The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 58

A gentle breeze drifted by, and the leaves rustled as they fell. The secluded mountains slowly revealed the shifting of the seasons.

The two walked down the mountain hand-in-hand, moving slowly as they left all the clamor of the world behind.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Because I understand you,” Gu Jinse replied with a soft laugh. She knew exactly why Ming Yi had done everything she had.

In an instant, a smile blossomed on Ming Yi’s cold, elegant face. “Gu Jinse, people like you are very easy to like.”

“Is that so? Then, do you like me?” Gu Jinse’s voice was very soft, as if she were afraid of startling the mountain spirits.

Ming Yi gazed out at the mountain range, her heart suddenly feeling much more open. She squeezed Gu Jinse’s hand and said, “I do.”

Gu Jinse smiled and stopped walking. She turned to look at her; time seemed to stand still in the world, with the mountains and rivers reflected before her eyes, and the woman she loved standing right there. Love at first sight was too illusory; Ming Yi’s beauty was something that made one want to explore it slowly. Despite the hot-bloodedness of youth, Ming Yi, at her age, possessed an intellectual and mature beauty that many young people lacked.

She paused, then gave a radiant smile. “Your feelings developed quite quickly too. We only met during the Shangsi Festival, and it hasn’t even been half a year. It’s a bit surprising.”

Six months of life had overturned everything. Ming Yi felt that in these six months, she had finally seen the beauty of the world and the goodness of human nature. Madam Gu’s open-mindedness and Gu Jinse’s pure kindness were both a world away from the “living hell” she had known.

After a brief thought, she said, “Perhaps it is because I have never experienced love before, making me easy to deceive.”

Gu Jinse: “…”

By the time they returned to the city, it was already dusk. Someone was waiting to greet them at the city gate. “Chancellor, His Majesty requests your presence in the palace. It seems something has happened at the Court of State Ceremonies.”

The two parted ways, and Ming Yi inquired about the matter.

The new foreign ruler had ascended the throne and established an Empress. Now, the envoys insisted on marrying the Third Princess to their new ruler as a Noble Consort. The Court of State Ceremonies felt the other side was being too overbearing, and after a round of verbal sparring, the meeting had ended on a sour note.

The Emperor was furious, and the Crown Prince was indecisive, so they had no choice but to summon Ming Yi.

Ming Yi sneered inwardly. This father-and-son duo wanted to satisfy the other party while keeping their own dignity, all without drawing a sword—they had forgotten the principle that one cannot have both fish and bear’s paw.

Upon entering the palace, she found the Emperor leaning on a soft couch, breathing shallowly. The Crown Prince was serving him medicine.

“Sister, you’re here,” the Crown Prince said, straightening up to greet her.

Ming Yi bowed to both. The Crown Prince explained the situation, and Ming Yi asked first: “Does Your Majesty want your dignity or your daughter?”

The Emperor replied, “Naturally, I want both.”

“Then the only option is to send troops,” Ming Yi said, adopting a “let it rot” attitude.

The Emperor’s eyes rolled in frustration. The Crown Prince winked at Ming Yi. “Sister, speak properly.”

Ming Yi said, “As long as Your Majesty remains firm, the Court of State Ceremonies won’t casually guess your meaning and relax the negotiation terms.”

Those below were all trying to divine the Emperor’s intent, hoping to settle matters peacefully. This caused their attitude during negotiations to be biased, giving the other side an opening.

“The Court of State Ceremonies is full of useless people,” the Emperor grumbled, shifting the blame to his subordinates.

Ming Yi was accustomed to this and remained silent. The Crown Prince was extremely filial, echoing the Emperor’s every word. Looking at his submissive manner, Ming Yi was suddenly reminded of how her mother used to cater to the Emperor in those years.

In the end, when disaster struck, the Emperor did not choose to protect her mother.

In that instant, she seemed to understand something. The Emperor was testing the other side’s bottom line. As for what to do, he hadn’t decided yet; if necessary, he would still sacrifice the Third Princess.

She proposed: “They want a legitimate princess, so we shall give them one. Select a girl from the imperial clan, have her adopted by the late Empress, and then marry off this ‘second daughter.’ She would then count as a legitimate princess.”

The Crown Prince clapped his hands. “This plan is excellent. I just hope they stop making a scene.”

The Emperor waved a hand. “Leave this matter to the Chancellor to handle.”

Ming Yi paused slightly. The task of offending people was once again given to her!

When she emerged from the Great Hall, the sky was pitch black. She went to the South Hall and had the eunuchs summon the senior officials to the palace. No one was going to sleep tonight.

Meanwhile, Gu Jinse was facing an epic dilemma. Yuechang had come down from the mountain to stay at the Gu Manor for a short visit.

Having just been scolded earlier in the day, Gu Jinse felt a bit apprehensive facing her again. However, Yuechang dropped a bombshell: “Years ago, it was your ‘not-dead-yet’ grandfather who impeached the Zhao family’s foster daughter for being unchaste. He’s the one who made Old Master Zhao cough up blood and die of rage.”

“My grandfather?” Gu Jinse was bewildered. There was such a thing?

“Old Man Gu is a hypocrite who fishes for fame. He loves to latch onto others’ mistakes and never let go. If it weren’t for the scene he made, who would have cared about the affairs of the inner chambers?” Yuechang waved her hand dismissively. “What kind of man stares into other people’s backyards and gossips like a long-tongued woman? Only that annoying grandfather of yours.”

Gu Jinse fell silent. It was Old Master Gu who had spearheaded that scandal, forcing the eldest Miss Zhao to commit suicide to preserve the reputation of both manors. In modern terms, he was the ringleader of a cyberbullying campaign.

It was truly enough to make both gods and men indignant. At this moment, she finally understood why the Chancellor said her grandfather was a “hypocrite who fishes for fame.”

“Son-in-law, why have you gone quiet?” Yuechang asked, noticing her pale face. “It has nothing to do with you. You weren’t even born then. Even if your father had done it, it would have little to do with you; it’s all from two generations ago.”

“Is that so?” Gu Jinse’s heart tightened, her throat feeling blocked. “But I also bear the surname Gu.”

Yuechang observed the “son-in-law’s” expression closely and let out a sigh. “You are quite thoughtful. But having these thoughts is enough. After all, Huanu still needs to bear your children. Those past matters aren’t urgent; what’s important is that you are younger than her, so you must treat her well and not mess around outside. Then everything will be fine.”

Gu Jinse, still immersed in sadness, shivered. “Since the Chancellor knew my identity, why did she still marry me?”

“Because you are good-looking! Huanu kept praising your looks in her letters. Seeing you now, you truly are handsome. With a face like yours, it can be considered a compensation for Huanu.” Yuechang looked at the young person’s fine features; the Mistress back then had said she wanted a husband of equal beauty, but she never found one. Now Huanu had.

Very good, very good!

The two were on completely different wavelengths. Yuechang was exactly like a modern-day meddling auntie who pressures people to get married and have kids. Gu Jinse showed her to a guest room. The guest rooms were quite far from the new house—it was like a university campus; the guest rooms were in the west and the bedroom was in the east, a good thirty-minute walk.

Along the way, Yuechang talked a lot about Ming Yi’s childhood. She felt Gu Jinse was reliable. When she mentioned how the people at General Weiyuan’s manor thought Huanu might be the daughter of the “other man” and suggested she be put to death, Gu Jinse was horrified.

A child that small, having lost her protection, was left alone and helpless. It was Yuechang who went to beg the Emperor; only then did he send the child to the summer palace for refuge. They met again at the summer palace the following year, and he brought her back to the capital to become his foster daughter.

In the beginning, Ming Yi’s position in the palace was awkward, living in a place where no one looked after her. Later, because she handled matters so meticulously, the Emperor began to keep her by his side. Step by step, she entered the court and became his right-hand person.

The immense power she held today was not derived solely from imperial favor; it was something Ming Yi had climbed toward, step by step, on her own.

Once they reached the guest room, Yuechang was very happy. She asked Gu Jinse, “Where do you two live?”

Gu Jinse pointed toward the new house. Instantly, Yuechang’s smile vanished. “Too far.”

Gu Jinse: “?”

“Your courtyard should be the main one. It should have side rooms in the front, back, left, and right, correct?” Yuechang asked.

Gu Jinse’s heart skipped. “There are… but those side rooms are for the maids. It wouldn’t be appropriate for you to stay there, would it?”

“It’s appropriate. I’ll stay in your side rooms. I was originally meant to serve the Mistress; I don’t count as a master. It’s decided!” Yuechang clapped her hands, settling the matter.

The night was dark, and the moon hung high.

The maids were busy moving things and arranging the bed. Gu Jinse stood under the eaves, sighing repeatedly. Yuechang gave her the feeling of a “grandmother-in-law” moving in to pressure them for a baby. Next would surely be a period of chaos. The peace of the Gu Manor was gone forever.

Yuechang walked over and asked, “Is Huanu not coming back tonight?”

“She sent word saying she wouldn’t,” Gu Jinse replied.

Yuechang said, “If she isn’t coming back, you should go be with her. Where is the logic in a wife working outside while the husband sleeps at home?”

Gu Jinse was helpless. “Fine. I’ll go to the palace to fetch her.”

Great, the ‘grandmother’ figure has started directing my life.

The maids were busy again, getting the carriage ready at the front courtyard and bringing out cloaks and lanterns. It was already a scene of “chickens flying and dogs jumping.”

A moment later, Gu Jinse left the house. Tuntun, who was driving, let out a yawn. “What are you doing? Night is the most unsafe time; you’re just running into the line of fire.”

“It’s not that I want to go out; it’s Auntie Yuechang. Should I call her Auntie?” Gu Jinse was unsure of the proper title. Yuechang was over fifty; logically, she was at the age of a grandmother.

In this era, a woman has children at fifteen or sixteen, the children marry in their thirties, and by fifty, grandchildren are running around.

“As you wish. I follow the Chancellor and call her Auntie,” Tuntun replied, also nursing a headache. Auntie Yuechang’s biggest concerns were whether the Chancellor had married and whether she had children. Now, there would be no more peace.

Because it was night, Tuntun brought more men—a total of over ten people—as they processed grandly toward the palace.

When they reached the palace gates, they were already closed. No one could go in, and no one inside could come out until morning. Standing at the gate, Gu Jinse remained for a long time. Knocking on the palace gates at night was a major crime; she couldn’t enter, and Ming Yi couldn’t leave.

The group turned back and reached the manor near midnight. Gu Jinse was so tired she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

The people in the palace, however, didn’t sleep all night. They only caught a few winks at dawn before the morning court session. In one night, they had drafted the regulations. The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies negotiated for three days before settling on the terms: they would use a girl from the imperial clan for the political marriage.

The Emperor had brothers; they would choose one of his nieces, title her as a princess, and send her far away to be married.

Ming Yi had not returned home for three days. As she emerged from the diplomatic hostel to head home, the Third Princess approached on horseback. In contrast to her usual arrogance, she was dressed in white today, her face haggard and stripped of her former hostility.

They entered a carriage to speak, and the Third Princess spoke first. “Did my Mother have some sort of deal with you?”

“What does Your Highness mean?” Ming Yi feigned ignorance.

The Third Princess snorted, clearly disbelieving her. “My Mother’s health was fine. The only thing that could make her go to her death willingly was a promise from you that I would not be sent away for a political marriage, correct?”

On the street, the traffic flowed like a restless dragon. Ming Yi lifted the curtain and looked out at the hurried pedestrians; at sunset, every heart was like an arrow aimed at home.

She remained silent. Tears welled in the Third Princess’s eyes. “Ming Yi, I know what you want. I will help you.”

“Your Highness must be joking. You are but a princess without power. What could you possibly do, with His Majesty above and the Crown Prince below?” Ming Yi lowered the curtain. “The fact that you are still alive is my greatest mercy.”

“Is that so? My Mother once told me that the Eldest Miss Zhao bore a son for her lover back then, who later vanished without a trace. The Crown Prince’s biological mother was a minor maid at the summer palace who died in childbirth. Is there perhaps some connection between the two?” The Third Princess stared at Ming Yi. In the dim light, Ming Yi’s eyes were calm, like still water, as if she had not taken the words to heart.

The carriage jolted, yet their gazes remained locked.

The Third Princess began to weep. “Mother told me I am nothing more than a pawn in Father’s hand, right?”

All the past doting was a facade. Her father had always intended to send her away for a political marriage, far from her homeland. By doing so, her mother and her maternal family would be forced to focus all their energy on the Eastern Palace. Furthermore, the Empress and the late Empress Dowager had suppressed him for years; now that the Dowager was gone, he was reclaiming his dignity bit by bit from them.

Blood relations were a lie; they meant nothing.

As the carriage moved through the noisy streets, Ming Yi looked at the weeping girl and said gently, “Your Highness, I cannot help you, and you cannot help me. We have never been on the same side. For now, what you should do is take advantage of His Majesty’s guilt to choose a good marriage. Only with the protection of a husband’s family can you survive long-term.”

“I do not want to marry!” the Third Princess hissed through gritted teeth.

Ming Yi gave a faint smile. “As you wish. This is all the counsel I can offer. Beyond this, I will do nothing.”

“Ming Yi, do you not want revenge?” the Princess asked, her voice hoarse and her lips trembling as she stared at the unnervingly calm woman.

For some reason, Ming Yi remained composed. Even though this was the deepest pain in her heart, she looked at it like a stranger, undisturbed.

“Third Princess, I do not.”

“I do not believe you. They are all murderers who drove your mother to her death.”

“She was killed by your mother,” Ming Yi said, her expression unchanged as she gripped the web of her left hand with her right, pressing hard. “Years ago, she sent the Crown Prince to see my Mother and poisoned the fruit he brought. My Mother died because she ate that fruit. Even when the whole world told her to die, she had no intention of doing so. It was the Empress who forced a six-year-old Crown Prince to carry the guilt of killing his own ‘Aunt’.”

The Third Princess laughed through her tears. “So, that is why you want to pull the Crown Prince down. Such an heir truly is unworthy!”

“Your Highness, go back. Let the Marquis of Yongping choose a husband for you,” Ming Yi sighed.

“Ming Yi, thank you.” The Princess stood up and shouted, “Stop the carriage!”

Ming Yi suddenly added, “Live well.”

The Third Princess paused as she reached for the door. She suddenly crouched down, covered her face with both hands, and broke into a loud, unrestrained wail. Once the lamp is out, the person is gone. But what was she to do? Without her mother’s protection, she would be bullied by everyone.

Ming Yi returned to the manor as dusk fell. Yuechang emerged from her side room, causing Ming Yi’s eyes to widen. “What are you doing here?”

“I am here to watch over you for the Mistress, to ensure you bear a child soon,” Yuechang replied with a beaming smile.

Yuechang’s gaze made Ming Yi feel inexplicably afraid. She went straight to the inner room, where Gu Jinse was drinking soup, her face flushed a healthy pink.

Seeing her, Gu Jinse smiled. “You are back! Have some soup; Auntie Yuechang says it is very nourishing.”

Ming Yi’s foot slipped as she crossed the threshold, and she nearly fell. Fortunately, Chunyue caught her. She hurriedly brushed Chunyue aside and snatched the soup bowl from Gu Jinse’s hands. “Do not just drink anything. It will ruin your body.”

Gu Jinse stared at her blankly, spoon in hand. “Auntie said it is good for me. After drinking it yesterday, I felt warm and comfortable in the winter cold.”

Ming Yi felt so dizzy she nearly fainted. She smashed the bowl onto the floor and shouted, “If I say you are not allowed to drink it, then you are not allowed!”

If she drinks any more, her cycle will be completely ruined.

The bowl shattered with a loud clang. The maids gasped and rushed forward to clean up. No one dared to speak, their faces full of fear. Only Gu Jinse smiled and took Ming Yi’s hand. “Do not be angry. Today’s soup wasn’t from Auntie. I had Chi Mei brew a nourishing tonic that is very good for the health. You should have a bowl too. As for Auntie Yuechang’s portion, I had it poured out. Shh!”

Ming Yi looked at the dark medicinal soup, her brow furrowing as a sudden pang of anxiety hit her heart. “Do not drink Chi Mei’s soup either. All medicine has some level of toxicity. Do not drink things blindly.”

“Alright, I won’t. You are finally back; I missed you so much.” Gu Jinse reached out to hug her. Inhaling the familiar fragrance, she whispered, “I went to the palace to find you, but the gates were closed. I couldn’t get in, and you couldn’t get out. For a moment, I felt quite lost.”

“What is there to fear?” Ming Yi patted her back comfortingly.

Gu Jinse smiled, though her eyes turned red. “I feel very uncertain about the future.”

In the modern world, she could see her future clearly. Even if she didn’t marry, she would find a partner and live a happy life. Even with setbacks, she wouldn’t have to pay with her life for a mistake. In Yuhang, she would have married and perhaps taken concubines for a husband she didn’t like just to keep him happy, and then slowly lived out her days. But here, she could see no future at all. She didn’t even have the skill to plot for one. It was so hard, so uncertain.

Ming Yi’s mind felt cluttered. She had only been away for three days, yet the household was in disarray. She said with a small laugh, “I will keep you safe and ensure the rest of your life is worry-free. As for Auntie Yuechang outside, ignore her.”

She had a splitting headache.

Just then, Yuechang walked in. Looking at the soup stains on the floor, she remarked, “Why did you smash it? What a waste.”

“Auntie, please stop.” Ming Yi rubbed her forehead and stood in front of Gu Jinse. “She is still young. Do not force her to drink those strange concoctions. She only drinks them out of respect for you. If it were any other young man, he might have kicked you out. Do not take advantage of your seniority.”

“Do not try to scare me.” Yuechang looked at the “young man” behind her. “It won’t hurt her. It’s all good, nourishing stuff. Chi Mei said so. Besides, he is a man; he should be protecting you. You didn’t even hold it against him that his grandfather caused Old Master Zhao’s death, and I haven’t said…”

“Auntie!” Ming Yi shouted softly.

“Fine, I will stop. I am going to find Chi Mei.” Yuechang gave a sulky reply, but she couldn’t help shooting one last look at Gu Jinse. “Remember to take your medicine.”

Gu Jinse stuck her tongue out at her. “Don’t worry so much, Auntie. Just rest and recover.”

“Recover what? You’re going back to the Western Mountains tomorrow,” Ming Yi said, her gaze sharp and her lips set in a firm line. She wanted nothing more than to send the woman away immediately.

Yuechang walked a few steps, then turned back. “I’m not going back. When I die, bury me at the Western Mountains next to your Mother.”

Ming Yi was furious, her brow knitted tightly. Gu Jinse laughed. “An elder at home is like a treasure. I’ll just have a word with Chi Mei.”

She was in good spirits, but Ming Yi continued to frown. “Do not mind what she just said.”

“So, what if I do? Are you going to kill me? At most, you’ll use me to bring the Gu family to ruin. Without you, the Gu family would be broken anyway.” Gu Jinse spoke with a touch of emotion, hooking her pinky into Ming Yi’s. “I know. My coming to the capital was orchestrated by you behind the scenes, wasn’t it?”