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

Zhou Mingyi lowered her head and remained silent.

The Empress Dowager's hands trembled slightly. She took a deep breath and suppressed her anger.

"Ah Chang, I know you've suffered hardship and injustice."

"But I am also Yan'er's grandmother. Is it wrong for me to want to see him and hold him?"

Zhou Mingyi raised her head and looked at her calmly.

"Your Majesty, you are not wrong."

"Then why...?"

Zhou Mingyi spoke with righteous indignation.

"The concubine did nothing wrong either."

"I'm just afraid that Yan'er will be frightened, that he will fall ill, or that something might happen to him."

"You don't know, I can't sleep well every night, I'm afraid that when I open my eyes, the baby will be gone."

"I have already lost two children, I cannot lose Yan'er as well."

The Empress Dowager's face turned pale instantly.

She felt guilty when she talked about the two children.

In fact, everyone in the palace knew how those two children died.

His Majesty and the Empress Dowager doted on the princess so much back then, and the princess sent ointments to the ladies of the palace for so many years.

Even Qingyou, who was in Consort Chen's palace, personally came forward to confirm Consort Chen's actions in the palace over the years.

She was capable of selling official positions, bullying ordinary concubines in the palace, and suppressing palace servants and maids was a minor matter.

She had ordered Qingyou to poison the well of the current Empress, formerly Consort Zhen. After the plot was exposed, she secretly killed Qingyou to silence her.

It was Consort Zhen who saved Qingyou.

Convicted of multiple crimes, Consort Chen and her daughter did not die unjustly.

But if it weren't for the Empress Dowager and His Majesty's indulgence, where would Consort Chen and her daughter have gotten such audacity?

Therefore, the Empress Dowager felt guilty.

But at that time, her two grandsons were already dead. Did they have to kill her only granddaughter as well?

The Empress Dowager pleaded for Chaoyang's life, asking the Emperor to be lenient with him.

But at that time, Ah Chang clearly said...

Now the Empress Dowager has figured it out. It's not that she doesn't resent it, it's just that she doesn't dare to.

Now that she has given birth to the crown prince, she has gained confidence.

The Empress Dowager felt a growing anger and embarrassment.

This Zhou family member is such a good liar.

Did they really think that just because she gave birth to the crown prince, they couldn't do anything to her?

"Your Majesty, I..."

She had barely opened her mouth when Zhou Mingyi interrupted her.

"Mother Empress."

"I'm a little tired and want to go see Yan'er. You should also go back and rest early."

She wouldn't listen to the Empress Dowager's excuses.

Wrong is wrong.

She turned around and walked out.

The Empress Dowager watched her retreating figure and suddenly stood up.

"Your Majesty, stop right there."

Zhou Mingyi stopped walking, but did not turn around.

The Empress Dowager walked over, stood in front of her, and looked at her face.

Zhou Mingyi lowered her eyes, her expression calm. There was not a trace of resentment on her stunningly beautiful face, and she could not find a single fault.

But the Empress Dowager felt a chill run through her body.

"Your Majesty, I have a question for you. Tell me honestly."

The Empress Dowager's voice trembled, "Do you hate me?"

Zhou Mingyi looked up at her and remained silent for a while.

She chuckled briefly.

It sounds like sarcasm.

But what came out of his mouth was, "Your Majesty, you're overthinking it."

"How could I hate you? You are the Empress Dowager, Yan'er's grandmother. I am grateful to you more than ever."

The Empress Dowager simply did not believe it.

She raised her hand and pushed her.

"You clearly harbor resentment, you..."

The impact wasn't heavy, but Zhou Mingyi happened to be standing on the edge of the steps, her foot slipped, and she fell backward.

The wax apple screamed and rushed over to help, but she couldn't catch it.

Zhou Mingyi fell to the ground, her lower back hitting the edge of the steps, and the pain made her face turn pale.

The hall fell silent instantly.

The Empress Dowager stood there, her hand still outstretched, her face as white as paper.

"Ah Chang... I didn't mean it... I just..."

Zhou Mingyi lay on the ground, clutching her stomach, her face pale, large beads of sweat beading on her forehead.

The wax apple knelt beside her, its hands trembling. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, what's wrong!"

Zhou Mingyi clutched her stomach, large beads of sweat dripping from her forehead.

Just then, someone shouted.

"Blood!"

The Empress Dowager suddenly felt dizzy. "Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"

The imperial physician practically tumbled in.

His hands were trembling as he took the pulse. He took it once, then again, and then looked up, his face a mixture of surprise, joy, and fear.

"Congratulations, Empress Dowager! Congratulations, Your Majesty the Empress! Your Majesty is pregnant! It's been a month!"

The Empress Dowager was stunned.

pregnant?

Is there another pregnancy?

The imperial physician was speaking in the official language of the Great Zhou Dynasty, but the Empress Dowager suddenly couldn't understand him.

It took her a while to realize what was happening.

"Wh-what?"

The Empress Dowager looked completely taken aback.

It was Aunt Zhulan who reminded her.

"Your Majesty, may Heaven bless our Great Zhou Dynasty! May His Majesty's descendants prosper, and may Your Majesty the Empress rule the world with unparalleled grace and blessings!"

The Empress Dowager then realized what was happening and quickly grabbed Zhou Mingyi's hand.

A pair of eyes widened as she stared at the imperial physician. "What did you say? Is this true?"

The imperial physician was not certain.

After all, this is indeed an unbelievable thing.

It is a miracle that the Empress was able to give birth to the Crown Prince and His Majesty was able to have an heir.

Yet the Empress was able to conceive again and again.

It's simply unbelievable.

"Your Majesty, I am of limited knowledge and skills. I would like to request that Dr. Tao from the Imperial Medical Academy come and examine Your Majesty's pulse."

The imperial physician wiped the sweat from his forehead and hurriedly bowed his head respectfully.

The Empress Dowager looked at Zhou Mingyi, at her pale face, and suddenly her legs went weak, and she slumped into her chair.

Zhou Mingyi lay there, her hand on her lower abdomen, and the corners of her lips slowly curved up.

She's pregnant.

These two children arrived at just the right time.

When the news reached the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Qianwu was hosting a banquet for his officials.

Fuquan leaned close to his ear and whispered a few words.

The wine cup in Emperor Qianwu's hand crashed to the ground with a "crack," shattering into several pieces.

The courtiers were startled and all looked at him.

Emperor Qianwu stood up, his expression changing repeatedly, and then strode away.

The assembled officials were left looking at each other in bewilderment.

Emperor Qianwu quickly left Qianqing Palace, and Fuquan dared not linger.

Some ministers instinctively sought out Fuquan to inquire about the situation, but he dared not say anything more.

He only glanced at Zhou Mingchong.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty will be back soon."

With that, he hurriedly followed Emperor Qianwu.

Emperor Qianwu walked very fast, like a gust of wind, and quickly went to Kunning Palace.

We arrived at Kunning Palace.

He could only see Zhou Mingyi.

Seeing her leaning against the soft couch with her hand on her lower abdomen, he hurriedly strode forward.

"Ah Chang, how are you?"

Zhou Mingyi shook her head, her face pale.

"I'm fine. The child is fine too."

Emperor Qianwu breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and looked at the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager raised her head, looked at him, and her lips trembled.

"Your Majesty, I didn't mean it... I just..."

Emperor Qianwu frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "Mother Empress, you are tired. Please go back and rest."

The Empress Dowager opened her lips, but ultimately said nothing.

She walked to the door, stopped, and looked back.

Zhou Mingyi leaned against Emperor Qianwu's chest, closed her eyes, and placed her hand on her lower abdomen.

She suddenly realized that something seemed to have gone out of control.

She turned around and slowly walked out.

After leaving Kunning Palace, Zhulan didn't dare to speak.

Upon arriving at Cining Palace, she cautiously advised, "Your Majesty..."

Do you think I'm ungrateful?

Zhu Lan was taken aback. She didn't dare to say it, but that was indeed what she was thinking.

Previously, His Majesty had no male heir, and only the princess was his sole offspring.

However, since women cannot inherit the throne, having an heir is practically the same as not having one.

Although Zhu Lan was just a maid, she had served the Empress Dowager for many years and held a high position, so she had vaguely heard some rumors.

It is said that His Majesty wants to elevate the princess to the throne...

This is truly astonishing.

There has never been a woman who ascended to the throne throughout history.

But no matter what, the princess is His Majesty's own flesh and blood.

As the Empress Dowager's loyal servant, Zhu Lan was happy to see this happen.

But who could have imagined that at this time, the Empress, who was then Consort Zhen, would give birth to a prince for His Majesty?

The prince shattered all of the princess's possibilities from the moment he was born!

But the prince is also His Majesty's own son, and someone His Majesty and the Empress Dowager have been longing for for many years.

What more could one ask for?

Even if the Empress holds a grudge and prevents the Empress Dowager from getting close to the Crown Prince, so what?

Even if they weren't close, the Crown Prince was still the Empress Dowager's grandson.

No one can change that.

The Empress Dowager simply hadn't quite grasped the situation yet...

Seeing that Zhu Lan remained silent, the Empress Dowager sighed, "I am indeed too ungrateful."

"Isn't all I want to see is a prosperous and thriving empire with many capable descendants?"

"Look, no one else can give birth, yet Zhou Shi manages to conceive again and again. Who can say that's not her skill?"

Zhu Lan frowned, feeling that the Empress Dowager had given up on everything.

She still didn't dare to speak.

……

Kunning Palace.

Emperor Qianwu excitedly grasped Zhou Mingyi's hand.

His gaze was fixed on her lower abdomen in astonishment, unwavering, as if the child had vanished the moment she opened her eyes.

"Ah Chang... is this real?"

"Are we having another baby?"

Zhou Mingyi smiled and said, "I don't know."

Shi Liu hurriedly said, "Your Highness has indeed been somewhat tired lately. We servants thought it was because His Highness the Crown Prince was causing a ruckus."

Emperor Qianwu immediately asked, "Did Chen'er misbehave? Did he upset you?"

Zhou Mingyi's expression immediately changed slightly.

"Your Majesty, don't listen to that girl Shiliu's nonsense. Our Chen'er is clever and well-behaved; how could she be troublesome?"

"Perhaps the child is just being difficult."

Zhou Mingyi loves children, but the baby in her womb is still small and naturally cannot compare to Chen'er's size.

It is a mother's duty to protect her son.

Emperor Qianwu was both amused and exasperated.

He awkwardly touched his nose. "I was just saying it casually, why are you so upset, Ah Chang?"

"Your health is the most important thing right now. If Chen'er really makes a fuss..."

"Chen'er is not making a fuss. I can't live without Chen'er."

Emperor Qianwu reluctantly shut his mouth.

In fact, he knew that there was a conflict between his empress and his mother.

But what could he do?

He was just a pitiful man caught between his mother and his wife.

It just so happens that my wife is pregnant again. If the baby is really fussy, we might as well leave the baby with my mother. My mother will have a grandson to dote on, and my wife won't have to work so hard.

But to everyone's surprise, he was rejected by Ah Chang before he could even speak.

Emperor Qianwu was rebuffed.

But now that she is pregnant again, how could Emperor Qianwu dare to provoke her?

He could only shut his mouth in frustration.

At this moment, Zhou Mingyi was all he could think of.

Even if every woman in the world is wonderful, what does it have to do with Xie Jinghong?

Only Ah Chang could bear him children and become pregnant again and again.

The current Qianwu Emperor is starting to believe what Master Jingming, the abbot of Hanshan Temple, once said.

His Ah Chang is definitely a woman of destiny.

He pulled her tightly into his arms, but was afraid of pressing on her lower abdomen.

Therefore, he could only pretend to stop her, wishing he could pluck the stars and the moon for her.

Zhou Mingyi leaned against him and closed her eyes.

During this pregnancy, she took a Dragon and Phoenix Pill.

The Empress Dowager pushed her, and everyone saw it.

Since the Empress Dowager is in the wrong, let them live with guilt forever.

Zhou Mingyi has never mentioned her past to outsiders, nor has she ever softened her heart.

If she were to soften her heart, then all the suffering she and her brother endured in their past lives would have been for nothing.

Like their older brother Xie Yan, Zhou Mingyi's two unborn children showed almost no reaction.

But her lower abdomen kept getting bigger and bigger.

By the time she was five months pregnant, her belly was as big as that of a typical pregnant woman who was seven or eight months along.

The imperial physician diagnosed that she was carrying twins.

Judging from the pulse, one is thinner, while the other is thicker and stronger.

Therefore, the imperial physician determined that the fetus in her womb was actually twins, a dragon and a phoenix.