The Noble Consort is the most favored in the harem

Chapter 74 - Pregnancy is difficult

The Emperor frowned and looked fierce, but he remained completely still. He didn't care at all about Lin Wanyi's miserable and dirty appearance.

Dong Yuzhong, realizing he had made a mistake, stood behind him and signaled to Qiu Ming with his eyes.

Qiu Ming immediately went to open the window to let the smell out.

Lin Wanyi, after vomiting, felt a bit better, but her stomach and throat were burning badly. Her eyes were also very dazed.

"The poison in the young mistress is quite fierce. My acupuncture only made her vomit out some of the poison in her stomach. Fortunately, she hasn't been poisoned for long, so her life is not in danger," said Physician Dou.

Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief, especially the Emperor, whose tightly clenched fists behind his back finally relaxed.

"But..."

"But what?" The Emperor, sobered by Physician Dou's words, looked at him anxiously, fearing he would say something bad.

"But to clear the remaining poison, I fear I will have to use some strong medicine, which contains some very cold ingredients that might harm her body."

"Just get to the point!"

"Lin Changzai might find it difficult to conceive."

Everyone present looked at each other in shock. Their eyes were filled with pity and reluctance, especially Qiu Ming. He knew how difficult life could be for concubines in the palace without children. No amount of favor could help; when the Emperor passed away, the favored but childless concubines would be the first to be buried with him.

Thinking of his young lady's possible fate, he couldn't help but hate the person who poisoned her.

However, Xia An, who had been keeping her head down, didn't seem so anxious. She had the antidote for the Poison Pill. Inducing cold symptoms was inevitable, but it wouldn't cause too much damage to Lin Wanyi's body. With careful nurturing for a year or two, conceiving wouldn't be difficult. It's just that imperial physicians always exaggerated their words to highlight their medical skills.

Unexpectedly, the Emperor said calmly, "No matter, just cure Lin Changzai's poison. I want her safe and sound!"

These words surprised not only Xia An but also the dizzy Lin Wanyi, who looked at him with a complex expression. Lin Wanyi thought the Emperor would like children very much. After all, at his age, he only had two sons and one daughter, which couldn't be considered a prosperous lineage. Even though two concubines were currently pregnant, it was still not much. During the reign of the founding Emperor, there were twenty-six princes and princesses in total.

So, Lin Wanyi was very puzzled by his words. Perhaps feeling awkward under her gaze, the Emperor coughed twice unnaturally.

Dong Yuzhong immediately understood. Looking around and seeing that the mess was almost cleaned up, he said softly, "Your Majesty, I will escort Physician Dou to prescribe the medicine."

"Mm."

With a wave of his hand, everyone followed him out the door.

In the side hall, only the Emperor and Lin Wanyi remained, and the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

The Emperor was the first to break the silence, looking at Lin Wanyi with a hint of disdain.

"Your body is too weak. Since entering the palace, how many days have you spent lying in bed?"

Lin Wanyi's eyes reddened slightly. She had just vomited violently, and her internal organs were in pain. She felt very wronged for being forced to take poison to avoid disaster, and the Emperor's "complaint" made her even more upset.

"Your Majesty, what you said is unreasonable. Since entering the palace, I have been injured or fallen into the water several times, and now I am poisoned. Do you think I wanted this?"

A sick person must be bold. Her words not only silenced the Emperor but also carried a hint of blame. If not for her remaining rationality, Lin Wanyi might have said that she was incompatible with the palace.

Seeing her aggrieved expression, the Emperor's heart softened. He reached out to tidy her sweat-dampened hair and said with some pity, "It's okay. I promise you, I will thoroughly investigate this matter and find the culprit to give you justice!"

Lin Wanyi's poisoning was a deliberate act to create confusion. Hearing the Emperor's words, she felt a bit embarrassed. She lowered her eyes and, no longer as spirited as before, said softly, "I will follow Your Majesty's arrangements."

The Emperor tucked her in and gently patted her back as if comforting a child. "If you're tired, sleep for a while. I will stay here with you."

Lin Wanyi nodded. She had been exhausted from the day's events and soon fell asleep. The Emperor sat quietly by her bed, carefully watching her. This was the second time he had seriously observed her sleeping. Unlike the last time at Wen Gu Hall, her face looked terrible, pale with a hint of blue, indicating that the poison was not completely cleared.

When Dong Yuzhong reported that Lin Wanyi was poisoned, the Emperor felt a panic he hadn't experienced in years. Since the previous Emperor's death, everyone had placed him on the supreme throne. The coldness of the dragon throne and the ruthlessness of the royal family had gradually hardened his heart. He thought he would never feel compassion for anyone again, but a young girl who had only been in the palace for two months broke his defenses.

Looking at her serene face, the Emperor squinted his eyes. He thought carefully and realized that Lin Wanyi had indeed been treated like a target since entering the palace. It was because her background wasn't strong enough. The title of the Prime Minister's legitimate daughter sounded impressive, but her initial position in the palace and her brother Lin Xingzhi's performance in the dragon boat race told a different story. Not to mention the secrets of the Prime Minister's residence uncovered by Geng Caiyou. The Lin family's main branch was not doing well.

With this in mind, the Emperor made some decisions, and his eyes regained some clarity. Seeing her breathing evenly, he left the side hall. Seeing Dong Yuzhong waiting respectfully at the door, he said, "Go, summon the Chief Astronomer and Lin Changzai's father. I have questions for them."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"And find someone to send Lin Changzai back to Huifang Courtyard. No one is allowed to disturb her until she recovers, including Guifei. Understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Dong Yuzhong understood that the Emperor was angry with Lin Guifei because of Lin Changzai's poisoning. After all, Lin Guifei was in charge of the harem, and poisoning occurred on the second day at the palace. This was partly due to her negligence and partly due to others' schemes.