The Cheng Prince’s gaze immediately fell on the princess consort’s abdomen. Today, she was wearing a loose, embroidered gown. The flowing upper garment perfectly concealed her figure. Given that it was still early in her pregnancy, she moved as usual, and no one had noticed anything amiss when she arrived.
But now, with Momo Jiang’s words hanging in the air, the prince noticed the slight swell beneath her clothing. She seemed thinner overall, her once-slender wrist now hanging loosely within her bangle.
“Yue-niang, you’re pregnant?”
“The princess consort is four months along. It was discovered shortly after she left the manor.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” The Cheng Prince’s joy was uncontainable.
The princess consort frowned and shot a glance at Momo Jiang. She hadn’t yet decided how to deal with Xie Tianyu or the unresolved matters of the past. She hadn’t intended to reveal her pregnancy so soon, hoping to keep it a secret a little longer. But Momo Jiang had spilled the truth.
Looking at the prince’s elated expression, she said bluntly, “This child is my business. Why would I tell you?”
“Yue-niang…”
“Your Highness!” she interrupted him sharply. “I’m tired. I’d like to rest now. Whatever you want to say, we can discuss it later.”
Seeing her displeased expression and clear fatigue in her brows, the prince swallowed his honeyed words. Reluctantly, he backed down. “Of course, you must be tired. Rest well. I’ll accompany you back to your quarters.”
“That’s unnecessary.” The princess consort’s tone was icy. “I came back to care for Mother Dowager. As for the matters between you and me, they remain unresolved. I won’t return to the main residence for now. Have someone prepare the Xiyue Pavilion; I’ll stay there.”
“Yue-niang—”
“If you’re unwilling, I’ll go back to Jiyun Alley right now and make the daily trip back and forth to the manor. It’s no trouble to me.”
Her words silenced any protest he might have made.
The Cheng Prince knew her temperament too well. If he forced the issue, she would undoubtedly act on her threat and leave the manor again.
Though her coldness infuriated him, he reassured himself: She’s back, and she’s carrying our child. As long as she stays, I’ll win her back eventually. There’s no need to rush.
With this thought in mind, the prince adopted an expression of sorrow, lowering his head. “Do you despise me so much?”
After a pause, he added, his eyes turning red, “If you truly don’t wish to see me, so be it. But don’t stay in the Xiyue Pavilion—it’s too cold for someone in your condition. Stay in the main residence. I’ll sleep in the study.”
“Father!” Xie Yin protested, distressed.
The Cheng Prince waved him off. “Your mother doesn’t wish to see me. I won’t force her. As long as she’s back, that’s enough.”
His affectionate demeanor made the princess consort seem all the more unfeeling.
Xie Yin’s heart ached for his father. He knew how proud his father was as a prince of the realm. Yet, in front of his mother, he always conceded. Resentment began to stir within Xie Yin, thinking his mother, like Song Tangning, enjoyed making mountains out of molehills.
His father had already apologized and shown remorse. Why couldn’t she let it go?
“Mother…”
Xie Yin opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the old steward, who approached hastily.
“Your Highness, the dowager isn’t doing well.”
The Cheng Prince’s expression changed. “What happened to Mother Dowager?”
“She’s been restless and keeps asking for the princess consort. She even coughed up blood just now.”
The princess consort frowned. The dowager had often fallen ill in the past, usually using her health as an excuse to find fault with her. She had assumed Xie Yin’s letters about the dowager’s critical condition were merely a ploy to lure her back. But now, the mention of blood gave her pause.
Was the dowager truly this ill?
The Cheng Prince, hearing the news, abandoned his quarrel with the princess consort and hurried toward the dowager’s quarters, with the princess consort and Xie Yin following close behind.
Momo Jiang, noticing her mistress’s urgency, quickly supported her. “Please slow down, Princess Consort. Be mindful of your condition.”
The princess consort glanced at her. “Didn’t I tell you not to mention my pregnancy for now?”
Momo Jiang lowered her voice apologetically. “It was my mistake. I was worried when I saw His Highness so agitated and reaching toward you. I feared he might hurt you or the baby. Miss Qin said your pregnancy is unstable, and your body is still weak. You can’t afford any strain.”
The princess consort, though displeased, didn’t dwell on it. She believed Momo Jiang’s concern to be genuine. “I had hoped to keep it a secret for a few more days…”
“It was my fault for acting without your permission.”
“It’s fine.”
The princess consort trusted Momo Jiang implicitly. Seeing the guilt on her face, she even reassured her, “Don’t overthink it. I know you mean well. Besides, this couldn’t have been hidden for long. It’s no big deal.”
Momo Jiang, heart heavy with guilt, avoided her mistress’s gaze, her expression faltering.
Trailing behind them, Lingyin’s eyes were cold as they lingered on Momo Jiang’s back.
So, she’s the problem. The lady wasn’t wrong to suspect her.
Lingyin exchanged a glance with another maid, who nodded subtly before Lingyin quickened her pace to stay close to the princess consort. She kept both her mistress and Momo Jiang within her watchful guard.
The dowager’s quarters were crowded with servants, who parted to make way as the Cheng Prince and the others arrived.
As the princess consort entered, the thick scent of bitter medicine and blood hit her nose. Her face turned pale, and her stomach churned. Her knees wobbled.
“Princess Consort, are you alright?”
Lingyin stepped forward to support her and discreetly pulled out a sachet. “This was prepared by Miss Qin. If you feel unwell, take a sniff. It contains herbs and dried fruit, safe for your condition.”
As she spoke, Lingyin pressed a spot near the princess consort’s palm. “Miss Qin taught me this. It helps with dizziness and nausea.”
The faint pain in her wrist jolted the princess consort, but it eased her discomfort. The sachet’s gentle scent washed away the oppressive odors, and she managed to steady herself. Taking the sachet, she whispered, “Thank you.”
Lingyin nodded, releasing her once she regained her composure.
Near the dowager’s bed, two doctors were working hurriedly, administering acupuncture. Bloodstains marred the bedding, and the dowager herself looked like a withering flower, her face drained of life.
The Cheng Prince stepped forward. “How is the dowager?”
The doctors exchanged uneasy glances. One was a royal physician, the other the manor’s in-house doctor. Both knew the dowager’s condition was dire—likely only a few days remained. Yet neither dared to speak the truth.
The princess consort understood their hesitation. Seeing the prince’s darkened expression as he dismissed them, she approached the bed. The dowager’s eyes fluttered open, faintly lit with recognition when they fell on her.
“Mother Dowager.”
“Why… did you come back?”
The dowager’s words ended in a fit of violent coughing.
The princess consort, used to her cold words, assumed this was another reproach for leaving the manor. Supporting her gently, she said, “I came back to see you. Please don’t upset yourself. Rest well—if you want to scold me, wait until you’re better.”
Her voice softened.
“You’ve always been so full of energy. Don’t let this illness defeat you. Once you recover, I’ll bring my little one to play with you.”
The dowager’s hand, which had been gripping hers tightly, suddenly released. Her expression shifted, and disbelief clouded her face.
“You…”
“I’m pregnant. Four months along. You’ve often complained about the lack of children in this household. Here’s one more for you to dote on, so you’d better get well.”
The princess consort’s words were meant to comfort, but they struck the dowager like a thunderclap.
Pregnant? Now?
Her gaze dropped to the faint swell of the princess consort’s belly. The revelation silenced her, and her murky eyes brimmed with turmoil.
That child—her grandchild—was the only continuation of Rong Yue’s bloodline.
If Rong Yue discovered the truth, would she keep this baby?
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You can read ahead to chapterr 234 (100+ extra chapters) here
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