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

Chapter 256 Encouraging the Birth of a Second Child
Lou Suyi later simply sent Jinshu to Xihe Palace and delivered some tonics there.

Jinshu quickly returned to report that Consort Li had recovered greatly.

"Consort Li told me that Imperial Physician Zhao checked Ping An's pulse yesterday and said that Consort Li is out of danger. Consort Li asked me to convey to Your Majesty her gratitude for Your Majesty's concern and that she will take good care of herself." Jinshu relayed Consort Li's words.

Lou Suyi nodded: "That's good."

What she's worried about now is that she won't have a presentable birthday gift to give Murong on his birthday.

She had originally planned to make a bowl of longevity noodles for Murong Sheng's birthday last year, and this year she followed suit and made him a bowl of longevity noodles as well, which would save her trouble.

Looking back now, wasn't she being too insincere?

On her birthday, Murong gave her a bunch of gifts, so she had to reciprocate in some way.
Seeing her sighing, Yan Hui stepped forward and asked, "Is something on your mind, Your Highness?"

"The Emperor's birthday is coming soon. Would it be bad if I didn't prepare any gifts?" Lou Suyi touched the phoenix crown that Murong had given her. It was priceless, and she herself felt that making only a bowl of longevity noodles was too stingy.

"How about Your Highness makes a jade belt for His Majesty? It would save time and effort, and there's still time. I believe His Majesty will like any birthday gift made by Your Highness personally. I saw His Majesty wearing a sachet made by Your Highness yesterday, which shows how much he likes sachets." Jinshu felt that this was not a difficult matter, as long as Her Highness had the intention.

Lou Suyi's eyes lit up: "Then I'll make one myself."

However, she had never made a jade belt before, so she could ask Granny Fan for help and have her teach her.

Once she made the decision, she got busy.

Knowing that Lou Suyi was preparing a birthday gift for Murong, Granny Fan naturally gave her all her knowledge and skills.

Lou Suyi was very busy in the following days. She finally finished making one, but she forgot that Murong often wore dragon robes. The jade belt she made was too mixed in color and would not look good if it were paired with the dragon robe.

She immediately abandoned the jade belt and made a new one.

This time, she first matched the colors to make sure they wouldn't clash with Murong's dragon robe, and then started redoing it.

After she finished the second one, Yan Hui smiled and said, "Your Majesty can send both. His Majesty will always have times when he wears ordinary clothes, and His Majesty will always need the first one."

Lou Suyi was taken aback.

Yes, how could she not have thought of that? Even if Murong wore a dragon robe, he might not necessarily wear the jade belt she made.

However, after comparing the two, she felt that the second jade belt had a simple and elegant color scheme, which was more suitable for Murong's imperial status, so she ultimately chose to give him the second jade belt.

On the eve of the Emperor's birthday, officials were dispatched to offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and the Altar of the God of Soil and Grain.

Meanwhile, princes and ministers prepared python robes, ruyi scepters, and congratulatory messages, and local officials also came to the capital to offer their congratulations, lining up in advance outside the Meridian Gate.

On the Emperor's birthday, the whole country celebrates.

A grand celebration ceremony was held early in the morning.

Murong first went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to perform the sacrificial ceremony, and Lou Suyi also went out in full dress. The phoenix crown that Murong had given her made her look dignified, elegant and graceful.

After Murong offered sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Empress Dowager Chen and Lou Suyi led the concubines in paying their respects.

Afterwards, Murong ascended the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where princes and ministers presented congratulatory memorials and performed the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows.

Next came the foreign princes and envoys who lined up to offer their congratulations.

At noon, a birthday banquet was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where Murong and his ministers enjoyed themselves together.

Although Lou Suying was the Empress, it was inappropriate for her to appear on such an occasion, so she had lunch with Empress Dowager Chen at Shou'an Palace. Today, she was only relieved that nothing went wrong.

She used to be fearless, but it would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous about accompanying Murong to the Imperial Ancestral Temple for the first time. It would be one thing if she embarrassed herself, but if she made a fool of herself on such a grand occasion, it would be a disgrace to the royal family.

Fortunately, Empress Dowager Chen had explained many details to her early on, and with Empress Dowager Chen's guidance throughout the process, everything went smoothly in the end, without any major mishaps.

At this moment, as she recalled the grand scene of the ministers accompanying Murong to offer sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, her heart was still filled with emotion.

Only then did she belatedly realize that the man she had married was the ruler of the world, an emperor revered by all people.

But Murong, standing before her, seemed no different from any other ordinary man. He often teased her, and this man was also the father of her child. Besides little Mu Chen, he was the most important person in her life.

"The Emperor is busiest today. He is currently celebrating his birthday with his ministers in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and there will be another banquet in the Palace of Heavenly Purity tonight. Are you missing the Emperor?" Empress Dowager Chen teased from the side.

Lou Suying seemed to wake from a dream, and she chuckled, "I just feel that it is an incredible thing that I am so fortunate to be His Majesty's wife."

For the first half of her life, she only hoped that she would not be a concubine to some old man, but marry an ordinary man and have a home of her own.

She now has a family, but she never expected her husband to be so capable.

Anyway, when she saw Murong at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, she felt a feeling she had never experienced before—reverence.

She even felt quite capable, having managed to seduce this man and give birth to his child.

"This only shows that the Emperor and you are destined to be together," Empress Dowager Chen said, then asked in a low voice, "Have you been to the Emperor's bedchamber recently?"

Lou Suyi paused for a moment before nodding gently, not understanding why Empress Dowager Chen was asking about this.

Could it be that they think she has monopolized Murong, and therefore made her arrange for the concubines in the harem to serve them in bed?

"How often?" Empress Dowager Chen asked again.

Lou Suying's expression was indescribable. Was this kind of private matter something that could be discussed in public?
Moreover, it was Murong's own mother who asked her this question, which made it even more difficult for her to say.

She didn't know what was going on, only that her face and ears were burning.

Empress Dowager Chen realized she had been too blunt, so she asked directly, "Chen'er is seven months along, and you still haven't conceived a second child, which is why I'm asking this question."

Lou Suyi then realized that Empress Dowager Chen wanted to have grandchildren again, but she was at a loss about such a thing.

"Although I already have Chen'er, I still hope that the Emperor can have more children. I can't count on other women, so I can only hope that you can give the Emperor more children." Empress Dowager Chen said, and then added, "Don't feel pressured. I was just asking casually. You are still young, so it would be better to recuperate before having children."

Lou Suyi was not under any pressure, but Empress Dowager Chen's words did put some pressure on her.

Back when she became pregnant last year, Imperial Physician Liu had already examined her pulse and confirmed that she was perfectly healthy.

Speaking of sleeping with someone, Murong would almost always favor her whenever he lived with her. She was exhausted every night, and she still couldn't get pregnant. Could it be that she was drugged again?

Considering this possibility, she felt she should have Physician Liu take her pulse again.

"I understand," Lou Suyi said softly.

Murong only came to see her on the first and fifteenth of the month, and she had no idea when she would conceive a royal heir.

She's having a tough time too.

Haha, happy Monday!