At the bottom of the dungeon, dark red scabs of blood had congealed on the cold, damp stone walls.

Zhou Yun'an was chained to the rack, his wrists and ankles already raw and bloody, yet he still held his head high, his eyes flashing with a mad light.

"You think you've won?" he roared with laughter, his voice hoarse and broken. "I've already planted gunpowder in every state, as long as I—"

"They'll all be eliminated by 3:45 AM." Lu Jingze coldly interrupted, throwing a stack of confessions in front of him. "Qin Yue has confessed everything. The assassins you trained were all wiped out last night."

Zhou Yun'an's laughter stopped abruptly. He stared intently at the stack of confessions, his lips twitching, and suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The imperial physician hurriedly stepped forward to take his pulse, and after a moment shook his head: "Your Highness, his internal organs are all damaged; he... doesn't have much time left."

Zhou Yun'an ignored him, staring intently at Lu Jingze, his voice hoarse: "I want to see Wang Xiuxiu..."

Lu Jingze sneered, turned and left, his black cloak drawing a sharp arc in the dimly lit cell: "You are not worthy. Three days from now, at the execution ground in Caishikou, I will personally oversee your execution."

"When the world gathers to witness it, you will have to atone for your sins."

---

Three days later, at noon.

The market was packed with people, who jostled and crowded together to witness the execution of this traitor who had brought disaster to the country and its people.

As Zhou Yun'an was led to the execution platform, his eyes frantically searched through the crowd, but he could not find that familiar figure.

He struggled and roared, but his mouth was tightly gagged.

Lu Jingze sat high on the execution platform, and upon hearing this, he merely waved his hand coldly: "Execute."

The executioner raised his executioner's blade; in the sunlight, the blade gleamed with a blinding, cold light—

"Pfft!"

---

Meanwhile, in the backyard of Prince Jing's mansion, the spring sunlight filtered through the gaps in the sycamore leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on Wang Xiuxiu's skirt.

She leaned against the wicker rocking chair, her fingertips gently resting on her lower abdomen, which was still flat, yet already quietly harboring a new life.

"Your Highness, the medicine is ready." The maidservant approached with a celadon medicine cup. The medicine in the bowl had a faint amber color, and its aroma was slightly bitter with a hint of sweetness.

Wang Xiuxiu took the medicine cup, her brow furrowing slightly: "How long do I need to take this pregnancy-stabilizing medicine?"

"Take it for at least another half month." The maidservant smiled. "The Princess specifically instructed that it be taken, and she even added a special ingredient of Western Region honey for you."

Wang Xiuxiu shook her head and chuckled, then tilted her head back and drank the medicine in one gulp.

The medicine slid down my throat and surprisingly didn't taste bitter like before.

---

Inside the study, Lu Jingze was reviewing military reports when he suddenly heard familiar footsteps outside the door.

He looked up and saw Wang Xiuxiu leaning against the door, the sunlight casting a soft glow on her silhouette.

She wore a light apricot-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) today, with a ribbon loosely tied at the waist, making her look as if she were immersed in the spring sunshine.

"Why don't you go and rest?" He put down his vermilion brush.

"You'll get suffocated if you lie down any longer," Wang Xiuxiu said as she walked to his side.

Lu Jingze took her hand and pulled her onto his lap, while gently placing his other hand on her lower abdomen.

Wang Xiuxiu slapped his hand away: "It's only been a few months, what can you possibly know?"

"Even if I can't feel it, I'll still try." He said confidently.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from outside the window. A pair of thrushes landed on the window frame, chirping and pecking at the grains of rice scattered by the maid.

The night breeze in late spring is exceptionally gentle.

Wang Xiuxiu leaned on Lu Jingze's shoulder, gazing at the starry sky: "Who do you think this child will look like in the future?"

"Little girl, your eyes should be like yours," he said, idly playing with the end of her hair. "But your temperament shouldn't be as stubborn as yours."

She scoffed, "I wish I were like you, always with a stern face, so young yet so strict that the guards in the manor dared not raise their heads."

Lu Jingze chuckled softly, then suddenly picked the person up in his arms.

"Lu Jingze! The imperial physician said—"

"I know." He gently placed her on the couch, giving her only a kiss on the forehead. "Sleep."

The candlelight gradually died down, and the moonlight streamed through the gauze curtains, flowing like a river on the brocade quilt.

Lu Jingze's hand remained protectively around her waist, as if guarding the most precious treasure in the world.

(End of article)