It was unknown when Gao Meiguo arrived in Kyushu, but winter had already arrived, and the concubines in the harem had already changed into winter clothes, and charcoal fires were being supplied to keep warm. For the women in the harem, a little Gao Meiguo's visit was not as important as who had received the emperor's reward.

Peeling the orange in her hand, Zhuang Luoyan sighed lazily, looked at the white snow falling outside the window, threw the orange back into the fine porcelain plate, and took the soup handed to her by Yun Xi: "The snow is getting heavier today." In her previous life, it rarely snowed in winter where she lived, and even if it snowed, she could not see the world covered in silver.

"Master, are you bored?" Yun Xi picked up the half-peeled orange, peeled it carefully and placed it on the plate, and said with a smile: "If the master is not afraid of the cold, you can go to the Plum Garden to appreciate the plum blossoms. I heard that the emperor also likes to appreciate plum blossoms."

Zhuang Yuyan changed to a comfortable sitting position and said with a half-smile: "It's better to appreciate plum blossoms in a quiet place. The flowers in the plum garden are in full bloom. I'm sure the sisters in other palaces would also like to go there. I won't join in the hustle and bustle."

Yun Xi opened her mouth but said nothing in the end. She had been with this master for quite some time and sometimes she felt that her master was obsessed with the emperor, and sometimes she felt that this feeling was vague and unclear.

"Master, the Palace Department has sent us the silver and charcoal dividends from the past few days, and also presented us with seasonal fruits." Ting Zhu entered the inner room, holding a plate of black grapes as tribute.

"It's not easy for these eunuchs to run back and forth delivering things in the middle of winter. Give them some silver so they can go downstairs and have a cup of hot tea." Zhuang Yuyan knew in her heart that these black grapes were tribute from other countries and it was extremely difficult to keep them fresh. It was a rare opportunity for Xihe Palace to get such a plate.

"Master, rest assured. I have already taken the reward." Tingzhu put down the plate and talked about some gossips she heard outside. Although they should not be taken seriously, it was boring in the deep palace, so listening to them was good to kill time.

"You said that Concubine Yan met the emperor by chance in the Plum Garden yesterday?" Zhuang Yu Yanrao asked with interest.

"My lord, I heard that the emperor stayed at Concubine Yan's place yesterday, and this morning Concubine Yan received a lot of rewards." Ting Zhu glanced at Zhuang Yuyan carefully, and seeing that she looked normal, she continued to talk about the rewards Concubine Yan had received.

Zhuang Yuyan sneered in his heart. As the emperor's man, the women in the harem were nothing but toys in his eyes. He was afraid that the means that women racked their brains to win his favor were nothing more than a show for him.

"Master, the eunuch from the Eunuch Bureau said that the emperor turned over your name card today." Fubao came in with a happy face and reported.

"I understand." Zhuang Yuyan tried hard to show shyness and joy on her face. She turned her head to look at the snow scene outside the window, hiding the calmness in her eyes.

"Empress, the emperor turned over Zhao Chongyi's name today." He Yu said sarcastically, "I'm afraid the masters who go to the Plum Garden today will be disappointed."

"The women in the harem always resort to any means to get invitations, but Zhao Chongyi is quite capable. The emperor has seen so many beauties and still remembers her." The queen flipped through the book in her hand without looking up, "I underestimated her in the past."

"Then..." He Yu couldn't help but speak, but was interrupted by the Queen.

"Even if you have some skills, it's not enough in the harem. The one in Anqing Palace is the emperor's favorite."

"But after Minister Su impeached Minister Zhuang, didn't the Emperor have any reaction?" He Yu was a little puzzled.

"That's the Emperor. It's the same in the former and the latter harems," the Empress put down the scroll in her hand with a wry smile, "Besides her, which other woman in the palace is worthy of being named a noble concubine? If it weren't for the Emperor's consideration for my reputation, I'm afraid her rewards would be even more generous than mine."

He Yu's throat choked up. Thinking about the favor Concubine Shugui had received over the years, she had to admit what the Empress said.

"Just wait and see. No matter how beautiful a flower is, it will wither one day. I am the queen after all, so there is no need for me to waste my time on them." The queen smiled again, but it was unclear whether she was relieved or helpless.

On a cold night, lying in the warm quilt made her feel more satisfied than usual. Zhuang Yuyan lay on the emperor's chest, listening quietly to the rustling sound of the falling snow. The room was exceptionally quiet.

Feng Jin stroked the hair of the woman in his arms. This was his habitual action when he was with Zhao Chongyi. The silence in the room made his heart calm down. As an emperor, he had a lot of things to do every day. It might be a good thing to experience this kind of silence occasionally.

"My dear, do you know Gao Meiguo?"

Zhuang Luoyan was not prepared for the emperor to ask such a question. She did not have much good feelings towards Gaomei. In her previous life, there was a country that was very similar to Gaomei. In the end, history proved one thing: it was an ungrateful person. After a little hesitation, she chose to speak: "I don't know much about Gaomei. I only know that it is our vassal state and the country is very poor. The only thing worth mentioning is a certain medicinal herb."

"This vassal state came to pay homage, but it stumped a bunch of ministers. Some thought that we should hold a grand ceremony as usual, while others said that we should receive them according to the standards of the previous dynasty," Feng Jin looked at the woman in his arms, "My beloved concubine thinks that is the polite way."

In the candlelight, Feng Jin's eyes were calm. Zhuang Yuyan looked up and looked into his eyes, but could not find any emotion in them. She spoke without hesitation, but several thoughts had already turned around in her mind, "I think it's just a vassal state, and they are our servants. How can the master receive the servants in a grand manner?"

"My beloved concubine is right. How could a servant who is of little use expect the master to condescend to him?" Feng Zhen said with a smile, "Gao Meiguo is indeed just our servant."

Zhuang Yuyan heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the emperor emphasize the word "we". She was right. From her observation, Feng Jian was an ambitious emperor, but he was not fond of ostentation, so Gao Meiguo's previous method of using the name of paying tribute to the emperor to extort money would not work.

However, until the warm kiss fell on her forehead and ended with a red wave, Zhuang Yuyan still couldn't figure out why the emperor suddenly talked to her about things in the previous dynasty. Could it be that the heavy snow froze his brain?

Zhuang Yuyan was puzzled, but Feng Jin was sighing at the frankness of the man in his arms. If he asked the Empress and Concubine Shugui about this matter, they would definitely say that both sides were right, and then they would pry into his thoughts and tell him which approach was more appropriate. How could they say it so bluntly? Could it be that they really regarded him, the Emperor, as "one of their own" and had no intention of hiding it at all?

The person in his arms was already fast asleep. Feng Jin brushed back the fine hair on her forehead and what came into view was Zhang Anjing's sleeping face. What a silly woman! She only knew that he was her man but forgot that he was also an emperor.

When Zhuang Yuyan woke up the next day, the emperor had already left. She drank her hot milk tea and asked, "Has the snow stopped?"

"My Lord, it hasn't fallen off yet, but it has grown a little. You need to wear more when you go to pay respects to the Empress." Yun Xi put the fox fur coat on Zhuang Yuyan and praised, "My Lord, you look so beautiful in this fox fur coat. No wonder the Emperor insisted on giving it to you as a reward."

Zhuang Yuyan smiled and said, "It's not my credit at all. It's just that this white fox fur coat is so rare." No wonder the eunuchs didn't bring the contraceptive soup today. It must be because the snow was too heavy.

But until Zhuang Yuyan went out to pay her respects to the empress, no one from the eunuchs came. Zhuang Yuyan was shocked. Could it be that the emperor was going to let her keep the child?

Feng Jin flipped through the memorial in his hand and suddenly thought of the woman in Xihe Palace. He had something special in his heart for this woman. He didn't know whether it was a favor or harm that he exempted her from the contraceptive soup this time. It was not easy for women in the harem to get pregnant, and it was even harder to give birth to a child. He avoided the contraceptive soup last night, which was also a bit of his sympathy. As for whether Zhao Chongyi could have a child, it all depended on her fate.

If Zhuang Yuyan knew what the emperor was thinking, she would definitely curse him in her heart. Not to mention that getting pregnant is not as easy as reaping what you sow, and that night was a safe period, so the possibility of getting pregnant was even smaller.

No matter what the emperor thought, Zhuang Yuyan still ate and drank well. Even in the middle of winter, when she was in the mood, she would make some fruit ice to seek excitement, which made Yun Xi Ting Zhu apologize for it several times.

"That's all I like," Zhuang Yuyan ate a piece of ice pear. The cool feeling made her teeth ache, but it also brought some indescribable comfort. Putting down the dishes, she took the hot water bottle to warm her hands, but because she had eaten too much cold food recently, her period seemed to be delayed.

After thinking about it, he decided to ask someone to go to the Imperial Hospital to summon the imperial physician who was good at treating women's diseases to check her pulse. Since the imperial physician came to check her pulse every few days, there should be nothing wrong.

After waiting for half an hour, the imperial physician who came to pay his respects was an elderly imperial physician. Zhuang Yuyan looked at his appearance and felt that he was a capable person, so she let him take her pulse with confidence.

Not long after, Zhuang Yuyan saw the skinny fingers tremble through the scarf, and then saw the elderly doctor kneel down swiftly, "Congratulations, Zhao Chongyi, congratulations, Zhao Chongyi, you have slippery pulse."

Slippery pulse? Zhuang Luyan looked at the old doctor suspiciously, then looked at the excited expressions of the other palace maids in the room. She felt that something was wrong. The old man's hands were shaking more violently than his pulse when he took the pulse. Was there anything wrong?

Although the old doctor clearly congratulated her, Zhuang Yuyan's sixth sense did not give her the joy of having a new baby in her belly. Suppressing her doubts, Zhuang Yuyan asked someone to reward the old doctor and help her into the inner room to rest.

"Zhao Chongyi is pregnant?" Feng Jin was a little surprised, and even raised his tone.

"Your Majesty, yes," Gao Dezhong carefully observed the emperor's expression, unable to tell whether he was happy or angry, "It was diagnosed by Dr. Mao from the Imperial Hospital. When I heard it, even Zhao Chongyi himself didn't expect it. It's been more than a month. Congratulations, Your Majesty."

Is this God's will?

Feng Jian smiled and said, "Since Zhao Chongyi is carrying the dragon seed, he should be rewarded greatly." After saying that, he sent a lot of gifts to Xihe Palace. Just as he was about to send a few masters from the Imperial Hospital to Xihe Palace, he heard the Minister of Rites asking for a meeting.

"Announce." Putting this aside for the time being, Feng Jian summoned the Minister of Rites.

The reason why the Minister of Rites came to the emperor for an audience was not for anything else but for the visit of the Crown Prince of Gaomei. The envoy from Gaomei had arrived in advance and said that the Crown Prince of Gaomei would arrive in the capital in three days. Although he was only received among the marquises, he still did not dare to neglect it and came to report as soon as he received the news.

"If that's the case, the Ministry of Rites should prepare for the reception according to etiquette." Feng Jin said calmly, "It's just a small vassal state. I'm sure the Ministry of Rites will take care of it."

The Minister of Rites hurriedly agreed, not even daring to say a word.

Compared to the tranquility of the previous dynasty, the harem was in an uproar because of the news that Zhao Chongyi was pregnant.