Liu Heng currently only has two sons, so he doesn't have many offspring. He was already in high spirits because he was finally made crown prince, and he was even happier after hearing that Lin Yuqiao was pregnant.

While Liu Heng was away, his movements were regularly reported by designated personnel. Therefore, he knew the whole story even before he returned to the mansion.

Because the incident happened so suddenly, and Chenliu was far from the capital, he was unable to provide immediate relief. By the time he received the news, the mastermind, Madam Yu, had already been captured by the princess.

The matter was resolved quickly and efficiently, without affecting his plans, and the backyard returned to peace, which made Liu Heng very satisfied.

He knew that this was all thanks to Madam Lin. He was both grateful and happy that she had taken the initiative to help the Princess Consort resolve the crisis in the mansion and ensure Liu Yan's safe recovery.

The so-called will-o'-the-wisps and rumors in the manor have no negative impact on Lin Shi. She can stay out of it and watch the show. On the contrary, if something happens to Liu Yan, her future children will receive more attention from him.

However, she did not do that. Instead, she prioritized the overall situation and provided the princess with ideas and solutions, which enabled the matter to be resolved smoothly.

Her actions must have stemmed from her feelings for him. Once again feeling her deep affection for him, Liu Heng felt a warm glow in his heart.

After being named Crown Prince, his family had to move from the Prince of Huaiyang's residence to the Eastern Palace.

Besides the Princess becoming the Crown Princess, Consort Jiang and Lin Yuqiao becoming Crown Concubines, the other people in the harem, although their titles didn't change much, all automatically advanced one rank.

The Crown Princess didn't have the energy to handle all the moving and preparations alone. Since Lin Yuqiao was also unable to help due to her pregnancy, the Princess asked Jiang Shi and Consort Chen to assist her.

Lady Baili was furious that the Crown Princess had overlooked her. To be able to participate in managing household affairs was such a great honor, yet the Princess Consort didn't give her that opportunity. How could she bear it? Her resentment towards the Crown Princess only intensified.

However, due to Lin Yuqiao's pregnancy and excessive sleepiness, she was too busy to receive her, leaving Baili with no one to talk to and only able to sulk alone.

Liu Heng became busy again. He needed to find suitable people to organize a new batch of officials for the Eastern Palace, and he also needed to continue to follow up on government affairs. In addition, Prince Luyang and others were not so well-behaved, and he had to be careful at all times.

The news that the Crown Prince was recruiting talent without regard to convention spread like wildfire throughout the court and among the common people.

In an instant, ambitious people eager to make a name for themselves flocked to him. Liu Heng, known for his gentlemanly demeanor, would always treat renowned scholars with utmost courtesy, setting aside his own status. As a result, he spent a great deal of time each day personally receiving visitors.

The person with the most free time right now is Lin Yuqiao.

All things considered, that child must have been conceived on the last night before Liu Heng left.

During the second month, Lin Yuqiao still had two days of bleeding, so Granny Jiang didn't pay much attention. It wasn't until the third month, when her periods became irregular and less frequent, that Granny Jiang became suspicious and finally called a doctor.

Although she had been trying to conceive for a while, she didn't feel anything at all. Not only did she not experience any of the usual pregnancy symptoms, but she also ate fruit ice cream as usual.

That's why Granny Jiang suspected that she had suffered from uterine coldness due to eating something cold, and didn't immediately consider the possibility of pregnancy.

Perhaps it was psychological, but after being diagnosed with pregnancy, Lin Yuqiao began to experience symptoms. She felt fatigued, drowsy, and her tastes changed several times a day. She would become anxious if she couldn't immediately eat what she wanted to eat.

That evening, not long after she finished dinner, she suddenly had a strong craving for cream puffs and steamed cheese curds.

Granny Jiang was already used to it. As soon as she heard what she wanted to eat, she would immediately tell Qingming to go to the kitchen. Now the stove in the kitchen is burning for twelve hours a day.

The cream puffs arrived just in time, but the moment I most wanted to eat them had already passed.

Lin Yuqiao lay on the table, smelling the rich aroma of milk, but feeling somewhat frustrated because she had no appetite. She felt she had been too dramatic lately, going through this several times a day, and she was starting to feel embarrassed.

In modern times, she had seen so many pregnant women, and they all went to work and did housework as usual. None of them enjoyed such good treatment. Even in the Qin Dynasty, pregnant women in ordinary households had to serve their in-laws. Compared to them, she was truly living a life of luxury.

"Your Majesty, if you don't want to eat, then don't. Just have someone make it for you whenever you feel like eating."

Seeing that Lin Yuqiao hadn't eaten, Granny Jiang ordered someone to clear away all the food from the table.

She didn't see anything wrong with it. Now that the prince's status was so high, the concubine's status had also risen accordingly, and she could be addressed as "Your Majesty." And this child would be a prince of noble birth, so no matter how much she messed with him, it wouldn't be excessive.

Reassured by Granny Jiang's matter-of-fact attitude, Lin Yuqiao touched her nose. Deep down, she still retained some of the grassroots habits from her previous life. Even after being a noble for more than ten years, she had not developed such extravagant and lavish lifestyle.

After drinking a cup of hot milk, she leaned back on the couch, silently touching her still flat belly, and had Qingming read the Book of Songs to her.

She started prenatal education as soon as she was diagnosed with her pregnancy.

The concept of prenatal education has existed since ancient times. People of that time believed that a person's education should begin in the womb. "In ancient times, when a woman was pregnant, she would not sleep on her side, sit on the edge, or stand on tiptoe. She would not eat any strange food, would not eat anything that was not properly cut, and would not sit on a mat that was not properly laid. She would not look at anything unpleasant or listen to anything lewd. At night, she would have a blind person recite poems and talk about righteous matters. If she did this, her child would be born with a handsome appearance and exceptional talent."

Although it was rather rigid and contained many dogmatic elements, Lin Yuqiao found some of the theories somewhat useful. Therefore, she tried her best to correct her attitude, maintain a righteous mind, and keep a positive attitude. She even stopped reading storybooks and listened to music like "High Mountains and Flowing Water" every day. In her spare time, she would listen to the people around her reading the Book of Songs and some early childhood education materials.

However, for her, doing prenatal education is simply about doing her best to ensure her child doesn't lose at the starting line.

She didn't expect to give birth to a child prodigy; she just hoped her nephew would follow in his footsteps, and if her future children could be like Lin Yucheng, she would be satisfied.

Of course, those requirements are not low either.

Lost in thought, Lin Yuqiao looked at her still-not-yet-shown belly and felt a sense of anticipation.

She was beautiful in this life, and Liu Heng was also good-looking. Surely their future children wouldn't turn out badly.

Just imagining having your own sweet, soft, chubby-cheeked, three-headed little boy or girl in the future makes you want to scream with delight.

Sure enough, no matter how much she matured, she couldn't change her obsession with good looks.

Because he's been too busy, Liu Heng hasn't set foot in the backyard for almost two months; he eats and sleeps in the front yard.

Lin Yuqiao couldn't help but feel a little fortunate. In any case, she couldn't serve him right now, so it was better to keep busy than to let him break his promise.

But just because she comforted herself like that didn't mean others thought the same way. The Crown Princess was more concerned about Liu Heng's "sexual happiness."

The Crown Princess specially arranged for someone to inform him of the appointment time in advance, and thus, for the first time in two months, Liu Heng finally stepped into the inner courtyard.

"Your Highness, please take care of yourself no matter how busy you are. Did you have a proper dinner?"

Looking at Liu Heng, who had lost some weight and whose features appeared even more defined, the Crown Princess gently advised him.

"I've used it with you. Wanrong, you've worked hard these past few days, thanks to you."

Liu Heng held the Crown Princess's hand and they went into the inner room to sit down.

He knew that the Crown Princess had been ill and her health was already compromised, and that she should rest and recuperate after recovering.

Unfortunately, this is a busy time, and the Crown Princess cannot be idle. She also has to manage the affairs of the inner court, so her complexion has not improved.

Sitting beside Liu Heng, the Crown Princess's eyes welled up with tears as she listened to his tender words. He had seen her hardships, and this brought her a sense of comfort.

After a couple of cups of tea, Liu Heng continued to chat with the Crown Princess about the specific date of moving into the East Palace, the management of some of the original servants in the East Palace, the various arrangements for other people in the backyard, the rules of the courtyard, the arrangement of servants and their allowances, and other miscellaneous matters.

As it grew late, Liu Heng, having already conveyed everything he needed to to the Crown Princess, gently inquired about her health before getting up to leave.

Taking advantage of this brief respite, he decided to visit the Lin family.

Aside from the day he found out she was pregnant, he never visited her again. He guessed she would just act all cute and clingy if she saw him. He wondered if she would have improved now that she was a mother.

Since he only became crown prince halfway through his career, he had to learn many rules and regulations on his own, as well as become familiar with the officials of the Eastern Palace. In addition, he had some plans and arrangements for the future. At this moment when he was about to make great strides, Liu Heng was really too busy to be in two places at once.

If he hadn't assumed that the Crown Princess had specifically invited him over to discuss important matters, and that he also had many plans to share with her, he probably would have been busy for at least another month.

But when the Crown Princess saw Liu Heng leave in such a hurry after only a short conversation, her eyes dimmed. She sighed inwardly, realizing that she was too old and frail to keep him.

"Now that Lady Lin is pregnant, it's an inconvenient time for her, so I was thinking that Your Highness should have some more people around you. I've found two obedient servants for Your Highness, why don't we call them in to take a look later?"

Originally, the plan was to choose between Zhen'er and Ji'er, but now that Liu Heng has become the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess simply put both of them forward. As for who will win Liu Heng's favor, that's up to them.

Hearing the Crown Princess's words, Liu Heng was somewhat surprised. He raised an eyebrow and looked at the Crown Princess seriously.

The Crown Princess appeared very calm, her features gentle and composed, and her gaze towards him was filled with concern and expectation.

Liu Heng couldn't quite describe his feelings about the Crown Princess's virtuousness and generosity. He was probably satisfied, but also felt that something was missing.

To avoid embarrassing the Crown Princess, Liu Heng did not refuse her suggestion. After meeting the two, he dismissed them.

"We're busy right now, let's talk about it later."

He never valued love and romance much; what attracted him most was always power and the empire.

Previously, I had only dealt with others in a boring way, without feeling that there was any benefit to it.

It wasn't until Lin entered the household that he experienced the unbridled pleasure and spiritual connection with her, allowing him to truly immerse himself in the relationship. However, Liu Heng didn't particularly enjoy that feeling of being out of control, and even with Lin, he tried to exercise restraint in their intimate moments.

Moreover, he really doesn't have the time or energy to deal with other women right now, and he has also made a promise to the Lin family.

After Liu Heng left, the Crown Princess's usually calm face darkened. She was very dissatisfied that Liu Heng hadn't explicitly stated he would take Zhen'er and Ji'er into his service.

The Crown Princess sat back on the couch and fell silent.

She is now worried that Lin will pick out her own people to secure the Crown Prince's favor, so that her people will monopolize the Crown Prince. In the future, when Lin has a child, she may become too ambitious.

The imperial family is the place where etiquette is least observed. Even though Liu Kang was the eldest son of the legitimate wife, it's hard to say what would happen in the future. Even the deposed crown prince, who was also the eldest son of the empress, met a tragic end.

Walking towards the Lin family compound, Liu Heng pondered the Crown Princess's actions that day, feeling somewhat puzzled.

He knew that Lin was pregnant and that the Crown Princess might have some thoughts about it, so he immediately asked Emperor Jianwu for permission to appoint Liu Kang as the Crown Prince's grandson, just to put the Crown Princess at ease.

Even though he has feelings for Lady Lin, he won't let that cause him to ignore his principles or disregard the interests of the Crown Princess and Liu Kang. He's made it so clear, so why is the Crown Princess still worried that he'll favor his concubine over his wife?

As long as the Crown Princess does her duty, what belongs to her will naturally not be taken away, and he will protect her.

How could he truly put the Crown Princess's mind at ease? Liu Heng was having a headache.

When Emperor Jianwu asked him to make Liu Kang his grandson, Liu Heng nodded in agreement without hesitation after thinking it over.

Liu Kang was appointed as the Crown Prince's grandson, which meant he would be the Crown Prince after he ascended the throne, thus guaranteeing Liu Kang's status and future.

Liu Heng wasn't particularly satisfied with Liu Kang. Liu Kang wasn't a clever child, his talent was average, and he had some shortcomings in character. At least for now, he couldn't compare to Liu Yan.

However, Liu Kang is, after all, the eldest son of the legitimate wife, the child to whom he has placed the most expectations and devoted the most effort since he came to power. He is undoubtedly his rightful heir, which is also good for everyone.

If he doesn't make Liu Kang his heir, he'll have other sons in the future, and his brothers are all more outstanding than Liu Kang, so this child will have a difficult time. Furthermore, the Crown Princess has been married to him for over a decade and has made many sacrifices; if he doesn't make Liu Kang his heir, the Crown Princess's position will also be unstable.

Fortunately, Liu Kang has a rather calm and steady personality, and is gentle and humble. With further training, he will surely change. Ultimately, it's too early to say anything now; he can only focus on making the best arrangements for the present.

When Liu Heng arrived at Lin Yuqiao's courtyard, she was already half asleep.

"Ziping!"

Hearing the rustling sounds of greetings, Lin Yuqiao opened her eyes and immediately saw Liu Heng in his light blue casual clothes. She called out to him groggily, and before she even got up, a delighted smile appeared on her face.

Hearing her call him by his given name as usual, and her attitude towards him the same as always, Liu Heng couldn't help but smile.

Since becoming the crown prince, everyone has treated him with utmost respect. He has become the high and mighty "Your Highness," and even if people try to get along with him, others still feel an instinctive sense of fear.

Only this person still calls him "Ziping" without a care in the world.

She is probably the only person, now and in the future, who will call him Ziping.

Even his teacher could no longer address him by his courtesy name to his face. And his father, the emperor, had never called him so affectionately.

He quickly walked over to stop her from getting out of bed, smoothed her messy hair, and couldn't help but pinch her rosy cheeks.

She seems to be doing well these days; her face even looks a bit fuller.

Holding her in his arms, the familiar warmth and fragrance soothed his heart, and Liu Heng's restless and weary heart found some peace. He softened his movements and gently touched her belly.

"It's okay, it can't sense anything yet!"

Liu Heng hesitated for a moment, but Lin Yuqiao boldly placed his hand on her stomach.

"There's a noise! ​​Did we make too much noise just now?"

Liu Heng, who was always polite and restrained, became nervous the first time he had been so close to a pregnant woman.

Especially when he felt the gurgling sounds in Lin Yuqiao's stomach, he regretted his impulsive act of reaching out earlier and frowned as he looked at her.

This woman is a mother now, how can she be so reckless? What if she hurts the child if she uses too much force?

Even though I ate a full dinner, my stomach is rumbling again.

Lin Yuqiao had originally intended to be affectionate, but she felt a little embarrassed and her face was burning.

She buried her face in Liu Heng's chest, wrapped her arms around his slightly thinner waist, and muttered in a low voice, "It's not made of paper, it won't break if you touch it, I'm just hungry!"

I felt Liu Heng's chest tremble for a moment; he was laughing.

Slightly embarrassing.

Lin Yuqiao didn't look up, burying her face even deeper. His voice sounded above her head, his movements gentle as he stroked her back.

"If you're hungry, have someone prepare some easy-to-eat late-night snacks and bring them up. What would you like to eat?"