Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Boiling Oil and Splendid Wealth
As soon as she heard she was to be punished, Zi Su dared not speak further and obediently followed them inside.
Outside, the sun gradually grew venomous. Under the blazing sun, even the grape trellises in the courtyard wilted. The bamboos in front of Xia Ruqing’s window were motionless; not even a breath of wind stirred. In summer, it wasn’t the heat one feared, but the lack of wind. Everywhere under the heavens was stifling, and inside rooms, it was like a steamer, leaving people with nowhere to hide.
Xia Ruqing lay on a cool couch woven from rattan, fanning herself, yet she still felt hot. Even with ice in the room, it wasn’t cool enough. Her clothes were soaked through with sweat. Zi Yue had cut up fruit, but Xia Ruqing didn’t want to eat a single piece, feeling entirely listless.
"Mistress! How about we speak to the Emperor and stay at The Summer Resort for a while?" It was cooler there, near the mountains.
Xia Ruqing shook her head. "Let’s not! I can’t handle the rigors of travel. I’ll just endure it slowly! In half a month, it’ll be the start of autumn! The back-and-forth journey would be such a trial; by the end of it, I wouldn’t have spared myself any suffering at all! So, let’s forget it!"
As Xia Ruqing spoke, she edged closer to the ice basin. Zi Yue gently pulled her back a little. "Don’t get too close; it’s not good for the child!"
Xia Ruqing felt sleepy. "Luckily, when the child is born in October, it will be neither cold nor hot—how nice! My child really picked the right time!" She hadn’t finished her thought when she started to fall asleep.
Zi Yue wrung out a damp cloth and quietly wiped her body. In her sleep, Xia Ruqing felt more comfortable, her frown noticeably relaxed. Once she saw her sleeping peacefully, Zi Yue gradually set down the basin and left Xiao Xizi to watch over her.
Zi Yue called Zi Su and Zi Ning to the outer corridor. She looked at them with a composed expression. "Our mistress is in a precarious situation! Although it appears the Emperor favors her, in reality, inside the palace, all eyes are on her! Every move we make, every word we say, even every breath we take—how many are there waiting to find fault! If you all spout nonsense again, I won’t forgive you, let alone our mistress!"
It was the first time Zi Yue had been so severe with these two Second Class palace maids. Zi Ning was relatively calm, but Zi Su’s face turned beet red. She’s talking about me, isn’t she?
"Sister Zi Yue, I was wrong!"
Seeing her willingness to admit her mistake, Zi Yue’s expression softened considerably. "Our mistress craves sour foods, so why does she still say she’s expecting a princess? Who doesn’t understand the saying ’sour for boys, spicy for girls’? Isn’t it just to seek some peace of mind? The harem has never been a place where one can have everything one’s way just by relying on the Emperor! The mistress has her own considerations and difficulties; how could we possibly hold her back?"
Having served by Xia Ruqing’s side for these two to three years, Zi Yue had not done so in vain! As she spoke these words, she naturally carried the authority of a First-Rank Senior Palace Maid.
Zi Su and Zi Ning said nothing further.
Zi Yue continued, "Our mistress is now the target of public criticism, even if she tries to keep a low profile!" After all, she was pregnant, and if things continued, she would become the mother of the Crown Prince! Those women might not dare to act now, but they were all eyeing the child! If she gave birth to a prince, who knows, he might be murdered one day, and the prince then stolen away. Even worse, they might tamper with the birth process—a single mishap leading to two lives lost!
As Zi Yue continued, Zi Su and Zi Ning hung their heads lower and lower. Finally, Zi Su knelt on the ground. "Sister Zi Yue, I was wrong! I will be careful with what I say and do from now on; I won’t make that mistake again!"
Seeing this, Zi Ning quickly knelt down as well. "Sister Zi Yue, I understand now. From now on, we will all be of one mind, and we will surely ensure our mistress is well!"
Zi Yue was very pleased. Her face finally regained its usual affability. "Get up. It’s good that you understand the mistress’s difficulties! Don’t just see the mistress being favored and then become arrogant and look down on others."
"Yes!" The two palace maids nodded vigorously.
Xia Ruqing, inside the room, had heard their conversation clearly. In the end, she couldn’t help but smile broadly. Who would have thought Zi Yue could be so capable! She’s such a great help when it comes to training people; she really saves me a lot of trouble!
However... thinking about her own situation, even Xia Ruqing felt a twinge of anxiety. All this talk of favor and pregnancy. But, looking past the surface, she was a Jieyu. Even if she bore a child, she would at best become a mere consort in the future! The real difficulty was whether the child could be born safely. She didn’t want such dazzling yet dangerous prosperity. What she wished for now was to live well with her child, to have her own place in this harem.
Suddenly, she envied Consort Hui Pin. Living peacefully with her daughter, she never had to worry about falling out of favor. It could be said that as long as she didn’t commit evil or rebel, Zhao Junyao would never treat her unfairly for his entire life. How wonderful! At this moment, she truly wished she were Consort Hui Pin!
"Sigh!" She sighed deeply. I really wish someone else would receive great favor, or perhaps another would become pregnant, to draw some of this attention from me! With so many malicious gazes, she really felt she couldn’t bear it much longer!
Lost in these thoughts, she didn’t realize when she fell asleep.
「In the afternoon」
The Emperor came to see her. When she woke up groggily, Zhao Junyao was sitting beside her cool couch.
"Emperor, why are you here!" Just as she was about to get up, Zhao Junyao pressed her down.
"Don’t move! I just came to see you."
Xia Ruqing’s vision gradually cleared, and she saw that Zhao Junyao’s clothes were soaked through. "Emperor, you must be overheated!"
Zhao Junyao wiped the sweat from her forehead, then stood up and naturally removed his outer robe, leaving him in just a common undershirt. "It’s nothing. I’m used to it!" Back when he was learning martial arts with his master, training through the harshest winters and hottest summers was simply routine. So this heat, truly, was nothing!
Xia Ruqing said with admiration, "Emperor, you are really impressive! By the way, Emperor, would you like some ice?"
Zhao Junyao was slightly puzzled. "Ice?" He looked over at the large block of ice in the basin not far away. It’s edible? This girl... she hasn’t cooked up another strange idea, has she?
Xia Ruqing’s spirits lifted. "Emperor, it’s truly delicious! Please let your servant try making it!" With that, she climbed down from the couch, hurriedly put on her shoes, and was about to rush out, completely ignoring his presence as the emperor.
Zhao Junyao watched her, speechless. Qingqing, can’t you slow down a bit? When it comes to food, it feels like no one in the world is more of an expert than she is!
Xia Ruqing returned shortly, having summoned Xiao Xizi and Xiao Zhu Zi, along with Little Zhuzi from Li Shengan’s side. "You three, go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and bring back a block of ice! Get the cleanest one. Just say the Emperor wants it!"
The three looked at each other in bewilderment. "Ah?" Then, they all looked towards the Emperor, as if seeking his approval.
Zhao Junyao coughed lightly twice and finally said slowly, "Didn’t you hear clearly? What are you looking at me for?"
