The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 39

Inside the hall, the atmosphere appeared “harmonious.” The Noble Consort took Ming Yi’s hand and inquired about her having children. Ming Yi replied indifferently, “His Majesty does not allow it.” Previously, the Emperor had ordered Ming Yi to terminate a pregnancy. The Noble Consort was unaware of this, and while outsiders had heard rumors, no one dared to question the Emperor. For a woman in marriage, offspring were considered of the utmost importance.

As the Noble Consort offered a quiet reminder, the Empress looked at them and interjected, “If Chancellor Ming’s health is poor, I have several suitable palace maids here. They are healthy and could spare the Chancellor much trouble.” The Noble Consort frowned and said, “His Majesty said no women are to be sent over.” The Empress smiled thinly. “These women would merely be there to bear children for Chancellor Ming.”

“Your Majesty, that is a cruel blow. Do you think Director Gu is like the Emperor, with so many people to bear his children? What a joke,” the Noble Consort argued back. “If Chancellor Ming cannot conceive, she can simply adopt. Do you not find such a suggestion disgusting?” Watching the Empress and the Noble Consort bicker, Ming Yi said calmly, “I accept Your Majesty’s kindness. How many women do you have here?” The Noble Consort was stunned. Something felt off; she wondered why Ming Yi was actually asking for the people.

“Not many, just five or so,” the Empress replied, maintaining her regal posture. Ming Yi looked at her, her eyes brightening. “Fine. I will take two for my husband. Keep the remaining three for the future Third Son-in-law, so the Third Princess won’t have to suffer through childbirth.” “Ming Yi, how dare you!” the Empress blurted out.

“Are you upset, Your Majesty?” the Noble Consort cut in. “Just a moment ago, you were speaking so righteously, claiming it was for Ming Yi’s own good. Now that it involves your own daughter, you call her insolent. You are the one being insolent by defying His Majesty’s sacred will. What should your punishment be?” Ming Yi fell silent, turning her gaze toward Gu Jinse, who was surrounded by the four princes. The constant cries of “Eldest Brother-in-law” were making Gu Jinse’s head spin.

The young woman was clearly intoxicated. She tried desperately to refuse more drinks, but the princes continued to ply her with sweet talk. As Ming Yi stood up, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince immediately backed away. The Third Prince seized a final chance to pour one last cup, while the Fourth Prince, slightly slower to react, nearly bumped into Ming Yi. “Fourth Prince, I heard from your tutor that you aren’t very fond of your studies and prefer cockfighting,” Ming Yi said slowly.

The Fourth Prince blinked. “Sister, you must have misheard. I am very serious in class every day.” Ming Yi’s lips curled into a smile. “Is that so?” The Fourth Prince swallowed hard, not daring to speak further, and slipped away quietly. The hall fell silent. Ming Yi supported the heavily drunken Gu Jinse and went before the Empress to offer thanks. Her expression was relaxed. “Husband, the Empress has gifted you three concubines. Why don’t you thank Her Majesty?”

Gu Jinse was dumbfounded, staring blankly at the Empress. “The Emperor said no concubines are allowed.” The Noble Consort chuckled. “Director Gu, you misheard. They are merely maids to bear your children; they won’t have official titles. Right, Your Majesty?” The Empress’s expression turned hideous. She looked toward the Emperor, but he showed no intention of intervening. Gu Jinse’s face was flushed red and her eyes were blurry. To her, the Empress sitting on the dais looked like two people. She rubbed her eyes and saw three Empresses, then shook her head hard. She felt very dizzy.

Gu Jinse collapsed against Ming Yi. Ming Yi looked at the Empress and asked, “Your Majesty, where are the people you prepared?” The Emperor could finally stand it no longer. “Ming Yi, enough. Treat the Empress’s words as if you never heard them. There is no need to keep bringing it up.” The phrase “treat them as if you never heard them” was a massive blow to the Empress’s dignity. Satisfied, Ming Yi supported the drunken Gu Jinse as they left the palace.

Being tipsy is different from being dead drunk. A tipsy person remains somewhat conscious and coherent; a dead drunk person is like a heap of mud. Gu Jinse was the latter, slumped unconscious in Ming Yi’s arms. Ming Yi looked down at her, her palm resting against the soft skin of Gu’s face. “Gu Jinse, you’re drunk. Since you’re drunk, you won’t know that I used you today. You see, I can agree to the Empress’s demands without considering your feelings. Will you be angry when you wake up?”

Ming Yi talked to herself for a long time, then held the drunken woman and laughed softly. She whispered in her ear, “Gu Jinse, Gu Jinse, Gu Jinse. If a person doesn’t care about another, they don’t care who lies beside them. Your mother suggested concubines for your father, not because she was generous, but because she never loved him, or perhaps she loved him once and got hurt, so she chose not to love anymore. My mother didn’t care how many women were around her husband either. She said she didn’t care. I know that’s because she loved and suffered before becoming open-minded.”

Ming Yi stopped, her lips brushing against Gu Jinse’s cheek and feeling the softness. She closed her eyes, experiencing a sudden, intense thrill. Her heart rate accelerated to the limit. Her long lashes fluttered with the swaying of the carriage. She felt as though she were merging with Gu Jinse. She thought that she had finally found the emotion her mother never experienced. Even if it was with another woman, Gu Jinse was someone worth entrusting herself to.

Back at the Gu residence, Tuntun and Ming Yi worked together to carry Gu Jinse inside. Gu Jinse was so drunk she couldn’t say a word. Madam Gu was annoyed. “Weren’t you watching her?” “I couldn’t stop her,” Ming Yi said guiltily. “She’s drunk; you take care of her. Don’t look at me. I’m packing my bags to leave tomorrow,” Madam Gu sighed. “Her personality is blunt and easily provoked. Watch over her in the future. She has a good heart, but she needs to grow up. I’ve taught her as much as I can; the rest is up to you.”

Ming Yi bowed. “Thank you for your understanding, Mother.” “It’s not understanding; I’m just abandoning her to live my own life,” Madam Gu said with a heavy tone. Once Gu Jinse was settled in bed, Madam Gu dismissed everyone and told Ming Yi, “Watch out for Gu Jinhuan.” Ming Yi paused. “You seem to dislike your own son?” She found it strange. How could a mother dislike her own son so much?

Madam Gu smiled bitterly. “Have you ever seen an eight-year-old kill someone and pin the blame on his older sister? Have you seen a son who, on the eve of the imperial exams, runs off with a singing girl, and after being caught, writes letters to the capital to provoke his sister? If such a son were yours, would you want him?”

Ming Yi was speechless. She held Gu Jinse’s hand, remembering her saying she had forgotten everything before age nine after falling into the water. It was Gu Jinhuan’s doing.

“The Gu family’s son is truly an eye-opener. That such a man could become a provincial top scholar is surprising. I have read his essays.” Ming Yi trailed off; he was the same type as Wang Liang. “He is talented, yes. But his grandfather,” Madam Gu hesitated. Her father-in-law had controlled her husband for years, and as a wife, she could do nothing.

“Your choice is right,” Ming Yi said. “I will help you escape this abyss. I will also look after Jinse. To be honest, the Empress Dowager once said that Old Master Gu is a man who fishes for empty fame.” Old Master Gu would do anything for his reputation.

He had gained the world’s praise upon his retirement, yet he had raised a son who couldn’t tell right from wrong. Madam Gu added, “In short, when Old Master Gu arrives in the capital, be careful. It’s best if he doesn’t meet Jinse. He is ruthless, no less than a cruel official.”

“I have seen many madmen over the years,” Ming Yi replied. “I am not afraid of madmen. What I fear is,” she looked at the girl on the bed. “They say I live a lifeless existence. What do you think a person like me fears?” Madam Gu was confused, eventually realizing Ming Yi’s unspoken fear was losing Gu Jinse. The next morning, Ming Yi personally saw Madam Gu and her brother out of the city. She provided twenty elite guards to protect them.

Gu Jinse woke up in the afternoon. Ming Yi was by the window embroidering mandarin ducks. Gu Jinse crept up and saw that the embroidery was almost done, but Ming Yi looked dissatisfied. Since the mandarin duck looked like a chicken head, anyone would be unhappy, Gu Jinse thought, but she kept that to herself. “You’re finished!” “Will you wear it?” Ming Yi asked indifferently. “I worked on this for a long time.”

“I’ll wear it, of course! By the way, aren’t you going to court?”

“No. I went to see your mother off. She left this morning. I also sent twenty experts to guard her.” Gu Jinse was stunned. “My mother left? Why didn’t she wait for me to wake up?”

“Likely to avoid a sad goodbye. You can visit her in Jinling later. But I must remind you, your parents’ separation will affect your career. Some will look down on you. The princes are also in discord; the Crown Prince is weak, the Third is mindless, and the Fourth is a fence-sitter.”

“Are you siding with the Second Prince?” Gu Jinse asked warily. Ming Yi’s eyes turned cold. “Am I finished speaking?” “Please, continue.” “No more. Go eat some porridge. Old Master Gu is coming soon; it’s best if you avoid him. I’ve asked the Emperor to send you out of the capital on a mission.”

Later, as they sat together, Ming Yi unpicked the “duck” she had embroidered and redid it. In a flash, it actually looked like a beautiful mandarin duck. Gu Jinse realized she had been hiding her skills.

Just then, an imperial decree arrived. Gu Jinse was ordered to the traveling palace to audit the accounts.

Ming Yi told her not to worry and that she would have people do the actual work; the main goal was to get Gu Jinse away from her grandfather.

That night, Gu Jinse looked at the bowl of water on the nightstand and drank it all in one gulp.

“Why did you drink that?” Ming Yi was baffled. “You said not to let it spill. If I drink it, it can’t spill,” Gu Jinse said proudly, gripping Ming Yi’s wrist.

“Now, lights out. Time for bed.”

Ming Yi said coldly, “I can refuse.”

“I refuse your refusal,” Gu Jinse countered, her hand touching Ming Yi’s neck. “Don’t you want me?”