Chapter 30: Abdominal Pain
In his sleep, Chu Yi felt as if he were a puppet, being picked up and put down by Sheng Qianheng several times.
Drowsiness washed over him, and he was too lazy to move, letting Sheng Qianheng do as he pleased. He had already fallen into a deep sleep, but he suddenly felt a strange sensation on his ankle.
Chu Yi wanted to look up, but his eyelids were as heavy as if they were weighed down by a thousand pounds. He couldn’t lift them no matter how hard he tried. But on second thought, no one could get close to him except for Sheng Qianheng, so he shifted his body without a care and continued to sleep.
When Chu Yi finally woke up from his sleep, it was already broad daylight.
He opened his hazy eyes and stared blankly at the top of the bed…
Chu Yi only knew that Sheng Qianheng had forced him to bathe, and then things had gotten out of control.
When he tried to get up, he felt that the lower half of his body was extremely numb. Chu Yi took a long time to barely prop himself up.
Lianfang immediately stepped forward to support Chu Yi, placing a cushion behind his lower back. “Your Ladyship, are you alright?”
Chu Yi nodded slightly. Only then did he realize that he was already in Jingyang Palace. “How did I get back? Did Sheng Qianheng give you and Moshu a hard time?”
Lianfang quickly shook her head and replied, “His Majesty carried Your Ladyship back all the way. Your Ladyship, His Majesty was really angry this time…”
Chu Yi naturally knew. Sheng Qianheng had acted so irrationally at that time. Otherwise, his lower abdomen wouldn’t still be aching now.
He looked down at Lianfang’s shoes and socks, and only felt relieved after confirming that she was not injured.
“If you’re injured, don’t endure it. I am your master. Even if it’s Sheng Qianheng, I will avenge you in the future!”
Lianfang’s eyes couldn’t help but sting. She choked, “Your Ladyship, Moshu and I acted according to the plan and fabricated the story of your kidnapping. Although His Majesty investigated, there was no solid evidence of our deception. For now, he has only confined Your Ladyship…”
“What? Confined?” Chu Yi immediately interrupted Lianfang. “He confined me?”
Lianfang nodded. “Your Ladyship, although His Majesty has confined you, all your food and clothing are as usual. He also specifically ordered that if any servant is found to be negligent, they will be beheaded immediately.”
Chu Yi paid no attention to the second half of Lianfang’s sentence. He laughed in anger. He never thought that Sheng Qianheng would actually confine him! He had been thinking of taking the initiative to find Sheng Qianheng and soften up after his body had recovered.
Confined?! Hah! Very well!
Lock him up then. See if he dares to come and see him!
The more Chu Yi thought about it, the angrier he got. Sheng Qianheng had tormented him until he couldn’t get out of bed, and then he just pulled up his pants and left! Scumbag! Fucking scumbag!
Chu Yi ordered Lianfang to get up. “Pour me a cup of tea.”
Chu Yi felt uncomfortable sitting. He tried to get up, but the pain instantly spread. For a moment, both his lower abdomen and that place ached. The pain made cold sweat break out on his forehead, and he panted slightly.
When Lianfang brought the tea to the bedside, she saw Chu Yi’s pale face and immediately asked, “Your Ladyship, where are you uncomfortable?”
“It’s nothing, just tired…”
Chu Yi couldn’t possibly tell Lianfang directly that the discomfort was caused by excessive carnal activity.
He inadvertently moved his ankle, and the soft sound of a bell made him notice the foreign object on it.
He shook his ankle slightly and asked, “What is this?”
Lianfang didn’t know either. “Perhaps His Majesty put it on for Your Ladyship…”
Chu Yi took a closer look. It seemed to be a silver bracelet, with a faint silver glow, and it looked exquisitely made. There were a few small bells attached to the bracelet, and the crisp sound they made when they accidentally bumped against each other was hard to ignore.
He barely managed to get up to reach the bracelet, but it seemed to be tightly attached to his skin, a perfect fit. Chu Yi turned the bracelet a few times but couldn’t find a clasp. Helpless, he tried to remove it by force, but it didn’t budge at all. Apart from leaving a red mark on his ankle, the bracelet was completely unharmed…
Chu Yi had no choice but to give up.
It was already noon, and Chu Yi felt extremely hungry.
The little eunuch who delivered the meals was late. Chu Yi had Lianfang go and hurry him.
When Lianfang entered the bedchamber again, Imperial Physician Xu and the little eunuch delivering the meals were behind her.
Chu Yi slowly sat down at the table, panting heavily.
Imperial Physician Xu placed a small pillow for Chu Yi and took his pulse.
Imperial Physician Xu’s brows were tightly furrowed, and he didn’t speak for a long time.
Chu Yi couldn’t help but ask, “How is it? My lower abdomen has been aching faintly today. Is there some illness?”
Imperial Physician Xu carefully felt the pulse. It was slippery, rapid, and strong, like pearls rolling on a plate, somewhat similar to a pregnancy pulse but also different. He couldn’t tell for a moment. “Your Ladyship, this is due to excessive emotional agitation recently. You need to rest well…”
Imperial Physician Xu didn’t dare to speak rashly for a moment, for fear of causing a false alarm.
Only then did Chu Yi withdraw his hand and prepare to eat.
Hearing Chu Yi’s words, Lianfang couldn’t help but feel suspicious…
Chu Yi was confined in Jingyang Palace. Apart from eating, drinking, and flipping through picture books all day, there was almost nothing to do.
His body had already recovered, and all the discomfort had disappeared.
Sheng Qianheng hadn’t appeared for three days. Chu Yi had originally wanted to give him the cold shoulder for a few more days.
But he happened to overhear the maids serving in the courtyard of Jingyang Palace chatting.
Maid: “Have you heard? The Vice Minister of Rites has been submitting memorials these past few days, asking His Majesty to select consorts! His Majesty didn’t refuse this time. I’m afraid our ladyship is going to lose favor~”
Maidservant: “I also heard that the Imperial Censor has been out of favor recently. He was drunk and spouted nonsense, saying that our ladyship has been in the palace for nearly two months, and the Tongshi hasn’t seen any decrease, but her belly is still quiet… It seems he also supports the selection of consorts…”
Little Eunuch: “You should all be thinking about which palace to serve in in the future…”
For some reason, Chu Yi felt very irritable. He lay on the chaise lounge and closed his eyes, intending to take a nap, but those idle words kept replaying in his mind!
Selecting consorts! Sheng Qianheng was actually going to select consorts! How long had he been in the palace? Was he already tired of him?
When he turned over, the bracelet on his ankle made a crisp sound, forcing him to think of Sheng Qianheng at all times!
Chu Yi shot up and looked at the silver bracelet, his anger flaring. Sheng Qianheng not only had a dog’s nose but was also a persistent pest. He was already confined, yet he could still make him think of this scumbag at all times!
Chu Yi had Lianfang find another set of little eunuch’s clothes. He quickly changed and, taking advantage of the lunch hour, pretended to be the little eunuch who had just delivered lunch and left Jingyang Palace.
He threw the lunch box to the side at a corner and headed straight for Yangxin Hall.
Half an hour later, Chu Yi stood before Yangxin Hall with his head bowed. He said to Head Eunuch Liu, “Eunuch Liu, this is a sachet that Consort Hui personally embroidered and wishes to give to His Majesty.”
Liu Deshan looked down at the unfamiliar figure of the little eunuch before him and couldn’t help but feel puzzled. “Lift your head.”
Chu Yi sighed, pulled his hat down as low as he could, and raised his head slightly.
Liu Deshan only saw the lower half of his face but already knew it was Chu Yi. He let him pass directly. “His Majesty has been in a bad mood these past few days. You should be careful…”
Chu Yi nodded. “Many thanks for Head Eunuch’s reminder!”
Chu Yi quickly entered the room.
Sheng Qianheng’s brows were tightly furrowed, as if he were talking with the Imperial Censor and the Vice Minister of Rites.
Chu Yi didn’t need to eavesdrop. The words “select consorts” had already fallen into his ears. He coughed and approached, saying, “Your Majesty, this was brought by a servant at the request of Consort Hui.”
Only then did Sheng Qianheng look up at Chu Yi. Just as he was about to speak, he recognized the little eunuch as Chu Yi.
“You two may withdraw. Let Zhen think about this matter again…”
Chu Yi bit the side of his lip and unconsciously rolled his eyes.
Sheng Qianheng looked at Chu Yi, who was standing five steps away, and told him to come closer.
Chu Yi walked extremely slowly, the silver bracelet on his ankle was very difficult to control.
Seeing Chu Yi’s slow movements, Sheng Qianheng immediately stood up, moved to his side, and snatched off his eunuch’s hat. “Using the same old trick?”
Chu Yi looked up at Sheng Qianheng for a long time before speaking, “So what? Didn’t I still get in?”
Sheng Qianheng threw the eunuch’s hat back into Chu Yi’s arms and turned to sit back on the dragon throne. “You’re still not settled even after being confined. Say it, what are you trying to do?”
Chu Yi had originally come to soften up and, by the way, ask Sheng Qianheng if the matter of selecting consorts was true or not. But in a moment of impulse, he slammed the eunuch’s hat to the ground and retorted to Sheng Qianheng, “I should be asking you, did you confine me so that I wouldn’t know you were going to select consorts?”
Sheng Qianheng’s eyes widened unconsciously, filled with astonishment, but his face remained calm. He said coldly, “Selecting consorts is a matter of time. I have been on the throne for a long time and still have no heirs. Those old officials have long been unable to hold back their desire to send their daughters into the palace as consorts…”
Chu Yi’s eyes stung, and he pressed his lips together, standing there in a daze, trying to understand the meaning behind the words he had just heard.
What was wrong with him? Since ancient times, emperors were mostly heartless. Where could one find a devoted man… What Sheng Qianheng was doing was just following the original book’s plot. What was he being so stubborn about?
Chu Yi couldn’t understand himself anymore. Surviving was the most important thing!
Since he had already played the part of the jealous consort, he had no choice but to continue acting.
He slowly walked to Sheng Qianheng’s side, tugged on his sleeve, tried to squeeze out some tears, and sobbed softly, “Your Majesty, are you tired of me? Do you think I was defiled by the people in the Flower-Filled Pavilion? Do you think I can’t bear you any children?”
Sheng Qianheng couldn’t bear to see Chu Yi cry, but he had made him cry for several days in a row. He hesitated for a long time before raising a hand to wipe away his tears. “Don’t cry. I only said I’d think about it again to appease those old officials…”
Chu Yi sobbed uncontrollably and asked, “Is that true? You’re not lying to me?”
Sheng Qianheng nodded. “I’m not lying to you. Don’t cry, okay? It hurts my heart when you cry so much…”
“Bull… that day in the Flower-Filled Pavilion, I cried nonstop… you…”
Before Chu Yi could finish, he realized something was wrong. Sheng Qianheng had been furious that day, and he had yet to confront him about his escape.
He immediately lowered his head, staring at the tips of his shoes, feeling extremely guilty.
Sheng Qianheng lifted Chu Yi’s chin and sighed slightly. “Why did you stop?”
Chu Yi shook his head gently. He was crying so hard that his vision was blurry, and he couldn’t even speak clearly, only hiccups. “I’m afraid of making you angry… but I’m still wronged!”
Sheng Qianheng pinched Chu Yi’s cheek with one hand and fiercely sealed his lips. “You’re still wronged? I’m about to be angered to death by you!”
Chu Yi raised his hand to push Sheng Qianheng away, messily wiping away his tears, and shouted, “It’s all your fault that I’ve been lying in bed for so long! And the rumors have even reached my Jingyang Palace. You just despise me because I can’t have children!”
Sheng Qianheng crossed his arms and watched all of Chu Yi’s little emotions, the corners of his lips turning up. “I’ve never said such a thing. That’s all just the palace servants gossiping. As for a child, didn’t I say it that day? You can just have one for me.”
Chu Yi couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. Perhaps because he had shouted a few times just now, his lower abdomen was aching faintly again. He raised a hand to gently rub it and continued, “I can’t! I can’t! I can’t! If you’re so capable, you have one!”
