When Jiang Xinyue's belly was five months along, her abdomen had already begun to swell.
After the rumor about the "evil concubine" reached Hexi Palace, Jiang Xinyue forbade the palace maids and eunuchs from leaving.
Each day, only Xiao Xuanzi and Jiang Chuan would take turns going to the imperial kitchen, or the head steward of the kitchen would personally deliver meals to Hexi Palace.
Apart from this, no maid or eunuch from Hexi Palace had stepped outside the palace gates.
Outside, everyone was speculating whether Concubine Zhen had become agitated after hearing herself being called an evil concubine who would bring ruin to the country, and if this had affected her pregnancy.
Empress Zhu wanted to bring Consort Liang to investigate, but they discovered that the entrance to Hexi Palace was now guarded by the Emperor's personal guards, and no one except the people of Hexi Palace was allowed in or out.
With such a tense atmosphere, it seemed that something had indeed happened to Concubine Zhen.
Consort Liang smiled smugly, pleased that the Minor Scattering Maid she had bribed long ago had finally come in handy.
She couldn't believe that Concubine Zhen, whom she had thought to be naive and kind-hearted, dared to sow discord between her and Consort De. It turned out that beneath her innocent exterior, Concubine Zhen was deceitful and rotten to the core.
If Consort De hadn't personally come to explain that she had no intention of competing with her, and that she had only argued with her because Concubine Zhen had provoked her, Consort Liang would still be holding a grudge against Consort De! Consort De had also mentioned that the Emperor's heart was now entirely devoted to Concubine Zhen, and that they shouldn't fight among themselves but instead guard against Concubine Zhen taking advantage of their conflict.
Consort Liang was furious that Concubine Zhen had so easily created a rift between her and Consort De. Although they had reconciled, the hurtful and harsh words spoken during their argument could never be taken back.
Consort Liang now felt uncomfortable when facing Consort De.
It was all Concubine Zhen's fault!
That's why she had used her informants to spread the rumor about the evil concubine bringing ruin to the country, making sure it reached Concubine Zhen's ears.
She hadn't expected it to be so effective that the Emperor had ordered the palace to be sealed off. Concubine Zhen's situation must be very critical.
The supposedly critical Jiang Xinyue sat on a warm, soft couch, one hand resting on a white fox fur blanket, the other lifting her undershirt, looking excitedly at the gentle bump on her belly. "My lord, my lord, my lord... here, the baby is here."
At five months, the baby could already make slight movements, opening up a whole new world for Jiang Xinyue and the Xuanwu Emperor.
The Emperor, who had unprecedented expectations for this child, immediately ordered Hexi Palace to be sealed off when he heard that palace maids had deliberately spread malicious rumors. No one was allowed in or out except those approved by Jiang Xinyue.
This created the illusion to the outside world that she couldn't handle the stress and that it had affected her pregnancy. She supposedly remained in her bedchamber every day, not even going out to the courtyard for a walk.
The smiles disappeared from Xi Que and Shuang Jiang's faces, and the atmosphere in Hexi Palace became more serious and somber than ever before.
Seeing this, the gossiping palace maids became as timid as quails, no longer daring to stick their necks out for credit.
Outside Jiang Xinyue's bedchamber, Nanny Li and Nanny Xiang stood guard. Within eyesight, apart from Xi Que, Shuang Jiang, Xiao Xuanzi, and Jiang Chuan, no one else was to be seen.
Oh, and occasionally Yan the Imperial Physician would visit.
Yan's daughter, Yan Xinyi, had been learning the art of childbirth from her father for the past few months, and her skills were now on par with the palace midwives.
Whenever Yan the Imperial Physician came to check on Jiang Xinyue's pulse, he would bring her along. She and the original Jiang Xinyue had been good friends, and now that her friend had become a favored concubine in the deep palace, she felt proud by association.
She secretly promised Jiang Xinyue that she would use all her knowledge to make her delivery as comfortable as possible.
"He seems to have kicked me!" Jiang Xinyue's belly moved up and down, like a series of small, undulating hills.
The "small hills" moved slowly, probably because the baby was still very small and didn't have much strength. The movement was soft and gentle. The Xuanwu Emperor placed his hand on her belly, feeling the slow movement, and his cold, hard heart suddenly softened beyond recognition.
His eyes turned red, as if he was about to cry, but he didn't. The momentary redness in his eyes seemed like an illusion to Jiang Xinyue.
"I never knew that a baby in the womb could move when it's so small," he said.
When concubines in the harem became pregnant, the Palace Eunuch Office would remove their green plaques until after they had given birth and completed their postpartum confinement. Only then would the green plaques be returned to the selection tray.
With so many concubines in the palace, the Emperor could sleep with a different one every day for three months without repetition.
The Xuanwu Emperor wouldn't inconvenience himself by visiting pregnant concubines and just sitting there staring at them.
When Consort Liang and Consort De were pregnant, he only visited them twice in ten months.
Once when he learned of their pregnancies, to have a meal with them, and once when they were about to give birth.
He would see them at palace banquets, but he would only glance at them. How could he have felt the baby's movements?
Jiang Xinyue was the first one he had accompanied and cared for throughout her entire pregnancy.
When the Empress was pregnant twice, he paid more attention because of the importance of the heir apparent, so he visited Yikun Palace more frequently.
But his interactions with the Empress were mostly formal, never as relaxed as his time in Hexi Palace.
Jiang Xinyue placed her small hand on top of the Xuanwu Emperor's large one, her face showing an expectant yet nervous smile. "I heard from Nanny Li that as the baby grows, its kicks will become stronger. By the sixth or seventh month, it might be strong enough to hurt my belly. Your Majesty, I'm a bit scared."
The Emperor withdrew his hand and held hers instead. "For the sake of our child, I have made thorough preparations. Besides, Yan the Imperial Physician has said that your pregnancy has been going very smoothly, and the baby's size is just right. There are no factors that would be unfavorable to you. If you can't have a safe delivery, I really don't know who else could."
He knew that Concubine Zhen's expressed fear of the baby's movements was actually due to her being traumatized by Consort Shu's premature labor scene. So he comforted her, "Moreover, we have Nanny Li and Nanny Xiang here. If you're still uneasy, how about I invite your mother into the palace when it's time for the delivery?"
Jiang Xinyue nodded. "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty."
The Emperor smiled and embraced her. "Silly girl, why are you thanking me? You've already endured so much hardship carrying this child for me. This is the least I should do."
His child, Little Six, was conceived with the expectations and joy of both parents. He had witnessed Concubine Zhen's tears of joy, simply because this child was his, without any other reason.
Unlike himself... who was born with heavy shackles, never having enjoyed a moment of maternal or paternal love.
As soon as his Little Six is born, he wants to give him the best of everything. He wants to give Little Six all that he never had the chance to receive.
Little Six: Already at the peak of life before even being born. Thanks for asking, I plan to live this life well.
Night--
Sounds of passionate lovemaking echoed from the Palace of Exile.
"Have you considered what I asked you to do?"
"This is a capital offense. What grudge do you have against Concubine Zhen?"
The woman pushed away the muscular man and went to put on her clothes, avoiding his latter question. She smiled seductively, "Do you think what you're doing now isn't a capital offense?"
Cuckolding the Emperor was punishable by the execution of nine generations of one's family.
