Rumors Arise

After this incident, the Empress Dowager realized that she was getting old, and that her energy truly was nothing like it had once been.

Now that Emperor Jing'an clearly had special feelings for Hua Meng, she naturally hoped that they could truly work together and support each other like an ordinary married couple.

So, as soon as Emperor Jing'an spoke, she looked at Nanny Ming beside her and said, "I will lend Nanny Ming to Consort Jing. She has served me for so many years; she will surely be able to teach her."

Emperor Jing'an had not expected the Empress Dowager to be willing to send Nanny Ming away. He had originally thought it would be more than enough if she let Nanny Qing, the second-ranking of Chaohuang Palace's four senior nannies under Nanny Ming, go.

But to his surprise, the Empress Dowager was willing to part with Nanny Ming, who was as close to her as a sister.

In an instant, Emperor Jing'an understood that the Empress Dowager was willing to part with her for his sake.

At that thought, Emperor Jing'an looked at the Empress Dowager with some shame. "Mother, I have made you worry again."

Hearing his words, the Empress Dowager could not help smiling. "When I was a child among the common people, I heard a saying: 'Raise a son to a hundred, and worry for him for ninety-nine years.' As long as I live, I will not be able to stop myself from worrying about you."

Although it was the first time Emperor Jing'an had heard such words, a moment's thought told him they were not wrong in the slightest.

His child had yet to be born, and he had already begun to worry about him.

Since the Empress Dowager and Emperor Jing'an had agreed on the matter, and Nanny Ming had no objections, an hour later Hua Meng welcomed Nanny Ming, whom all the imperial consorts in the harem sought to flatter.

"Nanny Ming, is it really you who will be teaching me?" Hua Meng went forward herself and took Nanny Ming's hand, stopping her from paying her respects before continuing, "But seeing that it's you, I'm relieved. I was worried that the teacher who came would be too strict and that I wouldn't be used to it."

Hua Meng had no intention of putting on airs before Nanny Ming. She affectionately took her hand and led her inside. Only after entering the room did she wave Ling Cui and the others forward to pay their respects to Nanny Ming.

"Ling Cui, Nanny Ming is the teacher I, your mistress, specially asked the emperor to invite. From now on, serve Nanny Ming well on my behalf. Do you understand?"

As soon as Hua Meng finished speaking, Ling Cui stepped forward and respectfully greeted Nanny Ming.

Nanny Ming was very familiar with the palace maids and nannies around Hua Meng. Thinking that Hua Meng would hold an exalted status in the future and that these people would not be enough, she said in passing, "Since Your Highness trusts this old servant, I will train a few capable palace maids for you in my spare time." With that, Nanny Ming beckoned Ling Cui over and looked her up and down carefully before continuing, "Ling Cui is a loyal one. Once this old servant has given her proper training, she will surely be of use to Your Highness in the future."

Nanny Ming knew nothing of Hua Meng's plans for Ling Cui, so naturally she intended to teach her well and make her into another version of herself.

Hua Meng did not explain either. She smiled and teased Ling Cui a little, then had her accompany Nanny Ming to rest for a while. Once Hua Meng woke from her afternoon nap, she would begin learning how to manage palace affairs.

Hua Meng had learned household management at home, but at the time she was going to marry Zhang Jinghong.

Not only was Zhang Jinghong the youngest son of the Zhang family, but the two families were also neighbors. Lu Shi thought that Hua Meng probably would not be in charge of the household herself after marrying.

Moreover, Lu Shi herself had been raised and taught by a merchant's daughter, so there were many things that daughters of prominent families had to learn that she did not know either.

Only later, when several of Hua Meng's older brothers married one after another and brought home wives from official families, did her sisters-in-law teach her a few other things.

As for Hua Meng entering the palace through the selection this year, she had done so through the Empress Dowager, thanks to Lin Ming's wife, the Empress Dowager's own younger sister. She had not spent two months in the palace learning rules and etiquette from the nannies as the other candidates had.

Although Lin Ming had asked his wife to teach Hua Meng for a few days so she could enter the palace, time had been short, and she had not learned much.

Now that she was determined to improve herself, both Emperor Jing'an and the Empress Dowager were willing to give her the opportunity.

Even Lin Ming, outside the palace, was so delighted when he heard the news that he said "Mengmeng is clever" three times in a row.

Whether she was clever or not, Hua Meng did not know. But ever since Nanny Ming had come to her side, she could clearly feel that Ling Cui and Jiang Chan, and even Qiu Die, had changed a great deal.

By the time Consort Wan moved out of Sparrow Plume Palace and Commandery Princess Shouning entered the palace, Hua Meng herself had also changed noticeably.

Seeing Jiang Chan approach with a tray, Hua Meng said, "Sister Consort Wan is bringing Shouning over to play today. Remember to make a few kinds of pastries that children of two or three like to eat."

"Yes, this servant will go and prepare them shortly." Jiang Chan set down Hua Meng's extra snack for the day, then looked at her and said, "Your Highness, by my reckoning, you are nearly two and a half months pregnant. Shall this servant take your pulse later?"

Although Hua Meng did not know why Jiang Chan had suddenly made the request, she nodded and agreed.

She did not wait until later, however. Instead, she immediately said to Jiang Chan, "I'm not hungry at the moment. Take my pulse first."

As soon as Hua Meng spoke, Jiang Chan was about to urge her to eat the pastries first, but then she remembered what Nanny Ming had taught her over the past few days.

Do not question your mistress's decisions.

After those words flashed through her mind, Jiang Chan answered softly, "Yes." She then stepped forward and motioned for Hua Meng to raise her hand.

Hua Meng did not think anything could be wrong with her body. She had the Spirit Spring at her disposal, and even if something really was wrong, she could take some Spirit Spring water in time.

Before, she might have anxiously asked Jiang Chan why she wanted to take her pulse, but after Nanny Ming's instruction, she no longer asked such questions of her own accord.

After carefully taking Hua Meng's pulse at both wrists, Jiang Chan looked at her and said, "Your Highness, there have been some rumors outside the palace lately. This servant happened to hear them when I went to see my two daughters a few days ago."

Jiang Chan did not know whether Hua Meng had heard about it, but when she had left the palace to see her daughters that day, whether by coincidence or someone's design, she had overheard a few remarks about Hua Meng.

She had thought it over carefully for the past few days and ultimately decided to tell Hua Meng.

Hua Meng had not expected that Jiang Chan's offer to take her pulse really did mean something was the matter.

She did not speak, but raised her eyes and fixed them on Jiang Chan, signaling her to continue.

Having decided to tell Hua Meng about it, Jiang Chan held nothing back and told her everything she had heard.

"There are rumors outside that your brothers in your maiden family have twins, and that both your brother and sister have also had twins. If you are carrying twins this time, which one will inherit the throne?"

Hearing Jiang Chan's words, Hua Meng froze.

She had considered many possibilities, but had never imagined that this would be the rumor.

Hua Meng instinctively wanted to speak, but then she remembered Nanny Ming's words.

Do not panic when something happens. Think things through.

After taking a deep breath, Hua Meng looked at Jiang Chan and said, "Who did you hear this from?"

"That day, when I went to the outer gate to see my family, a palace maid's parents had come from Tong County. They said they had heard about it as soon as they entered the capital. The peasant woman even laughed and asked the maid whether the emperor had two thrones to divide between two sons. The maid was badly frightened by what her mother said and spent a long time persuading her before her mother promised not to talk about it when she went home."

Hua Meng listened quietly to Jiang Chan. When she had finished, Hua Meng nodded and said, "Do not spread this for now. I will go and find the emperor." As she spoke, Hua Meng rose to go outside.

Seeing Hua Meng get up with some urgency, Jiang Chan hurriedly reached out to stop her. "Your Highness, please don't be hasty." As soon as she said it, Jiang Chan did not dare pause and immediately continued, "I just took Your Highness's pulse. Although my medical skills are not as good as my older brother's, I am seventy percent certain that you are carrying only one child."

That was why Jiang Chan had not mentioned the matter as soon as she arrived, but had taken Hua Meng's pulse first.

If she had really detected two slippery pulses, she would not have told Hua Meng about it, but would have found a way to inform Nanny Ming first.

Nanny Ming had taught her, however, that although she was not one of the palace's ordinary nannies, she was still serving Consort Jing and was therefore a servant, with only one mistress.

But Jiang Chan had also been worried that if Hua Meng learned she was carrying two children, she would worry too much.

That was why she had spoken only after confirming that Hua Meng was carrying just one child.

When Hua Meng heard Jiang Chan say there was a seventy percent chance she was carrying only one child, she could not help breathing a sigh of relief. "I was too hasty." After saying that, she continued, "But I still need to tell the emperor about this."

She could not shake the feeling that this was no simple rumor.