Chapter 58: To Keep the Child Safe

  The Grand Empress Dowager's residence.

  "King, aren't you leaving tonight?" Guliya took the towel handed to her by Wang Mu and wiped away the wine drops and foam from Huo Ran's mouth.

  "En." Huo Ran also didn't say much, and responded with a perfunctory "en", pushing away Guliai's hand.

  He plopped down into the wicker chair, stroking the armrests, his expression turning solemn.

  "Dag looks too much like his mother." Fu Rou murmured.

  "Yes. On the first day Daguerre came back, it was as if I saw Little Vi." Guliai sat on a low stool beside the rattan chair and said quietly.

  "You're still reluctant to throw away this rattan chair?" Huo Rou 'touched' the armrest, gazing ahead, her tone not as coarse as usual, but instead had a hint of gentleness.

  "Ah... I and Xiao Wei were as close as sisters. She loved to sit in this chair and play the sheng before she passed away." Guliai recalled slowly.

  "You've been studying with her for a long time, come and listen." Huo Ran said.

  Guliya took a black-red stone and placed it on her lips, slowly blowing air onto it.

  The low and mellow sound of the埙 filled the room, Huo Rou closed his eyes, as if he saw Xiao Wei sitting in this rattan chair again, wearing a green skirt and a cloud-patterned shirt, playing an unintelligible tune to the blue sky and white clouds outside the window.

  "A rustic melody is sent to the clear breeze." Little Wei didn't even glance at him, only gazing out of the window as she spoke lightly.

  The past memories pained Huo Rong's heart, he suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed Guliya who was playing the flute, turned over and pressed her on the rattan chair, tore off her waistband, unbuttoned her clothes, and exposed her snow-white but dull skin.

  Guliya has grown old, and the once beautiful face is now etched with the marks of time.

  So, he couldn't remember how long it had been since Huo Ran last saw her.

  Huorong pinched and rubbed her thighs several times, then hastily pulled down her pants and thrust into her without any tenderness, continuously moving in and out.

  Guliya's eyebrows were tightly furrowed in pain, her hands grasping the armrests. Slowly, the pain turned into a numbness, and a comfortable moan escaped from Guliya's mouth.

  The candlelight flickered and gradually weakened its radiance.

  Qingsang Prefecture

  "Mahi, go and invite Dr. Chu to come over." Qing Sang sat in the room for a while, finally deciding that he still wanted Dr. Chu Lianyou to come and diagnose him. If nothing was wrong, then it would be best; but if something was really wrong, then Dr. Chu was also trustworthy.

  Chu Lianyu hurried over immediately.

  "Master Chu, I haven't been feeling well for the past two days. My appetite is off and I've been vomiting frequently, so I'd like you to come over and take my pulse." said Qing Sang.

  Chu Lianyu took out the green pulse pillow and asked Qing Sang to put her right hand on it, carefully feeling her pulse. In fact, he had seen that Qing Sang's complexion was not good and had intended to diagnose and treat her, but she had refused him three times already. Now that Qing Sang had taken the initiative, he naturally wanted to make a thorough diagnosis.

  A moment later, Chu Lianyu looked at Qing Sang in surprise, seemingly not daring to believe it, and asked her to put the other hand on the wrist again, and pulse quietly. After a while, Chu Lianyu's expression towards Qing Sang had become terrified.

  "Mahi, I'm a bit hungry. Go to the kitchen and see if there's anything left to eat." Qing Sang saw that Chu Lianyou's expression was unpredictable, and she had already made up her mind about something. Although she was also caught off guard, she remained calm and came up with an excuse to send Mahi away.

  After Ma Xi left, Qing Sang said to Chu Lianyu: "Doctor Chu has a straightforward way of speaking."

  Chu Lianyu slid down from his chair and knelt on the ground with a thud, saying: "Your humble servant deserves to die."

  Qing Sang reached out and supported him, saying: "What makes you think you should die? Whatever it is, just say it, I won't blame you."

  Chu Lianyu muttered to herself, her lips moving slightly as she said: "The princess is having a joyful pulse."

  It's really true that I'm pregnant. Although Qing Sang had mentally prepared herself, as soon as she heard the news, her head still buzzed with a loud noise.

  Chu Lianyu didn't dare look at Qing Sang's face, lowered her head and asked softly: "Princess, do you want to or not?"

  Qing Sang was taken aback for a moment, then reacted, "Hehe" bitterly laughed twice, and tears rolled down.

  To have it or not? There's a small life in her belly after all, it's just that it came at the wrong time.

  "What did Dr. Chu mean?" Qing Sang asked.

  Chu Lianyu hesitated for a moment. After all, this child was Qing Sang's own flesh and blood, what right did he have to make decisions? However, as a doctor, he had no choice but to say: "The fetal pulse is extremely unstable, I'm afraid it can't be saved. And..."

  "What's more?" Qing Sang asked in a hoarse voice, her eyes brimming with tears as she stared at the red candle on the table.

  "This humble servant deserves to die." Chu Lianyu fell to her knees with a thud, saying in a somewhat panicked tone, "The princess is already two months pregnant. If the prince finds out, it will be detrimental to the princess's reputation and even put her life at risk."

  Chu Lianyu finished speaking, his whole body began to tremble slightly. Such a rebellious and unrighteous thing, dying a hundred times would be enough, but he had no choice but to say it, he couldn't bear to watch Qing Sang lose her 'life' because of this child.

  Qingsang's heart was a mess, and Chu Lianyu said something that she had never thought of. Although she knew that Fu Xi would not do anything to her, but after being married for only three days, she was already two months pregnant. If this were to spread to Huo Ruo and the Empress Dowager, she feared that her life would be in danger.

  "You go down first, let me think carefully." Qing Sang said.

  Chu Lianyu stood up and looked at Qing Sang steadily for a long time before saying another sentence: "The princess must think thrice, okay?"

  Having said that, seeing Qing Sang still had an indifferent expression, he could only retreat.

  As soon as he stepped out of the 'door', the night wind blew over, and a chill ran down his body. It was only then that Chu Lianyou realized he had broken into a cold sweat.

  It was late at night, and Fu Xi had not returned. It wasn't until the third watch that a slave came to the mansion with a message saying that Wang Zi had drunk several cups and fallen asleep at the leader of the embankment workers' place.

  Maji conveyed the message to Qing Sang, who was already lying on his bed, through the door. After Qing Sang responded, everyone in the house went to rest except for those keeping watch at night.

  The next day, the Grand Empress Dowager's residence.

  Guliya dressed up neatly, drank sheep's milk and ate red sugar fruit. Just as she was about to send him off, Huorong said to her: "Today seems to be a change in the weather, it's gloomy and your foot disease is acting up again. I heard that 'Hai Lan Bao' can cure illnesses, Jialuo used it and said it's very effective, so you'd better stay."

  Guliya stood there for a moment until Huorong took a step forward and then she came to herself, hastily thanking him.

  All this fell into her hands like manna from heaven.

  Last night, Huo Ran Ben wanted to go to Jialuo Na, but stayed behind due to Qing Sang's arrival. After a night of love, he thought everything would return to normal, but unexpectedly this morning, Huo Ran gave the "Hai Lan Bao" to her.

  Holding this rare treasure, Guli Ayi was overjoyed and wept, Wang also followed suit to wipe away tears. It can be seen that although Guli Ayi had the title of Da Furen (Imperial Noble Consort), she had already fallen out of favor for a long time.

  Guliya naturally knew that all of this today was thanks to Princess Jiaming, so she wiped away her tears and ordered Wangmu to prepare some refreshments before heading to the Qing Sang Fu.

  These two days, Qing Sang has been unable to sleep at night and can't get up in the morning. At this moment, he is still sleeping on the 'bed'.

  Maji wanted to go into the house and wake her up, but was stopped by Guliayi.

  "These past few days she's been tired too, let her sleep more. Mahxi, take good care of the princess." Guliya stood at the entrance of Qing Sang's room to remind her.

  Ma Xi hastily agreed.

  "Tomorrow, Zha and Lan will be back, I'll tell the princess to let you meet them." said Guliya.

  "Thank you, Empress." Ma Xi was overjoyed to hear that her husband and 'daughter' would be returning to Kuer City tomorrow, her anticipation evident in every word.

  "Alas, no matter what, you are my half-sister, and you've accompanied me to Khor, serving me all these years. I won't mistreat you." Guliai reached out and took Mahi's hand, patting it gently.

  Then, he let go of his hand and left with a lingering thought.

  And her conversation with Maxi happened to be heard clearly by Qing Sang who got up and walked to the 'door' wanting to call someone.

  Ma Xi is actually the younger sister of Empress, no wonder she has deep feelings for Empress and doesn't address her as "slave" like others. Moreover, she even has a husband and a daughter, it seems that this time Empress really did spare no effort to give her own sister to herself. However, this also means that it will be more difficult to make Ma Xi loyal to herself.

  After finishing breakfast, Qing Sang made an excuse to visit the wounded and went to Chu Lianyu's place.

  After sending Ma Xi away, Qing Sang asked Chu Lianyu straightforwardly: "Can this child be kept?"

  Chu Lianyu asked in surprise: "Your Highness wants to keep this child?"

  "Ah!" Qing Sang nodded heavily. Last night, she thought a lot and didn't want this child to have too many reasons, even if she deceived Huo Rou, Gu Li Ai, Jia Luo and others, it would be difficult to raise this child in Bei Rong. How could she protect the child when she couldn't even guarantee her own safety? But despite all these reasons, her reason for wanting this child surpassed any other - she was the child's mother, and as a mother, how could she strangle her own child with her own hands? So, she firmly wanted this child.

  Chu Lianyu saw Qing Sang's firm attitude and stopped persuading her. After all, the child was hers, and he respected her decision.

  "The princess has already made up her mind, and I don't dare to say anything more. Besides, the first three or four months of pregnancy are the most critical period, and any carelessness may lead to miscarriage. The princess has been traveling for days, eating less and sleeping poorly, so her body is weak and the fetus is not stable. If you want to keep this child, you should rest more in the coming days, move less, work less, eat less but more frequently, and take more nourishing food to stabilize the fetal energy. I will also prepare a special medicine for you to take every day at the right time and dosage, which may help you keep the baby." said Chu Lianyu.

  Qing Sang nodded and said: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Doctor. I don't know when Cao Xiang and Chang An will be able to recover."

  "Chu Lianyu said: 'Zhang An's injury is not serious, although he lost a lot of blood, but he recovered very quickly. After resting for two or three more days, he should be fine. Cao Xiang can now move around freely and only needs to pay attention to his recovery in daily life, but he still cannot do heavy work for the time being.'"

  "Alright, starting tomorrow, let's have Kusaka return to my side. In my current state, if I still let Mahi serve me, I'm afraid it won't be long before she finds out." After learning that Mahi already had a husband and child in the morning, Seika decided to have Kusaka come back to serve her. This woman who has given birth to children has experience and is likely to notice."

  Chu Lianyu nodded in agreement.

  Qing Sang asked Cui Lv and Shui Li again, learned that the injuries of the two had gradually improved, and his heart was also put down.

  The two of them were speechless for a moment. Qing Sang wanted to ask him why he didn't ask whose child it was, but thinking that he didn't ask was wise, the less one knew about such things, the better.

  After a moment, Chu Lianyu said: "This month I will think of ways to help the princess conceal it, and next month, tell the prince that the princess is one month pregnant."

  Qingsang shook his head and said, "I'll go talk to the son-in-law myself."

  Chu Lianyu looked at her with a puzzled expression.

  Qingsang knew that he couldn't keep it from him either, so he spoke candidly: "I and the imperial son-in-law have no real husband-and-wife relationship, so no matter when I go to say it, it's all impossible to hide."

  Chu Lianyu was shocked and surprised, but soon had a flash of insight, muttering to herself: "So that really is Fu Gongzi."