The palace attendants wanted me to move to the front row.

  The front row already had Duke Rowan and the Crown Prince Alaric, and Elias was also seated there due to his connection to Silverbrook. Now, it was only missing me and Corwin.

  But if I went, Arden Forster would be left alone.

  "You should stay with Arden. The person His Majesty wishes to see is me."

  Corwin responded, "This is the grand banquet of an emperor. Since we've been granted marriage, appearing together carries even greater meaning."

  Just then, Arden accidentally spilled her soup. The broth streamed down the back of her hand, dripping onto her arm with a loud splash.

  I pulled her into my arms. "Are you alright?"

  Corwin handed her a handkerchief. "Luckily, the soup has already cooled."

  Arden lowered her head without speaking. She took the handkerchief, rubbed her hands until they turned red, and then reached for the golden beeswax bracelet on her wrist.

  "This bracelet is valuable. It shouldn’t be soaked."

  The palace attendants stepped forward to urge Corwin along.

  He advised me to go with him first, promising to return for Arden shortly.

  Arden stood there, fumbling to remove the bracelet, but she couldn't. It was as if she were holding onto something with all her might. Her face flushed red, sweat beading on her forehead.

  A sudden thought crossed my mind.

  I told Corwin to wait, then gently grasped Arden's wrist and carefully removed the bracelet for her.

  Her pulse was strong.

  I leaned in slightly, my voice soft. "Arden, have you… gained some weight recently?"

  Arden slowly turned to look at Corwin. "I'm pregnant."

  Corwin froze.

  Arianne kept her gaze fixed on him before summoning a palace servant, claiming she wasn’t feeling well and instructing them to call for the imperial physician.

  Corwin didn’t have time to stop her.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  That night, news of Arianne’s pregnancy spread across the six palaces and quickly traveled throughout the capital.

  I sat alone in the front row.

  Not long after, the longevity blessings and gift-giving ceremony began.

  Crown Prince Alaric presented a scroll titled "A Million Citizens' Blessings."

  Duke Rowan offered a grand folding screen called "Eternal Longevity."

  Corwin gifted an elegant calligraphy piece by a famous scholar from a previous dynasty.

  I presented a parrot, its feathers entirely crimson like blood.

  Then it was Elias’s turn. He gifted two Blood-Sweating Horses, which had traveled thousands of miles from the Braedon Frontier.

  A heavy gift, but the loyalty of Braedon weighed even heavier.

  Silverbrook then stepped forward, offering a painting titled "T? ??c Tham Tình ??"—a masterpiece portraying the deep love of parents for their children.

  Clearly, Elias had not known about this gift beforehand.

  The entire hall fell into complete silence.

  It wasn’t until The King looked at the painting that tears began to stream down his face, leaving everyone stunned.

  Crown Prince Alaric immediately fell to his knees, crawling step by step to his father. He reached out to wipe the tears away with his sleeve, while simultaneously apologizing, sobbing uncontrollably for a long while.

  At last, the bond between the imperial father and son was mended.

  Elias noticed me sitting alone and approached, offering me a drink.

  "What madness is this now… presenting such a painting? It’s practically a sentimental gift for Crown Prince Alaric."

  I raised my cup, clinking it against his. "Your gift was much better. I just saw them—those two horses are worth a fortune."

  "The Blood-Sweating Horse is already rare, and to bring them all the way from Braedon to the capital… I can’t even imagine how much effort and wealth it must have cost."

  Elias, hearing this, withdrew his gaze, downed his drink in one gulp, and changed the subject. "When the banquet ends, I'll take you home."

  I nodded. Given how hurriedly Corwin and Arianne had left, I doubted they had left a carriage for me.

  At that moment, on the elevated platform, The King stood up from his seat. He took two steps forward before suddenly collapsing backward into his chair.

  His eyes were wide open, his mouth unable to form words—he showed signs of a sudden stroke.

  The entire hall erupted into chaos.

  Crown Prince Alaric rushed to embrace The King and hurried him away, with Silverbrook following close behind.

  The palace doors slammed shut.

  The great hall was locked.

  Of the dozen people attending the banquet, aside from royal family members and high-ranking officials, everyone else was detained inside.

  The imperial guards brought in the royal physician. They examined every dish, searched each person’s clothing, and conducted an exhaustive search through the night.

  No one was allowed to sleep, but nothing suspicious was found.

  By noon the following day, they recorded the identity of every person present, took fingerprints, and only then did they permit people to leave.

  The palace gates were packed with carriages from various noble households.

  Elias draped a cloak over my shoulders, gently holding me as he spoke. "Ride in my carriage. I’ll take you home."

  I was just about to go with him when someone called out, "Lady Autumn."

  Both Elias and I froze for a moment before realizing—that was how the servants at Corwin’s estate addressed me.

  Corwin’s carriage was parked near the gate, seemingly waiting for me all night.

  I climbed into the carriage.

  I thought it would be empty. To my surprise, Corwin was inside, alone.

  "My lord, this is…?"

  Corwin gazed at me intently. "Step outside for some fresh air."

  I sat near the carriage door, silent throughout the entire ride.

  I was utterly exhausted.

  Yet, I couldn’t close my eyes.