Zhao Jie looked at Qi Yuning's bulging belly, stretched out his little hand to touch it and asked, "Is there a baby here?"
Qi Yuning nodded and said, "Yes."
Zhao Jie raised his eyes and asked, "Does the baby have a name yet?"
Qi Yuning helped Lu Ze squat down with difficulty and whispered in Zhao Jie's ear: "Her name is also Lu Yiling, Lingling!"
Zhao Jie touched Qi Yuning's belly and said with a smile, "Lingling! I want to play with Lingling! When will she be born?"
Qi Yuning said, "More than two months later, not many days left."
…
In Ci'an Palace.
Empress Dowager Zhou listened to Lu Ze and Qi Yuning taking the little emperor to play dragonfly catching in the imperial garden, and she just twirled the Buddhist beads in her hand.
Zhou Jiayun leaned against Empress Dowager Zhou and said, "Aunt, Princess Qi is playing with His Majesty. Is she trying to make His Majesty lose his ambition? So that His Majesty can eventually become a puppet of the Qi family?"
Queen Mother Zhou twirled her Buddhist beads and sighed softly, "Even if she harbored this thought, what could we do? The Qi family could easily seize this kingdom now. The Qi family army had already taken control of Shengjing. Even if the other members of the Zhao family came, they would have ulterior motives. Being a puppet would be fine. At least if she became emperor, Jie'er would be safe and secure for the rest of his life."
Zhou Jiayun said, "What if the Qi family wants cousin Jie to abdicate? Then cousin Jie will be in great danger.
But aunt, the Qi family is not without constraints now, and there is also Lu Ze..."
Queen Mother Zhou gently waved her fan and said, "Lu Ze? He's the son-in-law of the Qi family..."
"He can be the son-in-law of the Qi family, and he can also be the son-in-law of our Zhou family." Zhou Jiayun looked at Queen Mother Zhou calmly and said, "If Lu Ze becomes the son-in-law of our Zhou family, he will be loyal to Cousin Jie. We won't have to worry about Lu Ze having any other thoughts."
Queen Mother Zhou looked at her niece's beauty, which was rare in the world. "But we can't force this newlywed couple to divorce!"
Zhou Jiayun whispered, "I am willing to be the Prince Regent's concubine only for my cousin Jie."
Empress Dowager Zhou held Zhou Jiayun's hand and said, "I'm sorry to have wronged you. You are still in mourning. Once you're done, I'll talk to Lu Ze."
Zhou Jiayun lowered her head and said, "I don't feel wronged."
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