Inside Yongshou Palace.
Noble Consort Jin had sent people to invite him three times before Xiao Chengjing finally came to her palace for dinner.
"Your Majesty, this is the peach blossom mandarin fish soup I specially ordered them to simmer for you. Please have a taste."
Her pale fingers appeared exceptionally slender against the golden nail guards, and even the way she held the bowl seemed meticulously practiced.
Xiao Chengjing nodded, signaling Noble Consort Jin to place the soup bowl in front of him, then picked up the spoon, scooped a mouthful, and tasted it.
The fresh fish flavor, infused with the scent of peach blossoms, danced on his tongue, and his furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
"This soup is quite good. The culinary skills of your palace's small kitchen are getting better and better."
A maidservant waiting on them smiled and chimed in.
"No matter how good the small kitchen's skills are, they cannot compare to Her Ladyship's devotion."
"Her Ladyship personally went to the peach orchard to pick these peach blossoms, and even the dew used to boil the soup was collected by Her Ladyship early this morning."
Hearing how much effort Noble Consort Jin had put in for him, Xiao Chengjing's heart could not help but soften.
His large hand, wearing a jade thumb ring, covered the woman's soft hand.
"In the future, you can leave these things to the servants. Your hands are so cold, it pains my heart."
Noble Consort Jin turned her hand to clasp Xiao Chengjing's, intertwining their fingers, and said with a bashful look, "For Your Majesty, I am willing to do anything."
"Cough, cough, cough." Her expression changed slightly, and she hurriedly withdrew her hand, covering her mouth and nose with a silk handkerchief as she coughed several times in a row.
Seeing this, Xiao Chengjing quickly showed his concern: "Why are you suddenly coughing? Did you catch a chill?"
Noble Consort Jin frowned slightly. "My stomach hurt a little this afternoon. I must have caught a chill from waking up early. It is nothing serious."
Xiao Chengjing: "Did you summon an imperial physician to take a look?"
The maidservant immediately complained to Xiao Chengjing with a meaningful tone, "To reply to Your Majesty, this morning Her Ladyship asked this servant to go to the Imperial Hospital to invite County Princess Linghui over to take a look."
Her voice lowered, becoming increasingly aggrieved.
"But the County Princess said she only treats pregnant concubines. She left without even coming here. Her Ladyship was quite saddened for a good while after she found out."
Xiao Chengjing's right hand, resting on the table, paused slightly, and the concern on his face slowly faded away.
He straightened his upper body and said, "If you are unwell, you can summon an imperial physician. Song Jinzhao is not an imperial physician; she is a County Princess personally titled by me."
The maidservant's face turned pale, and she looked at her master in panic.
The hand Noble Consort Jin used to lightly wipe the corners of her mouth stiffened for a moment, but she immediately put on a pitiful expression.
"I heard that County Princess Linghui has superb medical skills, and even Director Gu cannot compare to her, which is why I sent my maid to invite her."
Xiao Chengjing picked up the spoon and took a few more sips.
It was the exact same soup, but in just the span of a few sentences, it no longer tasted as good as before, and the aroma had faded.
"Minor ailments and pains can be treated by the imperial physicians in the palace. County Princess Linghui already works very hard checking the pulses of fourteen pregnant concubines every day. Do not bother her next time."
Noble Consort Jin's face became increasingly stiff.
She awkwardly raised the corners of her mouth and obediently nodded at Xiao Chengjing.
"Your Majesty's reprimand is right; it was my lack of consideration."
Looking at her pretentious expression, Xiao Chengjing suddenly felt that she had aged; wrinkles were even showing on her face.
Compared to the young concubines who had served him in bed recently, her appearance was lacking by more than just a little.
He picked up the handkerchief on the table, wiped his mouth, stood up, and said, "I am done eating. There are still memorials to review in the Imperial Study. Rest well."
Noble Consort Jin's expression changed drastically. Gritting her teeth, she curtsied.
"I respectfully see Your Majesty off."
Watching Xiao Chengjing's heartless departing back, Noble Consort Jin waited until he was gone before standing up with a cold face.
"I really suffered a double loss. I didn't expect the Emperor to value Song Jinzhao this much. If I had known, I wouldn't have said anything."
The maidservant who had spoken earlier bowed her upper body to minimize her presence, terrified that Noble Consort Jin would blame her.
A few days later, Imperial Physician Hong walked into the Imperial Hospital with a frown.
He walked up to Song Jinzhao and said, "County Princess, Attendant Hai says her stomach hurts. I couldn't find any problem during my examination, so I request you to go take a look."
Song Jinzhao raised her eyes, a hint of confusion in her gaze.
"Wasn't she just fine a moment ago?"
Imperial Physician Hong: "It was right after you checked her pulse and left that she said her stomach felt a bit uncomfortable. When I went to see her just now, she said it hurts more than before."
Song Jinzhao picked up her medical box and walked out, with Imperial Physician Hong quickly following behind.
When they arrived at Xianyue Pavilion, Attendant Hai was lying in bed with a look of discomfort.
She looked at Song Jinzhao as if she had seen a lifesaver. "County Princess, please quickly take a look at me. My stomach has been feeling bloated and uncomfortable since just now, and occasionally it hurts a little."
Song Jinzhao sat down on the round stool by the bed, opened her medical box, and took out a pulse pillow, placing it under the other woman's wrist.
After a moment, Song Jinzhao asked her uncertainly.
"Are you sure your stomach hurts?"
Attendant Hai nodded, staring into Song Jinzhao's eyes, and said, "It hurt several times just now."
Song Jinzhao checked her pulse once more.
The pulse was smooth, even, calm, and gentle.
The fetal pulse was very stable; there was no problem at all.
"What kind of pain is it?"
Attendant Hai answered while touching her stomach, "It comes in waves, like something is pressing on it, like a needle prick."
Song Jinzhao withdrew the hand she used to check the pulse. "How often does it hurt? Is it bloated or painful right now?"
"Did you eat a lot this morning?"
Attendant Hai: "I just ate two pieces of osmanthus cake earlier. It doesn't hurt right now, just a bit bloated."
Song Jinzhao turned her head and glanced at the osmanthus cakes on the table.
They were the size of a thumb; two pieces were not a lot.
"The fetal pulse is very stable, and there are no major issues. Are you perhaps too nervous?"
Small strands of hair stuck to the woman's neck; she was sweating quite a bit.
Attendant Hai grabbed Song Jinzhao's hand and pleaded, "County Princess, I'm so scared. Could you sit here for a while? Please wait until I'm no longer in pain before you leave."
Imperial Physician Hong shot Song Jinzhao a pleading look. "County Princess, how about you sit for a little longer?"
If something went wrong with the dragon fetus, his old life wouldn't be enough to pay for it.
Seeing one person terrified and the other pleading, Song Jinzhao had no choice but to nod and agree.
Afterwards, every so often, Attendant Hai would frown and say her stomach was uncomfortable, especially whenever Song Jinzhao was about to leave.
After being examined, she would say it felt a little better.
After this happened several times, Song Jinzhao gradually realized something was wrong.
Leaning her back against the chair, she stared fixedly at Attendant Hai.
The stomachache was fake; she simply didn't want her to leave.
What was she trying to do?
Seeing that the sky was about to turn dark, the complexion of Imperial Physician Hong, who had been sitting by their side the entire time, grew increasingly poor.
What on earth was Attendant Hai trying to do? Making things difficult for no reason. If they dragged this out any longer, the palace gates would close.
"My lady, it is getting late. I see that your stomach is fine, and there are still many official duties to handle at the Imperial Hospital. County Princess Linghui and I will take our leave first."
Attendant Hai's eyes flickered. After stammering for a long while, she hurriedly waved at her maid.
"Since Imperial Physician Hong has official duties to handle, you may return to the Imperial Hospital first. It is fine as long as the County Princess is here."
"Someone, quickly serve the meal. Tell the Imperial Kitchen to send over more dishes. The County Princess will dine in my palace today."
Imperial Physician Hong furrowed his brows and looked at Song Jinzhao. Seeing her tacit consent, he then picked up his medical box and left.
"I shall take my leave."
