PFC Chapter 173 Lin Qianqian is Pregnant
Chapter 173 Lin Qianqian is Pregnant
Murong Han walked steadily, like a moving iceberg, straight to the center of the hall.
The dancers, who had been gracefully moving, seemed to sense some invisible threat. They involuntarily stopped their movements, their expressions filled with fear, and quietly retreated to the side.
Murong Han's lips slowly curled into a wicked smile, a smile like a strange flower blooming in the darkness, chilling to the bone. He slowly bowed, bowing respectfully, his voice low and heavy, as if coming from the deepest hell: "Your subject greets the Empress Dowager, and your younger brother greets the Emperor and Empress."
The voice, seemingly carrying immense force, struck the hearts of everyone present, making the atmosphere in the hall even more oppressive.
The Emperor nodded slightly and said calmly, "Yes, get up."
The Empress Dowager glanced sideways at Murong Han, her tone laced with sarcasm: "You always avoid these kinds of occasions, so why have you condescended to grace us with your presence today?"
Seeing the Empress Dowager's unfriendly tone, the Emperor quickly spoke up to stop her, his face showing a hint of anxiety as he softly called out, "Mother Empress~" At the same time, he shook his head slightly and winked at the Empress Dowager, signaling her not to say anything more.
Upon hearing this, the crowd exchanged bewildered glances, and whispers of doubt and speculation spread through the group, rising and falling in murmurs.
Murong Han remained unfazed, a slight smile playing on his lips, a smile that seemed to hold a deeper meaning. He said calmly, "Your subject has never liked these kinds of activities and has no interest in them whatsoever. However, today is the joyous occasion of my cousin Xue Xiang's wedding, and it is only right and proper that I come to offer my congratulations."
Having said that, he slowly turned his head, his gaze piercing as he looked at Murong Che, deliberately raising his voice as if to make sure everyone present could hear him: "But, I wonder if Fourth Brother is truly sincere in marrying my cousin..."
Murong Che sat to the side, exchanged a glance with him, and upon hearing this, fell into deep thought, remaining silent with a complex and unreadable expression on his face.
The Empress Dowager looked bewildered, seemingly not quite understanding the deeper meaning behind Murong Han's words. She simply watched quietly without uttering a sound.
The Emperor quickly smoothed things over, a smile spreading across his face, and said, "Alright, since that's the case, you may sit down and enjoy this lively scene with us."
Upon hearing this, Murong Han bowed again, then gracefully walked to a seat and sat down. Coincidentally, he sat right next to Murong Yi, quite close to Su Wan'er as well.
Su Wan'er immediately felt guilty, her hands unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her teeth biting her lower lip until it turned white, looking completely at a loss. She secretly glanced at Murong Han out of the corner of her eye, then quickly tried to appear calm and looked away.
Murong Han glanced at her casually and frowned slightly, wondering to himself: Where have I seen this person before? But for the moment, I really couldn't remember.
Just then, he caught sight of Huan'er standing beside him. Instantly, his heart raced, his face flushed slightly, and he stared at her intently for a long time.
Huan'er felt his burning gaze, but dared not look up to meet his eyes. On the surface, she pretended to be calm and composed, but her heart was already in turmoil, pounding like a deer.
Lin Qianqian blinked her bright, lively eyes, her face beaming with a radiant smile. She generously raised her wine glass, gracefully rose, and walked towards Murong Han, saying in a clear, crisp voice, "Fifth Prince, I have long admired your brilliance. Today, I must offer you a proper toast!"
Upon seeing this, Murong Yi's body trembled involuntarily, and her brows furrowed instantly, as if she were somewhat worried, but she ultimately did not get up. Hearing the commotion, everyone turned their gazes towards her.
Murong Han's gaze was initially cold as he looked her up and down, puzzled. After a moment, as if he had come to his senses, a wicked smile appeared on his lips. He slowly raised his wine cup and teased, "Well, the Ninth Princess Consort is indeed quite generous." With that, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.
Lin Qianqian also brought the wine glass to her lips, about to drink it all in one gulp, but the smell of the wine entered her nose, and she couldn't help but gag.
She panicked and immediately covered her mouth, her face turning bright red as she tried to control herself, but her body wouldn't obey her, and she kept gagging.
Murong Yi was instantly stunned, her eyes filled with worry, her tightly furrowed brows seemed to be able to squeeze water out of them, and she leaned forward, looking as if she was about to rush over at any moment.
Xiaodie, her face full of concern, rushed to Lin Qianqian's side, patted her back gently, and asked anxiously, "Miss, what's wrong?"
Upon seeing this, the crowd stirred, whispering and discussing amongst themselves, their eyes darting back and forth between Lin Qianqian and Murong Han.
The Emperor looked concerned and his gaze fell on Lin Qianqian. He asked loudly, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
The Empress sat to one side, silent, lost in thought. Her eyes held a knowing glimpse, as if she already knew the answer but did not reveal it.
Murong Yi was extremely anxious. She quickly moved closer to Lin Qianqian, lowered her voice, and reassured her with concern, "What happened? Did you eat something bad?"
Su Wan'er stood to the side, looking puzzled, and frowned slightly, uttering a question that was full of confusion.
Xiaodie was extremely anxious, her eyes reddening. She grabbed Lin Qianqian's hand and asked urgently, "Miss, are you alright? Where do you feel unwell?"
Lin Qianqian waved her hand and said uncomfortably, "Oh, I'm fine, it's just that the smell of that wine makes me want to vomit, ugh..."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was slightly taken aback at first, then a hint of joy flashed in her eyes. She leaned forward and asked eagerly, "Qianqian, when did you start having these vomiting symptoms?"
Lin Qianqian tilted her head, trying hard to recall, and mumbled, "Hmm... it seems like a few mornings ago, I woke up feeling inexplicably nauseous, and I had no energy at all. I also felt nauseous when I saw greasy things."
The Empress Dowager's eyes lit up, and she continued to ask, "How is your period?"
Lin Qianqian was taken aback at first, then stared in disbelief, instinctively covering her mouth and exclaiming, "Huh?! It seems to have been delayed by more than two weeks."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was overjoyed and couldn't help but burst into laughter, her eyes brimming with uncontainable delight. She clapped her hands and exclaimed excitedly, "This is truly a momentous occasion!"
Immediately afterward, the Empress Dowager's smile vanished, and she solemnly instructed the palace maid beside her, "Quickly, carefully help the Ninth Princess into her bedchamber. Make sure nothing goes wrong!" She then turned to the eunuch beside her and urgently said, "You, immediately go and fetch the best physician from the Imperial Hospital. Be quick!"
The eunuchs and maids hurriedly responded, "Yes!" and quickly got to work. The eunuchs rushed towards the Imperial Hospital, while the maids gently supported Lin Qianqian as they walked towards her bedchamber.
Lin Qianqian looked bewildered, still reeling from the sudden turn of events. She frowned slightly and asked in confusion, "Mother, what's going on?"
Murong Yi and the Emperor were also bewildered, exchanging glances. The Empress chuckled and whispered in the Emperor's ear.
The Empress Dowager smiled and held Lin Qianqian's hand, her eyes full of affection, and said, "Silly child, your symptoms most likely mean you are pregnant! If you are indeed carrying a child of the royal family, that would be a great achievement!"
Upon hearing this, Su Wan'er felt as if the sky had fallen, and she involuntarily collapsed to the ground. Huan'er saw this and quickly helped her up.
Murong Yi stood aside, first stunned, then his face lit up with surprise and excitement. He quickly walked to Lin Qianqian's side and said softly, "Qianqian, be careful." His eyes were full of concern and expectation.
The Empress Dowager escorted Lin Qianqian toward her palace. Along the way, she reminded the palace maids, "Be careful, make sure the princess doesn't bump into anything." Her anxious and joyful expression suggested that she was certain Lin Qianqian was pregnant with the emperor's child.
The imperial physician focused intently and meticulously took Lin Qianqian's pulse, his fingertips lightly touching the pulse, sometimes frowning slightly, sometimes seeming to have gained some insight.
Murong Yi, the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and others watched intently from the side, their faces full of anticipation. Murong Yi unconsciously clenched her fists, her gaze fixed on the imperial physician's every move; the Empress Dowager leaned forward, her eyes anxious, even her breathing seemed to slow down; the Emperor, on the other hand, wore a solemn expression, his eyes revealing a hint of expectation.
Xiaodie stood to the side, nervously clutching her clothes, her heart pounding as if it would burst from her chest. Wuming, too, frowned, his expression grave, sharing her tension.
Su Wan'er was extremely nervous. She clenched her teeth and unconsciously twisted her hands in her sleeves, thinking to herself, "Absolutely not, she absolutely cannot be pregnant!" She kept repeating this to herself.
The Empress Dowager finally couldn't help but ask weakly, "How is it?" She looked at her expectantly.
The imperial physician's face instantly lit up with joy. He hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting and said in a loud and excited voice, "Congratulations, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, congratulations, Your Majesty the Emperor, congratulations, Ninth Prince! The Ninth Prince's wife is indeed pregnant. She has been pregnant for more than a month. Her pulse is stable and the pregnancy is progressing well."
"What!" Lin Qianqian was shocked upon hearing the imperial physician's words, her beautiful eyes widening in disbelief. She sat frozen on the couch, her heart filled with a complex mix of emotions, a torrent of feelings surging within her. She had never imagined she would suddenly be pregnant; the news was so sudden, like a thunderclap exploding in her ears, leaving her completely speechless for a moment.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was first taken aback, then burst into tears of joy, clasped her hands together, and murmured, "Heaven bless, Heaven bless!"
The Emperor smiled with satisfaction and patted Murong Yi on the shoulder: "You rascal, you'd better take good care of the Princess Consort, hahaha."
Murong Yi's eyes reddened with excitement, and he nodded repeatedly: "Your subject will do his utmost."
Murong Yi's eyes reddened, and she excitedly leaned closer to Lin Qianqian, gently taking her hand and pressing it tightly against her heart. She said with deep affection, "Qianqian, we're going to have our own child. Look, this is a precious gift from heaven. From now on, I will definitely protect you and our child even more, so that you can live a peaceful, happy, and carefree life."
Amidst the joy, only Su Wan'er's face turned deathly pale, and she swayed, almost losing her balance.