Chapter 83: A War between Man and Woman (4)

Translator: Storm in a Teacup
It was May, and the war was raging in Yunxi. Constant influx of military reports was a daily norm and those reports were all urgent. Being preoccupied with the war, Qi Sheng had less time visiting the harem. He would sleep in my harem once in a while, but for the rest of the time, he simply summoned those concubines to serve in the Da Ming Palace. The way he treated those women resembled more and more like that of the other emperors, going nowhere near the harem for a few days when he was busy and then when he had the urge, he would summon two to be sent to his place, one for the early part of the night and the other for the midnight. It was like rushing through a task.

I had only seen this kind of scene on TV in my previous life.

I loathed his behavior. As a well-educated adult, I simply couldn’t condone his way of insulting woman!

Those concubines were surely reluctant to be treated like that as well. After all, who would enjoy being dragged out of the bed and sent away in the middle of the sleep? Though the temperature was much warmer now, they nonetheless still couldn’t sleep well. No wonder they would look so bad the next day with a trace of aggrievances on their faces.

But overall speaking, the harem was kept peaceful.

Lv Li would visit me once in a while on those days when she had to come into court and visit the Grand Empress Dowager. When she came here, she would always bring me some baby clothes.

My belly remained as plat as the airfield, and I didn’t know whether I should feel sad or happy about that. Lv Li said, “Your Majesty, why do we get a bodhisattva statue? I have been told that they have a very magical statue over at Fuyuan Temple. Maybe I can go and pray to it on your behalf?”

Not wanting to discourage her, I nodded my head.

Lv Li walked out of the palace in good spirit and by the end of May, she was pregnant.

I was a bit stunned when I received the news and the first thought I developed was that this bodhisattva was truly magical, and the second thought I had was that bodhisattva must be too busy to make this kind of mistake.

When the Empress Dowager heard the news, her eyes went red. She immediately summoned Bathroom Lord for a good reprimand and accused him of being unfilial as he still didn’t have a child.

Bathroom Lord was between a rock and a hard place. He had just been engaged with the Third Lady Zhang and it was a long way from getting engaged to sleeping together, let alone having a baby. Plus, Third Lady Zhang was only thirteen, and if Bathroom Lord didn’t want to be a monster, he would have to wait until she was a proper adult.

Also, his marriage with the Zhang clan was purely political and so they had to be a bit respectful to each other. Premarital pregnancy was absolutely out of the question.

By logic, it would be several years before he could have a child. No wonder the Empress Dowager would feel this distraught.

But the Grand Empress Dowager was rather delighted to hear that Lv Li was pregnant.

Lv Li had been a frequent visitor of the Grand Empress Dowager’s place and she knew her way around the elderly. The grand Empress Dowager had already liked her, and now that Lv Li was pregnant, she began to like her more. The Grand Empress Dowager sent words to Lv Li that she was to stay in her own house for the first couple of months and that during those months she didn’t need to come to visit the Grand Empress Dowager.

But it also meant that Lv Li no longer had excuses to visit me and it was said that she cried that night after she received the instruction from the Grand Empress Dowager.

As I was recounting the news, Zhao wang was squatting on the stairs of the corridor like he always had done with a serious face.

I stood on the ground with both of my hands supporting Wei’er. Xie Yi was on the other side feeding little fish to the cat.

Wei’er was babbling as she stretched out her chubby foot to kick that cat. Though she was still tinny, she was relatively stronger than babies at her age and after a short while, I was already sweating like hell.

While I was feeling a bit irritated, I heard Zhao wang sighing, “I have to hand it to her. How come she could cry so easily. All she needs to do was to take out a handkerchief and then the tears would immediately follow!”

I was too very surprised by Lv Li’s expertise in crying at the beginning, but after having witness it happening on too many occasions, I was used to it.

I consoled Zhao wang, “No big deal. Girls are like that.”

Zhao wang asked in curiosity, “They all do that?”

I nodded, and instructed Xie Yi, “Xie Yi, show Zhao wang how you cry.”

Xie Yi was taken aback by my demand and then her eyes immediately reddened. She sobbed, “Your Majesty, you are picking on me. I don’t cry as often as Lv Li.”

I turned back to Zhao wang and said, “Well, see? That’s how it is for every girl.”

Zhao wang nodded his head in agreement.

Xie Yi wiped her face and then continued feeding the cat like nothing had happened.

Wei’er started struggling in my arms, wanting to give the cat another kick.

I held her in my arms firmly and asked Zhao wang, “I thought you wouldn’t take another woman after what happened between you and Jiang shi.”

Zhao wang looked at me with a sorrowful face and said, “Your Majesty. It is all water under the bridge now. Let’s not get into that again, OK?”

I nodded, took a pause and then continued, “You have already taken Lv Li as your woman. There is no returning her, you hear?”

Zhao wang slightly opened his mouth in surprise, but couldn’t say anything for a long while. Then, he said, “Your Majesty, why don’t you go to Fuyuan Temple as well?”

I was starting to get rather impatient with Wei’er and so I gave her to the nanny, instructing her to take Wei’er back. Then I told Xie Yi to take away the cat before turning my head around to Zhao wang, “You think this is the right time for me to go to Fuyuan temple?”

Zhao wang thought for a while and replied, “Yes.”

I paused, asking, “Won’t… His Majesty have some thoughts about me going there?”