Pregnant?

Wen Leyan was among them as well. At the sight of Consort Shu, she hurried over. "Congratulations, Your Highness, on regaining the authority to assist in managing the six palaces."

Consort Shu curved her lips. Though she thought Wen Leyan a fool, anyone who hated Wen Yunmian enough could be put to use.

Wen Yunmian had deliberately dressed very modestly for the occasion. She knew that meeting Consort Shu today would inevitably mean being subjected to her harassment.

But when she arrived, Noble Lady Wei had arrived too. Dressed in a lotus-pink satin skirt adorned with rosy brocade ribbons, she looked dignified and virtuous, her features full of gracious, gentle smiles. She approached surrounded by attendants, with a far grander entourage than Wen Yunmian's.

Sure enough, she caught Consort Shu's attention.

Wen Yunmian secretly breathed a sigh of relief and stood quietly at the rear.

Everyone in the palace knew that Noble Lady Wei held the greatest favor in the emperor's heart. Even Wen Yunmian, who had enjoyed the most attention upon first entering the palace, could not compare. Noble Lady Wei herself believed this too.

Thus, she accepted all the fawning praise with a smile.

Born into a distinguished family and the Empress's own niece, she naturally carried the refinement of a well-bred young lady in every gesture. Standing among the crowd, she held herself straight, with considerable pride in her bearing.

Upon seeing Wen Yunmian, Noble Lady Wei gave her a faint nod. They were both noble ladies, so neither needed to offer any elaborate courtesy.

What surprised Wen Yunmian, however, was that Consort Shu seemed disinclined to trouble either of them. Perhaps she was exercising some restraint because the emperor had only just released her from confinement.

In any case, Consort Shu merely cast a languid glance at Wen Yunmian and Noble Lady Wei before leading the consorts and concubines into the hall.

The Empress's health had improved somewhat over the past few days. After everyone paid their respects according to protocol, Consort Shu was about to rise and take a seat to one side.

Just then, the Empress said mildly, "The year's end is fast approaching. Though His Majesty has lifted your confinement, Consort Shu, you must still be cautious in your words and actions within the palace. You ought to take what happened last time as a warning."

Consort Shu's expression chilled slightly. "Last time, a wretched maid deliberately slandered me, allowing certain petty villains to have their way. Now that the truth has come to light, what warning need I take?"

Wen Yunmian turned a deaf ear to her words and sat quietly in a corner.

The seats at the front were where the higher-ranking consorts exchanged remarks. It was certainly not her place to interject.

The Empress smiled gently and did not rebut Consort Shu any further.

"I called you all here today to discuss the purchases and arrangements for the year's end..."

Before she could finish, Consort Shu deliberately interrupted. "I have assisted in managing the six palaces for years. Naturally, I will handle the year-end arrangements and affairs. Your Majesty is in poor health, so there is no need to strain your mind and harm your body, nor to discuss these matters with our sisters here. I will see to everything."

Even with her good temper, the Empress could no longer quite maintain her composure.

This was plainly treating her, the Empress, as beneath notice. In the past, she would have let it pass. Burdened with her ailing body, she had lacked the energy to contend with Consort Shu.

But things were different now. Today, she had to stand firm and serve as Noble Lady Wei's backing.

Consort Hui interjected mockingly, "It is true that Your Highness has the authority to assist in managing the six palaces, but the one seated above us is Her Majesty the Empress. Her Majesty looks quite well to me. Why should she not have a hand in this?"

Consort Shu snorted. "You are mistaken, Consort Hui. You have never held the authority to assist in managing the six palaces, nor have you ever been involved in these matters. How would you know how exhausting they are? If anything, you are fortunate-you do nothing but enjoy a life of ease."

"You!" Consort Hui was left choking on her words, her face flushing scarlet as she stared at Consort Shu.

Wen Leyan watched secretly. Consort Shu had only just emerged from the Palace of Prolonged Happiness, yet she already wielded such power. She truly was a mighty tree worth sheltering beneath!

In her previous life, she had never learned how Consort Shu ended up, but surely her fate could not have been too bad.

Before Wen Leyan could seize the chance to flatter her, she heard a faint retch beside her. She turned in astonishment to see Noble Lady Wei pressing a hand to her chest, her handkerchief covering her mouth.

At the sight, Wen Leyan's heart lurched. Could she be pregnant???

Wen Leyan did not know who had been the first to conceive in the palace. By the time Wen Yunmian became pregnant with the second prince, she had already been banished to the cold palace. Could Noble Lady Wei have given birth to the first prince?

Noble Lady Wei's retching also drew everyone else's attention.

Consort Shu raised her brows and fixed Noble Lady Wei with a sinister stare. "Noble Lady Wei, what has come over you all of a sudden?"

A hint of shyness appeared on Noble Lady Wei's elegant face. She gently stroked her chest before raising her eyes bashfully. "I did not mean to spoil everyone's enjoyment. It is just..."

Seeing Noble Lady Wei hesitate, the Empress frowned slightly. She already sensed what Noble Lady Wei was about to say.

Before the Empress could stop her, the maid behind Noble Lady Wei spoke. "Your Highnesses, my mistress felt unwell yesterday, so we specifically summoned an Imperial Physician to examine her. He said that she is already a little over half a month pregnant."

Her words were like an enormous stone hurled into still water, instantly stirring up towering waves and sending spray flying everywhere!

For a moment, an eerie stillness fell over the room.

The Empress had not expected Noble Lady Wei to be so impatient. When she learned of the pregnancy yesterday, she had specifically instructed her that there was no hurry to announce it until three months had passed and the pregnancy was stable.

Yet only a single night had passed, and today she had already rushed to let everyone know.

The Empress sighed, feeling that her niece was still too young and impetuous. Though the family had carefully raised her to be composed and dignified, she still could not shed her childish nature.

Consort Hui was the first to stand. She stared at Noble Lady Wei's belly in astonishment. "You... you are pregnant?"

The emperor had been on the throne for so many years, yet he still had no children-not even a princess. People everywhere suspected that he would leave no heirs.

Yet His Majesty was clearly so vigorous in bed that the consorts and concubines still clung to a sliver of hope. Whoever conceived the first prince would secure a lifetime of glory and riches.

None of them had expected Noble Lady Wei, a newcomer to the palace, to be the first to become pregnant.

Attendant Hui clenched the rose-red handkerchief in her hand and secretly bit her lip.

She had spent all this time currying favor with Noble Lady Wei, thinking that if they grew closer, she might someday be able to trample Noble Lady Wei beneath her feet and use her to climb higher.

But now, the gulf between her and Noble Lady Wei had grown even wider.

She had entered the palace in the same group as Noble Lady Yan and Noble Lady Wei. Why could she not measure up to either of them?

Resentment writhed unchecked in Attendant Hui's heart.

Everyone harbored different thoughts, though most felt astonishment, envy, or hatred.

Quite a few also felt that since Noble Lady Wei could conceive, it proved that there was nothing wrong with the emperor's body. Surely, if they tried a little harder, they too would have a chance to bear a prince.

Only Wen Yunmian observed quietly. She noticed that Consort Shu, the most jealous of them all and the one most concerned with whom the emperor favored and summoned, was unusually calm.

This much calm was not normal.