Heavy rain poured down, causing people to feel a dull ache, the dark clouds at night could vaguely see the turbulent and surging danger, flashes of bright white lightning silently descended to the ground, followed by deafening thunder.

  In the thunderous sound of thunder, however, the Zhao Yang Palace was a tranquil scene, with palace maids standing quietly under the corridor, waiting silently for their master's summons.

  The purple sandalwood window frames were blown by the wind, making a rattling sound. Mei Guibao looked worried and thought to herself, with such strong winds and rain, how would she return to her own palace? If she had known this earlier, it would have been better to come tomorrow to hear the news!

  The queen sat in the middle of the room, leisurely sipping tea. She smiled and looked at Mei Guibin: "At this moment, the wind is strong and the rain is fierce. Sister, why not stay here? You and I will sleep in the same palace, which can also be a good story!"

  She was wearing a crimson silk dress with golden patterns, which made her skin look like snow. In contrast to the dull and old-fashioned attire of the past few days, the empress dressed brightly today, and her face also regained its usual gentle and calm smile.

  Mei Gui pin gazed intently at her, as if trying to find some clues from her face.

  How could it be so vastly different in just half a day?

  She remembered that one of her palace maids had secretly reported that the Empress had gone to the Cining Palace of the Dowager Empress today.

  Was it Empress Dowager who gave her some clever plan?

  Mei Gui Pin's heart was filled with surprise and doubt, while the Empress smiled gently, resembling a jade maiden in front of Buddha.

  "You're pregnant! I haven't even reported it to the empress dowager yet!"

  She seemed to have guessed what Mei Guiren was thinking and said so voluntarily.

  Mei Gui pin was startled, looking at the Empress's calm and leisurely demeanor, suddenly felt that the atmosphere between the two had undergone a reversal.

  If it's said that this morning, Consort Mei broke through with a resolute determination, striking the Empress's weak point, then now, the Empress has counterattacked with a gentle smile, turning the situation around.

  "Is this what Your Majesty is saying, in agreement with my humble proposal?"

  Mei Gui finally broke her silence and asked.

  The queen smiled more warmly: "Sister, you're wrong. As the empress, it's my duty to take in many concubines and help the emperor have children, it's only right that I should take good care of you now that you're pregnant with the dragon heir - after all, this child will call me 'imperial mother' too!"

  Mei Gui listened quietly, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and felt that the Empress had suddenly returned to her usual calm and hypocritical demeanor. The frenzied and anxious expression of the past few days seemed as if it had never appeared on her before.

  The queen's words were grand and sincere, seeming to agree to her conditions, but upon closer inspection, there was no actual substance.

  She secretly sneered in her heart, but said with her mouth: "Your Majesty's virtues, I have always admired... It's just that the Emperor, I'm afraid he doesn't understand you very well!"

  She finally spoke with a heavier tone, obviously unwilling to continue circling around the empress, and said this directly, with a hint of threat in her tone.

  The empress, however, was not moved and smiled brightly: "As the saying goes, 'a distant road reveals a horse's strength, and time reveals a person's heart.' Although Your Majesty has misunderstood me, you will eventually come to understand. My sister can set her mind at ease; tonight, she can rest in my Chao Yang Palace. If she doesn't want to live in the same hall as me, then she can stay in the west wing of the warm pavilion!"

  She loudly ordered the maids to come in, and then had them put away the warm pavilion. From her own storage, she picked out new and good quilts, brocade bedding, and silk mosquito nets, and let Mei Guibao rest.

  The empress dismissed the palace maids and, smiling at Consort Mei, said: "Sister, you can rest assured that if something goes wrong in my palace, the emperor will surely issue a decree to depose me!"

  She was so determined that it made Mei Guibao, who was extremely puzzled, take a reassuring pill. She looked at the swaying tree shadows in front of the window and knew that the Empress had reason, so she nodded her head in agreement: "Then I'll disturb Your Majesty!"

  The Empress was very diligent and personally escorted her to the warm pavilion, watching as the palace staff finished cleaning up. Only then did she gaze at Consort Mei's belly and say: "The dragon heir you are carrying is extremely precious, it is what the Emperor has been eagerly awaiting for a long time... even this palace is looking forward to him being born soon, so I can be called Mother Empress!"

  Her eyes were fixed firmly on his abdomen, that was an undisguised expectation and eagerness.

  Those eager and urgent eyes, shining brightly in her pupils, seemed to want to capture that non-existent baby, take it out, and hold it tightly in her arms.

  Mei Gui pin was touched by this glance, and for some reason, she shivered with a chill.

  A night of stormy rain, after dawn, it gradually stopped. By the time the sun rose warmly, last night's fallen flowers and leaves had already been swept away by the cleaners. At a glance, only golden light dazzled the eyes, where could one still see any signs of wind and rain?

  Yuan Qi got up very early today, his eyes were somewhat dark, and he let the attendants dress him, but he was preoccupied with worries and was hesitant.

  He lifted his head and glanced at the attendants waiting outside the hall, but did not see that familiar beautiful face, and he couldn't help feeling flustered. Just as he was about to speak up and ask, he suddenly remembered that the beauty was not on duty today.

  He secretly laughed at himself for being overly anxious, but his heart still felt a bit uneasy and distracted. He listlessly gazed out at the dragon carriage outside the palace, and for some reason, he couldn't muster up any interest in attending the morning court session today.

  A faint murmur came over, and Qin Xi's face looked strange as he stepped forward to report: "The Empress Dowager requests an audience!"

  What is she doing here? Hasn't she made enough trouble yet?!

  Yuanyi was extremely disgusted and had nothing more to say. He didn't even think about it, waved his hand and said: "I'm in a hurry to attend the morning court, whatever it is, let's talk about it when I get back!"

  Qin Xi's face was tinged with difficulty, but he still went out to respond. After a while, he returned to the palace.

  "The queen kowtowed in front of the palace gate and said..."

  He stammered on, under the emperor's icy gaze, and finally continued:

  "Long live! If you can't forgive her, she'll keep kneeling!"

  Yuan Qi heard this and furrowed her brow deeply, thinking to herself, what trick is she up to now?

  However, the queen is the main palace, and she cannot let her shake off the dignity of the imperial family. Yuan Qi took a deep breath and said, "Let her in!"

  The queen walked into the bedroom, and everyone felt a bright light in front of them——

  She wore a pale blue cloud-patterned palace dress, with six golden hairpins securing her dark tresses at the back of her head, looking very delicate and intricate.

  She abandoned her usual elegant and dignified demeanor, as well as the phoenix crown, and no longer wore the stiff and dull attire of a few days ago. Instead, she revealed her youthful beauty - she was the same age as the emperor, still young, and with this deliberate effort, her face also lost some of its previous ferocity, looking truly beautiful and lovely.

  "Your Majesty, last night Mei sister came to visit, but suddenly a heavy rain fell, and she had to stay overnight in my palace. It was only then that I found out that she is pregnant with the dragon's child!"

  The queen's words shocked everyone.

  Qin Xi's pulse was the emperor's confidant, that day the imperial physician diagnosed a joyful pulse, they received an edict, and early on blocked the mouths of those present, strictly ordering them not to spread it outside, but unexpectedly, it was still known by the empress.

  Yuan Qi's face was expressionless after hearing this, unable to discern any joy or anger, and he only faintly murmured "en" in response. Those who knew his temperament couldn't help but secretly lament.

  As expected, he listened to the queen's words and gritted his teeth with a cold smile: "Your news is indeed well-informed!"

  The queen listened to these brief and vicious words, her face turned pale, under the morning light, she was petite and weak, and seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

  Let's talk about something from the bottom of my heart:

  By tonight at 12 o'clock, this month's PK has officially ended. In this PK, a certain newcomer, without the support of any major station gods, was able to achieve today's ranking through the accumulation of P votes from everyone's hands. So, it can be said that the achievements of today are thanks to everyone's efforts. Here, I would like to thank you all again for your support along the way~~

  Starting from tomorrow, this book will be entering the monthly subscription library. I'm also quite helpless about it. If there are adults who want to scold me, I can only accept it, but please don't abandon me, and don't abandon "The Palace". Even if you give me a little hope, please don't take down this book. After all, this is a dream that we all love together.

  After entering the package month, some non- updates will still be updated every day, and the editor sister of Starting Point will supervise me, and I won't be lazy anymore ~~ hehe

  Adults without a package are also anxious, I will add a chapter introduction in the public version after each chapter is released, and explain the plot clearly, trying not to disappoint everyone.

  After saying so much, I still want to ask with a thick face: Can the big guys who have subscribed for October vote for me? My family's only laptop has been in service for 6 years, and the "T" key is no longer flexible. I really want to get the prize money and buy a new one back home~~~55555