This sudden incident made the concubines in the palace stand up in shock, and there was an uproar.
Zhu Yao and Tang Yinmian quickly stood up and supported her. They gently helped her sit on the stool.
Yan Qingshu's face was as white as a sheet, and cold sweat dripped from her forehead.
In a half - conscious state, she felt a chill on her back. She had been extremely careful, and had taken the healing pills, so there should be no hidden ailments in her body.
It could only be that someone had played a dirty trick on her.
But who on earth could it be...
Her heart in her chest was pounding wildly, then pausing for a few beats, repeating this over and over again.
Yan Qingshu frowned and tried her best to calm her breathing. Through the haze, she saw Tang Yinmian's worried face flickering in front of her eyes.
Could it be...
On this sunny and warm day, cold sweat broke out on her back, and the bone - chilling cold wrapped around her. Her hand was still tightly held in Tang Yinmian's.
Thankfully, she only felt dizzy and didn't feel any discomfort in her lower abdomen.
Seeing her pale face, the Queen was also flustered and shouted immediately.
"Go and summon the imperial physician!"
The other concubines didn't dare to step forward to check her condition. They could only gather around and whisper to each other.
Zhu Yao quietly checked under her skirt and was relieved when she didn't find any wetness.
Yan Qingshu bit her lips and gasped, "Get out of the way. I can hardly breathe."
There were people standing all around her. The dense shadows criss - crossed, and the cramped feeling made her feel even more uncomfortable.
"Hurry up and summon the imperial physician!" The Queen ordered a young eunuch with quick legs to rush to the Imperial Medical Bureau.
The Queen had the side hall cleaned up and had someone help Yan Qingshu there. Zhu Yao and Tang Yinmian stayed by her side without leaving for a moment.
What was supposed to be a routine greeting ceremony turned into a farce. The Queen rubbed her temples and sighed.
Concubine Yu, who had been standing on one side, turned pale. Had Yan Qingshu fainted because of her words?
Her original intention was just to taunt her a bit and make her look bad. Was she just pretending now?!
The concubines didn't want to miss this good show. After all, it seemed that this farce was caused by Concubine Yu's sharp - tongued remarks.
Concubine Yu was sitting on her seat. Just as she was about to open her mouth to explain, she met the Queen's stern gaze.
"Concubine Yu, you usually speak without restraint, but you should know your limits. Why did you speak so rudely today?!"
The Queen knew that Concubine Yu was on Concubine Xian's side, and she also knew that her taunts today were just following Concubine Xian's orders.
Now Yan Qingshu was in high favor. If the Emperor found out, Concubine Yu might not be able to escape the Emperor's punishment.
She just hoped that it was because of the hot summer, and that Yan Qingshu would be fine after a little rest.
Concubine Yu was a bit flustered when she met the Queen's stern gaze.
"Your Majesty, I'm just too straightforward. I didn't expect her to be so unable to take it."
Concubine Yu wrung her handkerchief and said nervously.
"With such a weak body, she still serves the Emperor..."
She lowered her head and murmured softly.
The Queen was about to scold her, but looking at her like this, she finally lost her words.
Forget it. Some of the concubines in the palace were outspoken because of their high - ranking families. So what if the Emperor punished them? As long as their families remained powerful, they didn't have to worry about losing the Emperor's favor.
After a while, the imperial physician arrived.
When Zhu Yao saw that it wasn't the imperial physician personally appointed by the Emperor, she was a bit panicked. It was still a few days before half a month. If it was announced now that her mistress was pregnant, would it be bad for her?
She was unsure. Just as she was about to stop the imperial physician, a hand reached out from behind the bed curtain and grabbed her, gently scratching the palm of her hand.
Having served her mistress for so long, how could she not know what this meant? She stood up and walked to one side.
The imperial physician placed a silk handkerchief on her wrist and began to feel her pulse.
Zhu Yao looked at the figure lying behind the hazy curtain and then realized something.
All the food and items that her mistress had used these days had passed through the hands of the maid - painter and herself. There should be absolutely no problem.
How could this happen...
Tang Yinmian on the side was also extremely worried.
For a moment, the palace fell silent. Only the cicadas chirping outside added a bit of annoyance.
The imperial physician closed his eyes and felt the pulse. When he felt the pulse that was rolling like a bead under his fingertips, he suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes were full of disbelief and joy.
This was... this was a pregnancy pulse!
Since the Emperor ascended the throne three years ago, the imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau had almost been conditioning the concubines' bodies every day. Bowls of pregnancy - promoting medicine had been given, but none of the concubines in the harem had become pregnant.
For this reason, the Emperor had even privately summoned the imperial physician for a check - up, but the Emperor's body was in good condition and there were no hidden ailments.
And now... someone was actually pregnant...
The imperial physician didn't dare to delay. He quickly packed up his medicine box and asked Zhu Yao to pull down the bed curtain.
He rushed out of the inner hall with his medicine box in a hurry and saw the Queen and the other concubines waiting.
The imperial physician stepped forward and knelt in the middle of the hall. His wrinkled face was beaming with joy.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! The heavens bless the Great Shun Dynasty!"
Hearing this, the gentle smile on the Queen's face froze slightly. Could it be...
"What's the reason for congratulations?" a junior concubine asked.
"Concubine Zhen Xiaoyi! She has a pregnancy pulse! Concubine Zhen Xiaoyi is pregnant! Her fetus is already three months old!"
As soon as the words fell.
"Smack!"
The silk fans in the hands of several concubines fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.
The imperial physician's words caused a great stir. The smug smiles on the faces of the concubines who had been watching the show just now all froze.
Although the Queen had been mentally prepared, when she heard this news, her face still turned a bit paler involuntarily.
Pregnancy... those were the two words they had been longing for for three years.
Now, this Yan Qingshu was actually so lucky? She had only served the Emperor for a short time, and now she was pregnant?
The palace suddenly fell silent.
Seeing that the atmosphere had dropped to freezing point, the imperial physician quickly wiped the cold sweat dripping from his forehead with his sleeve.
This action finally brought the Queen back to her senses.
She quickly sorted out her thoughts and expression, and a happy smile bloomed on her face.
"Really?!"
"Is she really pregnant?!"
"Your Majesty! It's true!!"
The imperial physician replied with his hands clasped.
"Quick! Go and tell the Emperor this good news!"
The Queen quickly ordered the people around her to go to Wutong Palace.
She quickly stood up and walked towards the inner hall, muttering words like "May the heavens bless" and "The royal family will have an heir".
The concubines in the palace looked at each other. The astonishment in their eyes just now had turned into anger and intense jealousy.
This Concubine Zhen was already in high favor. If she was pregnant, wouldn't she become the number one woman in the harem?
If she gave birth to a male heir...
Thinking of this, the concubines' eyes fell on the Queen again.
The first eldest son of the Great Shun Dynasty was not the Queen's...
The eldest son, the legitimate son, the Queen didn't have either. All the glory was taken by this low - born commoner daughter, Yan Qingshu. It was really annoying.
Moreover, they all knew what this commoner daughter had entered the palace for. If this child really became Concubine Xian's.
Wouldn't Concubine Xian ride roughshod over the Queen in the future?!
Several concubines stood up and followed the Queen into the inner hall.
In the inner hall, Tang Yinmian was holding Yan Qingshu's hand, and her face was also full of joy.
"Shuer! That's great. You're pregnant."
Yan Qingshu forced a smile on her lips. With her other hand, she tightly grasped the sachet.
Tang Yinmian... don't let me down...
She had hidden this well. Except for the Emperor and the people around her, no one would know that she was pregnant in advance.
This sachet was the one she had given her before.
Yan Qingshu's heart was in turmoil, and her thoughts were in a mess.