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

Inside Jingyang Palace, Shen Jingyan seemed to have all her strength drained away, slumping back into her chair, her whole body shivering.

Shen Qingruo is pregnant!

If before it was just a matter of vying for favor in the harem and the emperor's favoritism, then the appearance of a child has escalated into a power struggle in the imperial court.

If... if she had given birth to a prince...

Given the Emperor's current favor towards Shen Qingruo, can she still retain the position of Crown Princess that she is about to obtain?

Would Father abandon that woman for the sake of her child?

Shen Jingyan was terrified. Having tasted the power, how could she possibly return to the position of an ordinary princess?

She could no longer bear this alone; she had to tell her mother about it!

In her heart, although her mother, Empress Ulan Yun, sometimes seemed a bit too sentimental when it came to matters concerning her father, the emperor.

But the Empress Dowager was an extremely intelligent person. Every time she made a decision on a major issue, it was in her best interest. She was able to move the Emperor and win his heart.

Shen Jingyan could no longer sit still. She suddenly stood up, disregarding her manners, and hurriedly rushed to Jiaofang Palace.

She had to see her mother immediately.

-

Inside the Jiaofang Palace, Wulan Yunduan sat on the phoenix chair, listening to her daughter's panicked account, the color draining from her face little by little.

"Mother, it's like this! That vile woman is pregnant with Father's child!" Shen Jingyan, unable to hold back any longer, threw herself at Wulan Yun's knees, grabbing her sleeve. "What should we do, Mother!"

Wulan Yun did not answer immediately.

She felt dizzy, her ears were ringing, and her daughter's anxious face was blurry in front of her.

Shen Qingruo is pregnant.

His Majesty's child.

This fact pierced her heart, causing excruciating pain.

He actually slept with another woman.

It wasn't an accident after drinking; he deliberately slept with her, and not just once, which even resulted in her getting pregnant.

No wonder! No wonder he's been making excuses all these past few months, never staying overnight even when he comes to Jiaofang Palace, and just going through the motions with the nourishing soup she's carefully prepared.

It turned out that it wasn't because he was busy with state affairs or unwell, but because he had given all his tenderness to that little slut in Qingyi Palace.

Did he find her too old and faded? So he was instead attracted to Shen Qingruo's youthful appearance?

This idea nearly suffocated Wulan Yun.

"Mother! Mother, please say something!" Shen Jingyan was even more frightened when she saw her mother's distraught appearance, and shook her arm vigorously.

Her daughter's call pulled Wulan Yun back from despair.

She cannot fall.

Wu Lanyun took a deep breath, slowly raised her hand, and gently patted the back of her daughter's hand. Her movements were still graceful, but her fingertips were frighteningly cold.

Her voice was unexpectedly calm, "Ayan, what's the panic?"

Shen Jingyan was stunned, looking at her mother's eyes, which had instantly regained their clarity.

Wulan Yun, supported by the phoenix chair, slowly stood up.

She walked to the window and looked in the direction of Qingyi Palace, as if she could see through the palace walls and see the unborn child.

More important than love is power, status, and the future of her and her children.

Shen Wangxi's heart may stray, but the fate of the Great Zhou Dynasty must never stray.

That child absolutely cannot live.

Wu Lanyun turned around and looked at her daughter. "Crying and making a fuss won't solve anything."

"Now that things have come to this point, we should be thinking about how to deal with it."

She took Shen Jingyan's hand: "Remember, Ayan, in this palace, tears are the most useless thing."

Seeing her mother's composure, Shen Jingyan's panic subsided, replaced by determination. "Mother, I will obey you."

Wu Lanyun nodded, a fierce glint in her eyes.

-

Qingyi Palace.

Shen Qingruo sat by the window, having just taken a sip of warm water, when Xiao Jiu's urgent voice echoed in her mind:

"Aruo, Wulan Yun already knows you're pregnant. Shen Jingyan just came out of Jiaofang Palace, and she looks terrible."

Shen Qingruo remained calm on the surface, but in her heart she asked softly, "Xiao Jiu, has Shen Wangxi had anything important to do lately?"

"Yes! He's going to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices tomorrow. He'll leave in the morning and return at noon."

"But he was only gone for such a short time. Wulan Yun just found out you were pregnant, so he probably didn't have time to set up a trap."

Shen Qingruo pondered for a moment, "If schemes and tricks don't work, does she have any other methods? She's the Empress; she must have some trump cards up her sleeve, right?"

Xiao Jiu's light sphere flashed rapidly a few times. "Found it, the Imperial Guard."

"When Shen Wangxi ascended the throne, he made it clear that during his absence from the palace, the Empress could use the Phoenix Decree to mobilize a portion of the Imperial Guards to protect the palace."

"But using the Imperial Guards to forcibly break in and murder the imperial heir is tantamount to treason."

"Would Wulan Yun be that stupid? This is tantamount to destroying her own defenses and completely losing Shen Wangxi's trust."

Shen Qingruo smiled gently, but a cold glint flashed in her watery eyes. She felt she was becoming more and more like a bad woman. "A woman's jealousy can sometimes burn away all reason."

"Little Jiu, how's my luck right now?"

"It has surpassed Shen Jingyan and is now on par with Wulan Yun."

"Can I interfere with their dreams now?"

"Yes, it's possible. It's just a dream, absolutely. It can even make them feel like they're actually there, experiencing the same emotions," Xiao Jiu said excitedly.

"Then tonight, let's give Her Majesty the Empress a gift," Shen Qingruo said softly, stroking her lower abdomen.

"I want to see what crazy things a queen, high above everyone else, would do when consumed by jealousy."