Throughout the years, the Luo family had relied on the benevolence of the imperial court.
Unlike civil officials, who had their own responsibilities but little opportunity to achieve merit, military officers faced similar challenges.
Consequently, their fortunes and rewards were at the whim of the emperor.
Mrs. Luo understood this principle well.
She also knew that now that Zhao Hua had become a member of the Luo family, the benefits she could bring to the family would only increase if she became the empress in the future.
Therefore, even though Xiao Jingheng asked her to enter the palace to test Zhao Hua's intentions, she would secretly protect Zhao Hua in her heart.
During her audience with the emperor, Mrs. Luo embellished the conversation she had with Zhao Hua, presenting it to Xiao Jingheng in a more appealing manner.
Delighted, Xiao Jingheng praised Mrs. Luo for her guidance in raising her daughter.
After Mrs. Luo left, Jiang Deshun presented a carefully written note to Xiao Jingheng with utmost respect.
"Your Majesty, this is a record of Yong Die's words."
Yong Die was Mrs. Luo's maid who served her closely. However, since Zhao Hua became a part of the Luo family, Xiao Jingheng, to prevent collusion between the former dynasty and the harem, had secretly gained Yong Die's loyalty and had her spy on the Luo family's actions.
On this day, while Mrs. Luo and Zhao Hua were discussing matters in their private quarters, Yong Die, who had gained Mrs. Luo's trust, eavesdropped on the entire conversation.
The record she presented to Xiao Jingheng faithfully reproduced every word spoken between Mrs. Luo and Zhao Hua, without embellishment or falsehood.
Jiang Deshun observed Xiao Jingheng's pleased expression as he read and said with a smile, "Although the words in this record are not as eloquent as Mrs. Luo's, it is clear that Noble Consort Yi abides by the rules. She understands what to say and what to do, and is truly devoted to Your Majesty."
Xiao Jingheng applauded and laughed, "Of course I know that Zhao'er has always been like this."
After this incident, there was a wave of support for Zhao Hua as the empress from the former dynasty, overwhelming any other opinions.
Among the consorts, each had her own thoughts as they observed and listened.
Originally, they would visit Ning Wanshuang in the Yonghe Palace to pay their respects every day.
But gradually, perhaps out of tacit understanding, they began to visit Zhao Hua's Changle Palace at all hours of the day.
Even Consort Hui, who had been absent for a long time, made an appearance to congratulate Zhao Hua.
In the face of their flattery, Zhao Hua felt unworthy and always said, "Sisters, you are welcome to visit me here, have a cup of tea and chat leisurely. But if you want to discuss matters regarding my position, I have no such intention. Please do not spread these words carelessly, lest I find myself in a difficult situation."
But the fact remained that whether it was spread or not, it was already certain that Zhao Hua would be crowned as the empress.
On this day, it was the time when the Imperial Hospital determined Zhao Hua's due date.
After the morning court session, Xiao Jingheng hurried to Changle Palace and listened to the Chief of the Imperial Hospital and Physician Zhang saying, "Your Majesty, the empress has reached full term since early in the third month, but the fetus is stable, and there are no signs of labor. It is my belief that if the imperial heir remains in the womb for too long or grows too large, it will be detrimental to the empress's health. Therefore, if there are no signs of progress after a certain period, we can administer labor-inducing medicine to accelerate the process."
"March is considered an auspicious month, with many good days to choose from. For instance, the sixth day of March is an excellent day."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hua hadn't said anything yet, but Xiao Jingheng smiled and said first,
"That's great. Everything is for the sake of your well-being, Zhao Er. I don't want the delivery to be prolonged and cause harm to you."
Zhao Hua wasn't a fool either; she had consulted the almanac.
On the sixth day of March, it's highly auspicious, with the child corresponding to the father and protected by the Purple Microcosmic Star.
For Xiao Jingheng, if the child could be born on this day, it would be more precious to him than having a valuable son.
Although he always spoke eloquently, his selfishness, when spoken from his mouth, seemed to be considering everything for Zhao Hua's sake.
Zhao Hua gladly accepted such favor and replied,
"In fact, it doesn't matter to me at all. As long as the child is safe, I will be content."
After the imperial physician left, lunch was prepared.
During lunchtime, while accompanying Zhao Hua, Xiao Jingheng noticed that she couldn't eat, her eyebrows furrowed, her gaze vacant, and she seemed to have something on her mind.
So he put down his chopsticks and asked, "What's wrong, Zhao Er?"
With lowered eyebrows, Zhao Chun softly said with a slight pout,
"Xiao Lang... I'm a little scared."
"What are you afraid of?" Xiao Jingheng took a seat next to her, embraced her slender shoulders, and comforted her in a warm voice, "I'll be with you. You have nothing to fear."
"But Xiao Lang can't accompany me in this matter..." Zhao Hua's tone became more aggrieved. "Although I have given birth to Ruo Xin before, I don't remember anything about it.
I've heard people say that women go through a difficult time during childbirth, and the only ones in the palace who have children are Noble Consort Chen and Consort Hui. I asked them a few days ago, and they both told me that giving birth is very painful, unbearable..."
She tightly clenched her clothes with nervous hands, and her voice trembled.
"Consort Hui even said that she endured two days and one night of pain when she gave birth to Chengjing... I used to be brave, and Consort Ying and Consort Shun also advised me not to think too much. But as the due date approaches, I feel more and more uneasy..."
Xiao Jingheng listened silently, pondering in his heart:
It's not surprising that Ning Wanshuang would say these things to Zhao Hua. She has always been a jealous and temperamental person. Knowing that Zhao Hua might be named the Empress, she couldn't accept it and said these things to frighten her.
But Consort Hui also said the same things. It makes people doubt her intentions...
It seems that this chess piece has become more independent and restless recently.
Seeing Zhao Hua expressing her fears, her eyes were already red, which made Xiao Jingheng feel distressed.
He embraced Zhao Hua in his arms, and his warm fingertips wiped away the tears that overflowed from her eyes.
"Zhao Er, don't be afraid. I promise you that I'll be by your side during the delivery."
As he spoke, he held Zhao Hua's hand tightly. "I will hold your hand like this all the time. If you feel pain, squeeze my hand tightly. Even if it hurts me, it doesn't matter. Although I can't experience it with you, seeing you suffer for me, my heartache is no less than yours."
Hearing his affectionate words, Zhao Hua's wavering heart seemed to find its place.
She looked up at Xiao Jingheng with calm eyes, still a little timid, but her voice was resolute as she said,
"With Xiao Lang by my side, I'm not afraid of anything."
Xiao Jingheng lowered his head and leaned closer, his handsome nose brushing against Zhao Hua's forehead as he doted,
"Can we have our meal now? The dishes prepared today were all arranged by the imperial kitchen early in the morning, and they are all to your liking."
Zhao Hua smiled gently and nodded. Just as she was about to struggle out of Xiao Jingheng's embrace, she heard him say,
"There's one more thing..."
"What is it?"
Xiao Jingheng smiled knowingly, lightly caressing Zhao Hua's small abdomen, and whispered in her ear,
"I want to give our son a legitimate identity."
[Don't defame the female protagonist by claiming she takes lives for her own gain. When she plotted against Song Shicheng in the past, she also used the locust disaster in Yu Province. However, in the end, Yu Province not only didn't suffer losses, but the people's income also increased significantly.]
[The same goes for this insect calamity. The female protagonist has a plan. She wouldn't take lives to fulfill her own desires. She herself crawled out of the fire pit, so how could she bear to push others into it again? Don't rush to criticize, I beg you.]
[Lowly small R, kowtowing online.]
