The Beloved Imperial Consort Chapter 39

Mu Xi Yao was still exclaiming about Tang Yi Ru’s courage and decisiveness when the voices of Gui momo and Hui Lan paying respect to Zhong Zheng Lin sounded from outside the study. She raised an eyebrow. Oh, the adulterer has come. Immediately, her eyes narrowed into a smile. 

As soon as Zhong Zheng Lin entered the study, he saw Mu Xi Yao flip the book with a face that brimmed with smiles. He went over and hugged her, only to see the little woman browse through Book of Songs. The book page had some notes at the top. Its handwriting was graceful and endowed with quite a charisma. 

Mu Xi Yao turned back to look at him. The man looked solemn. He exhibited no shame of fooling around with the concubine in the study. She secretly criticized in the heart that it was pretentious of him to act so prudish.

“Your Highness is not busy today?” Zhong Zheng Lin has been resting in the study for many days. 

“Uhm. Bendian should be free in few days.” Did it meant that Di Wu Yi Zhao and that person were coming back? Mu Xi Yao silently counted the time. 

“How come you’re in mood to read a book today?” Since pregnancy, the little woman rarely went to the study to browse books. Usually when she wanted to read them, she would call people to send them to the main house. 

When Mu Xi Yao heard it, her spirit instantly lifted up. Just as she planned to select a reading material for prenatal education, the advisor came. 

“Is there any book your Highness is fond of?” Mu Xi Yao softly asked while in Zhong Zheng Lin’s arms. 

Zhong Zheng Lin contemplated a bit, “Fifty-Two Volumes: The General History of Great Yu’s Rule.”

It was similar to the monumental poetic saga of A Mirror for the Wise Ruler. He earned himself an admiration from Mu Xi Yao. 

“Is there anything else?” 

Zhong Zheng Lin replied, “Zhuo clan’s words and deeds.” 

Mu Xi Yao will kneel down before him¹. He might as well say Art of War which was easier to understand.

The sixth Highness saw the little woman’s anguished face looking at him in quite an aggrieved manner, as if she had been bullied.

“Why asking such a question?” 

“The books your Highness reads are too complicated. Baby will hardly understand it.” Mu Xi Yao’s little head rubbed against him. She slowly shook her head. 

“You want to read it to the baby?” Zhong Zheng Lin came to understand.  

Mu Xi Yao nodded her head. She took his big hand and touched her belly with it. 

Zhong Zheng Lin was amused. The fetus was only a little bit over two months, yet this woman already started to fuss around. However, letting her read books was a good thing. The imperial physician’s said, “Pregnant women are prone to melancholy and depression”.

After a slight reckon, “Bendian will order Tian Fu Shan to send a set of children literacy books tomorrow. What do you think?” Zhong Zheng Lin was used to ask for Mu Xi Yao’s opinion in small matters and make a decision afterward. He rarely made these kind of decisions alone. 

“Qie thanks your Highness on his behalf.” Mu Xi Yao mischievously yet gently patted her abdomen. Her voice was lively.  

Watching her antics, Zhong Zheng Lin was also not polite with her, “Bendian will wait for him to come out so you would personally thank bendian.” He purposely let his gaze roam over her body, enticing a coquettish protest from Mu Xi Yao.

As the two were chatting and laughing, Zhao momo announced that Shu Tao requested an audience. 

Zhong Zheng Lin helped Mu Xi Yao sit down and looked at her puzzled, “New maidservant?” 

Mu Xi Yao’s face twitched. He had just flirted with the concubine in the study, yet he didn’t even know her personal maidservant. This man was really too much. However, she replied him gently on the surface, “Your Highness, it’s sister Tang’s chief maidservant.” I will remind you this time so that the next time you fool with her you would know to call the name of the person whom you would order to keep a watch. 

After calling the person in, Mu Xi Yao asked her what was the matter. 

Shu Tao cast a hesitant glance at Zhong Zheng Lin and then nervously spoke, “Replying to your Highness and shufei. After my mistress came back, she fell ill. Her mind is a little muddled. Your Highness is constantly on her lips. She sent this servant to ask whether it was possible for your Highness to come over and take a look at her.” After she finished, she sneaked a peek at Mu Xi Yao, as if afraid that she would be displeased. 

Falling ill?? Mu Xi Yao was slightly surprised. Tang Yi Ru’s body was very fit. How long has it been since she returned from the study? Now she’s sick? Just as she was about to ask about her condition out of virtuousness, unexpectedly, Zhong Zheng Lin spoke in displeasure. 

“If she fell ill she ought to ask for the imperial physician. Out of order.” His tone carried a strong dissatisfaction. This Tang’shi was usually well-behaved. How come today she was like a changed person? Was it because he gave her lots of respect thus her heart has grown bigger? Fortunately, he didn’t touch her or else who knew what kind of thoughts would start to entertain her mind. Zhong Zheng Lin as a future monarch was assaulted with a common disease among these rulers, paranoia.  

Before the words could come out from her mouth, Zhong Zheng Lin blocked her. As a result, she could only embarrasingly stay silent. Inside the heart, toward this man’s ignorance she truly……had nothing to say. That Tang’shi clearly wanted him to go over to take a look at her and use the opportunity of the illness to throw herself at him, asking for comfort etc. Who knew this man would only ask for the imperial physician? Mu Xi Yao thought that she should speak with him straightforwardly, better to be blunt with him. 

Seeing his Highness reveal impatience and Mu shufei being absent-minded, Shu Tao could only summon up courage and announce her retreat to Mu Xi Yao who was still on her mental journey.

Once the servant girl withdrew, Zhong Zheng Lin turned his head and cautiously instructed Mu Xi Yao, “You’re pregnant nowadays. Have Zhao momo directly drive those irrelevant and misconducted people out, so they won’t tire you.” As soon as he finished his speech, he seized her waist and continued with browsing through Book of Songs.

After dinner, the two went to Koi pond and walked two circles. Looking at Mu Xi Yao staring intently at the pond, Zhong Zheng Lin teasingly squeezed her hand, “Want to eat fish again?”

Mu Xi Yao impolitely waved a chicken feather as a token of an authority², “Your daughter wants to eat.”

Zhong Zheng Lin’s brows slightly furrowed, “The imperial physician said it’s a daughter?”

Mu Xi Yao’s fur instantly spiked, “Your Highness doesn’t like daughter?” This was Mu Xi Yao’s first child. If Zhong Zheng Lin said he didn’t like, there would be lots of handling waiting for her afterward.

In fact, the imperial physician diagnosed nothing. She wasn’t even three months along, so her pulse was still too shallow. Moreover, it wasn’t like anyone could rely on the pulse to get diagnosed whether one was expecting a boy or a girl. It was just a prediction Mu Xi Yao made based on the memories from the previous lifetime. Hence, she told Zhong Zheng Lin it was daughter.

Looking at the little woman glaring at him angrily, her little face flushed delectably red, Zhong Zheng Lin smiled while taking her hand into his. He continued to move forward, “Originally, bendian wanted you to have the firstborn son. Daughter will also do. After giving birth to daughter you can continue to give birth to son.” Mu Xi Yao’s face became sullen. Was she an assembly line or what? There was no need for her to take a break at all?

However, she was overjoyed inside. This man still had some conscience. He knew to side with her. As a result, her face broke into a smile and she happily went to coil his arm, “Qie just knew that your Highness would be considerate of qie.” Her little head then leaned against Zhong Zheng Lin’s shoulder, letting the man take her for a slow stroll.

While the two were being lovey-dovey with each other, in the Shuhui Courtyard, the imperial physician checked the pulse, wrote the prescription and took a leave.

Tang Yi Ru laid sickly on the bed, suffering from a low fever. She looked at coming Shu Tao expectfully. After hearing her reply, she dissapointedly turned her body to face the inside. Her tears rushed forth.

It was only that she felt vulnerable for a moment and wanted to find a person to depend on. Unexpectedly, what she received was his Highness’s reprimand. When Mu’shi was unwell last time, didn’t chief steward send people to ask for his Highness? How come he didn’t say that Mu’shi was out of rule? As expected. She needed a son. Didn’t that Mu’shi just rely on the fact that she was pregnant that his Highness didn’t reprimand her?

Tang shufei’s brain made up the entire story for the whole incident. She reckoned that she should wait dutifuly for the moment. When a better opportunity comes out she would leap up and get a son in one go. At the time, even if his Highness didn’t care for her, he would care for the child.

In the following day, Zhao momo came to report that the mistress of the Shuhui Courtyard accidentaly got a cold and added with previous emotional turmoil, it caused her to suddenly fall ill. She will soon get better after taking medicine.

Mu Xi Yao was very surprised by Tang Yi Ru’s “emotional turmoil”. The consort Xian in the previous life was extraordinary formidable. How many great winds and high waves couldn’t move her an inch? She was simply a “the more often you see her the more brimming with power she was” kind of personage. What made her suffer from the emotional turmoil??

However, on the outside, she very virtuously had Chun Lan take a trip to Shuhui Courtyard, visit Tang’shi on her behalf and also bring over her gifts.

Chun Lan carried a plum branch of a man’s height and went to Shuhui courtyard with a face flushed deep red. Her mistress was truly….too frugal.

It was not that Mu Xi Yao was stingy. She was only afraid that other things would be tampered with and incite a conflict. Besides, it was a convention to send a flower when visiting a sick person. Watching the fresh flowers would warm heart and delight eyes. It was a good cure for various “emotional turmoils”, right?

In Shuhui Courtyard, Tang Yi Ru has drunk the medicine. She was currently lying on the bed and resting. Chen momo and Shu Mei at side took turns to look after her. Not far away were laid out greeting gifts sent by each courtyard this morning. They were all the common seen medicines, nothing out of ordinary.

As they were wondering when will Mu shufei come over, they heard an announcement from the outside saying that shufei’s gift has arrived.

Tang Yi Ru expresionlessly gazed over. At the front, she saw only a plum branch. Nothing else. A servant girl behind it subsequently paid her a respect. The plum branch shook along with her movements.

“This servant pays respect to shufei. My mistress is pregnant hence it’s not convenient for her to make visit. She has specially instructed this servant to send her regard. She hopes shufei will properly nurse health and recover soon.” When she finished, she held up the plum branch and handed it over to the stupefied Shu Tao. Afterward, she went to stand at side, waiting for Tang Yi Ru’s instruction.

Shuhui Courtyard temporary fell into a dead silence. Tang Yi Ru was choked with anger inside. It’s exactly this kind of woman! His Highness would rather favor this kind of woman than her who has delivered herself before his doorstep. For a while, her brain became muddled and she actually fainted, beginning to burn with fever.

Shuhui Courtyard instantly turned into a chaotic scene. Seeing people paying her no heed, Chun Lan tactfully returned to Danruo Courtyard.

In the evening, Zhong Zheng Lin has received the secret guard’s news that the little woman had ordered a servant girl to chop a plum branch in the plum forest. Right after, she grandly went to visit a sick person. Immediately, Zhong Zheng Lin broke into a slight laughter. She was indeed a living treasure³ whom he cherished deeply.

Translation notes: 

[1] Kneel down before someone is a term used by Chinese netizens to express admiration towards someone or something that is beyond your imagination.

[2] Wave a chicken feather as a token of an authority is a Chinese idiom to assume unwarranted authority on the basis of some pretext 

[3] Living treasure means a wacky person

List of TBIC Character

Relationship Diagram  (by Sith Kazar)

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