The movements of the Liao Kingdom did put some pressure on Nan Qi.
Though Nan Qi's treasury was abundant, war was still something that drained the nation's resources and burdened the people.
More importantly, Ning Chen had never experienced war. Even when he was still a prince, the late emperor, who was skilled in battle, always brought the crown prince, Ning Ze, along, but Ning Chen, the youngest son, was never considered.
However, thanks to the late emperor's great reputation and Nan Qi's skilled soldiers, even if war broke out, they wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
In this tense atmosphere, April finally arrived.
The third prince had his first birthday, a joyous event that eased the tension slightly.
Meanwhile, Yao Shi's pregnancy had reached eight months, soon to be nine months, meaning she could give birth at any moment.
Ye Yun was in a similar situation, only half a month behind Yao Shi's due date.
Ning Chen was busy with both court affairs and the matters of the inner palace, constantly running between the two, exhausting himself to the point of losing weight.
The Empress Dowager, upon sending soup to Jiuchen Palace, noticed that her son had become much thinner.
"The Emperor is so busy with court affairs that he doesn't even have time to eat, and those concubines in the back palace are so inconsiderate, still pulling him to their side. It's just a pregnancy! Who hasn't given birth before? Acting as if they're carrying a treasure!"
This remark was clearly aimed at Ye Yun.
In the past half month, Ning Chen had visited the inner palace six times. Although he never stayed overnight, four of those visits were to Zhao Chun Palace. He had also checked on the Empress once and Fang Jieyu once.
"Empress Dowager, I suppose the Emperor is worried. After all, with the unrest at the border, Ming Xiuyuan's elder brother, the Zhongyong Marquis, is stationed in Lingzhou," replied Fu Momo.
"The brother of that woman holds military power, and she herself is about to give birth, not to mention that she is already favored. How could the Emperor not take extra care of her?"
But when these words reached the Empress Dowager's ears, they made her think of something else, and once again, she felt frustrated, especially when considering her own niece. It was the kind of disappointment that made her uneasy.
The more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she became.
With a cold huff, she said, "Send a message to Zhao Chun Palace. It is known that pregnant consorts should not be serving the Emperor. With the current situation of political affairs being so busy, they should not be indulging in selfish whims, disturbing the Emperor and preventing him from focusing on court matters."
"Empress Dowager, this..."
"What? Is it that my words are losing their authority now?" The Empress Dowager glared coldly, "Fuzhi, it seems you've grown bolder in your old age. You've been advising against everything I say. I'm not senile yet. Besides, this matter is in the interest of the state and the Emperor's health."
Fu Momo hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to react this way, leaving her both fearful and a bit disheartened.
She hurriedly knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
"Please, calm your anger, Empress Dowager. It was thoughtless of me. I'll go deliver the message right away."
After Fu Momo left, the Empress Dowager still felt uneasy and a bit of a headache coming on.
YOU ARE READING
The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 2)
Historical FictionNote: This is a translated novel by me (Xiao Bai) Title: 贵妃她千娇百媚 Ye Yun was supposed to be the prince's concubine, but due to the sudden death of the late emperor, her entry into the palace was delayed for over a year. She entered the palace with th...
