"I... am pregnant?" Dongfang Yi asked in surprise, her face showing a hint of disbelief, as if the words she had just heard were false.
The imperial physician could hardly contain his joy. He repeated, "Congratulations, Your Highness. Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
Helian Qi's eyes sparkled. Imagining that there was a little life growing in the woman's belly before him, his heart pounded wildly.
He then sat down beside her bed and gently stroked her belly, saying, "I'm going to be a father."
Dongfang Yi saw the man's ecstasy and knew how happy he was. Teasingly, she said, "Once the baby is born, will you only love the child and leave me, an old and faded woman?"
"Nonsense! This is our child. Of course, I love you the most." Helian Qi replied seriously, not realizing that the woman was joking with him.
Looking at Helian Qi, who seemed like a child, Dongfang Yi suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "I won't go to Xiguan with you, but you must come back safely to accompany me and our child."
Before she knew she was pregnant, she was just herself. She could go anywhere with the man in front of her and was not afraid of any danger. But now that she had a child, she would never take any risks.
Helian Qi naturally understood what was on her mind. He hooked his lips, reached out to stroke her hair, and said, "I will go and come back quickly to see our son."
After saying that, he leaned over and kissed the woman's forehead, then left the tent.
Dongfang Yi, still lying in bed, placed her hands on her lower abdomen. There was no sign of change yet, but the imperial physician had said that she was already more than three months pregnant.
"Little baby, let's wait for your daddy to come back together, okay?" she said softly.
Just then, Donghua rushed in. Staring at the woman on the bed, her eyes watery, she said, "Your Highness, they've left!"
It wasn't just Helian Qi who had left, but also Ruyi. After all, they were master and servant, and Ruyi's duty was to protect the man in front of him.
When he came to bid farewell just now, there was a hint of guilt in his expression. They had originally agreed to prepare for their wedding after returning from the imperial mausoleum, but now he had to go to the battlefield again.
"Donghua, wait for me," he said. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight, looking extremely bright.
Donghua knew their mission, and she had her own. If the queen was in danger, she would also abandon everything. So she didn't blame the man in front of her at all.
She just nodded heavily and said, "I can't fight side by side with you this time, but you must come back safely. I'm waiting for you to marry me."
After saying that, she turned her head, but tears rolled down her cheeks. To prevent the man behind her from noticing, she bit her lips hard.
"Donghua..." Ruyi murmured, wanting to reach out and pat her on the shoulder for comfort, but he let his hand drop. Then he just left with a single sentence: "Wait for me."
"They'll be back soon," Dongfang Yi said with a smile.
Hearing this, Donghua nodded heavily.
The next day, Dongfang Yi returned to the palace with her father. The matter at the imperial mausoleum had finally come to an end. The laborers who had been working there happily returned home with their silver. The whole capital was filled with the joy of family reunions.
When she returned to the Queen's Palace, Xiao Xiang immediately greeted her. Whispering in a vigilant tone, she said, "The Empress Dowager is here!"
She was so vigilant because the Empress Dowager had targeted the Queen's Palace several times before. Her sudden visit made people feel a bit nervous.
Hearing this, Dongfang Yi just laughed twice and walked into the palace as if it didn't matter.
Inside the palace, the Empress Dowager was sitting on a grand chair, sipping a cup of tea. When she saw Dongfang Yi, she immediately stood up, scanned her from head to toe, and then walked over like a different person. "Come and sit down quickly. You shouldn't stand for too long in your condition. You must have suffered a lot from the bumpy carriage ride," she said.
Her concern was genuine. She even told Nanny Li to pour tea for Dongfang Yi. Everyone knew that Nanny Li usually only served the Empress Dowager, and no one else could make her pour tea.
Dongfang Yi was a bit dazed by this sudden kindness. Embarrassedly, she said, "Um... Empress Dowager, this is..."
"I've already heard that you're pregnant. I also know how loyal you were to the Emperor at the imperial mausoleum. I really misjudged you before!" the Empress Dowager said word by word, with a hint of regret in her tone.
At first, she thought the woman in front of her was just a pampered and overbearing person. But after the incident with Concubine Chu, she decided to take a closer look at her and found that this woman was truly extraordinary. She was not only intelligent but also understanding. Now she could not only help the Emperor but also was pregnant with a little imperial grandson for her.
Just thinking about the little imperial grandson made the smile on her face impossible to hide. She waved her hand to signal the maids on the side.
Then, one by one, the maids walked in carrying trays.
"Empress Dowager, what are these?" Dongfang Yi couldn't help asking.
The Empress Dowager took Dongfang Yi's hand and stroked it gently. "These are all my most precious treasures. The top - grade ginseng, deer antler, snow swallow, and ganoderma are all for you to nourish your body. I know you've suffered before and your body still needs to recover. Now that you're pregnant, you mustn't treat yourself badly," she replied.
Hearing this, Dongfang Yi's jaw almost dropped. She felt that the woman in front of her was like a different person. The kindness was almost overwhelming.
"Empress Dowager, I really don't need these. You should keep them for your own health," she said with an embarrassed smile.
But the Empress Dowager frowned and said, "If you don't accept them, it means you're still angry with me!"
"Of course not! I'll accept them. Thank you for your kind concern, Empress Dowager," she replied.
Hearing this, the satisfied Empress Dowager patted Dongfang Yi on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Empress, I'll come to see you every day. After all, this is your first pregnancy. You must take good care of yourself."
After saying that, without waiting for Dongfang Yi's response, she turned and left the palace.
Dongfang Yi was left standing there, her eyes widening in surprise. Donghua beside her couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. Laughing, she said, "The change in the Empress Dowager is really astonishing!"