Seeing her being so understanding, Di Yunjian felt even more guilty.
He stayed with her for half a day. Finally, when court officials came to seek an audience, Di Yunjian had no choice but to leave.
After Di Yunjian left, Yan Qingshu continued to read books out of boredom. The autumn wind blew outside, bringing a hint of coolness.
Zhu Yao bit her lips, not knowing how to start. She wanted to persuade her mistress not to be sad or sulky, but looking at her mistress like this, she didn't seem sad at all.
"What's wrong?" Yan Qingshu had noticed her abnormality long ago. She raised her eyes and asked.
"Mistress," Zhu Yao sat down at her feet. "Don't be sad. His Majesty is very good to you."
"He's also very much looking forward to the child in your belly."
Zhu Yao just thought that His Majesty was so good to her mistress, but why did he have a child with another concubine? But then she thought that he was the emperor, the monarch of the world. All the women in the harem, including the maids, were the emperor's women.
As a concubine and a maid respectively, her mistress and she had no status or qualification to comment on this man sitting on the throne at the peak.
If her mistress had lost her temper just now, it might have caused His Majesty's dissatisfaction. So she had to give in for the moment.
"I'm not sad at all. There's no need to persuade me."
"Since we started vying for the emperor's favor, we should have understood, right? Although His Majesty dotes on me, he is, after all, the emperor." Yan Qingshu turned a page of the book with a smile.
No matter how much this emperor doted on her, there was an insurmountable gap in their status.
The emperor who held the power of life and death would surely not tolerate any disobedience. So she might as well settle for second best and gain his pity, so that she could take a deeper root in his heart.
Those who couldn't recognize their own status would only die faster. If she indulged her possessiveness too much, she might become as jealous as the former virtuous concubine.
"By the way, remember to select some rewards and send them to Concubine Lin. Tell her it's from this palace to congratulate her on her pregnancy. When you send them, make sure to let the imperial physician examine them in front of everyone."
"Just in case she has any other ideas in the future and does something to these things to slander me."
Yan Qingshu naturally didn't forget the thing that Concubine Lin had slandered the child in her belly as an illegitimate one. If she was really pregnant, no one knew whose illegitimate child was in her belly.
"Yes, mistress. This maid will go right away." Zhu Yao nodded, called Shihua, and the two of them went to the storage room to select things.
The autumn wind blew wantonly. The lush leaves in summer had now turned yellow and were on the verge of falling from the branches.
---
In the Cold Palace, after the Empress Dowager heard the news, she sent someone to pick up Concubine Lin. The queen also sent Qingzhu to pick her up, giving Concubine Lin enough face.
The Cold Palace was desolate, surrounded by trees. It was out of the sun all year round and full of yin energy.
Qingzhu and Dongyun stood ten steps away from the Cold Palace.
The door of the Cold Palace opened. Concubine Lin walked out in a crescent-colored dress. She was much thinner than two months ago when she was of just the right build.
She looked back at the Cold Palace and trembled. She was finally out of here.
During these two months in the Cold Palace, she had been scared every day. Even though the queen knew she was pregnant and sent someone to help her secretly, the Cold Palace was no match for her original palace where there were servants and everything was available.
"Greetings to Concubine Lin."
Dongyun and Qingzhu slightly curtsied.
"You two aunts are flattering me."
"As soon as the Empress Dowager and the queen heard that Concubine Lin was pregnant, they were overjoyed and immediately sent this maid to pick Concubine Lin out of the Cold Palace." Dongyun said with a smile on her face.
"Thank the Empress Dowager and the queen for their compassion. It's this concubine's fortune to raise the emperor's heir."
Concubine Lin lowered her head. A hint of relief flashed across her eyes. Fortunately, this child had come just in time to save her.
With this child, her wealth and honor for the rest of her life were secure.
"The Empress Dowager and the queen are still waiting for you in the Cining Palace. Please hurry up, mistress." Qingzhu said with a smile.
The door of the Cold Palace was wide open. Qingzhu saw Concubine Tang who had entered the Cold Palace a month ago.
Although she couldn't see the expression on her face clearly, she could tell her unwillingness.
Qingzhu concealed the disdain in her eyes. Concubine Tang couldn't even keep the emperor's favor and could only stay in the Cold Palace. She had tried several times to send a message to the queen. How stupid she was to still want to get out of the Cold Palace. It was really absurd.
However... Qingzhu glanced at Concubine Lin.
If this Concubine Lin could turn the tables and become a weapon in the queen's hand, maybe this Concubine Tang could do the same.
Watching the welcoming procession move forward, Qingzhu also withdrew her gaze and followed behind Concubine Lin.
Inside the Cold Palace, Tang Yinmian watched helplessly as Concubine Lin was picked up in style because of the child. She felt unwilling and a bit twisted.
In the past, Yan Qingshu had been favored solely because she was pregnant with the emperor's heir. Now with Concubine Lin added, Yan Qingshu's status might not be the same as before.
If Yan Qingshu had been willing to save her back then, and if she had told Yan Qingshu this, neither she nor her child would have been outshined by Concubine Lin.
Why had it turned out like this...
Tang Yinmian slumped behind the closed door of the Cold Palace. Tears glistened in her eyes. She wanted to get out of the Cold Palace.
...
The grand occasion of picking Concubine Lin back to the palace spread throughout the harem.
The eunuchs and maids in each concubine's palace were sent out by their masters to find out what was going on.
Concubine Lin was escorted to the Cining Palace.
Inside the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager and the queen were sitting on high seats. There were no other concubines.
As soon as Concubine Lin entered, she lifted her skirt and knelt down with a thud. "Greetings to the Empress Dowager and the queen."
"Get up quickly, my dear child." The Empress Dowager quickly told Dongyun to help her up and asked other maids to move a chair beside her.
Concubine Lin was helped to sit down and hung her head without saying a word.
"My dear child, you're really blessed. You're pregnant and will continue the emperor's lineage. I can finally rest assured." The Empress Dowager patted her hand, with a deep smile on her lips.
Concubine Lin slightly raised her head and smiled shyly.
"Dongyun, those things for nourishing the fetus that I've prepared will be sent to Concubine Lin's palace later. This fetus must be taken good care of."
"There aren't many heirs in the palace. Although Concubine Zhen is pregnant with two, it's still rather quiet. When your child is born, it will liven things up." The Empress Dowager quickly instructed Dongyun beside her.
Then she looked at the queen. "And you, the queen. You must serve the emperor whole - heartedly. I've been waiting for you to get pregnant. The royal family of the Dazhun Empire must have a legitimate son."
"This subject will remember. I'll also remind the sisters in the harem to serve His Majesty well and bear more children for him."
The queen nodded obediently, putting her hand on her lower abdomen, but her eyes fell on Concubine Lin's belly.
A legitimate son?
Wasn't there one right here? If Concubine Lin hadn't used the child as an exchange, how could she have gotten out of the Cold Palace.
Dongyun ordered people to bring in the rewards. The maids filed in and lined up.
"These are all for nourishing the fetus. I've already instructed the imperial kitchen and the Imperial Household Department to take care of your food and clothing just like they do for Concubine Zhen. You can just rest assured and nourish your fetus."
"Thank you, the Empress Dowager."
Concubine Lin nodded obediently.
After two months in the Cold Palace, her state of mind had changed completely. Although she had made a deal with the queen, if that bitch Yan Qingshu could rise smoothly in the harem, and since she was also pregnant, why couldn't she follow in her footsteps?