"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 209

 Ji Ling Xue's eyelashes moved, she slowly opened her eyes, while talking with Xiao Yi Chen, she became more awake, yawning she turned over and laid on Xiao Yi Chen's chest, pulling Xiao Yi Chen's hand onto her stomach, luckily the baby in the stomach felt it was another hand's warmth and moved, Xiao Yi Chen happily smiled: "Our little princess moved!"

Ji Ling Xue's lips twitched, "How do you know it's a princess?"

That day nanny Rong had scrutinised her stomach smiling she said: "People say a pointy stomach is a boy, round is a girl, a small stomach is a boy, large stomach is a girl; putting on weight only at the stomach and no where else is a boy, the opposite for a girl; no swollen feet is a boy, swollen feet is a girl; empress's recent taste in food has been mixed, liking to eat sweet and sour, small stomach, this old servant guess your majesty will most likely have a son, a little prince!"

Xiao Yi Chen said: "See how much the little princess in the stomach likes us, when our hand was placed on you, she kicked us, many people say daughters are the fathers' former lover, it really is true."

Ji Ling Xue secretly rolled her eyes, "An emperor's word is gold, maybe what you said is true, I am very much looking forward to the day the baby comes."

Xiao Yi Chen gently patted Ji Ling Xue's chest, "It's no longer early, we should rest."

Ji Ling Xue closed her eyes, very quickly she sank into the land of slumber...

The next day, Mo Xiang carried a food container to the imperial hospital, those yougn maids and eunuchs she walked past would greet her "madam", he was now the personal maid of the empress.

She had just arrived at the hospital door, the smell of medicine entered her nose, it was the first time Mo Xiang came, she lowered her head looking at the container in her hand, her lips curled, Ru Ge got whatever he wanted in the palace, the container in her hand was personally ordered to be delivered to Ru Ge's hands.

"Excuse me where is the Dayan second prince?" Mo Xiang asked a young attendant roasting medicine in the corridor.

The young attendant looked up at Mo Xiang pointing in a direction: "In that courtyard."

"Thank you." Mo Xiang turned and walked towards the courtyard, the young attendant behind him muttered to himself: "There are a lot of women visiting the Dayan second prince today."

Mo Xiang halted in her steps, after thinking about it she continued forward, from afar she heard a melodious voice, "Ru Ge, these are refreshments I made? You've finally woke up, I came a few times but you were in a coma, I was worried to death, I even transcribed a thousand scriptures for you, I prayed for a safety charm for you, I didn't imagine the night after I placed it under your pillow you woke up, so effective...I spoke the truth, if you don't believe me you can take the safety charm from under your pillow and see."

"Thank you, Ru Yi!" Ru Ge's voice sounded somewhat weak.

"What's with the thanks, eat some snacks, I personally made them."

Mo Xiang stood at the door listening for a while, inside, princess Ling Long was fawning over him, it was a bit inappropriate for her to appear, after thinking it over, Mo Xiang finally placed the container at the door, turning she left.

Chenhua palace, Ji Ling Xue picked up a red pastry and took a bite, hearing Mo Xiang enter, she turned her head asking: "Did you deliver it, did Ru Ge like it?"

Mo Xiang nodded, "I delivered it, but Ru Ge and princess Ling Long were talking, this servant didn't feel right to disturb them so I came back."

Ji Ling Xue nodded, "Princess Ling Long seems to really like Ru Ge, he's that injured but she still won't leave him, truly it's love."

Mo Xiang said: "En, this servant heard princess Ling Long would often come to visit Ru Ge at the hospital, and had transcribed a thousand scriptures to pray for blessings, even making refreshments herself, what woman would do the same, Ru Ge is very fortunate."

Ji Ling Xue said: "Mo Xiang, after this period of time, I'll ask the emperor to grant you a good marriage."

Mo Xiang's face turned red as she knelt down: "This servant only wants to serve the empress, I don't want to think about anything else."

Ji Ling Xue said: "You really are stubborn, when you become an old maid, there would be no good family to choose from, a woman's greatest fortune is to find a good husband."

"Cough, cough!" A light cough came from the door, it held a bit of ridicule, Ji Ling Xue and Mo Xiang turned their heads to look at the same time, Chi Feng stood at the door with a folded fan looking like an extinguished gentleman.

Ji Ling Xue said: "What wind brought the prime minister here?"

Chi Feng bowed to Ji Ling Xue, "This official greets the empress."

Ji Ling Xue said: "If you have something to say just say it, you definitely did not come here for no reason."

Chi Feng rubbed his nose, bowing: "The emperor was worried the empress would be bored, he specially ordered this official to come accompany your majesty and relief boredom." Having spoken he raised his gown and sat on the step, the sun shone brightly above his head, he had a fan in his hand even though it wasn't hot.

There was a rule in the palace that officials could not enter the inner palace, in order to avoid this Chi Feng sat on the doorstep, and didn't bother anyone to bring him a stool.

Ji Ling Xue said: "Tell me what's being happening at court lately?" Chi Feng didn't come here just to simply help her relief boredom, something huge must have happened in court.

"Recently Jiangnan has been devastated by flooding, it destroyed the newly built dam, instantly tens of thousands of fields were submerged and thousands were left homeless, this official was ordered to go to Jiangnan and just returned, I encountered quite a few problems, the emperor and I have both been stumped by them."

Ji Ling Xue turned to look at the visibly frail back of Chi Feng: "Prime minister's words sound contradictory." Chi Feng turned his head.

"I would like to hear the details." 

"Even though it was a newly built dam, it was so easily destroyed leading to tens of thousands of fields being submerged, the people homeless?"

Chi Feng said: "Empress asked a good question, the emperor and I have our suspicions, that's why this official went to check out Jiangnan, guess what this official discovered?"

Ji Ling Xue pinched her chin thinking, "The flooding in Jiangnan has always been a headache for the imperial family, the court would allocate a large fund each year to specially repair Jiangnan's dam, thus, a dam which has been repaired every year cannot under a torrential rain completely collapse, there could only be one explanation, the funds used to reinforce the dam did not reach Jiangnan, or it did but the local official did not use it for reinforcement."

Chi Feng cupped his hands, "Empress is wise." She basically guessed it.

Ji Ling Xue sighed: "Prime minister probably met a lot of issues when he went to Jiangnan?"

Chi Feng's lips twitched: "Empress is correct, I offended people, been poisoned, I heard the empress is good with poison, so I came for a consultation."

Ji Ling Xue nodded, giving Mo Xiang a look, Mo Xiang walked to Chi Feng's side, taking his pulse she understood right away: "Prime minister has felt his tongue has been bitter these last few days, everything you ate is tasteless, you're always agitated, you have nightmares when you sleep?"

Chi Feng nodded strongly, spreading out his hands he looked like he was sincerely begging for a cure.

Mo Xiang covered her mouth and laughed, "Prime minister owes my mistress a huge favour, how do you want to repay her?"

Chi Feng cupped his hands: "No matter what the empress asks."

Mo Xiang was satisfied, from her sleeve she took out a bottle, shaking out two white pills she gave them to Chi Feng: "Take one in the morning and evening before food." 

Chi Feng gave his thanks, raising his hand he swallowed the pill in his hand, leaving one pill which he stuffed into his chest, "Sorry to disturb you, if there's nothing, this official will leave first."

"Wait!" Ji Ling Xue turned her head, a smile yet not a smile on her lips, "I really want to know who plotted against you?"

Chi Feng coughed twice, a little humiliated, "That...it's a long story..."

Ji Ling Xue rested her chin on her hand looking out the window at the sky: "It's still early, I don't feel tired, you can take it slow..."

Chi Feng: "..."

The funds for Jiangnan's dam reinforcement was misappropriated, it brought about a flooding disaster, with such a huge situation someone always steps out a scapegoat for the court, giving an explanation to the people.

Before these funds were misappropriated by the imperial uncle, now Xiao Yi Chen was the emperor, he dealt with the imperial uncle immediately, but the other official had yet to be implicated, that's why the imperial uncle's disciple continued to misappropriate it.

Now that Chi Feng had gone himself, he pushed a secretary out as scapegoat, Chi Feng wasn't an idiot, how could he not see something fishy was going on, with a slap on the table he arrested the local official.

The official relied on being far from the capital, he acted like a local tyrant, he worked with a group of thugs he personally kept employed to assassinate Chi Feng, fortunately Chi Feng was protected by the secret guards sent by Xiao Yi Chen.

A lot of things also happened when he was escorting the local offical back to the capital, this poison was from a little slipup.

Ji Ling Xue listened and glanced at Chi Feng sympathetically, suddenly noticing when Xiao Yi Chen became the emperor he could  be counted as a righteous emperor, shutting down corrupt officials, getting rid of evil.

After Chi Feng left, Ji Ling Xue was lost in thought for a while, Mo Xiang asked: "What's wrong mistress?"

Ji Ling Xue sighed: "Jingzhou epidemic, Jiangnan flooding, using such funds, the state treasury must be empty."

Mo Xiang gave an ah, "Empress you're worried about that, you want to take all the profit from Qingfengyashe?"

Ji Ling Xue shook her head, "Seizing the properties of the corrupt officials at Jiangnan wouldn't even cover rebuilding the flooded houses, or enough to feed the people."

Mo Xiang nodded, "That what to do?"

Ji Ling Xue suddenly stood up walking outside, she just happened to come across Xiao Yi Chen who was coming in, the two stood at the door looking at each other, smiling.

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Where are you going?"

Ji Ling Xue said: "I was just planning to find you, I didn't think you'd come."

Xiao Yi Chen pulled on Ji Ling Xue's hand inside, "It seems our hearts beat us one, why did you want to look for us, did Chi Feng say something to you in the afternoon, you shouldn't worry, set your mind on looking after the baby."

Ji Ling Xue lightly sighed, "I want to share some of your worries."

Xiao Yi Chen gently stroked Ji Ling Xue's long black hair, picking up Ji Ling Xue's hand he kissed the back of her hand: "Such a wife, what else can a husband ask for, we are very happy with this, we hope you'll be happy, we will shoulder any trials and hardships."

Ji Ling Xue smiled: "Don't say anything else, Mo Xiang has already prepared dinner, let's eat first."

Xiao Yi Chen nodded saying fine, the two sat opposite each other, Xiao Yi Chen looked around, asking: "Why don't I see nanny Rong?"

Mo Xiang who stood to the side said: "Today nanny asked the empress for a day off, she said her grandson had fallen ill,  she was worried and went to take a look."

Xiao Yi Chen nodded, picking up his chopsticks he placed a piece of meat in to Ji Ling Xue's bowl smiling: "Eat more."

Ji Ling Xue picked the meat up and sniffed it, she turned her head and suddenly vomited.