The third volume of Linglong Dice An Red Bean 149

  At the end of March, Emperor Hui and his courtiers discussed and decided to repair and expand the Ao Granary in Xingyang, and also requisitioned surplus grain from various commanderies east of the pass to transport it to the Ao Granary for future use.

  In order to show his determination to protect the child to his mother in Chang Le Palace, Liu Ying finally appointed Wang Gong as a beautiful person.

  The rank of the imperial harem, from Eighth Lady to Beautiful Woman, jumped two ranks in a row. It should have been promoted after the birth of the young prince, but it was unexpectedly promoted three months after Wang Lian became pregnant, even without knowing whether the fetus in her belly was a prince or a princess, and whether she could be born healthy. It can't be said that this time the emperor and Empress Dowager Lü's conflict is not allowed to be fortunate.

  Afterwards, Wang Quan became one of the top-ranking consorts in Weiyang Palace, second only to the Empress.

  Gansu purple mud is bright, Zhang Yan stamped her imperial seal on the appointment book of the beautiful woman. Smiling, "Yan will go instead of me to take a trip and deliver this book to the Qingliang Hall, and also instruct Wang Meiren to take good care of her pregnancy."

  She couldn't help but sigh, how fitting the title of "Eight Sons" was for Wang Gong. Although no one in this era realized the pun, she couldn't help but stifle a laugh every time she heard it.

  Unfortunately, it has become history.

  "Now, with the eight sons of Wang Gong, virtue and talent are complete, and there is an imperial descendant. Jin becomes a beautiful person. The decree says: 'It can be done.' Yan Qing handed over the rolled-up book to Wang Gong, smiling and saying, 'Congratulations, Wang Meiren!'"

  "General Yan has worked hard." Wang Kong smiled and instructed his personal maid, Wei Shi, to present a ingot of horse hoof gold. "Thank you, General Yan, for your hard work." "I dare not," Yan Qing declined, "It's just a matter of duty for me."

  Yan Qing was one of the three major officials in the imperial harem. Initially, Empress Lü sent him to the Pepper Chamber to serve the young queen, who deeply trusted him.

  Empress Zhang was young and astute, treating her subordinates with both kindness and severity. However, Yan Qing, who had been immersed in the deep palace for many years, felt that although the Pepper Chamber now had the support of Empress Lü, the Emperor's favor was precarious. It seemed like a beautiful flower arrangement, but in reality, there were signs of a fierce fire burning oil - if no legitimate crown prince was born, once the oil ran out and the fire died down, it would all be reduced to ruins.

  He smiled and said, "I wish Wang Meiren good health and a smooth delivery of the young prince."

  Even if he waited for a good price to sell, Wang Leng was still not enough at this time. Yan Qing thought, he had to take another look, and then another look.

  In the cool palace. After seeing off Jiang Qing, Wang Xiang turned around and found that her lower abdomen was slightly bulging under her deep clothes. The eunuchs in the cool palace all congratulated, "Congratulations, beautiful queen."

  Wang Kong nodded, but his face didn't show much joy.

  "Madam, don't worry, just raise a plump and white imperial son, that's the best. No need to lower yourself to the same level as those eunuchs." Wei auntie came forward to advise.

  "I wasn't thinking of that." Wang Lian replied, her expression distant. "Auntie, you speak." She shivered with a chill, unable to comprehend. "On that day, the Empress Dowager wanted to harm my unborn child, but Your Majesty comforted me. What exactly did Empress Zhang use to pull Your Majesty away from me at that time?"

  Recalling that bowl of medicine emitting a strange aura, to this day, Wang Jing still feels terrified. That time, she had walked the line between life and death, truly frightened. She believed the young emperor pitied her, by nature filial, yet for her sake, he didn't hesitate to confront his mother head-on.

  She is the most favored imperial concubine in Weiyang Palace, carrying his child in her womb, yet almost lost this flesh and blood. Her panicked face is like a pear blossom in the rain, tender and delicate. Whether as a husband or a father, Your Majesty should stay in Qingliang Hall to comfort her.

  Empress Zhang sent over a letter, but she didn't even let the people from the Pepper Chamber enter personally, instead handing it over to Han Changyong, the Imperial Guard. She lay on her couch and saw Liu Ying unfold the letter, which was written on high-quality paper produced by the Lu family. From the back, it looked elegant and refined. It seemed as if she could even smell the fragrance emanating from it.

  Then Liu Ying's expression changed instantly. He comforted himself with a few words, then left the Qingliang Hall and went to the side of the young empress who was waiting for him.

  At this thought, her face suddenly twisted, playing with the beautiful woman's letter, her fingers slid over the purple imperial seal ink, and she said hatefully, "In the future when my son becomes emperor, he will honor me as empress dowager. What is Zhang Mengying then?"

  "But what if Madam's unborn child is a princess..." Wei Aunt suddenly said.

  The child is still far from showing, and it's still seven or eight months before the birth. If she were a little princess, then Wang Kun's thoughts would be nothing but a moon in the water and a flower in the mirror.

  Obviously Wang Qiong also knew, so he hastily interrupted, "Don't say any more."

  "A few days ago," Wei's aunt suddenly remembered something and hastily said, "When the Imperial Physician's Office was asking for a diagnosis, I casually mentioned that in the eastern part of Chang'an City, there is a female doctor who can determine the sex of an unborn child."

  "Oh?" Wang Kong listened with intention and hastily asked, "This child is still in his mother's womb, how can you determine whether it's a boy or girl? Are you trying to deceive people with tricks?"

  "Anyway, Madame's child is still young," said Wei Auntie with a frown, "it won't hurt to send someone to investigate this female doctor?"

  "That's great." Wang Lian hastily nodded.

  Wang was a daughter of the Wang family in Xin'an, and was selected by Emperor Wu in his tenth year to be sent to the Eastern Palace as a concubine for Crown Prince Liu Ju. She later became a lady-in-waiting. After Emperor Wen ascended to the throne, she followed him into the palace and was created an imperial consort of the eighth rank. He then sent her maternal uncle's elder brother to the eastern market to investigate this female physician surnamed Tan.

  "This lady doctor's surname is Jiang, after divorcing her husband, she relied on the Marquis of Yingyin and opened a medical clinic in the East Market. It is said that she is proficient in both physiognomy and medicine," Mother Wang quoted her son as saying, "so she can determine the sex of the fetus in the abdomen." Rong'er, she persuaded with a moved heart, "should we try it? If we know earlier whether you are carrying a little prince or princess, our family can also make arrangements earlier."

  "Mother," Wang Kong smiled, "I have my own plans." Wang Kong was actually very anxious herself, but she knew that she was just a small beauty, at least for the time being, in the Weiyang Palace, and could not do as she pleased.

  As summer arrived, the weather in Chang'an became scorching hot and it had been a while since it last rained. The imperial physician took the pulse of Wang Meiren and said that her heart fire was flourishing, if this continued, it would not be beneficial for the fetus in her belly, she should clear her mind and rest quietly instead.

  She used this as an excuse and once again had Liu Yin summoned from another palace concubine's quarters to the Qingliang Palace in the dead of night.

  "Your Majesty," she said with a curtsy, "I suppose the little prince doesn't want to stay in my belly all the time and wants to take a look at the outside world. I've been having trouble eating those palace dishes lately. I really miss the bamboo woven trinkets from outside the palace."

  Liu Ying said nonchalantly, "Let your mother bring you into the palace next time."

  "My mother may be close to me," Wang Kong shook his head and said, "but she has always looked down on my hobbies since I was young, and I'm afraid she won't be able to find what I want either."

  "Then let you go to the palace and buy it." Liu Ying turned back and instructed, "Chang Xi, remember to send someone to the Pepper Chamber Hall to tell the Empress."

  Empress Zhang, Empress Zhang, and again it's Empress Zhang.

  Wang Jing was indignant. Although she was young and had no imperial favor, as long as she was the empress, she was the mistress of Weiyang Palace. Everyone entering and leaving the palace gates in her own palace had to be known to her.

  She lowered her eyelids and covered her own eyebrows.

  Heaven bless her with good luck.

  On April 4th, Xiao Wu, a palace maid from Qingliang Palace, carried the palace tablet out of the palace.

  "Huh," the small soldier at the palace gate pointed to the low-browed palace maid behind her and asked, "This one looks unfamiliar. Which one is she from the palace?" But was pressed down by his companion behind him.

  "It's a special favor granted by Your Majesty for us to go out." He smiled and said, "Please invite the two ladies then."

  That afternoon, at Dongshi Tan's residence in the eastern city, a mysterious woman wearing a wide, dark robe arrived.

  "Rushing to know the outcome beforehand will disrupt the harmony of nature." The white-haired female doctor shook her head and said, "In fact, whether it's a son or daughter in your belly, they are all your own flesh and blood. Why must you be so eager to find out?"

  "It's true that my husband is no longer young, and urgently needs a son to carry on the family line. I'm worried sick about it, so please, madam, help me out." The woman in black said softly, as she ordered her servant to present a large string of 50 cash coins.

  "Hmm..." Tan hesitated for a moment, but Wang added another string, and then sighed, "The poor woman is content with her simple life, she doesn't need that much money. If the madam really has a kind heart, there are refugees outside Chang'an City who have been suffering recently, why not use this silver to provide them with food and relief?"

  The woman in black nodded her head in agreement.

  Tan He took her pulse and examined her facial features, shaking his head with a distant look in his eyes.

  "How is it?" The woman in black robes asked anxiously.

  "Madam, why so anxious?" Tan He smiled, "It's not that I'm not doing my best, but the child in your womb is really too young, it seems like a boy or a girl, I dare not make a diagnosis."

  "When can we be certain?" The woman in black robes asked hastily.

  Tan He smiled wryly, "At least we have to wait another month."

  "Then I'll wait another month."

  It was almost May, and Guanzhong had not seen a drop of rain. Zhang Heng's prediction of drought was getting closer to the eyebrows of the Han emperor and his ministers. Liu Ying was busy with government affairs every day, working late into the night, and soon became thin and pale. Zhang Yan felt sorry for him and ordered Cen Niang to cook summer nourishing food every day and send it to Xuanshi Hall. The palace maids in Weiyang Palace were still smiling and chatting as usual.

  The woman in black appeared again in the eastern part of Chang'an City.

  "Is it a boy? Is it a girl?" She was extremely disappointed and couldn't help but ask, "Could you have made a mistake?"

  "Madam, if you don't trust me, why did you come to find me? I've been practicing medicine for so many years and have rarely made a mistake. Your eyebrows are furrowed and your face is flushed, your abdomen is slightly rounded, all of which are signs that you will give birth to a girl. And the pulse is smooth and calm with occasional clear sounds, indicating that she will be a gentle and elegant noble lady."

  "In fact," she advised, "even if this child is a daughter, the mistress can still give birth to a son later. The world's yin and yang, with sons there are daughters. The mistress doesn't have to be too fixated."

  It's easy to say, but Wang Kun smiled bitterly. Your Majesty has never paid attention to Yongxiang's side. If this child is a son, he will be the emperor's favorite prince and can ascend to the throne with great fanfare. But if it's just a daughter, even though she is a noble member of the imperial family, how noble can she be? She'll just marry into a wealthy family in the future and spend her days in obscurity.

  "Madam," said Wei's aunt cautiously, "but she is just a common woman from the streets, her words are not reliable. Maybe she was just talking nonsense. Or maybe she was actually sent by Ding or Zhang to harm you."

  Wang Kun shook his head and leaned on the couch, "Ding Xuan is cautious, and Yin Hou has no connection with Xuanping Hou. Zhang Mengxian is young, how can he do such a thing?"

  Moreover, going to seek advice and guidance is just a thought that arises occasionally in oneself; who can really control themselves?

  If only she had given birth to a princess.

  This idea haunted her like a demon, entwining itself around her and refusing to let her be at peace.

  She cannot become the empress, and like before, she is content with being a small beauty. Your Majesty comes three times and leaves five times. He will have more children, maybe princesses or princes. In the end, he will slowly forget about her.

  At last, she made up her mind. "Who says princesses are useless?" She chuckled and stroked her belly, softly saying, "Good girl, you have to help Mother."

  "Why?" She wept and murmured, "You're a prince, aren't you?"

  Wishing you all a happy Dragon Boat Festival.

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  Above.