Song Jin slowly stepped forward, her tone pleading: "Sheng'er, I know our relationship is complicated right now, but please believe me, I will take responsibility for you and the child. We...we can..."

Qin Sheng's thoughts were interrupted by Song Jin.

She snapped, "Enough!"

Her eyes reddened as she said, "Song Jin, do you know what you're saying? I am the Empress, and you are the Imperial Physician. There can be no future between us. Besides, the Emperor is still lying there, his life hanging in the balance. How can you expect me to face all this?"

Song Jin's expression also darkened. He knew Qin Sheng's concerns, but he was helpless.

“Sheng’er, I understand your predicament, but are you willing to live a lonely life like this? What will you do after the Emperor passes away? But if you have your own child, you can rule from behind the curtain, and I will lead the Song family to do everything in my power to help you…”

Why do men all think she's driven by greed and wants to be an empress?

"Song Jin, do you think that I orchestrated that night between us?" Her eyes suddenly turned unfamiliar.

"You think I want to use your seed to have my own child, and then use that child to rise to the throne?! Do you think that the Emperor's sudden fainting today, which has always been in good health, was also a scheme I secretly orchestrated?!"

Qin Sheng closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.

"Song Jin, you can leave now. Let's pretend today's events never happened. I will handle everything, including this child."

She seemed to have used all her strength to say those words.

"Sheng'er, I didn't mean that." Song Jin's eyes showed pain.

Qin Sheng slowly turned around, tears streaming down her face.

She turned her back to Song Jin, gesturing for him to leave.

Song Jin watched Qin Sheng's retreating figure, his heart aching, but he knew that any further words would be futile at this moment.

He gave Qin Sheng a deep look, then turned and walked away from the side hall with heavy steps.

Inside the bedchamber, all was still silent, broken only occasionally by the crackling of the candlelight. Qin Sheng stood alone under the eaves, gazing at the sparse stars in the night sky, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She gently placed her hand on her abdomen, and for a moment, she felt a surge of joy when she realized there was a tiny life inside.

But that joy was quickly overshadowed by overwhelming fear.

This child cannot be kept.

She couldn't let this child fuel Song Jin's ambition, the Song family's ambition, or her own ambition.

At that moment, Qin Sheng suddenly understood why Zhao Yi was unwilling to adopt a child from among the clan.

"Cough cough—" A light cough from Zhao Yi suddenly came from the bedchamber.

Qin Sheng quickly wiped away her tears and rushed to Zhao Yi's side.

"Your Majesty, you're awake! I was so frightened!" Qin Sheng said, wiping away her tears.

Zhao Yi gazed thoughtfully at the woman who had been by his side since before he became emperor.

As a wife, she was dignified, virtuous, gentle, and generous.

As empress, she was sensible and understood the bigger picture.

Can be a lover...

Zhao Yi withdrew his gaze and said softly, "I'm fine, you don't need to worry. Perhaps I've been working too hard these days, so I took this opportunity to sleep a little longer."

Qin Sheng nodded in relief.

Zhao Yi said again, "Sheng'er, I'll rest a little longer, you should rest too." After saying that, he closed his eyes again.

At this moment, Li An hurriedly approached and was about to speak when Qin Sheng quickly gave him a wink and said first, "Eunuch Li, the Emperor has just woken up. You must listen carefully to any arrangements made later."

Ang Lee is a smart man. He immediately understood the trickery involved. The Empress was afraid that the Emperor would misunderstand her plans if he knew them.

He nodded hurriedly.