Chapter 73 Before The Storm


    The Empress? Pregnant?


    Yun Shang was so taken aback that she was at a loss for a while. Then she heard the courtiers


    congratting His Majesty in chorus, "Congrattions to Your Majesty. Congrattions!" Yun Shang


    was still pondering over the news she had just heard. What? The Empress is pregnant? Yun Shang


    turned around to look at Emperor Ning, who also looked astonished. Yun Shang stared at Emperor


    Ning for a long time before speaking, "Your... Your Majesty..."


    Emperor Ning turned to Yun Shang with a perplexed stare. Yun Shang felt her hands trembling in her


    sleeves. She bit her lip to steady herself, "Congrattions to Your Majesty. Soon I will have one more


    younger brother or sister."


    It seemed Emperor Ning was still bbergasted. He breathed out an "oh" after a long while before


    sinking into another trance.


    The Imperial Physician kneeling on the ground waited patiently for a response from the Emperor, who,


    however, stayed silent. So the Imperial Physician spoke, "Your Majesty, the Empress has been


    pregnant for about a month. Her Majesty is very well. But Her Majesty got quite excited just now and


    that is not good for the baby. However, please don''t worry, Your Majesty. Her Majesty will be fine after


    resting."


    Emperor Ning nodded speechlessly. After a moment, he turned and rushed out of the Hall. Lord Zheng


    hastily followed the Emperor. Watching the Emperor''s fading figure, Yun Shang felt at a loss for what to


    do. She frowned, but after noticing that everyone was staring at her, she realized that she was the only


    feet. There will be awards from His Majesty."


    Everyone stood up at Yun Shang''s words. The Princess turned to look at the Imperial Physician, and


    smiled, "Though the Empress is physically well, Her Majesty still needs particr attention for her


    pregnancy. When you return to the Imperial Hospital, please prepare some medicines conducive to Her


    Majesty''s pregnancy and send them to Qiwu Pce."


    The Imperial Physician nodded and withdrew. Then Yun Shang had time to think this over. What


    happened? How could the Empress be pregnant at this moment? In her previous life, Hua Jing was the


    Empress''s only child. She hadn''t given birth to another one. Why? And pregnant at this moment...


    Yun Shang thought about the differences in events from her previous life and her present life. Lady Jin


    had spent her days at the Cold Pce and had been trapped there until the end of her life. However, in


    this life, her mother had not only been released from the Cold Pce, but she was pregnant as well.


    Was it possible that everything would change in this life?


    In her contemtion, Yun Shang heard a groan. She turned and caught a glimpse of the Empress who


    had awoken from her faint. She ran to the Empress and inquired eagerly, "Your Majesty..."


    The Empress winced and raised one of her hands to prop up her forehead. It seemed that she was


    experiencing some difort. Yun Shang stepped nearer, "Your Majesty, are you feeling well?"


    The Empress lifted her eyes to nce at Yun Shang. Then she said weakly, "Why am I here? I


    remembered I was in Qinzheng Hall. I remember..."


    Yun Shang said hastily "You passed out in Qinzheng Hall a little while ago. When the Imperial


    Physician checked you, he said that you are pregnant. Your Majesty, congrattions to you."


    "Pregnant?" The Empress looked confused. It took a moment for Yun Shang''s words to register.


    "Pregnant? You mean I am pregnant?"


    Yun Shang nodded as she tried to squeeze out a smile. "Yes. You are pregnant, Your Majesty."


    The Empress shed a brilliant smile at Yun Shang''s words. "That is really wonderful. In recent years,


    no one in the imperial household has been lucky enough to bear your father a child. I was quite worried


    about the decline of your father''s bloodline. I was even considering selecting some fairdies to marry


    your father and bear him more children. It waspletely unexpected that Lady Jin would get


    pregnant. And now, so am I."


    Yun Shang grinned, "His Majesty is blessed by Buddha."


    The Empress seemed ecstatic, "Reward. Everyone will get a reward." Then she summoned Xiu Xin.


    "I''m ufortable here. I''m afraid I might hurt the baby. Escort me back to Qiwu Pce."


    Xiu Xin nodded before helping the Empress to stand. Then the maid assisted the Empress leave the


    Hall.


    A bitter smile emerged on Yun Shang''s lips as she stood in the Hall and watched them leave. Was it


    true that the Heavenly God reserves shocking surprises for unsuspecting believers? The Empress.


    How could it be possible that she is pregnant at this critical moment?


    "Your Imperial Highness..." Yun Shang had been lost in her thoughts till she heard Qian Yin call to her.


    She nodded at Qian Yin, "Let''s go back to Qingxin Pce."


    Yun Shang sank into serious consideration while lying on her bed in Qingxin Pce. What a


    coincidence that all these events happened at the same time! Somehow, she had a feeling that


    something wrong. But as to what had gone wrong, she could not tell.


    "Your Imperial Highness, how could it be possible for the Empress to be pregnant?" Qian Yin


    murmured, "Your Imperial Highness, did you expect such a predicament? The disastrous banquet and


    our ns to exaggerate the effect would effectively spread rumors about Princess Hua Jing''s doomed


    destiny to bring death to her husband. Just in a couple of days, everyone in the Imperial City will know


    these rumors. I have even devised a bad for children to sing and spread. However, the Empress is


    pregnant! That would be the most fervent topic of conversation in the country. After all, she is the First


    Lady of the country. Her pregnancy will be the biggest event under heaven. And people would, of


    course, pay less attention to the affairs of Princess Hua JIng..."


    Yun Shang nodded and sighed, "Of course. How could she be pregnant at this moment? The


    Empress''s pregnancy is the perfect aberration to our ns. But it all happened in an instant. How could


    it be possible for her to arrange a pregnancy? So, was it indeed a coincidence?"


    Yun Shang spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on a couch in the courtyard, trying to figure out why


    she felt so puzzled.


    When it was getting dark, a knock sounded on the gate of Qingxin Pce. Yun Shang was drowsy. She


    heard a maid announcing, "Your Imperial Highness, Lady Meng is requesting a visit."


    Yun Shang opened her eyes, "Lady Meng?"


    She had barely finished her words when she caught a glimpse of a woman in green. Yun Shang


    suddenly realized who she was, "Aha, it''s you, Qin Meng. Oh, no, no, no. I should call you Lady Meng,


    now."


    Yun Shang straightened up. As a quick reflex, Qin Meng stepped forward to pick up the silk quilt that


    had fallen on the ground and put it back on the couch.


    Yun Shang smiled, "How can I bother Lady Meng with such a chore for me? I should do it myself."


    Qin Meng retrieved her hands at Yun Shang''s words. She stood there in embarrassment and peeped


    at Yun Shang from time to time.


    After putting the silk quilt in ce, Yun Shang said, "I wonder why Lady Menges to Qingxin


    Pce. I thought that alldies in the imperial household would go to Qiwu Pce and pay the


    Empress a visit to congratte her, wouldn''t they?"


    Qin Meng kept her head low while rubbing her hands together. She was silent for a little while before


    uttering gently, "The Empress doesn''t like me. If I went there, I''m afraid that I would probably upset Her


    Majesty. So I''d rather not go there."


    "You are one of the noble members of the imperial household. How could you still be so humble?"


    Instead of responding to Qin Meng''s predicament, Yun Shang diverted the topic by asking a question.


    Qin Meng squeezed out an embarrassed smile, "I have been in service for so long that I cannot shake


    these reflexes."


    Yun Shang nodded, and hummed before sinking into silence.


    But Qin Meng seemed quite nervous, and her body even trembled a little. It felt as though she was


    racking her brain for something. Finally, she raised a question, "Your Imperial Highness, may I know


    where Your Imperial Highness went several days ago?"


    Yun Shang thought it was a funny question, and she even burst into a fit ofughter. "So, I must take


    permission from Lady Meng before I go somewhere?"


    Qin Meng shook her head immediately, "Please forgive me, Your Imperial Highness. That is not what I


    meant..."


    "Oh, then what did you mean?" Qin Meng found herself speechless for a long while. Yun Shang


    rxed on the couch and lifted her eyes to look at Qin Meng.


    After pondering for a while Qin Meng said, "Thank you, Your Imperial Highness. I would have been


    dead had it not been for your help. I have vowed that Your Imperial Highness would be my only master


    since. The Empress and Princess Hua Jing, they really want to harm Your Imperial Highness. Your


    Imperial Highness should be alert."


    Yun Shang uttered a "hum."


    Seeing Yun Shang''s reluctant response, Qin Meng stressed, "Your Imperial Highness, you must be on


    guard against the Empress and Princess Hua Jing. If Qin Meng might be of any use to Your Imperial


    Highness, please let me know."


    Yun Shang raised an eyebrow as she continued to stare at Qin Meng. Then she raised a question,


    "How is it going? Your life as Lady Meng? Is anybody still bullying you?"


    Qin Meng bit her lip and sank into silence. In the end, she shook her head, "No. I''m quite well. Lady


    Ying is quite straightforward. We... get along well with each other..."


    "Get along well?" Yun Shang shed a gentle smile. She did not intend to confront Qin Meng about her


    lie. She probed subtly, "Qin Meng, you are quite clever. I have always thought so. But cleverness in not


    the only trait for ady who wants to survive in the imperial household. And sometimes, clever women


    incur an early death. No matter what you want, you can only lock your desires in your heart. You


    cannot confide in anybody. As to how can you achieve those desires? I hope you have a clear mind. If


    you are not determined to do something and to take the first step, then you will only stay where you are


    forever. You might even find yourself spiralling..."


    Qin Meng nodded sadly. She had been silent for such a long time. It seemed as though she was


    refraining from crying. Then she knelt before Yun Shang. "Your Imperial Highness, please help me.


    Lady Ying views me as a spy for the Empress and refuses to ept my exnations. She always finds


    fault with me, beats me, and scolds me. I have had enough. Your Imperial Highness, please. I will do


    anything. No matter what you ask. I know, Your Imperial Highness must have some ways, and Your


    Imperial Highness is in a position to help me."


    Yun Shang grinned, "Anything? No matter what?"


    Qin Meng kowtowed before Yun Shang several times in session, "Yes. I''m willing to do anything you


    want me to do."


    Yun Shang nodded, "All right. However, I do not require your service now. Please return. As for Lady


    Ying, I can find a way to appease her. I''m just hoping that you will not break your promiseter. Before


    you go, I have something to tell you... You are the only one you can trust. If you want to rise in the


    imperial household, you have to be cruel, not only to everybody else, but also to yourself."


    Qin Meng was stunned at these words. Then she nodded, "I understand, Your Imperial Highness. I


    understand."


    Yun Shang smiled toward Qin Meng and waved at her, "You''d better go now. It''s bad for you to be seen


    here. If you were seen visiting me, you would not be able to find a proper excuse even if you had a


    hundred months on you."


    "It''s all right. Everyone is at Qiwu Pce right now. No one would pay attention to me. But I will leave


    as soon as possible." Qin Meng kowtowed before Qin Meng while speaking, and then she withdrew.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Qin Yi approached Yun Shang and said, "Qin Meng would not be reduced to such a dilemma, if she


    had made other choices. She deserves this consequence. She helped the Empress scheme against


    Your Imperial Highness."


    Yun Shang grinned, "I was just a little girl at that time, without any forces to support me. The world is


    crowded with selfish people and itcks those who will offer timely assistance. Qin Meng chose a path


    that many other people would have chosen as well."


    Yun Shang sighed and looked out the window. Noticing that she was looking in the direction of Qiwu


    Pce, Qin Yi said softly, "Your Imperial Highness, are you still puzzled about what happened today?


    Let it go if you cannot figure it out. The truth will prevail in the end."


    Yun Shang shook her head, "I''m not trying to figure it out. I''m just worrying about my mother... My


    mother was heartbroken over His Majesty over a decade ago. So she shut herself inside the Cold


    Pce. Now, she has released herself from the Cold Pce and is even pregnant. But the Empress''s


    pregnancy would be tantamount to a blow to my mother. Although she has always emphasized that she


    only feels despair and does not love His Majesty, I cannot help myself. I worry about her."


    Qin Yi nodded in response, "Lady..." She paused for a moment and then continued, "Today, when His


    Majesty heard from the Imperial Physician that the Empress is pregnant, he ran out of the Hall in a


    hurry, right? I heard that His Majesty hade to Qiwu Pce. The Empress was in the side hall at


    Qinzheng Hall at that time. But His Majesty went to Qiwu Pce instead. It is obvious that His Majesty


    came to Qiwu Pce for Lady Jin. It seems that His Majesty cares more about the Lady than the


    Empress."


    Yun Shang hummed before sinking into silence.


    The news of the Empress'' pregnancy had triggered a stir in the imperial household. The Imperial


    Pce only quietened after all the concubines had left after extending their congrattions to the


    Empress. Yun Shang was terribly upset. Without informing Qin Yi and Qian Yin, she walked out of


    Qingxin Pce after Qiwu Pce became quiet.


    After walking along theke for a while, the Princess leaned against a tree to rest. At that moment, she


    heard someone speaking in the distance.


    "Lady, how could it be possible that the Empress is pregnant? We all know that His Majesty hasn''t


    spent a night at Qiwu Pce in a long time." The tone, indicating a touch of suspect, sounded like a


    court maid serving in a certain Pce.


    Then, the voice of another woman disturbed the silence, "On the fifteenth ofst month, His Majesty


    stayed in the Empress'' Pce for one night."


    That voice was familiar. Afterbing her mind for its master, Yun Shang was quite sure that it was


    Lady Shu.


    "But, Lady Jin is also dwelling in Qiwu Pce. I have heard from maids at Qiwu Pce that every time


    His Majesty visited Qiwu Pce in this past month, His Majesty went to see Lady Jin..."


    Yun Shang heard a sigh from Lady Shu, in which a trace of contempt could be felt. "Hem, only the


    Heavenly God knows whether or not that old witch employed any tricks to allure His Majesty into her


    bed. She went as far as to present her maid as a gift to His Majesty. What else is she not capable of?"


    The maid lowered her voice, "Lady, do you think the Lord is going to allow her to keep the baby?"


    The Lord? Yun Shang was taken aback. What did that maid mean? What did she mean by is the Lord


    going to allow her to keep the baby? Yun Shang felt a sharp throb in her heart. She focused on the


    conversation.


    Lady Shu kept silent for a moment. Then she said, "I don''t know. Over a decade ago, I had been


    chosen to marry His Majesty and became a member of the imperial household. I would receive an


    order from the Lord whenever ady was pregnant. I was ordered to cause an inconspicuous


    miscarriage. And I did a good job. I almost failed in killing Lady Ying''s baby and exposed myself. But I


    managed to devise a n to set up the Empress instead, and Lady Ying believed it. But there has been


    no order from the Lord since the announcement of Lady Jin''s pregnancy. Now, the Empress is also


    pregnant. I don''t know whether the Lord is going to order me to do something. But, there are many


    people in the imperial household who will not wish to see that baby be born. Lady Ying would be the


    first to make that wishe true. I don''t think I need to be involved. It is doubtful that this baby will get


    a chance to see the world..."