After this rain, the whole of July didn't see a clear sky again, it was overcast and rainy all along.

  It's always raining, and people can't muster up the energy to do anything. Even their clothes are limp and lifeless. Without sunlight, they can only air-dry, so when you wear them, there's a damp feeling that clings to your skin, and if you sniff closely, there's even a slightly stale smell. When people meet, their voices aren't as lively as before. And then there's the food - it's just not enough. It's always raining, and even in the palace, there are worries about shortages of supplies. Take this dish, for example - there's not as much variety as before, nor is there as much quantity. As a result, people everywhere can't help but complain. The Chen Consort's place has been quiet for some time now, and her allowance was cut back in the past. Although it's still limited now, at least it's more than when it was cut back before.

  But Chen Fei was also listless and languid. She often got up in the morning, washed and dressed, and then lay down on the couch to watch the rain. On rainy days, she would cover herself with a thin quilt, half-closing her starry eyes, her black hair scattered about her, looking quite unattractive, yet somehow forming a perfect picture of a beauty enjoying the summer coolness. However, after being lazy for several days, she began to feel something was amiss as the year drew to a close.

  Chen Fei's period is late this month.

  No one knows better than her. Chen Fei's menstruation has been quite regular over the years, either a day early or late, but never more than a day late. But now it's already been almost ten days late, and there's still no sign of it.

  Chen Fei herself said: "Recently, I've been feeling unwell, so if it's late, it's late, no need to make a big fuss."

  At the end of the year, quietly lower your head.

  What Chen Fei said, she understood.

  Empress Chen understood without needing to be told.

  The Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, and basically Chen Fei and Sui Mu can be confirmed. Even Chao Sheng can see some signs.

  Besides, this matter can't be concealed forever. Who said it's possible to hide one's talent? Having talent is like being pregnant... Cough, without discussing whether the two have anything in common, anyway, after a long time, it will show, that's for sure.

  Empress Chen is pregnant.

  It's already getting cooler in August, and I've been woken up several times at night by the chill. However, the atmosphere inside the Yunxia Palace is joyful and celebratory, sweeping away all gloom.

  The Empress Chen's pregnancy means something, and everyone understands it.

  A palace concubine without children, even if she is favored again, it's just a fleeting dream. Look at Consort Chen's past experience and you'll understand. She was once more favored than now, but back then she didn't have any children, the emperor could forget her as soon as he said so. But a woman with children has roots, no longer a floating water lily. In the second half of life, there is something to rely on.

  Everyone knows that the emperor is unreliable.

  Only one's own son is truly reliable. In the future, whoever's son becomes emperor will be the empress dowager who calls the wind and rain. Even if he doesn't become emperor, but just a prince, he can still support his mother to leave the palace and live in the king's mansion, which is much better than being trapped in the corner of the Yueting Palace waiting for death?

  Even if it's a princess, that's better than nothing. Firstly, there's a child to alleviate loneliness, and secondly, when the princess gets married in the future, she can often show filial piety to her mother, and the treatment of concubines who have given birth is different from those who haven't.

  When Chen Fei became pregnant, it was like holding a protective amulet in her hand. The master's position would be stable, and naturally, the servants' positions would also become stable. The people of Yanxia Palace now had even more motivation. Without asking, following the usual practice in the palace, after Chen Fei gave birth to a child, this position would definitely be promoted. This awkward concubine had been in that position for many years and could finally be converted to a formal wife. Once Chen Fei's rank was elevated, her treatment would also improve. The senior palace maids and eunuchs serving her would naturally rise with the tide as well.

  Everyone's little abacus in their belly is clicking away, and even Huan Xun is no exception.

  "Hey, Chao Sheng, you said if the empress gives birth to a little prince or princess, can we go serve them?"

  Chao Sheng looked at her strangely: "Why?"

  "You're really stupid." Huanyin glared at her: "Do you want to stay in the palace for the rest of your life? If we serve the young prince, if he is granted a fiefdom and leaves the palace in the future, it's likely that we can also follow him out..."

  Chao Sheng wasn't as optimistic: "If we don't go, won't we still be slaves?"

  "That's different, it's better than being in the palace." Huanyin said softly: "Going out can form a family."

  Wow... I didn't know she had thought that far ahead.

  "I've heard that once you leave the palace, your master won't let you grow old alone, he'll always arrange a marriage for you..."

  Well, it sounds better than being an old lonely man in the palace for a lifetime.

  But this word... always makes Chao Sheng think of matching cattle and horses. How can people use a single character to match?

  It's clear that slaves are not considered human beings, and whether they are matched well or badly depends on the master's intentions. If the master is considerate, he might ask what kind of person you want to find. But if he's inconsiderate, he'll just assign someone randomly, who knows what kind of person that would be? A slave girl marries a slave boy, and their children are still slaves, also serving as attendants, with no control over their own lives, not even able to decide their own life or death.

  Well, such a future is not great either, but it's still better than being in the palace. In the palace, there's no talk of marrying off people - ah, wait, I've heard that even palace maids and eunuchs can form couples too.

  Cough, Chao Sheng shook his head, telling himself not to think about it.

  Alright, although she is a time-traveler, when it comes to scheming, she can't compare to these little girls by her side.

  They all have their own plans. Some want to leave the palace, some want to rise through the ranks, and others think they are quite charming and unwilling to live a dull life, dreaming of showing off in front of the emperor, perhaps they can gain imperial favor.

  Han Xiang and Sui Mu both wanted to leave the palace, but Han Xiang's method was a bit unorthodox.

  How was your tide?

  She also wants to get out of the palace.

  But her situation is different from that of Sui Mu, and now Han Xiang has undoubtedly shown her another way.

  But this plan was about to hit a wall at the end of the year.

  "You think it's easy, but if a new prince or princess is born in the palace, the servants are assigned according to established rules by the eunuchs. People like wet nurses, palace maids, and eunuchs are all allocated together. The empress can't even make her own decisions. Otherwise, I could help you speak up and get you transferred over. Besides, if the empress sends someone from her side to serve the prince, that person is still under the empress's name, just temporarily lent to the prince. In the future, when the prince leaves the palace or the princess gets married, they can't take them along."

  It seems to be the case, Cai Sheng recalled that when he first read Hong Lou Meng, he vaguely remembered that Zhen Ying was a maid given by Grandmother Jia to Jia Baoyu, with a monthly salary of one or two silver coins, and she belonged to Grandmother Jia's household, not Jia Baoyu's. So the final conclusion is that Zhen Ying still belongs to the old lady.

  Tide Sheng refused to give up: "Isn't there an exception?"

  "Indeed, but that's rare. You young ones think quickly. Listen to my advice, it's not time to think about those things yet. Take good care of the mistress and wait for the dragon son and phoenix grandson to be born before we can truly celebrate. It's a bit too early to be happy now."

  The tide was born with horror and surprise.

  The implication of the New Year's Eve talk is too frightening to think about.

  In this imperial palace... anything can happen in order to win favor.

  Chen Fei is now favored and pregnant again, can't she make others jealous?

  Chao Sheng felt a little frightened: "Sister at the end of the year..."

  "Do you know what it means to be afraid?" The eunuch sighed: "I'm also afraid. It's been so peaceful for so long, I didn't expect that as the time approaches for her to leave the palace... But being afraid is useless, now everything the empress eats, wears and uses must be carefully examined again and again... Actually, things are much better now than they were in previous years. Back then, fighting for favor was a matter of life and death, but now times have changed. Our empress has been forgotten in the Smoke and Cloud Palace for so many years, while the two sons of the Empress Dowager have grown up to be very accomplished, and the Noble Consort also has a son and a daughter..."

  Cháo shēng néng tīng dǒng suì mù de yì si.

  Translation: Chao Sheng can understand the meaning of Sui Mu.

  The queen and the noble consorts, who have status and real power, are already ahead. The son is both older and has a good reputation. In this situation, Chen Fei giving birth to another child does not pose a great threat to them - it can be said that it no longer constitutes a threat. If they now require stability and safety, they will not take the risk of making a move against Chen Fei's child.

  But still can't let their guard down, every day at the end of the year they keep a close eye on Chen Fei, as if everyone has become her enemy, and the tasks that were originally shared by several people are now almost all taken over by her.

  She alone had limited energy, and Cao Sheng clearly saw her getting thinner day by day.

  Compared to her, Chen Fei was a bit more plump. This pregnancy was going well, the imperial physician said it was very stable, and she herself didn't have as much trouble as others did. The first three months passed smoothly, with only mild symptoms of morning sickness, but her taste buds had become strange - previously, Chen Fei hadn't liked sour foods, but now she wanted to eat sour pastries for several days in a row. Chen Fei also didn't go out, staying every day within the Yunxia Palace, which meant that all sorts of minor accidents could be avoided. For example, things like fake mountains, pavilions, small bridges, and ponds.

  Chen Fei no longer wears those elaborate but impractical clothes, such as the tight-waisted flying fairy skirt and high-heeled fragrant shoes. Instead, she has switched to loose-fitting high-waisted underskirts and soft-soled shoes, and doesn't bother to style her hair meticulously. Yet, despite this, she looks even more gentle and beautiful than before - perhaps this is the power of motherhood?

  A woman is going to be a mother, and her body and mind will undergo a series of intense changes.

  This change was subtle and gradual, day by day making her look more like a beautiful mother than a beautiful concubine.

  On the Mid-Autumn Festival day, Chen Fei did not attend the palace banquet either. The reason was readily available and easy to find. Shisuandeeply agreed: "One more thing is not as good as one less thing... We can't take a little risk now."

  In the Yanyu Palace, there were also mooncakes. Chao Sheng opened one with a jujube paste filling and shared half of it with Han Xiang.

  "In the past, we also made mooncakes at home, but there weren't as many ingredients, just sesame and sugar mixed together for the filling, and borrowed a mold to shape them into round shapes...". Xiangyun whispered: "But I think those were more delicious than the ones in the palace."

  "Of course, everything from one's own home tastes good."

  August 15th is called Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Reunion Festival. However, these people are trapped in the palace. Huan Xun still has a family and relatives to miss, Chao Sheng also misses... but she misses people and things from her past life.

  Perhaps one day I can see my loved ones again.

  She couldn't see it anymore.