Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 291: Whose Child is in Consort Qin’s Belly?

Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Whose Child is in Consort Qin’s Belly?

Consort Qin had been keeping a low profile for the past several months. She was also very smart. Apart from paying her respects to the Empress, she spent the rest of her time in her own palace and would occasionally visit Consort Jing, displaying her well-behaved and sensible nature to the Emperor.

It wasn’t that there were no concubines in the harem who, out of jealousy, had taken action against her, but the two palace maids who accompanied her from the Western Regions were quite capable. They ended up causing several Noble Ladies and Jieyus to entrap themselves.

Not long ago, during Consort Qin’s snow appreciation, she was pushed by a palace maid and took a fall. Fortunately, Consort Qin merely sprained her ankle, and the child was unharmed.

To soothe her fright, the Emperor even granted her many rare and precious items.

Not too long ago, Murong Jiu and Jun Yuyan had discussed Consort Qin, debating whose seed was in her belly.

It wasn’t that both of them were too gossip-hungry, but such matters had significant implications, and the Imperial Family certainly wouldn’t raise a child for some other man.

Moreover, the fact that Consort Qin could conceal her pregnancy from so many eyes inside the palace was truly a feat.

The reason for their suspicion towards her was that the Emperor was weak and kidney-deficient. Previously, Noble Lady Hui had used a bewitching fragrance that caused irreversible harm to his body.

Murong Jiu had a lot of confidence in her medical skills. She didn’t believe that the Emperor could father any more offspring after the incident with Noble Lady Hui.

And then there was a coincidence that the bewitching fragrance used by Noble Lady Hui originated from the Western Regions. Murong Jiu and Jun Yuyan initially guessed that Noble Lady Hui was acting under the Empress’s instructions, deliberately using the fragrance from the Western Regions to make the Emperor develop an aversion to the Princess of the Western Regions, whom he was about to marry.

The Emperor indeed developed an aversion for a while, but who could resist the young, beautiful, and alluring Consort Qin? And with her getting pregnant after just a few months, the Emperor couldn’t maintain his dislike for her.

However, neither Murong Jiu nor Jun Yuyan could figure out with whom Consort Qin might have had an affair.

The Imperial Physician? A guard?

Unable to come up with answers, they didn’t continue to ponder the matter. Jun Yuyan just arranged for eyes to watch over Consort Qin’s side to prevent any schemes that might arise affecting him and Ah Jiu.

The Emperor had been ill for half a month, and there was no sign of improvement.

Divine Doctor Miao and the Imperial Medical Office were diligently working on the Emperor’s recuperation.

Murong Jiu also followed Jun Yuyan into the palace once to visit the ailing Emperor and Consort Jing.

Consort Jing’s face was covered with a thin veil, beneath which one could faintly see the horrific red scars; her expression was cold, and when her eyes fell on Jun Yuyan, it was as though she wished to devour his flesh and drink his blood.

Upon leaving the Palace of Consort Jing, Murong Jiu frowned and asked in a low voice, "Why does Consort Jing show such intense hatred towards you?"

Jun Yuyan replied in a lowered voice, "Her beauty was destroyed, and she no longer resembles the Empress Dowager; even before father became ill, he visited less often. Consort Jing hates not just me, but many people. Now that I benefit the most, managing state affairs temporarily, she probably feels I’ve stolen everything from her son."

It seemed that way. Even behind the chiffon veil, those scars were indeed too grotesque and terrifying, greatly affecting her appearance. Moreover, Consort Jing’s gentleness was only an attempted imitation of another’s looks. With such a drastic change befalling her, her temperament also underwent a significant shift, and naturally, she resembled the Empress Dowager even less.

Murong Jiu commented indifferently, "She originally received favor because she looked like the Empress Dowager. Now that she has lost favor for no longer resembling her, isn’t it normal? The person she should blame the most is the Emperor."

Jun Yuyan chuckled, "You’re right, but how could she dare? Plainly put, she’s just a peasant girl who doesn’t know many characters. With her husband as her heaven, even if she resents the Emperor, she wouldn’t dare hate him."

There were people everywhere in the palace, so the two didn’t discuss further and went to pay their respects to Imperial Noble Consort Qi.

As for visiting the Empress, there was no need; a few days ago, the Emperor found an excuse to confine her for half a month, and the Phoenix Seal temporarily fell into the hands of Imperial Noble Consort Qi.

"This palace is your mother, yet look at you, going to see Consort Jing first without even thinking to visit me first in my palace,"

Imperial Noble Consort Qi sneered, her mood clearly sour.

Jun Yuyan, neither humble nor arrogant, offered his apologies, sat in her palace for a while, and then took Murong Jiu to ask for leave.

Imperial Noble Consort Qi watched them leave, her expression growing even uglier.

"Hua Ping, look at this, look at this, despite how well this palace treats them, they are still ungrateful, acting as if I’m just air! It infuriates me to death!"

The palace maid Hua Ping said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. The Prince is just slightly estranged from you. If you show more warmth towards the Prince and Princess Consort, the relationship between mother and son will surely improve sooner or later."

"You heard it just now, I told Murong Jiu to bring the child for me to see, but Yu Yan guarded them like jewels, saying the child is afraid of strangers. They’ve already reached a hundred days old, what is there to fear about meeting strangers? He is just afraid that his birth mother will harm him!"

Hua Ping sighed, "Your Majesty, you previously accused the Princess Consort of carrying an illegitimate child, the Prince must not be pleased in his heart."

"Hmph! If I can’t see those two children with my own eyes, how do I know for sure whether they are indeed Yu Yan’s issue? Back then, Manman said that before Murong Jiu was married, she had been intimate with the Second Prince, and I doubted that she was carrying the Second Prince’s illegitimate child! It’s only because Yu Yan treasures her like a precious jewel!"

"Your Majesty, you must never say such things in front of the Prince. Besides, isn’t Murong Man now the concubine of the Second Prince? Clearly, she’s the one who has had relations with the Second Prince. Please don’t let someone with an agenda deceive you."

Imperial Noble Consort Qi, too angry to speak, was not unable to see the truth, but she could not lower her noble head. She had never liked Murong Jiu, and even now, she did not care for her much more.

Jun Yuyan had already defied her many times because of Murong Jiu.

And then there were the many events that had transpired in the palace, how the Emperor used her as a "shield" to protect Consort Jing and her son. These had saddened her deeply for a long time.

She competed fiercely for favor, loving the Emperor deeply, thinking he loved her the same way. Little did she know it was all just an illusion.

Now, although she still treated the Emperor very well, as if nothing had changed, she knew in her heart she had fallen out of love long ago. All she wanted now was to see her son Jun Yuyan become the Crown Prince and eventually ascend to the throne. Then she would be the Empress Dowager and no longer serve anyone.

Yet she hadn’t expected that her efforts to warm up to her son and daughter-in-law, to mend their relationship, would be met with their cold treatment.

Even as Hua Ping tried to console her, Imperial Noble Consort Qi remained displeased, feeling that it was Murong Jiu who had poisoned Jun Yuyan’s mind against her, causing their estrangement.

However, Murong Jiu could care less about their likes and dislikes. As there is a cause, there is an effect; not being liked would not cause her any loss. Similarly, she could not bring herself to like them because of their treatment of Jun Yuyan.

On the way back to the Prince Mansion, Murong Jiu asked the coachman to take a detour to visit the fields outside the city gate.

Spring was flourishing everywhere, with willow trees sprouting tender green branches and leaves and many unknown wild grasses covering the ground. Once outside the city gates, the eyes were met with an expanse of green.

Just as they arrived at the fields and Murong Jiu was about to get off the carriage, suddenly a clump of wet mud was thrown at the carriage, narrowly missing her.

The guards immediately drew their swords.

"Stop."

Jun Yuyan furrowed his brows and stopped his guards because the thrower of the dirt was a dirty little boy.

"Why are you throwing mud at us?"