bayedsolid Chapter 176 Can we not drink anymore?
Chapter 176 Can we not drink anymore?
"Now that His Majesty knows, shouldn't we stop giving him this medicine...?"
Drinking this kind of herbal soup for a long time will eventually harm one's health, and she certainly did not want her mistress to have difficulty conceiving because of it.
"Drink, why not drink?"
After Chu Qingyin finished speaking calmly, she reached out and took the bowl of medicine, drinking it all in one gulp.
Unexpectedly, this scene was witnessed by Pei Yuanling, who had already gotten up.
"Yinyin."
Pei Yuanling hugged her from behind.
"Can we stop taking this medicine from now on?"
The man's tone was tinged with bitterness as he asked softly, "Didn't you used to hate the bitterness of medicine the most?"
"Your Majesty, I haven't decided to have a child yet."
She struggled out of the man's embrace, and almost instantly, a faint sorrow appeared between her brows and eyes: "My first child was lost unjustly, and I do not want to experience that pain of losing a child again."
As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Yuanling felt as if his heart had been gripped tightly.
"Yinyin, it's my fault. I failed to protect our first child."
He pulled Chu Qingyin back into his arms, resting his chin gently on her head, his voice tinged with self-reproach: "But now that I am by your side, I will never let such a tragedy repeat itself."
In fact, he was by her side in her previous life, but despite their best efforts to guard against it, they still couldn't prevent it from happening.
The real culprit behind the child's death has yet to be found.
If, as Consort Shu said before her death, it was not her doing, then the real murderer must still be in the palace.
Under these circumstances, how could she dare to get pregnant again?
Furthermore, for her now, the most important thing is to rescue her brother and clear the name of the Chu family.
Once this matter is settled, she will leave this cannibalistic palace.
If she has a child, she will be left with a burden, and she won't be able to run away.
Thinking of the child who died young, Chu Qingyin leaned against his chest, tears silently streaming down her face, soaking Pei Yuanling's clothes.
"Your Majesty, you don't understand. The pain of losing a child is deep in the bones, more painful than being poisoned. Every time I think of it, my heart aches and I can hardly breathe."
Her voice trembled, as if she were still immersed in the grief of the past.
"Yinyin, I understand the pain in your heart. That child is also my flesh and blood. How could I not feel pain too..."
Chu Qingyin remained silent.
But in my heart I was thinking, it's different.
In this world, fathers and mothers are ultimately different.
Seeing that she was only crying silently, Pei Yuanling hugged her tightly and gently stroked her back with his large hands, trying to soothe her emotions.
After a long while, he gently wiped away the tears on the woman's cheeks, his words earnest.
"I will not force you, but I believe that sincerity can move mountains, and one day you will be willing."
That day will never come.
Chu Qingyin lowered her head. She no longer felt any affection for the man before her, the young emperor of Daqing.
After a while of tenderness, the man kissed her forehead and then left.
He should not linger with Chu Qingyin, both because of the Empress Dowager's warning and to protect Chu Qingyin.
A few days passed in the blink of an eye, and the lotus appreciation banquet personally hosted by the Empress arrived as scheduled.
It's already the end of July, and the weather has long since cooled down, but the lotus flowers are still in full bloom.
The banquet venue was an island in the middle of a lake, surrounded by lotus flowers that were graceful and beautiful.
There is a very spacious pavilion on the island in the middle of the lake, built by the water and surrounded by blooming lotus flowers, which looks like a summer scene.
The purpose of this banquet was twofold: first, to inform everyone of Princess Yongning's pregnancy while they were admiring the lotus blossoms; and second, to celebrate the upcoming departure from the imperial palace and the return of the emperor, and to make the most of the beautiful scenery.
Therefore, everyone was in high spirits that day.
In particular, the newly arrived concubines, eager to see His Majesty, all dressed up in their finest attire.
In addition to numerous imperial concubines, the gala also invited several high-ranking officials and their families.
As the head of all officials, Lu Zhiheng was naturally among them.
On the day of the lotus-viewing banquet, the lake in the Imperial Garden was like a giant mirror, calm and still. Layer upon layer of lotus leaves, lotus flowers swayed gracefully among them, emitting a refreshing fragrance.
The palaces and pavilions were decorated beautifully, with vermilion lanterns and emerald green lotus leaves complementing each other, creating a luxurious yet elegant atmosphere.
Chu Qingyin wore a light green silk dress with delicate lotus flower patterns embroidered on the hem. The dress swayed gently with her steps, shimmering in the sunlight, making her look like a fairy descending from the water.
The dress she was wearing today was made of Shu brocade; among all the women in the palace, only she and the Empress had been given this fabric.
The banquet had not yet started, but Chu Qingyin had already arrived early.
She stood at the bow of the painted boat, and a boatman took her to the island in the middle of the lake.
From a distance, she saw someone standing at the dock.
The tall man stood upright, wearing a dark green robe with silver threads embroidered on the fabric that shimmered in the dim light like stars in the night. A matching palace sash was tied around his waist, with a round, openwork white jade pendant hanging down.
The tassels swayed in the wind, and his black hair at the temples was neatly tied up and secured with an antique white jade hairpin, showing meticulous attention to detail.
The man had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. Beneath his high, straight nose, his thin lips were slightly pursed. His angular face appeared even more aloof in the interplay of light and shadow.
At this moment, those deep eyes were fixed on the ferry.
It was none other than the Grand Secretary, Lu Zhiheng, whom they hadn't seen for many days.
Upon first seeing the man's face and attire, Chu Qingyin was stunned for a moment before realizing that she was also wearing a green dress.
The ferry quickly docked, and the boatman swiftly lowered the ramp.
Chu Qingyin slightly lifted her skirt, took light steps, and slowly disembarked from the boat with Xianglan's help.
Lu Zhiheng bowed slightly and said, "Your humble servant greets Consort Qiao."
The man's voice was deep and mellow.
Chu Qingyin gave a perfectly timed smile, curtsied in return, and then asked with feigned surprise, "What brings Lord Lu here?"
"After Your Majesty left the meeting at Chen'an Palace, I came to wait in this lakeside pavilion. I didn't expect to arrive so early; there was no one coming or going in the pavilion yet."
After Lu Zhiheng finished speaking, his gaze fell on Chu Qingyin.
He said, "The color of this dress suits Your Highness very well today; it looks beautiful on you."
Upon hearing this, Chu Qingyin frowned slightly.
It is rather impolite for a court official to openly criticize the clothing of a palace concubine.
Chu Qingyin deliberately distanced herself from him and said coldly, "Lord Lu, please be careful with your words."
There was still some time before the banquet began, and only a few maids and eunuchs were busy in the pavilion in the middle of the lake. The two walked on a relatively secluded path, with only Xianglan following behind them.
The island in the middle of the lake was lush with vegetation and the roads were winding and meandering, so no one noticed the two of them.
"I wonder if Consort Qiao would be so kind as to speak with me alone for a few minutes?"
Lu Zhiheng's gaze fell on Xianglan, his expression suggestive.
Without a second thought, Chu Qingyin refused outright, "Lord Lu, this is against etiquette."
"This matter concerns the assassination attempt, and Consort Qiao truly refuses to listen."
A deep male voice sounded beside her, and Chu Qingyin, who was about to leave, immediately stopped.
"What did you say?"
Chu Qingyin turned around and looked at Lu Zhiheng with piercing eyes: "Lord Lu, His Majesty has already made a decision on the assassination. You must not speak carelessly."
"Does Consort Qiao really believe that the assassin was the work of Zhang Xian's old party, who has no grudge against you?"
Lu Zhiheng glanced at her, his tone cold, "Isn't that a bit too naive?"