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

After the New Year's Eve banquet, Chaoyang did not return to the princess's residence.

The imperial procession waited outside the Meridian Gate for half an hour before receiving news that the princess would not be leaving that night and would be staying in the palace.

Naturally, they went to Chang Le Palace.

Consort Chen's residence.

Consort Chen had just returned to her bedchamber, removed her hairpins and jewelry, changed into casual clothes, and was leaning against the couch in a daze when a voice announced her arrival from outside.

"Her Highness the Princess has arrived!"

She sat up abruptly.

So fast?

She thought the sun would rise in a few days, or perhaps not at all.

After all, that child has grown up now, and it's hard to say whether he still respects his mother.

But she just showed up like that.

On New Year's Eve, the banquet had just ended, but instead of returning to the princess's residence, she went to Chang Le Palace.

The thorn in Consort Chen's heart sank even deeper.

Her feelings were very complicated.

After all, she was her own daughter whom she had doted on and cherished for more than ten years. She would stay up with her every New Year's Eve, sharing laughter and joy.

If that incident hadn't happened, she probably wouldn't have been able to sleep if she hadn't come on New Year's Eve.

"Let her in."

She waved away those around her, leaving no one in front of her.

The candlelight inside the hall cast a soft glow, illuminating her face in a mixture of light and shadow.

She sat there, her hands clasped on her knees, her knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white.

The curtain moved, and the morning sun shone in.

She changed into casual clothes, not the flamboyant bright red one she wore at the banquet, but a moon-white jacket and skirt, covered with a dark blue cloak.

Her hair was let down, loosely tied into a bun, and adorned with a jade hairpin.

She doesn't look like a princess; she looks more like an ordinary girl visiting her mother.

Looking at her, Consort Chen felt the thorn in her heart ache even more.

"Mother."

Chaoyang walked up to her, bowed, and said, "Your subject has come to keep vigil for you on New Year's Eve."

Consort Chen remained silent.

He just stared at her, at her face, her eyes, and her gentle, obedient appearance.

This looks just like when I was a child.

It's just like how someone comes to beg for forgiveness after causing trouble.

But now, Consort Chen knows that beneath this obedient demeanor lies a sinister intent.

Consort Chen still can't believe it, why is that?

What exactly did she do wrong? Or what did she do to wrong her daughter?

"Please sit down."

Despite her incredibly complicated feelings, she still couldn't bring herself to say a single harsh word to her.

Chaoyang sat down opposite her, poured himself a cup of tea, and took a sip.

"The tea here, Mother, tastes exactly the same as it did when I was a child; it hasn't changed at all."

She drank very quickly and hurriedly, like a little girl, completely unsuspecting.

Previously, Consort Chen only felt a sense of warmth, but now, she felt quite uncomfortable.

Consort Chen looked at her, at her nonchalant demeanor, and suddenly spoke:

"Chaoyang, is there something wrong with that calming pill?"

Consort Chen was not a deep-thinking person; she couldn't keep secrets.

She originally had the opportunity to grow.

But unfortunately, she was too lucky.

She was so lucky to conceive Emperor Qianwu's only child to date, so she missed the opportunity to grow up.

She remained as impatient as ever.

Upon hearing this, Chaoyang paused immediately.

The teacup rested at his lips, and his fingers twitched slightly.

After a while, she slowly put down her teacup, raised her head, and met Consort Chen's gaze.

Those eyes were so clear and so innocent.

But beneath that innocence, there is no attempt to conceal anything.

"Mother, you've found out?"

Consort Chen's heart sank.

She found out?

she……

"you……"

Chen Fei's voice began to tremble, "Do you know I'm investigating? Do you know what I'm investigating?"

Even though she was heartbroken at the moment, she couldn't help but ask her, "Do you know what I'm talking about?"

Unlike Consort Chen, Chaoyang readily admitted her geographical ignorance.

"Know."

"Granny Chen went to that pharmacy in the south of the city; my men saw her."

"Later, the Crown Prince's men also went there, and I saw them too."

Consort Chen was stunned.

Did the Crown Prince's men go too?

But she had no interest in that.

She stared intently at the rising sun, her eyes red-rimmed, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "So...so all these years, Mother hasn't been able to conceive a second child because...because of that medicine you gave her?"

Chaoyang looked at her, at her tear-streaked face, at her eyes filled with heartache.

She did not dodge.

They didn't even feel guilty, nor did they offer a single hypocritical explanation.

She simply nodded.

"Yes."

A single word, like a knife, pierced straight into Consort Chen's heart.

Consort Chen was jolted, as if she had been struck on the head with a stick.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision.

"You...you..."

She pointed at the rising sun, her fingers trembling violently, "How could you... how could you do this to my mother?"

"Your mother is your own mother!"

"I carried you for ten months, almost lost half my life giving birth to you, and raised you with all my heart since you were little. Whatever you wanted, your mother gave you. How could you... how could you..."

Consort Chen was extremely agitated; she covered her face and cried uncontrollably.

Chaoyang looked at her, his expression still indifferent, even with a slight upturn at the corners of his lips, as if carrying a hint of mockery.

After she had been crying for a while, she slowly began to speak.

"Alright."

It's as if Consort Chen was a mischievous child.

"Mother, you gave birth to me, so why couldn't you just love me wholeheartedly? Why did you have to have another child?"

Consort Chen raised her head, her eyes blurred with tears as she looked at her.

"What?"

Chaoyang looked at her, his eyes widening slightly, and said, slowly and deliberately, "Don't you have me enough?"

"Why do we have to have another one?"

"Give birth to a prince, and then what?"

"And all your attention is on him, so what about me? What am I?"

Consort Chen was stunned.

She never imagined that Chaoyang was thinking this way.

"What...what are you talking about?"

Her voice was hoarse, "Mother wants to have another child, in order to... to consolidate her position, to give you more support, to..."

"For what reason?"

Chaoyang interrupted her, a slight smile playing on his lips, "For your own sake, then."

Consort Chen looked stunned, and her expression even looked somewhat comical.

Chaoyang, however, thought she was really foolish.

But out of respect for her being her biological mother, he walked up to her and looked down at her.

"Mother, put your hand on your heart and tell me, do you want to have another child for my sake or for your own?"

"It's to get Father Emperor to visit Chang Le Palace more often, to give you more influence in the palace, and to ensure your own wealth and prosperity for the rest of your life..."

"You mean, for whom?"

Consort Chen's face gradually turned deathly pale.

She opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but found herself unable to say anything.

Because what Chaoyang said was the truth.

Her desire to have another child wasn't entirely for Chaoyang's sake.

She had selfish motives, calculations, and her own unspoken thoughts.

But that's just human nature!

Which woman doesn't want another person to rely on? Which woman in the palace didn't want another child?

What did she do wrong?

"But you...you can't either..."

Consort Chen's voice weakened, tinged with pleading, "You can't let Mother... forever..."

She couldn't continue.

They can never be born again.

This thought, like a knife, twisted in her heart, causing her unbearable pain.

Looking at her appearance, Chaoyang's expression finally showed a slight change.

But that wasn't guilt.

That was pity.

A detached pity.

"Mother."

Her expression showed little emotion, but rather a sense of self-righteousness.

"Don't be too sad."

"With Father's health, it was already difficult for women to conceive."

"By taking this medicine, you've only made what was already impossible even more impossible."

Consort Chen suddenly raised her head and glared at her.

That look in his eyes was filled with hatred, anger, and disbelief.

"What...what did you say?"

Chaoyang sighed, as if he were coaxing an ignorant child.

"Your subject says, you shouldn't think about it anymore."

There won't be a second child.

"Never again in this lifetime."

"You only have one son, your subject."

"You are already luckier than the other concubines, aren't you? You have your son, while the others have nothing."

"If I am well, you are well. If I am not well, you are not well either."

"My daughter and I are in the same boat."

She crouched down to be at eye level with Consort Chen.

"So, Mother."

She reached out and gently wiped away Consort Chen's tears, her movements as tender as when she was a child. "You must take good care of yourself. You must stand by my side. You must help me."

"Only in this way can we both be well."

Consort Chen looked at her, at that familiar face so close to hers.

Yet it felt utterly unfamiliar.

His face wore a smile, but the smile seemed to hold a knife within it.

It pierced the person to pieces.

Consort Chen was trembling all over, and she couldn't stop shaking.

She wanted to yell at her, hit her, kick her out, and let everyone know what she had done...

But when she opened her mouth, she found that she couldn't do anything.

Because Chaoyang is right.

She only has herself left.

In this life, she's the only one.

What if she turns hostile?

What will she do for the rest of her life?

Who will support her during her time in the deep palace?

Who will take care of her in her old age and see her off in her final days?

Consort Chen collapsed to the ground, covered her face, and cried silently.

Chaoyang looked at her, at the figure curled up in a ball, and still had a smile on his face.

That smile was incredibly gentle.

"Mother, please rest well, your son..."

Before he could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

Footsteps and voices could be heard faintly, as if something had happened.

Chaoyang's brow twitched slightly.

She stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack to look outside.

In the courtyard, several eunuchs were huddled together, whispering and looking somewhat nervous.

One of them was one of her men. Upon seeing her, he quickly walked over and whispered through the window:

"Your Highness, something has happened. In the West Garden, His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Crown Princess are arguing, which has alarmed the guards, and even the Empress Dowager has sent people over."

The morning sun's eyes suddenly lit up.

She glanced back at Chen Fei, who was sprawled on the ground, and her smile held a hint of indescribable excitement.

"Mother, I have something to attend to, so I must take my leave now. I will come to see you another day."

After saying that, she pushed open the door and strode out, her skirt leaving a long trail on the ground.

Consort Chen collapsed to the ground, staring at the departing figure and the still-shaking door, her whole body trembling with sobs.

The footsteps outside faded into the distance.

Inside the hall, she was the only one left.

And then there were those words, which pierced her heart like a knife.

I will never have another child in this lifetime.

……

Chaoyang left Changle Palace with swift steps.

She greeted the palace servants and asked, "What happened?"

The palace maid lowered her voice and briefly recounted what had happened in the West Garden.

Chaoyang laughed after hearing that.

It was as if they had heard some incredibly good news.

"Walk!"

"Go to Cining Palace."