Pregnant Before the Royal Marriage

Huang Ying took a small stool and sat beside her, massaging her legs.

“What is the master thinking?” she asked.

“It seems to be raining outside.” Jiang Ning said.

“Huh, it is.” Huang Ying went out for a look and then returned with a smile. “How did the master know? The rain is getting heavier, it’s quite cold.”

She shrank her neck and brought a blanket to cover Jiang Ning’s knees.

Jiang Ning patted her leg: “My leg is more accurate at predicting the weather than the Bureau of Astronomy’s ministers.”

However, Huang Ying couldn’t bring herself to laugh.

She knew the master had suffered a lot because of these legs.

Even now, when they were said to be healed, they would be unavoidably uncomfortable during rainy and cloudy days.

“The rain is getting colder and colder.” Jiang Ning said again.

“Yes, the weather has turned cold earlier this year. Looking at the gloomy sky, I wonder if it will snow.” Huang Ying said.

She had just finished speaking when Chunlai and Xiachu lifted the curtain and entered, bringing a chill with them.

Rubbing her hands together and patting her body, Chunlai said with a smile, “Oh dear, master, come and see, it’s snowing!”

Huang Ying was surprised: “Wasn’t it raining?”

“It was raining before, but now it has turned into snowflakes.” Chunlai stretched out her hand, “Look, aren’t these snowflakes?”

Upon looking, Jiang Ning realized that it was indeed snow.

It instantly melted on Chunlai’s sleeve, turning into a small puddle of water droplets.

“It’s so cold!” Xiachu went to tend to the fire.

Jiang Ning said, “Where are the kids? I’ll go check on them and make sure they aren’t getting too cold. And Huang Ying…”

She called Huang Ying and said, “Let Xiachu accompany me. Grab my black fox coat from the cabinet and the knee protector that my mother made for me, and send them to Li Xiu.”

Huang Ying hesitated, “Master, didn’t you just hear what Concubine Li said? The Crown Prince…”

“You don’t have to take Li Yuanyuan’s words as absolute truth. Besides, if she doesn’t dare to do something, would I, Jiang Ning, also be afraid?” Jiang Ning smiled, “Just do as I say, hurry up.”

Huang Ying smiled, “I will not take the black fox coat, as it is too luxurious. Li Xiu is, after all, a eunuch, and it would be inappropriate to give it to him openly. Many masters in the palace don’t even have one. It’s the knee protector, though… it’s specially made for the master by the Madam, how can I give it to others? I have a new pair that was meant for master, so I’ll let him use it first.”

“That’s fine, just hurry up.”

“Okay.”

Huang Ying went back to the room to get the knee protectors, thought for a moment, then went to the kitchen for hot tea and pastries, and with a small box in hand, she braved the snow to head to the Crystal Frost Hall.

The Crystal Frost Hall was the Emperor’s sleeping palace, and it was very large with many rooms.

These past days, the Crown Prince had been reviewing various documents and seeing ministers here on behalf of the Emperor.

Li Xiu was then kneeling in the courtyard of the Crystal Frost Hall.

Occasionally, a palace attendant would pass by and glance at him, but no one dared to ask questions.

Everyone knew that it was the Crown Prince who had punished him, so who would dare to interfere?

When Huang Ying arrived, there was already a layer of snow on Li Xiu’s head and body. Since it had rained earlier, his robe’s hem was wet, not to mention his knees.

He couldn’t tell if it was the cold or something else, but his face was turning blue and purple, and his body was slightly trembling.

Huang Ying placed an umbrella over his head and took a cup of hot tea first, put it to his lips, and whispered, “Take a sip to warm up.”

Li Xiu slowly turned his eyes to look at her and shook his head slowly.

Huang Ying whispered, “This is from Princess Consort. I know you’re afraid of the Crown Prince, but if you don’t drink, you may freeze to death here. Besides, with Princess Consort’s support, you don’t have to worry about her getting implicated.”