Memories of the PalaceCh49 - What is the Worst That Can Happen?

Content Warning: Mentions of the misc**riage, not graphic detail.

“Moth–Mama, truthfully, I am well.” vrqdxC

Jin Xiyan put on a smile that he hoped would reassure Li Yuyan. He had a sneezing fit earlier today, and given Meimei’s propensity for over-worrying, she summoned her immediately. It was inevitable that Li Yuyan would be called over given the news he tried to spread that he could be pregnant. He had just hoped to hold off on it a little bit longer.

Li Yuyan didn’t look convinced. She pulled the thicker winter robe that had been draped over his shoulders tighter. “Though I confirmed you are not pregnant, it is getting colder. You must take care of yourself.”

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She crossed the fabric over and smoothed her hands down Jin Xiyan’s front then back up. One hand rested on his shoulder, while the other stroked his hair away from his face. Her frown deepened before she pinched his ear tightly.

“How could you tell such a bold lie to the Emperor? In front of members of the Court?!” 5dLCJD

“Ow!” He hissed in protest, but he knew better than to resist. Does this Mother not know her own son?! Truthfully, all the Li’s were a mischievous bunch. She had to have known this when she married into the Li family?! “I have fibbed before!”

“Not like this! You know very well that you have not had a heat since then.”

“Since?–” Jin Xiyan cut himself off when a sudden pain shook his heart.

Since…the miscarriage. A hollow feeling spread across his stomach – no, lower… Jin Xiyan placed a hand over his belly where the emptiness was the deepest. The instinct to touch there startled Jin Xiyan for a moment, but the longer he sat like that, the more it made sense.

He hung his head to look down at his hand. This body belongs to him, surely it contains its own memories. It was obvious Li Changyu had Jin Xiyan’s headaches, and during the attack on the camp, the more Jin Xiyan fought, the more fluid the motions felt. Jin Xiyan squeezed the fabric of his robe into a tight fist, his eyes closing. Is this how he feels?

“Did you paint this?”

Li Yuyan’s question brought Jin Xiyan back to the present moment. He lifted his head and blinked at her, then looked towards where she was pointing. Hanging to dry was a painting he had finished when he arrived. He hoped the activity would calm him down, as he found it hard to sleep.

“A-ah…” At first, he did not know how to answer. Did Li Changyu paint? Ultimately, he said, “…yes.” 9We tZ

Li Yuyan stood up and went over to the stand that Jin Xiyan had hung it on for it to finish drying. She tilted her head, her critical gaze scanning over it before it drifted back to Jin Xiyan. She crooked a brow.

“Why did you paint yourself?”

It was Jin Xiyan’s turn to cant his head in confusion. He furrowed his brows and looked back at his own work.

The painting was of a landscape; short, lush grass that was the bed for a lovely garden. Flowers bloomed along a stone path to a large pool of crystalline water. In the center was a tall plum blossom tree alight with vibrant pink and red petals that cascaded down in a soft shower to the ground at the base of its trunk. The thick, proud trunk moved up and leaned just a bit, supporting two large branches that were the root for many other smaller ones. YxgwkP

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Sitting on one of the thick branches was a youth in black martial robes. One leg hung over the edge, while the other was bent at the knee. His face was tilted up towards the sky and slightly away from the viewer. His posture was full of leisure, like a cat at rest. His hair, though pulled back into a stern tail, flowed freely like it was caught in the wind. The features were something he did not work on just yet, but there was an obvious smile on the figure. It appeared that he was smiling at the flower that was blowing into an outstretched hand.

The creases in his brow deepend the longer he stared. Did I accidentally draw Li Changyu? It was something perfectly rational, he reassured himself. He had been thinking of Li Changyu, and the events of the past few days were enough to keep him close in mind.

By the time he reached that conclusion, Li Yuyan grabbed the painting by the edge and began to furiously roll it up. The scene was all too familiar – his Emperor Father often felt his time was wasted in painting and that he had more important things to focus on. His shock was tempered by the tears in her eyes that clung to her lashes.

“Do not draw yourself in a tree. It is inauspicious,” she scolded and placed the rolled up painting into her bag. xiFRa4

Jin Xiyan lowered his head and let out an obedient, “…Yes, Mo–Mama.”

Still with her hands on her bag, Li Yuyan sighed. She carried it with her back to the bed and sat beside Jin Xiyan again. She pulled out two identical, fat little vials; one had a red stopper, and the other was the blue stopper.

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“I wanted to address any possible infertility issues after you divorced His Majesty,” she began.

Jin Xiyan’s heart hardened. Again with this talk of divorce. He was the Ruler of all things under Heaven. Did they really think he would ever let go so easily? wAzoup

“These two can help trick the Emperor–”

“Mama, honestly, His Majesty is understanding–”

“Or they can help you trick the court.” Her matronly glare was enough to cut off Jin Xiyan’s words. He quieted down, and she continued. She held up the bottle with the blue first, “These pills are an aphrodisiac that can produce a false heat. Some physicians think it may be used to help treat fertility issues, but there has not been much concrete evidence.” Next was the red one, “This one can fake pregnancy symptoms. This one is more dangerous, as it is slightly more toxic, so be mindful of when it is appropriate to take it. Do so only when you absolutely must.”

He stared at the bottles then took them from her. He continued to examine them as he asked, “Mama, do you really suspect that I am infertile?” q7RkOQ

Shen Pei nor Li Changyu had made any mention of this. Granted, it appeared they wanted to leave him in the dark about this. Instead of focusing on how to punish Li Changyu for daring to keep such an important thing that affected his health from him, Jin Xiyan decided to put all his effort into helping. He was the steward of his Wife’s body now, so of course he would take responsibility.

“You have not had any heats the past few months.”

He nodded. As far as he knew, he had not had a heat since he occupied Li Changyu’s body. From how Li Yuyan spoke, the same was true before the switch.

“And you have been sleeping with that asshole?” UmRTl2

The casual way she cursed him and mentioned having sex in the same sentence made Jin Xiyan blush. His ears grew red and he quickly denied it by shaking his head, “N-no…”

“Your Father said you were in his favor!”

“I am!” Jin Xiyan put the vials down on his lap and hunched his shoulders. “It is…well…what we do is…just talk.”

Li Yuyan crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at him. Jin Xiyan felt even smaller. gNwH84

“We talk and are on familiar terms with one another,” he explained. That was partially true – they were plotting a counter attack against their enemy. “My Emperor Husband is not sharing a bed with anyone else. How is that not me being in His Majesty’s favor?”

Ha! He sat up a bit more confidently. That was one point for him!

Li Yuyan didn’t look like she agreed, but she did not voice any opinion to that. Instead, she sighed, “Without you sleeping together, it is hard to determine if it is a physical issue or a mental block.”

“Mental block?” eNSc8x

“En. The poison did affect your body, but you are young and strong. It’s possible for your body to recover, and maybe the medicine may help that. But if it is a mental block, it is your body and heart rejecting him. It is unlikely you could be pregnant unless you overcome it.”

Jin Xiyan mulled this information over. Did Li Changyu have a knot in his heart so tight that it would make his body sick? There were plenty of reasons for it, and they barely had time to process that they had switched bodies. It was difficult to gauge how Li Changyu really felt because he kept things and would brush things off with a joke.

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“Mama…” Jin Xiyan rubbed his hands together to idle them while asking as innocently as possible, “If you were in my position, what sort of things would help put me– I mean his Majesty – in my heart again?”

“If I was in your shoes I would have made him impotent a long time ago.” 90xtli

“Achoo!” Jin Xiyan’s sudden sneeze wracked his whole body. It alarmed even Li Yuyan and she fussed over him again and dabbed at his nose with a cloth. Ignoring the sudden twinge of panic that affected his nether regions, Jin Xiyan pushed her hand away and laughed nervously. “S-seriously, Mama…what does Papa do that pleases you?”

“Well…” she paused as she lowered her hand. “Papa is always very considerate. When we first met, he would sneak out of the camp he was stationed in and help me collect herbs for the medical tents.” He nodded and gestured for her to continue. “He listens to me about my day. Since retiring, he will go on walks with me. The way he dotes on you and our sons, including Li Julong, all make me happy.”

“So…if I – the Emperor – does these sort of things, do you think that would help?”

“Ha!” Li Yuyan snorted out a laugh that was all too much like Li Changyu’s. “Him? Take you for a walk, or do any labor?” XcuxUr

Does my body look frail or sluggish!? His ears grew even hotter, and a retort was on the tip of his tongue but he swallowed it back down when an idea struck him.

“What if he gives me the Phoenix Seal?”

Li Yuyan blinked, “Why would he give you the Seal?”

“So I can be the head of the Harem.” Jin Xiyan waved an arm around to indicate to the room, “My living conditions could be better, and…” Now his mind really ran with the idea. “And I could have my salary reinstated, more freedom! And no one would dare bully me if I had it in my posession.” sLe5GD

This plan was genius. He was the Emperor after all, and if Li Changyu could draft sneaky decrees, he could very well do the same! He would announce a public edict where Li Changyu would be awarded the Phoenix Seal, much to the disappointment of others, but he would do whatever it took to change Li Changyu’s heart. He could see it now…

“Your Majesty, this is so considerate!” Li Changyu pressed his lips against Jin Xiyan’s temple. He held onto Jin Xiyan by wrapping his arms around his shoulders. “Look at how happy you have made my people, and the tigers will have plenty of food! Please allow this Wife to show gratitude…”

“—Changyu. Changyu!”

“Hm?” His imagination bubble popped. “O-oh, ah…where was I? The Phoenix Seal, yes!” He nodded resolutely. “Mother–Mama, do not worry. This child will take care of my body and I am sure His Majesty will assist me.” D9t3O8

Li Yuyan stared blankly at her Son. There was something to be said that a Mother knows their child, and she had an inkling feeling that something was amiss. She couldn’t quite place it, and it was not as if Li Changyu had struck his head when he fell out of the tree. Symptoms of that would have happened much, much earlier. She leaned forward and met her Son’s gaze, staring intently into his eyes. The corners of his lips turned down, making his lips pout slightly. It tugged on her heart to see the worried expression on his face. Pulling back, she shook her head. What was she doing, thinking her Son had changed? He still looked like the little boy she held in her arms for so long.

“It is getting closer to the afternoon.” She gathered her things together into her bag and she tidied up a bit. “Remember what I told you, and only take the medicine when absolutely necessary.”

“En.”

He got up, despite Li Yuyan’s insistence that he remain seated, and bowed to her before she left. He strode over to the dresser with the large bronze mirror on it and set the vials down on top of it. He traced a finger over the one with the red stopper. 76gIke

These will give me pregnancy symptoms…But they were more toxic, he remembered. Though he made a big proclamation that he might be pregnant, he did not necessarily have to fake it just yet. Although… His eyes slid over to the bottle’s twin and he tapped the end of the stopper with his index finger.

If Li Changyu’s infertility could be resolved with this medicine…would that not be more worthwhile?

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Jin Xiyan was not an idiot. He knew what heats were and had witnessed more than a few. They did not look all that terrible, and it was just a simple thing to endure for the sake of his Wife’s health. Besides, he grinned to himself, what if he did get pregnant?

He knew that he would have to make sure he was the only one in Li Changyu’s heart first, which he would start to do right away. If Jin Xiyan were also able to cure Li Changyu’s body, that meant if – no, he reminded himself, when – when they switched back, he could make his move. Even if Li Changyu harbored the tiniest bit of an idea of divorce, he absolutely could not if he was pregnant! Jin Xiyan clapped his hands together triumphantly. 6fxB9m

At the same time the tigers, Jianxian and Xiaoyao, watched from the window which was slightly ajar. They were big enough that their rounded ears and big eyes could peek over the windowsill. They also had grown accustomed to their strange new Master, which they knew was not their real one. They could tell just by the look on this Master’s face that he was scheming something, but sadly, they were just tigers and could not read minds. They could only mutter to themselves, stupid boy.

Dear Reader, it is known that Li Changyu was best on the battlefield. However, he grew up with a Physician, and he knew his Mother’s medicine. If given a vial, he would know to take only one pill at a time, because that is how she always administered medicine. Even Li Jiuxing, who was not that bright, knew this. When Li Yuyan handed these vials over, she thought that the real Li Changyu was the one to receive them, so why would she think to explain herself?

Jin Xiyan took the blue stopper off the vial and poured out its contents into his hand. Three carefully crafted pills fell into his palm. There was the slightest bit of hesitation, a nagging voice at the back of Jin Xiyan’s brain telling him to consider taking two instead of all three, but he told that voice that his Wife’s health was at stake. He cupped the hand towards his mouth and dry swallowed the three sweet coated pills all at once.

ScbFoI