allonlinenovel Chapter 272 A good woman does not serve two husbands
Chapter 272 A good woman does not serve two husbands
"Xu pays her respects to the King."
Her voice was neither loud nor soft, and it carried no emotion whatsoever. Strangely, she was both meek and expressionless, showing none of the excitement that a typical concubine would have when she saw the emperor.
Upon hearing these submissive words, Ye Wumian's face, which had just calmed down, instantly turned dark and stormy. He abruptly flung his hands away, causing Yao Ruoyu to lose her balance and almost fall again, but fortunately she managed to grab onto the bedpost in time.
"I've said it so many times, if you want to say 'Your Majesty,' your surname is Yao, not Xu."
His scarlet eyes reflected an unusual possessiveness as he stared intently at Yao Ruoyu's stomach.
"Ah! Your Majesty, have you forgotten that although my mother's family name is Yao, my husband's family name is Xu, so naturally I take my husband's surname."
She met those red eyes without fear, her beautiful, aloof face filled with unyielding spirit.
"Husband's family? Hehehe~"
Ye Wumian couldn't help but sneer, reaching out to grab her neck. With just a little force, Yao Ruoyu's face immediately turned red.
"You mean your deceased husband, whose seven-day mourning period had just ended, and whose mistress brought two illegitimate children to your door?"
"Is it still that in-laws who took all of your dowry?"
Yao Ruoyu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat was being choked by him, and she couldn't make a sound.
Ye Wumian finally let go, turning her face away from her.
"Cough cough cough... No matter what, a woman follows her husband after marriage. Now that I have married him, I belong to him and his family for life."
"Nonsense! Ignorance!"
Yao Ruoyu seemed used to his scolding and gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"The king is neither pedantic nor foolish; he simply uses this immense power to oppress his subjects, including the widow of a minister who had risked his life for him. He forces her to marry another man during her husband's mourning period and imprisons her in this dark and hopeless prison."
"Yao Ruoyu, I saved you from your suffering, do you hate me that much?"
"Your Majesty is the ruler of the world and should be revered by all people."
Looking at the extremely cold woman in front of him, Ye Wumian walked closer to her step by step, forcing Yao Ruoyu to the bedside. She staggered and fell onto the bed.
"Ha! So you admire me? How have I treated you in the past six months, and how have you treated me?"
Her silence fueled Ye Wumian's anger even more, and she gently placed her right hand on the protruding pregnant belly.
Yao Ruoyu was instantly terrified and clutched her stomach in a wary manner.
"What...what are you going to do?"
"What? Are you scared?"
Suddenly, a throbbing sensation came from the other end of his palm, clearly fetal movement. Ye Wumian lowered his eyes, and no one knew what he was feeling at that moment.
"Are you afraid that I will harm this bastard?"
Even though she was terrified of the ruthless emperor before her, Yao Ruoyu stubbornly raised her head and explained, word by word, "He is not an illegitimate child. He is my child, the posthumous child of my deceased husband."
"Hehehe~ Deceased husband? Posthumous child? But your deceased husband has been keeping a woman outside for a long time, don't you care? What posthumous child? Your in-laws treat those two illegitimate children like treasures now. Even if I let you go back right now, do you think they will still recognize you as a promiscuous daughter-in-law?"
"you!"
Yao Ruoyu seemed quite angry, but didn't know how to refute it. Ye Wumian was right. Her betrothed husband had kept a mistress before the marriage. That family was only because of her maternal family's prominence and her large dowry. She even begged her father and uncle to arrange a military position for that person in the court.
Looking back now, perhaps it was retribution. That man died on his first battlefield experience, and she didn't even know when this emperor had taken a liking to her. He had already taken her into the palace half a year ago, and at that time she didn't know she was pregnant with the Xu family's child. A month after entering the palace, she was diagnosed with a two-month pregnancy. Everyone in the palace knew her identity, but he still pampered her without restraint and tormented her endlessly...
"Hmph! If I wanted to do anything to this bastard in your belly, do you think you would still be unharmed after seven months of pregnancy?"
Ye Wumian scoffed coldly. He had indeed intended to kill Yao Ruoyu's child back then. If it weren't for that time when she knelt on the ground and kowtowed frantically, her face indistinguishable between tears and blood, he wouldn't have been so merciful.
"Yes! I am grateful for your mercy in sparing my life, but that cannot erase the fact that you took my wife as your own."
"Yao Ruoyu!"
Nightless Night held her chin with one hand, forcing her to raise her hand and look him in the eye.
"I ask you, if you were not pregnant at this moment, and you were not yet married, given my favor over the past six months, would you feel even a shred of pity?"
Those captivating fox eyes gradually welled up with tears, and the wet, affectionate look made Yao Ruoyu's thoughts momentarily dazed and uncertain. She didn't understand what her heart was beating.
"As the old saying goes, a good woman does not serve two husbands. Your Majesty's kindness is too great for Ruoyu to enjoy."
"Haha~"
A flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, took two steps back, and spoke in a voice as cold as a knife.
"I've heard that women should move around more during the later stages of pregnancy to facilitate childbirth. Since the imperial physician says that Consort Yao is in good health, she should move around even more."
Yao Ruoyu frowned, not understanding what he meant.
"I acquired a beauty yesterday and am preparing to hold a coronation ceremony for her the day after tomorrow, making her my empress. Since Consort Yao needs to move around more, she should go to the Night Mandarin Duck Palace to take care of the future empress for the next two days!"
"Future Queen?"
"Ah."
He secretly glanced at Yao Ruoyu's expression out of the corner of his eye, but couldn't detect any sign of jealousy.
"Did you also steal it into the palace?"
Upon hearing this, Yao Ruoyu quickly covered her mouth. Why did she blurt out what was on her mind?
"Your Majesty, please forgive me."
"Hmph! I snatched her into the palace, so what? I just like snatching people into the palace. You only need to take good care of Xiao Yan'er, and you don't need to ask any other questions."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
She reverted to her original aloof and indifferent demeanor, leaving Ye Wumian feeling heartbroken.
"Alright, since you're alright, hurry up and pack your things to go to the Night Palace. Also, don't say anything nonsense to Yan'er, and don't make her angry. Give her whatever she wants."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
She had many doubts, but she didn't ask any more questions. She didn't care who the Night Empress was. It was just that she had entered the palace yesterday and was to be made Empress the day after tomorrow. This was too hasty. Who was this poor soul?
Seeing that she still ignored him, Ye Wumian angrily lay down on the bed and waved her away.
"I am tired. I will lie down here. You should go to the Night Palace immediately. I do not want to see you again."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yao Ruoyu curtsied and then turned around. On her way to the Night Mandarin Duck Palace, she was both curious about the woman the king valued so much, and didn't want to face that annoying face in the Palace of Mourning Music.
As the figure disappeared, her red eyes snapped open, a thousand thoughts swirling within them…