Pampered Consort's Acting Awards - Chapter 47

As the sky darkened, candles were lit in the Kunning Palace.

The palace maid bent down to light the lamps, casting a warm orange glow that dispersed into the quiet depths of the palace.

Su Ling had just finished bathing and stared blankly at her reflection in the bronze mirror. Fu Ying stood behind her, combing her hair. “Are you thinking about His Majesty, Your Majesty?” Knowing the emperor’s and empress’s deep affection, Fu Ying couldn’t help teasing, “You seem lost in thought.”

Su Ling’s thoughts were exposed, and her cheeks blushed slightly. She was about to deny it when a figure dressed in dark attire entered the hall and stood behind her, meeting her gaze in the mirror.

A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth, clearly indicating that he had heard everything.

Su Ling stood up, turned around, and approached him. She performed a courtesy, saying, “Your Majesty, why didn’t you announce your arrival? I failed to greet you properly.”

Xiao Yu helped her up and replied, “Ah Ling, when it’s just the two of us, there’s no need for such formalities. Whatever was practiced in the palace before, shall be practiced from now on.”

“But how can that be?” Su Ling asked.

Xiao Yu countered, “Why can’t it be?”

The palace attendants glanced at each other and respectfully withdrew from the hall.

Immediately afterward, a pair of large hands skillfully picked her up and put her on the bed. Xiao Yu, who had been frowning for a day, finally relaxed.

He lowered his head to kiss her and reached out to remove the clothes on her chest. Startled, Su Ling covered her chest with her hand. “Wait-”

Xiao Yu pressed her down, his fingertips caressing her slender back, tracing along her spine, stopping at the winding depths. With a smile, he said a little roguishly, “What are we waiting for?”

Su Ling’s eyes were filled with him. Such matters were not resisted by body or mind. But today, it was clear that her heart was elsewhere. She was frequently lost in thought, her breaths stifled. Being so close together, he naturally sensed it.

Xiao Yu nibbled on her neck and said hoarsely, “What’s wrong?”

Su Ling gently pushed him away, a hint of redness in the corners of her eyes.

Xiao Yu rarely saw her with teary eyes and frowned. “Did I hurt you?”

Perhaps everyone has their own preferences in the bedroom, and emperors are no exception. When passion arose, he loved to bite her—her ears, neck, collarbone, and every other part below.

“No,” Su Ling closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest, whispering softly, “Tell me, why can’t I conceive a child?” The recent words of the Empress Dowager filled her with guilt. 

“The days pass by so quickly. It has been more than two years already.”

“His Majesty does treat you differently from others. Aijia had sent a few maids to serve him intimately, hoping to share the burden with you, but he refused.”

“By the way, has the empress’ menstrual cycle been regular lately?”

Two years, it had been exactly two years.

She knew how much he longed for an heir.

The heavier a man’s thoughts, the less they show on his face.

Xiao Yu suddenly bit her shoulder, deliberately deepening his voice as he spoke slowly, “The court is currently in turmoil, with many matters awaiting restoration. I’ve only rested a few nights in the Yangxin Palace, and the Empress is already complaining.”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Su Ling immediately scolded him and gave him a light hit. “Stop biting, it hurts!”

“I believe that’s exactly what you meant,” Xiao Yu replied.

“Listen to me…”

Xiao Yu covered her mouth, lifted her leg, and whispered in her ear, “No need to say anything. I promise you, no matter how late it is, I’ll return to the Kunning Palace.”

Su Ling saw the playful glint in his eyes, and the gloom in her eyes turned into sparks of fire.

“Xiao Yu!”

The emperor’s smile remained undiminished.

Look at that; his empress had such a strong temper that she dared to call him by his name.

The emperor kept his promise for several consecutive days and returned to the Kunning Palace, no matter how late it was. The number of times they called for water in the Kunning Palace increased to the point where Su Ling instinctively moved back whenever she saw him.

Seeing her reaction, Xiao Yu couldn’t help but touch the tip of his nose.

He admitted that he had been a bit excessive with indulging in baths lately. So, they remained chaste for several days, holding hands in the evening at most.

Xiao Yu returned to the Kunning Palace as usual in the evening to have a meal with her. However, Su Ling inexplicably lost her appetite and stopped eating after a few bites.

Xiao Yu looked at the dishes on the table, all of which were her favorites, and asked, “Why are you eating so little?”

Su Ling replied, “I just don’t have much of an appetite.”

Xiao Yu noticed that her face was slightly flushed and couldn’t help but say, “Should I call the imperial physician to have a look?”

Su Ling waved her hand and said, “I’m really fine.”

Xiao Yu insisted, “Let’s just have a quick check-up. The ceremony for your coronation as Empress is coming up in a few days, and it will be tiring.”

At the mention of the coronation ceremony, Su Ling readily nodded in agreement.

Not long after, the Chief Physician of the Imperial Hospital hurriedly arrived.

He placed his hand on the empress’s wrist, and his frown deepened. Su Ling couldn’t help but furrow her brows in sync with him.

The emperor asked in a low voice, “What’s the matter?”

Chief Physician Chang replied, “Your Majesty, may I have another examination?”

It was understandable why the physician was cautious. After all, in the harem, certain things could never be spoken of if there was any uncertainty.

Xiao Yu nodded.

Chief Physician Chang closed his eyes, feeling the pulse under his fingertips becoming more evident. After composing his thoughts, he spoke, “When did Your Majesty the Empress receive the last monthly correspondence?”

Monthly correspondence.

These two words were like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake.

Su Ling’s grip on her hand tightened and loosened, her palms sweaty. She took a deep breath and said, “At the beginning of last month.”

And now it was the end of the month.

“That settles it,” Chief Physician Chang smiled and said, “I congratulate Your Majesty and the Empress. This is the pulse of joy.”

The pulse of joy.

That meant the empress was pregnant.

The palace maids and eunuchs in the Kunning Palace instantly knelt down and said in unison, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations, Empress.”

Su Ling stood there in a daze.

She had been hoping for it, longing for it all along. But now that it had truly happened, she found it unbelievable. It took her a while before she murmured, “Third lang, is it true? Is it really true?”

The emperor rarely showed genuine emotions. His brows and eyes were naturally cold and stern, and no one could guess his inner emotions. But now, as the emperor and empress locked eyes, the corners of the emperor’s mouth couldn’t contain his happiness.

He sat beside her, holding her wrist, and said, “Yes, it’s true.”

The physician and palace maids, well aware of their duties, swiftly exited the hall, closing the doors behind them.

Su Ling looked at Xiao Yu, then at her flat belly, with a foolish expression. Xiao Yu lightly pecked her ear and said, “Is that all the happiness you can show?”

Su Ling nodded and scratched his palm.

She was thrilled.

Xiao Yu reached out and caressed her waist, his gaze becoming intriguing. “Now, I finally don’t have to worry about the Empress’s mood anymore.”

Su Ling’s face turned red from the intensity of his gaze. “When have I ever shown a displeased face to Your Majesty?”

Xiao Yu looked at her and replied with a question, “When do you think?”

Every day, she wanted to speak but held back, almost making the physician examine him as well.

Today, Su Ling was in an excellent mood, so she affectionately kissed his face, making soft sounds that echoed in Xiao Yu’s ear, warming him even more.

That night, Xiao Yu piled up a stack of paperwork in the Yangxin Hall, and in the Kunning Palace, he chatted with the empress all night, discussing trivial matters.

The two of them lay side by side.

Su Ling said, “Your Majesty, guess whether the child in my belly is a prince or a princess.”

Xiao Yu replied, “Either one is fine.”

Su Ling said, “Just pick one.”

Xiao Yu said, “A prince.”

Su Ling asked, “Why not a princess?”

Umm…

Xiao Yu couldn’t help but pinch his nose bridge. “Ah Ling, maybe we should stop.”

Su Ling turned toward him and said, “Then how about we give the child a nickname?”

After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Yu turned his head and looked at her. “How about naming our firstborn son ‘Yun’ with a single character?”

(T/N: The name “Yun” in this context means “carefully selected” or “precious.”)

At that moment, Su Ling seemed to believe his words.

As if there really was a little prince in her belly.

After that day, Xiao Yu seemed even busier.

The Cabinet spent their days calculating and reconciling the deficits of the Yongchang era with the emperor.

Take the expenses of the royal relatives, for example: 70,000 stones of tribute rice, 35,000 guan of currency, 70 pieces of brocade, and separate calculations for each season.

And these were just the basic expenses for the royal relatives, without even considering the rewards given to high-ranking officials and nobles over the years, or the expenses incurred by Emperor Jiexuan in building palaces in various places.

Corruption was rampant in the provinces and counties, with every scion of noble families in the capital donning the black gauze hat and receiving high official salaries regardless of their abilities.

The power of these noble families was pervasive, and a slight disturbance could cause upheaval in the capital.

Xiao Yu felt his throat tightening after tallying the accounts for nearly half a month.

Su Ling, dressed in a trailing pale-colored gown and carrying a food box, approached the entrance of the Yangxin Hall and whispered to Eunuch Sheng, “Have those people left?”

“They have, they have,” Eunuch Sheng replied with a smile. “Please enter, His Majesty is waiting inside…”

Xiao Yu leaned against the purple sandalwood throne inlaid with jade peach blossom patterns, closing his eyes in contemplation. The documents were spread out on the desk, and a gentle breeze brought a rustling sound.

Su Ling walked over, opened the food box, and presented a bowl of lotus seed and silver ear fungus soup, saying, “Your Majesty, have the soup first before attending to the documents.”

When Xiao Yu opened his eyes, they were still tinged with redness. Su Ling looked at him with concern and gently rubbed his eyes, whispering, “No matter how important state affairs are, your health is more important.”

Xiao Yu didn’t say anything, but he held onto her wrist.

As Su Ling was leaving Yangxin Hall, she happened to run into Su Jingbei.

“Dad! What are you doing here?!”

Su Jingbei bowed and said, “I pay my respects…”

Su Ling pushed him lightly and said coquettishly, “Dad, there’s no one else here, so you don’t have to be so formal.”

Su Jingbei straightened up and whispered, “Ah Ling, the emperor actually allowed you to come to Yangxin Hall?”

Su Ling replied confidently, “I came to deliver the lotus seed soup.”

Su Jingbei said, “The imperial harem is not allowed to intervene in politics. You shouldn’t take advantage of being the emperor’s consort and disregard the rules.”

Su Ling impatiently said, “Dad, rest assured, even if those documents were placed right in front of me, I wouldn’t look at them. I know the rules. How many times do I have to say it…”

Su Jingbei scolded her, saying, “Look at you, I just expressed concern and you already got angry.”

Su Ling patted her belly and retorted, “You’ve never shown any concern for my pregnancy.”

Su Jingbei paused momentarily, then smiled and asked, “Are you in good health?”

Su Ling finally smiled and replied, “I’m in good health. Alright, Dad, go in quickly. I’ll go ahead.”

Su Jingbei was about to enter the hall, but then turned back and said, “Ah Ling, the border is restless lately. There might be some military conflicts. Take good care of the child in your belly.”

Su Ling was taken aback and asked, “There… There might be military conflicts?”

“Don’t mind me. Why am I telling you all this,” Su Jingbei chuckled. “Dad has some matters to report. I’ll go in first.”

Su Ling nodded in understanding.

***

After Su Ling became pregnant, a joyous atmosphere permeated the entire Kunning Palace. However, the good times didn’t last long, as rumors started spreading inside and outside the palace.

The rumors directly accused Empress Su of being jealous and intolerant. They claimed she used her maternal family’s influence to exclude even the concubines. Now, with the achievement of carrying a dragon heir, she refused to allow the emperor to expand the harem.

Although these were just a few sentences, the implications were malicious enough. On the surface, it seemed to be in the emperor’s favor, but in demonizing the empress, it also highlighted the incompetence of the emperor.

The new emperor had just ascended the throne and was already under the control of the empress. How could he assert authority over these experienced court officials?

Rumors were like a bursting Yellow River, impossible to stop.

Empress Dowager Chu summoned Su Ling to the Cining Palace to take advantage of the situation.

Empress Dowager Chu sighed and said, “Ah Ling.”

Su Ling bowed and performed a respectful gesture, “Chenqie pays respects to Imperial Mother.”

“You’re already pregnant, why be so formal?” Empress Dowager Chu said, “Come and sit here quickly.”

After Su Ling sat down, Empress Chu glanced at her belly and said, “The emperor told me that you’ve been experiencing severe morning sickness. I have asked the Imperial Kitchen to change the dishes for you. Is it better now?”

Su Ling nodded, “Indeed, it has improved a lot.”

The empress dowager patted Su Ling’s hand and said, “Look at you, you’ve become thin. This mouth of yours has to eat for two people. You should take good care of yourself.”

Empress Dowager Chu knew how to handle people. She engaged in an hour-long casual conversation with Su Ling, just like an ordinary mother-in-law, before getting to the main point.

Eunuch Zhang announced from the entrance, “Reporting to the dowager, Consort Li has arrived.”

Su Ling frowned.

Consort Li? Who is Consort Li?