The Job of an Imperial Concubine

Imperial Physician Mao arrived at Xihe Palace in no time at all. But his diagnosis of pregnancy did not come as a surprise for Zhuang Laoyan.

“Are you sure?” Zhuang Laoyan withdrew her hand, looking at his face that was full of wrinkles. She received a cup of honey tea from Tingzhu and slowly took a sip. “Hopefully Imperial Physician Mao is not mistaken this time.”

When he heard these words, he shivered, as if his whole body had fallen into a hole of ice. This Consort Zhao was aware that his pregnancy diagnosis from last time had been a mistake. Thinking of how Consort Zhao had risen in the ranks ever since her miscarriage, Imperial Physician Mao felt unable to breathe. This was a proactive and difficult-to-deal-with master. What was most terrifying was that no matter how frightful this woman was, in others’ eyes she was a beauty without brains. It was evident how profound her schemes were.

With a smile, Zhuang Laoyan looked at his face full of sweat. “It looks like it is warming up today. Imperial Physician Mao is in on your years. These past many years, you have rushed about treating the masters in the palace. You’ve truly worked hard. This palace has heard that you have a grandson who is quite skilled in medicine. If he can enter the Imperial Academy of Medicine, and continue your legacy, the Mao family will be considered an influential family in the field of medicine.”

One mustn’t believe those novels that say any skilled doctor would not want to join the Imperial Academy of Medicine. That those in its employ were useless people only fit for eating and drinking wine. Reality was the complete opposite. Didn’t you ever notice that people found those under the employ of any governmental department more high class?

As such, the ability to enter the Imperial Academy of Medicine was a testament to one’s medical expertise. The yuyis, regular imperial physicians, and the female physicians served the imperial family and members of the nobility. As such, in order to enter the Imperial Academy of Medicine, one must pass five exams, have their medical expertise examined, have their background investigated for any instances of wrongdoing, and must possess an elegant demeanor and good moral character. The so-called “doctors saved lives.” Which person with the ability to govern dared take their life as a joke?

Imperial Physician Mao’s heart pounded. He understood Consort Zhao’s intention and kowtowed at once. “This humble servant kowtows in thanks to Your Highness’ favor.”

Setting down her jasper teacup that bore a lotus leaf pattern, Zhuang Laoyan smiled. “This palace is merely a consort. How could this palace shoulder the word ‘favor?’ Imperial Physician Mao is too serious.”

Imperial Physician Mao raised his head to glance at Zhuang Laoyan. Once more, he kowtowed. “This humble servant has spoken without thinking.”

“You needn’t be like this.” Zhuang Laoyan looked at his somewhat grizzled beard. Waved. “Withdraw. In the future, just examine this palace’s pulse well.”

Imperial Physician Mao knew what Consort Zhao wanted: for him to concentrate his thoughts and efforts in protecting her unborn child. In the current situation, she no longer had a choice. He performed a full ceremony of paying respects then retreated.

Watching Imperial Physician Mao leave, Tingzhu said with worry, “Master, you have only been with child for less than a month. The fetus is not stable. Should we hide it for a period? This slave worries that…”

“What’s the use of hiding it?” Zhuang Laoyan rose to her feet in a careless manner. “It’s not like I haven’t learned from the mistakes of the past. Even if I hide it, what will be the outcome?”

Dropping her head to look at her abdomen, she merely wanted to carry out a large gamble, betting on whether the emperor sincerely wanted this child. Emperor Chengxuan wasn’t an incapable ruler controlled by the harem. If he truly wanted a woman to give birth safely, there wouldn’t be any accidents happening. Unless her body truly couldn’t take it.

She pushed open the window. Looked toward the direction of the palace the emperor lived in. I wonder how the emperor would react if I reported my pregnancy in public?

The emperor’s palace never lacked luxury and a dignified air. Just a moment ago, the empress and Noble Consort Shu, who had been called over to accompany the emperor in listening to music, both displayed impeccable postures and bearings. With ordinary expressions, they looked at the curvaceous and beautiful female singer, uttering words of praise from their lips every now and then.

Feng Jin held a teacup, smiling in an insincere way as he listened to Noble Consort Shu praise the singer. Once the song ended, he said, “What a pleasant voice. It’s a pity it lacks charm. A pity, a pity.”

“Your Majesty has heard Consort Rou’s wonderful singing voice, and naturally feels that others lack some charm.” The empress glanced at Noble Consort Shu, tone carrying appreciation as she said, “This concubine has entered the palace for many years, yet hasn’t heard a singing voice more beautiful than Consort Rou’s.”

Noble Consort Shu wore an approving expression. Yet inside, she sneered. Ever since she had entered the imperial palace, the empress put on this magnanimous act. What a pity that the emperor would always treat her with indifference. Would respect her more than he loved her. Even though she was the empress, she was still a pitiful woman.

Picking up the exquisite teacup before her, Noble Consort Shu smiled lightly. So what if the empress was the most noble woman in the world? She was more favored than the empress would be her entire life.

In a languid manner, Feng Jin listened to the empress speak. Just as she had said a few words, a court eunuch came to the door and said something with a happy expression to Gao Dezhong, who stood guard there. It seemed like a servant from Xihe Palace.

Feng Jin waved, signaling the musicians and singers to stop. “Gao Dezhong, allow him entry.”

After that eunuch knelt before him, Feng Jin recalled that this was one of the more useful court eunuchs from Xihe Palace. Seeing his face full of joy, Feng Jin actually felt curious.

“This slave greets Your Majesty. This slave has a report for Your Majesty.” The eunuch knelt in a well-behaved manner; he wouldn’t lack the slightest bit of manners just because of his happiness.

The tips of Feng Jin’s brows twitched. He couldn’t help but sit up straight. Yet, his expression did not change. “Does Our Beloved Concubine have good news for Us?”

The hand Noble Consort Shu used to hold her teacup had long since frozen. She thought of a certain possibility that she did not want to see as reality. Through her peripheral vision, she glanced at the empress, who seemed to force out that appearance of magnanimity on her face.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, an imperial physician has examined Her Highness Consort Zhao’s pulse not long ago. And he says Her Highness is more than one month pregnant.”

Sure enough, Noble Consort Shu felt bitter. Although Consort Zhao wasn’t as favored as her, she would be lying not to say that the other party had a very lucky life

“Consort Zhao is with child?!” Originally sitting up straight, the emperor leaned forward from his seat, a big smile on his face. “She told you to come report this?”

“Once Her Highness heard the news, she was crying tears of joy and had this slave report to Your Majesty.” The court eunuch could not hide the joy on his face no matter what he did. “If it weren’t for the two head palace maids stopping Master, one would fear that Master would have personally come to see Your Majesty.”

When Noble Consort Shu heard the words of that eunuch, she could not help but feel unhappy. Those words had been too frivolous. Could it be that Consort Zhao was the only person in the harem that ever got pregnant? She actually wanted the whole harem to know her condition; whether Consort Zhao was just overjoyed or if there was another reason for this proved a mystery. Wasn’t this just asking for the other imperial concubines to hate her out of jealousy?

It indeed was the phrase “so pleased as to lose one’s sense of measure.” A phrase that could apply to anyone.

If it were someone else who had done this, Feng Jin might be wondering the same things as Noble Consort Shu. However, it was Consort Zhao. So he understood why she would be so beside herself with joy.

Consort Zhao wholeheartedly loved him. Thus, after her miscarriage, she was deep in sorrow. Now that she was with child again, she once more had hope. So much so that she forgot the dangers of the imperial harem, only wanting him to know with all her heart that they had a child again.

Just as the empress and Noble Consort Shu thought the emperor would open his mouth and bestow Consort Zhao gifts, they instead watched as he rose to his feet and left the palace in large strides.

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“Respectfully sending off Your Majesty,” said the empress and Noble Consort Shu, curtsying deeply, watching the emperor’s figure disappear from the palace doors. Moods chaotic.

In a flash, the main hall grew silent. Apart from the palace servants who knelt without a word at the side, there was only the empress and Noble Consort Shu remaining there.

The empress made for the exit. As she heard Noble Consort Shu seeing her off, she couldn’t stop herself from looking back at the docile-looking other party. The empress left her to curtsy deeply until her knees trembled. “In this imperial harem, it is not only you who understands things. You think you can see through other people, yet other people can see through you.” With that said, the empress held a palace maid’s hand for support as she left the emperor’s residential palace carrying the majestic presence of an empress.

As long as she was the empress, she was the emperor’s wife. The empress of Jiuzhou Country’s Emperor Chengxuan.

Noble Consort Shu stood up straight. Her expression darkened a few shades, yet after she looked at the palace servants all around, she left as well, expression returning to normal.

When Feng Jin arrived at Xihe Palace, all the servants there wore cheerful expressions. He met a woman standing at the doors with a smile as she looked at him, her small face appearing hazy in the autumn rain. Sitting on the imperial sedan, he gazed at her. As if he were seeing her appearance from last time, when she was full of despair saying their child had died.

He disembarked from the sedan. Held her warm hand. He noticed that she wore many thick layers, and smiled as he said, “We rushed here after hearing the good news.”

“This concubine was wondering if Your Majesty could come.” Zhuang Laoyan revealed a satisfied smile. “Sure enough, Your Majesty did.”

“Does Yanyan not fear Our punishment for presumptuously guessing the emperor’s thoughts?” It was cold during late autumn. Feng Jin worried she would catch a cold, so took her in an embrace toward the interior of Xihe Palace. “It has rained the past few days, and the weather has cooled by a lot. You need to take better care of yourself.”

When she first heard how the emperor referred to herself, Zhuang Laoyan for some reason felt like the phrase “the mother’s honor increases as the son’s position rises” could slightly describe her situation. She turned her head and looked at the gentle feelings of the other party’s gaze. And her smile grew ever more sweet. “This concubine dares not fall ill. Imperial Physician Mao said medicine isn’t good for the fetus.”

After she said this, Feng Jin noticed that Zhuang Laoyan dressed more warmly today. Although she wasn’t as stunning in appearance as other imperial concubines, she was more authentic.

“This concubine feels wronged that Your Majesty thinks this concubine presumptuously guessed your intentions. This concubine often wonders when Your Majesty would return, what you would like me to wear, what kind of hairstyle you would prefer, and what to learn so that Your Majesty would like me even more.” Zhuang Laoyan held the emperor’s wrist a sliver more tightly. “This concubine always thinks that if this concubine learned more of Your Majesty’s interests, then Your Majesty will grow more fond of me…”

Realizing what she had spoken too much, Zhuang Laoyan awkwardly turned her head away. As if she was embarrassed and afraid.

The moment Feng Jin had heard what she said and seen that she was too scared to look at him, a smile appeared on his lips. “Why are you so silly? But We like it very much.”

At the sound of those words, Zhuang Laoyan raised her head, looking rather pleased with herself. “Of course. This concubine is the mother of your child.”

The mother of his child?

Feng Jin arched a brow, not commenting as he stepped through the main doors of Xihe Palace with Zhuang Laoyan.

Outside Xihe Palace, by the rock garden at the lotus pond, the empress sat in her phoenix sedan. She watched as the emperor and Consort Zhao entered the palace hand in hand. She could not make out their expressions, but in their interaction, she could see things that were unseen when the emperor was with other women.

“Your Majesty the empress, should we still go inside?” asked Heyu with hesitation.

“Return to Jingyang Palace.” The empress gripped the hand rests of her phoenix sedan. Closed her eyes as the phoenix sedan grew farther and farther from Xihe Palace.

In less than two hours, news that Xihe Palace’s Consort Zhao was pregnant spread all over the imperial palace. To the fact that the emperor hadn’t even left Xihe Palace yet.

It wasn’t as if there had never been an imperial concubine pregnant before. Despite this, the emperor had never attached so much importance to them. The difference between a favored pregnant imperial concubine and an unfavored one was too great.

The empress bestowed many things to Xihe Palace in these two hours, each of them uncommon. However, none of these items would garner suspicion.

The empress’ manner proved very clear: that she regarded Consort Zhao’s unborn child as important, and warned the other imperial concubines not to have any thoughts.

Every imperial concubine found this strange. In the past, they had not seen the empress and Consort Zhao sharing a close relationship. What’s more, they all remembered that the emperor had abandoned the empress’ younger cousin due to Consort Zhao. So why was she being so virtuous and magnanimous in this situation?

Guys, thank you SO much for the well wishes last week and two weeks ago! I received a 95% on the HESI A2 nursing program entrance exam, so I’m pretty sure that’s an accept for me.

The fact that FJ just up and left for Xihe Palace after hearing the news really speaks loud. Whether he wants to or not, he’s caught lol.

Ah, sorry but the patron shout-out will have to come next week.

For those of you still interested in advanced chapters, read this post for more information. There are three advanced chapters left, so if you pledge a tier that gives four chapters now, you’re basically my suga daddi.

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Twenty-eighth chapter of The Times Spent in Pretense is out! You can read it here. It’s weekly now!

Another plug for the new BL tl group me and my friends formed: Perpetual Daydreams! I’ve started moving all of my BL novels there. Click here if you’re interested.