After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 497 You are happy
The Empress knelt down in fear and trepidation, and asked hesitantly, "Your Majesty, I obey your decree, but the Second Prince's crime has nothing to do with his wife, Consort Li, or Consort Sun. How does Your Majesty intend to deal with them? Consort Li and her daughter are also victims, and I wish to compensate them."

The emperor couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "Zitong is just too kind! Oh well, if it weren't for Consort Li and her daughter, I would still be kept in the dark by the second prince! I'll leave them to Zitong's care."

As for the second son's wife, she knew that Consort Li and her daughter had been treated unfairly, yet she still framed them in front of the Empress Dowager, showing that she was no good either! It is said that husband and wife are one, so let her be demoted to commoners along with the second son.

Consort Sun had no children and was not involved in these matters, so I allowed her to take her dowry and divorce the second son to return to her parents' home.

Concubines in the second prince's household who have not borne children may leave on their own.

"Cen Shi is fine. Considering she had no choice in the matter, and Ru'er truly needs a public identity, I can keep quiet about this affair. However, I don't want to see this child again. Murong Ru will henceforth be renamed Cen Ru! Send them to Yongzhou with some money."

This arrangement is the best for Cen Mingxue and the child.

The Empress quickly expressed her gratitude.

Because the emperor hadn't left, she stopped insisting on worshipping Buddha.

At this moment, Murong Chen also returned to the Sixth Prince's residence in a carriage.

Fireworks had just begun to be set off in the palace, and the sound of firecrackers filled the air.

Murong Chen pushed open the door, entered amidst the wind and snow, and quickly turned around to close the door tightly.

As he walked indoors, he took off the hood of his cloak.

Hearing the noise, Shen Tian got out of bed, draped in her cloak. "Why are you back so late?"

In previous years, Murong Chen would arrive home before midnight during the New Year's Eve palace banquet, but today he didn't return until after midnight.

Murong Chen poured himself a cup of hot tea and waited until he felt better before recounting everything that had happened in the palace.

Shen Tian was stunned. "You mean Father Emperor demoted the second son to a commoner? How...how could he make such a huge decision?"

It wasn't that she looked down on the emperor, but rather that the royal family was running out of offspring, and even someone like Murong Chen, who was born with a disability, was a treasure.

In this situation, Murong Xu was simply the most dazzling figure in the royal family, and the most favored by everyone, including the emperor.

Over the years, the emperor has put a lot of effort into Murong Xu, but now he just abandons him like that. When it comes to ruthlessness, who can compare to the emperor?

Murong Chen held Shen Tian's hand, his expression solemn and with a hint of barely perceptible unease.

"The Empress Dowager told us to behave ourselves and try not to associate with court officials. I know you visit the Marquis of Yong'an's residence from time to time, so I'm afraid you'll have to suffer in the future!"

Shen Tian smiled understandingly, "Your Highness doesn't need to apologize to me. My godfather can understand that we should avoid suspicion at this time. Besides, I have a perfectly good reason not to go out."

"What?" Murong Chen asked, looking puzzled.

Shen Tian unconsciously touched her lower abdomen, her cheeks slightly flushed. "The kitchen prepared a table of seafood for me tonight, but I felt a little unwell after eating it. The imperial physician came to examine me and said I was pregnant, more than a month along."

"If Your Highness simply spreads the word that I have severe morning sickness, no one will suspect anything even if I don't leave the house for a year, will they?"

"Really?" Murong Chen was overjoyed, staring at Shen Tian's belly without blinking. "Do you think it might be a girl this time? No! It must be a girl!"

God knows how much he envied Tang Yu.

Every time he saw Tang Yu showing off his daughter, he felt an intense longing, fantasizing about having a delicate, sweet daughter who would call him "Daddy" all the time. Shen Tian gave him a chuckled look and playfully scolded, "What if it's another son?"

Murong Chen was overjoyed, "In that case, the Empress Dowager, Father, and Mother will all have to treat you like royalty!"

Among the royal family's official wives and concubines who have been formally married, only Shen Tian has given birth to two sons. If she were to have another son, that would be truly remarkable!

Shen Tian got goosebumps just thinking about it. "Let's forget it, let's have a daughter! Having both a son and a daughter would be great!"

"Hahaha"

Murong Chen's worries were alleviated by Shen Tian's pregnancy.

The next morning, Murong Chen brought his two sons to the palace to pay their respects.

The Empress Dowager didn't see Shen Tian, ​​so she asked a few more questions. When she learned that Shen Tian was pregnant again, she immediately smiled, as if the sun had broken through the thick clouds and shone with great light. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

When the Empress Dowager was pleased, these fine things were sent out like water.

Before long, the Emperor and Empress also learned of this matter.

For the royal family, the news of a pregnancy at the beginning of the year is definitely an auspicious sign.

The Emperor and Empress bestowed gifts upon the Sixth Prince's residence in succession.

When the imperial relatives, nobles, and officials saw this, they couldn't help but marvel at the favor shown to the Sixth Prince's concubine. Furthermore, the Sixth Prince's concubine came from a very poor family, so no matter how much the Emperor and Empress favored her, they weren't afraid of gossip.

Many people are aware of this.

Princess Qingfeng had been in a daze ever since the Second Prince was demoted to a commoner. Now, upon hearing about Shen Tian's pregnancy, she was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

"Hongqin, do you think I made the wrong choice back then?"

Hongqin looked at her mistress with heartache, "Princess, you were also assessing the situation. In that situation, everyone would know what to choose. Besides, you weren't the only one who did it this way, so how can you say it was wrong?"

Princess Qingfeng shook her head self-deprecatingly, “It’s different! They have no connection with Consort Shen. I’m different. At least we used to have a decent relationship. It was I who actively distanced myself from her. I’m afraid it will be difficult to get close to her again in the future.”

She had been depressed about this all night.

Hongqin rolled her eyes and advised, "Princess, it seems that the Second Prince has lost, but he is, after all, the Emperor's most promising son. Once the Emperor's anger subsides, he may still have a chance to return to the palace. This matter is not over yet, and who knows what will happen in the future? You don't need to be so desperate."

Princess Qingfeng paused, then suddenly grabbed Hongqin's sleeve. "You're right. Grand Tutor Zhao wields immense power in the court. He's a staunch supporter of the Second Prince and will definitely not stand idly by!"

Having figured this out, Princess Qingfeng felt much more at ease.

The Grand Tutor Zhao, on whom she had placed high hopes, fell into a coma in the palace last night and was sent back to his residence. He remained in a daze, and the imperial physicians came to his door overnight to examine him, prescribing medicine and administering acupuncture. They were busy until the middle of the night before they were able to stabilize Grand Tutor Zhao's condition.

Just now, Zhao Taifu had recovered and looked at his son, daughter-in-law, and wife surrounding him.

He instinctively frowned, leaving only the eldest son and his wife and his spouse behind, and told the others to go home first.

Sobbing, Madam Zhao said, "When you were carried back last night, my world collapsed! How could such a thing happen? The Emperor has demoted the Second Prince and his wife to commoners, and the Cen family has been raided. Will our Zhao family become the second Cen family?"

This is what the Zhao family is most worried about.