That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

The Empress Dowager thought she was already kind, lenient and considerate of the concubines, so she put aside her status as Empress Dowager and took the initiative to summon Consort Yuan.

But Consort Yuan was unmoved by reason, and even showed a hint of provocation.

Some bottom lines must never be crossed, and the Empress Dowager's patience has reached its limit.

The Empress Dowager's eyes were sharp as knives. "Kneel down before me!"

Song Shuangning lifted her skirt and knelt down without hesitation, "Please punish me, Empress Dowager."

She loathed the Empress Dowager's actions. Due to her favoritism, she even went so far as to kill the Emperor, who was also her own son. This cold-bloodedness was a form of contempt she held deep in her heart.

Furthermore, since the Emperor showed her his scars, she could not 'betray' him.

Seeing her straight back, the Empress Dowager took a deep breath.

"Consort Yuan, I..."

"Empress Dowager."

The palace doors creaked open.

Xiao Yan appeared at the doorway.

He exuded a chilling aura, his gaze sweeping across the hall before finally settling on Song Shuangning, who was kneeling on the ground, his eyes growing even colder.

Song Shuangning breathed a sigh of relief, finally waiting for Xiao Yan to arrive.

"What is the Empress Dowager doing? What has Consort Yuan done wrong?"

Seeing that Xiao Yan had finally come, the Empress Dowager felt somewhat relieved and quickly said, "I never intended to harm Consort Yuan. I just... just wanted Consort Yuan to persuade you and calm you down. I hope you understand my intentions."

Xiao Yan ignored her words and went straight to Song Shuangning's side, gently helping her up.

"The Empress Dowager has already made Consort Yuan kneel down. If I had arrived a moment later, the Empress Dowager would have punished her."

These words struck the Empress Dowager like a heavy hammer blow.

Her son now only looks at her with cold indifference.

They seemed convinced that she was a vicious woman.

No matter what she says or does, it cannot change anything.

The Emperor came to Shou Kang Palace today not for her, but for Consort Yuan. If it weren't for Consort Yuan, he probably wouldn't have set foot here.

"Your Majesty never intended to harm Consort Yuan..." the Empress Dowager tried to explain, "Regarding that day..."

Xiao Yan interrupted her impatiently, "There's no need to mention that day again, and I don't want to."

"Since there is nothing else, I will take Consort Yuan back with me."

Xiao Yan stopped looking at her and took Song Shuangning out.

The Empress Dowager murmured, tears welling in her eyes, "My son, why won't you believe your mother?"

Xiao Yan stopped in his tracks. "The Empress Dowager has done too many things that have disappointed me. I really have no energy left to waste on you."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager nearly fainted.

*

On the imperial carriage, Xiao Yan asked in a hoarse voice, "Has the Empress Dowager given you any difficulties?"

Xiao Yan's eyes reddened, and Song Shuangning held her hand, her fingertips tightening slightly.

Song Shuangning knew that family ties were the hardest to sever.

"The Empress Dowager did not make things difficult for me. She only wanted me to persuade the Emperor to calm down. That's all."

"Then what will you say?"

"Your Majesty, as a concubine, my primary responsibility is to make Your Majesty happy. Everything I do and say is to please you. I do not wish for Your Majesty to be saddened or upset by what happened before. I will not advise you to forgive the Empress Dowager, because in my heart, Your Majesty's happiness is the most important thing."

The undisguised worry in her eyes was like a ray of light, illuminating his gloomy mood caused by the Empress Dowager.

Xiao Yan stroked her face, then hugged Song Shuangning tightly in his arms, trying to draw warmth and strength from her.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Half a month passed by quietly.

Song Shuangning's period was ten days later than usual, but there was still no sign of it.

At first, she didn't notice it and thought it was just a normal fluctuation. In her mind, a difference of seven days was nothing unusual.

It wasn't until Tingyu cautiously reminded her that she realized something was wrong, as if waking from a dream.

What followed was an indescribable panic.

Song Shuangning subconsciously raised her hand to her lower abdomen, her fingertips trembling slightly with tension.

A terrible thought struck her instantly.

Song Shuangning dared not delay any longer and immediately asked someone to summon the imperial physician.

After taking your pulse, Physician Zhang said slowly, "Your Majesty, your period is only a few days late, and your pulse is still stable. I can't tell the exact time."

Song Shuangning felt a little relieved.

Before she could even catch her breath, the next sentence from Physician Zhang sent chills down her spine.

"Your Majesty, have you consumed anything slightly cooling lately?"

"What?" Song Shuangning's expression changed slightly.

"Your Majesty, I have just carefully examined your pulse and noticed a faint chill in it. It seems that Your Majesty has taken something slightly cooling."

"no."

Physician Zhang sighed, a troubled look on his face: "I have studied medicine since childhood and would never make a mistake. My daughter was able to survive thanks to Your Majesty's grace, so I will not tell anyone about what happened today."

His tone shifted, becoming serious, and he solemnly reminded her, "Your Majesty, I must reiterate one last thing: you are taking this slightly cooling substance too frequently, and your pulse will inevitably show signs of it sooner or later. I urge Your Majesty to be cautious and think it over carefully."

Song Shuangning smiled helplessly.

She clearly had countless excuses to make up for it, such as the hot weather or that she was feeling uneasy and therefore drank some iced drinks.

But after listening to Physician Zhang's words, she was so nervous that she couldn't think of a single word.

She composed herself and said in a low voice, "I understand."

Before long, Li Fuquan came to fetch her, saying that the Emperor wanted to see her.

Song Shuangning was already upset because her period was late, so she refused without thinking.

Li Fuquan was rebuffed and returned to the Hall of Diligent Governance to report back.

Xiao Yan chuckled softly after hearing this.

Arrogance stemming from favor.

Fine, if she doesn't want to come, then she doesn't want to come.

He would go to Yaohua Palace to see her that night.

Because she was restless, Song Shuangning slept fitfully for the entire afternoon.

When I woke up, I was still a little dazed.

The light inside the palace was soft. She listened intently and could vaguely hear the Emperor and Tingyu talking.

She propped herself up, her body still weak, her hair disheveled and her eyes still sleepy.

"Listen to the rain," she said, her voice still a little hoarse.

Upon hearing the sound, Xiao Yan slowly walked into the bedchamber: "Awake?"

"Why has the Emperor come?"

Xiao Yan sat down on the edge of the bed, looking slightly aggrieved. "I summoned you to the Hall of Diligent Governance this afternoon, but you refused to come. So, I had no choice but to come myself."

His gaze fell on her slightly pale face, and he asked softly, "I heard you summoned the imperial physician; are you feeling unwell?"

He looked at her, as if he wanted to say something, but held back.

He knew that Zhang Chengji (Imperial Physician Zhang) was Ningning's man, but he didn't know how much Ningning had given him. Imperial Physician Zhang refused to tell the truth.

He, the emperor, had never lived such a stifled life, and it was so difficult to find out what he wanted to know.

Song Shuangning curled her fingers and said in a low voice, "My period is a few days late, so I asked Physician Zhang to come and take a look."

Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, and his gaze unconsciously fell on her flat stomach.

Song Shuangning noticed his gaze and quickly said, "It's only been postponed for a few days, and Physician Zhang said he couldn't diagnose anything."

She knew Xiao Yan's expectations for their child, and those expectations were no longer simple.

Therefore, she didn't want to disappoint him.