TV Series: When the Villain Chooses to Stand by

Chapter 180 Yixiu 49

The Empress Dowager, who was recuperating in the Forbidden City, also received the news.

"Three royal heirs at once? How are their health conditions? Are their pregnancies going well?"

Only Zhuxi was serving in the hall. The empress dowager was wearing the lightest clothes, with a cup of cooling tea at hand, and several snacks had fallen to the ground.

Zhuxi kept fanning herself with the round fan in her hand. "Empress Hui was ill before and didn't recover well. The imperial physician asked her to rest. Concubine Jin and Concubine Yi are both in good health."

The Queen Mother glanced at the debris on the ground, picked up the fan on the couch and fanned herself quickly a few times.

"Send someone in to clean it up."

In order to show her determination, the empress dowager deliberately refused to go to the garden to escape the summer heat this year. Unexpectedly, the emperor did not come to persuade her, but instead ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to increase the amount of ice used in Shoukang Palace several times.

People were asked to place them in various corners of the palace, which would not only protect them from cold but also help to reduce temperature. They also planned to lay water channels around the roof of Shoukang Palace.

However, time was too tight and there was no time to complete the construction, so the emperor had no choice but to give up.

However, this action still earned the emperor a lot of good reputation when it was spread, and everyone knew that the emperor was filial.

The Queen Mother did not want to be branded as extravagant, so she had to reluctantly refuse. It would not be appropriate to suddenly change her mind and say that she wanted to go to the temporary palace.

The Imperial Household Department certainly has enough ice, but this cannot guarantee that Shoukang Palace will be at a suitable temperature for all twelve hours.

Now I can only endure it.

After the palace maid cleaned up the mess and left, the empress dowager slowly opened her eyes and stared at the Buddhist scriptures she had copied.

"Has the Queen really changed her temper, or does she have other plans?"

Zhu Xi quickly recalled the information she knew, "Empress Dowager, I have confirmed it with the imperial physician. I have also had the pregnant ladies checked."

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "There's nothing wrong with it."

After a long while, the Queen Mother seemed to have made up her mind, "Don't worry about it for now. I don't think the Queen will remain indifferent."

Zhuxi had been with the Queen Mother for many years, so he naturally guessed what she was thinking.

Even though she knew she was just a servant, she still mustered up the courage to offer some advice.

"Empress Dowager, the Emperor has governed the previous dynasty very well and is now gradually gaining his own power. Why are you doing this?"

When the Queen Mother heard this, resentment immediately appeared on her face, "Why bother?"

"As the emperor's mother, I am the empress dowager, but look at your current situation! Even as a concubine of the previous emperor, I have never suffered such humiliation."

"I'm already in this state, and the one I'm most worried about is Fourteenth. No matter what, even if it means risking my own life, I can't let Fourteenth live the rest of his life in misery and helplessness."

The empress dowager held the handle of the fan tightly. Her complexion was rosy and she was full of energy. There was no trace of her previous weakness.

With new goals and motivation, the Queen Mother's entire mental state changed.

What she is best at in her life is waiting and lying in wait.

Zhuxi also knew how important Fourteen was to the Queen Mother, and it was not easy to persuade her any further at this point.

"I will have someone keep a closer eye on her, but the Empress has everything she needs now, and she's become much colder towards the Emperor. What if the Empress really does nothing?"

"It doesn't matter. As long as something happens to someone, the emperor will definitely be suspicious. Once this excuse appears, he will definitely seize it."

The Queen Mother closed her eyes again and slowly turned the Buddhist beads in her hands.

He chanted the mantra of rebirth.

In the Old Summer Palace, Zhen Huan drank bowl after bowl of medicine, but there was still no news.

Two months passed, and An Lingrong and Fu Cha Yixin's bellies were already noticeable, and Shen Meiyu's belly was five months pregnant. Every time Zhen Huan saw the smiles on their faces, she would feel lost for a long time.

This time, her menstrual period came as expected. Zhen Huan curled up in bed, unwilling to move, and cried silently with her back to everyone.

She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't control herself.

There was a considerable soreness and swelling in the lower abdomen, and discomfort in the lower back and legs.

This was a pain she had never experienced before, which pierced into Zhen Huan's mind and eroded her already limited sanity.

Jinxi came in quietly, holding a hot water bottle for winter in her hand.

She exchanged a glance with Huanbi, who was fanning herself beside the bed, and knowing that Zhen Huan was still crying softly, she sighed helplessly.

"My lady, use this to warm yourself up. It will make you feel more comfortable."

"Liu Zhu has already gone to call the imperial physician, he will be here soon."

A thin layer of sweat appeared on Zhen Huan's forehead. Feeling the heat coming from her abdomen, her tense body relaxed a little.

Soon the emperor got the news and rushed over. Seeing Zhen Huan lying on the bed with a pale face, he felt distressed.

"What did the imperial physician say? Why is it so painful out of nowhere?"

"Your Majesty, the imperial physician has gone to prepare the medicine and he will be well soon."

Zhen Huan pulled the emperor's hand, saying that some things would be better handled by herself.

"I took the initiative to take more medicine, and I also ate a lot of cold things in the summer. It has nothing to do with them."

There was a flash of pity and disapproval in the emperor's eyes. Since she was a personal servant, she should put her master's safety first.

How can they act arbitrarily according to their master's temperament? It is also their incompetence if they fail to give timely advice.

"Emperor~"

The emperor picked up the handkerchief beside him and wiped the sweat off Zhen Huan's head with his own hands.

"Forget it, I don't care."

The imperial physician brought the medicine quickly. When Zhen Huan saw the bowl of black medicine again, her stomach began to cramp uncontrollably.

But the emperor was staring at her, so she had no chance to escape and could only drink the medicine in one gulp.

The emperor was satisfied with what he saw. He waved his hand and left them alone in the room.

He half leaned on the bed and held Zhen Huan in his arms.

"I just heard from the maid beside you that you have been in a bad mood recently. Tell me what's going on..."

Zhen Huan was startled and reached out to push the emperor's chest.

A woman's menstrual discharge is not something dirty or ominous. Of course, this is just her personal understanding, and other people may not think so.

"It's okay, you don't have to worry. I am the Son of Heaven and I am blessed by the dragon spirit. How could I be tainted with misfortune because of such a small matter?"

Seeing that he really didn't care, Zhen Huan stopped struggling and was deeply moved.

Knowing that Zhen Huan had taken a lot of medicine to get pregnant, the emperor felt very uncomfortable seeing her so sad.

"Hanhuan, don't worry. Don't drink this medicine anymore. The fate of our children will come naturally. I don't want you to be hurt because of this."

Zhen Huan gritted her teeth and sobbed quietly. Normally, she would never show such emotions.

With the emperor's comfort, Zhen Huan's mood gradually calmed down, and after a heart-to-heart talk, their relationship became even stronger than before.

Zhen Huan was no longer as anxious about getting pregnant as before.

It suddenly rained heavily in the afternoon, and the heavy rain washed away the heat of the past few days.

Accompanied by thunder and rain, Yixiu took a comfortable nap.

I seemed to have dreamed something just now, but when I woke up I couldn’t remember it clearly.

Looking at the rainbow hanging in the sky, Yixiu felt that she should go out for a walk to not miss this beautiful scenery.

The Old Summer Palace covers a vast area, so there are naturally more places for concubines to play.

Yixiu changed into comfortable flat shoes and didn't let others follow her. She walked slowly in the mountains and forests with Jianqiu.

"Woof~ woof woof!"

Mo Ying's excited howls came from not far away, mixed with a few strange cries.

As soon as Yixiu heard it, she knew it was Tuanzi's voice and walked quickly towards that direction.

These two have never met each other in the palace, so they should avoid fighting.

Contrary to her fears, two mature behemoths were chasing each other on the grass.

When Tuanzi ran away, he did not forget the apple in his mouth. His flesh trembled up and down with his movements, and he looked soft and nice to touch.

I don't know how the pigeon-toed runner can run so fast.

Mo Ying was not to be outdone. With his shiny black fur and intelligent eyes, he looked like a majestic general. It was obvious that he was giving way to Tuanzi.

He doesn't even eat the fruit but keeps chasing after the dumplings.

This scene seemed strangely harmonious. Shi Lan, a middle-aged man who was resting in the octagonal pavilion nearby, was watching them playing with his chin in his hand.

Thinking that he hadn't seen her for a long time, Yixiu walked over.

Nian Shilan heard the noise and turned around to see Yixiu, "Greetings to the Queen."

"Get up, it's been a while, how are you?"

Nian Shilan laughed at herself, "Thank you for your concern, Queen. What else can I do? I'm just trying to get by like this."

The Nian Shilan in front of him was completely different from the flamboyant and bright beauty she used to be. The light blue Manchu dress embroidered with magnolia flowers made her look more peaceful.

She simply wore a few pearl flowers on her head, her unmade-up face looked haggard, and her lips were an unhealthy purple-blue.

The only thing that remains unchanged is the pair of eyes that still have spirit.

"Since you're willing to go out for an event, why are you dressed so simply? You don't even look like Nian Shilan."

Yixiu sat next to Nian Shilan, leaning slightly forward, reaching out to fiddle with the pearl tassels on her head, wrapping them around her fingers and spinning them in circles.

The subtle sound of the pearls rubbing against each other echoed in Nian Shilan's ears, and a chill suddenly ran down her spine and throughout her body.

Touching the non-existent goose bumps on her wrist, Nian Shilan glared at him sideways in annoyance. Since there was no one around, she didn't want to put on airs.

"Queen, please don't make fun of me. In my current state, I'm blessed to be able to walk around. How could I have the energy to dress up?"

Seeing the flash of disappointment in her eyes, Yixiu suddenly felt bored.

Nian Shilan shouldn't be like this. She was more comfortable looking at her before, full of energy.

"Look at you, even showing some concern is wrong. You're so sarcastic."

She sighed, let go of the pearls in her hand, stood up and pulled out the hairpin on her head. She opened the small lily of the valley bud and a pill fell out.

Yixiu stretched out her hand in front of Nian Shilan and nodded at her.

The rich and refreshing medicinal fragrance quickly penetrated Nian Shilan's nostrils, and she knew without thinking that this was a good thing.

But she still stepped back with a look of disgust, "How long has this medicine been there? Is it still safe to take?"

"Tsk~ Why are you so rude?"

This was just taken out from the system space. Yi Xiu quickly stuffed the medicine into Nian Shilan's mouth.

"It's been stored for a hundred or eighty years. Eat it, and I guarantee you'll have vomiting and diarrhea."

Nian Shilan didn't have time to pay attention to Yixiu's words. The pill melted in her mouth, and before she could react, she could feel a warmth surging into her limbs.

The dullness and weakness in the body disappeared wherever he passed, most obviously in the chest and heart.

Nian Shilan bent over, covered her chest and breathed heavily greedily. This scene scared Songzhi beside her so much that she held her and stared at her face.

The air after the rain carries the smell of soil and grass, as well as the freshness of various trees in the forest.

The stinging pain that had been weighing on her heart disappeared, and breathing was no longer an effort.

It was a long while before Nian Shilan raised her head again. The relief on her face could not deceive anyone, and the half-dead look was finally gone.

Yixiu folded her arms across her chest and nodded with great satisfaction.

"How is it? Is this medicine poisonous?"

Nian Shilan was not an ungrateful person. She was about to give Yi Xiuxing a gift but was stopped.

"No need to be like this. I'm just not used to your bland appearance. It's really annoying to see you like this."

"But it will be difficult for you to continue fooling the emperor."

Nian Shilan was just about to say that it was okay and that she would handle the matter herself when she saw Yixiu take out another red pill.

"Forget it. I'll just send you off today. You can eat this too."

The pill in front of him was not only red, but also had a cold metallic glow, which made him feel that it was not a good medicine.

Nian Shilan hesitated for a moment and immediately took it and swallowed it.

No matter how bad it could get, she believed that the queen would not harm her.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, prepared for a critical hit, but surprisingly, there was no reaction.

"Empress! How are you..." Songzhi watched her master's complexion visibly improve, and was now looking forward to the effect of the second medicine.

Nian Shilan looked at her hands over and over again, shaking her head blankly. She didn't feel anything.

"This medicine will change your pulse. No matter who examines you in the future, your body will remain the same as before. When you see the emperor in the future, just clean up and look haggard."

"Shilan thanks sister for your help."

Yixiu was a little unaccustomed to her sudden seriousness. "Why are you so serious? I heard that you are living very comfortably in the Old Summer Palace. How are you getting along with Hongli?"

Yixiu looked calm, as if she had just been given a candy.

But Nian Shilan didn't think so. She had experienced the pain of being seriously ill, and she also knew from the imperial physician how difficult this disease was to treat. Such precious medicine must be very difficult to obtain.

Nian Shilan secretly made up her mind that she must repay this kindness.

When she asked about Hongli, Nian Shilan knew that the relationship between the two seemed better than she thought.

"The Fourth Prince is very good. Not only is he smart, he also practices martial arts and studies without neglecting anything. He also treats people well."

Nian Shilan praised Hongli to the heavens and earth. She had originally planned to cooperate with Hongli to gain an opportunity for her family and preserve a trace of her bloodline.

"Before you confirm, I have one more question to ask?"

"You said."

"Can the Fourth Prince's ambition truly succeed? Will the Empress fully support him?"

The matter was of great importance, and although he had already made up his mind, Nian Shilan still wanted to ask one more question.

In her opinion, the queen's words are more reliable than those of an underage child.