Joy of Life: Starting by clinging to the eldest princess's coattails!

Chapter 59 Pregnant?

Finally, Li Yunrui ate only a few bites of light side dishes and drank a small bowl of soup before putting down his chopsticks.

"I don't have much of an appetite, let's leave." Her voice was somewhat languid.

Chunmei and Meigu exchanged a glance, both looking somewhat worried.

Anita Mui stepped forward and asked softly:

"Your Highness, is it because the dishes today are not to your liking? Perhaps we could have the imperial kitchen prepare something lighter for dinner?"

"We'll see how things go," Li Yunrui said, standing up.

Chunmei quickly stepped forward to support her.

After Li Yunrui and Chunmei left the flower hall, Aunt Mei looked at the dishes on the table that had hardly been touched, especially the plate of stir-fried venison.

She picked up the spare chopsticks, took a small bite, and tasted it. It was fresh, tender, and flavorful; there was nothing wrong with it.

"Have the imperial kitchen prepare His Highness's dinner in a light style, with less oil and salt," Mei Gu instructed the maids in charge of the meals.

"Yes," the maids bowed in response.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Back in the main hall, Li Yunrui felt his eyelids getting heavy and his head spinning.

Chunmei noticed Li Yunrui's drowsiness and said softly, "Your Highness, why don't you take a nap?"

"Hmm... okay." Her voice was soft and weak.

Chunmei helped her into the side hall, helped her lie down on the soft couch, and covered her with a thin blanket.

Li Yunrui fell asleep shortly afterward.

Chunmei stood by the couch, looking at His Highness sleeping soundly, her brows furrowing slightly.

His Highness has indeed been eating very little these past few days; he only drank a few mouthfuls of the porridge he had this morning.

Moreover... Your Highness's period this month is already more than ten days late.

A thought suddenly popped into Chunmei's head, and her eyes lit up.

She tiptoed out of the side hall and called a maid: "Go and invite Aunt Mei over."

Mei Gu arrived quickly.

"Miss Chunmei, is it because of His Highness's meal?" Mei asked in a low voice. "I have already instructed that dinner be prepared to be light."

Chunmei shook her head, lowering her voice even further: "Go to the Imperial Hospital and ask a royal physician to come and wait. Remember, he must be... damn it."

Mei Gu was stunned.

Call the imperial physician? And why "damn it"? What does that mean?

But she didn't ask any further questions, and nodded in agreement: "I understand."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Meanwhile, the major residences in Kyoto were all shaken by a piece of news.

His Majesty is unwell, yet he has issued an edict appointing Prince Jing and the Eldest Princess as joint regents!

"A princess assisting in governance? This... this is outrageous!" Someone slammed their fist on the table.

"What happened to His Majesty? How could he suddenly...?"

"I heard he's been unconscious for a long time, I'm afraid..."

The news spread like wildfire among the various residences.

People's hearts are restless, and undercurrents are surging.

Fortunately, Prime Minister Su Shenzhi had made preparations in advance.

He knew something was wrong when His Majesty hadn't attended court for so long.

In recent days, he has issued several orders from the Prime Minister, ordering the border troops of the Qing Kingdom to be on high alert, especially the northern camp, which has long been prepared to defend against the Northern Qi.

As long as the internal situation of the Qing Kingdom remains stable, with the Crown Prince in power and two members of the imperial clan assisting in governance, this crisis can be overcome.

Orders were issued one after another from the Prime Minister's residence. Although everyone was still in shock, the court was at least not in chaos.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the afternoon, at a side hall of Guangxin Palace.

Li Yunrui slept for almost two hours. When she woke up, the sun was already setting outside the window.

She sat up and rubbed her temples.

That dizzy feeling was still there, and I didn't feel quite right all over.

"Your Highness is awake?" Chunmei came in carrying warm water. "You were sleeping so soundly that I didn't wake you."

Li Yunrui took a sip of water, her brows furrowing slightly: "I still don't feel quite right."

"Your Highness," Chunmei said softly, "I have already invited the imperial physician to wait outside. Perhaps... we could have him take your pulse?"

Li Yunrui thought for a moment and nodded: "...Okay."

Chunmei nodded towards the outside.

Mei Gu led in a royal physician in his forties, then led all the maids out and closed the door.

Only Li Yunrui, Chunmei, and the imperial physician remained in the main hall.

After the imperial physician knelt down and bowed respectfully, Chunmei placed a handkerchief over Li Yunrui's outstretched wrist.

The imperial physician gently placed his fingers on it.

The imperial physician's hand trembled violently as soon as his fingertip touched the pulse, as if he had been burned.

The color drained from his face, and he could hardly hide his shock.

A slippery pulse! This is clearly... a pregnancy pulse!

The Princess is pregnant?! But Her Highness is not married!

The imperial physician's loss of composure caught Li Yunrui's eye, and her charming eyes narrowed instantly, flashing with a cold, sharp light.

"How dare you!" Chunmei shouted sternly.

The imperial physician trembled and hurriedly prostrated himself on the ground:

"Your Highness, please forgive me! I...I lost my composure! It's just that Your Highness's pulse was unusual, and I couldn't make a diagnosis immediately..."

"Oh?" Li Yunrui's voice was unreadable, yet carried an invisible pressure. "What's so unusual about my pulse?"

The imperial physician gritted his teeth, his forehead touching the ground, his voice trembling: "Your Highness... Your Highness's pulse is smooth and flowing like pearls... This, this is... a pregnancy pulse."

As soon as she finished speaking, Chunmei's face showed an expression of "I knew it".

Li Yunrui froze.

pregnant?

She, the eldest princess of the Qing Kingdom, is pregnant? And with that little eunuch's... no, that little man's child?

After the initial shock came overwhelming anger, followed by a deluge of shame and indignation.

But amidst this anger and shame, a strong sense of forbidden stimulation suddenly surged up, flowing through his entire body like an electric current.

An unnatural blush slowly spread across her beautiful face, a mixture of shame, humiliation, excitement, and stimulation...

A mixture of emotions gave her a morbid glow.

The body even trembled slightly from this extreme stimulation.

"Step down," Chunmei said coldly.

"Thank you, Your Highness! I take my leave!" The imperial physician, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, quickly bowed and left the main hall.

Only after leaving Guangxin Palace did the imperial physician dare to catch his breath; his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

The eldest princess is pregnant out of wedlock! This is a shocking scandal in the royal family!

Knowing a secret that one shouldn't know...

The more he thought about it, the faster his heart beat.

He needed to leave the palace as soon as possible.

Currently, the court is ruled by the Eldest Princess and Prince Jing, and many people are dissatisfied with the Princess's wielding of power. If he were to leak this information to Prince Jing…

As long as you get on the good side of Prince Jing's mansion, your rise to prominence will be just around the corner.

The imperial physician grew increasingly excited, and his pace quickened involuntarily.

Just as they rounded a palace wall, a white figure appeared silently.

A flash of sword light.

The imperial physician felt a chill in his throat, his eyes widened, and before he could understand what was happening, he collapsed limply to the ground.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The main hall of Guangxin Palace.

Li Yunrui was still immersed in that intense stimulation and did not come back to her senses for a long time.

I'm pregnant...

She's finally pregnant.

This was exactly what she wanted, but when she actually got pregnant, the sense of humiliation became so clear.

"Kill him." Her voice was soft, yet it carried a chilling killing intent.

"I have already given the order," Chunmei replied softly.

Li Yunrui slowly raised her hand and gently stroked her flat stomach.

There's no feeling there yet, but there is definitely a little life growing inside.

It's her child with that young man.

A delicate yet sickly smile slowly appeared on her face, her eyes narrowing slightly:

"Tell Xiao Wuzi... to return to the palace quickly."

"He did a good job this time... I... will reward him handsomely."

"Yes, Your Highness."