Outside the palace gate, Xi Men Xinyue waited gracefully. Seeing the little eunuch emerge with a pale, trembling face, she knew the Emperor would not see her.
Since the Empress had left, she knew it was because of her and had not dared to visit him. Today, she had mustered her courage to come, only to find that he refused to see her.
It made sense. He and the Empress were so in love; he probably couldn't easily accept anyone else at this moment. She was willing to wait.
"The Emperor will not see you, my lady."
"Alright, then let's go back," Xi Men Xinyue said, leading her maid Lianyan. They turned to leave. When they reached a secluded, deserted spot, Lianyan could not help but mutter,
"My lady, what shall we do? Although you've been enfeoffed as a consort, if that woman returns, the Emperor will likely dote on her entirely. By then, he will surely arrange a marriage for you and send you out of the palace."
"Someone like her probably won't return so easily."
Xi Men Xinyue thought of the proud, resilient back she had last seen. Once that woman made up her mind, it was unlikely she would change it easily. Therefore, Lianyan's worries were entirely unnecessary.
"But I heard she's pregnant. The Emperor cannot let his bloodline go astray. And he already liked her, so he'll definitely find a way to bring her back. What then?"
Lianyan stopped speaking. Suddenly, a vicious glint appeared in her eyes, and she blurted out, "Why don't we have Master send someone out?"
Upon hearing Lianyan's words, Xi Men Xinyue's expression drastically changed, and she glared at her fiercely.
"Do you have no brain? Everyone is watching her now. Wouldn't we be seeking death by doing this? Besides, we don't need to make a move. She's left the palace. With her abilities, people from the six kingdoms likely won't tolerate her. So, what are you afraid of? Stay here with peace of mind. The Emperor likes her in his heart; he won't let go easily. He's not an animal; everyone has emotions. However, I believe that as time passes and his feelings fade, he will let go. I'm not in a hurry. I've already entered the palace, so what is there to wait for?"
Xi Men Xinyue spoke calmly and led her maid back to the palace.
Qingluo Kingdom.
In the Crown Prince's mansion, within the Mingyue Pavilion, a cry of surprise was heard.
Mei Xin, as if discovering a new continent, pointed at her mistress's belly and stammered for a long time before speaking, "Mistress, your belly has gotten bigger."
Mu Qingyao glared at her. Fortunately, there were no outsiders in the room. During this period, due to morning sickness, she had eaten very little and felt like vomiting at the smell of anything greasy, so she hadn't eaten anything and had become thin.
Coupled with being four months pregnant, how could her belly not show at all? It was just that she usually wore loose clothing, so it wasn't noticeable. Now that she had taken off her outer robe, this girl was shouting as if something momentous had happened.
Mochou tugged at her, signaling her to be quieter.
"Can you be quieter? Don't make it sound like something has happened?"
"Oh, I understand," Mei Xin quickly nodded in a hushed tone. At this moment, Ying Feng, who was outside, heard the commotion inside and asked softly through the curtain, "Miss Mu, is everything alright?"
"It's fine," Mu Qingyao glared at Mei Xin again, then spoke to the outside. Thinking of the child in her womb, her eyes became slightly distant.
A soft glow covered her pretty face, and one hand unconsciously caressed her slightly protruding belly.
Before, she had felt nothing, but in the past few days, it had actually started to move. Sometimes, when she was in a bad mood, it would suddenly move, as if offering her comfort.
Thinking that there was someone in this world with whom she shared a blood connection, her heart was filled with emotion, and her face lit up with happiness. This child was hers, hers alone.
In this chaotic world, if she wanted to protect herself and her child, she would definitely need good martial arts skills and a powerful force to prevent herself and her child from being harmed.
Yes, she had to have her own martial arts skills and influence. But where could she find a master to learn from now? Stuck in the Crown Prince's mansion all day, how could she find a renowned teacher?
That Changsun Zhu never said she couldn't go out. Thinking of this, Qingyao's spirits lifted, and she waved to Mochou beside her.
"Go and find me a loose-fitting dress. We're going out shopping."
"Miss," Mochou and Mei Xin called out. Seeing the determined look on their mistress's face, they knew she had made up her mind. Mochou walked to a carved wardrobe, opened the purple door, and inside were clothes of all colors, all gorgeous and expensive brocades made by famous artisans, in various styles.
Mochou selected a loose-fitting ivory white long dress and came over to help her mistress put it on.
Although the dress was loose, overall, it didn't reveal the slightest hint of her pregnancy. However, her soft skin was more radiant than before, like it could be squeezed to yield water. Her eyes were bright and sparkling, captivating anyone who looked at her. Their mistress was becoming more and more charming.
"Hmm, good. Let's go."
Qingyao spun around, feeling very comfortable. The loose long dress, paired with a casually worn Bi Yun bun, was quite elegant. On her person, only a hairpin of green jade was slanted in her bun. However, that hairpin was a precious item, smooth and translucent, complementing her dark hair like flowing clouds.
Holding the little fox, Qingyao led her two maids out. Standing outside the door were Moyou and Ying Feng. As soon as they saw Qingyao emerge, they both called out.
"Mistress (Miss Mu)."
Qingyao nodded and said with a beaming smile, "Ying Feng, I want to go shopping."
"Shopping?" Ying Feng was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting Miss Mu to want to go shopping.
Her mistress had instructed that if Miss Mu wanted to go shopping, she should be notified, and he would accompany her. But now, with her mistress not in the Crown Prince's mansion, what was to be done if Miss Mu wanted to go shopping?
Ying Feng's expression changed several times. Qingyao became displeased, her face darkened, and her eyes emitted a cold light, staring at her frigidly.
"Am I not even allowed to go shopping? Then what am I doing staying in your Crown Prince's mansion?"
When Ying Feng heard Miss Mu get angry, she dared not stop her any longer. She quickly and respectfully replied, "Miss Mu, you think too much. This servant will accompany you shopping."
"Alright," Qingyao's cold, sharp gaze vanished, her face like the bright moon, incredibly radiant. A smile like a gentle breeze curved her lips, "Let's go then."
She led the way, with Mochou, Mei Xin, and Moyou following closely behind her. Ying Feng quickly instructed a maid to report to the master as soon as he returned to the mansion, informing him that she was accompanying Miss Mu shopping.
After giving the instructions, she quickened her pace to catch up with the figure ahead. The group left Mingyue Pavilion and headed towards the main house.
Along the way, all the mansion's servants greeted them respectfully and cautiously, then secretly glanced back. However, no one dared to gossip. This was the future Crown Princess; they were not suicidal.
Hong Wen, the steward of the Crown Prince's mansion, heard that Miss Mu wanted to go shopping. Besides Ying Feng and a few others, he also assigned several guards to protect them, fearing any mishap. No one could bear such responsibility.