With legs weak, the sickly stable boy became a mad regent.

Shen Nannan looked towards the door, a hint of a smile appearing in her eyes. "Brother always says that A-Chao is stubborn, but he's not much better himself."

"They are not married yet," Xiao Yunzhao suddenly said.

"so what?"

"Shen Run goes in and out with her every day, which is against the rules."

Shen Nannan turned to look at him, and after a moment it dawned on her, "Are you holding a grudge against him for what he said about you earlier?"

"no."

"Then why did you suddenly bring up rules?"

"It's just stating the facts."

Shen Nannan was amused by his serious expression. At that moment, the baby in her womb moved slightly. She subconsciously lowered her head and placed her palm on that soft curve.

The coldness on Xiao Yunzhao's face faded, and he pulled her closer to him, placing his hand on her abdomen. "Does it hurt?"

"It hurts somewhere, he just moved a little."

The child seemed to know that his father was waiting, and slowly stretched out again.

Through the fabric, the sound was so faint it was almost an illusion.

Xiao Yunzhao, however, was always able to clearly perceive it.

He lowered his eyes, temporarily shifting his attention away from the papers that framed him.

Shen Nannan looked at his profile. "Aren't you going to ask me why I have to care about the rumors outside?"

"Do as you wish, Madam."

"But you never used to care what others said about you."

"I don't care now." Xiao Yunzhao raised his eyes. "They say I'm crazy, that I'm plotting rebellion, or that I deserve to die, but it has nothing to do with me. But you care."

Because Shen Nannan cared, he was willing to listen to her arrangements.

Shen Nannan's heart softened, and she gently stroked his brow with her fingertips.

I dreamt that you were standing opposite everyone.

"They curse you for patricide and fratricide, calling you a heartless and ruthless monster."

"If you don't explain, no one will speak up for you."

Xiao Yunzhao's eyes darkened slightly.

Shen Nannan moved closer to him, her forehead gently touching his.

"This time, I'll speak for you."

It's not about making everyone in the world like him, nor is it about erasing all the people he killed and the things he did in the past.

She simply wouldn't allow those people to impose on him once again the sins that weren't his.

"If the crown prince leads troops to force the palace, then everyone should know that the crown prince rebelled first."

"You saved the emperor and quelled the rebellion; now they should know who you saved."

"Ah Chao, you are no longer the person in my dream who could only stand in the blood and let others spit on you."

"You have me."

Xiao Yunzhao remained silent for a long time, but the hand covering her lower abdomen tightened little by little.

He never cared about his reputation.

Because no one had ever taught him from childhood that his innocence needed protection.

Consort Yu asked him to make a knife.

The emperor treated him as a son who could be used and discarded at any time.

People all over the world fear him, curse him, and hate him.

Xiao Yunzhao was already used to it.

But Shen Nannan wouldn't allow it.

She wanted him to be safe and to leave that palace with a clean record.

"My little girl."

Xiao Yunzhao lowered his head and kissed her.

The kiss came without warning.

She lacked the composure she displayed in front of everyone, and her usual deliberate teasing was gone.

He gripped the back of her neck, his lips and tongue carrying an emotion that had been suppressed for too long.

Shen Nannan paused for a moment, then quickly raised her hand to wrap around his neck.

Her breath came out soft from the kiss, and she leaned against him.

Xiao Yunzhao noticed the change in her body and softened his movements slightly, but he was still reluctant to let go immediately.

Until the baby in his womb gave his hand a light kick.

The man finally stopped.

Shen Nannan leaned on his shoulder to catch her breath, her eyes already tinged with a thin layer of red. "He's helping me again."

"Um."

Xiao Yunzhao's voice was a little hoarse, "After he is born, let him sleep on his own for a month first."

"You dare?"

"Then it will be half a month."

Not even for a single day.

Xiao Yunzhao pursed his lips and didn't argue anymore.

Shen Nannan reached out and wiped away a bit of lipstick from his lips. "Are you still afraid they'll scold you?"

"I'm not afraid."

"You were never afraid."

"Because you're here." He buried his face in her neck and whispered the last word.

"As long as you trust me, it doesn't matter what they say."

Shen Nannan stroked his long hair, but didn't expose him.

The person who said he didn't care was now holding her tighter than ever before.

After a short while, Shen Run and Qiu Tong returned.

Several managers from the Shen family followed behind the two.

These people usually manage Shen Nannan's shop, and nothing that happens on any street in the capital can escape their ears.

As soon as Shen Run entered the room, he saw his younger sister sitting in Xiao Yunzhao's arms.

He paused, "Can't you two sit separately?"

"No," Xiao Yunzhao answered quite frankly.

Shen Run gritted his teeth. If it weren't for the possibility of something happening in the palace at any moment, he would have kicked this dog away from his sister today.

"The people have all been brought." He forced himself to look away. "The shopkeepers of several shops in the east of the city have already sent people to the north gate. There were quite a few people there today who saw Xiao Yunzhao going to war. We don't need to tell them; they can explain it themselves."

"There were also people who saw a group of guards leaving late at night outside the side gate of the East Palace."

Qiu Tong placed another piece of paper on the table. "The people have already started to move."

"Which message do they want to send first?" Shen Nannan asked.

"Prince Zhao has secretly returned to the capital." Shen Run sneered. "He even said that he knew the emperor was seriously ill and was preparing to lead his old Shen family troops into the palace to seize the throne."

"The news of the emperor's serious illness has never left the palace," Shen Nannan said. "They spoke of it too soon."

No alarm bells had yet rung in the palace, and there was no news of the emperor's serious illness.

The people in the Eastern Palace had already figured out why Prince Zhao would return to the capital.

The more complete it is, the more it resembles a pre-prepared lie.

"Let them talk."

Shen Run was taken aback.

Shen Nannan looked at him.

"Don't stop them now."

"The sooner they speak, the more flaws they leave behind."

When dawn breaks, the people will naturally remember.

Why did someone know about Prince Zhao's rebellion before the palace coup occurred?

Those pre-written papers would also become evidence that the crown prince had planned this all along.

Shen Run quickly understood and carefully put the lists away again. "I know what to do."

"Brother," Shen Nannan called out to him.

Shen Run turned around.

"Don't get hurt."

She then looked at Qiu Tong, "Both of you, come back safely."

Shen Run originally wanted to say how could something have happened to him, but when he met his sister's serious gaze, he swallowed back the joke that was on the tip of his tongue.

"rest assured."

He stood by the door, raised his hand and tapped the knife at his waist.

"Your brother is waiting to see the little one in your belly born."

Qiu Tong nodded slightly.

After the two men left with the shopkeeper, it was already the deepest part of the night.