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Chapter 2559 Palace Intrigue

During this period, Suning spent almost every day in Wei Changyu's Kunning Palace.

After finishing his business in the court, he would rush to the inner palace. When He Jingyuan asked him to discuss something, he would say, "Let's talk about it tomorrow." When Wei Qilin asked him to report on military affairs, he would say, "Just put it on the table."

The ministers were whispering among themselves, saying that the emperor had recently become infatuated with the empress, spending all his time with her and neglecting state affairs.

Su Ning heard this but wasn't annoyed; she just smiled and let it go.

However, no censor dared to impeach Su Ning on this matter, after all, Su Ning was not the kind of emperor with a good temper.

Su Ning knew best why she had been going to Kunning Palace every day lately.

The reason Wei Changyu couldn't get pregnant before wasn't because of any health problem, but because Su Ning didn't want her to get pregnant so quickly.

It's not that Suning doesn't like children, but that he has deeper considerations.

Wei Changyu is the Empress, Wei Qilin is the Deputy Privy Councilor, and Meng Lihua also holds significant military power. The Wei family is already the most powerful maternal relatives in the Great Yong Dynasty.

Of all the civil and military officials in the court, who has more power than the Wei family?

If Wei Changyu becomes pregnant with the emperor's child and gives birth to a prince as soon as she becomes empress, the Wei family's power will be even greater.

A mother's status rises with her son's, and a son's honor is linked to his mother's. Eventually, the Wei family will become so arrogant that even I might not be able to control them.

Therefore, Suning has always maintained control.

With Suning's current intelligence, controlling the frequency of concubines' pregnancies would be a piece of cake.

So Suning is waiting, waiting for the Wei family to learn to keep a low profile, waiting for Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua to understand their positions, and waiting for the power in the Dayong court to gradually reach a balance.

The results have been good in the past two years.

Although Wei Qilin became the Deputy Privy Councilor, he never sought power. He would consult with everyone on matters and never made decisions on his own.

Although Meng Lihua had troops under her command, she never boasted of her achievements and was always polite to everyone.

The Wei family members also kept a low profile when they were out in public, not saying things they shouldn't say and not doing things they shouldn't do.

Because they know that their wealth comes from Suning, not from the sky.

Suning can give them something, and it can also take it back.

Even if they were founding fathers, they couldn't change it, because this was the basic law and order of a dynasty.

Su Ning decided to let Wei Changyu conceive the dragon's child once she felt the time was right.

On the day the imperial physician confirmed the diagnosis, Wei Changyu was so happy he almost jumped for joy.

Wei Changyu looked at the imperial physician with excitement and asked three times, "Really? You're really pregnant? You're not lying to me?"

The imperial physician trembled with fear and knelt on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, I dare not deceive you; it is indeed a sign of pregnancy."

Wei Changyu let go of her hand, and tears streamed down her face.

Because she had waited for this day for so long, her heart had grown cold, and she thought she would never be able to conceive again.

Unexpectedly, it suddenly appeared.

Wei Changyu touched her stomach, crying and laughing intermittently, like a madwoman.

Upon hearing the news, Meng Lihua rushed in from outside the palace, and the mother and daughter embraced and wept.

When Wei Qilin, who was in the Privy Council, heard about it, he couldn't help but grin.

Su Ning sat beside them, watching the family's happy faces, and felt quite happy herself.

But he didn't show it, he just said calmly, "It's good that you're pregnant, take good care of yourself."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

……

From that day on, Wei Changyu became a different person.

She used to always look worried, after all, not being able to bear children was a serious crime in the imperial harem.

Now, everything is great; I'm all smiles every day.

She used to dislike certain foods, but now she eats them like crazy, saying it's for the sake of her child.

He would eat anything—ginseng, bird's nest, deer antler, donkey-hide gelatin—without hesitation, several times a day, until his face was glowing.

Su Ning looked at Wei Changyu's desperate, workaholic appearance and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

That evening, Wei Changyu was drinking a bowl of bird's nest porridge. One bowl wasn't enough, so he asked someone to fetch a second one.

Su Ning walked over and took the bowl from her hand, saying, "Don't eat anymore."

Wei Changyu was stunned for a moment, staring longingly at the bowl of porridge, like a child whose candy had been taken away. "Your Majesty, I haven't finished eating yet."

Su Ning put the bowl on the table and pulled her to sit down. "Do you know how many supplements you eat every day? Ginseng soup in the morning, bird's nest porridge at noon, donkey-hide gelatin soup in the evening, and all sorts of medicinal dishes in between. Do you think you're a glutton? Or an old sow raised in Lin'an Town?"

Wei Changyu was unconvinced and pouted, saying, "The imperial physician said that eating more tonics is good for the baby. If I don't eat them, how will the baby grow?"

Su Ning sighed and said patiently, "The imperial physician is right, but he didn't tell you to eat to death. If you eat too many supplements, the baby will be too big, and you won't be able to give birth. You'll be the one suffering. Besides, if you eat so much, it will all go to your body. How much of it will the baby absorb?"

Wei Changyu touched his face and realized he seemed to have gained a lot of weight; his chin was rounder.

Then, feeling a little guilty, she whispered, "Then...then I'll eat less?"

Su Ning nodded: "One bowl of bird's nest porridge a day is enough. Don't eat ginseng every day, once every three days is enough. Reduce the amount of donkey-hide gelatin by half. The rest of the time, eat more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. It's not good for the child if you only eat supplements and nothing else."

Wei Changyu listened and thought it made sense, but he was also unwilling to accept it. "Your Majesty, how do you know so much? You're not a royal physician."

Suning smiled but offered no explanation.

You can't exactly say that you've seen thousands of pregnant women in other worlds and know what scientific parenting is all about.

"I read books. Reading more books can never do any harm."

"Alright! Your Majesty, I will obey."

"I'll accompany you for more walks in the Imperial Garden later."

"Yes. Your Majesty, I thank you."

……

From that day on, Su Ning took Wei Changyu for a walk in the Imperial Garden every evening.

In the past, Wei Changyu would lie down after eating, afraid of upsetting the fetus.

Su Ning told her that if she only ate and didn't move, the baby would be too big and dangerous during childbirth.

Upon hearing this, Wei Changyu obediently followed Su Ning.

The Imperial Garden is very large, so it's impossible to walk around it all. Just keep the amount of time it takes to burn an incense stick each day.

Su Ning held Wei Changyu's hand and walked slowly, chatting with her about random things as they went, "Changyu, do you know what you should pay attention to during pregnancy?"

Wei Changyu thought for a moment, "The imperial physician said I can't run, I can't jump, I can't get angry, I can't eat cold food, I can't..."

Su Ning interrupted her: "What the imperial physician said is all correct, but there is one thing he didn't mention."

Wei Changyu asked, "What is it?" Su Ning said, "You need to be in a good mood. When you're in a good mood, the baby will grow well. If you're always frowning, the baby in your belly will also be frowning. If you're always smiling, the baby will also be happy. So you should smile more and stop thinking about those messy things."

Wei Changyu smiled, her eyes crinkling with laughter. "Your Majesty, you're right. I'll smile every day from now on and I won't cry anymore."

Su Ning added, "Also, don't just lie down all the time. Moving around a bit is good for the baby. Look at those farm women, they work in the fields even when they're pregnant, and their babies are all strong and healthy. City ladies, on the other hand, lie around all the time when they're pregnant, and their babies are sickly. Why? It's because they don't move around."

Wei Changyu thought about it and felt it made a lot of sense.

I remember seeing those farm women in Lin'an Town before, with big bellies, still planting rice in the fields. The babies they gave birth to were indeed strong, and their cries were louder.

“Then I’ll walk there every day from now on,” Wei Changyu said.

Su Ning nodded and said, "You have to be careful about what you eat. It's not about eating a lot, it's about eating right. Eat more fish, fish is good for children's brains. Eat more eggs, one a day is enough. Eat more vegetables and fruits to supplement vitamins. Eat less oily food, less sweet food, less salty food. You can't drink any alcohol, and you absolutely can't touch cigarettes."

Wei Changyu was stunned and couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, how do you know so much? Did you really study medicine?"

Suning smiled but did not answer.

This knowledge comes from the modern world and is the culmination of thousands of years of experience.

"I am the emperor, I must learn a little bit of everything."

Wei Changyu nodded as if she understood, thinking that her husband was truly remarkable, knowing everything.

I used to think that Su Ning was only good at fighting and magic, but I never expected that he would even know about having children.

As they walked, Wei Changyu suddenly stopped. “Your Majesty, you are so good to me. Sometimes I feel that I am not worthy of you.”

Su Ning was stunned for a moment: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Wei Changyu lowered her head. "You are the emperor, you know everything. I'm just a pig-slaughtering girl, I don't know anything. When you tell me these things, it takes me a long time to understand. I'm afraid... I'm afraid that one day you will despise me."

Su Ning sighed and pulled her into his arms. "Changyu, remember this: I have never looked down on you. You are my empress, my wife, and the most important person in my life. You don't understand anything, so I will teach you. If you learn slowly, I will teach you slowly. Don't be afraid, I'm here for you."

Wei Changyu leaned against Su Ning's chest, and tears fell again.

This time, she wasn't sad, but happy. "Your Majesty, I will study hard. I will remember everything you taught me. After the child is born, I will take good care of him and not let him suffer any injustice."

Su Ning smiled and patted her hair. "I believe in you."

……

From that day on, Wei Changyu followed Su Ning's teachings, eating a scientific diet, exercising appropriately, and maintaining a cheerful mood.

I no longer take supplements like crazy. Every day I have a bowl of bird's nest porridge, an egg, a bowl of rice, along with vegetables and fruits. It's a light yet nutritious diet.

Every evening, I would go for a walk with Suning in the Imperial Garden. We would walk for half an hour, at a leisurely pace, until we felt warm all over.

Wei Changyu's complexion is getting better and better, rosy and healthy. He's gained a little weight, but it's a good-looking weight gain, not just an unhealthy one.

Her temper improved; she stopped getting angry and became kind and gentle to everyone.

The palace maids and eunuchs all said that after the Empress became pregnant, she became kinder and easier to serve.

When Meng Lihua came to visit Wei Changyu, she was overjoyed to see her daughter looking so well. "Yu'er, did you change your imperial physician recently? Why do you look so good?"

Wei Changyu smiled and said, "We didn't change the imperial physician; it was His Majesty who taught us. His Majesty said we can't just eat tonics; we need a scientific diet and appropriate exercise."

Meng Lihua was taken aback: "Scientific diet? What is a scientific diet?"

After thinking for a moment, Wei Changyu told her mother everything Su Ning had taught her.

After listening, Meng Lihua said with emotion, "His Majesty is truly a learned man; he even knows about childbirth. Yu'er, you have married a good man; you must cherish him."

Wei Changyu nodded, touching her belly with a happy smile on her face.

Wei Changning also came to see her sister. She lay on Wei Changyu's belly, listened intently for a long time, and then looked up and asked seriously, "Sister, when will the baby come out? I want to play with him."

Wei Changyu smiled and said, "It will still be several months, don't worry."

Wei Changning pouted and said, "It's going to take that long? I can't wait."

Then, she leaned close to Wei Changyu's belly and whispered, "Little baby, come out quickly, Auntie will buy you candy."

Wei Changyu was amused by Wei Changning and burst into laughter, even the palace maids next to him couldn't help but laugh.

Standing at the door, Su Ning looked at the harmonious scene inside and felt a warm glow in her heart.

This silly wife of mine doesn't understand anything, but she's genuinely good to me.

……

Gongsun Jin spent less than three months in the Directorate of Ceremonial, and rose from a lowly eunuch doing odd jobs to the position of head eunuch.

This speed was unprecedented in the history of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

It wasn't because Gongsun Jin was lucky, but because he was truly capable.

Gongsun Jin was, after all, the headmaster of Hejian Academy. He came from a scholarly family and had been studying since childhood. He could recite the Four Books and Five Classics fluently and was proficient in poetry and prose.

After entering the Directorate of Ceremonial, while other eunuchs struggled to read, he could read memorials and write with ease, and his handwriting was exceptionally beautiful, each stroke resembling a calligraphy model.

The chief eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial initially looked down on him, thinking that he was just a newcomer and couldn't possibly have much ability.

Later, it was discovered that this young man was truly learned, no less so than the scholars of the Hanlin Academy.

Whatever you ask, whether it's about laws and regulations, historical anecdotes, or the evolution of the dynasty, Gongsun Jin can answer fluently and eloquently, citing classical texts without a single stumble.

When the chief eunuchs discussed matters and encountered something they were unsure about, they would consult Gongsun Jin.

Gongsun Jin remained neither humble nor arrogant, answering every question clearly and explicitly.

Over time, the senior eunuchs all grew to like him, finding the young man reliable, hardworking, unassuming, and dependable.

The Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was surnamed Liu. He was an old eunuch who had been in the palace for more than 30 years. He was one of the few survivors and had seen more people than ants.

Eunuch Liu held Gongsun Jin in high regard, often calling him over to give him private guidance.

Manager Liu, holding his teacup, said slowly, "Young Sun, you are a capable man. We've met many people in our family, but few are like you. Keep up the good work, and you'll have a bright future."

Gongsun Jin quickly bowed and said respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch Liu. I know nothing and still have much to learn from you."

Manager Liu nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself that this kid was not only capable, but also very sensible, knew how to be humble, and knew how to respect his seniors.

Such people are well-liked wherever they go.

Gongsun Jin was doing very well in the Directorate of Ceremonial, but he never forgot why he came here.

Every night, lying on the communal bed in the Directorate of Ceremonial, listening to the snoring of the eunuchs around him, staring at the dark ceiling with his eyes open, his mind was filled with the image of Qi Shu.

I wonder how Qi Shu is doing now? Is the baby in her belly alright? Is anyone bullying her? Is she happy in the palace?

These questions have no answers, and there's no way to ask them.

All we can do is wait, wait for an opportunity that may never come.

...(End of this chapter)