The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 38

The two women, Du Yan and Zhang Mingqian, who had been entirely focused on the stage, froze. They looked at the dignified and cold Ming Yi in utter disbelief. Du Yan stepped forward and felt Ming Yi’s forehead. “Has something gone wrong with your brain? How could a man’s waist be softer than a woman’s, especially a professional dancer? Has love completely blinded you?”

Ming Yi turned her gaze toward her. “I am telling the truth.”

“Is it the truth just because you say it? Ordinary matters can be verified, but this, how do you expect us to verify it?” Zhang Mingqian spoke with practical sincerity; it was not as if she could simply touch Official Gu’s waist to check.

Gu Jinse, on the other hand, turned a bright shade of crimson. She covered her face, not daring to speak, and looked toward the woman on the stage. “I do not think Ying Hui looks like someone from our dynasty,” she said, attempting to change the subject.

“She is from our dynasty, a born and bred local of the capital,” Zhang Mingqian replied, her attention returning to the stage. “Official Gu has been away for many years. She was born and raised in the capital; I hear she has never stepped foot outside of it.”

The topic ended for the moment.

Ming Yi drank her wine in silence while Gu Jinse watched her from the corner of her eye, seeing no one else in the room. Du and Zhang were enthusiastically discussing the nuances of the dance. As frequent patrons, they had quite a bit of insight; by comparison, Gu Jinse and Ming Yi were dance illiterates, merely there for the spectacle.

As the two of them looked at each other, the affection in their eyes deepened. Zhang Mingqian suddenly interjected, “Official Gu, can you do a backbend?”

Gu Jinse: “…” It never ends.

On stage, Ying Hui performed a deep backbend before leaping up quickly, her water sleeves flowing like moving clouds. Ming Yi looked at her and asked, “Can you?”

Gu Jinse replied crossly, “Whether I can or not, won’t you find out when we go home tonight?”

Tsk, tsk, tsk. The conversation had turned suggestive. The two single dogs immediately dropped the subject and went back to discussing Ying Hui’s technique. Halfway through the dance, the lights flared up, returning brightness to the hall. Du Yan praised the exquisite choreography, while Zhang Mingqian brought up Zhao Feiyan’s famous palm dance, effectively comparing Ying Hui to the legendary consort.

Gu Jinse seized the chance to retort, “I heard Official Zhang was reserved and upright. Seeing you today, you seem quite different from the rumors.”

Zhang Mingqian was momentarily silenced, then shot back, “Is your newly wedded wife exactly like the rumors?”

Not quite. Gu Jinse didn’t say it aloud, but in the rumors, Ming Yi was a celestial fairy; the person in front of her was a black-bellied woman who had burrowed deep into the earth’s surface.

Having reclaimed a point, Zhang Mingqian smiled. Gu Jinse chuckled softly. “All three of you are different from the rumors.”

In the capital, the three of them were whispered about as if they were legends: Yamas of the human world, demons of hell. In reality, they were just ordinary women, perhaps a bit sharper and colder than most.

As Gu Jinse was lost in thought, Ying Hui began another dance. Du and Zhang immediately stopped talking, watching with rapt attention. Gu Jinse noticed Ying Hui’s stature and whispered to Ming Yi, “I think her frame is larger than a typical woman’s. She doesn’t look like someone from the Central Plains.”

Ming Yi finally looked up and said, “Her father was from our dynasty, but her mother was from a foreign tribe. She has been a dancer since childhood and eventually bought her freedom to open Yong’an Tower.”

Yong’an Tower was bustling and expensive; the price of a single dish was several times higher than elsewhere, comparable to a modern five-star hotel. Ming Yi and Gu Jinse watched until they felt they had seen enough and left before the dance ended. Out of a sense of social politeness, Gu Jinse went to the counter to settle the bill. By the time she stepped outside, Ming Yi was already in the carriage.

The moon had reached the treetops by the time they returned to the manor. Madam Gu and Uncle Yu had not yet returned. As a junior, it wasn’t appropriate to pry into the elders’ affairs. Gu Jinse told Tun Tun to keep an eye out for them; after all, neither was young, and if something happened, they wouldn’t be as fast on their feet.

Entering the bridal chamber, Ming Yi began to change. Her graceful silhouette was cast against the screen: tall and slender in the dim light, with hair like dark ink and skin like cream. The earthbound beauty had returned to the moon; her icy, crystalline temperament made people hesitate to approach. Her radiance made the bright moon seem dim; it was as if she truly were a celestial maiden from the lunar palace.

Gu Jinse smiled, her eyes shimmering. Unaware of her thoughts, Ming Yi laughed. “What are you grinning at like a fool?”

“I’m going to bathe,” Gu Jinse replied, skipping the answer as her eyes sparkled with joy. Ming Yi frowned, her eyes like a calm sea that refused to ripple.

With their own separate thoughts, they finished washing up and lay down in bed together. Ming Yi stared at the ceiling while Gu Jinse stared at her. The dragon and phoenix candles had long been extinguished, replaced by a bouquet of fresh red peonies, a beautiful symbol with a faint, sweet fragrance.

Gu Jinse reached out to touch Ming Yi’s earlobe. Though the movement was incredibly light, Ming Yi gave a start and instinctively tried to dodge. Between the silk sheets, the atmosphere was naturally suggestive; even a simple touch could stir the soul. Ming Yi’s whole body felt resistant, as if this were something momentous and forbidden that shouldn’t be done.

Gu Jinse laughed. “What are you afraid of?”

Ming Yi’s breathing grew heavy. She was unsettled by that radiant, sun-like smile; her body began to feel warm. Suddenly feeling a weight on her knees, she instinctively tried to move away, but Gu Jinse pressed closer, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Gu Jinse,” she said, sounding a little angry.

Gu Jinse gave a silly laugh. “Why are you so scared? It’s not the first time.”

At those words, Ming Yi’s heart hammered even harder. She shuddered and moved to get up, but Gu Jinse hugged her from behind. “I won’t touch you then. Let’s just sleep.”

Ming Yi didn’t believe her. Gu Jinse pulled her back down to lie quietly. “Do you know the story of the Butterfly Lovers, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai?”

Ming Yi shook her head.

Gu Jinse immediately recounted how Zhu Yingtai disguised herself as a man to study, sharing a room with the bookworm Liang Shanbo. It was perfectly normal for two men to sleep together, but she was a woman. In her desperation, she placed a bowl of water in the middle of the bed; if the water spilled to one side, it would be that person’s fault the next morning.

“A bowl of water, eh?” Ming Yi said thoughtfully. She got up, went to the table to pour some water, and placed a cup of tea between them. She smiled brilliantly. “No crossing the line.”

Gu Jinse instinctively touched her own face. Suddenly, her face felt very sore with embarrassment. She hurriedly explained, “I was telling you the beautiful story between them, not telling you to copy it! They were classmates and friends; we are married. There’s no need to learn from them. Do you know how tragic their ending was?”

Ming Yi had already laid back down. She closed her eyes and smiled. “Sleep.”

Her gentle tone carried a cold authority, and that slight smile made one feel a bit apprehensive. Gu Jinse gave a huff, turned her back to her, and ignored her. Fortunately, both were quiet sleepers. They passed the night in peace.

When morning came, Madam Gu had just gone to bed. The young couple, intending to pay their respects, were dumbfounded. Had Madam Gu stayed up all night again? Not only her, but Uncle Yu was the same. The siblings shared the exact same temperament; it was a wonder the Yu family Matriarch didn’t chase them with a stick.

The two looked at each other. Ming Yi cleared her throat. “Let’s go pay our respects to A-Gui.”

Tomorrow was the return visit to the palace to thank the Emperor; they likely wouldn’t get out until very late, so today was a good opportunity. A-Gui had been buried in a place of scenic beauty. Ming Yi had personally arranged it: not just for her, but for the other nineteen girls as well. The rows of graves stood out quietly against the landscape.

Standing before the graves, Gu Jinse was dazed as her resentment flared up again. Ming Yi stared at A-Gui’s tombstone and said, “A-Gui was Wang Liang’s subordinate. She was the one who brought her in.”

Gu Jinse remained silent, her hair disheveled in the wind. She wanted to break free from an invisible tether, but her heart was held tight.

“I know you feel guilty, but sometimes killing doesn’t solve things.” Ming Yi poured a cup of wine before A-Gui’s grave. “Do you know that countless things happen every year? Countless guards like A-Gui die. Some don’t even have bodies, but A-Gui has you to remember her.”

Gu Jinse sneered. “Then she was lucky.”

Ming Yi said nothing. After pouring the wine, she stood with her hands behind her back, gazing at the tombstone for a long time. Gu Jinse turned to leave, but Ming Yi stopped her. “Wang Liang leaves the city today.”

“I know,” Gu Jinse said coolly.

Ming Yi took her wrist, her index finger gently stroking the back of her hand. “I’ll take you to see her.”

“I’m afraid I’ll kill her,” Gu Jinse gritted her teeth.

Ming Yi let out a sigh and whispered, “Once you go, you will understand.”

With that, she pulled the stumbling Gu Jinse away from the graveyard. As they boarded the carriage, a wolf howled somewhere in the distance. Gu Jinse was badly startled, sitting in the carriage in a daze until they had driven far from the mountains. Her mouth felt dry.

Ming Yi teased her, “It was just a few howls. Once you’ve actually seen a wolf, you won’t be afraid.”

Gu Jinse pouted and turned away. Her little temper was showing. Ming Yi laughed. They rode in silence until they reached the city gates, where they saw several bailiffs dragging a person along. It was Wang Liang. She was in rags, her hands and feet bound in iron chains. She tottered as she walked, looking utterly wretched: her thin back seemed crushed by an invisible weight.

The two stepped off the carriage, the sun behind them. Ming Yi stood firm and unmoving. Gu Jinse watched the figure; the bailiffs dragged Wang Liang along, cursing at her. Her legs seemed injured.

“Were her legs broken?” Gu Jinse asked, surprised.

“The parents of those nineteen girls found someone to break them,” Ming Yi said. “Like you, they felt she deserved to die. Not only are her legs broken, but she has also been made a mute so she can’t speak of your secret. Gu Jinse, she had the means to ruin your reputation, yet she didn’t do it.”

“Living like that must be agonizing,” Gu Jinse’s chest heaved. Death had suddenly become a luxury. She asked, “Would someone like her think of ending it all?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.” Ming Yi turned to look at the fierce summer sun, her eyes narrowing. She seemed to return to years ago, when Wang Liang had rushed in front of her to shield her from the blows of a staff. In these past days, she had realized one thing: power changes everything.

They watched for a moment. The struggling Wang Liang suddenly looked back as if she had seen them. She stopped, but the bailiffs quickly urged her to keep moving.

“Will she survive?” Gu Jinse wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“She might die on the road,” Ming Yi speculated.

Gu Jinse fell silent. She turned and retreated back into the carriage; the weather was so stiflingly hot she could hardly endure it.

By the time they returned to the Gu residence, it was already afternoon. Madam Gu was awake, reclining on a cooling chair to enjoy the shade. Seeing Gu Jinse, she promptly closed her eyes again, pretending not to see her.

“Mother, are you dissatisfied with me?” Gu Jinse sighed. “You’re the one who wants the divorce; you can’t blame that on me.”

“A-Se, sit down.” Madam Gu sat up straight and pointed to a small stool nearby. “Let us have a proper mother-daughter talk.”

Ming Yi watched the “kindly” Madam Gu and found it amusing. She found a stool of her own and sat down, ready to watch the show. The mother and daughter of the Gu family were truly a unique pair.

“A-Se, it was because of you that I saw your father’s true colors. This proves you are the factor that destroyed our marital harmony. Tell me, shouldn’t I be angry with you?” Madam Gu sighed deeply. “They say a daughter is a mother’s little silk-quilted jacket, but I feel like you’re just a debt collector sent here specifically to ruin our relationship.”

“When you put it that way, Madam, it does seem to make a bit of sense,” Ming Yi Chimed in.

Gu Jinse glared at her. “Don’t add fuel to the fire. What does this have to do with me? His bad temper isn’t something I commanded.”

Madam Gu sighed, deciding this daughter-in-law was someone she could get along with. She turned to Ming Yi and said, “Don’t you agree? If I hadn’t given birth to her, wouldn’t I have avoided all this bad luck today?”

Ming Yi smiled faintly. “Indeed, you shouldn’t have given birth to her.”

“Alright, I’ve vented my frustration. A-Se, I leave the day after tomorrow. Once we part, it may be a long time before we see each other again. If you want to cry, do it now.” Madam Gu’s expression grew melancholy. She reached out to stroke her daughter’s forehead, her heart filled with pity. “Remember, listen well to Chancellor Ming. I’ve found a fallback for you: your uncle said that if you ever divorce in the future, he’ll have his son marry you. He’ll wait ten years for you.”

The smile on Ming Yi’s lips vanished.

Gu Jinse stifled a laugh, stealing a glance at the Chancellor. As expected, she was displeased.

“Mother, you handle your own affairs first. How about I accompany you back? You know what Grandfather is like; I’m afraid you and Uncle won’t be able to handle him.”

“No need. He has come to the capital. I’m heading back to process the divorce just as he’s away, it’s perfect timing.” Madam Gu breathed a sigh of relief and patted her daughter’s arm. “Otherwise, why would Ming Yi and I have moved the wedding date up? Outsiders think the Gu family was holding a Chongxi wedding because your life was short. Bah! It was simply because we didn’t want your grandfather to ruin things.”

“It wasn’t a Chongxi…” Gu Jinse was turned to stone. She stood dazed for a long time. “I thought I didn’t have long to live. Mother, you tricked me too.”

“I didn’t trick you! It was the Chancellor who suggested moving the date. Did she not tell you the reason?” Madam Gu felt a bit guilty and promptly shifted the blame to Ming Yi.

Ming Yi was slightly taken aback. “I never mentioned a Chongxi, nor did I say your health was failing. I simply forgot to tell you that Elder Gu was coming to the capital.”

Gu Jinse: “…” The feeling of being played by both my mother and my wife is truly wonderful.

Gu Jinse retreated to her room in a huff. She ignored Ming Yi for half the day.

That night, the bowl of water was placed between them again. Forget about “indescribable” activities; they weren’t even allowed to hold hands.

The third day after the wedding was the traditional return visit to the bride’s home. Since Ming Yi had no parents, the Emperor had previously instructed them to visit him instead.

Just him, no Empress.

However, when they arrived, both the Noble Consort and Consort De were there. The four princes were sitting in a row like children in a kindergarten, perfectly quiet.

Gu Jinse had a bad premonition. When those four brothers acted as one, it never meant anything good. She glanced at Ming Yi, who looked at the four as if asking: What are you all doing here?

The Crown Prince sat up a bit straighter and said thick-skinnedly, “Hearing that Eldest Sister was returning today, I came specifically to welcome her and to let ‘certain people’ know that Eldest Sister is not to be neglected easily.”

“Certain people” hung her head.

The Noble Consort joked, “Since the Prince is playing the ‘bad cop,’ I shall play the ‘good cop.’ Official Gu, how have these past few days been?”

“To answer Noble Consort, everything is well with this official,” Gu Jinse lied against her conscience. She felt quite pitiable; she hadn’t even touched the Chancellor’s hand in days. It was a tragedy.

The Noble Consort laughed like a doting mother, offering praise after praise. She glanced at the Emperor and said, “Official Gu is handsome, and the Chancellor is pleased. Back then, I also fell for His Majesty’s looks.”

She laughed softly, and the Emperor said leisurely, “Back then, I didn’t know what to do with your pestering.”

The others looked down, actively ignoring the display of affection. Gu Jinse sat to the side with her head down, pretending she heard nothing.

Ming Yi, however, watched the Emperor and Noble Consort and remarked, “Your Majesty and the Noble Consort are indeed very affectionate.”

The Emperor was about to speak, but upon meeting Ming Yi’s cold gaze, his heart skipped a beat. Recalling her habit of offering praise before a stinging critique, he immediately turned to Gu Jinse. “Official Gu, you also performed a great service in the case of the ‘Yin-hour’ girls. You are still young; I believe no reward is better than a family reunion.”

Gu Jinse screamed internally: No! No! I don’t want a family reunion!

“Your Majesty, do you truly believe a family reunion is a beautiful thing?” Ming Yi looked at her foster father with a thin smile.

The Emperor’s smile died. The Noble Consort, however, laughed and told Ming Yi, “His Majesty gets so annoyed seeing all you children. When you were little, one shout from you and they’d all shut up. Now, they are still terrified of you. Since you’ve married out, His Majesty was wondering if the future family banquets will be chaotic without you.”

“Mother Consort, as long as Third Sister isn’t here, the world is at peace,” the Second Prince said snidely. “I heard that when Official Gu got married, Third Sister almost went to snatch the groom. If the Empress hadn’t held her back, the Gu house would have been a mess.”

The Crown Prince’s face darkened, intending to defend his third sister, but the Noble Consort interjected, “It’s time for lunch. I brewed some plum wine last year; it’s perfect to open today. They say when a daughter is born, a jar of ‘Nu’er Hong’ is buried under the tree in front of the house, to be opened on the day she returns home with her groom.”

The hall fell silent. The Emperor stroked his beard and looked at the sky, saying nothing.

The Fourth Prince slapped the table. “Just go dig it up at the General Weiyuan’s Manor!”

The Second Prince chimed in, “Good idea! Which tree is it under? I’ll go dig.”

Gu Jinse was bewildered. What are these princes trying to do? This was supposed to be a palace drama plotting and backstabbing not going to someone’s house to dig up trees. Did they bring their brains?

Especially the Noble Consort who was egging them on; she clearly felt Ming Yi’s reputation wasn’t “stinky” enough.

Gu Jinse was about to stop them, but Ming Yi spoke first: “The wine my mother planted is gone.”

The four brothers looked at each other and fell into a silent gloom. The silence in the hall was deafening. The Emperor continued to stroke his beard, and the Noble Consort broke the tension as usual. “If it’s gone, it’s gone. Let’s eat. Official Gu, you won’t escape the drinking today.”

Gu Jinse’s inner monologue was frantic: You guys should really go dig up that wine; I promise I won’t stop you!

Shortly after the meal began, the Empress arrived, supported by the Third Princess. Seeing her, the Noble Consort’s expression shifted several times before she obediently yielded the seat beside the Emperor, settling for a spot behind the Empress, looking quite unhappy.

Consort De remained silent, looking occasionally at the Emperor and occasionally at Ming Yi, her eyes like a surging dark sea.

Gu Jinse, surrounded by the four princes, was suffering. Marrying a woman with so many “little brothers” was definitely not a good thing especially when they were all royalty.

The Crown Prince kept calling her “Brother-in-law,” the Second Prince smiled at her knowingly, and the Third Prince “advised” her to take it easy in bed because his “Eldest Sister” had the strength of an ox. The Fourth Prince, being younger, just stared at her and kept urging her to have “one more cup.”