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

Consort Chen's eyes reddened.

Tears welled up inside, but stubbornly refused to fall.

Granny Chen reached out and gently grasped her clenched fist.

"You hate Her Highness, but that medicine... perhaps it just made something that was already impossible even more impossible."

Consort Chen's tears finally fell.

Silently, one by one, they slipped from the corners of their eyes and disappeared into their temples.

Seeing this, Granny Chen felt extremely distressed and reached out to wipe away her tears.

"Your Majesty, please don't cry."

"You've cried yourself sick, but who's heartbroken? It's those who truly care about you."

"Her Highness, she won't even enter the palace gates. How could she possibly know how much you cried?"

"Your current despondency and falling out with Her Highness the Princess will only bring pain to your loved ones and joy to your enemies!"

Consort Chen closed her eyes and let the tears flow.

Granny Chen knew that the time was almost right.

She held Consort Chen's hand and sat by the bed for a while, letting those words slowly seep into the Empress's heart.

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

After a long while, Granny Chen spoke again, this time in an even lower voice, with a hint of cautious probing.

"Your Majesty, there is something I wish to say, but I am not sure if I should."

Consort Chen did not open her eyes or speak.

Granny Chen took this as a tacit agreement and carefully continued:

"Your Majesty has been so grieving these days that she probably hasn't had time to think about things outside."

"But if I may be so bold as to say... our princess's current momentum is quite remarkable."

Consort Chen's eyelashes trembled slightly.

Having observed this, Granny Chen understood the situation and continued:

"The Crown Prince is completely suppressed by Her Highness the Princess."

"Among the cabinet ministers, how many dared to talk back to Her Highness the Princess?"

"And now?"

"Everyone who sees Her Highness has to think twice before speaking."

"I heard that during the meeting a few days ago, Her Highness the Princess refuted the people from the Ministry of Rites until they were speechless. Several old ministers changed their expressions on the spot, but no one dared to say a word."

She paused, a hint of barely perceptible awe in her voice.

"Your Highness, what do you think Princess is trying to do?"

Consort Chen opened her eyes and looked at her.

Her pupils suddenly contracted as she remembered what Chaoyang had said.

Consort Chen has been in a daze these past few days, and she can hardly remember what her daughter once told her.

But she knew what she meant.

She...she wanted to...

Granny Chen met her gaze and said, word by word:

"Your Highness, I'm starting to think that Her Highness is trying to get that position."

As expected of Consort Chen's confidante.

She was someone who watched Princess Chaoyang grow up, and she was also a smart person.

She spoke the words that were on Consort Chen's mind.

Consort Chen's hand suddenly clenched, and she subconsciously retorted.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"She's a woman, how could she...?"

"How is that impossible?"

Granny Chen interrupted her, lowering her voice even further, "Your Majesty, think about it, His Majesty only has the Princess as his bloodline."

"No matter how good the Crown Prince is, he is adopted and does not have His Majesty's blood in his veins."

"Your Majesty is in the prime of life and can live for several more decades."

"If Your Highness could have kept those court officials in check over the past few decades, suppressed those dissenting voices, and defeated the Crown Prince..."

"At that time, who else but Her Highness the Princess could hold that position?"

Consort Chen opened her mouth, as if to say something, but found that she couldn't say anything at all.

Looking at her expression, Granny Chen continued:

"Your Highness, this servant has not received much education, but I believe that without His Majesty's secret support, would our Princess be able to freely enter and leave the inner palace?"

"Can I participate in government affairs?"

"You know our princess best."

"She's always been a strong-willed person; if she wants something, she'll definitely get it."

"Now that she has this intention, and His Majesty is backing her, do you think it's possible?"

Every word Chen Mama uttered was like a nail, striking Consort Chen's flesh and blood.

Her breathing suddenly became rapid.

Granny Chen gripped her hand tightly, speaking slowly and deliberately:

"Your Highness, think about it—if Her Highness the Princess really becomes the princess, then what will you be?"

Consort Chen's eyes widened. What was it?

Crown Princess, the birth mother of Her Majesty the Empress?

Isn't that... the Empress Dowager?

"By then, what will you still have to worry about? What will you still have to fear?"

"Whatever you want, you can have."

"Those who used to give you attitude, those who used to gossip behind your back, will all have to kneel before you and not dare to breathe a word."

Consort Chen's eyes reddened again, but this time, it wasn't because she was sad.

Seeing the change in her eyes, Granny Chen finally felt relieved.

She pressed her advantage and added another sentence:

"Your Majesty, I heard years ago that some families in the countryside have many children, but none of them amount to anything."

"When you get old, you still have to live at the mercy of your children and grandchildren."

"But some families only have one child, just that one, yet they gain lifelong glory and a lifetime of wealth."

"Think about it, if you really had another child, even if it was born, could you guarantee it would be better than Her Highness the Princess?"

"Can you guarantee you'll be more successful than Her Highness? Can you guarantee you'll have a future like that?"

Consort Chen's hands trembled slightly under the covers.

Granny Chen gripped that hand even tighter.

"Your Majesty, I understand that you hate Her Highness the Princess."

"But think about it, why would Her Highness do that? Why would she want you to be unable to have a second child?"

"Because she's afraid."

"She's afraid that if you have a second child, you won't love her as much anymore."

"She was afraid that you would focus all your attention on that child and forget about her."

"She was afraid that the child would compete with her for it in the future."

What she fears is losing you.

Consort Chen's tears fell again.

But this time, the tears were different from the ones before.

Granny Chen gently wiped away her tears, her voice even softer:

"Your Highness, no matter how ruthless Princess is, it's because she cares about you too much."

"She was ruthless in her actions, but how many children in this world would go to such lengths? How many children would scheme to this extent for their mother?"

"Think about it, how has Her Highness the Princess treated you all these years?"

"Why wouldn't we send you something good? Why wouldn't we think of you first when we need something?"

"She speaks up for you before His Majesty, she looks out for you before the Empress Dowager, and she saves face for you in public."

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten all of this?"

Consort Chen closed her eyes, tears flowing silently.

But her clenched hand slowly loosened.

Granny Chen knew it was done.

She gently patted Consort Chen's hand and stood up.

"Your Majesty, please rest well."

"I'll stew the bird's nest for you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Once you've recovered, go out and see... see how our princess climbed to that position step by step."

She turned and walked out.

As I reached the door, Chen Fei's voice suddenly came from behind me:

"Peixi".

Granny Chen turned around.

Consort Chen lay on the bed, gazing at the ceiling, her voice low and somewhat ethereal.

"Tell me, if she really becomes... what should I call her?"

Granny Chen was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

"Your Highness, you can call her whatever you want then. She's your own daughter, why would she hold a grudge?"

Consort Chen did not speak again.

Granny Chen gently closed the door and went out.

Outside the palace, the light was dim and the cold wind was blowing.

She stood under the eaves, pulled her sleeves together, and walked quickly toward the back door.

After winding through several turns, we entered a secluded corner room, where a palace maid was waiting.

"It's done."

Granny Chen sat down and only said those two words.

The palace maid's eyes lit up: "Over there, Her Majesty..."

"I've figured it out."

Granny Chen relayed Consort Chen's last words: "She asked, if the princess were to truly become a princess, what should she be called?"

The palace maid smiled and took a small bundle from her sleeve and handed it over.

Granny Chen accepted it but didn't open it, only saying, "Please thank Your Highness for your kindness on my behalf."

The palace maid nodded, got up and left.

Granny Chen carried the bundle and slowly walked back.

……

Princess House.

When the palace maid entered, Chaoyang was leaning against the couch, holding a scroll in his hand.

"Your Highness, it's done."

Chaoyang's hand paused.

She raised her head, her gaze intense: "Speak."

After the palace maid finished speaking in a few words, when she mentioned Consort Chen's last question, "What should we call her?", Chaoyang's eyes suddenly turned red.

In just a moment.

She lowered her eyes, concealing the red mark.

"Did Granny Chen give you a reward?"

"I'll reward you."

"Have her serve you well."

Chaoyang paused for a moment, then said, "Tell Mother that I will personally visit her once she has recovered."

The palace maid acknowledged and withdrew.

The hall returned to silence.

Chaoyang sat there, motionless for a long time.

She remembered when she was a child, her mother would hold her and feed her steamed sweet cheese bite by bite.

Thinking back to the night she had a fever, her mother stayed by her side all night.

But his mother always wanted to give his father another prince.

That damned prince!

At that time, Chaoyang was very young and did not understand those intricacies.

But every time her mother mentioned having another son, her attention was completely off her, and she didn't even see her fall.

Chaoyang was very dissatisfied.

Later, Chaoyang understood.

If her mother had a second child, she wouldn't love her as much.

She didn't want her mother to have any other children.

Not a single one.

Four whole years.

More than a thousand days and nights.

She watched as her mother was forced to drink a bowl of fertility-enhancing medicine every day, but she still couldn't conceive again.

She knew her mother would hate her.

But she knew even more that if she didn't do this, she would lose much more than that.

Chaoyang reached out and covered his eyes.

My palm was warm and damp.

After a long time, she put her hand down.

Her face was completely clean, with no trace of her skin.

She stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.

A cold wind blew in, causing her clothes to flutter.

She gazed in the direction of Chang Le Palace, and the corners of her mouth slowly curved into a smile.

The mother finally came to her senses.

Finally, he's willing to stand on her side.

But that's not all she wanted.

She wanted her mother to only have eyes for her.

She's the only one in my heart.

She wanted her mother to look at her with eyes so full of love, as she had when she was a child, with no room for anyone else.

Why should that unborn "second child" compete with her?

Chaoyang closed the window and walked back to the tatami mat.

The scroll was still lying there; she picked it up and opened it.

But the smile on his lips lingered for a long time.

My mother can only belong to me!

Father too!

When the last snow of March melted away, the day of the talent show arrived.

On the eighth day of the third lunar month, just as dawn was breaking, the area outside Shenwu Gate was already filled with mule carts.

Twenty-eight small carriages with blue curtains were lined up in two rows. Looking out from the gate, they resembled a row of sparrows waiting to be caged.

Zhou Mingyi stood in the Floating Jade Pavilion in the Imperial Garden, gazing in that direction into the distance.

She was dressed simply today, in a moon-white palace gown with subtle patterns, and wore only a jade plum blossom hairpin in her hair. Standing in the pavilion, she resembled a white plum blossom that had not yet fully bloomed.

"Your Majesty, the person has arrived."