Li Anxin understood immediately, bowed and stepped aside, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes.

He pondered to himself how to handle the upcoming affairs properly without disrupting the delicate balance between the Emperor and Empress.

The bedchamber returned to silence, with only Zhao Yi's even breathing and the occasional whisper of the night wind outside the window.

Qin Sheng sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze gently falling on Zhao Yi's peaceful sleeping face, but her heart was in turmoil.

She gently stroked her still-flat stomach, her heart filled with inner turmoil.

If she were to lose this child, she would never have the chance to be a mother again in her entire life.

But how could she keep the child? Zhao Yi already knew she was infertile. And this child was irrefutable proof of her affair!

Once Zhao Yi finds out about this, the consequences will be unimaginable. Not only will she herself be doomed, but the Song family and even the entire Qin family will be plunged into utter ruin.

In the stillness of the night, Qin Sheng's thoughts drifted away, recalling the moments she had spent with Zhao Yi, those days of fighting side by side and facing storms together.

She understood that although her feelings for Zhao Yi were not as intense as her feelings for Song Jin, they were still deep and sincere.

Now, the person she desperately wants to be with is Zhao Yi, not Song Jin.

She was unwilling to betray this relationship, and even more unwilling to hurt innocent people because of her own personal feelings.

Zhao Yi woke up at some point.

He saw Qin Sheng sometimes clenching her fists and sometimes frowning, looking preoccupied.

He reached out and gently shook his hand in front of Qin Sheng's eyes, his eyes full of doting and tenderness.

Qin Sheng was amused by this sudden action, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up. The two looked at each other and smiled.

But the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Zhao Yi patted his side. "Lie down. It's still early. Take a rest."

Qin Sheng lowered her head and said shyly, "Your Majesty, I haven't bathed or changed yet."

Zhao Yi forced a weary smile and said with a double meaning, "It's alright, I don't mind that you're dirty."

Qin Sheng's body stiffened abruptly.

She slowly removed her outer garment, carefully climbed onto the dragon bed, and lay down on the outer side, about an arm's length away from Zhao Yi.

"Why are you suddenly so distant?" Zhao Yi said, while slowly stroking her back.

Qin Sheng closed her eyes in pain and guilt. That night, Song Jin did the same, gently stroking her back.

"Will this make you feel any better?" Zhao Yi asked gently.

"Mmm." Qin Sheng silently shed tears. That night, Song Jin had asked her the same question so gently.

Zhao Yi embraced Qin Sheng, pulling her closer to him. One hand ran through her dark hair, gently pressing her scalp, while the other rested on her breasts, feeling her heartbeat.

Feeling warm liquid sliding down his arm, Zhao Yi asked with concern, "Sheng'er, why are you crying?"

Qin Sheng bit her lip tightly, remaining silent.

On their only night together, he did the same, sometimes gently, sometimes firmly pressing her scalp, placing one hand on her chest, feeling her tears, and asking her why she was crying.

She suddenly realized.

Zhao Yi did it on purpose.

He was implying that everything between her and Song Jin was under his control.

Qin Sheng immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

"Your Majesty, I may one day make a mistake. But I will never have any disloyalty to Your Majesty."

She said, her voice trembling with fear.

"Sheng'er, what nonsense are you talking about?" Zhao Yi withdrew his hands and turned Qin Sheng's body around.

The two faced each other, and the tears on Qin Sheng's face were hidden in the darkness.

Zhao Yi gently kissed away the tears on her face, then went to find her lips, but Qin Sheng instinctively dodged away.

She wasn't rejecting Zhao Yi's intimacy; she just felt guilty towards him for the time being and didn't know how to make love with him without any reservations, just like before.

A sinister look flashed across Zhao Yi's face.