Chapter 235: Chapter 235: ...This is a joyful pulse.

Xie Jinbai didn’t spare the women a glance. Instead, he looked at Vice Minister Hu with an unreadable smile. "My dear minister, aren’t you going to take this beauty with you? Who knows, it might become a celebrated story one day."

His own words came back to him like a boomerang.

Vice Minister Hu’s face burned with shame as he stammered his acceptance.

That took care of Lian’er.

One remained.

Xie Jinbai lowered his gaze, scanning the guests below. "Where is Zhou Ming?" he asked suddenly.

As soon as he spoke, a young man in the hall rose and saluted with clasped hands. "I am here."

Xie Jinbai said, "You have no elders at home to arrange a marriage, nor a single woman by your side. Take her back to serve you for now. As for a proper wife, I will arrange a marriage for you when a suitable candidate appears."

"Yes!"

Unlike the flustered Vice Minister Hu, Zhou Ming didn’t hesitate. He immediately bowed and accepted the command.

He came from a military background and was an orphan. His prowess in battle had caught Xie Jinbai’s eye, who then took him under his command. Although not as highly regarded as close confidants like Liu Rong and Li Yong, who had followed the prince since childhood, his future was still promising.

With a few casual words of matchmaking, the fate of the woman named Yue’er was sealed.

With the cautionary tale of Lian’er right before her eyes, she dared not object. She knelt and kowtowed. "This servant thanks Your Highness for your grace."

’At least this Zhou Ming is young and handsome, dashing and spirited, with an imposing air, and he doesn’t even have a wife.’

’Compared to Vice Minister Hu with his flock of women in the rear courtyard, he’s practically an ideal husband.’

As Yue’er caught a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye, most of her despair dissipated.

And just like that, the two beauties gifted by the Emperor had both been given away.

Their fates were sealed in a matter of sentences, right in front of the imperial eunuch who had delivered the edict.

Gao Yong’s expression soured. "Your Highness, why must you do this? How is this servant supposed to report back to Your Majesty when I return to the palace?"

’For someone of his station, what were two mere women?’

’To put it bluntly, the Emperor gifted them to you, but he didn’t force you to sleep with them.’

’If you found them pleasing, you could enjoy their company.’

’If not, you could just stick them in any old courtyard and make sure they were fed.’

’It was just like keeping household courtesans or performers; they wouldn’t get in the way of anything.’

’Why be in such a hurry to get rid of them?’

’This was a blatant slap in the Emperor’s face.’

’A deliberate slap in the Emperor’s face over such a trivial matter.’

Xie Jinbai smiled. "There is no need for you to be in a difficult position, Eunuch. After you return to the palace, if my Father Emperor asks, just report the truth. Tell him that the woman I love is already by my side. My life is fulfilled, and I have no attention to spare for others."

It wasn’t that she was his *most* beloved.

It was because he had only ever loved that one woman; no one else could ever compare.

"..."

Gao Yong was completely stunned.

Just moments before, this prince had first intended to defy the imperial edict, then had unapologetically given away the two beauties. This series of actions, which amounted to slapping the Emperor in the face, had made Gao Yong wary. He suspected the prince might be planning to seize power, too impatient to wait for His Majesty’s official abdication.

Who would have thought it was simply because he was henpecked?

...Then again, "henpecked" wasn’t quite right.

It was more that he was so considerate of his wife’s feelings that he would openly dispose of the Emperor’s gift right then and there.

After all, for a wife in a loving relationship, having two other women living in the rear courtyards—even if they were never touched—would always be a source of discomfort.

—He was unwilling to let the Crown Princess Consort endure even the slightest hint of a grievance.

Another courtier below proposed a toast. Xie Jinbai, whom Gao Yong had already mentally built up into a legendary romantic hero, raised his cup and drained it in one gulp.

The imperially gifted Jade Liquid Wine was cool and refreshing as it slid down his throat.

He placed the empty cup on the table. Gao Yong came to his senses and quickly bent over to refill it.

He was the Chief Eunuch, an official of the Secondary Third Rank and the Emperor’s closest attendant. Xie Jinbai naturally felt uncomfortable being served by him, so he gestured with his arm and said, "Why don’t you take a seat, Eunuch, and have a few drinks with everyone?"

"I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare," Gao Yong said, waving his hands in refusal. "His Majesty is still waiting for this servant to return and report."

With that, he set down the wine pitcher, bowed, and took his leave.

Xie Jinbai did not press him to stay.

Once the contingent from the palace had departed, the tense atmosphere in the hall eased somewhat.

One of his advisors below said, "Your Highness, your actions today may displease His Majesty."

Xie Jinbai knew that, of course.

But he had no other choice.

’It was all because his beloved was too heartless, and not a single word she spoke was true.’

’She had told him before that if he didn’t take concubines and produce heirs, she would fail her mission and be punished with death.’

’He didn’t dare believe it, yet he didn’t dare to disbelieve it either.’

’These past few days, she hadn’t mentioned taking on concubines for him again. Perhaps she’d seen how miserable he was and had a pang of conscience, or maybe she was just too busy. Whatever the reason, she’d dropped the subject.’

’Just as things were starting to look up, how could he possibly accept two women who would only remind her of her grand "mission"? He still hadn’t managed to wear her down and get the truth out of her.’

’What if she was genuinely delighted and started arranging for the women to serve him in bed?’

’He could die from sheer frustration, and she probably wouldn’t bat an eye.’

’However, perhaps I could...’

A thought occurred to him. Xie Jinbai turned to the young servant behind him and ordered, "Go and tell the Princess Consort that the palace..."

...

「Jianxia Courtyard.」

Cui Lingyao had asked her mother to help entertain the guests while she and Chen Minrou left the banquet early. They returned from Fang Garden to her own courtyard.

The household doctor was already waiting inside.

She lifted her wide, long sleeve and extended her wrist.

As the household doctor’s three fingers rested upon it, Cui Lingyao’s heart leaped into her throat.

Beside her, Chen Minrou was too anxious to sit, remaining on her feet and clutching a handkerchief, her eyes filled with anticipation.

The household doctor concentrated on taking her pulse for a long time before saying, "Your other hand, please."

The injury on Cui Lingyao’s left shoulder had not yet healed. The bone had begun to knit together, but it had only been a short time and could easily fracture again if she wasn’t careful. The bamboo splints immobilizing her collarbone were still in place, making her movements awkward.

Chen Minrou took her left wrist and placed it on the pulse pillow.

Another long moment passed, the time it would take to drink half a cup of tea.

The household doctor’s expression slowly shifted to one of astonished uncertainty. "The pulse is strong, smooth, and forceful... This is a pregnancy pulse."

A pregnancy pulse.

Cui Lingyao’s breath caught in her throat. She shot to her feet. "Truly?"

"There is no mistake. Your pregnancy is still in its early stages, but a slippery pulse is the most basic of signs. I am not mistaken."

The household doctor’s beard trembled with excitement. "Congratulations, Princess Consort! This is wonderful, joyous news!"

After six years of marriage with no hint of a pregnancy, she conceives right after he is named Crown Prince.

How could it be anything but a joyous occasion?

Chen Minrou was overcome with excitement. "What a blessed child, arriving at such an opportune moment."

’It’s as if the child timed its own arrival.’

’When its father was just Prince Yu, there wasn’t a peep. The moment he’s named Crown Prince, it decides to come find its parents.’

’From the moment of its birth, it will enjoy endless honor and glory.’

’A life of wealth and nobility, destined from birth.’

Inside the room, the only other people present were the two maids, Xia Zhi and Dongzhi, and their faces were also beaming with joy.

Everyone was overjoyed for her, but Cui Lingyao herself simply looked stunned.

’I’m actually... really pregnant.’

’It happened just when I was utterly convinced I could never conceive, while I was still wavering on whether to find a concubine for Xie Jinbai to complete my mission.’

’The child arrived.’

Cui Lingyao’s first reaction was, surprisingly, bewilderment.

She placed a hand on her flat abdomen, standing in a daze.

"Yaoyao?"

Chen Minrou helped her sit down. "What are you thinking about?... Are you stunned silly with happiness?"

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