Meanwhile, Sheng Changling, having listened to the strategist's words, actually sent spies to investigate the movements of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
However, because the Hall of Mental Cultivation was openly guarded by numerous guards, and secretly had many shadow guards, Prince Jing's men could not get close at all.
Not only that, several spies have also been discovered, but fortunately they did not reveal who was behind them and instead committed suicide by biting their tongues.
Even so, the emperor became vigilant and increased the number of guards at each level of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Therefore, King Jing had no choice but to abandon his plan to spy on the Hall of Mental Cultivation and began to lie low cautiously.
Sheng Changling plotted and schemed, but ended up getting nothing, which made him even more resentful.
He was now certain that the relationship between the Emperor and the Crown Prince was not so simple, so his desire to uncover the secret was even stronger.
People who can now openly enter and exit the Hall of Mental Cultivation without being suspected of being assassins or spies...
As Sheng Changling pondered, the image of a certain person gradually surfaced in his mind—
Jiang Wuyou.
The Jiang family has been discussing marriage with the Crown Princess recently. The Crown Princess is pregnant, and the Jiang family is quite anxious. They are urging the Crown Princess to propose marriage.
Since that's the case, and his marriage is a political alliance anyway, why not agree to it?
Jiang Wuyou is very useful.
The Empress is ill, isn't she? Shouldn't Jiang Wuyou, as her niece, visit her aunt, the Empress?
And the Crown Princess, I heard that Jiang Wuyou and the Crown Princess are very close friends, so it would be right for him to visit her.
After Sheng Changling understood all this, he returned to his study, wrote it down, and sent it to his mother by carrier pigeon.
He stood by the window with his hands behind his back, his cold and wicked eyes slightly lowered, watching the snow pigeons flutter their wings and fly away, feeling a little relieved.
He will find out what he wants to know, and no one can stop him.
It's all just a matter of time...
Sheng Changling took action once again, while the turmoil in the palace gradually subsided.
Days passed by...
It was noon on the tenth day of the eleventh lunar month.
The snow has just stopped and the sky is clear.
A thin layer of snow had accumulated outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and the road was still a bit slippery, but it was much better than last night.
Today, His Majesty specially invited the Crown Prince and Crown Princess to lunch together, so the palace servants swept the snow even cleaner.
Supported by the Crown Prince, Liu Lingxi walked step by step toward the East Warm Pavilion of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
"Xi'er, slow down, don't rush."
The Crown Prince couldn't bear to see his Crown Princess looking anxious and frowning, so he pressed her to the spot and whispered some instructions.
"What if we're late and Father Emperor blames us?"
Liu Lingxi's fair face was nestled under the fluffy hat. She blinked her long eyelashes and pouted as she spoke.
In recent days, Liu Lingxi has seen Sheng Jin less often, and her tension and worry have lessened considerably.
Now that she can relax, Liu Lingxi can focus on her pregnancy without constantly worrying that the Emperor might do something against the natural order.
Because of this, her face became chubby, and she gained a lot of weight.
Although her face has become rounder, her waist hasn't grown at all; instead, her chest has grown considerably, making her look even more charming and beautiful.
The crown prince saw her body several times, and his eyes were glued to her. He was so excited that he couldn't sleep.
He always found other ways to vent his boundless energy, which earned him many eye-rolls from Liu Lingxi, but he was too thick-skinned to care.
Liu Lingxi was so happy that she forgot about her relocation to another palace and was completely absorbed in her new life.
Now, suddenly summoned by the Emperor, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, and unsure of his attitude, she couldn't help but feel nervous.
The Crown Prince couldn't bear to see her so nervous and scared, so he forcefully turned the little girl around to face him, carefully cupped her face, and said...
"Alright, Xi'er, listen to me. You are doing well. Father will not bear to punish you or me. As long as we are well, no one can separate us."
Liu Lingxi's trembling eyelashes suddenly stopped at this moment, and the tension in her heart eased a lot.
She stared at Sheng Changfeng's earnest and determined eyes for a long while, then slowly nodded.
"Yes, I'm not afraid."
Under the sunlight, a gentle breeze carried tiny snowflakes that blew onto the two of them, making them dance up and down like little elves, adding a lot of charm to the scene.
Many palace servants were moved by such a beautiful person, not to mention the majestic figure under the eaves.
Little Ye Zi carefully served the Emperor, not daring to look up, yet she could still sense the desolation and loneliness of the person beside her.
Thinking about the Emperor's diligence in governing these past few days, as if he were numbing himself, handling state affairs day and night, Xiao Yezi couldn't help but sigh.
Who would have thought that the Emperor, who was always high above and could have whatever he wanted, would also have such a restrained and patient side? It's truly rare.
Especially considering the Crown Princess's exceptional talent, the Emperor's ability to endure for so long demonstrates the forbearance and courage expected of an emperor.
However, how long can the Emperor endure this?
Little Yezi didn't know, nor dared she know, she only knew that she needed to obey the Emperor's orders.
Lost in thought, he heard a soft sigh from above.
"Serve the meal."
"yes."
Xiao Yezi quickly glanced at the Emperor's expression, then withdrew, her heart filled with shock.
The madness and restraint in the Emperor's eyes must be reaching their limit!
Can His Majesty... still tolerate this?
Xiao Yezi dared not look at the Emperor's face any longer, so she quickly led people to personally arrange the imperial meal, then dismissed the others and began to serve the Emperor herself.
"Your Majesty, the imperial meal has been prepared. May I invite the Crown Prince and Crown Princess in?"
Seeing the Emperor sitting at the table, seemingly resting with his eyes closed, but actually rapidly turning the beads in his hands, Xiao Yezi knew that the Emperor was not truly calming his mind.
He spoke tentatively and, as expected, received an approving look from the emperor.
"Um."
Xiao Yezi knew that she had grasped a bit of the Emperor's thoughts, so she quickly ran off to urge him—no, to invite someone.
He was young and quick-witted, and soon arrived before the Crown Prince and Crown Princess with his whisk in hand.
Ignoring the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's embrace, Xiao Yezi's shrill voice interrupted their conversation and reached their ears.
"This servant greets Your Highness and Your Highness the Crown Princess. His Majesty is waiting for you both in the hall. Please come in—"
"Um."
"No need for formalities, Eunuch Ye. We'll go right away."
The colder voice that came before was Sheng Changfeng's; he simply squeezed out a "hmm" from his throat.
The next one was different; it was gentle and soft, like a feather lightly brushing against one's ears and heart, making one's heart melt.
No wonder the Emperor values her so highly; she's truly a fairy-like figure.
Pshaw, what nonsense are you thinking?
Do not let your mind wander.
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