The Daily Life of a Concubine

Chapter 62 - Shu Fei's Anger

"Your Majesty." Wen Jieyu, despite having her shortcomings exposed, did not get upset. Instead, she shyly glanced at the Emperor, only to quickly lower her head upon meeting his amused gaze.

Lan Guifei followed her gaze and looked behind, her expression almost faltering. Fortunately, the two Momos nearby kept giving her warning looks, urging her to stay calm. She wasn't in a rush to deal with her now.

"Haha, she has a straightforward nature. Guifei, don't be too hard on her. If she lost that trait, wouldn't the palace become much less entertaining?" The Emperor, after all, was quite tolerant of her minor flaws, as long as she didn't harbor improper thoughts. Selfishness, after all, was human nature.

But this time, Lan Guifei couldn't force a smile because the Emperor had pulled both women into his arms. While the Emperor was clearly pleased, the two women in his embrace trembled slightly, finding the situation quite uncomfortable.

Lan Guifei, unable to bear it any longer, gently pushed the Emperor away. "Your Majesty always enjoys teasing people. Since Jieyu has recently discovered she's expecting, why not spend more time with her? I'm feeling a bit tired and would like to rest." She smiled politely at the two people in front of her.

Wen Jieyu immediately clung to the Emperor once Lan Guifei withdrew, making it impossible for him to follow her. The emperor attempted to break free but failed. "Fine then, Guifei, get some good rest. I'll come to visit you later." He then called out to the servant outside. "Defu, escort Lan Guifei back. The weather is hot, make sure to have more ice prepared for her."

With that, Lan Guifei lost her chance to take the Emperor with her and could only leave Qingfeng Pavilion.

As soon as she left, the Emperor playfully pinched Wen Jieyu's nose. "You little troublemaker."

Wen Jieyu wasn't offended. Instead, she buried herself in his embrace, softly calling, "Your Majesty."

Zhao Jinrui, indulging her, held her close. "Since you've just discovered you're with child, make sure to rest well. The Empress is unwell these days, so there's no need for you to attend morning greetings, and you don't need to visit Lan Guifei every day either. Focus on taking care of yourself and give me a healthy son." His voice was tender, filled with care and concern for her.

"I'll do as Your Majesty says," Wen Jieyu responded. She had no desire to make things difficult for herself. This child she had longed for—nothing was more important than that, not even palace politics. Even if the Empress wasn't sick, she would have found an excuse to avoid her duties.

"Your Majesty, I have a small request," Wen Jieyu said as she gently pushed the Emperor away, looking at him with pleading eyes.

The Emperor was slightly taken aback, already guessing her thoughts. "Speak. As long as it's not too much, I'll grant it."

Without disappointing him, Wen Jieyu made her request, just as he had expected—it was something she truly needed. 

"I wish to move to the Qingyi Pavilion next door. Does Your Majesty approve?"

Qingyi Pavilion and Qingfeng Pavilion were in the same direction, both located on the outskirts of Qian Palace. Not only were they close to the Emperor, but they also had a beautiful view and were particularly cool in summer. The only downside was that the courtyards were small, and higher-ranking consorts usually disliked staying there. Though it was close to the Emperor, the cramped quarters were inconvenient for hosting visitors.

"The pavilions there are quite small. Are you sure you want to live there?" The Emperor had guessed she wanted to distance herself from Lan Guifei, but he hadn't expected her to move to such a place.

"It's small, but I don't mind. I mainly want to be closer to Your Majesty. That way, if the child misses his father, he can see you more often."

Her intentions were clear, written all over her face.

Zhao Jinrui couldn't refuse her. "Very well, as long as you don't find it uncomfortable."

"I won't. How could I feel uncomfortable being so close to Your Majesty? I'm thrilled!" Wen Jieyu, delighted with his approval, could hardly contain her excitement. If she hadn't remembered that she was pregnant, she might have jumped up with joy.

Her unrestrained nature made her all the more charming, and the Emperor was momentarily mesmerized.

The imperial harem seemed to be full of pregnant women. Aside from a few consorts without any news, most had conceived. Initially, one would expect the Empress Dowager and others to be the most anxious, but unexpectedly, it was someone else who felt the most desperate.

Shu Fei, with the support of her aunt, believed that having a child would be easy. Yet, she remained the only one without any news.

"Why? Why? What makes those lowly women better than me? Why can they conceive while I can't?" Shu Fei was furious.

Yes, when she learned that almost all the other consorts had conceived, her heart felt as heavy as a stone, making it hard to breathe.

"Your Highness, please calm down. It's still early, let's wait a little longer. Surely good news will come," Huahua, her maid, tried to comfort her, feeling heartbroken for her mistress.

After Shu Fei had vented her anger, Huahua hurriedly stepped forward to soothe her. "Your Majesty has shown you much favor. Just give it a little more time, and I'm sure there will be good news."

Shu Fei had heard this countless times before. She used to be able to convince herself, but now, with nearly every consort in the harem pregnant except her, she could no longer deceive herself.

"Someone must be sabotaging me! Li Momo, go investigate. I want to know who's plotting against me!" Shu Fei knew her own body well. Even Lan Guifei, with her frail health, had conceived. She couldn't believe she, with all the nights spent with the Emperor, had no news. She wouldn't accept it.

Li Momo understood Shu Fei's suspicions, but she had already thoroughly investigated Yixuan Hall. Apart from a few minor spies on the periphery, there were no outsiders among those who served Shu Fei closely. All of Shu Fei's food, clothing, and supplies were handled by trusted servants, leaving no room for sabotage.

"Your Highness," Li Momo began cautiously. She knew Shu Fei was angry, but she didn't want her to be deluded. So, she carefully shared the results of her investigation.

In short, no one was sabotaging her. If she hadn't conceived, the problem lay with her.

Though Li Momo phrased it gently, her meaning was clear.

"Why? Why is the Heavens so unfair to me? I love the Emperor so much, why won't they give me a child? I'd trade my life for one!" Shu Fei broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

But no matter how much she cried, the reality remained unchanged—she hadn't conceived.

After a long while, and despite everyone's efforts to console her, Shu Fei eventually stopped crying. When she did, she seemed completely numb, as though her spirit had left her body.

No matter how her servants called out to her, she didn't respond.

In a panic, Huahua and Li Momo began shouting for the imperial physician, while Shu Fei finally collapsed, unconscious.

It didn't take long for the Emperor and the physician to arrive. After all, Shu Fei was a favored consort. Upon hearing that she had fainted, the Emperor naturally came to see for himself.

"How is she?" The Emperor's brows furrowed as he watched the imperial physician hesitate, his irritation growing. "Speak plainly! Don't waste time with formalities!"