Chapter 60: Five Months Pregnant
Chu Yi nearly tripped over his own feet, saved only by Lianfang’s support. He slowly turned to watch the retreating backs of the two ministers.
Fearing that Chu Yi would overthink things, Lianfang quickly changed the subject. “Your Highness, are we still going to see the little prince and princess?”
Only then did Chu Yi look back, a faint smile on his face. “Of course. Let’s go.”
Upon arriving at Wentao Hall, Chu Yi had just taken off his fox fur cloak when he heard the noisy chatter of children from inside.
A maidservant stood up and bowed to Chu Yi. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Chu Yi’s gaze was immediately drawn to the little prince in the maid’s arms. He stepped forward, reached out to touch the little prince’s cheek, and asked with a smile, “How many months old is the little prince?”
The maid replied, “The little prince is almost a year old.”
The little prince’s round eyes stared intently at Chu Yi. His chubby little hand grabbed Chu Yi’s finger, babbling as if trying to say something.
Chu Yi felt the gloom that had arisen from that little incident just now instantly dissipate like mist. He asked the maid to teach him how to hold a young child, then carefully took the baby into his arms.
Perhaps because the child was almost a year old and was already learning to walk, he was unwilling to be held quietly in Chu Yi’s arms. Chu Yi had no choice but to gently support Chu Anze, letting him play and frolic as he pleased.
The eldest princess, returning to the palace from her studies, was suspicious of the stranger in the hall. Only after a maid explained did she bow to Chu Yi.
Chu Yi was already pregnant, and after sitting for a while, his legs were numb when he tried to get up to help the child.
The eldest princess, Chu Mingzhao, could see Chu Yi’s pregnant state at a glance. She immediately stepped forward to support him and said, “I wonder how Zhao’er should address you?”
Chu Yi was taken aback by the question. After a moment’s thought, he replied, “I have never been one for formalities. Zhao’er can address me as you please.”
Since the Royal Consort’s passing, few had treated Chu Mingzhao with such warmth. She wanted to take An’er back, but the child was clutching Chu Yi’s robes and refused to let go.
Chu Yi lowered his gaze to An’er’s chubby little hand, which was tightly clutching the clothes on his abdomen. The corners of his lips curved up slightly. This child’s strength is actually so great…
Chu Yi looked at Chu Mingzhao and said, “It’s fine. I’ll just hold him.”
After hesitating several times, Chu Mingzhao leaned close to his ear and said, “Royal Uncle, you’re pregnant. It’s better not to tire yourself out. No matter how much of a fuss little An’er makes, he won’t wear me out.”
Chu Yi was shocked as he looked at his older brother’s daughter. She looked to be only seven or eight years old, yet she was so sensible. But little An’er was completely focused on his arms, touching his belly.
Chu Yi raised a hand to rub Chu Mingzhao’s head and said, “It’s fine. Our Ming’er is so sensible. I wonder if your mother would be very pleased.”
In a moment, Chu Mingzhao’s eyes turned red. She immediately turned her back and covered her eyes. In the year since her mother had passed away, everyone had taught her to be more sensible, more understanding. This way, her father-king would not remarry, and she and her younger brother could live in peace.
But now, Chu Yi’s single sentence had almost broken down the high walls she had built up over the past few days.
Right now, only Chu Yi, little An’er, Mingzhao, and Lianfang were in the hall. Chu Yi had no inhibitions and pinched little An’er’s hand. “Little An’er, do you know that I also have a child in my belly?”
Little An’er hummed and hawed a few times.
Chu Yi took it as if he understood and played with little An’er for a long time.
When Chu Mingzhao had composed herself and turned around, she finally said to Chu Yi, “Royal Uncle, if you like An’er, I’ll bring him to your hall to sit more often in the future.”
Chu Yi shook his head slightly and said, “There’s no need for that. An’er is still young and can’t catch a cold. If I’m free, I’ll come and see you two, as long as Ming’er doesn’t mind.”
Chu Mingzhao smiled shyly. “Ming’er likes Royal Uncle and is very welcoming.”
Chu Yi accompanied the two children for nearly an afternoon. When he returned to his own hall, he still felt that he hadn’t had enough.
He lay on the bed and closed his eyes, unable to help but imagine what his child would look like. Would he be more like him, or more like Sheng Qianheng?
After a moment, he realized that he was thinking of Sheng Qianheng again. He recalled the idle chatter of the two ministers at noon.
They said that Sheng Qianheng had made a man the Empress, and that he was the first consort to enter the palace. That could only be him. But he was not in that Da Mo palace. How could there be an enfeoffment ceremony?
Could Sheng Qianheng have gone mad?
Chu Yi quickly turned over, trying to banish all thoughts related to Sheng Qianheng from his mind.
It seemed that he was prone to letting his imagination run wild whenever he was idle. He had to find something to do on a daily basis.
But in this Qianlin royal palace, he was like a porcelain doll. Chu Rui only wanted him to rest and recuperate.
If he stayed here any longer, he was afraid he would become a useless person…
Chu Yi specifically waited for Chu Rui to finish court. When he saw the ministers come out one by one, he saw Chu Rui’s figure and immediately went up to him.
Seeing his younger brother’s cheeks flushed from the cold wind, Chu Rui immediately wrapped his fox fur cloak tighter around him and reprimanded, “You have a favor to ask of Gu today. Why couldn’t you send a message? What if you catch a high fever?”
Chu Yi lowered his head.
The passing ministers all unconsciously stared at the King of Qianlin and Chu Rui, as if whispering something.
Chu Rui knew that his younger brother was already nearly thirty and shouldn’t be spoken to like this. He could only lead him into his hall first.
Chu Yi, draped in a cyan fox fur cloak that reached his ankles, stood in the hall, looked up at Chu Rui, and said softly, “Older brother, I have come today to discuss the matter of leaving the palace with you.”
Just as Chu Rui finished washing his hands, he quickly turned around and asked him, “Why?”
After explaining the reason in detail, Chu Yi didn’t dare to look into Chu Rui’s eyes at all.
Chu Rui, on the other hand, slowly walked in front of his younger brother, reached out to rub his head, and said softly, “Yi’er, older brother and Qianlin will always be your backing. Older brother will support you in whatever you want to do. It’s just that there’s one thing older brother doesn’t know if I should say…”
Chu Yi looked up and asked, “Older brother, please speak freely.”
Chu Rui raised his hand slightly, signaling for his younger brother to sit side by side with him. He lowered his brows slightly and said in a deep voice, “Gu has never known what happened between Yi’er and Sheng Qianheng, nor do I understand the reason why I heard that Yi’er had been executed, and then he became Sheng Qianheng’s consort. But these past few days, Gu has already seen through one thing: the deeper the love, the more one thinks of it like a madman.
Yi’er, if your heart is with Sheng Qianheng, you don’t have to worry about Gu and Qianlin. You can return to Da Mo, and Qianlin will always be your home. If your heart does not belong to Sheng Qianheng, Qianlin will be your support. The current Qianlin already has the strength to compete with Da Mo!”
Chu Yi was a little dazed, only feeling tears welling up in his eyes. He choked, “Older brother, I have no intention of returning to Da Mo this time. I just don’t want to hide in this palace all day. I also have things I want to do. Even if I’m pregnant, I am still a man.”
Chu Rui: “Alright. Gu will have someone prepare a residence for you.”
Chu Yi: “Thank you, older brother.”
Three days later, Chu Yi left the Qianlin royal palace and moved into the residence that Chu Rui had prepared for him.
He walked around the vicinity of the residence and only stopped in front of the private school.
Perhaps because of his pregnancy, Chu Yi had grown to like children more and more. He raised a hand to touch his increasingly defined lower abdomen, his eyes full of love.
The teacher of the private school, seeing Chu Yi come every day, hurried forward, cupped his hands, and asked, “May I ask, sir, are you looking for the family of a certain student?”
Chu Yi quickly shook his head and replied, “I am not anyone’s family.”
The teacher was puzzled. “Then may I ask, sir, what is this?”
Chu Yi said slowly, “I am very interested in teaching. I wonder if you are hiring here?”
The teacher looked at the children in the room, then at Chu Yi’s small frame, and said, “Children are playful. I wonder if sir can handle their noise? I’m currently in need of an odd-job man.”
Chu Yi immediately agreed and said, “I can do any kind of work!”
Sheng Qianheng had someone wear a veil to replace Chu Yi and complete all the matters of the enfeoffment ceremony.
Chu Yi officially became the first male Empress in the history of Da Mo.
After the enfeoffment ceremony, Sheng Qianheng worked day and night on state affairs, with almost no time to rest, often staying up late into the night.
He sent out his hidden guards, who had almost traveled every inch of Da Mo’s land, but still couldn’t find any trace of Chu Yi. After much thought, there was only one place Chu Yi could have gone…
Liu Deshan was worried that Sheng Qianheng would harm his dragon body by working so hard and had repeatedly advised him to rest a little, but to no avail.
Sheng Qianheng chose one of the high-ranking ministers in the court, enfeoffed him as the Prince Regent, and handed over all state affairs to him for review. Only after he was satisfied with his review and reply did he secretly pack his bags and quietly leave.
At the end of the second year of Jinghe, the emperor of Da Mo announced to the public that he was ill and recuperating.
Chu Yi heard that Sheng Qianheng was ill, and his thoughts unconsciously drifted. He was the night class supervisor at the private school today, in other words, the Q&A teacher during the evening self-study session.
He sat at the desk, shook his head slightly, and re-read the homework that the private school teacher had assigned, only feeling a terrible headache.
How could there be such a headache-inducing handwriting? He had to guess every single character.
At the hài hour, Chu Yi finally returned to his residence.
During his bath, he leaned against the edge of the tub, barely managing to rub his sore lower back with his backhand. As his belly grew, sitting for a long time was really difficult to bear.
Lianfang stood on the side and reminded him, “Your Highness, you’ve been soaking for a long time. You should get up.”
Chu Yi knew that a pregnant person should not soak for too long, so he had no choice but to give up.
He took the towel to dry himself. When he wiped his abdomen, he gently poked his belly with his fingertips and chided softly, “You’re growing so fast! How am I supposed to hide you? A few days ago, I could still bind my abdomen, but now you’re not willing to be wronged at all?”
Seeing that Chu Yi’s smile had grown more and more since leaving the palace, Lianfang was also very pleased. She said with a smile, “Your Highness, the little highness is growing well.”
Chu Yi naturally knew. When he took the inner robe and put it on, the sash could barely be tied. He couldn’t help but complain, “I have to order new clothes again. He’s growing too fast! The clothes from a few days ago probably won’t fit for much longer…”
Lianfang quickly helped Chu Yi put on a long robe and said, “It’s fine. The silver Your Highness earns at the private school is still enough to buy clothes, not to mention that the King has also sent a lot.”
Chu Yi shook his head. Although that was true, he had not left the palace to continue to be cared for by Chu Rui. He wanted to be self-reliant and live on his own. Only then could he support his child in the future.
He looked back at Lianfang and asked, “Bring that breath-suppressing pill. It’s already the tenth day today. I should take another one.”
Lianfang: “This servant will go and get it.”
Chu Yi swallowed a pill with water and then went to bed to rest.
Now that he was five months pregnant, it was almost impossible to bind his abdomen anymore.
Everyone at the private school already knew about his pregnancy and took great care of him.
When others asked about the child’s other biological father, Chu Yi would simply say, “Just a heartless man.”
It wasn’t that he was slandering Sheng Qianheng, but such words could save a lot of unnecessary gossip.
The next day, at the chén hour, Chu Yi tidied himself up and went to the royal palace to see little An’er and Mingzhao.
The moment he entered the palace, he saw Chu Rui’s chief steward seem to be in a hurry, rushing toward the council hall.
But Chu Yi was only focused on little An’er and didn’t think much of it.
Sheng Qianheng rode on a fast horse, running dozens of horses to death, before he finally entered the border of Qianlin at the end of the year.
He went straight to the Qianlin royal palace, wanting to see Chu Rui.
