Little Palace Maid Desires a Higher Seat of Honor - Chapter 113

Chapter 113: “He’s also saying he likes you.”

When Yun Si woke, it was already near noon.

Her slender brows knit faintly, her eyelids fluttered open, and her mind gradually returned to clarity. The memories of last night surged back, along with the lingering pain.
She could not help but shiver all over.

A moment later, the woman abruptly sat up. She reached for her lower abdomen, her face pale as paper, anxiety and unease filling her brows and eyes. Her belly was still flat as before, no different from usual.

But the pain from last night had been seared into her bones, leaving her body rigid where she sat. With her head bowed, she curled up inside the bed curtains, not daring to ask for the outcome.

Suddenly, the curtains were lifted. Someone approached her. She only trembled slightly, not raising her head. The newcomer took her hand, voice rough with the hoarseness of one who had not slept.

“Does it still hurt?”

Yun Si’s lips quivered. Her mind was blank, and she could not stop herself from wondering, what did those words mean?

Why was his voice hoarse?
Had he not slept the whole night?

Was she…

Tan Yuanchu lowered his gaze to look at her. She was clutching the brocade quilt so tightly her fingertips had gone pale. Curled in on herself, she seemed to be trying to hide away, to escape reality.

Her whole body was trembling slightly.

Tan Yuanchu’s expression changed. He pulled her into his arms, looking her over from head to toe.

“Where does it still hurt?”

Before she could answer, Tan Yuanchu turned his head and called out toward the outside “Xu Shunfu, summon the imperial physician!”

The moment he drew close, her body went rigid. Her hands, which had been gripping the quilt, shifted to clutch tightly at his sleeve.

Shaking, her voice came with the faintest sob.
“Am I…?”

The knuckles of the hand guarding her belly had turned white.

Tan Yuanchu suddenly understood what she was asking. One arm tightened around her waist, and the rapid beat of his heart gradually steadied. Lowering his eyes, he softly reassured her,

“No.”

He repeated over and over: “You’re fine. The child in your belly is safe and sound.”

The words reached her ears, and Yun Si froze. She lifted her tear-filled almond eyes to him in disbelief, still seeking confirmation:

“Really?”

“Really.”

The tears in her eyes fell of their own accord, fast and fierce, spattering onto the back of Tan Yuanchu’s hand, cool against his skin. The darkness in his gaze deepened. She suddenly tightened her grip on his sleeve, pressing down her emotions to ask,

“You didn’t lie to me?”

Tan Yuanchu gently brushed aside the loose strands of hair clinging to her cheek, his tone earnest.

“No.”

He would not let her keep doubting, and told her in a voice that brooked no argument. “Yun Si, when have I ever lied to you?”

The trembling woman in his arms finally grew quiet. After a moment, she suddenly broke into sobs, crying so hard she could barely breathe, her tears falling in a fierce torrent.

By the time Xu Shunfu arrived at the palace hall with Imperial Physician Lin, they could already hear Her Ladyship’s weeping from within.

It was as if she wanted to cry out all her fear and insecurity.

Her whole body was trembling.

Tan Yuanchu held her tighter, lowered his head, and kissed her forehead, murmuring over and over, “It’s all right now, it’s all right.”

He was soothing her, yet it seemed as though he was not only soothing her.

She clung to him as she wept, curling herself up entirely against his chest. All the color had drained from her face. Tan Yuanchu could easily see the fear in her almond eyes. His breathing tightened; the panic and pain from last night began to surge in his chest once more.

Yun Si gripped the front of his robe, crying with a choked voice,

“Your Majesty… it hurt so much… so, so much… I… I almost thought I was going to die…”

Her words came in broken fragments, broken up by sobs.

“I thought… I’d never see you again…”

“…I was calling for you… I kept calling for you… but you didn’t answer me…”

All she could remember was that he had been by her side; she had called his name again and again, for what felt like a long, long time, yet no one had answered her. She had only thought she would die from the pain.

Her tears fell in heavy drops, soaking through Tan Yuanchu’s robes. Her almond eyes glistened with tears, her teeth chattering as she cried, head tilted up to look at him, as if demanding an answer.

It was as though something had seeped into his heart through his blood, making the soft flesh there ache with an indescribable pain.

She said she had kept calling for him, yet had received no reply.

Tan Yuanchu could not explain to her, that the moment she had called him, he had answered her. She simply did not remember. All he could tell her was, “I wouldn’t.”

He lowered his head, his voice even, giving no one any hint of how earnest he was.

“I would never ignore you.”

Yun Si’s nose stung with the ache, and a rush of heat slid from the corner of her eyes. She buried herself deep in his embrace, and after a long while, her nose gave away the faintest whimper.

“You don’t know how scared I was…”

Afraid she would never wake up, and afraid of waking.

Afraid the outcome would be beyond saving.

Tan Yuanchu’s eyes darkened slightly, emotions surging endlessly in his chest, his throat tightening with a stifling ache.

She had been afraid in her dream.

And the one outside her dream, hadn’t he been the same?

Her crying had brought a sheen of sweat; her neck was warm and damp, her cheeks flushed with a fragile redness, her thin body pressed against him as if on the verge of breaking.

Tan Yuanchu wiped the feverish sweat from her forehead, his fingertips sliding over her cheek. She seemed to sense it, and her almond eyes still held a trace of moisture as she tilted her head slightly. His fingertips brushed past the corners of her eyes and brows; their gazes met, and without knowing who moved first, their lips suddenly met.

Her lips were hot, her tongue was hot, and her breath was hotter still, as if it might scorch him.

Yun Si clutched his sleeve, her arms crossing over his shoulders to clasp the back of his neck tightly. She had cried herself almost breathless, her breathing unsteady.

Her breath was stolen from her, yet her emotions slowly began to settle.

He kissed her with an almost fierce intensity, tangling endlessly with her tongue, stealing the moisture from her mouth, making her whole body tremble along with her breath.

Perhaps because the sound of her crying was gone, there came a knock from outside the hall.

Xu Shunfu’s tentative voice followed, “Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Lin has arrived. Shall I have him come in now?”

Inside, there seemed to be a heat between them. Neither spoke.

Time seemed to stretch unbearably long.

Her legs went weak, her hands went weak, her whole body went weak, collapsing into his arms.

He held her waist with one arm, aware of her weak and helpless reaction. Their breathing was heavy, but he released her, lips parting just enough to allow a moment to breathe. He pressed soft, soothing kisses to the corners of her mouth, their entwined posture gradually easing into calmer breaths. His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a faint tension.

“A’Si, your body hasn’t recovered yet.”

The woman’s almond eyes trembled open slightly. She buried her face without speaking, leaving only the faint sound of her breathing.

After a long while, Tan Yuanchu’s deep voice finally sounded, “Come in.”

Xu Shunfu had waited quite a while before finally hearing a response. He quickly entered with Imperial Physician Lin. Inside the hall, everything seemed perfectly normal, Her Ladyship’s face buried in His Majesty’s neck, her body trembling slightly, perhaps the lingering aftermath of crying. His Majesty’s arm was around her, guarding her securely.

As Xu Shunfu lowered his head, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention, and his body froze abruptly.

Gathering his courage, he glanced up again, his eyes quickly sweeping over His Majesty’s lips. His Majesty’s gaze was cool, but his lips held a faint flush of red.

Only then did Xu Shunfu realize the atmosphere in the hall was subtly different, heavy, with an undercurrent of something unspoken and warm.

He hastily lowered his head again, unable to suppress his shock.

Her Ladyship was still with child!

Imperial Physician Lin kept his eyes down, his expression neutral as if he had noticed nothing, and dutifully took Her Ladyship Xi Xiurong’s pulse. His gaze did not dare wander. After a moment, he released her wrist and respectfully said,

“Her Ladyship’s condition has stabilized, but the fetus has been disturbed. During the period of recuperation, Her Ladyship must avoid emotional agitation, as well as any excessive exertion. It would be best for her to remain in bed for some time.”

It was as though he had said nothing, yet as though he had said everything.

Yun Si’s reason had already returned. She did not lift her head, but she could not help tightening her grip on Tan Yuanchu’s sleeve.

Tan Yuanchu held her hand, as if not hearing the underlying meaning in the physician’s words, and calmly asked, “What else must be taken care of?”

Imperial Physician Lin hesitated briefly before replying, “Avoid contact with cold or damp things. As for what she eats or uses, it would be best to observe all necessary restrictions.”

Tan Yuanchu lifted his gaze, his tone cool but brooking no refusal.

“From now on, you are to devote yourself entirely to caring for Xi Xiurong’s pregnancy. Spare no expense on nourishing medicines. I want Xi Xiurong and the child in her belly to be safe and sound. Do you understand what I mean?”

Imperial Physician Lin understood, this meant that in the future, he would not be going to other palaces to check ‘peace pulses’; he was to focus solely on Xi Xiurong.

His medical skill was renowned, and the imperial concubines frequently summoned him for diagnosis. This was the first time His Majesty had given him such an order.

Not daring to delay, he bowed respectfully and replied, “This subject understands.”

He cast a discreet glance at Xi Xiurong, understanding well that until the child was born, he and Her Ladyship Xi Xiurong were bound to the same boat.

If anything happened to the child during her pregnancy, he would not escape responsibility.

From today onward, he would have to give his utmost to safeguard the imperial heir in her womb.

When Qiu Yuan learned Her Ladyship had awakened, she hurried in carrying a bowl of medicine to calm the fetus. Yun Si glanced at her, noticing her eyes were red, but her expression remained relatively composed. Yun Si understood something in her heart and did not ask Tan Yuanchu about the culprit.

But her silence did not mean others had no desire to speak.

Tan Yuanchu took the bowl himself and fed her the medicine. After a long wait, when she still had not asked, he lifted his gaze and asked,

“You have nothing you wish to ask me?”

Yun Si paused. As she drank the medicine, her brows knit faintly. At his words, she did not lift her head, but the beauty of her usual features was shadowed by a trace of illness.

Her voice was soft. “If Your Majesty cherishes this concubine, naturally you will stand up for me.”

“If Your Majesty is unwilling to stand up for this concubine, then even if I were to ask, it would only serve to make you annoyed with me.”

Her voice was soft, neither angry nor petulant, truly well-behaved and compliant.

The silver spoon clinked crisply against the side of the bowl.
Tan Yuanchu scooped up a spoonful of medicine and brought it to her lips. Yun Si frowned faintly, listlessly swallowing it down.

At her words, Tan Yuanchu only gave her a casual glance, as if nothing were amiss.

For someone who always bore grudges to say something so magnanimous, one could not tell who exactly she meant to torment.

He wiped away the trace of medicine at the corner of her lips, lowering his gaze as he said,

“The one who harmed you was Consort De.”

Yun Si’s almond eyes trembled slightly. In truth, she had already suspected this answer, after all, last night she had only gone to Yihe Palace.

Still, she said nothing.

Tan Yuanchu tapped the bowl again, the crisp sound echoing in the hall. Without any hint of emotion, he continued to carefully feed her another spoonful of medicine.

But the medicine in each spoonful grew less and less. Yun Si felt as though, before she could swallow, it was already spreading through her mouth, leaving only astringency on her tongue.

At this rate, she had no idea how long it would take to finish the entire bowl.

After a brief moment of choking it down, she lifted her almond eyes, lightly bit her lip, and, playing along with his intention—asked,

“Then… has Your Majesty stood up for this concubine?”

Tan Yuanchu’s tone did not change, as though nothing had been done. “She has been removed from the Imperial Jade Butterfly register. From now on, she will no longer be Consort De.”

Before she could even inwardly complain about his manner, his words struck her, her almond eyes widening in sudden astonishment.

Had she heard him right?

The Emperor had actually stripped Consort De of her title?

And she was the birth mother of the Crown Prince!

She glanced toward Qiu Yuan, who gave a subtle nod.

Confirming that Tan Yuanchu was not deceiving her, Yun Si’s breath eased slightly.

The spoonfuls of medicine returned to their proper measure, but the bitterness quickly pulled her back to the present. She swallowed with a grimace, then lifted her almond eyes to him. The warm sunlight poured into her gaze, making it glow bright, as though it held only him within. Slowly, she twined her fingers around his, faintly and discreetly.

Before Tan Yuanchu could look up, her voice sounded in the hall,

“Your Majesty, this concubine likes you very much.”

Her tone was joyful, as though speaking the most genuine truth in the world.

Tan Yuanchu’s lips tugged faintly, he thought she was merely being perfunctory.

Suddenly, she took his hand and placed it over her flat belly. Tan Yuanchu froze, lifting his gaze to her. His eyes darkened slightly, yet she seemed not to notice.
Tilting her head, her brows and eyes were exquisitely beautiful, her tone earnest,
“He also says he likes you.”

An indescribable tremor stirred in Tan Yuanchu’s heart, making his fingertips give the slightest, unnoticeable twitch.

For a moment, he could no longer tell whether her words were true or false.