Widowed for Five Years, the Widow is Pregnant with the Emperor’s Child

Chapter 216

In Zichen Hall, the incense burned out. The last wisp of smoke escaped from the mouth of the incense beast and dispersed without a trace.

A palace servant carefully lifted the lid of the incense burner. While adding incense, from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the man resting his head on one hand. Even with his eyes closed in a light slumber, the man's imposing aura remained undiminished.

Suddenly, those thick eyebrows furrowed slightly. Frightened, the servant's hand trembled, and the lid dropped straight down, making a faint yet piercing sound.

His eyelids twitched, and the man slowly opened his eyes, revealing phoenix-like eyes. A sharp glint flashed through his deep, pitch-black pupils, and a hint of impatience showed between his brows.

Seeing this, the servant fell to his knees with a thud, his body shaking like a leaf. Spare my life, Your Majesty! This servant did not mean to disturb your peace!

His temples throbbed as if pierced by sharp awls, his head splitting with pain. A flash of violent rage crossed Emperor Jingxuan's eyes.

The kneeling servant felt a surge of despair, quietly waiting for the command of death to descend.

Suddenly, a faint fragrance drifted into his nose. Emperor Jingxuan reached straight into his sleeve, pulled out a silk handkerchief, and brought it to his nose to sniff gently. Only when the sharp, stabbing pain in his head gradually faded did the look in his eyes return to calm.

Get out, and have Jiang Fusheng roll in here, he ordered coldly, not even lifting his eyelids.

Yes, yes, this servant will go right away!

Relieved of a heavy burden, the servant scrambled out of the hall and found the head eunuch, Eunuch Jiang.

Jiang Fusheng hurried over upon hearing the news and rushed into the hall. What are Your Majesty's orders?

Emperor Jingxuan ordered with a dark expression, Go and investigate the female guests who entered the palace that day. See if there is anyone with a name containing...

He lowered his gaze to the pattern in the bottom corner of the cyan silk handkerchief in his hand. As his thumb rubbed against it, a character inexplicably surfaced in his mind.

Yun.

Go find out if anyone has Yun in their name.

Emperor Jingxuan did not know why he thought this; the idea had simply come to him upon waking.

If that woman wasn't in the palace, then she must be outside it.

He wanted to see who she was. Why could she cure his headaches? If she harbored malicious intentions, he would dig three feet into the ground to find her.

Although filled with doubts, Jiang Fusheng still complied. Yes, this servant has noted it down and will go handle it right away.

No rush.

With his headache slightly eased, Emperor Jingxuan tucked the handkerchief back into his robes and asked casually, Has anything interesting happened outside the palace recently?

Jiang Fusheng pondered for a moment before a spark of realization hit him. Uh... there is one thing.

Duke Lu's youngest brother, Third Young Master Lu, passed away from a severe illness. The old madam of the Lu family attempted to make her daughter-in-law be buried alive with her son. She actually poisoned her daughter-in-law at the funeral banquet!

Is she dead?

Emperor Jingxuan held his cup and took a sip of tea, his tone indifferent.

Jiang Fusheng shook his head. No. Truth be told, Third Lady Lu was lucky enough to escape it. Afterward, she took a divorce document and returned to Yangzhou with her uncle.

Emperor Jingxuan gave a faint hmm, showing little interest.

Whether she was truly lucky to coincidentally avoid it, or if it was something else, he couldn't be bothered to ask.

Jiang Fusheng smiled. Coincidentally, Third Lady Lu's surname is Yun. It is said she has unparalleled beauty. She and Third Young Master Lu were deeply in love and had an affectionate marriage. It's a pity the old madam lost her senses and harbored such a venomous thought.

Otherwise, given their deep affection, Lady Yun might have willingly remained a chaste widow for her husband.

Oh.

Emperor Jingxuan paid no mind, clearly uninterested in the family affairs of his subjects.

He waved his hand. Step down.

Seeing this, Jiang Fusheng stopped his recounting. He turned and went to investigate the female guests from the capital who had attended the banquet on his master's birthday and had the character Yun in their names.

The results of this investigation, however, left one dumbfounded.

Two days later, Jiang Fusheng tremblingly presented a dossier to Emperor Jingxuan.

After listening to his account, Emperor Jingxuan's phoenix eyes gradually narrowed, and his tone turned dangerous. Are you saying that the woman who got close to me that day is the young widow of the Lu family who recently lost her husband?

Quickly wiping the sweat from his forehead, Jiang Fusheng nodded. This servant dares not say for certain, but it is highly likely.

This is a handkerchief Lady Yun used in her daily life. She didn't take it with her. The rest were taken by the Lu family servants to be burned; only this one remains.

He pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

Staring at the identical pattern on the handkerchief, as well as the faint, lingering fragrance that had already faded, Emperor Jingxuan knew in his heart.

His eyes grew deep, dark, and unreadable.

After a long while, he parted his lips. Tell me in detail about her and the Lu family.

Jiang Fusheng hurriedly recounted everything he had found out, leaving out not a single word.

Emperor Jingxuan murmured softly, In other words, no one around her knows about what happened that night? She hasn't breathed a word to anyone either?

After all, having physical intimacy with a man other than her husband would be a devastating blow to a woman, enough to brand her with the stigma of infidelity. Someone with a more fragile temperament might have even taken her own life.

The fact that the young widow of the Lu family neither sought death nor made a fuss indicated that she treated it as a mere accident, perhaps even wanting to pretend it had never happened. Thus, she used the poisoning incident as an excuse to leave the capital and head to Yangzhou.

So it seems, this so-called deep affection is nothing more than this, he curled his lips into a cold sneer.

Jiang Fusheng paused for a moment. Was it his imagination? Why did that remark sound so sour?

Then, Your Majesty, should we continue investigating? Should we intercept Lady Yun and bring her back for questioning?

No need to investigate further. She's just a woman.

Emperor Jingxuan slightly raised his chin, his features revealing arrogance and composure. Tell the Black Dragon Guard to stand down. Treat this matter as if it never happened.

Since she had nothing to do with the person who set him up and was so eager to distance herself from him, he, the dignified Son of Heaven, naturally wouldn't cling to the issue.

Just a woman.

Emperor Jingxuan didn't take it to heart, brushing it off as nothing.

However, as time passed, he grew increasingly irritable and restless.

In the dead of night, his dreams would always recreate that night in the bamboo forest pavilion.

The woman's soft waist, the rich fragrance enveloping her body, her sweet, weeping cries... it was as if they were right at his fingertips.

But the moment he reached out, it turned into an illusory bubble and vanished.

At midnight, waking from his dream, Emperor Jingxuan breathed heavily, his body so stiff it ached.

He lowered his gaze to the proud erection below, and his face instantly darkened.

Jiang Fusheng!

Suddenly jolted awake, Eunuch Jiang adjusted his hat and hastily appeared. What are Your Majesty's orders?

Emperor Jingxuan pressed his lips together and said coldly, I want to bathe!

The servants quickly prepared hot water. As Emperor Jingxuan stepped into the water, his thick brows knitted tightly. The water is too hot.

Jiang Fusheng waved his hand to signal the servants to add cold water, not forgetting to grumble inwardly:

It's not the water that's hot; it's your body that's hot, your heart that's hot, you're hot all over.

After adding so much that it was almost cold water, Emperor Jingxuan spread his arms and leaned against the edge of the bathing pool.

Closing his eyes, he could almost smell her fragrance, and her hazy, indistinct face floated before his eyes.

He moved his lips. As a widow, what rank do you think I should bestow upon her?

Jiang Fusheng hesitated, momentarily at a loss for how to answer.

Before he could speak, his master's voice reached his ears: Never mind, get out.

...

Just a woman. He shouldn't be swayed by her.

Thinking this way, Emperor Jingxuan forced himself to stop thinking about the woman whose face he didn't even know.

Half a month flashed by. During a midday nap, Emperor Jingxuan once again dreamed of the young widow named Yun Wan.

In the dream, she had her back to him and said in a joyful tone:

She was getting married!

Clatter—

The dream shattered. Emperor Jingxuan woke with a sudden start. With a sweep of his long arm, he knocked the teacup off the table. The porcelain shattered into pieces, and tea splashed everywhere.

Hearing the commotion, the servants immediately dropped to their knees.

Catching a glimpse of his master's awful complexion, Jiang Fusheng was secretly alarmed and asked with concern, "Has Your Majesty's headache acted up again?"

Emperor Jingxuan raised a hand to support his forehead, his brows tightly knitted. A deep displeasure seeped through his resolute and handsome face.

Recalling the dream he just had, his expression grew tense.

He had actually dreamed that the little widow was getting married again.

Preposterous!

Her ex-husband had only been dead for a few months, and she was already going to marry someone else?

Was this proper at all?

Thinking of how she had haunted his dreams and kept him awake at night these past days, a surge of unwillingness welled up within him.

Emperor Jingxuan ordered with a dark face, "Prepare a boat. I am taking a trip to Yangzhou."

He had recently received a secret letter reporting that someone in the Jiangnan region was illegally trafficking salt and minting coins. This was a major issue concerning the foundation of the Great Qi dynasty; once it spread and formed a scale, it would shake the very roots of the nation. He intended to inspect it in person.

Along the way, he would go and meet that little widow named Yun Wan, to cut off his longing for her as soon as possible.

He absolutely would not be controlled by a woman. Perhaps once he saw her in person, that inexplicable feeling in his heart would simply dissipate.

.......

Yangzhou City, Fengshui Alley, the Cen Residence.

"Doctor, ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‍what exactly is wrong with our Wan? Is she ill?"

Seeing the doctor come out of the room, Cen Zhuo asked nervously.

Since returning to Yangzhou, his niece's complexion had been improving day by day. Yet this morning, she had suddenly fainted out of nowhere. This terrified the whole family, and Cen Yuanzhou had even rushed home from the academy.

The doctor was quite familiar with the Cen family and had some friendly relations with them. Hearing this, he chuckled cheerfully, "Rest assured, Miss Yun is fine. She is simply two months pregnant."

"Pregnant?"

The Cen father and son looked at each other, both seeing the astonishment in the other's eyes.

After seeing the doctor out, they went into the room to visit Yun Wan.

Upon learning that she was two months pregnant, Yun Wan was equally astonished.

She looked down and stroked her flat lower abdomen, her expression dazed. She couldn't believe a little life was living inside there, having followed her all the way from the capital to Yangzhou without her noticing it at all on the journey.

But thinking of the child's father........

Yun Wan pursed her lips in silence.

She and her husband had not consummated their marriage for half a year, so this child could not possibly belong to her deceased husband. There was only one possibility.

The child came from that one accident.

Thinking of that man's status as the supreme ruler, Yun Wan's expression became complicated.

To think that she had been married to her husband for over a year without conceiving, yet a single accident with that man had resulted in a child.

Seeing this, Lin Xiu put away her smile and asked carefully, "Wan, do you not want this child?"

"Although this child came at a bad time, doesn't it just show that this child is fated to be with you, and with our whole family?"

"Let's give birth to this child. If you don't like it, the worst comes to the worst, your uncle and I will raise it."

Thinking of the sins committed by the Lu family, Lin Xiu was afraid that Yun Wan would feel disgusted and repulsed by the child in her belly because of it.

Moreover, in this day and age, it was always a bit more difficult for a woman without a husband to raise a child.

Cen Zhuo, who was happy to learn of his niece's pregnancy, echoed upon hearing this, "Yes, yes! Your aunt and I are still young, raising a child is not a problem. If others ask, we can just say it's your cousin's child!"

Although this might have some impact on their son's future marriage, he was a man; bearing a few rumors was still better than the child being cursed as fatherless in the future.

In the future, when their son really wanted to get married, they would naturally explain things clearly to the in-laws before the engagement.

As for getting rid of the child, they had never even considered it.

For one thing, abortion medicine is cold in nature; at best it harms the body, losing the chance to be a mother in the future; at worst it costs one's life, which is not worth the loss.

As for the Lu family, the Lu and Yun families, they had no intention of notifying them at all, and even decided it was best to hide it for a lifetime.

Cen Yuanzhou nodded in agreement, having no objections.

Meeting their cautious yet hopeful gazes, Yun Wan's nose tingled, feeling a pang of mixed emotions.

She held Lin Xiu's hand, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Uncle, Aunt, what are you thinking? I never thought of not keeping this child."

"From the capital to Yangzhou, he didn't make a fuss the whole way. He's so good and strong, how could I have the heart not to want him?"

She looked at the handsome and slender Cen Yuanzhou and said helplessly, "And Cousin, why are you messing around with Uncle and Aunt? If word gets out that you have a child out of wedlock, what girl would dare to marry you?"

If born, this might be her only bloodline in this lifetime.

Because she had never thought about remarrying.

To put their minds at ease, Yun Wan simply laid it out openly, "Rest assured, Uncle and Aunt, I won't do anything foolish. I will safely give birth to this child. It's just that I will have to trouble you two elders to help look after him in the future."

Lin Xiu nodded hastily, "Yes, yes, no problem! We've wanted to hold a grandchild for a long time! It's just your cousin who doesn't live up to expectations!"

Saying that, she glared at her son.

Cen Yuanzhou touched his nose; he was currently entirely focused on preparing for the spring imperial examination next year.

Confirming that Yun Wan agreed to give birth to the child, Cen Zhuo and his wife finally breathed a sigh of relief. Overjoyed, the Cen family got busy again.

Lin Xiu went to brew a pregnancy-stabilizing tonic for Yun Wan, Cen Zhuo went to find a craftsman in the east of the city to pre-order a cradle and toys for the baby, and Cen Yuanzhou went to the market to buy Yun Wan's favorite food.

Yun Wan's heart was filled with happiness, and the corners of her lips curled up unconsciously.

........

In August, the fetus in Yun Wan's womb reached three months, and her pregnancy gradually began to show.

It is worth mentioning that this child was exceptionally well-behaved. From the beginning of the pregnancy until now, there hadn't been the slightest fuss. He was so good that occasionally Yun Wan, as a mother, doubted whether she really had a child in her belly.

However, this was also a good thing, indicating that both mother and child were safe and sound.

After the three-month mark, Yun Wan no longer stayed at home all day. She would occasionally go out and accompany Lin Xiu to the street to buy groceries.

The neighbors all knew that the husband of the Cen family's beautiful niece, Little Ah Wan, had died. Her maiden family and her in-laws disliked her and could not tolerate her, so she was brought to Yangzhou by her uncle while heavily pregnant.

Amidst the gossip, they couldn't help but sigh. There were also meddlesome matchmakers who planned to come knocking to propose a marriage once Yun Wan gave birth.

In this day and age, a beautiful widow capable of bearing children was much more sought-after than some young, inexperienced girls.

Occasionally receiving pitying and sympathetic looks from others, Yun Wan didn't mind. She felt that her life now was much happier and freer than in the capital.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, Yun Wan came out for some fresh air and took the opportunity to buy some festive household items on the street.

She stopped in front of a bamboo basket on the street and asked, "Auntie, how much are these pomegranates?"

The auntie, who had carried two baskets of pomegranates but hadn't sold many yet, greeted her warmly, "You have a good eye, Miss. These pomegranates are homegrown. They have thin skin, plenty of flesh, and sweet juice. They sell for ten copper coins each."

"Don't mind that they're a bit pricey, I guarantee they're delicious. If you don't believe me, have a taste, Miss?"

The auntie broke off a small piece and pressed it into Yun Wan's hand.

The clear, plump pomegranate seeds were bright red. Pinched between her slender, fair fingertips, they looked like individual rubies, exceedingly beautiful.

Yun Wan tasted a seed, lowered her eyes, and smiled, "Auntie, please pack five for me."

"Yes, right away!"

Seeing her straightforwardness, the auntie carefully picked out five good-looking pomegranates for her.

Yun Wan stood aside waiting, her eyes curving in a smile. The gentle breeze blew, and her side profile was soft yet clear under the sunlight. With her clothes fluttering, she was as beautiful as a painting.

She did not notice at all that at a street corner not far away, a pair of dark, sharp eyes was gazing at her with a profound look.