As the night deepened, the candlelight in Fengyi Palace remained bright. Su Wanwan sat at her dressing table, combing her long black hair again and again. The ivory comb in her hand shone coldly in the light. Her delicate features were reflected in the mirror, but a lingering gloom hung between her brows.

"My lady, you have been combing your hair for two hours."

Nanny Su reminded cautiously, "It's so late, it's time to rest."

Su Wanwan paused, her eyes gazing out the window through the bronze mirror. Moonlight streamed down the palace walls like water, casting mottled shadows on the ground. Her fingertips gently stroked the comb, a sneer curling up at the corner of her mouth.

"Rest? How can I rest? That bitch is probably having a sweet dream right now, right?"

"Your Majesty..."

Nanny Su hesitated to speak.

"I have worked so hard to get to this position, and I will not allow anyone to threaten my position!"

Su Wanwan slammed the comb to the ground, making a crisp shattering sound. "Not to mention she's a lowly woman of unknown origin!"

She stood up, her skirt drawing an arc on the ground. Moonlight filtered through the window lattice, casting tiny shadows on her face, making her expression even more sinister. "Cuihua!"

"I'm here." Cuihua quickly stepped out from behind the screen and knelt on the ground.

"Go check for me what that bitch eats and uses every day. Find an opportunity to drug her."

Su Wanwan narrowed her eyes, "I want to see if she can keep this evil seed."

"Yes, your majesty." Cuihua stepped back, the hem of her skirt drawing a silent arc on the ground.

Su Wanwan walked to the window and looked towards the distant Qianqing Palace, with a cold light flashing in her eyes:

"Chen Xiaoru, do you think you can rest easy just because you're pregnant? Oh, how naive!"

She clasped her slender fingers on the window frame, her knuckles turning white. "I will let you know the cruelty of the harem."

At the same time, in Huayang Palace.

Concubine Li was lazily reclining on the couch, fiddling with a string of agarwood Buddhist beads. A palace maid whispered the news she'd gathered from various sources, "Your Majesty, I heard the Empress has murderous intentions and has sent someone to secretly monitor Concubine Chen."

"oh?"

Concubine Li chuckled, "Su Wanwan is such an idiot, she only knows how to use such despicable means."

She wrapped the Buddhist beads around her wrist, a trace of contempt flashing in her eyes. "But that's fine, let her make trouble first. I want to see how this drama will play out."

"Then Madam, we..."

The maid asked tentatively.

"us?"

Concubine Li sneered, "Why should I intervene? Let them fight each other."

She stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the palace wall under the moonlight. "The emperor has been doting on Chen Xiaoru recently. If something happens to her..."

Her voice gradually lowered, and a calculating look flashed in her eyes.

Suddenly, a dark figure appeared outside the emperor's study, as silent and impassive as a ghost. Its movements were nimble and agile, like a ghost in the night, making no sound at all. He gently pushed open the window and slipped into the study.

Inside the study, flickering candlelight illuminated Xuanyuan Che's stern face. Clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, he sat at his desk, reviewing memorials. A hint of fatigue crossed his brow, but his eyes remained sharp as an eagle's, as if they could see through everything.

The black shadow was none other than the secret guard. He knelt on one knee and spoke in a low and respectful voice: "Your Majesty, I have received news that the Empress has sent people to secretly monitor the Empress Chen, and has ordered people..." He paused, seeming a little hesitant.

Xuanyuan Che put down the red brush in his hand, raised his head, and looked at Ying with cold eyes: "Speak!"

His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable majesty.

"Order someone to wait for an opportunity to harm the Empress Chen."

Ying finally spoke out, his voice a little tense, and he obviously realized the seriousness of the matter.

Xuanyuan Che abruptly stood up. The golden dragon on his robe seemed to come alive, its fangs bared and claws swaying, betraying his raging fury. He slammed his palm down on the desk with a resounding thud, shaking the pens and ink on the table. The candlelight flickered violently, stretching and distorting his shadow like a demon from hell.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold light flashing in his eyes, and his tone was as cold as ice: "What a queen! I haven't even touched her yet, but she can't sit still!"

He paced back and forth, each step carrying a fierce murderous aura, as if he wanted to crush the entire palace to pieces.

"Pass on my oral instructions,"

Xuanyuan Che stopped and said in a low and intimidating voice, "Keep a close watch on the Queen. If she makes any unusual moves again, kill her without mercy!"

"As you wish!"

Ying lowered his head to accept the order, then his figure flashed and disappeared into the night.

Silence returned to the study, broken only by the gentle crackling of the burning candle. Xuanyuan Che stood by the window, gazing out at the dark night sky, his eyes gleaming with complex emotions. He knew that the peace in the harem was only temporary; a more brutal struggle was about to begin.

Inside the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the hall through the window lattice. Chen Xiaoru had just finished breakfast and was lazily leaning on the couch. The air was filled with the scent of sandalwood incense. Her fingers gently stroked the brocade on the couch, her thoughts drifting away.

The system's voice suddenly sounded in her ears:

"Host, you have to be careful. The Queen has already started to take action."

Chen Xiaoru chuckled when she heard this:

"I always thought that the first person to lose her composure upon hearing the news of my pregnancy would be Concubine Li, but I never imagined it would be the Empress."

A sly look flashed in her eyes. "But now that the opportunity is right in front of me, how can I waste it?"

"Then host, be careful."

There was a hint of worry in the system's tone.

Chen Xiaoru adjusted her sleeves and whispered, "I'm in the Qianqing Palace. The Queen would at most give me an abortion pill or poison. There shouldn't be anything else. Besides, I've taken the Hundred Poisons Invulnerability Pill, so I'm not afraid."

She paused, "By the way, is there any pill that can create the illusion of a miscarriage?"

"Yes, a 50-point illusion pill can generate any illusion you want." The system replied immediately.

"Okay, one."

Chen Xiaoru said cheerfully, "I'll take the medicine when it's delivered. Just give it to me. I'll do the rest."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a soft knock on the door outside the hall.

"Come in."

Chen Xiaoru sat up slightly and adjusted the hem of her skirt.

A young palace maid in a pale blue palace dress entered, holding a bowl of steaming medicine. She bowed and said respectfully, "Empress Chen, this is a new pregnancy-maintaining medicine from the Imperial Hospital. They say it's very beneficial for the fetus."

Chen Xiaoru looked at the bowl of medicine, a hint of vigilance flashing in her eyes. The system's voice sounded at the right time:

"Host, there is something wrong with this bowl of medicine."

A faint smile appeared on Chen Xiaoru's lips. She reached out to take the bowl of medicine and drank it in one gulp without waiting for the palace maid to say anything.

The young maid obviously didn't expect Chen Xiaoru to drink the medicine so readily. She stood there in a daze, wanting to say something, but was interrupted by Chen Xiaoru's gentle wave of her hand: "Go down."

After the palace maid left, Chen Xiaoru sat there waiting for the medicine to take effect.