Chapter 15: Second Pregnancy
As the Emperor prepared for his Southern Tour, the entire Imperial Palace was in a flurry of activity.
Nian’er, an apprentice pharmacist from the Imperial Hospital, was following Imperial Physician Feng’s prescription to fetch medicine from the Imperial Pharmacy. As he passed the small koi pond outside the courtyard, he saw his companion Xi’er squatting there, weeping.
He hurried over and patted Xi’er on the shoulder. “What’s wrong? Did the Senior Master scold you?”
Xi’er shook his head, rubbing his red-rimmed eyes. “I… I’ve caused a disaster.”
“Last month, the Senior Master asked me to sort medicinal herbs. I accidentally mixed up Fine Branch and Dried Jing! I only realized my mistake yesterday when I saw the Senior Master sorting the new batch.”
“That’s all?” Nian’er reassured him. “Neither herb is poisonous. They’re both used as tonics, which is why the Senior Master trusted us to sort them.”
“The palace nobles have been taking them for over a month, and no one’s gotten sick. Just pretend you don’t know anything.”
Xi’er felt uneasy about the situation, but he lacked the courage to confess to the Senior Master. So, he could only nervously continue concealing the truth.
The two apprentice pharmacists had no idea that Fine Branch and Dried Jing were indeed non-toxic. However, Dried Jing was a crucial ingredient in the contraceptive soup Xiao Linye and Pei Lanqing had been taking.
Unknowingly, they had been consuming the medicine for over a month without Dried Jing…
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In the Imperial Academy library, Pei Lanqing was making final arrangements for the book project before his departure.
“While I’m away, Yiheng, you’ll re-sort the notes from the previous dynasty’s historical records. Fengning, continue collecting scattered historical materials, but be selective about what you include…”
The junior editors were all handpicked by Pei Lanqing and were extremely obedient. Each held a notebook, carefully recording their assigned tasks.
Pei Lanqing sat at his desk, meticulously dividing the work. The inkstone beside him was almost empty. Before he could say anything, Xu Fengning quickly replaced it with a fresh one.
This was the Azure Orchid Ink he had brought from home, which emitted a faint, ethereal fragrance. Xu Fengning had assumed the Grand Tutor would appreciate it, but upon smelling the ink, Pei Lanqing felt a sudden tightness in his chest, followed by an inexplicable wave of nausea.
“Ugh—” He covered his mouth and nose, forcing down the discomfort rising in his throat. He gestured urgently for Xu Fengning to remove the ink immediately.
“Grand Tutor, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? I’ll call Imperial Physician Feng for you right away,” Xu Fengning said anxiously, realizing his well-intentioned gesture had backfired.
But Pei Lanqing merely waved him off, forcing a weak smile. “It’s just the excessive heat today. I was probably overwhelmed by it. It has nothing to do with you.”
Xu Fengning didn’t suspect anything. Lu Yiheng brought Pei Lanqing a cup of cooling tea, chiming in, “Indeed, the weather has been unusually hot lately. Several colleagues have already suffered heatstroke on their way to court.”
“Fortunately, Your Majesty has scheduled the Southern Tour for two weeks from now. By then, the heat should have subsided.”
“You must all take care to avoid the heat and protect your health,” Pei Lanqing said, but a nagging feeling lingered in his mind. He suspected his discomfort might not be due to the heat at all.
His hand unconsciously rested on his lower abdomen. The reaction he’d just experienced felt eerily familiar, just like when he was pregnant with Quan’er…
He kept his suspicions to himself. Back in his chambers, while Xiao Linye was still occupied with court matters, he secretly summoned Imperial Physician Feng.
In the Hall of Heavenly Succession, Pei Lanqing leaned back against a small couch, sipping plum soup to ease the discomfort in his chest. He watched Imperial Physician Feng take his pulse. “How is it?”
Imperial Physician Feng’s forehead was already beaded with sweat. Kneeling on the ground, he lowered his voice and replied, “Grand Tutor, this… this is indeed a pregnancy, more than a month along!”
“It is this humble servant’s incompetence that I failed to notice when the medicine lost its effectiveness!”
Pei Lanqing closed his eyes. In truth, he wasn’t surprised by the news, yet his heart remained complex.
The near-fatal childbirth he had endured years ago had left a deep scar on Xiao Linye. He had been unconscious for seven full days. When he finally awoke, he found Xiao Linye at his bedside, his eyes bloodshot.
Later, the old eunuch Tian Rui told him that at the time, His Majesty had seemed like a vengeful god, ready to slaughter all in his path. Everyone in the palace had feared him. But Pei Lanqing only saw a pitiful emperor before him, his Ye’er once again resembling the child huddled under the rockery in the rain, terrified that even he would abandon him this time.
So over the years, they had tacitly avoided the subject. Though Pei Lanqing knew that Xiao Yuquan’s frail constitution posed a significant risk to Great Qi, with only one sickly prince, he also knew that Xiao Linye would never allow him to endure the pain of childbirth again. And he himself didn’t want to risk the possibility of leaving Xiao Linye.
But the child still came.
The medicinal Gu’s medicinal fetus could not be aborted; doing so would only lead to the deaths of both father and son.
Pei Lanqing remained silent for a long moment before finally sighing softly. He reached out to stroke his belly and said to Imperial Physician Feng, “Very well. Since this child has come, let’s keep him.”
“You don’t need to report this to His Majesty yet. Let me decide how to tell him.”
Imperial Physician Feng, realizing he had committed a grave offense, repeatedly begged Pei Lanqing’s forgiveness before leaving with heavy steps.
Although Pei Lanqing had said he would tell Xiao Linye himself, he found himself unable to speak for the next half month. Several times he tried to broach the subject, but he couldn’t find the right words, and the matter was delayed.
Before he knew it, the day of their Southern Tour had arrived.
Under Xiao Linye’s rule, Great Qi had grown increasingly prosperous and powerful over the years. Moreover, this was his first Southern Tour since ascending the throne eight years ago, not a military campaign, so the court had been preparing for it with extraordinary solemnity.
On the day of departure, Song Pingming led the Imperial Guard to clear the path along the avenue outside the palace. The procession was orderly and imposing.
Xiao Linye and Pei Lanqing rode in a yellow-canopied dragon carriage, surrounded by a throng of officials as they exited the imperial capital. On both sides of the road, throngs of commoners had gathered to catch a glimpse of the emperor, creating a bustling and festive atmosphere.
Xiao Linye sat in the carriage with Pei Lanqing in his arms, watching the cheering crowds lining the streets. Though he didn’t say anything, his eyes betrayed his joy.
Pei Lanqing leaned against him, smiling as he praised, “Ye’er, you’ve done so well these past years. The people’s cheers are truly heartfelt.”
Xiao Linye finally curved his lips into a smile. He held Pei Lanqing’s hand, his gaze sweeping across the scene outside the carriage window before settling on Pei Lanqing’s face. “I once vowed to be a wise and prosperous ruler, and I promised the Grand Tutor I would fulfill that vow. Of course I had to keep my word.”
“Ye’er…” Pei Lanqing remembered perfectly. It was when he was pregnant with Quan’er that Xiao Linye had made that promise to keep him by his side.
Now, eight years later, Xiao Linye had kept every word. And Pei Lanqing was pregnant again.
He had tried several times to tell Xiao Linye, but he didn’t want him to lose composure during such a momentous occasion, so he held back.
“Grand Tutor, what’s wrong?” Xiao Linye noticed Pei Lanqing’s unusual behavior. In fact, he’d sensed something was amiss for some time now. Pei Lanqing seemed to be burdened by a secret, but whenever Xiao Linye asked, Pei Lanqing would brush it off.
“It’s nothing, Ye’er,” Pei Lanqing finally decided not to say what he was thinking. He relaxed slightly, leaning against Xiao Linye’s shoulder in a dependent posture. “I’m just feeling rather sentimental. My Ye’er has truly brought about a golden age for Great Qi.”
Xiao Linye wrapped his arm around Pei Lanqing’s waist, lowered his head to kiss his hair, and his eyes deepened with growing suspicion.
He knew the Grand Tutor was hiding something from him. But what could it be?
The Southern Tour procession stretched for miles, heading southwest. Great Qi’s capital was already located in the west, and Xiao Linye had ordered the reconstruction of the imperial road several years ago to facilitate his campaign in Zhaojiang.
As a result, their journey southwest was remarkably smooth. Even with plans to stop in numerous towns along the way to assess the people’s well-being, they estimated it would take only about two months to reach Xun City, the former fief of Prince Ping.
Once they left the capital’s outskirts, Xiao Linye and his entourage could relax and shed their formal airs, finding the change quite refreshing.
Xiao Yuquan even begged Xiao Linye to let him ride his pony. Knowing Song Liechi was accompanying him, Xiao Linye had no qualms and nodded in agreement.
Xiao Yuquan cheered all the way as Song Liechi lifted him onto the pony. His pale face, usually wan from illness, lit up with a joyful smile, like a cheerful little bird.
Seeing the little prince so rarely this happy, Song Liechi wrapped an arm around his back and urged the pony to a faster pace, eliciting another round of laughter and playful shrieks from Xiao Yuquan.
Watching his son’s delight, Xiao Linye couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile. Turning, he saw a cup of clear tea being offered to him.
“You’ve been busy all morning. Have some tea to moisten your throat,” Pei Lanqing said with a gentle smile, handing Xiao Linye the teacup.
Xiao Linye took the tea in one hand and wrapped the other arm around Pei Lanqing’s waist, kissing his cheek. “Grand Tutor, would you like to go for a ride and relax? I’ll hold you; it’ll be perfectly safe.”
Seeing his son’s joy, Pei Lanqing was indeed tempted. But with another little one growing inside him, he had to shake his head. “It’s too hot outside. I’ll stay in.”
“Speaking of relaxation, since we’re not going out anyway, let me take off your crown.”
Xiao Linye couldn’t have been more pleased to hear Pei Lanqing say this. He leaned forward slightly, resting his head on Pei Lanqing’s lap as Pei Lanqing removed the heavy Crimson Gold Dragon Crown. He savored the sensation of Pei Lanqing’s fingers gently combing through his hair, strand by strand.
Inhaling the faint orchid fragrance that clung to Pei Lanqing, Xiao Linye couldn’t resist turning his head to bury his face in Pei Lanqing’s robes. In doing so, his warm breath brushed against Pei Lanqing’s abdomen.
Pei Lanqing shifted back slightly, feeling a pang of guilt. But Xiao Linye leaned in again, murmuring, “Grand Tutor, your body feels… softer than before…”
Pei Lanqing knew this was due to his pregnancy. For some reason, though it had only been a little over two months, his abdomen had already begun to swell slightly, making it naturally softer than usual.
He leaned down to kiss the emperor’s increasingly handsome brow, sighing softly to himself. He wondered how long he could keep this secret from Xiao Linye.
