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

Chapter 422 You know I like you, so why don't you know to avoid suspicion?
Murong noticed Lou Suying's loss of composure and frowned slightly.

Qi Yan was always well-mannered and would not enter the inner palace unless there was an urgent matter.

"Let him in," Murong said calmly.

Seeing this, Lou Suyi said, "I'll go check on Chen'er."

She didn't want to run into Qi Yan, lest Murong feel uncomfortable. She knew the emperor; he appeared magnanimous on the surface, but he cared deeply about her two past relationships.

Murong did not stop them; he also didn't want Su Yi and Qi Yan to meet again.

Qi Yan himself wanted to see Lou Suyi. It wasn't that he still harbored any fantasies about Suyi; he just wanted to know if she was doing well.

Unfortunately, no one in white was seen in the hall.

He stepped forward steadily and greeted Murong.

"Is your eagerness to see me related to the previous case?" Murong asked in a low voice.

“Indeed. There has been progress in the case. Your Majesty, I have discovered that Lord Wu is involved in this case. Here is the case file. Your Majesty, please take a look.” Qi Yan said, handing over the case file.

Murong took the case file and examined it carefully. After reading it, he sneered, "Wu Qiang has quite the nerve!"

Qi Yan added, "As for Lord Xie, I have not yet found any connection between him and this case."

Before this case, Xie Zhijie had always been a close advisor to the emperor, and no one expected that His Majesty would suspect Xie Zhijie.

"Seize Wu Qiang and interrogate him thoroughly!" Murong ordered in a deep voice. "This case is far more complex than this; we must bring all those involved to justice. Marquis Dingyuan, do not disappoint me."

Qi Yan dared not be negligent and readily agreed.

"If you need anything in the future, you can wait for me in the Qianqing Palace. You may leave."

Murong's last words chilled Qi Yan to the bone.

But then he realized that he had been rash: "It was I who acted rashly. I shall take my leave."

After watching Qi Yan walk away, Murong went to find Lou Suyi and her son.

Lou Suying was playing the nine-linked rings game with Xiao Muchen when she saw Murong arrive. She asked frankly, "Has Marquis Dingyuan left?"

Seeing her composed expression, Murong still felt a pang of unease: "You almost married Qi Yan back then."

Lou Suying chuckled: "That happened so many years ago, and Your Majesty still remembers it? How petty. It was indeed a close call, but she didn't end up marrying him, did she?"

Murong pinched Lou Suyi's cheek: "I am indeed stingy."

Whenever he thinks about how he almost missed out on her, he feels grateful that she suffered a misfortune and couldn't get married, otherwise he wouldn't have had the chance to be with her.

It's best not to let her know about his dark thoughts.

"Does Your Majesty know you're stingy?" Lou Suyi teased.

Murong said sternly, "Since you know I am stingy, you should not meet with Minister Xie and Minister Qi again. You must remember one thing: you are my woman, and you must not look at any man other than me."

Lou Suyi thought this was a bit difficult.

She still had to appear in public during holidays, but since he had said so, she couldn't refuse.

"Your Majesty is so possessive of me," Lou Suying teased, suppressing a laugh. "Does Your Majesty like me very much?"

Murong felt a little uncomfortable, looked away, and remained silent. Lou Suying thought to herself, "This person is really awkward. If he likes her, he should just say so. Why won't he even say a single word of confession to her?"

Fortunately, she didn't care about these things.

At this moment, Murong's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible: "You know I like you, so why don't you know to avoid suspicion?"

Lou Suying was taken aback and looked at Murong. "Is this a case of blood rain falling from the sky? The emperor, who cares so much about his reputation, has actually admitted it?"
He awkwardly took a few steps back, coughed twice, and abruptly changed the subject: "Do you have any impression of Lady Wu?"

Lou Suyi certainly knew Consort Wu. When she first entered the palace, Consort Wu often came to see her and was very talkative.

"Is there a problem with Lady Wu?" Lou Suyi pressed.

"Currently, it has been discovered that Consort Wu's father is connected to this impeachment case. The case is still under thorough investigation, but at least there has been progress. Consort Wu did not accompany the Empress Dowager when she fell into the lake. However, Wu Qiang has problems, and Consort Wu is not necessarily a docile person either. This impeachment is coming on strong, and I believe it is the result of collusion between the harem and the ministers of the court. Next time Consort Wu tries to get close to you, you should be careful."

Lou Suying carefully recalled the entire process of how Consort Wu interacted with her, and couldn't help but smile: "When I first entered the palace, Consort Wu was the one who visited me the most. Could it be that she already realized that His Majesty and I were having an affair?"

"How could you use such words?" Murong was displeased with the Empress's inappropriate use of language.

Lou Suying leaned closer to him and continued to tease him: "Back then, didn't His Majesty and I have an affair? I hadn't even left the monastic life yet, and His Majesty already ruined me..."

Before she could finish speaking, Murong sealed her words with a kiss.

The servants around them were surprised that the Emperor and Empress kissed while they were talking, while the young Crown Prince clapped his hands happily, shouting, "Kiss, kiss..."

Lou Suyi punched Murong in annoyance, and Murong reluctantly let go of her, looking at the Crown Prince who was in the way.

"If you spout nonsense again, I'll punish you," Murong threatened in a low voice.

Lou Suying wasn't afraid of him at all: "How does Your Majesty intend to punish me?"

She was emboldened by the fact that she was heavily pregnant and knew he couldn't do anything to her.

Murong smiled slightly: "You'll know once the Empress gives birth to her child. Don't worry, it won't be long."

His meaningful yet flippant words made Lou Suying's heart race. Forget it, when it comes to shamelessness, she was no match for the emperor; it was best not to provoke him.

She said awkwardly, "I was just joking, Your Majesty, please don't take it seriously."

"I've already taken it seriously." Murong looked at Lou Suyi with a direct yet ambiguous gaze.

Lou Suyi blushed and her heart pounded. She looked around and was only glad that everyone had stepped back, otherwise she would not know where to put her face.

Seeing that Murong was still looking at her with such a direct gaze, she blurted out, "When did Your Majesty fall in love with me?"

She regretted asking the question as soon as it left her mouth. If it was so difficult for him to even say he liked her, how could he possibly tell her when he had fallen for her?

Murong was stumped by Lou Suyi's question.

It took him quite some time to realize that he liked her, and if you asked him when he fell in love with her, he really couldn't say.

Lou Suying also felt a little awkward, and she tried to make amends by saying, "I was just asking casually."

She held her son's little hand and said, "I'll take Chen'er over there for a walk."

Murong watched Lou Suying lead the young prince forward, wondering to himself when he had fallen for her. Was it during their time together, or from the very first moment when he was attracted to her?
He only knew that after realizing his feelings for her, he became somewhat unlike himself, his joys and sorrows all tied to her.

He walked slowly behind the mother and child, and asked in a calm voice, "Does the Empress like me?"

He felt that the Empress's gaze towards him had been ambiguous lately. She seemed to really like his face and his body, and she treated him more warmly than before. Did she like him too?