Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

Qiaoyu didn't dare to delay and quickly went to make arrangements.

Wei Rong went to the small kitchen and waited for the soup to be ready.

The servants found it strange that their master was not guarding the main hall but instead guarding this bowl of soup when the emperor had finally come to the Phoenix Palace.

No matter how valuable Tang was, it couldn't compare to seizing this opportunity to win the emperor's heart.

If one night of favor leads to pregnancy with the emperor's child, wouldn't there be something to look forward to in the future in the Phoenix Palace?

However, it is difficult, after all, the Empress has not conceived for three years. Who knows if there is a problem with the Empress herself?

In addition, she had been ill since before the Lunar New Year, so her health is probably completely ruined.

Wei Rong didn't have time to figure out what the servants were thinking; she just found it strange.

Who is helping her, and what is their purpose in doing so?

If Zhu Er's expression contained only a hairpin, he wouldn't need to be so embarrassed and trembling.

Ah Xing was obviously unaware of this. As for the others, whether it was Grand Tutor Nian or other old friends who knew her father, even she had never suspected anything in this regard. How could these old people be on guard?

There were so many people there that she reminisced about each one, and realized that the clearest face in her mind was Ling Xianru.

This person is dangerous. He is always silent, giving people the illusion of being indifferent to fame and fortune, but in reality, he is as deep and cunning as an abyss.

If it were him, why would he help himself?

Wei Rong thought, "I must have lost my mind."

The soup needed to simmer for about half an hour, and Xiao Heng in the main hall seemed to be getting impatient, so he sent someone to urge them on.

"Your Majesty," the eunuch greeted, "His Majesty understands that Your Majesty has had a long day and wants to prevent the smoke from bothering you. Please return to the main hall so that His Majesty can change and bathe."

"..."

What's meant to happen can't be avoided; all we can do is hope that Qiaoyu will act quickly.

The main hall was filled with steam. Since becoming emperor, Xiao Heng had become more extravagant, with five or six servants surrounding the bath tub. There was no need for Wei Rong.

She dawdled over, and Xiao Heng opened her arms to her.

A palace maid lowered her head and went to untie his waist sash.

Xiao Heng uttered a single word in a low voice: "Get lost."

Wei Rong had no choice but to say, "You may all leave. I will help His Majesty change his clothes."

"Yes." They all breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took their leave.

The zipper was fastened at the back of her waist. Xiao Heng was facing Wei Rong. She could have simply wrapped her arms around his waist and reached behind him to unfasten it, but she deliberately moved behind Xiao Heng and was slow to unfasten the zipper.

"Arong, it seems you are indeed a little rusty." Xiao Heng let out a teasing laugh.

Wei Rong carefully untied each thread, taking about half a cup of tea's time to unseal her waist sash and hang it on the screen.

She then replied, "I suppose Consort Xian is extremely skilled in this art."

She planned to take off his outer robe again.

Suddenly, her waist was grabbed. Xiao Heng's movements were so fast that she didn't have time to react. Her waist was already tightly wrapped around her waist, and Xiao Heng's breath came close.

He tapped the small mole on Wei Rong's nose: "Jealous?"

Wei Rong's hands tightened beneath her wide sleeves, her nails digging into her palms, causing a sharp pain: "How could this be? Your Majesty is the Emperor of Da Jing, the entire world belongs to you."

Wei Rong herself may not be aware of this.

When she looks at someone, her eyes, outlined with vermilion ink, appear exceptionally affectionate.

It was as if he loved the person in front of him to the core.

Xiao Heng admitted that, setting aside their status, his empress was more beautiful than any other woman in the harem.

She was born with a beautiful face, and no man could resist her gaze.

As Xiao Heng's breathing gradually became heavy, he touched Wei Rong's hair ribbon and gently flicked it: "Then it's my turn to serve you."

His black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, with a few strands landing near Xiao Heng's lips. He kissed her lightly, then slowly moved closer to Wei Rong's lips.

Wei Rong almost choked on her breath, and she hurriedly covered Xiao Heng's lips with hers: "Your Majesty, the water is getting cold."

But then he grabbed my wrist, his burning palm pressed against my skin, making me uncomfortable.

"If the water gets cold, that's easy to fix," Xiao Heng smiled knowingly. "Does the Empress simply enjoy splashing in the water?"

"..."

Seeing that she had fallen silent, Xiao Heng went even further to untie her waist sash.

"Your Majesty!" A hurried voice rang out just then: "Requesting an audience with Your Majesty!"

Xiao Heng paused, then raised her voice impatiently, "Who?"

"Your Majesty! It's someone from Chuxiu Palace," Qiaoyu said, her voice sounding reluctant this time. "I've already told you that we shouldn't disturb Your Majesty and the Empress tonight, but this person insists that Consort Xian is ill."

Upon hearing the name Chuxiu Palace, Xiao Heng loosened her grip slightly, allowing Wei Rong to stand up straight.

Upon hearing that Consort Xian was ill, he frowned and asked, "Has the Imperial Physician been summoned to examine her?"

"I've already sent Physician Song to examine her, but Her Majesty keeps vomiting and crying, wanting to see you."

Xiao Heng grew up in the palace, so how could he not understand the ways of vying for favor in the palace? He had neglected Shen Mingxiu tonight, so she tried every means to get him to come over.

Isn't this also because she loves him?

He looked at Wei Rong.

Wei Rong looked regretful but understanding: "Your Majesty, you should go and see her. She keeps gagging; could she be pregnant?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Heng's eyes lit up.

He was pleased that Wei Rong had no children. Shen Mingxiu's offspring posed no threat, and if she were to become pregnant, it would be a great joy.

His expression said it all. Wei Rong took the waist sash off the screen and put it back on him.

"May I accompany Your Majesty on this trip? If it is indeed so, it is Your Majesty's first son, a joyous occasion for the entire palace."

Seeing how sensible she was, Xiao Heng felt a little guilty. He held Wei Rong's hand and comforted her, "Whether it's true or not, we'll have to wait for the imperial physician to examine her. You've had a hard night, so don't overwork yourself. I'll go check on her and make it up to you another day."

Wei Rong didn't want any compensation. She bowed respectfully and said, "Congratulations to Your Majesty."

Xiao Heng walked very fast, and the dragon carriage quickly disappeared through the gates of the Phoenix Palace.

"Qiaoyu, close the door." Wei Rong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Have you found Caiyue?"

Qiaoyu shook her head worriedly: "We've searched all the paths leading to the former dynasty, but we haven't found Caiyue anywhere. Your Majesty, what should we do?"

Wei Rong closed her eyes tightly.

In this palace, there are at least a thousand, if not a hundred, dirty tricks. If you really want to make someone disappear, there are a million ways.

The unfortunate thing is that Caiyue was just a lowly palace maid, and she wasn't even involved in any palace interests.

"Then keep searching until you find it!"

After searching for three days, Caiyue seemed to have vanished from the palace without a trace, neither dead nor alive.

No good news came from Chuxiu Palace.

I heard that Shen Mingxiu was really sick this time, and the Imperial Hospital was running around trying to get her out of bed, but they couldn't.

"Did you put too much medicine in?" Wei Rong was painting a picture when she heard Qiaoyu talk about the Chuxiu Palace and couldn't help but ask.

Qiaoyu raised her hands high: "Of course not, Your Majesty. Didn't you say that you only need to give her some medicine to induce morning sickness? Our people wouldn't go to such extremes."

Wei Rong deliberately said she had morning sickness to arouse Xiao Heng's anticipation.

Along the way, the emperor moved from Fengluan Palace to Chuxiu Palace, and rumors began to circulate that Shen Mingxiu was pregnant.

After Physician Song finished examining her, his conclusion was that she had simply eaten something wrong. The entire palace ridiculed Shen Mingxiu, saying that she was the most favored concubine, yet her stomach was so uncooperative.

Perhaps because of this, Shen Mingxiu, a scholar, was bedridden for several days, and his condition showed signs of worsening.

"It doesn't seem like he's faking it. When Physician Qian came to deliver your medicine, he chatted with me for a bit and said he had looked at your medical records and it seemed to be an abdominal ailment."

Why did this abdominal ailment suddenly disappear?

The food was the same for everyone at the palace banquet that night. Logically speaking, if Shen Mingxiu had a problem, then there should be other people with problems as well.

"She drugged herself to get His Majesty away?"

Who else would want to get Xiao Heng away from him so they could target Shen Mingxiu?