"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 208

 Xiao Yi Chen nodded: "Xiao Yi Mo if I was happy to worry about the country for him he was willing to let go, now he can idly sit and watch his surroundings, read poetry, paint, he was thankful that I had my hackles raised over a beauty, he even told me to thank you."

Ji Ling Xue's lips twitched, "He's change is huge, when I accidentally came across him in the secret prison, he wasn't thinking this way."

Xiao Yi Chen  said: "Original thoughts will whittle away and change with time, a lot of things you didn't realise before will become clear."

Ji Ling Xue nodded, agreeing with Xiao Yi Chen's thoughts, there was a lot that couldn't be understood or obvious at the beginning, now it was gradually becoming clearer.

Xiao Yi Chen said: "From now on listen to nanny Rong and stay inside to look after the foetus, if you feel bored, we will find the time to accompany you to relieve your boredom."

Ji Ling Xue sighed rubbing her still very flat stomach: "They say a mother's honour increases with her son, why don't I feel honoured because of the baby in my stomach?"

Xiao YI Chen smiled: "Wait until your baby comes out, you'll be honoured with your son!"

Ji Ling Xue rolled her eyes, asking: "You're valuing a boy over a girl?"

There were many examples in stories, if the female lead gives birth to a girl she'll be shunned by the mother-in-law, shunned by her husband, finally the mother-in-law will use the reason the female lead cannot give birth to a son to bring in concubines and other wives, then there'll be endless fights in the harem, such a pity.

Xiao Yi Chen reached out to touch Ji Ling Xue's face, smiling: "If our first child is a daughter, she will become this dynasty's most respected princess, we promise we won't marry her off far away, won't let her marry someone she doesn't like, and definitely won't allow her to become a tool for a marriage of benefit."

Ji Ling Xue was silent, then she asked: "So, you like a daughter?"

Xiao Yi Chen said: "They'll be our children, daughter or son they're the same."

Ji Ling Xue said: "Then what if the officials uses the reason that the emperor has no sons for you to expand your harem?"

Xiao Yi Chen eyes curved, so Ji Ling Xue was worried about this, he pulled Ji Ling Xue up, hugging her from behind, both hands stroking her belly, as if he could feel the tiny life in his palm.

Xiao Yi Chen said: "We thought about this question, I'll just change the law."

Ji Ling Xue blinked, "What law?"

Xiao Yi Chen gently said: "The people of Dongqi are monogamist, if those officials above third grade are found to have concubines, they'll be removed off their position."

Ji Ling Xue's lips twitched, "That wouldn't be good?"

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Our country what we say is final, what's more we are experienced in this, it's stressful to have more than one wife and concubine, we have looked through the previous annals, we found in history there are people who really only had one wife, Wang An Shi, the only one who didn't take more wives, not take concubines, when he died no one thought over his legacy; Sima Guang, a prime minister who didn't have concubines, only one wife, his wife was infertile, but didn't marry anyone else! We will use them as guides, using them to sway the officials."

Ji Ling Xue was completely at ease, as long as they don't use excuses for him to take a concubine, three months later...

The weather turned hotter, Mo Xiang carried an ice cold watermelon which had just been fetched from the well towards Chenhua palace, at the door nanny Rong was leaning against the pillar nodding off, Mo Xiang walked over and patted her shoulder, "Nanny, why are you sleeping here?"

Nanny Rong opened her eyes in a daze, after seeing it was Mo Xiang, she patted her chest in relieve, "So it's Mo Xiang, you scared this old woman, I thought something happened to the empress."

Mo Xiang covered her mouth laughing: "Empress is only six months pregnant, the baby is also stable, what can happen?"

Nanny Rong straightened up patting the dust from her clothes: "That's good, are you delivering watermelon, tell the empress to not eat so much, it's easy for her to be bloated."

Mo Xiang nodded, carrying the watermelon she entered the hall, "Mistress, the iced watermelon is here...mistress..." Mo Xiang passed behind the screen, placing the watermelon onto the table, she turned to look behind her, the curtain around the bed was down, but she didn't see Ji Ling Xue.

Mo Xiang was shocked, she turned to ask nanny Rong who had just entered, "Nanny, where is the empress?"

On such a hot day, where did  the empress a heavily pregnant woman go?

Mo Xiang could understand that Ji Ling Xue who had been confined for three months for the reason of the stabilising the birth would have gone out for a stroll for fresh air, but...how could she go by herself?

Nanny Rong slapped herself, "This old servant ought to die, how can I lose the empress?"

Just now Ji Ling Xue was taking an afternoon nap, she went to the door to keep watch, but the sun was too nice, she fell asleep and didn't know how long for, where did the empress go, if something happened to her, how would she explain to the emperor?

Mo Xiang lip's twitched, slapping herself so fiercely, didn't it hurt?

Mo Xiang comforted her, "Nanny don't worry, empress wouldn't have gone too far, maybe she went to the imperial hospital to see the second prince of Dayan."

Nanny Rong on hearing this nodded hurriedly, turning she walked out, Mo Xiang quickly followed, "Nanny, walk slower!"

At the imperial hospital, Ji Ling Xue sat in front of a hospital bed, Ru Ge's body had recovered a lot from the various medicines, he leaned against the headboard lightly smiling at Ji Ling Xue, "You've gotten a lot fatter recently."

Ji Ling Xue's lips twitched, stroking her face, she sighed: "Sleep a lot, eat a lot, I've become lazy, of course I'll grow fat."

Ru Ge chuckled, "I've been awake for a few days now, you didn't come to see me, I thought you lost your memories and forgot about me."

Ji Ling Xue said: "I've only just been allowed out to exercise."

Ru Ge said: "But your change in position has restricted a lot for you?"

Ji Ling Xue nodded, "I've learned a lot of the palace rules and etiquettes, I'm finally ok

Ru Ge laughed briskly, "Then I should congratulate you..." As he spoke his eyes roamed over Ji Ling Xue's stomach, today Ji Ling Xue deliberately wore a skirt which wasn't too form fitting, her hand would stroke her stomach from time to time, he felt there was something strange going on.

Ru Ge probingly asked: "Did you eat something bad..."

Ji Ling Xue's hand froze, "Nothing..."

Ru Ge gave an oh, changing topics: "Do you know, what I thought of when I first opened my eyes?"

Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow, "Did you think whether or not you were in hell?"

Ru Ge smiled: "You really guessed it, I was fighting for my life with Yuchi Gong Ru,  I know how his martial art is, but since we plotted against him to fall to the bottom of the cliff and into the miasma, he learned some evil martial arts, the confrontation at the cold palace, I didn't have any chance, the only thing I thought of was stopping him from taking a step, as long as you're safe, my life didn't matter."

Ji Ling Xue's eyes turned red, that bloody night floated into her mind again, it was like she could still hear the blood dripping along with the her speeding heart, unable to breath.

Ji Ling Xue said: "Ru Ge, thank you, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been crowned so smoothly, I owe you a lot, if there's anything in the future just say it." As she spoke Ji Ling Xue patted her chest, looking very honourable.

Ru Ge smiled, not serious at all, "Xue Er, I only hope for you to be happy, blessed, only then can I be happy."

"Empress!" Nanny Rong's voice came from the door loudly, "This old servant has finally found you!"

Ru Ge smiled: "They've found you!"

Ji Ling Xue stood up coughing, "I'll leave first, rest well, I'll see you another day." Having spoken Ji Ling Xue raised her skirt and left.

Ru Ge shouted at Ji Ling Xue's back, "The next time you come remember to bring good food, in the hospital, I've been eating medicine the most, my mouth is in pain, I can't taste anything."

Ji Ling Xue walked to the door and turned to say: "Tomorrow I'll get Mo Xiang to send you some good food." She then cheekily winked, turning she walked away with nanny Rong.

As soon as she left the hospital, nanny Rong was following behind Ji Ling Xue, reminding her, "Empress, you're currently the master of the harem, it's not right for you to see a man."

Ji Ling Xue explained: "Ru Ge isn't a man, he is my sworn brother."

Nanny Rong said: "Sworn brother is still a man, he's still the second prince of Dayan, you think it's nothing, but you haven't noticed..."

"Noticed what?" Ji Ling Xue said without thinking.

"Noticed every time you mention him, the emperor's expression isn't good." Nanny Rong carefully replied.

Ji Ling Xue halted in her steps, thinking about it she then shook her head, "Nanny you're too sensitive, how could I not have noticed?"

Nanny Rong smiled until her eyes were scrunched together, "This old servant is experienced, of course I can see things clearer, this old servant doesn't mean anything else, I only hope your majesty will be more considerate towards the emperor, some times men need to be paid attention to."

Ji Ling Xue: "..."

It was night, Ji Ling Xue had already changed her clothes and was lying in bed, Xiao Yi Chen only returned very late at night, the pandemic at Jingzhou had been somewhat controlled, however the dilapidated dam at Jiangnan had been broken by torrential rain, flooding hundreds of thousands of paddy fields, a lost for thousands of families, the people were destitute and homeless, the court was anxious about this matter.

During the time Xiao Yi Chen had been on the throne, even though money had been sent each ear to maintain dams, floods still occurred, Xiao Yi Chen immediately sent Chi Feng to bring people to investigate the disaster area's dam for anything suspicious.

Xiao Yi Chen massaged his temple, he noticed since he became emperor he was getting less sleep, his stress was also increasing, softly and quietly he lifted the quilt and laid next to Ji Ling Xue, reaching out to touch Ji Ling Xue's slightly bulged belly, only this comfort belonged to him.

Ji Ling Xue pulled in, hugging Xiao Yi Chen's arm, she said quietly: "You've returned."

Xiao Yi Chen gave a soft en, rubbing Ji Ling Xue's head: "Sleep."

Ji Ling Xue gave an en, "You've been returning late, did something happen?"

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Something happened, but it's being sorted, Xue Er, we're suddenly regretful of being the emperor?"

Ji Ling Xue hazily opened her eyes to look at Xiao Yi Chen, certain that it was him she then closed her eyes and once again leaned against his shoulder, "You're not having a fever..."

Xiao Yi Chen's lips twitched, "No, I'm being serious."

Ji Ling Xue: "There is no medicine in the world for regret, continue, it'll improve."

Xiao Yi Chen nodded, "That's true, there are many variables in the world, nothing is perfect..."