I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 161

< Congratulations! Pregnancy 1 >

As Royal Physician Tae announced the pregnancy, everyone was startled and knelt down.

“Your Majesty, congratulations!”

But the most surprised person was none other than Yang Ryeo-cheong.

She was told that everything would be fine as long as she did what Royal Physician Tae told her to do. But suddenly, pregnancy?

She was confused.

How could she be pregnant when the Emperor’s seed was weak? Could it be that a baby miraculously appeared?

Or is Royal Physician Tae lying now?

As this confusion was clearly revealed on her face, everyone smiled and said.

“Your Majesty, it is a joyous occasion. It is not a dream.”

A woman who has not been able to have children for a while would surely have the same expression as Yang Ryeo-cheong now upon hearing the news of her first pregnancy.

“Royal… Royal Physician. Is it really… a fetus?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The two of us have confirmed it and are of the same opinion, so it is certain.”

Royal Physician Tae’s voice was still trembling. This, too, sounded like a joyful sound to others.

“What are you doing? We must quickly inform His Majesty of this auspicious news!”

Hong-yeon shouted at the eunuch, and one of the eunuchs ran out like the wind.

The eunuch who goes to inform the Emperor will grab people he meets and inform them of the news of Consort Yang’s pregnancy, and the news will spread throughout the entire Inner Court in an instant.

Soon, there will be an overflow of eyes peeking into Haan Palace, and concubines who cannot believe the miraculous news will come running to confirm it themselves.

Hong-yeon and the three women who were Jo Gwang-yun’s henchmen were surprised and nervous about the news of Yang Ryeo-cheong’s pregnancy.

You never know what women blinded by jealousy and envy might do. It is the duty of the three women to prevent their dangerous acts.

* * *

The eunuch who left Haan Palace arrived at the Inner Palace in one breath.

After catching his breath, he whispered to the eunuch guarding the entrance of the main hall.

“Consort Yang is pregnant with a fetus. The Royal Physician has confirmed it.”

The eyes of the Inner Palace eunuch widened.

“What? Consort Yang? Is it true?”

“It is certain. Please inform His Majesty quickly.”

“Okay. You wait here.”

The Inner Palace eunuch carefully stepped into the main hall and walked along the wall on tiptoe, lest he make a sound.

The Chief Eunuch, who was standing next to the Emperor, discovered the sight and approached him with hurried steps.

“What’s going on?”

When he told the news of Yang Ryeo-cheong in another whisper, the Chief Eunuch’s mouth dropped open.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am.”

The Chief Eunuch ran as if he was flying and reported to the Emperor with his mouth covered.

“Your Majesty. Consort Yang is said to be pregnant.”

The Emperor looked as if he was frozen, except that his eyes widened slightly.

At this sight, the court officials began to stir. Could it be that something bad happened to the imperial family?

“Is, is it true?”

“Yes, it is. The Royal Physician has examined her pulse and confirmed it.”

The officials were relieved to see the smile on the Chief Eunuch’s face, even though they did not know the details.

The Chief Eunuch would not smile while reporting bad news. The Emperor was surprised, but it must be good news.

The Emperor jumped up from the jade throne.

“I must end today’s morning assembly here. Consort Yang is said to be pregnant. Haha.”

The Emperor strode away from the main hall, and the officials shouted loudly at the Emperor’s back.

“Your Majesty. Congratulations!”

“It is a great blessing for the imperial family.”

Everyone bowed, but only one person stood stiffly with his mouth open. It was Wi Chung-hyeon.

It was fortunate that the Emperor turned his back and left, but if he had seen this sight, it would have been a great act of disloyalty.

Wi Chung-hyeon muttered like a man in a daze.

“This… this can’t be… How… how could that be…”

If the official standing next to him had not poked Wi Chung-hyeon in the waist, he did not know what words would have come out of his mouth.

“Minister Wi. Get a hold of yourself. You must be very surprised because it is such a joyous occasion after so long.”

Wi Chung-hyeon was startled. It would have been a disaster if he had continued to say that it could not be, or if someone had heard those words.

“Ah, I am an old man who is acting foolish because such a joyous occasion suddenly broke out. I was just thinking about how happy His Majesty would be… Haha.”

Wi Chung-hyeon showed a forced smile, and the officials were clearly excited.

Wi Chung-hyeon’s power, which was like an iron fortress, is beginning to shake. Like ripples in a calm lake, ripples will occur in the court.

Each of them diligently rolled their eyes and began to calculate which wave to ride.

The Emperor, who came out of the main hall, headed straight for Haan Palace, and the eunuch of Haan Palace ran madly, thinking that he should go and inform them before the Emperor arrived.

The eunuch who arrived at Haan Palace shouted, panting.

“His… His Majesty is… coming.”

Everyone, including the two Royal Physicians, ran outside, and Yang Ryeo-cheong also slowly walked out with Hong-yeon’s support.

The Emperor, who arrived at Haan Palace, shouted as soon as he saw Yang Ryeo-cheong.

“You scoundrels. What are you doing now? Why don’t you quickly take Consort Yang inside?”

Without even having time to greet the Emperor, they rushed back inside, and the Emperor said to the Royal Physicians prostrating on the floor.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Congratulations.”

“The two of us have confirmed it alternately. It is certain.”

It was a trembling voice, but it was a confident attitude.

“How long has she been pregnant?”

“It has been more than twenty days and less than a month.”

The Emperor’s eyes lit up.

“You found out early.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Today, Consort Yang reported that she had a severe cough, so I rushed over to examine her pulse.”

“What? A cough?”

“Yes. She has a cold. That is why I could not be sure of her pregnancy and repeatedly confirmed it.”

At the word cold, the Emperor hurriedly entered the palace.

Yang Ryeo-cheong was sitting on a chair and stood up abruptly when the Emperor entered.

“Your Majesty, this concubine…”

“What are you doing?”

The Emperor took Yang Ryeo-cheong to the bed.

“It’s okay, lie down. Pregnancy and a cold… What if something bad happens?”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor did not let go of her tightly held hand until Yang Ryeo-cheong lay down on the bed.

“Well done. You finally have a child. I have been waiting for this day, awake or asleep.”

“This concubine still cannot believe that I am pregnant with Your Majesty’s fetus.”

“You have to believe it since the two Royal Physicians have confirmed it. Haha.”

The Emperor burst into a pleasant laugh and said to the two Royal Physicians.

“Quickly prepare a decoction [herbal medicine]. You must get rid of the cold quickly.”

At the Emperor’s urging, the two Royal Physicians exchanged glances and cautiously opened their mouths.

“Your Majesty. The medicine to treat a cold is not suitable to use now.”

“What?”

“In the early stages of pregnancy, the energy of the medicine can have a bad effect on the fetus, so we must use another method.”

“What is that method?”

“It is the change of seasons now, and the dry weather continues. In this case, it is not easy to get rid of a cold. Therefore, the safest way is to go to a hot spring and stay there for about a month until the change of seasons is over. It is safest to use a decoction after a period of time while observing the condition.”

“Hot spring?”

The Chief Eunuch, who had only been listening from the side, opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty. There is a hot spring two days away by palanquin [covered litter or sedan chair].”

“I know that too. But would it be okay since it takes two days?”

“If the palanquin bearers are skilled and experienced, there will be almost no shaking.”

The Emperor paused for a moment and then opened his mouth again.

“Would a month be okay?”

“If Your Majesty gives the order, we will serve the Consort.”

“Of course! The Royal Physicians must go with you!”

As the words that were as good as permission fell, the two Royal Physicians inwardly sighed in relief.

If they had been prevented from leaving the palace, they would have committed an irreparable act, but they felt much lighter because it was proceeding according to Jo Gwang-yun’s plan.

“Chief Eunuch.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Prepare immediately so that Consort Yang can stay comfortably at the hot spring. Can we leave tomorrow?”

“I will do my best to ensure that there are no disruptions to Your Majesty’s orders.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong, who had been quietly closing her mouth and watching the situation, opened her mouth, carefully watching the Emperor’s mood.

“Your Majesty, a hot spring?”

“It is a place favored by the imperial family. It is also close, and the hot spring water quality is also top-notch. There is a detached palace called Seungdeok Palace there, so you will have no inconvenience staying there. It is a place that is always full of hot spring water vapor, so you don’t have to worry about the dry air.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong felt rewarded for her fake pregnancy just by the fact that she could soak her body in that precious hot spring water.

The Emperor smiled as he saw Yang Ryeo-cheong, who could not hide her liking.

“Do you like it that much?”

“Ah, no. This concubine has only heard of hot springs… I am just grateful for Your Majesty’s grace.”

“Just give birth in good health. From now on, just think about that.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Everyone who saw the Emperor’s smile was relieved for their own reasons.

* * *

“Your Majesty! The Queen!”

“What’s all the fuss?”

The Queen frowned, but the court lady’s fuss did not stop.

“Your Majesty, Yang… Consort Yang is… preg, pregnant.”

The Queen, who heard the news of Yang Ryeo-cheong’s pregnancy, reacted the same way as Wi Chung-hyeon.

“What? Pregnant? That… that can’t be…”

The Queen, who was getting up from her chair, turned white in her head and staggered.

“Your Majesty!”

The court ladies ran to support the Queen, and she had no choice but to sit back in her chair.

“Is, is it true?”

“Yes, it is. Two Royal Physicians have confirmed it, and His Majesty is now in Haan Palace.”

It can’t be. This is not a rumor, it is true. The Emperor can never have children.

The Queen calmed her pounding heart and checked again.

“Did the Royal Physician accurately examine her pulse?”

“Yes, she did. Today, Consort Yang coughed, so she hurriedly examined her pulse and found out that she was pregnant.”

“A cough?”

“Yes. She is said to have a cold.”

“A cold?”

The Queen’s eyes sparkled.

“How long has she been pregnant?”

“She said it has been twenty days.”

The Queen regained complete stability. She wanted to believe that the Royal Physician had made a mistake. She knows from experience that symptoms similar to a cold begin in the early stages of pregnancy. She also gets a fever and coughs often.

“How dare these things conspire from somewhere…!”

A pregnant woman receives the Emperor’s attention, and a woman who has a miscarriage receives the Emperor’s comfort.

The Queen began to suspect that Yang Ryeo-cheong and the Royal Physician might have been plotting such a scheme. Because in the early stages of pregnancy, there is a plausible excuse that she lost her child due to a severe cold.

“Take a couple of rolls of silk. I’m going to Haan Palace.”

The Queen was thinking of destroying the audacious things’ scheme at once.

* * *

“The Queen is here.”

The Queen’s steps seemed faster than the eunuch’s voice. The Queen, who entered the palace in an instant, slightly bent her knees in front of the Emperor.

“Your Majesty. Congratulations.”

“Oh, it seems the Queen has heard the news too.”

“Yes, she has. Consort Yang, it is truly a blessed thing. Isn’t it?”

The Queen gave words of blessing to Yang Ryeo-cheong with a benevolent smile.

“Your Majesty. Please forgive my impoliteness in greeting you from the bed.”

“No. Considering the fetus in your womb, you should definitely do that. It’s okay.”

The Queen said to the Emperor.

“I heard that Consort Yang has a bad cold?”

The two Royal Physicians, whose appearance was ominous, answered in trembling voices.

“Yes, she does. Thanks to that, we also found out about her pregnancy.”

The Queen smiled slightly at the Royal Physician’s words, and the Royal Physicians felt a chilling sensation.

“In the early stages of pregnancy, the body feels chilly and you cough. So, you might think it’s a cold. Consort Yang probably doesn’t have a cold. A woman who has had a child knows this better. Hoho.”

The Emperor’s face lit up.

“Oh, is that so? Then Consort Yang may not have a cold?”

“This concubine is not a doctor, so I cannot guarantee it. So, I sent a message to the Royal Physician’s office. The Chief Royal Physician will arrive soon, so it would be good to examine her pulse again.”

The Chief Royal Physician is the head of the Royal Physicians.

They were prostrate, so they were not caught, but the two Royal Physicians turned pale.

< Congratulations! Pregnancy 1 > End