Chapter 536: Chapter 27: Empress Dowager’s Traveling Palace

A few days later, they arrived at Wutai Mountain.

Lin Xiruo weakly smiled as her feet touched the ground.

"Next time, I’ll never take a boat again; it made me seasick to death."

Hearing this, Lin Wanyi couldn’t help but feel heartbroken.

Originally, the welcoming party had been waiting for them, but upon seeing her daughter’s condition, Lin Wanyi directly said,

"Let’s rest for a few days, let Xiruo recover a bit, and then we’ll set off."

The Emperor agreed with this and immediately had people prepare the post station.

Prince Pei and his wife, along with the Third Princess, stayed by Lin Xiruo’s side, all looking worried.

In January, Lin Xiruo had been as round as a jade, but now her face had become sharp and thin.

No one knew how many times she had vomited and how much she had suffered over the past few days.

Fortunately, they had an Imperial Physician traveling with them, and Lin Xiruo herself had some medical knowledge, so rest and recovery were not a problem.

Upon arriving at the post station, she quickly took some mild medicine that wouldn’t upset her stomach and slept deeply for almost two days, finally catching her breath.

The first thing she did when she woke up was to eat.

She was so hungry that everything tasted delicious.

Lin Wanyi kept saying, "Slow down, slow down," afraid she would choke just as she was recovering.

After drinking half a bowl of soup, Lin Xiruo fully regained her senses.

She smiled and said,

"Mother, I’m sorry for worrying you. It’s my fault."

"Don’t say that; you’ve studied medicine with your second aunt for so many years, yet you didn’t realize you’re pregnant. It’s simply..."

Before Lin Wanyi could finish, Lin Xiruo interrupted her, pouting.

"Hehe, they say doctors don’t treat themselves. If I had known I was pregnant earlier, I would have gone back to Yunzhou with my husband instead of traveling all the way here to suffer, sigh..."

Hearing her say this, Lin Wanyi couldn’t help but swallow her words of reproach.

She could only comfort her, saying,

"The child is still small, don’t worry, just rest well. When your sixth brother was in my belly, he didn’t have an easy time either. Look at him now, isn’t he lively like a dragon? Just relax."

"Got it."

Lin Xiruo gently touched her still-flat belly. She truly hadn’t expected to be pregnant at this time, but it was normal since she had been married for some time.

Thinking of how worried her husband would be if he knew the news, she pleaded with Lin Wanyi,

"Mother, please don’t let Brother Chuang know about this, or he’ll nag me endlessly."

She was always so coquettish that no one could resist.

Lin Wanyi had no choice but to agree to keep it a secret for now.

However, if she continued with the tour to the south, it certainly wouldn’t be feasible.

It seemed she would have to stay in the traveling palace on Wutai Mountain and rely on the Empress Dowager’s care for a while.

Otherwise, with the grueling travel, she wouldn’t be able to bear it!

Lin Xiruo was smart enough to know that her plans for the southern tour were now dashed, so she sighed and said,

"I can only visit Eldest Sister next time."

"You!"

Lin Wanyi was helpless, so she devoted herself to caring for her.

Princess Pei and the Third Princess took turns accompanying her, and after four to five days, Lin Xiruo had largely recovered.

Pregnancy isn’t an illness; ten days or half a month and it’s fine.

It was only a matter of careful nurturing, so once they saw Lin Xiruo’s health improve, they set off for the traveling palace at Wutai Mountain.

It was much better there than at the post station.

Lin Xiruo’s pregnancy could be more comfortably managed.

Fortunately, the post station wasn’t far from the traveling palace.

The group set off in the morning and arrived by dusk.

The Empress Dowager had received news of their visit, though she wasn’t aware that Lin Xiruo’s pregnancy had caused a delay at the post station, so she assumed they had arrived as scheduled.

Hearing the commotion outside, she smiled at Nanny Wen beside her.

"They’ve arrived."

The Empress Dowager was over seventy years old now.

But she didn’t appear aged; instead, she looked more gentle and kind.

Thanks to many years of meditation here, away from court and worldly disputes, she seemed much more relaxed.

Thus, she carried the ethereal air befitting someone who had been in retreat.

Nanny Wen helped her walk out the door, and they soon saw the Emperor and others.

The Emperor and Lin Wanyi stepped forward and knelt in greeting, speaking with slightly moist eyes,

"Your children greet Mother, wishing you peace."

The others, including Prince Pei, also greeted the Empress Dowager respectfully, saying,

"Grandchildren and granddaughters greet Grand Empress Dowager, wishing you peace."

"Alright, alright, stand up, don’t be so formal."

The Empress Dowager spoke with joy.

Living here for a long time, she didn’t have many opportunities to be with her children and grandchildren.

Previously, Eldest Princess Ming Ruo would come from Lushan Academy about three or five times a year specifically to accompany her.

But now, Ming Ruo was tied up with children and the affairs of the women’s academy, so coming once a half-month a year was good.

However, Hui Xian’s children often remembered her, and since their homes were near Wutai Mountain, they frequently visited.

So, seeing so many people suddenly brought joy to her heart. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Her once "iron-hearted" nature had long turned into loving kindness in her old age, and the well-being of her descendants was her heart’s wish.

Spotting some new faces, the Empress Dowager beckoned to Prince Pei and his wife.

The two quickly approached her.

"Alright, you’re a good child. Since you’re married now, you must look out for each other and live well, understand?"

"Thank you, Grand Empress Dowager, for your guidance."

"Yes, I’ve prepared some gifts for you, make sure to take them with you when you leave, understood?"

Princess Pei was a bit taken aback, but Prince Pei was unabashedly cheerful.

He grinned and said,

"Grand Empress Dowager’s gifts are certainly wonderful; I’ll surely take good care of them."

He was much more lively compared to his childhood, undoubtedly due to spending a lot of time playing with the Crown Prince.

But his enthusiasm pleased the Empress Dowager.

Then she looked toward others, and when her gaze landed on Lin Xiruo, she frowned slightly.

"Did you have a bumpy ride? Your complexion isn’t very good."

Lin Xiruo was even more endearing than Prince Pei and immediately said tenderly,

"You truly care for me, Grand Empress Dowager; I’ll have to rely on you for a while."

The Empress Dowager appeared puzzled, and Lin Wanyi stepped forward to explain to her.

"Mother, Xiruo is two months pregnant; she only found out on the journey and was terribly seasick, so she cannot continue with the southern tour and must trouble you with her care."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager’s eyes lit up instantly.

The five peaks of Wutai Mountain towering high over the clouds, with no forests on the tops, resemble mud-built terraces, hence the name Wutai.