Dressed As a Consort in Ancient Times - Chapter 40
When Jiang Libai’s pregnancy was mentioned, Emperor Yu’s expression turned cold. “Is there still no trace of that scoundrel?”
Noble Consort Yuan shook her head. “Not yet.” After learning that Jia Ning had been humiliated that day, she immediately sent people to search for the scoundrel, intending to secretly deal with him regardless of his identity.
However, the people she sent reported back that they couldn’t find any trace of him.
With no other choice, she instructed them to continue the search in secret while she comforted Jia Ning, telling her that the man had already been dealt with and would not harm her again.
Only then did Jia Ning slowly recover from the panic and confusion of that night.
But… more than half a month later, Jia Ning began showing symptoms of pregnancy. When the imperial physician took her pulse, he confirmed that she was indeed pregnant.
At that moment, she felt nothing but regret—how could she have failed to protect Jia Ning properly?
Her Jia Ning was a noble princess, the cherished treasure in her hands, the only child she and the Emperor had together. She couldn’t allow another stain to tarnish her. So, she had Imperial Physician Zhao prepare an abortifacient. Yet, the child seemed like some kind of monster—no matter what they tried, they couldn’t get rid of it!
As Jia Ning’s pregnancy approached the one-month mark, the Emperor, left with no other option, had to quickly select a prince consort for her. In the end, they chose someone from the Anyang Earl household, a family with no real power and only an honorary title.
But who would have thought that the Anyang Earl’s heir, Zhou Ran, would later cause so much trouble?
“We must find him as soon as possible. Such a hidden danger cannot be allowed to remain,” Emperor Yu said coldly, interrupting Noble Consort Yuan’s thoughts.
“Jia Ning’s pregnancy is far along now. She cannot handle any further disturbances.” All of her thoughts were now focused on Jia Ning’s pregnancy, and she absolutely could not allow anyone to harm her again. “I will also have my father send more people to assist in the search.”
This matter could not be delayed any longer; the scoundrel had to be dealt with before Jia Ning gave birth.
—
The spring breeze began to stir, and the warm season quietly arrived.
As the days passed, April came to an end in the blink of an eye.
The birth of the Second Prince’s first legitimate son broke the long-standing quiet in the capital.
Because this was the first imperial grandson of the royal family, the Rong Prince’s residence planned to host a grand banquet to celebrate the joyous occasion.
All members of the royal family, nobles, and prestigious families received invitations from the Rong Prince’s residence.
The Seventh Princess’s residence was no exception.
Jiang Libai looked at the gilded invitation in her hand before casually placing it aside.
She had to attend. Even though she didn’t want to have any involvement with her second brother, it was a major celebration. If she, being healthy and well, didn’t attend, it would cause others to speculate that her relationship with the Second Prince wasn’t good.
People might even think she didn’t support her second brother.
The minds of people are complicated. Such details, when noticed by those with ulterior motives, could give rise to numerous troubles.
Moreover, her second brother had recently been reprimanded several times by their father for minor issues. By hosting such a lavish event, he was likely hoping that their father, for the sake of the imperial grandson, would ease up on him.
If she didn’t go, her second brother might hold a grudge against her.
“Princess, this servant has already prepared the gifts to be sent to the Rong Prince’s residence. Please check if there’s anything else to add,” Chunxi said as she placed the gift list in front of Jiang Libai.
Jiang Libai glanced at it casually and replied, “This will do. You’ve selected excellent items; there’s no need to add more.”
Chunxi quickly took the list back.
“Princess,” she hesitated as she looked at Jiang Libai’s prominent belly, then cautiously advised, “You’re already eight months along. This is a critical time. Why not find an excuse not to attend the banquet at the Rong Prince’s residence?”
Jiang Libai stroked her rounded belly and replied nonchalantly, “In public, I’m only seven months along, and I can still walk. If I don’t go, it would be too disrespectful to my second brother.”
“Besides, with you all accompanying me, nothing will happen.”
Chunxi immediately agreed, “Of course. And the Prince Consort will also accompany you and ensure your safety!”
Gu Yun, huh…
Jiang Libai pouted.
Lately, Gu Yun had been busy with who knows what, constantly fussing over that parrot.
If she didn’t seek her out, Gu Yun wouldn’t come to see her either.
So infuriating!
At first, she had felt upset, thinking Gu Yun didn’t like her much and that’s why she avoided intimacy.
But then, Gu Yun would always quietly take care of her in the smallest ways.
This made her start to think—perhaps Gu Yun did like her after all…
Now, she was conflicted and didn’t know how to face Gu Yun.
“Princess, the Prince Consort truly cares about you,” Chunxi, as an outsider, saw things more clearly. “When your appetite was poor, the Prince Consort personally prepared meals every day and had the servants deliver them. You like pretty flowers, so the Prince Consort cuts the brightest ones every morning and places them on your dressing table.”
“When you couldn’t sleep at night, the Prince Consort would go to your room every night…” Chunxi suddenly stopped and covered her mouth.
Oh no!
She accidentally spilled something the princess didn’t know!
Jiang Libai’s eyes narrowed, and she hummed coldly, “What did you say? He goes to my room every night?!”
Chunxi, realizing she couldn’t hide it, stammered and smiled nervously, “Y-yes… The Prince Consort does it for the sake of helping you sleep better…”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Libai clenched her fists and slammed the table. “That shameless scoundrel!”
“Oh, my dear princess!” Chunxi quickly took Jiang Libai’s small hand and blew on it, “Be careful! What if you hurt your hand?”
Jiang Libai didn’t care about that at all. Right now, she just wanted to find that scoundrel!
She got up from the recliner, supported her belly, and marched outside in a huff.
Chunxi was so frightened she quickly followed. “Princess! Please be careful! Don’t fall!”
—
In the small courtyard outside the side chamber.
Gu Yun, dressed in a crescent-white brocade robe, stood under the tree branches, gazing at the white-feathered parrot perched on a slender twig.
Ever since Yixing discovered that this parrot’s intelligence was improving, it would occasionally invade the parrot’s mind to further enhance its intellect.
Now, the parrot had developed the ability to sense Yixing’s presence independently and had even learned a lot about interstellar matters from Yixing.
It also understood that it was merely an animal, not a human.
At first, it felt a bit disappointed, but now it found this situation rather enjoyable. At the very least, it could be personally petted by the General—unlike Big Brother Yixing, who could never experience such a thing.
Footsteps echoed at the doorway.
Gu Yun turned to look and saw the Seventh Princess approaching.
However, judging by the Seventh Princess’s expression, she seemed angry?!
Gu Yun quickly stepped forward, intending to support her.
Jiang Libai brushed her hand away, raised her chin, and glared at her furiously. “You!”
“Are you sneaking into my room every night while I’m asleep?!”
Gu Yun: “…”
The Seventh Princess had found out?
Her peripheral vision caught sight of Chunxi, who had hurried over and was frantically signaling to her from the door. Immediately, she understood how the Seventh Princess had learned about this.
“Princess…” Before Gu Yun could finish speaking, Jiang Libai lifted her skirt and kicked her hard in the shin.
Instantly, a small, delicate footprint was left on the hem of Gu Yun’s white robe.
“You shameless scoundrel!” Jiang Libai felt much better after giving her a kick.
She tilted her head up, huffed coldly at her, then turned on her heels to leave.
Seeing that the Seventh Princess wanted to leave after venting her anger, Gu Yun hurriedly grabbed her hand. “Princess.”
Under the warm spring sun, a gentle breeze carried the faint scent of sandalwood through the air.
Jiang Libai paused.
She turned her head to look at Gu Yun. “What? Not satisfied?”
Gu Yun knew she was being petty and wasn’t truly angry with her.
“Previously, you were sleeping poorly at night, and I felt distressed. But you always avoided me and wouldn’t let me approach your bedchamber. So I could only wait until you were asleep to quietly enter and help ease your discomfort, allowing you to sleep more soundly.”
Her light, calm voice carried the usual tenderness that was unique to her. By the time Jiang Libai heard the end of her words, the anger in her heart had completely dissipated.
Lowering her head, she gently tugged at the hand Gu Yun was holding in her palm. “But you still shouldn’t have snuck into my room.”
“Princess, if I had told you I wanted to enter your room and rest with you, would you have agreed?” Gu Yun asked, feeling slightly overwhelmed. It seemed that the Seventh Princess’s temper had grown worse in the later stages of her pregnancy.
Hearing this, Jiang Libai raised her head, biting her lip awkwardly. “I would.”
Gu Yun was momentarily stunned. Did the Seventh Princess just say…?
“If you had asked me, I would have agreed to let you into my room to rest with me,” Jiang Libai repeated earnestly.
“But you never asked me.”
“And you never actively came to talk to me.”
As she spoke, all the grievances she had been bottling up began to pour out.
Her eyes reddened, and tears slowly welled up in them.
“You’re so mean.” She softly accused.
The moment the Seventh Princess started crying, Gu Yun panicked.
She hurriedly raised her hand, using her fingertip to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes. Softening her voice, she coaxed, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”
It really was her fault.
It turned out that the princess didn’t dislike her, nor was she truly angry with her.
She should have sought reconciliation with the princess earlier.
Although she couldn’t fulfill the princess’s wishes for now, being by her side like before would surely be better than letting her spend these months alone.
But… she was genuinely afraid. Afraid that if she gave the princess her warmth, the princess might grow even more attached. When the truth was eventually revealed, and if the princess couldn’t accept it, how much would it hurt her?
Sensing Gu Yun’s thoughts, Yixing let out a quiet sigh in her mind. “General, there’s no need to push the princess away anymore. I believe she truly cares for you. Perhaps she won’t see you as a monster and might genuinely accept you.”
“Why not… give it a serious try?”
Gu Yun was met with Jiang Libai’s red, tear-filled eyes. Coupled with Yixing’s voice in her mind, the walls around her heart seemed to crumble a little.
She really didn’t want to stay away from the Seventh Princess for so long.
But her reason had told her that the Seventh Princess didn’t want to see her right now.
That was why she had been keeping her distance, following the princess’s wishes, and avoiding her as much as possible.
Thinking of this, she lowered her gaze, gently stroking Jiang Libai’s soft, smooth cheeks. Seeing the accusations and sadness in her eyes, Gu Yun sighed lightly and pulled her into her arms.
The Seventh Princess was now eight months pregnant, her belly much larger than before.
Gu Yun didn’t dare to hug her as tightly as she once did. Instead, she held her loosely, careful not to press against her belly.
“Princess, after you give birth, I’ll tell you a secret, alright?”
Gu Yun’s voice was soft, but there was an inexplicable hint of complexity in it.
Jiang Libai was puzzled, but she didn’t want to dwell on it anymore.
In the past, she might have overthought, wondering if Gu Yun was hiding something from her. But now, all she wanted was to be with her. She couldn’t bear to stay apart for too long.
Slowly, she clutched Gu Yun’s collar, holding back a sob as she said, “Will you stay by my side? Will you… leave me again like before?”
“I won’t.” Gu Yun gently stroked the back of her head, her voice soft. “As long as the princess doesn’t dislike me, I’ll always stay by your side.”
Hearing this, Jiang Libai felt much better.
She buried her face in the crook of Gu Yun’s neck, wiping her tears on her clothes. “Then you’re not allowed to make me sad anymore!”
The anger and accusations in her tone softened Gu Yun’s heart. She lowered her head, planting a kiss on Jiang Libai’s fluffy hair before promising, “Alright, whatever the princess says.”
It had been a long time since Jiang Libai felt the warmth of Gu Yun’s embrace. Nestled in her arms, she couldn’t help but indulge in the boundless comfort surrounding her.
The world was quiet, and even the sound of the breeze brushing past was crystal clear.
After a while, Jiang Libai wrapped her arms around Gu Yun’s neck, tilting her head up to look at her with tearful eyes. “Gu-jie, the day after tomorrow, my second royal brother is hosting a full-month celebration for his child. Will you go with me? Just like before, staying by my side the whole time.”
Gu Yun’s brows twitched slightly. “What did you just call me?”
Jiang Libai bit her lip and murmured softly, “Gu-jie…”
She couldn’t quite understand the look in Gu Yun’s eyes, so she asked tentatively, “Can’t I call you… Gu-jie?”
If she remembered correctly, Gu Yun was two years older than her, almost twenty-one now.
Calling her “sister” shouldn’t be an issue, right?
Gu Yun suddenly realized that when the Seventh Princess softly and sweetly called her “jie,” her heart couldn’t help but flutter. She wanted nothing more than to hold her tightly and kiss that little mouth of hers.
“Yes… and I like it very much.” Gu Yun didn’t hide her feelings.
Jiang Libai smiled as well. “Alright, then I’ll call you Gu-jie from now on.”
“Gu-jie.”
“Hmm?”
“Jie!”
“Hmm~”
Jiang Libai loved this term of address, one that only she could use.
She clung to Gu Yun’s wrist, shaking it playfully, calling her “jie” over and over.
Gu Yun, amidst the sweet sound of “jie” repeatedly uttered by her princess, found herself losing control. She lifted the Seventh Princess’s chin and gently pressed a kiss onto her soft pink lips.
Amid the beauty of the spring day, with flowers blooming and butterflies dancing, a pair of devoted lovers held each other tenderly, lost in their embrace.
—
The day of the full-month banquet at Prince Rong’s residence arrived in the blink of an eye.
Early in the morning, Jiang Libai pulled Gu Yun out of bed and dressed her in matching outfits.
Looking at the lilies embroidered on the hem of her skirt, Jiang Libai’s face lit up with a smile. “It looks so pretty! But the lilies embroidered on yours make it look a bit too delicate.”
“But it doesn’t matter. After all, they don’t know you’re a woman, and even if they say something, they wouldn’t dare to say it to your face.”
Gu Yun didn’t mind at all. “It’s fine. Even if I hear something, I won’t take it to heart.” After all, this was the first time she and the Seventh Princess wore matching outfits!
She liked it so much that no one’s words could dampen her mood.
“Let’s go then.” Jiang Libai smiled as she took her hand and walked out of the room.
Gu Yun carefully helped the Seventh Princess onto the carriage, gave a few instructions to Muzhou, the driver, and then got into the carriage herself.
Muzhou drove cautiously, keeping the pace slow and avoiding any bumpy paths.
Inside the carriage, Jiang Libai didn’t feel a single jolt. She stroked her round belly and shook her head. “Thankfully, it’s just this one. If I were forced to have a few more, I don’t think I’d be able to enjoy life properly.”
She thought about how her mother, unaware that Gu Yun was a woman, had once urged her to have more children with Gu Yun. At that moment, she felt grateful. Thankfully, Gu Yun was a woman. Between them… neither needed to bear children.
Beside her, Gu Yun’s fingers twitched slightly as she quietly glanced at the Seventh Princess’s belly, making a mental note of her reluctance to have more children.
“Yixing,” she called out to awaken Yixing in her mind. “If I don’t inject pheromones into the princess, will she not conceive?”
She vaguely recalled that during their intimate night, she had lightly bitten the back of the princess’s neck and released quite a bit of her pheromones.
Perhaps that was why the princess had become pregnant.
Yixing was silent for a moment, uncertain. “Logically, yes. But I don’t have any records about whether a female alpha and a woman in ancient times can conceive after intimacy, so I can’t say for sure if that’s the reason.”
Then, with a chuckle, it added, “How about this? The next time you and the princess ‘do it,’ inject the pheromones and see what happens?”
Yixing grew increasingly excited. “If the princess gets pregnant again, it’s because of the pheromones. If she doesn’t, then it’s not the reason.”
This was the epitome of unhelpful advice.
Gu Yun’s temple twitched, and she decided to block out the unreliable Yixing.
The carriage moved steadily, but the slow pace caused some delay.
By the time they arrived at Prince Rong’s residence, many guests had already gathered.
Jiang Libai rested her hand on Gu Yun’s wrist, her lips pressed lightly together as she maintained the proud and aloof demeanor of a royal princess. She responded to those greeting her with a slight nod, dismissing them quickly.
“Jie, you’re here?! I’ve been waiting for you forever!” Fifth Prince Jiang Wei immediately spotted Jiang Libai as she approached.
He came over to her but noticed Gu Yun accompanying her. Feeling slightly awkward, he greeted her, “Brother-in-law.”
Gu Yun nodded and replied dryly, “The Fifth Prince has grown taller.”
Hearing this, Jiang Libai pinched her hand, suppressing a smile. “Let’s go sit down first. I’m a bit tired.”
Helping the Seventh Princess to her seat, Gu Yun picked up a lychee from the table and asked, “Would you like to eat this?”
It was a tribute from the southern regions, rushed to the capital by fast horse. Fresh, juicy, and exceptionally delicious.
But Jiang Libai, having eaten too many, was tired of them and waved her hand. “I don’t feel like eating.”
Seeing that Gu Yun was about to grab other fruits for her, Jiang Libai quickly stopped her. “Don’t bother. I’m not really hungry right now.”
She had eaten quite a bit at breakfast and wasn’t in the mood for anything else.
Only then did Gu Yun stop and simply held her hand tightly.
This intimate and affectionate scene didn’t escape the eyes of others.
Across the table, the Sixth Princess sneered softly, muttering a low “disgusting” before looking away.
Sitting next to her, the Fifth Princess silently sipped her tea. When she noticed Jiang Libai and Gu Yun’s hands still tightly clasped under the table, her grip on her teacup tightened.
“Jiang Ying, how about a drink of this?” The Third Prince lifted a fine vintage wine from his table and placed it on the Fifth Princess’s table.
Jiang Ying glanced at it and pushed it back. “You should drink it yourself.”
“Wine can help you forget your troubles. You should try it,” the Third Prince said with a smile, continuing to persuade her.
Jiang Ying tugged at the corner of her mouth but didn’t respond.
She didn’t have any troubles. And if she did, she would ensure those troubles disappeared entirely.
As the guests ate and drank, the star of the day finally made an appearance.
A baby wrapped snugly in swaddling clothes was carried out by the wet nurse, drawing everyone’s attention.
The Second Prince was overjoyed as he introduced his son to the crowd.
“This is my legitimate eldest son, the emperor’s first grandson. He hasn’t been named yet…”
For this novel one Kofi is two extra chapters. I’ll be updating 3-4 chapters a week for free. Ko-fi link: ko-fi.com/mitake55760
