thought of Xiao Yanchen in Taiji Hall, and Xiao Yanchen in Taiji Hall had long been prepared for this matter.

"Zhou-shi, really went out from Chaoyang Palace again?"

Sitting behind the desk handling the memorials in hand, Xiao Yanchen listened to Wei Zhu's report, expression unchanged.

Wei Zhu bowed his body, not daring to raise his head: "Yes, Zhou Guifei Niangniang went to the pavilion behind the garden, and saw Imperial Concubine Xi Niangniang and Liu Guiren and others."

Hearing Shen Yao was involved here, Xiao Yanchen directly raised his head from the memorial: "Imperial Concubine Xi?"

Wei Zhu hurriedly explained how it was with Shen Yao, and at the end didn't forget to add a sentence: "This slave investigated and found it was Zhou Guifei Niangniang who heard the news and specially rushed over."

Xiao Yanchen didn't speak, but put down the writing brush in hand, hooked the corner of his mouth: "Zhou-shi, truly doesn't want to live."

Even Shen Yao must be schemed against — is this Zhou-shi's own meaning, or the Right Prime Minister outside the palace's meaning?

Xiao Yanchen couldn't help but form a conspiracy theory; whether it was Zhou Ningyan's own tossed-about pregnancy or spreading the prescription throughout the Huang Hou, Xiao Yanchen knew all the movements, but he chose to coldly observe from the sidelines in Taiji Hall.

For the sake of waiting for an opportunity to catch all these people inside and outside the palace in one net.

Time is still not enough; Xiao Yanchen has always hurried urgently, and only now has the confidence to overturn the table and showdown with these people.

Long since fed up with such days, Xiao Yanchen naturally doesn't mind Zhou Ningyan solving some Huang Hou troubles for him before her death.

After all, among the consorts who entered, there are those like Shen Yao — pure and clean, gaining his liking — and those each harboring ulterior motives, who are others' spies.

In short, since Zhou Ningyan seeks death herself, Xiao Yanchen will do nothing but grant her wish.

"Wei Zhu, arrange people to protect Weiyang Palace well, especially Imperial Concubine Xi and her mother and children — no mistakes allowed."

Wei Zhu heard this and nodded repeatedly: "This slave obeys the decree."

Xiao Yanchen waved his hand: "Go down; also go to Fengyi Palace to deliver a message — tonight We will go to the Empress's place for the late dinner."

She is the Empress after all; this time, let's see how the Empress and the Wei Family choose.

If they stand on this side, then the Wei clan will still be Great Jing Dynasty's Empress in the future; if they stand on the opposite side, Xiao Yanchen feels replacing with a new Empress is also not impossible.

Anyway, Shen Yao indeed suits his heart; whether in the aspect of bearing children or in other aspects, Xiao Yanchen is very satisfied.

"Yes"

……

That very night, Xiao Yanchen in a dragon robe appeared in Fengyi Palace's main hall.

Seeing the Emperor come over, Wei Jingyi hurriedly brought Xiao Heng to pay respects and ask after his well-being.

Xiao Yanchen lowered his head to look at the son held in Wei Jingyi's hand, brows knitting tight: "Empress, why is Heng'er here?"

He came to discuss matters with the Empress; Xiao Heng is only a few years old.

Wei Jingyi heard this, her heart gave a start; she smiled: "Heng'er missed the Emperor.

Now the Emperor has come with such difficulty, this subject thought of our family of three sitting together to eat a late dinner."

Xiao Yanchen's mouth corner slightly pursed, gaze deep: "The Empress's meaning is to reproach We for coming too few times?"

"Your Majesty, please hear me out; this subject is not that meaning," Wei Jingyi bit her lip, expression apprehensive.