The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

Shen Qingruo suddenly realized, and the confusion in her heart finally dissipated.

It turned out to be the case.

The mutual support in times of crisis, the loss of her beloved older brother and the arrival of a new life—no wonder he values ​​Wulan Yun and Shen Jingyan so much.

But how many times can this affection withstand the test of time?

What if she also has a child?

A child carrying his and her blood, a child he had been waiting for—at that time, how would he weigh that child against Shen Jingyan and Shen Yinian in his heart?

Shen Qingruo's consciousness stirred slightly, and she opened the system shop again.

The screen scrolls, displaying options related to offspring such as [Contraceptive Pill], [False Pregnancy Pill], and [Fertility Assistance Pill]...

"Sigh." Xiao Jiu sighed in her mind, the ball of light seemed a little dim. "Aruo, I don't know what's going on. Logically speaking, he has been with you so frequently, and your body has been nourished by dual cultivation. There should have been some reaction by now."

"I don't know if it's because your luck isn't good enough, or for some other reason, but you haven't been able to conceive a prince."

Shen Qingruo looked at the pills with a calm gaze, showing no signs of anxiety.

"No rush," she said softly. "Having a child at this time might not be a good thing."

She knew very well that before Shen Wangxi's heart was completely devoted to her, the arrival of a child would make her the target of everyone's criticism, and even put Shen Wangxi in a difficult position, causing her and even her child to suffer again.

What she wanted was to have victory assured.

"You have to win a man's heart first," she told Xiao Jiu. "My child must have all of his father's love and cannot suffer the slightest grievance."

Shen Qingruo pondered for a moment, then made a decision.

"Granny," she called softly.

Granny Yan, who had been waiting outside, immediately bowed and entered: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

Shen Qingruo raised her eyes and looked at the sharp-eyed and experienced Granny Yan, her voice firm: "Go to the Imperial Hospital and find a way to get some contraceptive soup."

Granny Yan froze, then abruptly looked up, her face drained of color, her eyes filled with horror: "Your Highness! What happened to you...?"

She was so frightened she was almost incoherent. "This is absolutely impossible! What if His Majesty finds out..."

"His Majesty will not know." Shen Qingru interrupted her, her watery eyes now clear and bright as she looked directly at Granny Yan. "Granny, this matter must be kept secret. Not a single word of it must be leaked."

Looking at her pale face, Granny Yan recalled the danger at the flower viewing banquet today, and His Majesty's seemingly protective but actually unfair treatment of the princess. Her heart was filled with a thousand thoughts.

She had served this mistress for quite some time and knew that although she appeared gentle, she was actually very opinionated.

After a long silence, Granny Yan sighed heavily. She knelt down and lowered her voice, "This old servant understands. This old servant will handle it carefully and will never let a third person know."

"Your Highness, this is far too risky. You must think it over carefully!"

Shen Qingruo reached out and gently helped her up: "Get up, Granny, I know what I'm doing."

She watched Granny Yan's worried figure as she retreated, and placed her hand on her lower abdomen.

She certainly wouldn't drink the contraceptive soup; she was just using it to fool him.

The hope that follows disappointment is what touches people's hearts the most.

-

The doors of the Jiaofang Palace were tightly shut, creating a somber atmosphere.

Wulan Yunduan sat on the phoenix chair, her beautiful face showing a hint of anger and confusion as she looked down at Shen Jingyan and Shen Yinian, who stood with their heads bowed.

Her voice held an unusual sternness: "Speak! What exactly happened today?"

"Why did you two siblings suddenly target Shen Qingruo and resort to such deadly tactics? Don't you know what kind of person Sun Hongwen is?"

Shen Jingyan and Shen Yinian exchanged a glance, both seeing the same decision in each other's eyes: they must never tell their mother about their father's possible affair with Shen Qingruo.

The Empress Dowager deeply loved the Emperor. If she knew that the Emperor's heart might be leaning towards that outsider, and in that way at that, how heartbroken she would be.

They only wanted to secretly get rid of Shen Qingruo, a potential threat, and didn't want to upset the Empress Dowager.

Shen Jingyan stepped forward and spoke first, her voice filled with indignation: "Mother! I hate her!"

"Why should she, a fake princess with an awkward status, keep staying in the palace? Why should the Emperor treat her differently?"

"You didn't see her like that; she pretended to be weak and pitiful, but she's actually very cunning."

"Besides, she's prettier than me. I'm just jealous, I just can't stand her!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, as if it were truly just a young girl's jealousy: "Your subject originally only wanted to teach her a lesson, to make her too ashamed to stay in the palace anymore, but who knew that Father would suddenly come and get so angry..." Her voice lowered, filled with lingering fear.

Looking at her daughter's spoiled and willful behavior, Wu Lanyun rubbed her temples in exasperation: "Nonsense! Absolutely nonsense!"

"Don't you know what kind of person your father is? He never abuses his power, and he disdains such despicable means as bullying the weak."

"Your actions today have only angered him and disappointed him."

As she spoke, her doubts were not completely dispelled.

Shen Jingyan's explanation sounded like something she could do, but something just didn't feel right.

Was it merely out of jealousy? Why was Yi Nian involved? Moreover, His Majesty's anger today seems to be beyond what is expected.

A chilling thought uncontrollably surfaced within her: Did His Majesty... have feelings for Shen Qingruo?

Shen Jingyan keenly noticed the doubt in her mother's eyes, her heart tightened, and she quickly interrupted her thoughts, her tone complaining, "Mother!"

"You don't know, but Father always told me in private that Shen Qingruo had to serve that old man during the year she was by Emperor Liang's side. She lost her chastity and had a very hard time. He told me to be more accommodating and tolerant of her."

"Your Majesty, I am filled with indignation. Why should I? It is her own fault that she lost her chastity, and she has already been compensated with the status of a princess. Why should I have to give in to her?"

"Your subject is Father Emperor's only legitimate daughter, and it is only right that she should defer to me."

Shen Jingyan's words, half true and half false, successfully led Wu Lanyun astray.

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Oh right, what had she been thinking about?

Shen Qingruo was nominally a princess, but in reality, she was a former concubine of the previous dynasty who had served the old man, Emperor Liang.

With His Majesty's aloof and discerning nature, he has extremely high standards for women, and even ordinary noble ladies are hard to catch his eye. How could he possibly be interested in a woman of questionable character?

His Majesty must have felt indebted to Shen Qingruo and pitied her loneliness, which is why he protected her so many times.

Ah-Yan was spoiled and couldn't stand this little bit of grievance, which is why she caused this scene today.

Thinking of this, Wulan Yun felt a little more at ease, but still scolded with a stern face: "Even so, you shouldn't have used such methods."

"You are hereby confined to Jingyang Palace for half a month to reflect on your actions."

"And you, Yi Nian, as the elder brother, instead of dissuading him, you indulged him. You shall also be confined to your quarters."

Shen Jingyan and Shen Yinian bowed in unison: "Your subjects obey the decree."