Consort Niu nodded with a smile, her anger instantly replaced by a smile. She lowered her head slightly, gazing gently at her belly with a smile on her lips.

"I served the emperor eight times last month and also took fertility drugs, so I must be pregnant with his child."

With a cold snort, Consort Niu spoke in a deep voice, "As long as I give birth to a little prince, with my family background, I will definitely be able to be promoted to Imperial Concubine. As for Noble Lady Lan, although she was given the Pear Incense by the Emperor, she is only a Noble Lady."

"Your Majesty is right."

The wet nurses and palace maids of Chuxiu Palace flattered Consort Niu with smiles.

Two weeks later

Xu Lejin was sitting comfortably on the veranda, enjoying the cool evening breeze and reading the storybook in her hand with great interest when Ziwu hurried in from outside the palace and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, the Old Madam has sent someone to deliver a message."

"Um."

Xu Lejin took the wax-sealed letter from Ziwu and quickly opened it to read it.

With a change in expression, Xu Lejin murmured softly, "As expected, as expected. Noble Lady Lan comes from the Yehe Nara clan, and her ancestors were from the Yehe tribe. Her background is even higher than that of Consort Hui."

"The Emperor bestowed upon Consort Lan the fragrance of pear blossoms in her tent, seemingly a unique favor in the palace, but in reality, it was a precaution against Consort Lan and against the Yehenara clan..."

Changing the subject, Xu Lejin looked at Ruhua and asked in a deep voice.

"How many times has the Emperor summoned Consort Lan to his bedchamber in the past two weeks?"

Ru Hua quickly pondered for a moment and respectfully said, "His Majesty has summoned Consort Lan to his bedchamber three times in the past half month: on the fourth day, the seventh day, and the day before yesterday."

Xu Lejin nodded.