Chapter 19 - Protecting the Wife

With this notion, Rong Xi became even more panicked. Waiting for the worst of the nausea to be over, she had already been gently placed on the spacious and luxurious four-poster bed by Mu Huai. Mu Huai slowly let down the curtain. When he stared at the beauty with her hair scattered around, he saw her placing a hand on her stomach.

Puzzled, he asked, “What is it?”

Rong Xi was not sure if she was truly pregnant with Mu Huai’s child, so she could only pitifully beg Mu Huai in a tender voice, “Your Highness…be gentle to this slave tonight…please?”

Finished, she felt extremely embarrassed and looked away.

Mu Huai’s lips curled up and he turned the beauty’s face towards him, making her look at him. He felt that Rong Xi this woman was truly interesting. Just based on her face, as long as she curled her pinky and used some schemes, she could easily make countless men kneel in front of her skirts.

But Rong Xi never used her beauty to seduce or ask him for benefits. It was the first time she so pitifully begged him to treat her gently. When he saw her appearance, for the first time in his life, Mu Huai had the desire to indulge and spoil a woman.

When he thought of this, his slender finger had already caressed Rong Xi’s cheek and slowly moved down. Rong Xi’s line of sight also followed downwards. When Mu Huai raised her chin, she slowly shut her beautiful eyes.

In front of her was complete darkness, she only heard Mu Huai use a low and hoarse voice to say, “Alright.”

******

When the snow stopped falling, the two people’s hairs were intertwined, embracing each other as they relaxed.

Rong Xi felt her whole body was as soft as cotton, she had no more energy. She leaned into Mu Huai’s embrace, a faintly sweet feeling filling up her heart. Because her one-day lover treated her very gently tonight.

Mu Huai suddenly opened his eyes, contemplating his thoughts in the darkness. Since he had already been made a titled prince, then he should also give the woman next to him a status.

Although her background was low, it was not a problem for her to become a concubine. At the very least, a concubine would mean that she was legitimately his woman. In the palace she would be a master, no one would dare to slight her.

When the time is right in the future, the position could be discussed again.

After a moment, Mu Huai lowered his head to plant a kiss on the woman’s forehead and asked in a low voice, “Asleep?”

His voice was still hoarse and not yet fully awake, very magnetic.

Rong Xi replied in a small voice with her eyes closed, “This slave is awake.”

Mu Huai brushed away the stray hairs by Rong Xi’s ears, then began to play with her small and soft ears, “It’s been a long time since I’ve rewarded you, say it, what would you like?”

He paused, then afraid that Rong Xi would not understand his intentions, he asked again, “It doesn’t need to be material things, if you want something else, I will allow it as well.”

Rong Xi opened her eyes as well. She thought that since Mu Huai was now King Jin, then he would be marrying his consort in the near future. It was also time for her to wake up from this dream.

Laying in Mu Huai’s arms, she spoke in a small voice, “This slave does have a wish and hopes Your Highness will be able to grant it.”

Mu Huai tried to hide his smile, thinking that Rong Xi would ask for the reward he wanted to give her, “Say it.”

“Since Your Highness has been given a title, then you will soon be marrying your principal consort and establish your estate outside the palace…when that time comes, Your Highness will have many people by your side that will serve and care for you, this slave…this slave wishes Your Highness can allow this slave to leave the palace earlier.”

The smile on Mu Huai’s face froze when he heard this.

Leave the palace? This woman wanted to ask him to let her leave the palace a few years early?

Mu Huai let go of her ear then grabbed her chin. Rong Xi didn’t know why he suddenly became angry and her heartbeat quickened as she asked with some fear, “…Your Highness…Your Highness will not allow this?”

Mu Huai sneered.

The moment he thought of a future without this woman by his side, he suddenly felt a loss of control, a feeling that gave him a sense of fear and panic.

In a heavy voice, he threatened, “Leave the palace? Before I get tired of playing with you, you can’t go anywhere. Don’t forget what I told you that day, if you want to leave me, there’s only one path…”

—“Only as a corpse.”

Mu Huai’s voice grew heavier, carrying overbearingness and oppression of those who stand above others.

Before he gets tired of playing?

This sentence immediately doused the sweet emotions she felt earlier. She no longer spoke.

Mu Huai’s strength on her chin increased a little. In the darkness, he insisted on getting an answer from her, “If you understand then reply to me.”

“…This slave understands.”

Rong Xi’s voice trembled a little. In the end, Mu Huai still treated her as a plaything.

He had a strong and domineering personality. Towards things he wasn’t tired of yet, he would naturally not let them easily slip from his grasp.

******

The next morning, with a heavy heart, Rong Xi went to the pharmacy bureau to find Ye Yunlan.

When Ye Yunlan finished with her daily tasks, she took Rong Xi’s pulse at lunchtime.

Slightly cold fingers were placed on Rong Xi’s wrist for a while. Ye Yunlan’s countenance immediately turned pale. Rong Xi’s face, however, was as calm as always, and she nodded towards Ye Yunlan.

Taking advantage of her break time, Ye Yunlan walked side by side on the long path with a solemn expression on her face. She glanced sideways at the slim young woman, and after hesitating for a moment, she still asked in a small voice, “…Is it King Jin’s?”

Rong Xi bit her lip and nodded, she whispered, “If it’s not his, who else could it be…”

After Ye Yunlan let out a sigh, she asked again, “Then…will you keep it? Or…aye, why don’t you find an appropriate time to tell King Jin. If he gives you a status because of this, isn’t that better? No matter what, it’s better to be a concubine in a prince’s residence than a palace maidservant.”

Rong Xi replied, “Let me think about this more.”

If Mu Huai knew she was carrying his child, would he be happy?

Or would he detest her low background and think that she was not worthy of having his child.

Rong Xi was unable to guess whether Mu Huai would accept this child or not. Moreover, this was her first time being a mother, so she naturally did not want to lose this child. No matter what, she wanted to give birth to it.

After sending Rong Xi to the eastern gate, Ye Yunlan persuaded her to keep an open mind, and she would definitely help her keep this secret.

Rong Xi also gave a difficult smile to Ye Yunlan. The two people bid farewell to each other, and just as they were about to part ways, Rong Xi suddenly heard a movement behind her.

When she turned around, she saw Ye Yunlan kneeling on the ground. A bright and pretty young woman who she did not know was holding a plum branch, her face full of anger as she glared at Ye Yunlan.

Rong Xi knew Ye Yunlan had a timid personality and was afraid she would be bullied, so she walked towards them with hastened steps.

The young woman holding a plumb branch was the second daughter of the Di family, Di Shihua.

She was wearing a snow-white fox fur cape, and her face was round and bright. Di Shihua angrily scolded the kneeling Ye Yunlan, “My plum branch was picked especially for Her Majesty the Empress. Now you broke it, how should you be punished?”

When Rong Xi heard the word ’empress’, she guessed Di Shihua’s identity. Under her gaze, she knelt next to Ye Yunlan.

Ye Yunlan was already frightened to the point she was shaking. Her lips trembled as she stuttered, “This slave…this slave…”

When Rong Xi saw this, she kowtowed to Di Shihua and spoke respectfully, “Young Miss Di, quell your anger. Although this plum branch was broken, another one can be plucked. If you do not want to make the trip to the plum garden again, then this slave and Pharmacist Ye will personally pluck the branch for Young Miss to make up for our crime. His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress have always treated the palace servants generously and usually would not admonish the servants for this sort of matter. This slave believes that Young Miss Di is also a kind and generous person and would not argue with a palace maid for this mistake.”

Di Shihua was speechless.

This palace maid truly had a glib tongue, using the emperor and empress to stifle her.

Di Shihua ordered Rong Xi in a cold voice, “You, raise your head.”

Rong Xi lifted her head.

Di Shihua coldly observed her ordinary appearance, and seeing the freckles on her cheeks, she felt contempt in her heart. She harshly threw the plum branch at Rong X’s body. Rong Xi turned her face and the plum blossoms scattered all over the ground.

She also felt uneasy inside. Ever since she discovered there was a problem with the peach blossom fragrance, she had no way of seeking revenge on behalf of Lady Yu due to her low status. After all, there was a strong possibility that the person who harms Lady Yu was the Mother of the Heavens, the lofty leader of the inner palace.

On the other hand, she was just a lowly little palace maid.

In this Yongxi Palace, it was difficult enough to just ensure her own survival.

Di Shihua’s yelled out in a sharp voice, “You pock-faced ugly slave, you sure have a lot to say, just see how I…”

Before she could finish, Rong Xi heard Di Shihua yell out “Ah—“.

When she looked at her again, Di Shihua had fallen to her knees.

Di Shihua’s calves felt extremely painful, as if she was fiercely kicked by someone. Just as the palace maids wanted to help her up, they heard an extremely chilling male voice, “Let her kneel!”

When Di Shihua raised her eyes, Mu Huai already stod in frotn of her.

He wore a dark-colored robe and a nine-tasseled crown. He stared down at her with a lofty gaze, almost as if he was looking at an ant.

Mu Huai’s voice was extremely icy, barely masking the anger that would explode at any moment—

“What thing do you count as to dare to teach a lesson to this King’s1 people?”

Author’s note: Next chapter, our Rong Rong will show her temper!