Chapter 52: Strange illness, a pregnant man (2/2)

“Your majesty, can you call for Imperial Physician Gu?” Han Yunxi asked sincerely, as if she needed to consult him.

Hearing this, the emperor’s face turned ugly. “Gu Beiyue’s already seen him. He doesn’t have any methods! What exactly did you see?”

Han Yunxi felt no dread as she replied honestly. “Your majesty, the crown prince has a smooth pulse, but I can’t determine the exact condition of that pulse. Yunxi temporarily has no way to draw a conclusion without more examinations, so I need Imperial Physician Gu’s assistance.”

“Isn’t it a pregnancy pulse?” the emperor was surprised.

Long Feiye looked over with interest as well, seemingly astonished. At this point, the empress dowager and empress rushed over from the side.

“It’s not a pregnancy pulse? It really isn’t?”

“Yunxi, then what is it? Hurry up and speak!”

“Yunxi, I knew you wouldn’t disappoint the emperor. Hurry and tell us, what is the matter?”

……

The empress dowager and empress were both very excited. For a second, Han Yunxi almost believed that they were sincere. Yet right at this moment, Long Tianmo suddenly lifted the bed curtains and pointed at his stomach in a mocking tone. “Qin Wangfei, you say it’s not a pregnancy pulse. Then what’s this?”

Even with the gauze partition between them, Han Yunxi could see clearly.

Heavens!

She only saw that Long Tianmo’s abdomen was very large, like a seven-months pregnant stomach!

This…

Han Yunxi seemed to have thought of something as her face turned ashen-white. She knew what this was. Things are complicated now–extremely complicated!

“She can’t even properly examine a pulse. Imperial Father, erchen[2] refuses to let her treat me,” Long Tianmo’s voice was exceptionally cold. He’d already been completely vexed by Han Congan, so how could he trust Han Congan’s useless trash of a daughter? So what if Han Yunxi was the Qin Wangfei? Even though Imperial Uncle Qin, the person he dreaded most, was present at the scene, he wouldn’t be any more courteous. He knew that Imperial Uncle Qin would never favor this woman.

“Did she take the pulse incorrectly?” the empress dowager asked in disappointment.

“I thought that a miracle would happen. Yunxi, so you didn’t even notice Tianmo’s stomach! I thought you…aiya, you can’t even take a pulse correctly, how do you think you can save him now?” the empress sighed.

Long Tianmo replaced his covers and turned to lie down with his back facing them. Seeing this, the space between Emperor Tianhui’s eyebrows turned into vertical lines[3]. He faced Han Yunxi with indignation and ice in his tone. “Fishing for fame and compliments! Gaining renown by deceiving the public! You…and your father, both of you…someone, take her out for Zhen for 30 beatings with the planks!”

The empress dowager and empress exchanged glances before smiling in tacit agreement. Long Feiye kept seated as he gazed coldly towards Han Yunxi, as if this woman wasn’t his wangfei, but someone completely unrelated. The empress dowager and empress were waiting for Han Yunxi to beg for mercy so they could drop stones on her while she was down[4]. They could peg her with the crime of deceiving her monarch. But Han Yunxi’s eyes were glittering with a face full of fury.

She was…was actually glaring at Emperor Tianhui, not the least bit timid. Her two hands were clenched into fists, that petite body hiding a burst of strength that could erupt at any second. This woman, what is she planning? Does she realize what she’s doing now? Emperor Tianhui looked at her incredulously, his eyes widening. This was the first time someone dared to glare at him!

-o-

[1] Long Tianmo (???) – Tian is sky, the Heavens, celestial; Mo is ink, pitch-black

[2] erchen (??) – a humble form of self-address for males equivalent to ‘your subject’ or ‘your servant’. Used when speaking to a superior.

[3] vertical lines – specifically, they wrinkled up until they looked like the Chinese character chuan (?).

[4] drop stones on her while she was down (????) – luojin xiashi, to drop stones on someone who has fallen into a well, to hit a person when she’s down.