Hearing Empress Dowager Yang command Laixi to summon Imperial Physician Yang, the Eldest Princess Changrong frowned slightly: “Is Mother unwell?”
On New Year’s Day, for the sake of good luck, one generally didn’t see physicians.
Empress Dowager Yang looked deeply at the Eldest Princess Changrong: “I am not unwell.”
“Then why is Mother summoning the imperial physician?”
“I’m summoning him for you.”
The Eldest Princess Changrong looked astonished: “For me? I’m not uncomfortable anywhere.”
“Better safe than sorry. Let’s have you examined.” Empress Dowager Yang had something on her mind and didn’t want to say more, so she closed her eyes.
“Mother, what exactly do you mean?” The Eldest Princess Changrong had become eccentric in temperament ever since her heart was broken by her deceased prince consort, and she behaved as casually with the universally feared Empress Dowager as she did in her princess’s residence.
She was Empress Dowager Yang’s only daughter and had been spoiled since childhood.
Empress Dowager Yang opened her eyes and said slowly, “Just now, Lady Li looked at you strangely.”
The Eldest Princess Changrong was slightly stunned, then laughed: “Mother is overthinking. She just heard that I was needling her with my words, and being young and hot-tempered, she was displeased.”
“But what she said to you was also strange.”
“What did she say?” The Eldest Princess Changrong recalled: “She just wished me well for the New Year – nothing special. Wasn’t it the same as what she said to Mother?”
Empress Dowager Yang shook her head: “It wasn’t the same. Think carefully about her words.”
“She said to you, ‘This subject’s wife respectfully congratulates the Empress Dowager on the New Year’s new joy,’ and she said the same thing to me!” The Eldest Princess Changrong increasingly felt that Empress Dowager Yang was making a big fuss over nothing.
“It wasn’t the same. She congratulated me on New Year’s new joy, but only congratulated you on new joy.”
“What’s the difference?” The Eldest Princess Changrong asked casually, then suddenly remembered the gaze Qiao Zhao had directed at her abdomen. She couldn’t help but shiver, and her expression changed dramatically.
At this moment, Laixi’s voice came: “Empress Dowager, Imperial Physician Yang has arrived.”
“Bring him in.”
Soon, a gray-haired old imperial physician entered carrying his medicine chest. Upon entering, he immediately wished Empress Dowager Yang and the Eldest Princess Changrong well: “This humble minister respectfully congratulates the Empress Dowager on New Year’s new joy, and the Eldest Princess on New Year’s new joy.”
Imperial Physician Yang was from Empress Dowager Yang’s natal family and deeply trusted by her.
“Physician, take the Eldest Princess’s pulse.” Empress Dowager Yang now got a headache whenever she heard the words “new joy.”
Taking the Eldest Princess’s pulse on New Year’s Day, Imperial Physician Yang tactfully didn’t ask many questions. He approached the Eldest Princess Changrong, said “Pardon the intrusion,” and began feeling her pulse.
The moment he felt the pulse, Imperial Physician Yang’s hand trembled.
Was this some New Year’s joke? The Eldest Princess had a pregnancy pulse!
“What is it?” Empress Dowager Yang had been carefully watching Imperial Physician Yang’s expression. Seeing his face change, her heart couldn’t help but tighten.
Imperial Physician Yang looked gravely at Empress Dowager Yang.
“Physician, speak freely.”
In the hall, besides Empress Dowager Yang and the Eldest Princess Changrong, only Laixi was serving, and Laixi was Empress Dowager Yang’s most trusted confidant.
“Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the Eldest Princess is with child.” Imperial Physician Yang buried his head low, not daring to look up at Empress Dowager Yang’s expression.
The moment she heard the result, the Eldest Princess Changrong shot to her feet and cried out: “How is that possible?”
Empress Dowager Yang’s expression wasn’t much better.
Her widowed daughter was actually with child – what kind of glorious matter could this be?
“How many months?” Empress Dowager Yang forcibly suppressed the turmoil in her heart and asked.
“Not yet a month and a half – just barely diagnosable.”
“Very well, Physician, you may withdraw first.” Empress Dowager Yang signaled Wei Wuxie to lead Imperial Physician Yang out.
Soon, only the mother and daughter remained in the hall.
Looking at the Eldest Princess Changrong’s incredulous appearance, Empress Dowager Yang angrily slapped the tea table: “Whose child is it?”
When Empress Dowager Yang lost her temper, the Eldest Princess Changrong instead calmed down and said lazily, “How would I know?”
She kept so many male favorites – heaven knows whose it was.
It was just that she hadn’t conceived since giving birth to Can’er. At this age, how did she suddenly become pregnant?
The Eldest Princess Changrong suddenly remembered Qiao Zhao’s seemingly mocking smile when she looked at her in the hall earlier.
What had that young girl said?
“This subject’s wife respectfully congratulates Your Highness on your new joy—”
“Your Highness’s new joy—”
How outrageous! That little girl had mocked her like this!
The Eldest Princess Changrong had lived in luxury for many years – when had she ever suffered such a hidden loss? After figuring it out, she was so angry her hands shook.
Seeing her anger, Empress Dowager Yang’s heart trembled: “What kind of attitude is this! I’ve told you long ago that you’re old enough that if your son had married early, you’d have grandchildren running everywhere. You should restrain yourself somewhat, but you just wouldn’t listen! Now look – you’ve created a bastard child. Where does this leave Can’er’s dignity?”
The Eldest Princess Changrong raised her chin, anger flashing in her eyes: “His dignity? I’ve done right by him.”
“You—” Empress Dowager Yang wanted to lose her temper, but looking at the Eldest Princess Changrong’s rebellious and unruly appearance, she was so choked up she couldn’t speak.
If her daughter could be reasoned with, she wouldn’t have been so scandalous for so many years.
“Forget it. Since things have come to this, there’s no point in saying more. After these few days pass, have Imperial Physician Yang brew you a bowl of medicine to drink, and arrange for reliable people to attend to you.”
The Eldest Princess Changrong was silent for a while, then nodded.
Of course, she couldn’t give birth to this child. Although her keeping male favorites wasn’t exactly a secret, at least it wasn’t brought into the open. Once the princess’s residence gates were closed, who could control what she did?
But having a child would be different. She could hardly keep this child locked in the princess’s residence for life, never seeing daylight.
“And there’s the matter of Marquis Guanjun’s wife—”
The Eldest Princess Changrong looked darkly at Empress Dowager Yang.
Empress Dowager Yang sighed: “Since she saw through it, we must appease her properly.”
The Eldest Princess Changrong’s face turned completely black.
What was this – after mocking her, she still had to be nicely coaxed?
The Eldest Princess Changrong was full of unwillingness, but with her weakness in others’ hands, she could ultimately only choose to compromise.
Previously, whenever she found someone disagreeable, she would immediately vent her anger. Now it was completely reversed – thinking about it was truly stifling!
Qiao Zhao had only recently returned to the residence when many fine gifts were bestowed from the palace. Shao Mingyuan laughed: “Zhaozhao, after one trip to the palace, the rewards you received are even more than my year-end bonus.”
Mm, his wife was indeed beloved by all, even the Empress Dowager was no exception.
Qiao Zhao smiled: “I’m surprised too.”
It seemed the Empress Dowager had already had the imperial physician diagnose the Eldest Princess, and the hush money was quite substantial.
“Zhaozhao, tomorrow we need to visit the father-in-law’s house for New Year greetings. Let’s discuss what gifts would be appropriate to bring.”
In the study, several braziers were arranged with silver charcoal burning brightly. The young couple pressed their heads together, crowding around the desk – one grinding ink, one holding the brush, drafting a gift list for returning to her natal home.
The Eldest Princess Changrong returned to the princess’s residence in an extremely foul mood, so much so that even when Chi Can came to pay respects, she wore a dark expression.
Chi Can was quite puzzled. He quietly inquired about the court ladies’ New Year congratulations to the Empress Dowager, becoming even more suspicious and secretly paying attention to the Eldest Princess Changrong’s activities.
After just two days, Imperial Physician Yang discreetly entered the Eldest Princess’s residence. When he left, his legs were trembling, his face was ashen, and he looked as if he’d lost his soul.