A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

Zhou Mingyi nodded, enjoying her performance immensely.

She even buried her face in his palm and rubbed against it, like a docile and obedient kitten.

Emperor Qianwu then remained still, letting her rub against him.

The hall was extremely quiet, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire.

But Zhou Mingyi knew that the more she acted this way, the more optimistic she was about recovering her health and bearing him another prince, the more guilty he felt, and the more he missed the two he had lost…

Humans are just like that, inherently base.

If even she could find such clues, how could Emperor Qianwu, a decisive and ruthless ruler, not find them?

However, it was precisely because he knew how those two "children" died that he felt even more heartbroken.

Zhou Mingyi even planned that after she actually gave birth to a child, she would pretend that she had just learned that the deaths of "Dao Huai" and "Dao Nian" were related to Chaoyang and the Crown Prince.

Emperor Qianwu will be at a loss then, won't he?

She was really eager to see Emperor Qianwu's expression; it would surely be very interesting.

Her body trembled slightly with excitement.

Emperor Qianwu hugged her even tighter.

Perhaps they thought she was crying.

This jerk is hugging me too tight, I can't breathe...

Outside the curtain, the Empress Dowager had arrived at some point, and it was unclear how long she had been standing there.

She had heard that Consort Zhen hadn't been sleeping well these past few days, so she thought she'd come and visit to bring some calming tonics.

As they approached the palace gate, they heard voices inside; it was the emperor's voice.

She didn't have anyone announce her arrival, but simply stood outside the curtain and listened quietly for a while.

Listening to Zhou Mingyi say that once she recovers, she will have a child for the emperor, listening to her talk about letting the prince ride on the emperor's shoulders to catch butterflies in the imperial garden...

Listening to her speak so earnestly and with such anticipation, I found myself crying at the end.

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and clenched the handkerchief in her hand tighter.

This child is sincere.

Having suffered so much and endured so much hardship, she hadn't even recovered herself yet, but she was already thinking about comforting the emperor and having children for him in the future.

When she said those words, her eyes were bright, as if she had really seen those scenes.

The prince rode on the emperor's shoulders, running around in the imperial garden, his laughter echoing everywhere.

But she didn't know that the emperor had already...

The Empress Dowager sighed and didn't think any further.

She stepped back a few paces and gestured to the palace maid behind her to report.

This time, they heard some noise inside.

A moment later, Shiliu lifted the curtain and came out. Upon seeing the Empress Dowager, she quickly bowed.

The Empress Dowager waved her hand and stepped inside.

Inside the hall, Emperor Qianwu had already stood up, and Zhou Mingyi was also trying to get off the bed, but the Empress Dowager quickly stepped forward and pressed her down.

"Lie down, lie down!"

The Empress Dowager's face was full of loving kindness.

"We're all family, why bother with all that formality?"

Zhou Mingyi lay back down, her face still streaked with tears, and smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"Why has the Empress Dowager come at this time?"

"It's snowing heavily outside, be careful not to catch a cold."

The Empress Dowager is still living in the East Annex Hall of Weiyang Palace. In a few more days, Zhou Mingyi's confinement period will be over.

The Empress Dowager's personal maid was already packing her things.

Meanwhile, preparations were underway at Cining Palace to welcome the Empress Dowager.

"I live in the East Annex Hall, just a few steps away."

That being said, when Zhou Mingyi first moved into Weiyang Palace, the Empress Dowager saw how lively she was and knew about her clever ideas for decorating the courtyard. She built an artificial hill and planted plum and peach blossoms.

They also introduced fresh water and raised several lively and beautiful little fish.

Now, she is recuperating and rarely goes out. Although the scenery of Weiyang Palace is still the same, it always feels as if it has lost some of its vitality.

The Empress Dowager sighed, sat down by the couch, took her hand, examined her closely, and said with heartache, "You've lost weight."

"Your chin is so sharp now."

Zhou Mingyi lowered her eyes: "The imperial physician said she will be back after resting for a while, so Your Majesty should not worry."

The Empress Dowager nodded, then looked at Emperor Qianwu: "The Emperor is also here."

Emperor Qianwu grunted in acknowledgment and said nothing more.

The Empress Dowager looked at the two of them, her mind perfectly clear.

She heard everything that was said outside.

Ah Chang, that child, truly cares about the emperor.

The emperor, while verbally agreeing, was probably thinking...

She didn't expose him, but patted Zhou Mingyi's hand and said gently, "I had someone bring you some things."

"There is a century-old ginseng that I brought with me as part of my dowry, and I have never been willing to use it."

"You're weak, this is a good way to nourish yourself."

"There are also a few bolts of Yun brocade, newly made by the Jiangning Textile Bureau. The colors are fresh and vibrant. Once you're better, we'll make you a few new outfits."

Zhou Mingyi quickly said, "Your Majesty, this is too precious, how could I possibly accept it..."

The Empress Dowager waved her hand: "Just accept it if it's given to you."

"I've lived in this palace for so many years, what haven't I seen?"

"No matter how valuable those things are, they're just inanimate objects. What's more important than living people?"

"Take good care of yourself. If you recover well, that will be the greatest filial piety you can show me."

Zhou Mingyi's eyes reddened again, and she choked out, "Empress Dowager..."

The Empress Dowager pulled her into her arms and gently patted her back: "Good child, you've been wronged."

Zhou Mingyi leaned on the Empress Dowager's shoulder, tears welling up in her eyes again.

Emperor Qianwu stood aside, watching this scene, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The Empress Dowager raised her head and glanced at him.

Emperor Qianwu looked away.

After a while, the Empress Dowager released Zhou Mingyi, wiped away her tears, gave her a few more words of advice on taking good care of herself, and then got up to take her leave.

Emperor Qianwu said, "I will escort the Empress Dowager."

The two exited the palace gate one after the other.

The snow was still falling outside, and a cold wind was blowing in my face.

The Empress Dowager wrapped her cloak tighter, took a few steps forward, and suddenly stopped.

"emperor,"

"I heard everything Ah Chang said from outside the curtain."

Emperor Qianwu paused in his steps.

The Empress Dowager turned around and looked at him.

The mother and son stood facing each other, snow falling on their shoulders and hair, neither of them speaking.

After a long while, the Empress Dowager finally spoke: "That child truly cares for you."

Emperor Qianwu lowered his eyes: "I know."

The Empress Dowager looked at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"It's good that you know."

The Empress Dowager raised her head and looked at the snow-white palace gardens. She thought about how she had spent half her life in this deep palace, and how many people and thoughts she had seen.

When Ah Chang first entered the palace, she only regarded her as a "mascot".

That was a "woman chosen by heaven" personally approved by the abbot of Hanshan Temple, who was destined to bear children for the emperor.

For the sake of having offspring, this mother and son would do anything.

As it turned out, she was right; Zhou was indeed the lucky one.

But her luck seemed to have diminished somewhat.

Those two children… The Empress Dowager couldn’t help but sigh when she thought of her two ill-fated grandsons.

"Your Majesty, you must treat her well."

Emperor Qianwu nodded silently.

Before the Empress Dowager could say anything more, Aunt Zhulan said, "Your Majesty, it's windy outside. You coughed a few days ago, so you can't be exposed to the wind anymore. If your cough flares up again, the Imperial Concubine will worry."

The Empress Dowager waved her hand, "I understand."

She glanced at her son again and brushed the snow off his shoulders.

Her son, Hong'er, had grown into a majestic middle-aged emperor, and there were some things he still had to experience and understand for himself.

She turned and left with Aunt Zhulan's help, without looking back.

Emperor Qianwu stood there, watching the Empress Dowager's figure disappear around the corner.

He recalled what Zhou Mingyi had just said.

Once she has recovered, she can give birth to a prince for him.

He didn't know how to tell her...

That won't happen again.

There won't be any more.

That's probably how his life will be.

But he still turned and went into the palace, a gentle smile on his handsome face. He walked to the bedside, took her hand, and asked, "Are you cold? Shall I have someone add another basin of charcoal?"

Zhou Mingyi shook her head and nestled into his arms.

His eyes, however, were cold.

Emperor Qianwu put his arm around her and gently patted her back, as if patting a child.

His movements were so gentle and delicate that there wasn't a single flaw.

But his eyes, fixed on the ceiling, showed no light.

Zhou Mingyi was carefree and slept soundly, while Emperor Qianwu barely slept a wink all night.

The next morning, Emperor Qianwu left.

Shiliu came in and said, "His Majesty got up at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM) so that we servants wouldn't wake the Empress."

Zhou Mingyi yawned comfortably and stretched.

He nodded, indicating that he understood.

Pomegranate and wax apple exchanged a glance, and wax apple asked softly, "Is Your Highness getting ready today?"

"This servant observes that Your Highness's complexion appears to have improved considerably."

Zhou Mingyi nodded, "Keep it simple."

"Later, when Eunuch Fuquan comes to serve tea, I can't be disheveled."

Zhou Mingyi's makeup and outfit were very carefully planned.

She lost two children, and her baby was not yet fully recovered, so naturally she couldn't have enough energy and blood to look radiant.

But she couldn't be unkempt either. If she really looked like that, Emperor Qianwu and the Empress Dowager would most likely despise her rather than pity her.

Sure enough, at the stroke of noon, Grandpa Fuquan came to serve tea.

Incidentally, they also sent some gossip.

Today's gossip was particularly interesting.

"Your Majesty," Fuquan bowed, his voice extremely low, "someone has been sent into the Qianqing Palace."

Zhou Mingyi leaned back on the soft pillows, holding a teacup in her hands. Upon hearing this, she raised her eyelids slightly and asked, "Who is it?"

"He's surnamed Xu," Fuquan said. "Outsiders only know him as a candidate for the imperial examination. He failed the exam three years ago and stayed in the capital, living in a villa in the princess's residence for a while."

"Later, for some reason, I returned to my hometown."

"This time, His Majesty summoned him as soon as he arrived in the capital a few days ago."

Zhou Mingyi's gaze paused slightly.

A man surnamed Xu? A scholar who passed the imperial examination?

A separate courtyard of the princess's residence?

She went through the words in her mind and suddenly laughed.

Why would a down-on-his-luck scholar choose to go to Princess Chaoyang's residence when he could go anywhere?

Given Princess Chaoyang's fondness for keeping male concubines, isn't this perfectly logical?

That scholar surnamed Xu was most likely a male concubine that Chaoyang had snatched from somewhere.

Why did Emperor Qianwu suddenly receive a male favorite?

Doesn't this give us pause for thought?

"Does the princess know?"

"They probably don't know," Fuquan said. "When His Majesty sent someone, he didn't let anyone know."

"This servant also... just happened to overhear it."

A coincidence?

Zhou Mingyi didn't press for details about how this coincidence came about; she simply nodded.

Fuquan said a few more words and then quietly left.

The hall returned to silence.

Zhou Mingyi stared out the window, lost in thought.

It's snowing again outside the window. The fine snowflakes are hitting the window paper with a soft rustling sound.

A scholar surnamed Xu, living in a secluded courtyard of the princess's residence...

She recalled some things from her past life.

In her previous life, Princess Chaoyang had a male favorite named Xu, who was extremely handsome and said to be a down-on-his-luck scholar.

Some even said that he looked very much like her brother, Zhou Mingchong.

She was trapped in the Eastern Palace at the time and found the rumor absurd.

Her brother was still in the princess's residence and had not been rescued, and the princess had also taken a male concubine surnamed Xu who looked like her brother.

However, she didn't think about it deeply at the time.

All he wanted was to ask the Crown Prince to rescue his brother as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, she never got her wish, and the brother and sister died together beneath the city walls.