Five years after her death, she awoke on the dragon bed.

Chapter 184 If the two empresses want children, let them have them themselves.

Lou Suying quickly agreed and accompanied Empress Dowager Chen away.

With a soft, cuddly child in her arms and Lou Suyi making amusing remarks, Empress Dowager Chen's previous displeasure quickly vanished.

Fangruo was also glad that Lou Suyi had smoothed things over; otherwise, given the situation just now, the Empress Dowager might have argued with His Majesty in public.

Lou Suyi accompanied her for a while, and Empress Dowager Chen looked at the pleasing scenery, her mood gradually calming down.

She looked at Lou Suying and advised, "You should fight for what you should fight for. Even if not for yourself, you should plan more for Chen'er. You should know that the emperor's favor can change the course of many things."

Lou Suyi certainly understood this principle, but she really didn't want to do such a thing.

Furthermore, since she had no official status, even though she had given birth to a child for Murong, she felt she had no right to compete for his favor.

Right now, all she wants is to raise her child properly. Murong's attention isn't on her; he's actually better to her and the child. There's nothing wrong with a child developing in a less-than-ideal way, as long as the child is safe and healthy.

“I know that Your Majesty is doing this for my and Chen’er’s own good. But His Majesty doesn’t like me, so everything I do is in vain,” Lou Suyi said frankly.

She genuinely felt that Murong liked to nitpick at her, and that he hadn't liked her before, so it was even less likely now.

Why should she bother trying to win Murong's cold shoulder? She certainly didn't want to repeat the mistakes she made when she was chasing after Xie Zhijie.

Empress Dowager Chen frowned deeply: "It's all Liang's fault. She's restless at home and seduced the Emperor. The Emperor didn't care for beautiful women before, but now he's become just like the late Emperor!"

Lou Suyi thought that was an exaggeration.

She had heard of the late emperor's reputation years ago; he was known for his womanizing and philandering. But Murong, with his many women in his harem, didn't favor him. How could he be as promiscuous as the late emperor?
"Your Majesty is self-disciplined and diligent in governing; you are a qualified monarch," Lou Suyi replied tactfully.

Empress Dowager Chen felt that Lou Suyi was protecting the emperor, but he was her own son, and she was happy that Suyi was protecting him.

Meanwhile, Liang Wanying saw Lou Suying help Empress Dowager Chen out of a predicament and felt that Lou Suying was also working against her.

She had long disliked Lou Suyi, and since Lou Suyi had chosen to side with Empress Dowager Chen, she was determined to get rid of Lou Suyi as well.

Thinking of this, she said to Murong, "Your Majesty, there is something I am not sure if I should say."

Murong glanced at Liang Wanying but didn't reply.

Liang Wanying thought Murong was completely oblivious to romance. In this situation, shouldn't he just go along with her and accept the blessing?

Consort De, who was listening nearby, immediately followed up: "Since Consort Hui feels it's inappropriate to say, then don't say it."

Liang Wanying glanced coldly at Consort De, who seemed oblivious to her venomous look and went to Murong's other side: "Your Majesty cannot only spend time with Consort Hui, but also spend some time talking with me. Your Majesty is usually very busy, and it is extremely difficult for me to see Your Majesty."

Murong's thin lips parted slightly: "My beloved concubine is right."

Consort De immediately took Murong's arm warmly, but Murong looked at her. Although his eyes were not particularly sharp, they made her feel intimidated, and she subconsciously withdrew her hand.

Murong then said, "I did visit Yi Garden last year. Let's go." Liang Wanying glared at Consort De resentfully, seeing that Consort De had ruined her plans. Since things had come to this, she might as well find a private moment to talk to Murong about the young prince.

Actually, she wanted to raise Lou Suyi's child.

She wasn't interested in raising other women's children, but since she hadn't yet served the emperor, she figured she might as well snatch Lou Suyi's child first.

Murong readily complied with her requests, so perhaps she could ask Murong for custody of the young prince. After all, Lou Suying had no official status and was not qualified to raise a child.

She is willing to help Lou Suyi raise the prince; Lou Suyi should be grateful to her.

With Consort De and Liang Wanying around, the other concubines had no chance to get close to Murong; they could only watch from afar as the two women vied for Murong's affections.

Ironically, the two women were locked in a fierce argument, yet His Majesty seemed oblivious to their heated exchange.

Lou Suying had finally managed to calm Empress Dowager Chen down when Murong arrived with his entourage of beauties. The moment Empress Dowager Chen saw Liang Wanying, her expression darkened.

Murong seemed to have forgotten that he had almost argued with Empress Dowager Chen earlier, and walked straight up to her, saying, "Mother, it must be tiring for you to hold Chen'er. Shall I hold him?"

Empress Dowager Chen glanced at Liang Wanying beside him and sneered, "I dare not hand Chen'er over to the Emperor, lest he be touched by some lowlifes!"

Lou Suyi inwardly cried out in alarm, and sure enough, she saw tears quickly welling up in Liang Wanying's eyes: "I don't know what I did wrong that caused the Empress Dowager to misunderstand me so deeply."

Empress Dowager Chen was furious at Liang Wanying's sassy manner. Just as she was about to confront Liang Wanying, Lou Suying quickly interjected, "How about I hold Chen'er? I'm used to holding him."

Empress Dowager Chen's attention was instantly diverted to Lou Suying, but Liang Wanying didn't want to let her off the hook either. Suddenly, without warning, she said, "Your Majesty, I have a request that you would like to make."

Murong looked at Liang Wanying: "You speak."

“I see that Abbess Kongchen is working hard taking care of the child. In addition, she has no official status and is not suitable to raise the young prince. I am the highest-ranking person in His Majesty’s harem. I can help Abbess Kongchen raise the young prince. What does His Majesty think?” Liang Wan’s watery eyes stared straight at Murong.

Lou Suying immediately tensed up. At this moment, Empress Dowager Chen suddenly erupted: "Liang, all the concubines in this harem are dead, so you can forget about ever adopting Chen'er! As long as I am alive, you will not be allowed to touch a single hair on Chen'er's head!!"

Lou Suying felt a slight sense of relief. With Empress Dowager Chen around, the child's custody shouldn't fall into Liang Wanying's hands. Her only fear was that Murong Se might be blinded by greed and agree to Liang Wanying's demands.

At this moment, Liang Wanying suddenly knelt down at Murong's feet: "I sincerely want to help the nun raise the little prince. I swear I will raise him to be healthy and chubby. Please grant my request, Your Majesty, since I am doing this to share Your Majesty's burdens?"

Empress Dowager Chen was enraged by Liang Wanying's hypocritical demeanor. She shouted angrily, "Emperor, do you dare to agree to this vile woman's request?!"

Murong glanced at Liang Wanying kneeling on the ground, then at the furious Empress Dowager Chen, and seemed somewhat troubled.

Seeing the chaos at the scene, Consort De simply knelt down at Murong's feet as well: "Your Majesty, since the Empress Dowager does not want Consort Hui to raise the little prince, why don't you entrust the little prince to me to raise? That way, Your Majesty will not be in a difficult position!"

Lou Suyi clenched her fists to the side.

These two treat her, their own mother, like dirt. She curled her lips in a mocking smile: "I'm sorry, Your Highnesses, His Majesty promised me that I would raise Chen'er myself. Since you two want children, then have your own. Stop eyeing my child all the time."