Chapter 213.1

Chapter 213.1

As the months went by, Yaoniang’s belly grew bigger and bigger.

Unlike when she was carrying Xiaobao and Erbao, this time her belly was much larger, and people couldn’t help but worry when they looked at her.

In fact, Yaoniang’s belly wasn’t much bigger than when she was carrying Erbao. It’s just that she had lost a lot of weight, which made her belly appear larger. Ever since it was diagnosed as a twin pregnancy, the esteemed Mammy Mu came out of retirement to personally oversee Yaoniang’s care. She brought along several experienced palace nannies to take care of Yaoniang’s well-being.

Twin pregnancies were no ordinary matter. Giving birth for women was already difficult, and if a twin pregnancy was handled improperly, it could lead to difficult childbirth or even death. His Majesty highly valued the empress, so if something were to happen, there would definitely be a bloodbath. It was a matter that had to be taken seriously.

Yaoniang’s food intake was restricted, even though pregnant women were supposed to eat. But Mammy Mu wouldn’t let her eat things like rich meats and foods that were supposed to nourish her body and fetus. Yaoniang lived in a state of great discomfort every day.

Moreover, she developed a special craving for meat during this pregnancy, especially for various kinds of tender and stewed meats. Twice she had been driven to tears due to her cravings. With the added pressure on her mind, Mammy Mu’s careful attention, and her tendency to have wild thoughts lately, she would often wake up from dreams in the middle of the night, causing Emperor Jin’an’s energy to be seriously affected as well.

He never considered sleeping in a separate room from Yaoniang. She had suggested it a few times, telling him to rest in Yangxin Hall at night, but he stubbornly refused to do so.

Lately, the atmosphere in the court was tense, and the court officials were all well-behaved, knowing that His Majesty’s mood wasn’t great. Some time ago, someone thoughtlessly brought up the suggestion of expanding the harem during morning court, and Emperor Jin’an, who used to ignore such suggestions, had taken an unusual step and punished the individual severely.

The most important thing was, once punished, one couldn’t say anything. Since the empress wasn’t well, bringing up this matter at such a time would inevitably be courting disaster. Some ministers had initially considered appealing to the Emperor Emeritus, but even before they could enter the palace, the Emperor Emeritus issued a statement, saying the punishment was well-deserved.

If he said it was well-deserved, then it must be so.

At night, Yaoniang restrained herself from moving, since Emperor Jin’an was already asleep. She didn’t want to disturb him.

Her face was turned inward, hiding her tears. “No, I didn’t cry.”

If he couldn’t tell whether she was crying or not, Emperor Jin’an wouldn’t be the emperor anymore. He leaned closer, resting his chin on her head, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his hand gently caressing her belly. “It’s just a dream. With me by your side, what is there to be afraid of? Zhen is the supreme ruler, impervious to all evil, and Zhen will naturally protect you.”

“Your Majesty, do you think I will die?”

Suddenly, the air around Yaoniang turned cold, and the body behind her became as hard as stone. She realized what she had just said.

“Are these the kind of thoughts you’ve been having recently, thinking about such wild things?” Emperor Jin’an’s voice was chilly.

She was struggling, gradually turning around to face him, her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. “I’m scared. I don’t want to give birth. Just the thought of dying and never seeing you again, I...”

Seeing her like this, Emperor Jin’an’s anger dissipated. His tone softened, “Mammy Mu and Doctor Liu both said your condition is good. Don’t think too much.”

“But...”

“Go to sleep quickly, don’t think about it anymore!”

After that, Yaoniang did fall asleep, but Emperor Jin’an spent the night sleepless.