Chapter 066

Chapter 066

The maids and eunuchs were in a flurry, fetching spittoons, basins, and towels.

The two children, also startled by their mother's condition, were just coming to their senses.

"What happened to Mom?" they asked.

"It's nothing, I just ate too much and felt uncomfortable, but I'm fine now," Chu Yin quickly fabricated an excuse to reassure the children, then urged Lu Jingzhuo, "Your Majesty, please wash your hands."

He was probably a bit upset about the vomiting, given his background as a prince used to cleanliness.

While washing his hands, Lu Jingzhuo asked, "How many times have you vomited?"

"Not too many times, it's actually better compared to when I was in Qingzhou."

He hadn't known that pregnancy could cause vomiting.

"Are there any other discomforts?"

"No."

Lu Jingzhuo's gaze flickered with suspicion, suspecting Chu Yin was hiding something.

They had seen each other in recent days, yet Chu Yin hadn't mentioned feeling tired or vomiting. He wondered if she refrained from speaking up to avoid troubling him.

Compared to his days as the Crown Prince, he might not have as much free time now, but he was not too busy to listen to her troubles.

"From now on, if you feel any discomfort, send someone to inform me immediately," he glanced at her still-flat belly, "This child, I suspect, will cause more trouble in the future."

Chu Yin almost laughed.

How did he come up with that phrase?

"Your Majesty, the child is so small, any trouble they cause won't be significant. I can handle it myself... I don't think it's necessary to bother Your Majesty with such trivial matters."

While she appreciated his concern, Lu Jingzhuo didn’t understand that the process of a child growing in the womb can lead to various discomforts. Was she supposed to report every little detail to him? That didn't seem right.

Would that even befit an Empress? She was fully capable of managing on her own.

Surprised at being dismissed, Lu Jingzhuo raised his eyebrows slightly: "You consider what just happened a trivial matter?"

She had vomited right in front of him.

"I vomited when carrying Zhu'er and Zhen'er too. It's quite normal and will stop on its own after a while. Your Majesty is just not used to seeing it for the first time."

Her casual way of speaking startled Lu Jingzhuo. What exactly had she endured during those two years in Qingzhou?

He wanted to ask why she hadn't told him, but then realized he had never written to inquire about her well-being.

At that time, he felt no particular affection towards her.

He believed Chu Yin also lacked feelings for him, and that each fulfilling their duties was best.

But what about now?

He offered her the chance to depend on him, to share her grievances, yet she still declined.

She understands the bigger picture, is sensible, and aspires to be a competent Empress.

There's nothing wrong with that. Which man wouldn't want such a wife? He used to be very satisfied with Chu Yin like this, until he experienced her other side and began to grow increasingly greedy.

He yearned for her to cling to him, to be affectionate with him, to have her heart filled only with him...

Lu Jingzhuo put the hand towel back into the basin: "Whether you send someone or not, I will always find out."

Chu Yin: "..."

"Still, I would prefer you to tell me yourself," he lifted her chin, "otherwise, next time you do something like today, I won't speak of the child, but I will punish you."

Chu Yin's lips parted slightly: "...You're going to punish me?"

"Yes."

"How?" She couldn't quite believe he would seriously consider punishing a pregnant wife.

"There are many ways," his gaze swept over her, "Many."

Chu Yin: "..."

He released her and turned to walk away.

Chu Yin lowered her head and touched her belly: "Did you hear what your father said? Next time, try to cause less trouble, or it will be hard on your mother."

But did she really have to report everything to him?

He really didn't seem to mind adding to his workload.

Still, Chu Yin didn't want to be punished by him, especially considering his rather… mischievous look earlier.

"Ren Dong, from now on, if I feel unwell anywhere, send someone to inform His Majesty," she complied with his request.

Yet, after giving the order, she couldn't help but laugh, contrasting his current attentiveness with his previous indifference in Qingzhou.

As an enthroned emperor, Lu Jingzhuo didn't need to observe a lengthy mourning period. After 27 days, he ended his mourning, and on that day, he posthumously honored his birth mother Jiang Zhi as Empress Dowager, and Consorts Shu and Hui as Imperial Consorts. Chu Yin, being junior, had to wait until next year for her official coronation as Empress. Meanwhile, her father was promoted to Minister of Revenue, replacing Minister Ding, who was old and frequently fell ill.

From then on, Empress Dowager Jiang moved to Cining Palace, while Consorts Shu and Hui were relocated to nearby Ci'an Palace. Other concubines without children were dismissed from the palace by Lu Jingzhuo.

"Kunning Palace will be vacant for a while. See if there's anything that needs repairing or if you dislike any decorations. It's a good opportunity to rearrange it to your liking," Empress Dowager Jiang suggested to Chu Yin, "You'll be living there for a long time."

However, in her previous life, she hadn’t even lived there for a full year.

Chu Yin responded, "Your Majesty, your taste is excellent. I find nothing that needs changing."

Empress Dowager Jiang laughed: "Such sweet talk, but don’t hesitate to make changes for your comfort." She then asked, "I heard from Mdm. Chen that your appetite isn't good? No wonder you haven’t gained weight. When I was pregnant with Jingzhuo, I had gained at least three or four jin by this time."

"It was the same when I was pregnant with Zhu'er and Zhen'er, but it wasn’t severe and got better after half a month." With her experience and regular check-ups from Physician Liu, she wasn't overly concerned.

Seeing Chu Yin's composure, Empress Dowager Jiang didn’t press further.

Unlike Lu Jingzhuo, who, as the emperor, had already ended his mourning early, Lu Jingchen had to complete the full mourning period. Thus, he and his wife stayed indoors, either spending time in the study, chatting and walking leisurely, or playing toss and chess.

That day, after copying a stele inscription, he returned to the main house, only to find Tang Feiyan embroidering.

It was as if the sun had risen from the west.

Stunned, Lu Jingchen exclaimed, "Why have you started embroidering?"

She had never been skilled at needlework, nor had she needed to be.

Tang Feiyan said, "I asked the embroiderers to teach me."

"Why are you learning this?" he asked.

Her fingers paused, "To gift it to my sister-in-law."

Lu Jingchen was taken aback.

He walked over and took a closer look, finding that it was a baby swaddle. He was even more surprised, "You've never made one for your own child, but you're making it for your sister-in-law's child... And even if that's the case, can your needlework meet her standards?"

Tang Feiyan pursed her lips, "Whether she likes it or not is another matter."

He didn't understand at first, but when he did, his nose suddenly felt sore, and he couldn't help but wrap his arms around her. He opened his mouth to speak but didn't know what to say.

When he embraced her, her sadness overwhelmed her, and tears fell like pearls, "I was wrong. I should have listened to you earlier. If only I hadn't opposed my sister-in-law... I don't know if she still holds a grudge against me!"

Idle thoughts often led to worry, and the more she thought, the more anxious she became. Her husband had always been cautious, never offending Lu Jingzhuo, but she had, offending her sister-in-law several times...

If her sister-in-law harbored resentment, given Lu Jingzhuo's fondness for her, their fate was sealed.

His wife cried like a child, sobbing uncontrollably, and Lu Jingchen took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

"Let's not talk about the past. I don't think my sister-in-law is narrow-minded; otherwise, she wouldn't be concerned about your well-being. Your gesture with the swaddle will definitely convey your sincerity."

"Really?" she picked up the swaddle, "Though I must say, my embroidery is quite good. Look at this lion, it's quite lifelike, isn't it?"

It looked more like a dog than a lion.

But its lack of finesse only proved it was genuinely her work.

Her sister-in-law would surely understand her feelings through it.

Lu Jingchen said, "It's nice. Maybe I should also give a gift to my brother..."

Tang Feiyan frowned, "It's not easy to win over my brother-in-law."

Indeed, compared to Chu Yin, his elder brother was like a man with a heart of iron.

His father had passed away without his brother shedding a tear. Could a mere gift sway him from insisting they accept a fiefdom?

Of course, being granted a fiefdom wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if it was in a barren or border area, life would be extremely tough.

If only he had managed to invoke guilt in his elder brother during his childhood like his younger brother did, he wouldn't have to worry about this.

Gently holding his wife's hand, he rubbed her fingertips, already bearing wounds: "Take your time with the embroidery. Don’t rush. My sister-in-law has only recently become pregnant."

"Mhm," Tang Feiyan put down the needle and thread, snuggling into his embrace, "My eyes are indeed a bit sore."

He kissed her eyelids and looked at her intently, suddenly saying, "It's my fault, Feiyan."

Making her live in fear alongside him, now forcing her to ingratiate herself with Chu Yin.

Hearing his bitter tone, Tang Feiyan quickly said, "If you’re useless, then I'm even more so," she touched her slightly bulging belly, "Since marrying you, I haven't been able to help much, except with this…" She could only give him a child; all other times, it was he who took care of her.

"This is very important too. You must safely deliver our child."

"Okay," she promised her husband, "By the way, I'm still quite healthy. That's a plus, right?"

He nodded and held her tightly.

Frequent updates about Chu Yin came from the Eastern Palace: sometimes she didn't eat breakfast, other times she vomited right after lunch, or her back was a bit sore. Dongling noted everything, waiting for the right moment to inform Lu Jingzhuo.

Usually, it was after he had finished reviewing memorials or meeting with officials, during his rest time.

Lu Jingzhuo, after hearing the reports, pinched his brow, slightly regretting his eagerness for a child.

Chu Yin had been pregnant before and knew what to expect, yet she hadn’t shared anything with him, leaving him clueless.

Already having a pair of children, he wasn’t particularly keen on having more.

After a while, he instructed Dongling, "Ask the kitchen to prepare a dish of chive pastry for her... Make it in the Qingzhou style." Chu Yin loved it as a child and hadn't eaten it for a long time; it should be a pleasant surprise.

Dongling, not quite understanding why his master ordered this dish, hesitated briefly before finding an attendant to relay the instruction.

Chive pastries weren't difficult to make, but getting the "Qingzhou" flavor just right was the challenge.

The royal chefs were at a loss, wondering what exactly constituted the Qingzhou flavor.

"Isn’t chive pastry a common dish everywhere? Why does it vary by region?"

"Yes, but Qingzhou cuisine is known to be on the sweeter side."

"So, should we add more sugar?"

"What if that's not right? Not all dishes from Qingzhou are sweet; I remember some being quite salty."

Racking their brains, the chefs finally prepared four different versions of chive pastry and sent them to the Eastern Palace, suggesting the Empress taste each to find which suited her best.

But the strong chive flavor was overwhelming.

Chu Yin felt nauseous without even tasting it.

Lu Jingzhuo, unaware of this, had sent Dongling to check.

Dongling arrived at the Eastern Palace sweating profusely, only to find Chu Yin covering her mouth.

He stuttered, trying to persuade her, "Your Majesty, please try a little bit of each?"

It was the Emperor’s thoughtful gesture, after all!

Chu Yin couldn’t bring herself to eat it, shaking her head repeatedly, "I can’t."

Dongling: "..."

How was he supposed to report this back?

Before he left, he remembered the Emperor's confident expression, as if certain the Empress would enjoy the meal.