“Chapter 202: Can’t Hold Up”

"Chapter 202: Can't Hold Up"

"Being a fourth-rank Ji Yu is already a high position. In this palace, reaching the fifth rank is a significant hurdle," He Baolin laughed. "Let alone the fifth rank for us, even being promoted to the seventh rank would be fortunate."

Meng Baolin smiled, "Look at you, it'll happen eventually."

Yu Yuyu nodded, thinking to herself how He Baolin's words seemed... lacking.

What exactly is missing?

Meng Baolin is pregnant, isn't this a lifetime achievement for her?

If you're saying even reaching a seventh rank is difficult... are you suggesting she can't bear children?

Yu Yuyu thought, living with her is just unbearable.

On the other side, Yun Li suddenly asked softly, "Do any of you know how the late Empress Dowager gave birth back in the day?"

Zhi Fu and Zhu Yu, of course, didn't know due to their young age.

However, Zhu Ding said, "I heard a few words from the managing eunuch, who served during the previous emperor's reign. They had seen it all."

"It's said that the Empress Dowager had great looks but wasn't considered a stunning beauty."

"Her demeanor was too gentle. Initially, she was a palace maid by the Empress's side, so her status wasn't high. Plus, with the Empress at that time being a successor and the harem having many older concubines and princes, she... had a hard time."

"Later, the successor Empress gave birth to a prince, and the Empress Dowager had a princess but passed away soon after. It's said that the Empress Dowager was not favored, and by her death, she was just a Ji Yu. It was only later that the Empress petitioned for her to be posthumously honored as the Empress Dowager."

After Zhu Ding finished, he thought for a moment and added, "The Empress Dowager... had it tough, coming from a humble background with an untraceable family. The people serving her were all from the Empress's side. She lived in the Phoenix Pavilion upon entering the palace and died there without ever having her own palace, hence she lacked close confidantes."

Yun Li nodded.

She smiled to herself, thinking everyone around her was a cunning fox.

How could they not know the true identity of the Empress Dowager?

It seems they've figured it all out.

"So that's how it is."

It turns out the Empress Dowager must have been better looking than He Baolin. After all, the Emperor's looks are quite appealing.

Those sword-like eyebrows, those eyes.

They're vastly different from the Empress Dowager. Not a hint of resemblance.

However, the Seventh Princess turned out not particularly beautiful, somewhat mediocre.

Some nieces do surpass their aunts in looks, like Ning Xiuyuan, who is far more attractive than the Empress Dowager.

But some nieces clearly fall short, like He Baolin, truly... mediocre.

"Let's head back," Yun Li stood up.

"Ah, take it easy, Ji Yu," Zhi Fu came to assist her.

Yun Li laughed it off, saying no need, so they escorted her from behind.

Walking back from the Imperial Garden is somewhat of a distance, but she was used to it by now.

Just got back and heard about the Emperor visiting the Imperial Garden.

Yun Li chuckled: "They must have gotten their wish."

But it seems they missed each other; anyway, He Jingxin had his own stroll in the garden before heading to Chaoyang Palace.

Of course, it was still morning then, going there was just for lunch. In the afternoon, the Emperor returned to Zhengyang Palace, probably had other matters to attend to.

That night, an incident occurred.

In Yue Xian Pavilion, Meng Baolin had just finished her dinner when she started experiencing stomach pains.

In a rush, they called for the imperial physician. By the time he arrived, she had already spotted blood.

Although she hadn't miscarried, the situation was not good.

The physician only mentioned it was due to overexertion.

The Empress and others arrived, but the Emperor did not.

The Empress, with a grim expression, said, "Knowing you're less than three months pregnant, you should have rested well. What were you doing in the Imperial Garden, walking that far?"

Meng Baolin cried, "I admit my mistake. I saw Consort Yun there too... and she's pregnant as well..."

At this moment, Yun Li was not present.

However, Ning Xiuyuan spoke on her behalf, "Consort Yun's pregnancy is already five months along, how can you compare? Your pregnancy is still unstable, and you've brought this upon yourself by walking too much."

The Empress added, "If you do not take care in the future, there's nothing more I can say."

"Yes, I understand. I will be careful in the future."

The Empress stood up, "That's good. Rest well, you need not come for the morning greetings these next few days."

The Empress was also annoyed by this mess and couldn't be bothered with her anymore.

Being pregnant and still not staying put, if she lost the baby, she'd only have herself to blame.

Yun Li only learned about Meng Baolin's situation the next morning during the greeting.

She found it amusing to herself, "So, it seems I've set a bad example?"

Consort An scoffed, "There are even pregnant women who ride horses and shoot arrows. Should she follow that example too?"

Ultimately, no one could really fault Yun Li for this matter; it all just ended in laughter.

Yet, everyone wondered, what's with these members of the Meng family entering the harem?

The first acted foolishly and lost her life, and this one doesn’t seem any wiser.

Conversely, Zhao Yufei, also pregnant, was evidently much more low-key.

In the morning, Zhu Ding entered, "Consort."

"What is it?" Yun Li asked.

Zhu Ding reported, "Consort, today, I heard that the court discussed the establishment of the Crown Prince."

"Oh? Which prince was proposed?" Yun Li inquired.

"Consort, it was the Fourth Prince. After all, the outside world isn’t fully aware of the Fourth Prince's frail health. He is, after all, the legitimate son," Zhu Ding explained.

"However, the Emperor dismissed the suggestion, stating that the Fourth Prince is too young to bear such a responsibility, and that it should be revisited in a few years."

Yun Li nodded, "The Fourth Prince’s health is such that he might not be able to bear it in the future, right?"

"Yes, I've inquired with the imperial physicians. Though they dare not say it outright, their indirect comments confirm this. If the Fourth Prince can grow up safely, that would be fortunate. But even if he does, longevity might be difficult to achieve. He’s not a candidate to inherit the throne. Currently, the Fourth Prince’s internal health is poor; he can't withstand the heat of summer or the cold of winter. Whatever he eats, he struggles to digest."

Yun Li sighed, "The child is indeed pitiable."

"Currently, Consort Lan’s Third Prince is healthy and robust. I heard that during a visit to the Imperial Garden, he even pushed the Second Prince, showing he has strength," Zhu Yu added.

The Second Prince is actually a few months older than the Third Prince.

Yun Li hummed, "The mention of this now is just testing the waters. The real struggle has yet to begin."

With Ning Xiuyuan holding the healthy Fifth Prince, would the Lin family not compete?

But if the legitimate son is frail and the Empress does not bear another, it seems we might have to wait until the princes are a few years older, perhaps past ten.

It was a matter of seeing who was wise and who was foolish, or whom the Emperor favored more.

Without a legitimate son to succeed, the princes born out of wedlock were bound to fiercely compete. Didn't the previous emperor acquiesce to Empress Lin's child substitution because the infighting among the illegitimate princes was too severe?

But it seems, He Jin Li has not escaped these troubles either.

He does have a legitimate son, unfortunately, the son is not capable of standing on his own.

Such is fate.