The empress is both charming and seductive, rising through the ranks of palace intrigue.

Xu Meiren, standing to the side, glanced around furtively, a faint smile playing on her lips: "You're not pregnant, are you?"

Ning Shuyan's heart skipped a beat, and she stammered, "Impossible..."

The Empress's eyes softened with a gentle smile: "Is your period late?"

Ning Shuyan hesitated for a moment: "It should have been in the last two days."

Consort Ying's face showed a slight hint of joy: "We'll know soon when the imperial physician comes to take your pulse. I can tell you're not lacking in the emperor's favor, so you're most likely pregnant."

Ning Shuyan's heart tightened. Why did she feel unwell and nauseous repeatedly? But she couldn't possibly be pregnant. Maybe she was just feeling unwell.

Knowing she was about to make a fool of herself again, Ning Shuyan smiled sheepishly to herself.

When Physician Lu arrived in a hurry, the Empress immediately asked him to take Ning Shuyan's pulse.

Everyone seemed to hold their breath. If Consort Ning, the Emperor's most favored concubine besides Consort Zhuang, were pregnant, the harem would be in for a wild ride...

"How is it? How is Consort Ning's health?" The Empress watched as Imperial Physician Lu carefully took her pulse, but after a while he still couldn't find anything, so she became a little anxious.

Physician Lu rose after a moment, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Ning is pregnant. Congratulations, Consort Ning!"

Ning Shuyan was startled upon hearing this, raising her lowered eyes to look at Physician Lu in disbelief: "Really? Physician Lu hasn't made a mistake, has he?"

As the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, Physician Lu's medical skills were naturally much better than those of ordinary physicians. He said with certainty, "Although Your Highness's pregnancy is still in its early stages, I can still accurately detect the pregnancy pulse."

Ning Shuyan stared at her flat stomach, wondering how... how could she be pregnant. She stood frozen, her face a mask of disbelief and bewilderment.

The concubines were all somewhat surprised upon hearing this, but they quickly regained their smiles.

The Empress smiled and looked at Ning Shuyan, saying gently, "I see you're so happy you've gone crazy."

"Such joyous news must be told to the Emperor immediately." With that, the Empress hurriedly ordered someone to inform Xiao Yu.

Ning Shuyan realized her disappointment, forced a smile, and said softly, "I didn't think of that for a moment."

The Empress smiled broadly, her voice tinged with joy: "That's wonderful! Now that two of the concubines in the palace are pregnant, you must take good care of yourselves and give birth to a healthy and adorable prince or princess for the Emperor."

The other one is Xi Jieyu, but she hasn't come out recently because she had a miscarriage some time ago.

The concubines all offered their congratulations, but beneath those beautiful faces, how many were truly sincere?

Lin Zhaorong looked at Ning Shuyan with a completely different expression than before, her face full of smiles: "I was just joking with you, sister, please don't take it to heart."

Lin Zhaorong knew that now that she was pregnant and had received the Emperor's favor, if she were to complain to the Emperor about what had happened today, she would inevitably receive a few words of reprimand.

Ning Shuyan sneered inwardly, but could only greet her with a smile and said gently, "Your Majesty said it was a joke, so naturally I won't take it to heart."

Lin Zhaorong nodded in relief.

The Empress, on the other hand, gave Ning Shuyan many instructions, truly a qualified and magnanimous stepmother.

After leaving Phoenix Palace, Ning Shuyan let out a deep breath. Her delicate brows furrowed tightly; she still couldn't believe she was pregnant.

Just then, Xiao Yu approached with a joyful expression. Ning Shuyan quickly suppressed her irritation and concealed the confusion on her face. As she was about to bow and greet him, Xiao Yu hurriedly reached out to support her, saying, "Now that you are pregnant, all bowing and greetings are unnecessary."

Ning Shuyan looked up at him, her expression extremely gentle, a hint of a warm smile hidden in her eyes and brows. She lowered her eyes and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, I'm just pregnant, I'm not that delicate."

The concubines who hadn't gone far all came over to pay their respects, only to see Xiao Yu help Ning Shuyan up and hold her hands tightly. They couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy; the Emperor rarely looked at a concubine so tenderly. It seemed that her status truly depended on her son.

Xiao Yu waved his hand, signaling them to stand up, and then said to Ning Shuyan, "I will accompany you back to the palace."

Ning Shuyan nodded slightly to the concubine beside her, and then left with Xiao Yu.

Lin Zhaorong's gaze fell on Ning Shuyan and Xiao Yu's backs, and she gently nudged Ying Zhaoyi beside her: "Do you think that after Consort Ning gets pregnant, she will overshadow Consort Zhuang's favor?"

Consort Ying smiled faintly: "Fortune's wheel keeps turning, and no flower can bloom for a hundred days. The same goes for Consort Ning."

Lin Zhaorong nodded, thinking as she walked. Besides Consort Zhuang, only Consort Rong, Consort Xi, and Ning Shuyan were favored. Now that Consort Rong was confined to her quarters and the other two were pregnant, her chances of serving the emperor naturally increased. Thinking this way, she felt less bitter.

Ning Shuyan followed Xiao Yu into the imperial sedan chair. Xiao Yu, noticing her somewhat pale face, asked with concern, "Why do you look so unwell? What did the imperial physician say?"

Ning Shuyan leaned against him and smiled gently, "The imperial physician only said that the pregnancy is still in its early stages and there's nothing to worry about."

Xiao Yu's gaze softened as it fell on her lower abdomen, a gentle smile playing on his lips: "Shuyan, I am very pleased."

This wasn't the first time he'd heard that a concubine was pregnant, and he was naturally happy for her. But this time, he had a different feeling, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

Ning Shuyan looked up at him, his features gentle and warm. His dark hair shimmered softly in the sunlight, as if edged with a thin layer of gold. He was nothing like the composed and aloof monarch he once was.

I imagine every father is gentle in front of his children.

Ning Shuyan smiled slightly and said, "Yes, I am very happy to be able to conceive His Majesty's child."

As they alighted from the imperial sedan chair, Xiao Yu reached out to help Ning Shuyan.

Upon entering the inner palace, Xiao Yu addressed the palace servants, saying, "Your mistress is currently pregnant, so take good care of her. I will reward her handsomely when she gives birth to the imperial heir."

Everyone's faces lit up with joy upon hearing this, and they all kowtowed and said they obeyed the decree. Only Qiu Le, like Ning Shuyan, was filled with doubt and somewhat lost.