Yu Yao settled in the main hall, pondered for a moment, and then ordered Hu Po to invite the two elderly maids over.
One was surnamed Li, the other Zhang, both of them were elderly people in the palace, heard that the experience was rich, all have served to serve the concubines of the previous emperor to safely deliver.
They are all part of the tyrant emperor's camp, so they can be used with full confidence, but one must be careful with their words.
Shortly, the two old maids came to the hall, bowing respectfully and said, "We have seen the Imperial Concubine Qin."
Their eyes reflected calmness and wisdom.
Yu Yao gently stroked the golden-threaded soft pillow on the bed, her gaze fixed on them, and she spoke in a gentle tone, "The two maids, as a new arrival to the palace and carrying the heir to the throne, I have many matters that require your attention. I've heard that both of you have assisted several concubines in safe deliveries, and it brings me much comfort to know that."
A pregnant woman has many taboos, and she knows them all well.
However, this is the palace harem, and many people behind the scenes undoubtedly want to get rid of her womb, even desiring her to die along with the child.
She can't be on guard all the time, and it's inevitable that she will have moments of carelessness.
At this time, it requires those around her to be more vigilant.
Madam Li took a step forward and bowed, "Your Highness, your words carry great weight, but I assure you, Zhuo and I will do everything in our power to ensure the well-being of you and the unborn child. The affairs of the palace are intricate and complicated, so if you have any discomforts or doubts, please do not hesitate to give orders."
Zhuo also nodded in agreement, "Yes, Your Highness, although the Xinghua Palace is remote, it is still clean and conducive to a safe pregnancy. We will carefully take care of everything, ensuring Your Highness's diet and daily life are without worry."
Yu Yao nodded, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes: "I understand that in the palace harem, human hearts are as difficult to fathom as the stars. Especially recently, the news of my pregnancy has likely drawn attention from many. Lǚ Concubine is one among them who harbors ill will towards me."
Lǚ Concubine has long harbored a deep hatred for her, and she has tried several times to take her down, but each time she has failed to find an opportunity.
She has seen all of this, and is not ignorant of what is going on.
Now, knowing that she is pregnant, Lǚ Concubine will surely try to find another chance to strike.
She specifically mentioned Lǚ Concubine to make the two of them more aware and cautious, so as not to fall into the other person's trap.
Upon hearing this, Madam Li furrowed her brow: "Lǚ Concubine? This person is always envious and vengeful, Your Highness must be extra careful. I will arrange for additional guards and patrols around the palace to ensure that no one dare to approach without permission."
Zhuo also added: "Your Highness, in addition to external precautions, inner peace is equally important. You need to keep your mood upbeat and not worry about trivial matters to avoid affecting the fetus."
Pregnant women are most susceptible to worry and anxiety, as well as sudden emotional outbursts, which can be detrimental to the fetus.
Yu Yao naturally understood, a glimmer of gratitude flashed in her eyes: "Thank you for reminding me, Your Highness understands and will strive to maintain inner peace."
Madam Li and Madam Zhuo exchanged a glance, then spoke in unison: "Your Highness's thought is comforting, and we are at ease. If Your Highness has any orders, please call on the old servants at any time."
Yu Yao faintly nodded, instructed Hu Po to give each of them a hundred and twenty silver coins, and then sent them away.
The news that Qin Guifeipin has moved to the Xinghua Palace is a big move, and it's hard for the concubines not to know.
But no one seemed to mind; after all, it's so far away that it will be difficult to see the emperor in the future.
But she is carrying the royal child, and if the child is born safely, even without the emperor's favor, her future days will still be relatively secure.
In the end, in the palace harem, a child is everything.
Thinking of this, the concubines in the harem could not help but feel envious.
After Yu Yao settled down in the Xinghua Palace, her days were both peaceful and secure.
She spent her days nestled in the palace, nurturing her baby bump, reading novels, taking a stroll, chatting with those around her, and life was quite leisurely and carefree.
The Jing Emperor would come to visit her when he had the time, but each time, he would first go to the Chenxiang Hall to see Yun Guifei, and only after visiting Yun Guifei would he come to see her.
And finally, he would visit Shu Guifei.
Both Yun Guifei and Shu Guifei received a bit more favor as a result.
It seemed as if the Jing Emperor was deliberately visiting the three pregnant concubines.
This scene, seen by the concubines in the harem, seemed to them that the emperor was visiting them out of consideration for the child.
Yun Guifei and Shu Guifei were completely without favor before they became pregnant.
Once they became pregnant with the imperial heir, their favor greatly increased as well.
The Jing Emperor visiting them wasn't for the child, what else could it be for?
A sudden surge of interest in drinking fetal-forming tonics swept through the entire palace harem.
The concubines in the harem were drinking bowls of fetal-forming tonics one after another, all in the hope of conceiving an heir.
This led to the Jing Emperor wherever he went, having a strong smell of medicine, which made him extremely uncomfortable.
He decided to avoid the palace harem altogether, directly summoning the concubines to serve him in the Taihe Hall at night.
Liu Mengyan stands out alone, unmatched by any other concubine in the harem.
Her favor far surpassed that of the other concubines in the harem.
In a month, she had sex with the emperor for more than half of it. The remaining days were then shared among the other concubines in the harem.
This led to widespread complaints and curses throughout the harem.
It's worth noting that those new concubines who entered the palace with her have also been serving the emperor one by one.
However, besides Su Wan'er, the new Southern scholar had received a little favor.
The rest of the new concubines were forgotten by the Jing Emperor after their first night, and their names were never called again.
Xinghua Palace.
Yu Yao, though in a remote location, was still within the palace harem. The various rumors about how Gu Shujie had become favored by the emperor were like willow catkins carried by spring breezes, permeating her ears without a single exception.
She had never liked the tyrant emperor, and it didn't matter to her who he favored.
Moreover, she knew that the tyrant emperor was using Liu Mengyan as his shield, which made her even more indifferent in her heart.
Each day, she focused solely on nurturing her pregnancy.
Hu Po and Liu Liuli initially worried that the lady would be uncomfortable if she heard these things, but then, after discovering that the lady was completely indifferent, they felt relieved.
In the harem, jealousy flowed like an underground current.
Gu Shujie's beauty and favor were undoubtedly a target for everyone's jealousy.
Those who had entered the palace with her during the selection, or those who had already established a footing in the harem, could not help but secretly grind their teeth, feeling jealous and resentful.
They gathered together, speaking in a way that mocked and belittled Liu Mengyan, as if only by belittling her could they ease the jealousy and resentment within their hearts.
"Hmph, she's no more than a seductive fox spirit serving the emperor with her looks, and the emperor is just seeking a novelty. I wonder how long her favor will last."
A concubine said acidly with a tone of disdain, full of disdain in her eyes.
"Yes, the emperor has a reputation for being a womanizing man, but he is too indulgent to her. It's as if he has given all the favor of the entire palace harem to her alone."
Jealousy filled every corner of the harem with its poison.
At night, when people are quiet, the Taihe Hall is illuminated with bright lights, but it cannot hide the slightest trace of oppression and indifference.
This night, the emperor still turned to Liu Mengyan.
Liu Mengyan was led by palace attendants into the hall, dressed in a light pink gauze robe, her figure graceful, her face adorned with a very alluring smile. But in her heart, she was incredibly bitter.
No one knew that she was most afraid of being summoned to serve the emperor, but at the same time, she eagerly hoped for the opportunity.
The fear stems from the fact that at night, she becomes the emperor's "plaything," making her feel humiliated.
But if she does not serve the emperor, she will lose his favor, and without his favor, she would have no place to hide.
The Jing Emperor lay on the dragon bed, playing with a string of jade beads, his eyes wandering on Liu Mengyan's body, with a hint of playfulness.
"Come here."
His voice was deep and magnetic, yet devoid of any warmth.
Liu Mengyan walked in obediently.
The Jing Emperor reached out and lifted her chin, a playful smile curling at the corners of his lips, "Do you know why I favor you above all others?"
Liu Mengyan's heart tightened, and she smiled even more seductively, looking up at the Jing Emperor, "Your Majesty's kindness is overwhelming, and I am terrified. I do not know why Your Majesty favors me so greatly. Perhaps it is because I am fortunate to have been blessed by heaven with a good-looking appearance that has caught Your Majesty's eye."
She slightly inclined her head, her lips shimmering with a rosy hue, her incredibly beautiful face looking even more captivating under the light. Her eyebrows were like slender mountains, her skin was like jade, and as her eyes moved, they resembled the vast sea.
The Jing Emperor looked at her incredibly beautiful face, and his eyes grew deeper, "You only said half the truth."
"Ah?"
Liu Mengyan blinked in confusion, always assuming that it was because of her beauty that the emperor loved her.
"Beauty is just one part of it. You are also intelligent and talented, and you can endure the humiliation of serving me. Unlike the rigid and conventional women from affluent families, you lack something."
The Jing Emperor's lips curved into a smile that was almost imperceptible, as he spoke seriously.
Liu Mengyan furrowed her brow, understanding but also perplexed, "May I ask the emperor, what exactly is it that I lack?"
She had almost broken her own moral principles and worldview to serve this man, doing many things that she herself found despicable, akin to a lowly brothel prostitute, just to please him.
The Jing Emperor gazed slightly at her, his eyes deep and profound like a bottomless pit, not responding to her words.
He abruptly pulled her into his embrace, his movements rough, without the slightest hint of tenderness.
His eyes held no love, only control over power and greed for beauty.
Liu Mengyan closed her eyes, tears welling up in her eyes, but she forced them back with an effort.
She knew that she couldn't cry, and even had to force a smile, using all her means to please the king in front of her.
Only by doing so, can she find a sliver of space to survive in the harem, let alone climb to the peak of power.
" Mengyan, have you ever resented me?"
The Jing Emperor suddenly spoke, his voice low and deep, as if he were asking himself, or as if he were asking Liu Mengyan.
Liu Mengyan's heart tightened, but her smile on her face grew even more seductive: "I dare not. To be favored by the emperor is already a blessing beyond words, how could I dare to have the slightest complaint?"
The Jing Emperor laughed coldly, his grip on her arm tightening unconsciously as if to vent some emotion, "Not dare? In this harem, how many dare to speak the truth in front of me?"
Only she dares to, and even rudely calls him a dog emperor.
Liu Mengyan felt the pain in her body, but her mind was clear.
She understood that she had to find a balance, to please the Jing Emperor while also protecting herself.
So, she gently pushed away the Jing Emperor, sitting down next to him with sincerity: "Your Majesty, though I am a concubine, I also have human emotions and worries. But I know that You are the ruler of the country, bearing the weight of the state. I dare not trouble You with my private affairs."
The Jing Emperor's expression softened slightly. He looked at Liu Mengyan, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes, "You are indeed wise, knowing when to advance and retreat."
Liu Mengyan lowered her head, her lips curving into a bitter smile: "I am just one of the many women in the harem. If I do not learn to protect myself, how can I survive in this place where people are eaten alive?"
The Jing Emperor was silent for a moment before sighing and saying, "Alright, get up. You can leave first today. You must rest well."
Beautiful as she was, and with a clever understanding of how to please him, he felt that there was something lacking.
Liu Mengyan, unaware of the emperor's thoughts, heaved a sigh of relief and quickly bowed before leaving.
