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

The joint trial by the three judicial departments lasted for a full half month.

In the past two weeks, one piece of evidence after another has been unearthed, like peeling back layer after layer of rotting flesh, stinking and shocking.

The atmosphere in the harem became extremely tense.

For days, Zheng and Liu have gone nowhere except to Weiyang Palace.

He spent all his time with Zhou Mingyi.

Zhou Mingyi acted as if nothing had happened.

The perpetrators were Consort Chen and her daughter. What does this have to do with Zhou Mingyi?

It's nothing more than...

The tragedy of her and her brother's past life is also the most insignificant part of the many sins committed by the Chen mother and daughter.

She slightly curled the corners of her lips.

So what?

Even if I can't kill them this time, I'll definitely find a way to kill them next time!

She had already secretly made many arrangements, so she wasn't afraid that the two men wouldn't die.

Zheng and Liu were worried that she might do something rash.

He kept trying to talk to her.

Try to distract her and cheer her up.

But neither of them—Zheng was timid and Liu was straightforward—were good at comforting people.

Zheng Yanran sat on the embroidered stool, holding a handkerchief in her hand, which she had already crumpled up.

She wanted to say something, but after opening her mouth several times, she still didn't know what to say.

Those things were too terrifying; she trembled just listening to them, and she dared not imagine how the Empress would react if she heard them.

She didn't even think about it carefully. How could Consort Zhou, as a Noble Consort, not know about such a big matter as the joint trial of the three judicial departments?

If she hadn't received any information about something so important, then this imperial concubine could be considered blind and deaf.

However, Zheng was naive and simple-minded, and did not think much of it.

Liu Shuang'er did think of this.

She stood by the window, straight and upright like a spear, her face ashen.

She's a straightforward person, and holding it in made her chest hurt.

"Your Majesty, aren't you angry at all?"

She finally couldn't hold back anymore.

"Consort Min was killed by them, Consort Rou was driven insane by them, and General Zhao's entire family of dozens of people were also killed by them."

"besides……"

She paused, then lowered her voice, "And there are two young princes..."

Zhou Mingyi's hand paused slightly.

Liu Shuang'er looked at her belly, and her eyes reddened.

"I know Your Majesty is suffering. But please don't bottle it up. If you're in pain, just say it out loud, vent it, cry it out."

"I am clumsy with words and don't know how to speak, but I will stay with you."

Zheng Yanran nodded quickly.

"Your Majesty, I will stay with you too."

"I may not speak, but I... I can make pastries."

"What would you like to eat? I'll make it for you."

"Locust flower cake, cherry yogurt, chestnut cake, anything is fine."

Zhou Mingyi looked at the two people and couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you doing? I'm perfectly fine, not dying."

Liu Shuang'er almost burst into tears.

"Your Majesty, please don't say such unlucky things."

Zhou Mingyi sighed.

"I did not say anything unlucky."

"What I mean is that those things are in the past."

"Consort Min, Consort Rou, and General Zhao, they will not have died in vain. What is owed will be repaid."

She paused, then looked out the window.

"As for my two children... they are not fortunate enough, I accept that."

Zheng Yanran's tears finally fell, and she quickly lowered her head to wipe her eyes with a handkerchief.

Liu Shuang'er gritted her teeth, her voice muffled.

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. If it were me, I would have gone to make a scene with His Majesty long ago."

Zhou Mingyi glanced at her.

"What's all the fuss about? Will making a scene bring them back to life?"

Liu Shuang'er was speechless.

Zhou Mingyi withdrew her gaze and gently placed her hand on her lower abdomen.

"My only wish now is for this child to be born safely. Nothing else matters."

Zheng Yanran raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed, and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, the little prince will definitely be born safely. He is so well-behaved and sensible; Heaven will surely bless him."

Liu Shuang'er nodded as well.

"Consort Zheng is right. The young prince will be alright."

Looking at them, Zhou Mingyi thought to herself that the child in her womb would surely be alright.

"Alright, stop crying. I'm fine. You should all go back and rest early."

Liu Shuang'er and Zheng Yanran exchanged a glance, stood up, bowed, and left.

After the two left, Shiliu couldn't help but take half a step forward, "Your Majesty...you..."

The wax apple couldn't help but wink at her.

But Shiliu couldn't hold back any longer. "Your Majesty, I can let things go, but are you really going to just let this matter concerning the two young princes go like this?"

The wax apple tree tried to stop it, but it was no use.

She could only stare anxiously at Shiliu, but Shiliu subconsciously raised her chin, her face full of righteous indignation.

"If Your Majesty is soft-hearted, this servant will plead with His Majesty on your behalf!"

"Princess Chaoyang's evil deeds are too numerous to recount! Our two young princes cannot have died in vain! This servant will kowtow and beg His Majesty to seek justice for the two princes!"

"My life is worthless; there's nothing to be lenient with!"

After Shiliu finished speaking, she solemnly kowtowed three times until her forehead turned red, then stood up, turned around and walked out.

Zhou Mingyi finally spoke, "Stop!"

Shi Liu paused for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, please don't stop me."

"Who said I was going to stop you?"

"You'll fail at this, and you'll just lose your life in vain. What's the point?"

Shi Liu turned her head angrily, "Your Majesty!"

"Did our two young princes die in vain?"

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face instantly.

Zhou Mingyi's expression was somewhat complicated.

Those two children...

Those two children were just two simulated data sets generated by the system using fake pregnancy pills.

That's how the system explains it.

But Zhou Mingyi knew that those two children had also truly existed in her life.

How could she just let it go like that?

How could she not avenge her child?

But she knew she couldn't be impatient, because being impatient would only make her confused, and a confused mind is prone to making mistakes.

"wax apple."

Wax apple quickly stepped forward.

"Help me to the Qianqing Palace."

Shi Liu's eyes lit up immediately. "This servant will help you."

Zhou Mingyi glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Despite being pregnant, she walked with remarkable agility and briskness.

Pomegranate and wax apple followed behind her, even with some difficulty.

The two exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat complicated.

It's not that the Empress doesn't care about those two young princes.

How could a mother not care about her child?

The Empress is enduring it.

Pomegranate might not understand, but Lotus Mouth knew that her mistress was more wary than anyone else.

Even in front of Liu Xiuyuan and Zheng Cairen, he did not reveal the slightest clue.

But in the end, she will still go to His Majesty and ask him for an explanation!

……

Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Qianwu was leaning against his desk, resting with his eyes closed, when Fuquan rushed in, his face pale.

"Your Majesty, Consort Zhen has arrived."

Emperor Qianwu opened his eyes.

"Let her in."

Fuquan hesitated for a moment.

"Her Majesty... looks very unwell."

Emperor Qianwu frowned, stood up, and was about to walk out when the curtain moved and Zhou Mingyi walked in.

Her face was frighteningly pale, her eyes were red-rimmed, her lips were pressed tightly together, and her whole body was trembling.

Emperor Qianwu's heart tightened, and he quickly walked over.

"Ah Chang, what's wrong?"

Zhou Mingyi raised her head and looked at him. That gaze made Emperor Qianwu's heart clench.

"Your Majesty," her voice trembled, "were my two children killed by Chaoyang?"

"She deliberately sent that pearl beauty and calming pill to the concubine so that the concubine wouldn't be able to have her two children? And to lower the concubine's guard, she's been sending them to everyone in the palace for so many years, hasn't she?"

"Has she been scheming against me, and against His Majesty's harem, since the very beginning?"

Emperor Qianwu was stunned.

Zhou Mingyi stared at him intently. "She didn't even spare Consort Chen, did she?"

"She wants His Majesty to be childless, to have only her as the sole heir in the harem?"

How could she be so heartless?

Emperor Qianwu opened his mouth, but found that he could not say anything.

He looked at her, at those red eyes that stubbornly refused to shed a tear.

"Ah Chang, listen to me..."

Zhou Mingyi took a step back.

"Your Majesty, tell me, is it true?"

Emperor Qianwu remained silent for a long time before finally nodding.

"Yes."

Zhou Mingyi's tears finally fell.

She didn't cry out loud, she just stood there, tears falling one by one. She looked at Emperor Qianwu, her gaze filled with pain, hatred, resentment, and something indescribable that made Emperor Qianwu's heart ache.

"Your Majesty," her voice was hoarse, "my two children were your flesh and blood. They were murdered before they were even born. You know who did it, you know..."

"I always thought it was an accident, and that the princess gave me the medicine out of kindness."

"It was my fault, I was not fortunate enough to have those two children..."

Her eyes widened, her face filled with despair.

Emperor Qianwu reached out, wanting to pull her into his arms.

Zhou Mingyi took another step back.

"Ah Chang..." Emperor Qianwu's voice was hoarse, "I know. I'm sorry to you, I'm sorry to those two children. But Chaoyang... she is my daughter."

Zhou Mingyi stared intently into his eyes and suddenly laughed.

That smile was uglier than a cry.

"I know. I know everything. So I don't blame Your Majesty."

She paused, her voice lowering, "I just... wanted to ask Your Majesty in person. Once I've asked, I'll be at peace."

She turned around and walked out step by step.

Emperor Qianwu wanted to call out to her, but when he opened his mouth, he found that he couldn't say anything.

He stood in the hall, watching her figure disappear through the doorway.

After a long while, he hurriedly instructed Fuquan, "Quickly, go see Consort Zhen. She's pregnant, she..."

Before Emperor Qianwu could finish speaking, Fuquan hurriedly replied, "Yes, this servant will go right away."

He rushed out and returned shortly afterward.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. The Empress is attended to by Aunt Lianwu and Aunt Shiliu. She is traveling carefully, and I have already ordered people to escort her back to Weiyang Palace."

Emperor Qianwu waved his hand wearily.

After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Zhou Mingyi leaned against the wall and slowly walked back.

Wax apple followed behind, tears streaming down her face.

"Your Majesty, please slow down..."

Zhou Mingyi's tears were still flowing, but the corners of her lips curved slightly.

Emperor Qianwu stood by the window, watching her figure grow smaller and smaller as she disappeared into the distance.

He thought of the two children, and of the night Ah Chang miscarried, when she screamed her heart out in the delivery room, and he stood outside the delivery room all night.

When it was dawn, he went in to see her. Her face was deathly pale and her eyes were so swollen she couldn't open them.

But she still smiled at him and said, "Your Majesty, I'm fine."

He always thought it was fate. He thought he was just unlucky.

It turned out that it wasn't fate, but the rising sun.

Emperor Qianwu closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Fuquan".

Fuquan quickly stepped forward.

"By imperial decree, effective immediately, all expenses of Princess Chaoyang's residence shall be reduced. The number of guards at the princess's residence shall be halved."

Emperor Qianwu stood by the window, gazing in the direction of Weiyang Palace, and remained motionless for a long time.

He knew that this punishment was far from enough.

But what else could he do?

That was his only daughter, his only bloodline in the past ten years.