Chapter 28: This is Absolutely Explosive!
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Although the Empress had dearly wanted to wedge herself between Lin Yue and the Empress Dowager, the older woman gave her no opportunity and sent her straight back to the palace.
That evening, the Empress Dowager did not return to Shoukang Palace either. Claiming that she missed her son, she stayed the night with Lin Yue in Songyue Hall.
Just before bed, the Empress Dowager said she was thirsty.
Lin Yue prepared a bottle of nutritional supplement for her and only extinguished the lamp after watching her drink it.
Unexpectedly, after sleeping for a while, the Empress Dowager began rustling about, making noises that carried through the darkness.
Thinking that the Empress Dowager was merely unused to the bed, Lin Yue got up to light the lamp. To her surprise, the Empress Dowager suddenly asked, “What are you doing?”
“I saw that you weren’t sleeping well, so I thought I’d light the lamp and help you back to your room.”
“Don’t!” the Empress Dowager hurriedly protested. “I’m not sleeping badly. I’m…”
Lin Yue still lit the lamp a little, thinking, Could it be that the nutritional supplement has filled her with energy and made her unable to sleep?
She regretted it a little. If she had known, she would not have given it to the Empress Dowager so quickly.
The next instant, the lamp flared to life.
The Empress Dowager was holding up her own breasts, her face filled with embarrassment and distress.
“They were flat before, but now they seem to have filled out.
“Alas, the late emperor is already dead. Who am I supposed to show them to now?”
Lin Yue: “…”
What an explosive development!
[I gave you a nutritional supplement, not a bust-enhancement pill!]
Then she felt her own chest. She did not seem to notice much of a difference.
How had the Empress Dowager’s… become so much fuller?
“Ahem.”
“Mother, this may just be a temporary side effect. It should return to normal in a couple of days.”
The Empress Dowager lay down, unwillingly touching herself twice more before murmuring, “They seem to feel even better than before.”
Lin Yue: “…”
Please, stop talking!
“Go to sleep. Once you wake up, it’ll be fine.” Lin Yue decisively extinguished the lamp.
But the Empress Dowager continued from the other side, speaking in fits and starts.
“I must be dreaming. The old immortal appeared in my dream and said he would make me ten years younger.”
“Yes, that must be it.”
“Boo-hoo-hoo, my late husband, why did you have to leave so soon?”
“Goodness, I’m already a great-grandmother. How can I still have breasts?”
Lin Yue: “…”
[System, let me die!]
System: [That is what nutritional supplements do. They rapidly replenish whatever nutrients the body is lacking. So you understand.]
Lin Yue lowered her head and glanced at her own chest.
So it had always been this small?
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It was the same nutritional supplement, yet tonight she had been completely outdone by a fifty-year-old grandmother?
[No, I don’t understand!]
System: […]
When Lin Yue went to sleep, she hugged her little mirror tightly, venting her thoughts in misery.
[Boo-hoo-hoo… my breasts are so small.]
Far away at the frontier, Xiao Jingyun’s cheeks suddenly flushed.
When they had married, he had not wanted to wrong her and had intended to consummate their marriage. Later, she had been unwilling, so he let the matter go.
But he had seen them. They were not small.
So… what exactly was she worrying about?
Besides, even if they were small, he would not despise her for it!
Before he realized it, Xiao Jingyun found himself wanting to return to the capital.
The night was still, all soundless beneath the heavens, while the campfire burned softly.
Xiao Jingyun walked out and asked the officer on watch, “Are the Tatars still stockpiling provisions?”
“Yes. Not a single passing merchant caravan has survived. They were all killed.
“They have even been stealing the herds of the nomads. It seems they intend to wait until winter and then launch an attack.”
Xiao Jingyun nodded. Their own military supplies were still on the road. Waiting to fight them head-on was not impossible, but it would leave them far too passive.
He had to think of a way to end this great war before winter arrived.
…
Tan Liangyuan had been beaten, and the Crown Princess was delighted.
At daybreak, she took her son to Songyue Hall, intending to spend some time chatting with Lin Yue.
Instead, she saw the Empress Dowager standing before a full-length mirror, examining herself from every angle. One moment she tugged at her belt; the next she pulled at her collar.
“Crown Princess, how do you think this outfit compares with what I usually wear?”
The Crown Princess looked her over. Today, the Empress Dowager was dressed in a dark blue-green brocade cloak woven with gold. It was magnificent, dignified, and elegant—very beautiful indeed.
As for what was different from usual, there did not seem to be much at first. But as the Crown Princess’s gaze slowly moved upward, she noticed that the dark spots on the Empress Dowager’s cheeks had faded considerably. Her cheekbones were no longer as prominent as before, and her face looked full, youthful, and radiant. Even her wrinkles had diminished.
The Crown Princess exclaimed in surprise, “Grandmother, you look younger!”
“How beautiful! No wonder Grandfather had only one empress his entire life. You are simply too beautiful.”
The Empress Dowager laughed happily and rolled up her sleeves, revealing skin that was fair and delicate.
It was as smooth and lustrous as white jade, enough to make anyone envious.
Even as a woman, the Crown Princess could not help feeling jealous.
In astonishment, she asked, “Did you take some miraculous elixir?”
Sitting not far away, Lin Yue nodded inwardly.
[Yes, I did. I gave it to you. Surprised? Delighted?]
The Crown Princess: “…”
The Empress Dowager happily said, “Don’t talk nonsense. I merely feel more energetic than usual, so my face appears a little more radiant.”
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Lin Yue: [More than a little. I’ve already watched you change outfits several times this morning. Those legs are so fair and long, and your skin is so delicate…]
[tsk, tsk, I actually can’t compare. I’m going into seclusion.]
The Crown Princess nearly laughed, biting her lip to hold it back.
Her aunt-in-law sounded so pitiful.
The Empress Dowager also reined herself in at the right moment, though she still felt that something was strangely uncomfortable around her chest. How had her clothes suddenly become so tight?
“Ah…”
“This is so annoying. These breasts make it impossible to dress properly.”
Lin Yue: “…”
The Crown Princess: “…”
Just as the Empress Dowager had finished fussing over her clothes, Chief Steward Deng arrived to announce that Prince An and his wife had entered the palace to pay their respects.
The Crown Princess said to Lin Yue, “Your second sister-in-law is very interesting too. You’ll understand once you meet her.”
Lin Yue: “Heh.”
[Interesting is putting it mildly. This couple deceives each other, loves and fights each other, and eventually joins forces to deal with that old bastard Huo Renli. They really are a pair of bickering lovers.]
The Crown Princess: “…”
Could such things really have happened?
“They have a very good relationship.”
Lin Yue: “Mm.” [Of course they do. They deceive each other.]
The Crown Princess: “They grew up together.”
Lin Yue: “Mm.” [Which is why they can barely stand the sight of each other.]
The Crown Princess: “They’ve been married for two years.”
Lin Yue: “Mm.” [Then why don’t they have any children? Is it because they don’t like each other?]
The Crown Princess: “Er… you’ll understand once you meet them.”
Lin Yue: “Heh. All right.” [They’re just two great actors, putting on a show to see who can perform better.]
The Crown Princess: “…”
She suddenly realized that hearing her aunt-in-law’s inner thoughts could reveal so many fascinating secrets.
Her second brother and his wife had actually been pretending to be an affectionate couple all this time!
Wow!
She would have to observe them closely and see how the two of them could act like a loving married couple for two whole years while naturally managing not to have a child.
Could it be that they were incapable of having children?