Chapter 86 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Nian Shilan 24

Consort Li was once the most favored princess in the Prince's residence, second only to Shilan. She was also in good health, so how could she not have been pregnant?

Of course, she had done it, but she was framed. She thought she had already avenged the murder of her son when she was still a prince, since that concubine had been given death.

But it wasn't until the Empress fell from power that she learned the truth: the real culprit who harmed the child was the Empress.

Now that the deposed empress is gone, her revenge can be considered complete.

"Mother, you came to see the Empress Dowager by yourself again without me!" Five-year-old Longyue ran into the palace, looking at Consort Li with a huff.

"It was clearly your own fault for sleeping in and not getting up, so why are you blaming your mother?"

Consort Li picked up little Longyue; she was the truly innocent one!

Longyue was still sulking. "Then you could have woken me up!"

"And then you're going to cry in front of me, right?"

Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on Consort Li, whose smile was tinged with sadness.

My child, it's my fault for not protecting you. In the next life, I don't want to be my child again. I'm too foolish to protect you...

"Mother, why are you crying?"

No, you're mistaken.

"Mother is lying to the children again..."

...

The emperor was observing mourning, so he did not summon his concubines to his bedchamber. He would only go to them during the day to have a meal, chat, and see the children.

After the mourning period, the emperor began to summon concubines to his palace one after another. Among them, the most favored were the Empress, Consort Jin, and Consort Hui.

Gao Bin was credited with flood control, and the Gao clan was promoted by the emperor to the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner. Consort Hui was also promoted to Imperial Noble Consort Hui.

The Empress and Consort Jin soon became pregnant. After ten months of pregnancy, the Empress gave birth to the Third Princess Jingwen, and Consort Jin gave birth to the First Prince Yongrui.

In the following years, Consort Zhe gave birth to the Fourth Princess and was promoted to Imperial Concubine Zhe; the Empress gave birth to the Fifth Princess Jingse; and Noble Lady Chun gave birth to the Sixth Princess and was promoted to Consort Chun.

The ratio of one son to six daughters in the harem gave Hongli a vague sense of unease, and he began to visit the harem more frequently, and then...

Consort Jia gave birth to the Seventh Princess and was promoted to Consort Jia. Consort Hai, who had already become Consort Hai, gave birth to the Eighth Princess and was promoted to Consort Yu...

"Empress Mother, do you think I am destined to have only one son, Yongrui?" The Emperor, whose heart was breaking, sought comfort from Nian Shilan.

Nian Shilan offered a half-hearted consolation: "Not necessarily. Don't be impatient, take it slow. Maybe another prince will come one day."

It's fake. You only have this one son in your life, so protect him well. If Yongrui is gone, you'll have no son left.

"Probably." The Emperor wasn't comforted at all; instead, he felt that what he said was very likely true—he had a premonition!

Looking at the emperor, who seemed to have suffered a great blow, Nian Shilan felt a pang of pain in her heart.

Oh dear, she's really a terrible person. Her adopted son is so filial, and she still treats him like this. Her conscience hurts.

Wait... she doesn't seem to be human, she's a spirit, how could she have a conscience? Okay, it doesn't hurt anymore.

"No, I must assign more tutors to teach Yongrui! In case he is my only son, he must be taught well and cannot be neglected."

"I hope Yongrui won't be as foolish as my third brother. We can't let our ancestral legacy be ruined in my brother's hands!" After saying this, the Emperor left Cining Palace in a hurry.

Hongshi: I'm already in the underworld, and they still want to drag me out and whip my corpse. What a good brother of mine!

Nian Shilan stretched out her hand, like Er Kang's, towards the Emperor's retreating figure, her eyes filled with sympathy: "Born! Yongrui is only five years old!"

My dearest grandson, my dearest granddaughter! It's all my fault, it's all my fault!