The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 49

Gu Jinse rolled her eyes. “I will give this opportunity to you. Do you want it?”

She wanted to call her insane, but her mouth hung open for a moment as she processed the recent events. She was no longer a three-year-old child; she knew how to look beneath the surface.

“What does the Emperor want you to do?”

“His Majesty wants me to clear the Crown Prince’s name,” Ming Yi paused, choosing her words carefully before offering an analogy. “As much as your mother loathes Gu Jinhuan, that is how much I loathe the Crown Prince.”

Gu Jinse remained expressionless. “My mother loathes Gu Jinhuan because he has been a degenerate since he was a child.”

“I loathe the Crown Prince for the same reason,” Ming Yi said with a smile.

Gu Jinse looked toward the horizon. The liberal atmosphere of this dynasty was all thanks to the late Empress Dowager. It reminded her of Wu Zetian, who had fought for so many rights for women. She remarked, “Actually, the only way to truly change the situation is to have a woman as the ruler, like the late Empress Dowager. But the current Empress is narrow-minded; it is impossible with her.”

“The Emperor just needs to find a new Empress,” Ming Yi echoed with a serious and solemn expression.

Gu Jinse glared at her. “And where will he find one? Are you going to be his Empress?”

Ming Yi gave her a firm rap on the forehead. “If I wanted to, would I need you to tell me? The Emperor often says I resemble my mother. Do you really think he is a man of pure, unshakable virtue?”

Ming Yi had once said the Emperor thought with his lower half. Thinking about it now, most of his brainpower was probably spent on the Crown Prince.

Gu Jinse was stunned for a moment. She rubbed her forehead and said, “Let us go have some fun at Yong’an Tower.”

“I am not going. I am sick, very sick. The on the verge of death kind of sick. I have decided that if I cannot pull through, I will simply pass away and spend the rest of my life traveling the world with you.” Ming Yi spoke with total earnestness, her eyelashes fluttering playfully.

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me every day, and I will eventually catch on.” Gu Jinse was beginning to develop immunity. Refusing to fall for it, she bluntly exposed her. “Do you not want your revenge anymore?”

When she did the math, the Empress was alive and well, the Yongping Marquis Manor was still standing, and the Zhao family, though stripped of their titles, remained in court. Even the General’s Manor of Weiyuan was intact. In short, everyone who had bullied the eldest Miss Zhao was living a perfectly fine life.

Ming Yi’s face stiffened. She glanced at the desk, picked up a brush, dipped it in yellow pigment, and meticulously painted the character for King, $王$, on the center of the girl’s forehead. She said gleefully, “It suits you perfectly.”

Gu Jinse widened her eyes. Ming Yi added, “In that case, I will not pretend to be sick anymore. That handkerchief of Du Yan’s, did you return it?”

Gu Jinse froze. “How does she know everything?”

“He told me to burn it. I thought if I just burned it, I would owe him a favor. Since you know about it, why do you not return it on my behalf? If I do it secretly, it might lead to misunderstandings.”

“As you wish. I do not care about such trifles.” Ming Yi set down the brush and turned to enter the house.

Gu Jinse followed her, saying, “I noticed that the other princes, aside from the Crown Prince, seem quite afraid of you.”

“Them? They are just children at heart. When they first established their own manors, they were impulsive and got into trouble they did not dare tell the Emperor about. The Noble Consort had me mediate for them. Since I helped the Second Prince, I could not show favoritism, so I helped the Third Prince when he ran into trouble too. As for the Fourth Prince, he loves cockfighting and caused even more trouble. Every time I settled his messes, he would cry in front of me and call me Elder Sister nonstop.”

“Only the Crown Prince was beaten into submission by me.” Ming Yi’s tone was light. She glanced at the bewildered girl and smiled. “Are you scared?”

Ming Yi possessed surprising strength that completely belied her frail appearance.

Gu Jinse blinked. “I will not fight with you anymore.”

“You can if you want. I will go easy on you so no one calls me shameless. Now, let us talk business.” Ming Yi turned her head with a smile. Seeing the girl’s aggrieved look, she offered a more tender grin. “If we do not divorce, how about an out of town transfer?”

“Am I an eyesore to you? You are so gentle in bed, but the moment you put your clothes back on, you become cold and heartless.” Gu Jinse blurted out a crude remark without hesitation, her face twisted in indignation as if she were about to pounce.

“So fierce. We definitely need to get you that transfer,” Ming Yi said, laughing.

“They say a wife should follow her husband. You should come with me. The mountains are high and the Emperor is far away; you can be an Empress there if you like. I know what is on your mind. Is the Emperor using me to threaten you?” Gu Jinse suddenly asked. Having watched years of TV dramas, she recognized this trope immediately.

Ming Yi felt awkward. Had she slipped up? It was not that she was foolish; it was that Gu Jinse was too clever. Talking to a smart person was exhausting.

“Having you here is a liability for me.”

Gu Jinse was stunned. “We just got married. If you thought I was a burden, why were you in such a rush to marry me in the first place?”

“I regret it, alright?” Ming Yi sighed, but the look she gave Gu Jinse was incredibly complex. Who would not like such a quirky and spirited girl?

Gu Jinse stepped forward and hugged her, her fair hands patting Ming Yi’s back. She said with a grin, “Is the Emperor threatening you to clear the Crown Prince’s name using me? I do not get it. Does he not have a brain of his own? He would be better off using his own head instead of wasting his energy threatening you.”

At those words, Ming Yi leaned her head against Gu Jinse’s warm skin. She could not bring herself to say anything heartless now. She decided she would have to take it one step at a time.

Gu Jinse, unsatisfied, leaned in and kissed the corner of Ming Yi’s lips. The force was a bit heavy, like a sudden storm. Ming Yi tensed as a dull pain on her lip snapped her back to her senses, and she instinctively pushed Gu Jinse away.

“You are indeed clever. This whole mess has grown so large that you must feel vindicated. The Emperor’s intent is simple: extract the Crown Prince from the situation. He does not care how the public reacts. The Emperor is making a concession, and I am satisfied with that. Are you satisfied?”

From punishing a female official to now protecting the Crown Prince, the Emperor’s standards had indeed dropped significantly.

“I do not know him well, but I want to know why he dotes on the Crown Prince so much,” Gu Jinse’s brow furrowed. “Is it just to make up for your mother?”

The Emperor had many women. The Empress, Noble Consort, and Virtuous Consort were the prominent figures in the harem, with countless beauties below them. He did not seem like a monogamous, devoted man. It was strange; if it were a performance, no one even knew he had been the lover of the eldest Miss Zhao.

“I do not know either,” Ming Yi said. It involved too many palace secrets for her to say more.

Gu Jinse did not believe her. Chancellor Ming had been with the Emperor for years and was incredibly sharp; how could she not know his character? What were Ming Yi’s true motives? What was she holding onto? It was all a mystery. For a moment, Gu Jinse had thought she knew Ming Yi’s secrets and was the person who understood her best, but it seemed it was all her own imagination.

After all this time, aside from the fact that she loved Ming Yi, it felt like no progress had been made. She had fallen deep into this, while Ming Yi remained unscathed. Gu Jinse felt a sense of injustice. Perhaps in her bones, she yearned for fairness. She loved her, so she wanted her to love her back. But where in the world was there such absolute fairness? Most of life was spent in imbalance.

Gu Jinse fell silent. Ming Yi could not quite read her attitude. Looking at the girl, her eyes filled with complex emotions. “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing. Do you want to go to Yong’an Tower?” Gu Jinse smiled as if nothing was wrong, stepping forward to take her hand. “The Emperor thinks he has found your weakness, right?”

Ming Yi lowered her eyes, avoiding the warm gaze. For a moment, her sense of shame was magnified.

“Does the Emperor not have a weakness too?” Gu Jinse’s smile widened.

Ming Yi suddenly understood. She nodded. “To Yong’an Tower, then.”

After Ming Yi returned to court, she became increasingly busy. Tuntu sent two letters back, saying that the divorce was proving difficult. Progress was slow because the Gu family was only willing to repudiate the wife, not agree to a mutual, harmonious separation. The difference between being repudiated and a mutual divorce was immense.

The second letter mentioned that Old Master Gu had returned to Yuhang and would no longer agree to either. The two manors were at a stalemate. Gu Jinse’s maternal uncle from the Yu family had physically beaten Gu Zhi and was sent to the magistrate’s office. Tuntu had to use a token from the Chancellor’s Manor to bail him out.

It was now Mid-Autumn, and the case of the Count of Chengen’s manor was closed. The Emperor posthumously titled Qin Zhao as a County Mistress as a way to clear her name, and the Crown Prince’s confinement was lifted. Gu Jinse did not know the details of the negotiations; all her thoughts were on her family.

The Gu family’s behavior was disgusting. Whether it was repudiation or a mutual divorce, she felt her mother did not care. However, her grandfather’s return had made things even harder for her mother.

After Mid-Autumn, she discussed returning to Yuhang with Ming Yi.

“Are you going back there to die? Given Old Master Gu’s way of doing things, you have hindered Gu Jinhuan’s career to the point where he cannot even step out the door. If you go back and get beaten to death, Gu Jinhuan will come to the capital. Everything you have today, including me, would become hers.”

Gu Jinse was silent.

“Then what should I do?”

“Wait. Your mother and your grandfather have lived together for nearly twenty years; they likely know each other well. Your grandfather cherishes his reputation; he likely fears that a divorce would bring shame to the Gu family. If you go back, the situation will change for the worse.” Ming Yi patted Gu Jinse’s head. “There will be many beautiful young girls at the Mid-Autumn banquet tonight. Pay attention.”

“What does that have to do with me? The eyes are on their faces; I cannot blindfold them. How about I just do not go? I heard there will be singing and dancing at Yong’an Tower tonight. I will go watch the show while you attend the banquet. Let people think we have grown apart so the Emperor stops being suspicious of you.”

“Are you going to see Yinghui?” Ming Yi’s tone was low.

“What show? Do you not think the food at Yong’an Tower is excellent? I love their braised pork trotter and their various desserts. Why do you not go to the banquet first, then slip away halfway through? I will wait for you at Yong’an Tower.” Gu Jinse blinked rapidly, her expression mischievous, making Ming Yi laugh. “Fine, as you wish.”

Not going was a good thing anyway. The two went their separate ways. Gu Jinse went to Yong’an Tower, while Ming Yi entered the palace on time.

Seeing the Chancellor alone, everyone was naturally curious. The Third Princess was the first to lose her patience, asking indirectly about Supervisor Gu’s whereabouts.

“Your Highness is indeed persistent. But I am afraid I must disappoint you; Supervisor Gu is unwell and is resting at home.” After Ming Yi spoke, the Third Princess sat up straight, her eyes fixed on her like poison. “I saw Master Gu yesterday and he was as charming as ever. How did he suddenly fall ill today? Could it be that the Chancellor is intentionally mistreating him?”

Du Yan suddenly cut in. “I heard Yong’an Tower is quite lively tonight. The dancing is superb, and the dishes are meticulously prepared.”

The implication was that it was much more refined than the palace offerings. Reading between the lines, he was suggesting Gu Jinse had gone to Yong’an Tower. The Third Princess listened intently. Seeing Ming Yi sitting alone, a thought crossed her mind. She stopped speaking and took a small bite of fruit.

The Emperor and Empress arrived, followed by the Noble Consort.

In contrast to the solemn atmosphere in the palace hall, Yong’an Tower was filled with joy. Gu Jinse and Tuntun sat together. There were so many guests that all one could see were heads. The seating arrangement was similar to a modern concert; the closer you were, the higher your status. Gu Jinse had come on a whim and found a seat in a corner. She was not here for the show anyway; she just wanted the cheerful atmosphere. It was much more relaxed than a palace banquet.

As Tuntun was about to reach for her third pork trotter, a commotion broke out in the front, seemingly a fight over seats.

“My master is of noble status; how can people like you compare? Step aside immediately.”

“First come, first served. We bought these seats.”

The two sides were at a stalemate, and the manager was trying to mediate. As Tuntun bit into her pork trotter, she saw Yinghui’s elegant figure walking over slowly with a peaceful expression. She suddenly cried out, “That is the Third Princess!”

Gu Jinse finally lifted her head from the table full of desserts, stunned. “Why is she here?”

Tuntun sat down quickly and whispered, “Could she be looking for you?”

“Ignore her. With so many people, she will not see us. Just keep your head down and eat.” Gu Jinse ducked her head.

Tuntun nodded. “Supervisor, let us get two more pork trotters.”

The waiter brought two more trotters, looking at the two of them strangely. He wondered how such small, handsome young men could eat so much.

The argument in the front finally ended, and the performance began. The two busy eaters finally looked up at the stage. Unfortunately, it was too far away and the lights were dim; they were just there for the noise.

When Tuntun finished her last two trotters, Gu Jinse stood up to go home. It seemed Ming Yi was not coming. Tuntun went to pay the bill while Gu Jinse walked out. Just as she exited the door, a flamboyant carriage with the Gu manor insignia pulled up. Ming Yi had arrived.

Joy flooded her heart instantly. She was about to go over when she saw Ming Yi helping an old man down. It was the Emperor.

She was pretending to be sick to avoid the palace banquet; if she showed up now, the ruse would be up. Without thinking, she ducked back into the restaurant.

The Emperor and Ming Yi walked into the restaurant together. Tuntun bumped right into them. The Emperor recognized her and was about to speak when a woman walked over. She was graceful, elegant, and ethereal, like an orchid in a deserted valley. The Emperor was slightly dazed. Yinghui smiled and bowed to Ming Yi. “The Chancellor is here.”

Gu Jinse watched the three of them from hiding. The Emperor’s gaze was fixed on Yinghui. Instantly, a melodramatic plot filled her mind: a commoner shopkeeper meets the Son of Heaven at night and rises to the position of Empress overnight. She burst out laughing. Tuntun walked over to her. “What are you laughing at?”

“Go ask your Chancellor if she wants to come home with me.” Gu Jinse was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, and she gave Tuntun a push. “Go on, hurry.”

Tuntu thought the Supervisor was acting very strangely, but after the firing incident, she did not dare speak out of turn.

Yinghui invited the Emperor to a private room. Ming Yi stopped at the door. She glanced at Gu Jinse, who was secretly following them, and pretended not to see her. She looked down to adjust her sleeves and then walked in her direction.

“Why are you not home yet?”

“I wanted to go back. Since you are here, do you want to go home together? The Third Princess is here.”

“You go back first. I will be home later.”

After a few brief words, Ming Yi left. Gu Jinse watched her back with a sense of loneliness.

Yong’an Tower was brightly lit. The private rooms were full of people, and the audience below the stage was clapping and cheering. The private room was decorated simply but elegantly, with every detail exuding high class. The Emperor was given the seat of honor. Yinghui briefly introduced the signature dishes of Yong’an Tower under the glowing lights, and Ming Yi stepped out again.

Standing outside the door, the spot where the girl had stood moments ago was already empty. Ming Yi watched for a long time until Yinghui walked out. Seeing her, Yinghui smiled. “The person who can make the Chancellor wait outside must be a very distinguished guest. Perhaps you could give me a hint?”

“His Majesty has a very good temperament,” Ming Yi said dryly.

Yinghui was slightly stunned. “From what I see, it is indeed excellent.”

Ming Yi turned and went back into the room while Yinghui went to personally oversee the dishes.

Past eleven at night, the Emperor left Yong’an Tower feeling satisfied. Gu Jinse, who had been hiding outside, watched the flamboyant carriage leave and then followed it. Ming Yi escorted the slightly tipsy Emperor back to the palace. When she turned to leave, she saw the girl standing under the high palace walls holding a lantern. Her figure was slender but as solid and reliable as a mountain.

As she drew near, the girl’s radiant beauty was heart-stirring. For a moment, she felt that something had changed unconsciously.

“Chancellor, do not worry. It is so late that no one saw me.” Gu Jinse tried her best to explain. Falling in love was too hard; the hiding made her feel like a celebrity.

Ming Yi looked at the girl silently and suddenly understood. Gu Jinse was pursuing a pure kind of love. Marriages were usually arranged by parents and matchmakers, rarely involving much emotion. In the capital, within the noble houses, power was intoxicating; where was there room for pure love? This young girl, like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, was actually dreaming of such a foolish thing. Her heart, just like her face, remained untainted.

Ming Yi sighed. Gu Jinse was too clean, which made her feel all the more filthy.

“It does not matter if we are seen. I was thinking that I have found a weakness for the Emperor as well. This way, we will be more at ease.” She smiled and took the girl’s hand. “Let us ride back together.”

Gu Jinse nodded and handed the lantern to Tuntun. Tuntun had no choice but to hand her horse over to the two masters. Gu Jinse mounted the horse first, and Ming Yi sat behind her, reaching out to wrap her arms around her waist. Facing the breeze, she buried her head in her shoulder.

“You should lead the horse. I am not familiar with it. I am okay riding alone, but with you, I am a bit scared.” Gu Jinse interrupted Ming Yi’s beautiful thoughts at an inopportune moment.

Ming Yi took the reins helplessly. Gu Jinse immediately broke into a joyful smile. “Chancellor, I love this feeling of being in love. I am so lucky, a favorite of heaven. See, I have my mother at home, and now I have you. My luck in this life is simply through the roof.”

“What does through the roof mean?” Ming Yi asked, confused.

Under the moon, the two embraced as the horse trotted along, with Tuntun following behind in the carriage. It was incredibly romantic. Under the moon and among the flowers, the atmosphere was thick with romance. Gu Jinse chattered away, explaining what through the roof meant. After she finished, Ming Yi laughed. “Since being with you, my luck seems to have improved a lot too.”

In truth, since meeting Ming Yi, disasters had been constant for Gu Jinse. The wonderful thing was that she never cared; instead, she felt very lucky. Ming Yi chuckled. Being around such an optimistic person had improved her mood significantly.

The late summer and early autumn night was a bit chilly, and the wind on their faces felt different. Gu Jinse sat in the front, blocking the wind for Ming Yi. Since someone was leading the horse, she opened her arms and took a deep breath under the moonlight. She asked, “Chancellor, tell me, is Yinghui beautiful?”

Yinghui was indeed beautiful. Ming Yi was a flower on a high cliff, while she was an enchanting peony.