Chapter 770: Consort Rong [Thank You! Again, Thank You! 37k Words Owed]

On the third day after Tingyi’s wedding, it was also the day for returning to the bride’s family home.

Jiyin Alley,

the Sheng household,

during the midday break,

the sun blazed fiercely, and the air grew dry and hot.

After a rustle of footsteps, Gu Tingye arrived at the academy with his maid, Qiuniang.

Whether from the sun or the wine, Gu Tingye’s face was flushed.

Seeing his classmates nodding and greeting him, Gu Tingye smiled.

Observing Gu Tingye’s complexion, Xu Zaijing chuckled: “Second Brother, how are you today? Does the son-in-law look well?”

Gu Tingye sat down and let out a long breath toward Xu Zaijing, the scent of wine hitting him squarely.

“Your sister-in-law and Yanran said Lady Shoushan Bo is open-minded and generous; Third Lady hasn’t been bound by rigid rules at the Huang household, nor has she been mistreated—let’s see how things go from here.”

After speaking, Gu Tingye gestured to Qiuniang, who had followed him to the academy and sat behind him: “Water.”

Qiuniang replied, “Yes,” then quickly rose, poured a cup of warm water, and walked to Gu Tingye’s side with it.

Xu Zaijing nodded with a smile, casually appraising Qiuniang’s changed appearance.

After Qiuniang returned the teacup to the wooden platform behind, Xu Zaijing gave Gu Tingye a questioning glance.

Gu Er’s face showed slight embarrassment; he pulled Xu Zaijing to his feet and led him outside.

On the way, Gu Tingye whispered: “These past two days, my wife—”

He paused mid-sentence, then turned his eyes to Xu Zaijing and whispered further: “Yanran took the initiative and gave Qiuniang her face, elevating her to concubine status.”

Outside the academy, Xu Zaijing nodded and lowered his voice: “Second Brother, now that you have a concubine, you must be more careful.”

Gu Tingye blinked: “Jingge’er, what should I be careful about?”

“The first son must be the legitimate heir—it avoids countless troubles later. The Liu household is proof,” Xu Zaijing said solemnly.

Gu Tingye waved a hand and laughed: “My elder brother will inherit the Marquis title of Ningyuan; my line has no title to inherit.”

Xu Zaijing glared at Gu Tingye: “True, you have no title—what about Lady Bai’s dowry and your maternal grandfather’s estate?”

Hearing this, Gu Tingye nodded with a smile: “Fifth Brother, you’re right—I understand.”

Then he clapped Xu Zaijing’s shoulder hard: “But this step—I’m taking it before you.”

“Huh?”

Seeing Xu Zaijing’s bewildered face, Gu Tingye’s smile grew brighter.

Xu Zaijing frowned: “Wait, Second Brother, what do you mean by that?”

“Heh, figure it out yourself,” Gu Tingye said smugly.

The Great Zhou Imperial Palace,

the Empress’s sleeping quarters

the Emperor, his hair streaked gray and white, smiled as he walked to the doorway with Zhao Fang, hands clasped behind his back.

Stepping over the threshold into the hall,

Zhao Fang bowed with a smile and clasped his hands: “Your son greets Your Majesty, Empress.”

Standing beside the Empress, the six- or seven-year-old Princess also bowed, her voice clear as she called out: “Father, Elder Brother.”

The Emperor, watching the Empress bow in return, exchanged a knowing glance with his son Zhao Fang.

He sat down at the table,

and Zhao Fang smiled: “Mother, what’s troubling you today? I sense your unease.”

The Empress nodded and spoke to the lady-in-waiting beside her: “It’s time for her midday nap.”

Zhao Fang’s younger sister rose, bowed with a smile to the Emperor and Zhao Fang, took the lady-in-waiting’s hand, and walked toward the rear chambers.

Watching Zhao Fang, seated at the table, wave goodbye to his sister with a smile, the Empress took a deep breath and turned to the Emperor: “Your Majesty, this morning, Consort Rong came to my chambers.”

“Oh? With her pregnancy so advanced, how dare she wander about!” the Emperor said, slightly annoyed.

The Empress nodded and spoke gravely: “Consort Rong came to me because—”

The Emperor, seeing her hesitate, said: “Hmm? What does she want? Empress, speak plainly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! Consort Rong wishes to request the Taiyi Academy’s physicians to prescribe medicine so she may give birth this month.”

Upon hearing this, both the Emperor and Zhao Fang frowned.

“Give birth this month…” The Emperor’s words trailed off as understanding dawned in his eyes.

According to the physicians, Consort Rong was due in early May.

But in Great Zhou custom, May is called the “evil month,” and the fifth day of that month is the “evil day.”

A child born on that day is said to bring misfortune: “a son harms his father and elder brothers; a daughter harms her mother and elder sisters.”

Consort Rong feared the worst—if her child happened to be born on that day, she would become a target.

“Your Majesty, this concerns the imperial heir. Consort Rong’s intentions are sincere, which is why I’ve asked you to deliberate.”

The Empress looked at the Emperor.

The Emperor paused, then nodded: “Very well. I grant it. Empress, see to the arrangements.”

The Empress rose: “I obey Your Majesty’s command.”

“Sit, Empress! Bring the meals quickly—I and Fang’er are hungry.”

“Yes.”

The Empress nodded and signaled to the lady-in-waiting beside her.

As the imperial dishes were placed on the table, the Emperor’s chief eunuch glanced toward the doorway and stepped toward it.

Moments later, the chief eunuch returned and stood bowing beside the Emperor.

The Emperor did not turn, his eyes fixed on the dishes: “Speak. What is it?”

The chief eunuch glanced at the Empress and whispered: “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Highness—the Astronomical Bureau has just delivered its night sky reading! It says—”

He hesitated, then fell silent.

“Don’t stammer!”

“Yes, Your Majesty! The Astronomical Bureau advises that Your Highness’s wedding date be postponed.”

At these words, both Emperor and Empress froze.

“Postponed?”

The chief eunuch bowed: “Yes, Your Majesty! Grand Secretary Su Song has also reviewed it and reached the same conclusion.”

Zhao Fang, still eating, continued calmly with his chopsticks, unaffected.

The Emperor nodded: “Fine. Have the Astronomical Bureau and Su Song come to me this afternoon—I’ll question them in detail.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The Emperor nodded, then looked at the still-dazed Empress: “See? Even Fang’er doesn’t care. He’s still young—delaying a little won’t hurt.”

As the Emperor spoke, Zhao Fang chewed slowly, his eyes smiling at the Empress.

In truth, the Empress had planned for Zhao Fang to marry this year, so she could hold a grandchild next year.

Now, that plan was clearly ruined.

The Empress looked at Zhao Fang, now tall and sturdy, and nodded with regret: “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Zhao Fang set down his chopsticks after chewing slowly, glanced at the Empress, and said: “Mother, I haven’t seen Jingge’er in many days.”

“When Consort Rong has something to attend to, I’d like to summon Jingge’er to the palace.”

Hearing this, the Emperor’s eyes filled with warmth and pride as he looked at Zhao Fang.

The Empress glanced at the Emperor and smiled: “Then let it be as Fang’er wishes.”

The Great Zhou imperial clan was vast, but the Emperor’s direct bloodline now consisted mostly of princesses—only Zhao Fang remained as a male heir.

If Consort Rong bears a son, compared to other members of the clan, that child will be Zhao Fang’s closest brother.

Several days later,

evening,

the sky darkened,

Jingming Street in Bianjing,

the rear courtyard of the Dongchang Marquis’s Qin household already glowed with lanterns.

Beneath the rear courtyard’s covered walkway,

Tian Damaizi, the wife of the Dongchang Marquis’s heir Qin Chi, pale and weary, walked toward the study with a maid carrying a tray.

Turning right along the walkway,

Tian Damaizi saw two young servants of the Qin household standing beneath the eaves.

“We greet Damaizi.”

“Is the heir still busy in the study?”

“Yes, Damaizi! Before entering the study, the heir gave strict orders: no one may approach unless he comes out himself.”

Tian Damaizi glanced at the study, its candlelight flickering ten paces away, then at the food on the tray: “It’s dark now—dinner time. Please take this in for him.”

The servants bowed their heads: “Forgive us, Damaizi! The heir’s order forbids us to approach unless he emerges. Please take the food back.”

Hearing this, Tian Damaizi’s face fell: “This—”

Seeing the servants bow even deeper, she sighed and turned away.

She had taken only two steps when—

“Splash!”

“Ding dang!”

A loud crash came from the study a dozen steps away.

Tian Da Niangzi, who had been walking forward, suddenly turned her head toward the study.

“Go, quickly see—has the Young Master gotten into some trouble!” the lady cried urgently.

The two servants by the corridor exchanged glances, hesitating as they glanced toward the study.

“Kuang dang!”

Another crash of breaking furniture echoed from the study.

“Go!” Tian Da Niangzi shouted again.

The two servants hurriedly turned and walked toward the study.

Arriving at the door,

“Young Master, Young Master, are you alright?” one of the servants called inside.

At that moment, Tian Da Niangzi also hurried to the door.

“Master! Master! You—”

Tian Da Niangzi had not finished speaking.

“Get out!”

Hearing the roar from within, Tian Da Niangzi shuddered violently, as if recalling something terrifying.

“All of you, get out!”

The furious voice rang out again from the study.

“Pa!”

Some porcelain object was smashed violently against the door.

The two servants at the door also flinched.

The two servants turned to look at Tian Da Niangzi and whispered, “Da Niangzi, let’s leave quickly! You know the Young Master’s temper.”

Tian Da Niangzi nodded vigorously.

After the group hurried away a dozen steps, Tian Da Niangzi glanced back at the shadow cast by candlelight on the window paper and said, “What’s gotten into Master today? Did someone outside mock his crippled legs?”

The two servants bowed their heads and shook them: “Da Niangzi, the Young Master encountered no enemies today, and no one spoke harshly to him.”

“Hmm. Then what’s this about?” Tian Da Niangzi sighed, glancing again at the restless shadow behind the study window, and led the group away from the corridor.

The next day,

The sky was bright,

Qin Chi Han had already gone to the yamen for duty.

But Tian Da Niangzi stood with her people beneath the corridor where the incident had occurred the night before.

Far from the study, watching servants carry bamboo baskets filled with broken items, the maid behind Tian Da Niangzi waved her hand: “Young sirs, bring the baskets over.”

The two servants exchanged glances, then carried the baskets forward.

“Servants bow to Da Niangzi.”

The maid beside Tian Da Niangzi held up a silk pouch and said, “Thank you, young sirs. Take this silver and treat yourselves to wine.”

“Thank you, Da Niangzi, but we cannot let you take these things away,” the servants bowed deeply.

“I don’t need to take them. I’ll just watch here,” Tian Da Niangzi said.

“Yes!” The two servants bowed, accepted the pouch from the maid with both hands, and stepped back to the nearby corridor.

Wearing a silk handkerchief over her hands, Tian Da Niangzi crouched and rummaged through the basket.

Inside were mostly shards of porcelain, ruined inkstones, broken brushes, torn books, and slashed bamboo blinds.

At the bottom of the basket lay several sturdy stool legs, snapped cleanly in half.

As she looked at the contents, Tian Da Niangzi sighed and was about to rise when she spotted several pieces of paper unlike the books or paper scraps.

She gathered those paper fragments into balls, hid them inside the handkerchief in her palm, then stood up.

After the servants carried the debris away, Tian Da Niangzi headed toward her own courtyard.

Back in her quarters, she dismissed everyone except her personal maid, then spread the paper balls on the table.

Seeing the holes and the ink-written characters, the maid asked in confusion, “Da Niangzi, is this from the Heavenly Bureau?”

Tian Da Niangzi shook her head: “No. It’s from the Astronomical Bureau—someone from the Bureau must have angered Master. These holes are surely from arrow impacts.”

“Then ask him tonight what happened.”

“No. He hates things most when he shoots arrows in rage—now I understand.”

Shaking her head, Tian Da Niangzi walked to the side, lifted the teakettle from the charcoal stove, and tossed the papers into it.

“When I first married into this family, I might have asked him. But after all these days, asking only brings me a beating.”

As she spoke, Tian Da Niangzi rubbed her lower back.

The moment she touched it, her face twisted in pain.

In the Great Zhou Imperial Palace,

Golden sunlight spilled over the palace’s glazed tiles.

In Rong Fei’s sleeping quarters,

The light was bright.

In the hall, Princess Qiu’er of Rong Fei was not present.

Rong Feiyan sat on the embroidered stool before Rong Fei, gripping her sister’s hand tightly, shaking her head in disbelief: “Sister, this is too dangerous! Even though it’s May, it doesn’t have to be the fifth day.”

“You don’t—”

Before she could finish, Rong Fei squeezed Rong Feiyan’s hand, silencing her.

“Yan’er, I’ve already reported this to His Majesty and the Empress. It cannot be changed. Waiting until next month—better safe than sorry!”

“If it’s another girl, and born on the fifth day, we’ll have nowhere to cry!”

As Rong Fei spoke, she stroked her large belly.

“But sister, if you do that, you might—pfft! Pfft!” Rong Feiyan spat twice, then stared at her sister.

“Sister, how can you still smile!” Rong Feiyan cried anxiously.

Rong Fei looked at her radiant younger sister and smiled: “Yan’er, I have a feeling—this child will be a boy.”

Rong Feiyan took a deep breath, met her sister’s gaze, and said: “Sister, you—”

Rong Fei smiled and continued: “Though our family is allied with the Dou family, the Fuguo Duke’s household has no outstanding young men. Our own lineage is still too thin.”

As she spoke, Rong Fei stroked Rong Feiyan’s soft hand: “Actually, from the moment I conceived, I silently prayed and vowed—if it’s a boy, then Yan’er, you—”

Rong Feiyan stared, watching Rong Fei’s lips move, but could not hear what she said.

When she finally understood, Rong Feiyan first smiled in surprise, then the smile vanished.

“Sister, if it’s a prince, how could he possibly marry into our family!?” Rong Feiyan said, her voice sinking, shaking her head repeatedly.

Rong Fei smiled: “His Highness told me that on the day I give birth, the Prince will summon Xu Wu Lang to the palace.”

Hearing this, Rong Feiyan pictured Xu Zaijing’s face, smiled faintly, then the smile faded as she said: “Sister, what does this have to do with what I told you?”

Rong Fei looked at her sister: “How is it unrelated? Yan’er, do you know what it means when the Prince summons Xu Wu Lang to the palace?”

Rong Feiyan shook her head.

Rong Fei smiled: “When the Empress gave birth last time, the Prince was anxious and distressed—Xu Wu Lang came to the palace and calmed him. It was considered an auspicious omen.”

After speaking, Rong Fei watched silently as Rong Feiyan pondered.

“Sister, you mean the Prince only wants you to deliver safely—he doesn’t care whether it’s a boy or girl?”

Rong Feiyan said hesitantly, watching her sister nod, her eyes growing more confused.

“Yan’er, the Prince is over a dozen years older than the child in your belly! For over a decade, the Prince has admired Xu Wu Lang, trained in martial arts and kept fit—he hasn’t even sneezed once.”

“The Prince doesn’t mind this child in your belly at all.”

Rong Fei stroked her belly: “By the time this child grows up, the Imperial Grandson may already be born.”

“If none of the other ladies in the palace bear sons, the child in your belly will be the Prince’s closest brother.”

“Then our family’s foundation will grow stronger, and no household in the capital will dare call us mere bricklayers anymore.”

Rong Feiyan nodded, smiled at her sister, and said: “That would be wonderful! Then you can be taken out to live in peace by this little one.”

Hearing this, Rong Fei tenderly caressed Rong Feiyan’s cheek.

Late April,

Following the auspicious date calculated by the Astronomical Bureau,

Rong Fei, her gaze resolute, swallowed the labor-inducing decoction.

(End of Chapter)