FID – Chapter 832

Chapter 832: Can You See Your Own Feet When You Look Down?

While scolding, the Empress Dowager’s eyes didn’t leave Liu Yusheng’s belly, occasionally glancing down at it.

Since her fourth month, Liu Yusheng’s belly had grown particularly large, enough to make anyone uneasy just by looking at it.

Now, seeing her with a distressed face, clearly at a loss, the Empress Dowager’s expression remained cold. It was her first time being a mother, and without an experienced elder to guide her, how could she understand everything?

“There’s nothing serious about it. The more it moves, the better. It means the little one is strong and healthy.”

Liu Yusheng let out a breath. It certainly felt like the little one was healthy, but with a kick like that it might just be trying to take her life!

She watched the skin of her stomach as if someone inside was throwing punches. One moment a bump would form here, and the next, the bump would shift to the other side of her belly. Occasionally, she could even feel her skin stretch, as if it were being forced, turning so tight that it felt almost stiff, like stone.

Raising her hand, she pressed it against the small person inside her, feeling the tiny movements in the palm of her hand. A helpless yet tender smile curved at the corner of her mouth.

“Don’t poke it, you’ll scare it,” the Empress Dowager said anxiously when she saw the young woman pressing her finger against the bump. She quickly reached out to pull her hand away, but accidentally brushed the bump.

The bump immediately flattened, and then, as if testing, it slowly began to rise again.

“…” The Empress Dowager froze, forgetting to pull her hand back.

The little one, from within the belly, seemed to reach out and press against her hand.

It was like play, like affection.

Liu Yusheng lowered her eyes and saw the Empress Dowager’s hand, suspended in midair, trembling slightly. The old woman’s widened eyes slowly rimmed with red.

“Your Majesty, the little one seems to really like you. Look, when your hand’s here, he stops acting up. Why don’t you keep touching him a bit, maybe he’ll be more well-behaved and I won’t suffer as much?”

Even the granny didn’t believe such a clumsy excuse. But the Empress Dowager did.

She looked up at Liu Yusheng, then, with a trembling hand, tentatively pressed it to the small bump as if trying to find the baby’s hand.

A flicker of surprise passed through her eyes.

Once her hand made contact, the little one really did stop moving. He stayed right there, allowing her to press gently against the bump.

Then, under her soft caress, the bump slowly settled and calmed down.

The three of them looked at one another in speechless astonishment.

Liu Yusheng was the most exasperated of all. The little one’s own mother couldn’t even get close, but it cozied right up to its royal great-grandmother?

She had muttered a silent plea when she first entered the room: Little one, it’s up to you now.

Could it be that the little one really understood human speech?

Don’t be ridiculous—he’s barely the size of an orange! What could he possibly understand?

For the next half an hour, Liu Yusheng didn’t leave. She sat on the cushioned couch beside the Empress Dowager, reading scriptures with her—until her head was spinning.

And whenever the little one started to rebel again, the Empress Dowager would simply place her hand on Liu Yusheng’s belly and calm him right down.

At first it was still quite stiff and awkward, but later it became completely natural. She didn’t even have to remind her anymore.

Ever since she entered her fourth month of pregnancy, her belly had grown rapidly like an inflated balloon. 

Feng Mohan began visiting the Yangxin Hall much more frequently than before.

As soon as he finished his official duties or even found a brief moment of free time, he would hurry over to check in, visibly tense and on edge.

Today, there was still about half an hour before lunch, and he had already arrived.

“Aunt, slow down! Sit down right away—tell me what you want and I’ll get it for you. Just don’t move around, I’m seriously worried that your belly might fall off!” His expression altered the moment Liu Yusheng took a few steps toward the dining table as the meal was being served.

“You don’t have to be so nervous. My belly is just a bit bigger than most—saying it might fall off is too exaggerated,” Liu Yusheng said with amusement.

“It’s no exaggeration at all! Aunt, can you even see your own feet when you look down now?”

“…” Liu Yusheng thought this brat seriously needed a smack and raised her hand as if to hit him.

“Stop fooling around and sit down for the meal,” the Empress Dowager scolded sternly from the side, frowning at her half-lifted hand.

“I was just pretending,” Liu Yusheng explained dryly.

“Aunt, please don’t. If you really want to hit someone, I’ll offer up my head. I’m begging you—every time you move, I break into a cold sweat!” Feng Mohan wiped his forehead dramatically. “It’s only four months, and you’re already this big. By the time you reach full term, I’m afraid you won’t even be able to walk!”

“Stop staring at my belly. Tell me about Dongyue—any news from the border? Any word from your Uncle?”

“Nothing for now. At times like this, no news is good news.” Feng Mohan served some food to Liu Yusheng while also placing dishes in front of the Empress Dowager. “It’s September now, right? Uncle Zhiqiu’s wedding is mid-September. In a few days, you’ll be heading back to Xinghua Village. Imperial Uncle probably won’t make it back in time, so I’ll go with you.”

“That’s not necessary. You should stay here and focus on managing state affairs. I can go back on my own. Zisu and Chenxiang will be with me. If you come along, it’ll cause too much of a stir—not a good look.”

“What’s so bad about it? I’m not even allowed to leave the palace for a bit? Besides, I have a friendship with Uncle Zhiqiu too.”

“In any case, no,” Liu Yusheng firmly refused.

There was a war going on at the border. At a time like this, if the emperor of Nanling left the palace to attend a commoner’s wedding in Xinghua Village, people would gossip. Not only would it hurt Xiao Feng’s reputation, the Liu family would also be criticized.

“Now that riverboats are convenient, it’s only about ten days’ travel home. I’ll be back not long after—don’t make a fuss.”

There was no room for negotiation, and Feng Mohan deflated.

“Alright, alright, I won’t go. Uncle Jinzi and Aunt Xianrou will definitely be going. As long as Aunt Xianrou is with you, I’ll feel more at ease.”

Liu Yusheng smiled. He was several years younger than her, yet now he was acting like an old nanny, nagging and fussing over her.

It was both exasperating and amusing.

The Empress Dowager glanced at Liu Yusheng’s overly large belly. “Do you really have to go back?”

“Yes,” Liu Yusheng nodded. “I haven’t seen my grandparents or parents since I got pregnant. They must miss me. It won’t take much time, and it’ll help put their minds at ease.”

When her sister-in-law was pregnant before, the elders in the family were incredibly anxious. Now that she was pregnant, they were surely just as worried.

She should go back to show her face. Letting them see that she was doing well and that the baby was healthy would bring them comfort.

Whenever she talked about her family, the aura around her changed—bright and warm with happiness.

The Empress Dowager said no more.

The only regret Liu Yusheng had about returning home was that Feng Qingbai wouldn’t be there. She worried about him, too.

He had been gone for over two months now. Apart from sending back one drawing, there had been no further word. Naturally, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander and worry.

Sensing the subtle sorrow creeping into her expression, Feng Mohan lowered his head a little. The rest of the meal passed in a somewhat heavy silence.

Fortunately, Liu Yusheng was preoccupied and didn’t notice the change in mood.

Three days later, Qian Wanjin and Shi Xianrou came to the palace to invite her to return to Yunzhou together.

Zhiqiu was getting married, and of course Qian Wanjin had to attend. The group would have company for the trip.

“We’re setting out by boat tomorrow morning. Just have Zisu and Chenxiang pack a few essentials for you—no need to bring anything else. I’ve already prepared the wedding gift for Zhiqiu.”