The next day, before dawn.

Qin Lan then quietly left the "Nine Heavens Embracing the Moon Palace".

She arrived full of fighting spirit.

As he walked, his steps were somewhat unsteady. His face showed a hint of fatigue, but more than that, it was flushed with a satisfied glow after being completely conquered.

She knew that she had successfully sown the seeds of hope.

Now, let's see what fate has in store.

And it was almost as soon as she left.

Qian Xiaoxiao appeared once again at the entrance of the "Nine Heavens Embracing the Moon Palace".

This time, she didn't have anyone send her any nourishing soup.

Instead, she personally carried a bowl of soup that she had simmered all night, made with the most precious "blood bird's nest" and "snow frog" ingredients.

She had calculated that His Majesty and Qin Lan, after a night of fierce fighting, would inevitably feel exhausted and hungry.

This was her best chance to show her gentleness and thoughtfulness.

However, when she reached the front of the palace, she was stopped by Longte.

"Your Highness, please wait." Long Te's voice was still as cold as ever, devoid of any emotion.

"Captain Long, I'm here to deliver breakfast to His Majesty." Qian Xiaoxiao's face was plastered with the sweetest smile.

“His Majesty has decreed,” Longte said expressionlessly, “From this day forward, no one may enter the ‘Nine Heavens Moon-Embracing Palace’ without His Majesty’s personal summons.”

"What?" Qian Xiaoxiao's smile froze on her face.

"Furthermore," Longte continued, without even glancing at her, "His Majesty says he wishes to see Consort Meng Yao paint today. Consort Meng Yao, please take your painting tools immediately and proceed to the warm pavilion of 'Jingxinzhai' to await His Majesty's arrival."

boom!

This news was like a bolt from the blue for Qian Xiaoxiao.

His Majesty rejected her breakfast and refused her request to see him.

But she took the initiative to meet Meng Yao, whom she considered the least threatening person who could only draw?

Why?

She didn't understand! What was it that she hadn't done well enough?

Longte ignored her and turned to go to the "Jingxinzhai" to convey the emperor's decree.

Qian Xiaoxiao was left alone, holding the bowl of soup that had long since gone cold, standing blankly in the morning breeze.

The color drained from her face little by little, leaving only a deathly ashen complexion.

She knew that she was already more than one step behind in this silent war.

Inside the warm pavilion of "Jingxinzhai", incense wafted gently.

Meng Yao wore an elegant white dress, and her long hair was loosely tied up with a simple wooden hairpin.

She wore no makeup, her bare face making her appear even more charming, elegant, and refined.

In front of her was a huge canvas.

On the canvas, a painting is already more than half completed.

When Lin Feng entered the warm pavilion, he saw this scene: a beautiful woman painting a picture, quiet and lovely.

He waved his hand, signaling the people around him to step back.

Then, without making a sound, he walked up behind Meng Yao.

He didn't make a sound to disturb her; he simply looked at her painting quietly.

With just one glance, his pupils contracted slightly.

Meng Yao's paintings were not landscapes, flowers and birds, nor were they portraits of himself, the emperor.

She drew a scene.

A woman is holding a baby in her arms with a loving expression.

The woman's face was painted somewhat blurry and indistinct.

But between his eyebrows and eyes, one could clearly see Meng Yao's own reflection.

The baby, though only sketched with a few simple strokes, was drawn with exquisite detail and was incredibly adorable.

The most expressive feature is the baby's eyes.

Those eyes were bright, deep, and full of spirit.

Their eyes resemble Lin Feng's, at least seven-tenths.

The background of the scene is a dazzling starry sky. Countless stars surround the mother and child, radiating a soft glow.

The entire painting contains no inscription or text.

But the longing for new life, the anticipation of becoming a mother, and the deep love for the father of the baby in the painting are so intense that they almost burst off the paper.

This is a silent confession.

It is also a woman's most tender, yet most humble, plea.

Lin Feng's heart was touched.

He was used to the intrigues and backstabbing in the harem, and he was used to all kinds of flattering words.

Meng Yao is the first person to express her feelings to him in such a pure and artistic way.

This girl never asked him for anything.

She simply used her paintbrush to silently record all her feelings for him.

From the initial gratitude of being saved.

Later, it evolved into worship when looking up to someone.

And now, this deep love, yearning to bear children for him, remains.

Lin Feng reached out and gently wrapped his arms around Meng Yao's waist from behind.

Meng Yao's body stiffened abruptly. The paintbrush slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.

Her face flushed bright red instantly, like a ripe apple.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty..." Her voice was barely audible.

"The painting is very well done." Lin Feng gently rested his chin on her fragrant shoulder, his lips close to her earlobe, and whispered, "I like it very much."

His breath brushed against Meng Yao's sensitive earlobe, making her feel a fine, shivering goosebumps all over her body.

“I… can understand,” Lin Feng continued. “I know what you want.”

Meng Yao's body trembled even more violently.

She dared not turn around, nor dared to speak; she simply lowered her head even further.

Lin Feng chuckled and turned her body around so that she was facing him.

He looked at her face, which appeared even more beautiful and charming because of her shyness and nervousness, and at her eyes, which were clear like an autumn pool, yet full of longing.

A surge of unprecedented pity and tenderness welled up in his heart.

He lowered his head and gently kissed her trembling, cherry-like lips.

The kiss was light and gentle.

It is not aggressive at all, but full of comfort and appreciation.

Meng Yao's mind went blank for a moment.

She forgot where she was.

And I forgot everything.

All she knew was that she had been kissed by the god-like person she looked up to.

She awkwardly and shyly responded to his kiss.

After a long while, their lips parted.

Lin Feng looked at the girl in his arms, who was already lost in passion, her body limp, and she could barely stand, and smiled slightly.

He picked her up horizontally.

"Your wish, I grant."

He carried her into the warm pavilion, the inner room with thick Persian carpets, which was used for resting.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting dappled shadows on the floor.

The air smelled sweet.

...

One month later.

A piece of news that was enough to shake the entire harem was released.

General Qin Lan was diagnosed with pregnancy by the imperial physician.

And only half a month later.

Lady Meng Yao of "Jingxinzhai" has also been confirmed to be pregnant with the emperor's child.

The upper echelons of the entire Star Kingdom were engulfed in a frenzied yet eerie atmosphere.

Everyone knows that an unprecedented gamble surrounding the "succession to the empire" has officially begun.

Su Wanqing, having gained the advantage of being the "legitimate" and "eldest" daughter, has a stable position.

Qin Lan holds military power and has made outstanding contributions. If she were to give birth to a prince, his significance would be immense.

Meng Yao, despite her humble origins, has become a "new favorite" who has gained the Emperor's favor in the shortest amount of time. No one can predict how high she and her child will rise in the future.

As for Qian Xiaoxiao, and the other concubines in the harem who had not yet gotten what they wanted, they fell into even deeper anxiety and madness.

They used every means at their disposal to try and get Lin Feng's attention.

Gift-givers, poets, musicians, dancers...

For a time, the "Nine Heavens Embracing the Moon Palace" became the most bustling and competitive place in the world.

Lin Feng, the emperor who single-handedly instigated this war, seemed to be a detached bystander.

He enjoyed the flattery and sycophancy from all the women.

He fairly showered his "rain" upon every corner of the harem.

Today, he might stay overnight in the palace of a talented woman because of a poem.

Tomorrow, he might spend the night with another beautiful woman because of a dance.

He let them compete and check each other, yet he didn't allow either side to completely lose control.

Under his manipulation, the harem achieved a delicate balance.