Chapter 529: with translation of chapter title

529. Chapter 529: Pregnant

In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve.

That night, a palace banquet.

The Emperor invited all the ministers and their families to the banquet.

Qiao Sheng, as Shi Lin's family member, naturally came as well; as for the little ones, he didn't bring them, leaving them at home.

He sat in his designated seat for less than a quarter of an hour.

A eunuch's announcing voice rang out: "His Majesty has arrived, Empress has arrived, Consort Shi has arrived, Pure Consort has arrived, Virtuous Consort has arrived, Worthy Consort has arrived, Moon Consort has arrived…"

The eunuch hadn't finished the announcement.

Everyone turned to look.

Qiao Sheng tugged at Shi Lin's sleeve and whispered, "Shi Lin, didn't you say that at the palace banquet only the Emperor, Empress, Crown Prince, Princess, and the four consorts could attend, and other consorts were not allowed? Then why is there a Moon Consort?"

Shi Lin shook his head: "I don't know either."

Soon.

They soon got an answer.

Moon Consort was pregnant, and not just for a month—she was now three months pregnant.

The Empress hadn't known this before; when the Emperor announced it, her face turned ashen.

Back then.

The Empress originally intended to have Moon Consort killed, but the Emperor learned she had a stillbirth, felt sorry for her, and set her free.

Since then, whether ten days or half a month, they would visit her at least once a month.

The Emperor kept her in his heart.

The Empress no longer dared to act against her easily; moreover, being certain that Moon Consort didn't know she had swapped her child, she gradually stopped paying attention to her.

But she didn't expect.

She had such a good fate.

She became pregnant every month during the night visits.

Because she had previously caused two consorts' unborn children to be lost, this time she didn't dare to do the same, as the Emperor valued it highly.

Of course there was another reason: later Imperial Doctor Zhang explicitly told her that Moon Consort was carrying a princess this time.

She had thought that after giving birth to a princess, she hadn't conceived for many years, so she assumed she wouldn't conceive again.

But that proved wrong.

Moon Consort is now not only pregnant, but three months along.

A late-born child.

The Emperor was delighted; how could he still treat Moon Consort as before?

Not long after the banquet began,

the Emperor ordered the dishes to be served; as the various dishes arrived, Shi Qing smelled some of the aromas and instantly felt nauseated.

"Sister, are you pregnant?"

Worthy Consort shouted out immediately.

When she said that,

everyone turned to look.

The Emperor instantly summoned Imperial Doctor Chen to take Shi Qing's pulse; that would confirm the pregnancy.

Imperial Doctor Chen Qi knelt on the ground, raised both hands, and in a congratulatory pose said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty; felicitations, Your Majesty, the noble Consort is over two months pregnant."

"Is it true?"

The Emperor asked, barely able to hide his joy.

The Empress's fingertips instantly pinched his palm; indeed he loved that wretched woman.

Consort Shi's expression froze for a moment and said, "Imperial Doctor Chen, you aren't mistaken, are you? This palace last month…"

Seeing her holding it was hard to put into words.

The Emperor added, "Consort, you had your menstrual period last month."

Imperial Doctor Chen was about to ask how long it had been.

The Empress opened her mouth and said, "Your Majesty, shall we summon more Imperial Doctors to examine? What if the diagnosis is wrong?"

Several Imperial Doctors at the Imperial Medical Institute were her men.

Otherwise.

In all these years, could the harem have so few births?

The Emperor directly summoned the director and deputy director of the Imperial Medical Institute; like Imperial Doctor Chen, they were his confidants.

The Empress grew even angrier.

After they each took her pulse, Shi Qing was indeed pregnant, wasn't she?

With them present.

Imperial Doctor Chen then asked no further questions.

The Emperor, upon hearing that Shi Qing had only had two days of her period last month, not much, couldn't help but comment to her: "You, truly daring, to not even call an Imperial Doctor when this happened."