Chapter 147 Past Events Over the Years

Pan Yueqing raised her head from a bowl of white rice and blinked at Consort Shu: "Niece really came here for a meal, Aunt."

Consort Shu stared at Pan Yueqing for a long time. She thought that Pan Yueqing would surely ask her for help. If she didn't come here to ask for her assistance, why would she make this trip? But she didn't expect that Pan Yueqing could really hold her ground. Finally, she was somewhat defeated and said to her indifferently: "Forget it. Since you're here for a meal, finish it quickly."

However, Pan Yueqing didn't have time to finish the meal when there was an announcement at the door that the Empress was pregnant.

Consort Shu responded indifferently that she knew and then ordered: "After Consort Hui sends the gifts, send the supplies according to the standard for a prince.". After getting a response from what was probably her confidant outside, Consort Shu turned her gaze to the incense burner not far away and said leisurely: "Presumably, the news was only spread after the fetus was stable for three months. The Empress is really remarkable."

Pan Yueqing tilted her head: "It seems that the Empress has been having children continuously over the years. Why are you suddenly sighing like this, Aunt?"

Consort Shu raised her eyes to look at Pan Yueqing and couldn't help but smile indifferently: "She has been having children continuously, but except for His Highness, the Prince of Xiangyang, aren't all the others she gave birth to princesses?"

Come to think of it, that's right. The Empress has given birth to six children, but except for the third prince, Qi Sian, they are all princesses. Now, only three princesses and Qi Sian are still by her side. However, in the harem, it's normal for concubines to want sons. Ordinary people say that having more children brings more blessings. If a concubine gives birth to more sons, the possibility of one of them succeeding to the throne in the future will increase. Even if they can't succeed to the throne, they will have sons to support them, and they can enjoy their old age.

But for a woman whose son already has a stable position as the crown prince, it's a bit strange that the Empress spares no effort to have more children. It gives the impression that she really wants to give birth to a male child. Pan Yueqing was a bit strange and turned her head: "But she already has His Highness, the Prince of Xiangyang, doesn't she?"

"His Highness, the Prince of Xiangyang?" Consort Shu smiled faintly: "The whole palace knows that Que Nu won't live to be sixteen years old."

When his childhood name was given as Que Nu, it was because the magpie symbolizes joy. Empress Dowager Su always hoped that Que Nu could live a long life. But things don't always go as one wishes. This child, Que Nu, has been suffering from various illnesses since childhood, and even now his face is pale. Consort Shu said with a trace of pity on her face when talking about Qi Sian: "He should have been the most hated child, but he has become the most pitiful child in the harem."

Pan Yueqing remembered Qi Sian with a pale face. When she was at the Ten Thousand Ghosts' Sorrow, she thought that he looked pale because of excessive blood loss. Later, she thought that it was because his injuries hadn't healed. But she didn't expect that he had always been like this: "Is there any illness on him...?"

"I can't tell exactly. It's an illness he was born with and has never been cured." Consort Shu shook her head: "We've searched for the best doctors in the world, but none of them can figure out what's wrong with him." She couldn't help but smile bitterly as she spoke: "Once I saw the third young master of the Shen family from a distance. I thought it was Que Nu. But it was because of the healthy and lively appearance of that third young master running and jumping that I was sure it wasn't Que Nu. Que Nu has never been able to run and jump unless it's necessary for his studies on the martial arts field."

Consort Shu's words made Pan Yueqing unconsciously think of Shen Ping'an she had met before. He looked almost exactly like Qi Sian, but he was full of youthful spirit and a healthy aura. Although he had a smile on his face, there was a hint of bitterness in it.

Consort Shu saw Pan Yueqing's smile and understood: "It seems that you know Shen Ping'an."

Pan Yueqing raised her head in a daze. She didn't open her mouth to deny it but just nodded indifferently. Then she said to Consort Shu truthfully: "I'm just surprised that there can be two people who look so alike."

"Yes, it's really strange. Two people who look almost the same actually have completely different health conditions," Consort Shu indifferently picked up the newly replaced tea cup. It was light tea for rinsing the mouth. She took a sip, spat it into the spittoon, and then picked up the medicine bowl placed beside her: "So, what the Empress needs is not Qi Sian, but a crown prince who can succeed to the throne."

"A son who may die at any time is not that important to her. Every woman from a noble family who marries into the royal family bears the mission of giving birth to the next emperor and ensuring that her bloodline remains in the royal family for a long time." Consort Shu held the medicine bowl in front of her. Even three steps away, one could smell the bitterness. But Consort Shu drank it all in one go without changing her expression.

Pan Yueqing swallowed her surprise slightly. She suddenly understood why Qi Sian was so lost and dejected in Suoyue City in the northern border and why he said the words "Don't betray me". If his mother had been trying to give birth to a younger brother to replace him in the past dozen years of his life, anyone would find it unacceptable!

"Let's go. Come with me to the Empress's palace." The smell of the bitter medicine came back up her nose. Consort Shu frowned, as if she was digesting the smell. Then she exhaled a long breath and smiled at Pan Yueqing: "As an aunt, I should go and see Que Nu." But she didn't set off immediately. She pointed at the clothes on Pan Yueqing: "But I suggest you change these clothes. These are the clothes your mother wore back then."

"!" Pan Yueqing raised her eyes in surprise. She finally understood why Qi Tai's eyes were always so strange every time he looked at her. Without the composure of an emperor, it turned out that these clothes were worn by Su Lan in the first place. Her every move in front of Qi Tai was a replication of Su Lan's former appearance!

"Perhaps you are different to His Majesty," Consort Shu looked at the change in Pan Yueqing's expression with interest. She raised her chin to signal Pan Yueqing to go into the room and change her clothes. Standing with her back to the screen, she said meaningfully: "You are the most like Lan'er, both in appearance and in character."

Pan Yueqing stared at herself in the mirror with bright eyes and a charming look. She unconsciously thought of the affectionate look Qi Tai had given her. She felt a chill run down her spine. From Consort Shu's words "the most like", she roughly understood that Qi Tai must have collected many girls who resembled Su Lan over the years, so there could be a comparison.

Eunuch Wei's warning suddenly rang in her ears: "Now that His Majesty is still interested in you, he doesn't care about anything. But if one day he loses interest, you've seen the fate of that Concubine Zheng before, haven't you?" It wasn't just Concubine Zheng. There were many other girls who had the slightest similarity in appearance or demeanor to her mother. Once they made the emperor lose interest, they were discarded like old shoes.

Consort Shu's self-deprecating words reached her ears: "Do you know why my place is called Lanyu Pavilion?"