Heilong-kou (Black Dragon-Mouth/Pass)
Heilong-cheng (Black Dragon-City)
Heilong-yuan(Black Dragon Wall)
Heilong Bay (Black Dragon Bay)
Heilong Ridge (Black Dragon Ridge)
Censorate (Supervisory Court)
Yuling City (Jade City)
Jingui Town (Golden Turtle Town)
Xuanwu City (Black tortoise City)
Qinglong (Azure Dragron)
——
It was the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, yet the assassins planted by the ministers had still failed to infiltrate the palace and eliminate the mysterious woman by the emperor's side.
The ministers were finally growing desperate. If they didn't act soon, the crown prince might be born before they even had the chance.
So, on the day of the festival, they brought their entire families to the palace banquet. On this occasion, there was no distinction between legitimate and concubine-born daughters. Any girl of marriageable age was hauled out in full finery, in the hope that the emperor might just take notice.
After all, they couldn't let that unknown woman monopolize the harem.
Yin Jixue couldn't help but tease, "Today's banquet is bound to be interesting. Let's not get involved in that mess."
Lately, small fry had been caught attempting to sneak into the palace one after another. If not for Yin Jixue persuading the emperor to keep his temper in check, today's Mid-Autumn banquet might've turned into a public execution.
Still, the ministers would get what was coming to them. She had no interest in watching them squirm.
Lou Zhao, of course, supported her decision. His hand rested gently on her lower abdomen as if instinctively shielding something.
Yin Jixue lightly patted the back of his hand. "Hey, you're making me nervous. I've been eating whatever I want—no restrictions at all. Don't tell me there's a baby in there?"
"I just sensed a faint aura. It might not mean anything," Lou Zhao replied calmly.
Yeah right. No one would believe that.
Yin Jixue certainly didn't. Her heart skipped a beat.
"How sure are you? Don't scare me!"
It wasn't that she wasn't prepared for children—it was just… she still felt like a newlywed. She hadn't even adjusted to being a proper adult, and now she was possibly becoming a mother.
She had never imagined having a home of her own. Her experience with family had made it hard to believe in things like marriage and parenting.
Her parents had once shared a passionate love—textbook campus romance, like a school belle and a domineering CEO in some novel. But when their love reached its peak, they grew to loathe each other. What started as a fairytale turned into a grim family drama. In the end, they separated.
After the divorce, Yin Jixue was the leftover baggage. Her mother—hailed by some as daring and decisive—had been the first to abandon her and leave town. Her father, charismatic and popular, quickly remarried and built a new family. Yin Jixue spent her childhood in boarding schools. There wasn't even a room for her in her parents' homes.
Growing up in such an environment, it was hard for her to believe in marriage. But then she met Lou Zhao.
Their personalities complemented each other. Lou Zhao was powerful but emotionally pure. He wasn't easily swayed by outside temptations. He offered her a level of unconditional acceptance she never thought she'd receive.
Though Yin Jixue acted carefree on the surface, she was like any other girl—sensitive when it came to love. And Lou Zhao gave her the security she'd never known.
Of course, she had her fears. What if one day we grow tired of each other?
But after a few years of marriage, Lou Zhao had proven himself—perhaps the most dependable man in all the Demon Realm. Underneath his laid-back exterior was a deep sense of responsibility.
Her fear of having children stemmed from her upbringing. She didn't want her child to grow up in a loveless home. She'd always thought they should wait until they'd passed the seven-year itch before making such a big decision.
But now she was changing her mind.
They were husband and wife. They loved each other. If there really was a child on the way… then she would welcome it.
She believed Lou Zhao would be a good father. And she would do everything she could to be a good mother. No matter what, she would never let her child experience the kind of childhood she had.
Lou Zhao whispered close to her ear, his voice warm and teasing, "What are you thinking about? If you don't want it, I can seal the child for now. We'll wait until you're ready."
Yin Jixue gently shook her head. "I was thinking… how to become a worthy parent."
Lou Zhao's eyes lit up, bright as stars—like an overexcited puppy.
"You mean… you're okay with it?!"
Yin Jixue gave a soft smile. "I've never rejected the idea of having a child. I'll tell you the full story, little by little."