She carefully relayed every detail to the Emperor, word by word, hoping that when he connected the Empress Dowager's unusual behavior with the arrival of the Prince of An, his goodwill toward the prince might plummet even further.
Once the Emperor learned it was because of the Prince of An that the Empress Dowager was probing into those matters, his anger flared. That prince—he had seriously underestimated him. To think he had managed to infiltrate so deeply, planting spies everywhere in the palace. If he truly intended harm, both the Empress and the Crown Prince would be in grave danger.
For the first time, the Emperor harbored thoughts of eliminating the Prince of An. As long as that prince lived, the Empress Dowager would protect him—and by extension, the Empress and their child would remain at risk.
Pacing restlessly in the study, the Emperor racked his brain for ways to get rid of the prince. But in the end, he gave up, knowing the Empress Dowager would immediately catch on—and he didn't want to upset his mother.
He returned to the Fu Ning Palace late that night, finding Meng Wenya already asleep. Staring at her peaceful face, he silently vowed: I will protect you and our child, and ensure our heir safely ascends the throne.
Meng Wenya dreamed of the Emperor's tireless desire. She couldn't hold back any longer and cried out in the night.
When she opened her eyes, she realized she wasn't dreaming. Her body swayed gently as if on a small boat.
"Awake?"
The Emperor looked down at her, sweat dripping like rain. His gaze was hazy with desire as he covered her with his large hand.
"If you're really tired, just sleep."
Meng Wenya rolled her eyes. How could she sleep like this? She could only surrender to his ministrations. Thankfully, the bed in Fu Ning Palace was sturdy and silent.
Covering her mouth, she reminded herself she was now Empress. She had to maintain dignity, no matter how much the palace staff outside might giggle at her.
The Emperor found her adorable and teased, "They're used to it. Even if they hear you, they won't say a word. So, go ahead and make noise."
Meng Wenya shook her head, still covering her mouth. She was the dignified Empress, after all.
The Emperor playfully increased his efforts, and a surprised cry slipped past her fingers.
Meng Wenya was furious, trying to push and kick him away—but the more she struggled, the more fired up he became.
Somehow, fragments of their sounds leaked outside the door. Madame Hua covered her mouth, chuckling quietly. Looks like the more the Empress tried to escape, the tighter the Emperor held on. Tomorrow, the Empress probably won't be able to get out of bed.
Turning to Lady Ru Xin, she whispered, "Tell the imperial kitchen to prepare some nourishing medicinal meals for the Empress tomorrow. She's passed the confinement period and with the Emperor's favor like this, a pregnancy can't be far off. Better to strengthen her now."
Ru Xin smiled. "When the Empress was pregnant before, I worried the Emperor might favor other consorts. But he's remained loyal to the Empress. Though she just ended confinement, she's already the focus of his attention—hope it won't be too much for her."
Madame Hua reassured her, "The Empress has recovered well. The imperial doctors said she could resume conjugal duties after confinement. The Emperor is just being considerate by waiting a few extra days. No worries."
A few days later, the Empress Dowager sent some tonic herbs and baby clothes to Fu Ning Palace. Xiao Dezi, the chief eunuch, immediately informed the Emperor.
The Emperor handed the items to the imperial physician for examination—carefully concealing that they came from the Empress Dowager.
The physician was shocked.
"This ginseng has been soaked in some kind of poison. If taken regularly, the body will grow weaker and eventually die, disguised as a natural illness."
"And as for these clothes… I don't know what was put in them, but when I let the palace dog sniff, it went mad."
The Emperor's face turned ice-cold, able to freeze a person solid. The physician knelt, trembling in fear—what kind of demonry was this? They'd die before being dragged down with such poison in the imperial medical court.
The Emperor spent the whole morning alone in the study, not reading a single report. He never expected the Empress Dowager to be so ruthless, not even asking if he had any inside knowledge.
His "incapacity" was a topic too embarrassing to discuss. He'd thought that if the Empress Dowager suspected the Crown Prince's bloodline and confronted him, he would tell her the truth.
He agonized for days over how to bring it up, but the Empress Dowager acted decisively before he had the chance. Was her swift action a sign she firmly believed the Crown Prince's bloodline was genuine? Or had she decided to let things slide, regardless?
Did she realize that by moving against the prince, she was effectively harming her own direct grandson?
A cold sneer crossed the Emperor's mind—he'd nearly forgotten the Empress Dowager's heart belonged to only one direct grandson: the Prince of An.
Xiao Dezi nearly pissed himself in fear. He guarded the harem like his life depended on it—how could he have expected trouble in Chang Le Palace, caught between wife and son on one side and mother on the other? The Emperor must be in a difficult position indeed.
They say an emperor's wrath can topple millions, and Xiao Dezi nervously waited all morning for a decision. When he thought the Emperor might try to cover things up, the Emperor finally spoke:
"Send the herbs to the Prince of An. Tell him they're a gift from the Empress Dowager. From now on, anything the Empress Dowager gives should be passed directly to him."
Xiao Dezi bowed and left, sensing the palace was about to erupt in chaos once again.
During Meng Wenya's confinement, the Empress Dowager was ill and never once visited. Afraid of worsening her illness, she avoided seeing the Empress.
Every time she longed to see her grandson, she sent the Emperor to bring the Crown Prince to her. Lady Ru Xin often complained, "If the Empress Dowager wants to see the Crown Prince, why isn't she worried about her illness affecting him?"
Meng Wenya and Madame Hua exchanged knowing smiles—the Empress Dowager's dislike for her was blatant and unhidden.
One day, lying in bed, Meng Wenya rested in the Emperor's arms and softly suggested, "I hear the Empress Dowager's health has been poor. Now that I'm out of confinement, shall we bring the Crown Prince to visit her tomorrow?"
The Emperor sounded irritated, "You're still weak. Better to rest a few more days."
"Wouldn't that make me look unfilial? As Empress, I should set an example for the harem and serve the Empress Dowager in her illness."
The Emperor flipped over and silenced her protesting lips with a hand, trailing fire along her soft skin.
"The Empress's greatest duty is to continue the imperial line. You don't need to worry about anything else."
Meng Wenya couldn't help but smile. One moment he said she was weak, the next he was practically torturing her.
She suspected the Emperor didn't want her to visit the Empress Dowager and had simply found an excuse. Why was he so reluctant? Was he afraid she'd get jealous over the matter of the other consorts?
Meng Wenya couldn't figure it out.
But since the Prince of An was still quietly maintaining his position, she couldn't afford to relax in Fu Ning Palace. Now that her confinement was over, it was time to settle old scores.
Days passed by…
When the Crown Prince reached one hundred days old, the palace held a small family banquet. Since the imperial family was small, they all gathered around a single table in Chang Le Palace.
Meng Wenya brought the Crown Prince early. The Empress Dowager seemed pleased with her grandson's behavior—but Meng Wenya couldn't shake the feeling that the Empress Dowager looked at the child strangely.
Even stranger was the Emperor's behavior. Whenever the Empress Dowager approached the Crown Prince, the Emperor stayed nearby, as if performing a scene of three generations of harmonious family.
It looked as though the Emperor feared the Empress Dowager touching the Crown Prince alone. Meng Wenya watched amused. The Emperor was practically paranoid—he was even wary of his own mother.