"It's not that I'm unhappy," Su Jing said with a hint of grievance, crawling over and leaning into his arms, "I'm just worried. The whole set."

  Zong Zhengjin, as she crawled over, subtly protected her, letting her sit on his lap, listening to her muffled voice, and sighed inwardly, he naturally knew her concerns.

  Patted her back, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

  Su Jingxi always thought that the most touching words in the world were not "I love you", but rather "I am here with you". When you are lonely and helpless, exhausted and worn out, he will gently lean close to your ear and say "I am here".

  "This is my child, mine and yours, I want you to give birth to him safely and raise him healthily."

  "Yes, Your Majesty should love him as much as you love your concubines," Su Jing whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  Zong Zhengjin used his index finger to gently scratch her nose, "Hmmm, you can't cry again, or else the child will be born and also love to cry like you, what would we do then?"

  "Hmm," Su Jingxi expressed her dissatisfaction.

  It wasn't long before the news of Su Jing's pregnancy spread, and it immediately threw a shocking thunderbolt into the peaceful harem. Everyone's heart was like the suddenly changing weather, from originally expecting to becoming complicated and hard to express. Especially the emperor's performance, it was very clear that he had put this mother and child in his heart.

  Zong Zhengjin didn't care what the people in the harem thought, and soon issued an edict, promoting Zhen Ronghua to Xiurong, granting her residence in the main hall of Guanxu Palace, removing those flowing water-like rewards, and even specially dispatched two experienced wet nurses to reside in Guanxu Palace.

  Changchun Palace

  "Hmph, I'd like to see if Zhen Shuyong is also a blessed person who can withstand such great favor," Xian Fei thought to herself in anger after hearing the palace maid's report.

  Qing Yi stood to one side, "Just as Zhen Xiurong was found out to be pregnant, a heavy rain immediately fell, relieving the drought. It's said that it happened just as Zhang Taishou finished speaking."

  "That's enough," Xian Fei interrupted her, "Rumors are just rumors. The Emperor has placed an unborn child in such a high position, isn't he afraid of losing good fortune?"

  Qing Yi nodded and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

  "It's just like that, but now I'm pregnant, whether or not it can be born, and what kind of thing will be born, are all uncertain," said Xian Fei, initially angry, then calm.

  "That girl doesn't plan on..." The green-robed woman made a gesture. Latest chapter full text

  Xian Fei shook her head, "Let's wait and see for now. The Empress has just left, and the harem is unstable. Shu Gui Fei was busy investigating the palace maid in Zhi Xuan Garden a few days ago, which caused us to lose several informants. Now we have few people left, so we need to be careful before making our move."

  "I heard that Du Guiren is having a tough time now. Du Xiaoyi is convinced that her miscarriage was caused by Du Guiren's doing, and since she can't see her child, she has been tormenting Du Guiren every day. It's said that Du Guiren has lost several sizes in recent days."

  "It's good to have a scapegoat, let's just pretend we don't know, sisters turning against each other and resorting to cruel means, this reason is not bad," said Xian Fei casually.

  "The princess's words are indeed correct," said the green-clad maid in agreement.

  "The Empress is now worried about the matter of Guan Yu's palace, and always feels that it's not that simple." Xian Fei frowned, intuitively feeling that she had neglected something, but couldn't remember what it was. "Forget it, let's just spread the word for now. The Empress won't take action herself, there are plenty of others who will. Let's just add fuel to the fire for now."

  "Yes."

  Chonghua Palace

  "Your Ladyship, Zhen Ronghua is pregnant and has been promoted to Shu Rong," said Lü Gui, entering with a somewhat uneasy tone.

  The Empress Shu was sipping a cup of tea, and upon hearing this, she put down the teacup that was about to touch her lips on the table, "It has finally come to today."

  She had expected this day would come from the moment Su Jing entered the palace, and after she made her own decision, she thought that one day it would be like today.

  "Girl, don't be too heartbroken, Zhen Ronghua is only one month old, maybe..."

  "Lu Gui," Shu Guifei raised her voice and shouted, "The palace does not allow you to do these things, otherwise don't blame the palace for not cherishing the affection of over a decade."

  "I understand," Green Silk hastily knelt down on the ground, "I was wrong, it was I who thought wrongly."

  Although the princess is cold-faced, she has a kind heart and rarely does things that harm heaven and reason. Or it can be said that she disdains to use these means, and the only place where she really takes action is against the empress.

  "This palace remembers that there is still a thousand-year-old ginseng in the warehouse, and pick a few more supplements. You will send them to Guan Yu's palace personally later. Remember, don't let anyone take advantage of it."

  "Your Ladyship, a thousand-year-old ginseng is hard to come by, especially the kind in the warehouse that's so good. Why not..." Green Sash tried to persuade her to change her mind, but that ginseng was still the master's dowry gift.

  "This palace doesn't care, why are you so petty," Consort Shu sneered, "Since we're all giving gifts, we should give something that looks good. In the future, I'm afraid we'll have to see if others want them or not."

  Green silk nodded, "I understand, I'll go now."

  Cining Palace

  "The Empress Dowager stopped reciting her scriptures and remained kneeling on the cushion, asking: "You said that Guan Yu Gong's concubine really became pregnant?"

  Liu nodded, "Yes, I heard that when the imperial physician had just diagnosed Zhenxiu as pregnant, it suddenly started raining heavily outside. The emperor said that child is a blessed one."

  "Hmph, a blessed person?" The empress turned her Buddhist beads, saying disdainfully, "A child who doesn't even know if it can be born yet, what kind of blessed person is that?"

  "The Empress Dowager said," Liu Momo actually believed in her heart.

  She believes in Buddhism, perhaps when she was young, following the empress dowager to do many things that went against her conscience. Now that she's old, she instead wants to forgive and atone for her sins, so she has some faith in these gods and Buddhas.

  "Does Empress Dowager plan on..."

  The empress dowager closed her eyes, not seeing the expression on her face. "What can I do? The women in the harem would rather eat her alive, why should I soil my own hands?"

  "It's also true that those women can't calm down."

  "Hmm," the Empress Dowager responded, "But Meier should also come out now."

  Zhongxie Palace

  "Your Majesty, Zhen Ronghua has been found to be pregnant and has been promoted to Xiurong," said Hongzhu, the palace maid beside An Shuyi.

  An Shu Wei was taken aback, "Really?"

  "Yes, Master, I heard that the Imperial Physician had just diagnosed Zhenxiu as pregnant when a loud thunderstorm suddenly broke out and heavy rain started pouring down. The Emperor himself said that the Crown Prince is a blessed child."

  "How did you know, Your Highness?" An Shu teased with a smile.

  Hongzhu furrowed her brow, "Master, I'm speaking seriously with you, it's already spread outside."

  An Shu glanced outside, where the stormy rain was vaguely visible. "It's raining so heavily, but you're still discussing these things. However, since it's raining, Chu Zhou won't have a drought, at most there will be some losses."

  "Master, did you even listen to what I said?" Hongzhu stomped her foot in frustration as she seemed to have ignored her words entirely.

  "Alright, alright," An Shu sighed, "Ben Pei naturally heard what you said, go to the warehouse and pick a few more expensive gifts, wait for the rain to subside a bit before sending them to Guan Yu's palace, remember to choose things that can't go wrong."

  An Shuyi was a clever person, or rather, a rare and transparent one. She had been well-read in poetry and books since childhood, practiced piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Her father sent her to the palace for selection, she knew early on that her future life would be within these four walls, and she had made preparations early on.

  Her father had cultivated her since she was a child, not to let her compete for favor or climb to high positions, but to let her live quietly in the harem without contention. To put it bluntly, her existence was only to reassure the emperor, and she was just a pawn sent into the palace by her father, just a tool for the two of them to express their trust.

  The father is actually the emperor's person, a true royalist, so she is the "gift" of her father's expression of loyalty. She has had grievances and hatred, but she has seen more than others since childhood and enjoyed more, so she must also bear more.

  As long as the father is the emperor, she will not rebel or betray him, and she can live comfortably. Now that she has a child, she is not an unfeeling person, and after being together for a long time, she naturally regards the child as her own. As expected, this lifetime of hers will only have this one child.

  Take good care of yourself, maybe after dispelling loneliness, you can also have something to rely on.

  "The thunder is so loud, let's go see the Third Prince with Ben Niang first, don't get scared."

  "Yes," Hong Zhu replied, knowing that her master had always been particularly concerned about the Third Prince. As a personal palace maid, she was more aware of this than anyone else.

  The rain continued until midnight, completely relieving the drought that had lasted for nearly two months.

  The rain didn't stop, Zong Zhengjin was worried that the road would be slippery on a rainy day, so he simply let her stay in the Qianqing Palace.

  Su Jingxiang, under his constant serving of dishes, was in a very good mood and used an extra bowl of rice, "Your Majesty won't have some more?"

  "I'm not hungry," Zong Zhengjin shook his head and continued to serve her dishes, after doing it many times, he seemed to have gotten used to it.

  From the afternoon onwards, he had been in a state of indescribable excitement, different from the anticipation when he ascended to the throne, nor was it the longing for grasping military power and reclaiming political power, nor was it the pleasure of eliminating the Yu family and avenging his blood feud, but rather an inexplicable emotion that could not be put into words.

  He had never experienced it before, and he had never felt it before.

  However, he did not reject it, and instead had many expectations.

  "There's no need to bother with the usual portions, just have someone from the imperial kitchen bring over whatever ingredients you like and have them prepare it for you," Zong Zhengjin had heard that a woman's tastes often changed after becoming pregnant, and he didn't want to deprive her of anything.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty," Su Jingci smiled and said with a flattering tone.

  Zong Zhengjin's face was disdainful, if she had a child like this, fond of flattering and catering to others, it would be fine for a girl, but if it were a boy, it would be a disaster, better let him educate himself.

  Palace Concubine (Yi Shu)

  Gong Shu