"Thank you, Concubine Empress!"
Everyone sat down, their eyes all unconsciously falling on her belly, with jealousy that could not be concealed in their eyes.
Especially Wu Ding (formerly known as De Fei), kept her eyes fixed on her belly, her gaze dark and cold, chilling the people around.
YU Yao furrowed her brow and didn't dare to be carried away, coldly addressing Wu Ding: "Wu Ding, what do you mean by staring at my belly like that?"
Wu Ding had previously publicly harmed Yao Consort's dragon fetus, and now being personally pointed out by Yao Consort, everyone's gaze inevitably fell on Wu Ding's face.
Wu Ding's face stiffened for a moment before she recovered her composure, awkwardly smiling, "Your Majesty, please don't misunderstand. I have no other intentions. It's just that I noticed Your Majesty's belly looks a bit large and couldn't help but take a few extra glances."
She had given birth to the Grand Prince, naturally knowing what a pregnant woman looks like after five months.
Her belly at five months was certainly not as big as that of Concubine Empress Yao at this stage.
Upon hearing Wu Ding's words, the other consorts present also came to understand.
Instantly, everyone's gaze fell on YU Yao's belly in unison.
There have been few concubines pregnant in the palace for many years, and they themselves have never been pregnant, so they have no idea how big a pregnant woman's belly should be at five months.
Being reminded by Wu Ding, they too thought that YU Yao's belly seemed a bit large.
That's already quite large after five months, what will it look like when the time comes to give birth?
Feeling the gazes of the crowd, YU Yao casually covered her belly with her clothing, but the size of her belly was too large to be hidden by any means, so she gave up trying to cover it.
"The size of a pregnant woman's belly is naturally not the same. My pregnancy is well-managed, so it looks bigger."
YU Yao looked at Wu Ding coldly and said.
Wu Ding laughed instead, a laugh full of deep meaning, "Your Majesty speaks the truth, it was indeed the maidservant's mistake to speak out of turn."
She did not suspect that YU Yao was carrying twins; instead, she thought YU Yao had been misled by someone.
Someone deliberately made YU Yao's pregnancy more severe, so that she would have difficulty giving birth and perhaps even lose the baby, leaving the mother alive.
Wu Ding, although she thought so, showed no intention of reminding anyone. Instead, she sat back with a smiling face.
YU Yao, seeing Wu Ding's smug smile, knew exactly what was going through the other person's mind.
But she didn't pay much attention to it.
She was very certain that she had not been misled by anyone.
Not only does she have a knowledge of pharmacology herself, but with the system constantly reminding her, it was impossible for her to be misled by anyone else.
Later on, she turned to appreciate the scenery.
The imperial garden was full of flowers, beautiful and splendid.
To the south is the Taiye Pond, with an island in the middle, where Taiye Pavilion stands. The pond's shore is dotted with a multitude of palaces, corridors, and pavilions, exuding an imposing grandeur.
The water surface is full of lotus flowers blooming, reeds growing thickly, and birds playing around.
Complemented by the misty night color, it appears to be misty and boundless, like a magnificent and picturesque phantom realm.
YU Yao didn't have to go to Fengyi Palace to pay her respects, and with her pregnancy, she disliked going out even more. She spent her days staying in the Yexian Palace to nurture her pregnancy.
At this moment, it was quite rare for them to look at it twice.
Her position was also arranged perfectly, neither posing a risk of falling into the water nor failing to take in the entire view of the Imperial Garden and Taiye Pool.
One couldn't tell whether the Empress was genuinely kind or if she was taking care of YU Yao, a pregnant woman, in order to earn a reputation for being virtuous.
In any case, YU Yao has truly benefited from this.
The table was adorned with seasonal fruits and delicately crafted mooncakes.
The mooncakes were small and shaped like various types of flowers, which were quite beautiful.
She picked one and tried it, only to find that the taste was ordinary and didn't finish it.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
The eunuch's sharp voice made everyone immediately rise and pay homage to the emperor.
"Long live the emperor, long live the emperor, long live the emperor!"
"Thousand years to Empress Qinghui, thousand years to Empress Qinghui, thousand years and a thousand more."
Both the emperor and the empress, dressed in bright yellow court robes, walked in together, exuding an air of majesty.
As he walked into the banquet hall, YAN Beichen immediately saw YU Yao, who was pregnant with a big belly, bowing in greeting. He furrowed his brow.
But he didn't say anything, instead he calmly said: "Stand up!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The queen by his side, following YAN Beichen, was smiling extremely brightly.
Only at this moment, she felt that she was the emperor's wife, and only she deserved to stand by his side and accept everyone's homage.
"Consort YAO is carrying the child, and it must be uncomfortable for her to sit. Nuo, go fetch a lumbar cushion."
The empress looked at Ruo Nan, giving her very thoughtful instructions.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Ruo Nan nodded and smiled in response.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your compassion!"
YU Yao knew that the Empress wanted to play the role of a good person in front of YAN Beichen. She didn't say anything and just got up to thank her.
The empress quickly waved her hand, "Yao younger sister, don't be like that. Sit down quickly."
YU Yao was disgusted by the Empress's words "Yao younger sister," but she kept her face humble, and her eyes were full of gratitude.
"The Empress is so kind, Concubine Empress Yao is grateful."
It might be that the Empress, having been disciplined by YAN Beichen a few times, has finally learned her lesson.
Since the emperor likes Concubine Empress Yao, then Your Majesty will treat her well.
Just to see if this low person deserves such kindness.
That's what's known as "destroying them with kindness."
Indeed, YAN Beichen's expression has improved quite a bit.
Indeed, YAN Beichen's expression improved significantly. But he didn't praise the empress either; he still remembered what she had done in secret.
The empress, seeing that YAN Beichen's expression had improved significantly, felt more and more that what she had done was right.
YAN Beichen sat down in the dragon chair, and the empress sat next to him. The emperor and empress sat side by side.
The empress dowager did not attend.
The empress dowager's leg injury had not yet healed, so she couldn't come.
After all, it takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone. Even though several months had passed, with the empress dowager being of such advanced age, it would likely take her some time to recuperate.
"Tonight is a family banquet, drinking with all the concubines under the moon. May heaven bless our great cause to flourish and endure for ten thousand years."
YAN Beichen raised his cup, and everyone else followed suit, finishing their drinks in one go.
With the start of the ritual music and performances, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet officially commenced.
The dishes on the table were quite abundant: steamed lamb kid, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, smoked chicken and white belly, steamed eight-ingredient pork, sticky rice stuffed with duck, and braised sea cucumber.
These are all excellent dishes, and they are all very warm.
Unfortunately, the steamed bear paw had been drugged.
If a pregnant woman were to eat it.
Hahaha, it would probably result in a one-person two-death situation.
Empress, you are indeed fierce.
You actually want to take the emperor's life.
YU Yao secretly looked at the smiling and elegant concubine sitting at the front, her eyes flashing with hatred.
In reality, she misunderstood the empress. The secret drug was given to the concubine by the wife of the prince.
The empress only thought it was the preference for a mother over her son.
She indeed wants YU Yao's life, but at the same time, she also wants the child in her belly.
However, the empress did not know that the secret drug was not indeed the preference for a mother over her son. It was a deadly poison that would kill both mother and child, which would make them one and the same.
YU Yao turned her gaze away from the empress and looked towards Mei Fei beside her.
The food is indeed the same as hers, but it looks like there is no heat, and it is much colder than the food on her table.
"My dishes are warmer. Eat mine."
She picked up several plates of hot dishes from in front of her and offered them to her.
Of course, there is also that dish of drugged steamed bear paws.
Mei Fei, recently using the convenience of managing flowers and plants, has been secretly burying drugs in the soil of the flowers she is sending to her palace that weaken pregnant women.
Mei Fei wants her child in her belly, and wants her to be weak and have a difficult childbirth that leads to her death. That would not be YU Yao's fault if she retaliated.
Mei Fei does not know that there is a problem with the steamed bear paws, as these are rare and delicious dishes that are not usually served.
Even as a concubine, bear paws are not something that can be eaten easily.
They were fresh and warm, so how could she refuse? She smiled, "Thank you, Sister Consort!"
"Eat, don't be polite."
"Little sister naturally won't be polite. Little sister is now quite hungry, so I'm sure I will finish it all."
They spoke in lowered voices on purpose, so the people nearby did not hear them.
However, YAN Beichen, who was sitting on the dragon chair, noticed.
The empress also noticed.
The empress, upon seeing the steamed bear paws laced with the secret drug being served to Mei Fei, felt extremely uncomfortable and unconsciously clutched her hands.
She even became tense.
