The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading
Chapter 194 - 193: Joyous news, the careful action moves people

Chapter 194: Chapter 193: Joyous news, the careful action moves people

Xiao Jinyan gave Lu Zhaoyan a sidelong glance, "What has Lord Lu been busy with these days?"

"This humble official has been studying palmistry so intently that I’ve forgotten to eat and sleep, and I’ve lost a couple of taels," Lu Zhaoyan said, feeling somewhat proud of himself.

Xiao Jinyan cut to the chase, "You can’t even predict who my spouse will be."

Lu Zhaoyan touched his nose, "Your Highness, although I currently cannot predict who Your Highness’s spouse will be, I can predict when you will have children."

Xiao Jinyan raised an eyebrow, his tone challenging, "Really?"

"Of course, if Your Highness would just show me your hand," Lu Zhaoyan almost guaranteed with a slap on his chest.

Xiao Jinyan paused, then stretched out his hand.

Lu Zhaoyan enjoyed playing matchmaker, and secondly, reading palms.

He bowed his head to examine Xiao Jinyan’s hand; because he had seen it before, he could now see the lines on the palm more clearly.

Lu Zhaoyan spotted it right away, "Your Highness, there is a joyous event approaching."

Xiao Jinyan asked, "What joyous event?"

"A happy event for Your Highness is a joyous event," Lu Zhaoyan had discerned that Xiao Jinyan would soon be in high spirits, and good spirits indicate a joyous occasion.

A flicker of doubt passed through Xiao Jinyan’s eyes. Joyous events? There were very few things that could genuinely please him.

After observing for a while longer, Lu Zhaoyan declared, "After the joyous event, there will be great joy."

Xiao Jinyan inquired again, "What great joy? Can’t you be more direct?"

Lu Zhaoyan gleefully said, "The great joy is that Your Highness will have offspring."

From the moment Xiao Jinyan was appointed as Crown Prince and began to take consorts, countless eyes had been watching.

As a future sovereign, offspring were of the utmost importance, and many scholars closely monitored this matter.

Not just scholars, but other princes coveting the position of Crown Prince were also keeping a watchful eye.

On his way back to the East Palace, Xiao Jinyan still pondered Lu Zhaoyan’s words, and as he passed by Hehuan Hall, he stepped in.

Shen Chuwei watched as the little grey rabbit was chased all over the yard by Xuetuan; even when it hid in the crannies, Xuetuan could still scare it out.

Today, she had let Xuetuan supervise the little grey rabbit’s weight loss, and found the effect to be several times more efficient than when she did it herself.

Upon entering, Xiao Jinyan witnessed the scene. The frightened rabbit bolted behind him as if it knew that Xuetuan wouldn’t dare to misbehave in front of him.

The wild nature of Xuetuan had indeed terrified the poor rabbit, which now trembled incessantly on its four trembling legs.

Xuetuan hastily stopped in its tracks, raising its fluffy head to look at Xiao Jinyan, "Meow."

Xiao Jinyan looked down at the cat and the rabbit, guessing that Xuetuan was bullying the little rabbit again, seeing how its legs were shaking.

Shen Chuwei turned her head and saw Xiao Jinyan standing in the doorway, dressed in dark court attire, apparently just back from the court session.

She hurriedly threw off the woolen blanket and stood up to greet him, "Your Highness."

Xiao Jinyan’s gaze returned to Shen Chuwei, noticing that her complexion looked a bit better than last night, "Has your health improved somewhat?"

Shen Chuwei’s eyes curved with a smile, "Your Highness, this concubine is feeling much better."

Xiao Jinyan nodded, "That’s good to hear. Early next month, I will be leaving the palace. If you wish to go out, I will take you with me."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chuwei was overjoyed, "If Your Highness is willing to take this concubine, of course I wish to accompany you."

Why wouldn’t she seize the opportunity to taste the delicacies outside the palace?

Xiao Jinyan was a bit concerned, "Are you well enough for that?"

Afraid that Xiao Jinyan wouldn’t take her out of the palace, Shen Chuwei nodded vigorously, "I’m quite well, Your Highness, no need to worry."

There were still two days before the beginning of the month, and even if her menstrual period arrived, it wouldn’t hinder her from riding in the horse carriage.

Xiao Jinyan had no suspicions.

That night

Shen Chuwei lay in bed watching Xiao Jinyan lift the blanket to get into bed, and just as she was about to close her eyes to sleep, her period had come, always making her more tired than usual.

Before she could close her eyes, an arm reached over and scooped her into someone’s embrace.

She looked up at Xiao Jinyan in confusion, only to feel another hand slip in.

She couldn’t help but widen her eyes, no way, even in her special condition, did Xiao Jinyan still require her to serve him in bed?

After the burning palm rested against her belly, it stayed still.

Xiao Jinyan, feeling the soft belly not so cold anymore, looked at Shen Chuwei, who was staring back at him, "Your belly is warmer than last night, let me warm it up for a while."

Shen Chuwei’s face turned beet red; she had let her thoughts wander.

Who would have known that His Highness would take the initiative to warm her belly?

"Mhm, it’s not cold anymore."

In the end, Shen Chuwei fell asleep in Xiao Jinyan’s arms.

Xiao Jinyan continually kept her belly warm, not daring to relax for a moment.

What he didn’t know was that Chuwei’s stomachache had subsided to the point of being negligible, and she no longer needed her belly warmed.

Xiao Jinyan also had a restless night, afraid that if he fell asleep, he might involuntarily withdraw his hand.

The next day, Xiao Jinyan emerged from Hehuan Hall with dark circles under his eyes.

After waking up, Shen Chuwei slapped her forehead; she had forgotten to bring up moving back to Xiyun Pavilion with Xiao Jinyan the night before.

She sighed, deciding it could wait until they returned from their outing.

It would be best to mention it when Xiao Jinyan was in good spirits, as he would likely agree more readily.

Thinking about leaving the palace with Xiao Jinyan the day after tomorrow, she began preparing her daily necessities and essential items for going out.

The Empress had been constantly craving the taste of instant noodles since she had them, and today she couldn’t resist heading to Hehuan Hall to savor them once more.

In the warm spring of March, the Imperial Garden was in full bloom, already fluttering with butterflies.

As a result, as soon as she left, she ran into Yun Xianbai playing with Yinyin, chasing butterflies.

Since the New Year’s Eve family banquet, Yun Xianbai had toned it down quite a bit, but here she was, not long after, back to showing off with Yinyin.

The Empress had no desire to listen to Yun Xianbai parade her grandson around and, fortunately, being out with just Qing Ying and one maid, they were not easily spotted behind a tree.

Just as the Empress was silently congratulating herself on her clever evasion today, a familiar female voice came from behind her.

"Your Majesty, this Concubine pays her respects."

Even without turning around, the Empress could guess who was behind her, the Virtue Consort, just like Yun Xianbai, always showing off.

She turned around and saw the Virtue Consort standing there with her grandson, Yunyun.

Yunyun, at the age of five, was already learning the ropes.

With a smile brimming with affection, the Virtue Consort said to her grandson, "Yunyun, quickly pay your respects to your Imperial Grandmother."

"Grandson wishes Imperial Grandmother peace," said the five-year-old Yunyun, his greeting etiquette already well practiced.

The Empress was delighted to see Yunyun’s manners, wishing he were her own.

Today really wasn’t a good day to go out; with Yun Xianbai in front and Virtue Consort in the back, life was simply intolerable.

"Yunyun is getting smarter and smarter; I wonder if Yinyin will be as polite as you when he is five years old."

While the Virtue Consort was offering her greetings to the Empress, the Consort Yun saw this and approached with quick, small steps, eager to boast about how much poetry her grandson could already recite.

But then she heard this statement, feeling the urge to compete and not be outdone.

"This Concubine pays her respects to Your Majesty, the Empress," she said, then nudging Yinyin, "My treasure, Yinyin, come and pay your respects to the Empress."