Free Web NovelChapter 764: Chapter 199: The King’s Woman (Second Update)
If she hadn’t known that the current unification of the Taixuan Demon Realm was Si Mo’s painstaking effort, would she have bothered with this chaotic melee of demons? Let them fight as they wish; it doesn’t concern her!
Agreeing to Gu Ya and Gu Ye’s requests was solely because she didn’t want Si Mo’s hard work to be ruined, and because she wanted to come here to find Si Mo’s whereabouts.
The words of Mu Qingge caused the Four Great Vassals to show shock in their eyes.
"His Majesty actually told you his true name and allows you to call him that?" Ji Fu’s eyes narrowed slightly; even though his voice couldn’t reveal any waves, it couldn’t hide his astonishment.
Mu Qingge lifted an eyebrow, her demeanor indifferent.
She noticed that after she mentioned Si Mo’s name, the attitudes of these four, and even the eight hundred Demon Guards who had been silent, changed somewhat towards her.
This change... contained a hint of respect.
Yet, she clearly felt that this respect did not come from her but because of Si Mo.
Because she is the woman personally chosen by Si Mo!
The Zichen Palace fell silent for a while.
Ji Fu stepped forward and looked at Mu Qingge, performing a gesture of respect and hierarchy, "Ji Fu welcomes the Princess."
He acknowledged Mu Qingge’s status, at least for now.
Once he spoke, the remaining three no longer hesitated.
The three spoke in unison—
"Ling Jiu welcomes the Princess!"
"Qing Yan welcomes the Princess!"
"Qing Ze welcomes the Princess!"
The eight hundred Demon Guards also knelt uniformly and said in chorus, "Subordinates welcome the Princess!"
In the Zichen Palace, a group knelt before Mu Qingge. Her clear gaze lightly skimmed over them, finally landing on Gu Ya, "When shall we meet the others?"
"Princess, we still need the palace Imperial Physician to examine you," Gu Ya softly reminded.
His soft voice wasn’t too subtle either. As soon as his words were uttered, hundreds of eyes stared directly at her flat abdomen.
Even Mu Qingge, thick-skinned as she was, felt somewhat embarrassed under such scrutiny. She quietly withdrew a hand and placed it in front to block her abdomen.
Afterwards, she spoke calmly to Gu Ya, "Mm, you make the arrangements then."
Gu Ye promptly said, "Princess, let me first lead you to the rear hall to await the Imperial Physician."
Mu Qingge nodded and then looked at the kneeling crowd, saying to them, "All of you may rise." Having said that, she followed Gu Ye away.
Gu Ya quickly went to find the Imperial Physician, leaving the eight hundred Demon Guards and Four Great Vassals in the Zichen Palace.
Having met their mistress, the eight hundred Demon Guards dispersed each to their duties, guarding the interior and exterior of the Zichen Palace. The Four Great Vassals, however, did not leave; they remained in the Zichen Palace waiting.
Waiting for what?
Naturally waiting for the Imperial Physician’s examination results.
The four stood in the hall, exchanging glances.
Qing Ze said, "This Princess seems to be more formidable than we imagined."
Qing Yan nodded, "At present, she shows some presence against us, but we’ll see if she can maintain it when facing those tigers, leopards, and wolves later. If she ends up crying out of fear, that would be problematic."
"His Majesty’s personal affections, we have no right to interfere. If she truly is His Majesty’s woman, carrying His Majesty’s heir, whether or not she is a competent Princess, we must fully protect her," Ji Fu slowly said.
Ling Jiu sneered, "If she isn’t His Majesty’s woman, once His Majesty returns, I’ll definitely plead for permission to properly discipline her!"
Ji Fu glanced at him without speaking.
Soon, Gu Ya led a few Imperial Physicians from the Taixuan Ancient Palace inside; these Imperial Physicians were all highly qualified and just-minded individuals.
As soon as the Imperial Physicians entered, they bowed to the Four Great Vassals.
Then, the group proceeded grandly to the rear hall to prepare for Mu Qingge’s examination.
Upon entering the rear hall, Mu Qingge was casually flipping through books laid on the table. Although she couldn’t read the text, she could understand the illustrations on them.
They were diagrams of marching and formation, with hasty scribbles that looked like they were casually sketched by Si Mo when simulating strategies.
Gu Ye quietly attended to her side.
The arrival of the group naturally disrupted the tranquility in the rear hall.
The Four Great Vassals saw the booklet in Mu Qingge’s hand, their eyes gleamed with curiosity. In their knowledge, ordinary women wouldn’t be interested in such military strategy content.
They expected to find her curiously scrutinizing the hall’s decorations in an extravagant manner upon entering.
"Ministers, pay respects to the Princess."
The old Imperial Physicians bowed in unison.
Mu Qingge placed the booklet down and said to them, "Imperial Physicians, no need for formalities." Her demeanor was natural, without a trace of apprehension or panic at arriving in the Taixuan Ancient Palace.
Her composed stance made the old Imperial Physicians dare not underestimate her.
The old Imperial Physicians stood in place, waiting for her instructions.
Mu Qingge glanced at them and placed her wrist on the table, "Go ahead."
The old Imperial Physicians approached one after another to examine her pulse.
Once they had finished, they stepped back and conversed for a while before collectively addressing Mu Qingge, "Congratulations, Princess; the little prince in your womb is perfectly healthy."
Then, they informed the Four Great Vassals, "Indeed, the Princess has signs of pregnancy, about a year and a half along."
"A year and a half, which means she conceived shortly before His Majesty left," said Ling Jiu.
"Precisely," the old Imperial Physician affirmed.
"You all may leave," Ling Jiu waved them off.
They all knew that this news would quickly spread throughout the Taixuan Ancient Palace and even the entire Taixuan Demon Realm.
After the old Imperial Physicians left, Mu Qingge lowered her eyes, tidying her sleeves without acknowledging the four of them.
She believed that once the old Imperial Physicians spread the news that she was pregnant with Si Mo’s child, those who harbored ill intentions would soon appear before her.
Then, she would deal with them one by one, or two at a time if necessary, until everything was settled!
Once the situation here was stabilized, she needed to quickly head to the Ancient Insect Abyss to search for clues regarding Si Mo’s whereabouts.
...
"What did you say? They really found a woman? And they claim she bears the King’s bloodline in her womb? That’s impossible!"
An enraged female voice came from within the building.
Her tone was a mix of fury, reluctance, and a thick, unyielding resentment.
She had hoped and waited for thousands of years, believing she would become the mistress of the Mountain and Sea Palace. Now, a woman of unknown origin appeared and easily obtained everything she desired?
"Vassal Lord, please calm down! Not only do you not believe it, but the other Vassal Lords won’t easily believe it either. Once we see that woman in the hall tomorrow, the Vassal Lord can expose her," her maid consoled her.
Yet, she still felt an unbearable fury in her heart.
Although she publicly acted as if she didn’t care about status or position, pretending to wish only to accompany the King, her dream was always to enter the Mountain and Sea Palace, become its sole mistress, and enjoy the King’s exclusive favor.
Now, a woman suddenly appears, carrying the King’s child!
This was a blatant insult to her!
"I won’t let this child be born! Absolutely not!" Yan Ya’s beautiful face twisted with rage, and her inner hostility continued to rise. ’This is a good opportunity; with the King absent, I can make both the woman and the child in her womb disappear!’
Thinking so, a sharp glimmer appeared in her eyes.
...
The Taixuan Ancient Palace, the symbol of the ruler in the Taixuan Demon Realm.
The King’s woman suddenly appeared with a child in her womb. This news reached the ears of various Vassal Lords in just one day.
However, only sixteen Vassal Lords were qualified to enter the Taixuan Ancient Palace and meet this ’King’s woman’.
Among them, seven were stationed on remote borders and couldn’t leave their duties without royal orders. Of the remaining nine, Mu Qingge had already met four. Today, she needed to meet the remaining five.
Among them, four were, according to Gu Ya and Gu Ye, the most troublesome, and she needed to intimidate them.
The remaining one was a woman.
The only female Vassal Lord in the Taixuan Demon Realm!
In the Zichen Palace, Mu Qingge went through the information Gu Ye and the others had brought her. The main focus was on intelligence concerning the five people she was to meet today.
"To think she became a Vassal Lord as the sole heir of her clan..." Mu Qingge looked at the female Vassal Lord’s profile, her lips curving slightly.
Upon hearing of this female Vassal Lord, she initially thought she would be a fierce female general.
But it turned out she rose to her position simply because her family had no sons to succeed.
"Yan Ya..." Mu Qingge muttered under her breath, raising an eyebrow as she spoke to herself, "The name is quite nice."
Gu Ye, standing by her side, seemed to want to say something upon hearing her murmurs but ultimately lowered his eyes silently.
At that moment, Gu Ya walked in from outside, saluting Mu Qingge with a fist to his chest, "Princess, they are all waiting in the Desolate Hall."
At last, those who were meant to come had arrived!
Mu Qingge raised her eyes, a cold light flashing in her clear gaze.
Placing the intelligence in her hand down, she stood up, lightly brushed her clothes, clasped her hands behind her back, and spoke to the two people beside her, "Let’s go."
As she stepped out of the Zichen Palace towards the Desolate Hall, a hundred Demon Guards followed closely behind, with an older Palace Maid leading the way ahead. They proceeded majestically toward the grand hall.
Along the way, Mu Qingge softly asked Gu Ya, "Have there been any messages from the Ancient Insect Abyss?"
Gu Ya slowly shook his head.
’Still no news of Si Mo?’ A trace of disappointment flashed in Mu Qingge’s eyes, a hint of anxiety in her heart. She was eager to rush to the Ancient Insect Abyss herself to bring Si Mo back.
The Desolate Hall, solemn and dignified.
The nine individuals formed two lines, standing left and right.
Yan Ya, the only female Vassal Lord in the Demon Realm, had to stand at the end of one line, due to her rank.
Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, twisted with frustration, her gaze flickering repeatedly to the high throne, while she waited, envied, and seethed with anger.
The person in front of her glanced across at Ling Jiu and the other four, and asked, "The King has always been disinterested in women, even sending away the young and beautiful maids from the palace. How could a woman suddenly appear?"
Ling Jiu let out a cold snort, his face, as handsome as a demon’s, turned away, seeming uninterested in responding.
His attitude caused the Vassal Lord who asked to frown, his brows filling with hostility.
Ji Fu slowly spoke, "How can the affairs of the King be something we can fathom?"
This ambiguous answer clearly did not satisfy the other party.
However, just as he was about to continue questioning, a high-pitched shout came from outside the hall, "The Princess has arrived!"
