Chapter 356: Shocking Secret (1)

"I... am pregnant." The clear, shallow voice had no change in joy or anger, and even carried a sigh. Yan Hongtian thought he had misheard. She said she was pregnant? Yan Hongtian had already made up his mind to let Qingfeng conceive their child again, but he didn't expect it to be so fast. He hadn't deployed everything yet...

"Fuling said, it's been almost four months." At first, knowing she had this child, she only felt fear, because she felt she couldn't protect him. This fear made her very tormented. She even thought about not bringing him into this world, so he wouldn't suffer. But when the familiar fetal movement came from her abdomen, she couldn't bear it, really couldn't bear it.

Coming back to his senses, Yan Hongtian reached out directly to touch Qingfeng's abdomen, and sure enough, he touched the slight bulge and the burning body temperature. This feeling was both familiar and strange.

Qingfeng felt the warmth brought by that big hand again, as warm as last time, but last time her heart was throbbing, and this time, this warmth failed to dispel the anxiety and fear for the future.

"If our child could grow up in an ordinary family, not some prince or princess, how good that would be?"

Yan Hongtian's hand gently stroking her stomach paused. That undisguised expectation and longing were like needles hidden in cotton—invisible, but stinging with pain. His heart was stabbed heavily, and his voice turned much colder: "Knowing it's impossible, why bother thinking about it."

Impossible... Qingfeng laughed again: "Yes, impossible."

That night, the two didn't quarrel, and there was no tense atmosphere. Neither Yan Hongtian nor Qingfeng could bear to break this rare peace. The two sat on that long-lost swing, swaying gently.

On the night of late summer, the moonlight was particularly bright. In the flower bushes, the flower branches trembled slightly from time to time, as if something was moving inside. Yiyue was very depressed. The earrings she had entrusted someone to buy were only put on in the morning, and they were clearly still on her ears in the afternoon, but they were gone in just a few hours. She had picked some flowers in the garden in the afternoon and had been working in the Yilan Palace, and she had searched the Yilan Palace and the palace path several times. If they weren't in the flower bushes, they were really lost.

It was late at night, and Yiyue's legs were numb from squatting, but she still hadn't found them. She could only give up. Just as she was about to stand up, she saw two figures, a man and a woman, walking toward this side. Vaguely, a man's voice was calling Sister Shui Xin's name, and the two seemed to be arguing. Yiyue hurriedly bent down again, shrank her neck quietly, held her breath, and waited for them to leave before slipping back.

The two stopped at a place seven or eight feet away from Yiyue. Yiyue secretly let out a sigh of relief and shrank her body lower.

"Shui Xin, I just passed a message for the old man. What anger do you have, if you have the ability, go out with him, why are you venting your anger on me!"

The man's voice was a bit loud, and his tone was very aggressive. Yiyue raised her head curiously to look. The man's face in the moonlight wasn't very clear, but looking at the clothes he was wearing and listening to his voice, it seemed to be Officer Guo of the Imperial Guard. Could it be... Sister Shui Xin and Officer Guo had an affair?! Yiyue's heart jumped violently, both surprised and nervous, and her eyes kept looking over there.

"Some things should be said by you, and some things are not your turn to say."

Shui Xin's voice was pressed a bit low, cold like an ice spring, faintly revealing an evil charm. Yiyue had never seen her like this, feeling a bit timid in her heart, and at the same time, her curiosity was aroused even more, and her ears pricked up.

"..."

"..."

Both of their voices were pressed very low. Suddenly, for some reason, the man was furious, glared at Shui Xin, and scolded angrily: "What's so great about you, you're just an illegitimate..."

"Slap!"

A terrifying killing intent burst out from Shui Xin's eyes. She backhanded a slap, fiercely hitting Guo Yi's face. The force was so great that a big man like Guo Yi was slapped back two steps. The crisp sound of the slap rang out in the quiet night, sounding exceptionally loud. At the same time, a gasp also rang out from the flower bushes in the distance.

Shui Xin turned her head quickly to stare at the dark flower bushes and shouted: "Who?!"

Yiyue tightly covered her mouth, her face already pale, and tears were flowing all over her face at some point. The fear in her heart tightly entangled her. Her mind was blank. What had she just heard... She couldn't believe her ears, but she couldn't help but believe it. Even though their voices were low, she was sure she had heard it. She knew Shui Xin's methods. Breaking this secret, she... she had only one dead end!

Shui Xin's reprimand was like a heavy hammer hitting Yiyue on the head, making her come back to her senses from the panic and chaos. Not daring to think too much, she turned and drilled into the depths of the flower bushes behind her.

The flower bushes shook violently, clearly someone was there just now. A flash of complex light crossed Shui Xin's eyes, then disappeared, and she said to the man who was still stunned behind her: "Still not chasing!"

Thinking of the content of the conversation just now, Guo Yi also panicked. Ignoring his red and swollen cheeks, he hurriedly chased after her.

Unfortunately, behind the flower bushes was a small path, winding and turning to various palace paths, and the night was the best protective color. When Guo Yi passed through the flower bushes to chase, he couldn't see anyone.

Yiyue ran for her life, not daring to walk on the main road, only drilling into the flower bushes and small paths. She didn't know how long she ran, her back was soaked with sweat. Seeing light ahead, Yiyue shrank and wanted to run back, when a woman's voice suddenly rang out: "Who's there?"

Yiyue was startled. She raised her head and looked over. Only then did she see a palace maid holding a lantern in one hand and supporting a woman in the other. Under the candlelight, she saw the woman's appearance clearly, and Yiyue, who was about to run away, stopped again. It was... Consort Qing?!

Ever since deciding to give birth to the child in her stomach, Qingfeng often went to the Yonghua Palace to visit Han'er, and tonight she stayed in the Yonghua Palace for dinner. It was almost autumn, and the weather was still a bit hot, but the moonlight was very beautiful. Qingfeng pulled Ruyi and walked slowly back to the Qingfeng Palace. Just after walking not far from the Yonghua Palace, she saw the flower bushes next to her shaking violently, as if a small beast was scurrying inside. Both Ruyi and Qingfeng were startled by this scene.

Both of them took several steps back. Qingfeng called out loudly: "Who's there?"

After a good while, a woman dressed as a palace maid crawled out of the flower bushes, looking like she had been scurrying in the flower bushes for a long time, looking very embarrassed. Seeing her, the woman was first afraid, and then ran toward her as if her life depended on it.

The woman's abnormal reaction made Qingfeng a bit uneasy. Just as she was thinking about whether to call someone, the woman had already run in front of her, threw herself at her feet, and shouted in a panicked, trembling, and anxious voice: "Consort Qing, save me... Consort Qing, save me!"

Qingfeng saw that she was thin and still trembling, guessing that she wouldn't pose any danger to herself, so she asked in a low voice: "You are..."

"This servant... Yiyue, is a palace maid in the Empress's palace." The woman's voice was very light, and while speaking, she looked left and right vigilantly, as if afraid of being chased by someone.

Xin Yuening's person? Qingfeng's expression gradually turned cold, and her voice was also cold: "Since you are the Empress's person, why do you still need me to save your life."

Afraid that Qingfeng would just walk away, Yiyue grabbed her skirt and urged: "This servant... this servant knows a secret! As long as the Mistress promises to save this servant's life, this servant will tell the Mistress this secret."

"Oh?" A secret? Qingfeng remained calm and replied faintly: "What secret is worth your life?"

Yiyue raised her head slightly. In the moonlight, Qingfeng's expression was cold, and that peerless face was enough to make people dizzy. In this palace, only Consort Qing could protect her, right! Yiyue bit her lower lip fiercely, made up her mind, and told everything she heard tonight, "This secret is about..."

In the moonlight, Yiyue's deliberately lowered voice sounded a bit unreal. Qingfeng listened quietly to this so-called "secret," and the whole person froze there. Ruyi beside her also covered her mouth in shock.

Xiao Yu carried the tea tray out of the Imperial Study and let out a long sigh of relief. For the past few days, the Emperor's expression hadn't been very good after returning from the morning court. Everyone serving by his side was extremely careful. Although the Emperor wouldn't vent his anger on them, the oppressive atmosphere still made people feel terrified.

Xiao Yu had just walked down the steps when she saw a slender figure walking gracefully. Ever since Consort Qing's face was healed, she seemed to have a special preference for white clothes. Few people in the palace dressed like this, after all, white clothes looked too plain, not eye-catching, and not pleasing. However, because of her peerless appearance and elegant temperament, she wore this white dress with a refined and elegant temperament, and also a bit more bright and beautiful light.

Ever since the good news of Consort Qing's pregnancy was spread again, she rarely went out except to go to the Yonghua Palace. Why did she come to the Zhengyang Palace today? Xiao Yu guessed in her heart, but her feet had already greeted her, saluting: "Greetings, Mistress."

Qingfeng laughed: "No need for formalities, has the Emperor finished the morning court?"

Xiao Yu glanced into the Imperial Study, with some hesitation in her eyes, but finally said: "He has finished, he is currently reviewing memorials in the Imperial Study. This servant will go and report to the Mistress." Consort Qing was here, maybe the Emperor's mood would be better.

Qingfeng saw Xiao Yu's expression, raised her hand to gently grab Xiao Yu's hand, and said: "No hurry, don't disturb the Emperor in handling state affairs. I heard you have the best tea in the palace, I want to go and see, maybe I can pick one or two good ones."

Qingfeng's fingertips touched her wrist, very light, but very cool. Xiao Yu trembled slightly and retracted her hand without a trace: "Mistress, please."

Qingfeng didn't pull her anymore, her low voice carried a bit of a smile: "Xiao Yu, you and I are very compatible, no need to be so polite."

Xiao Yu raised her head slightly and met Qingfeng's smiling eyes. She felt a bit dazed. Ever since Qingfeng's face was healed, she always had a feeling of not daring to look directly at her. At this moment, her smile reminded her of the smile with a bit of cunning when playing chess at the Shushan Villa. A bit of good feeling grew in her heart.

The two were about to walk to the side hall when a eunuch rushed in with his head down. Seeing that he was about to bump into Qingfeng, Ruyi stepped forward, pushed him hard, and scolded angrily: "You dog slave, you don't have eyes, if you bump into the Mistress, how many heads do you have!"

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 357 =====