Chapter 52: The One Who Can Get Pregnant

Spring hues ripple within the curtains.

But laughter from the barrage rings in the ears.

【A bit interesting—after seeing so many White Lotuses, a black lotus suddenly shows up; truly impressive.】

【Haha, didn't you see? Over at Songbai Palace they're all going crazy.】

【Indeed, Xu Luoyan endured humiliation and heavy burdens, prepared for so long; the three of them plotted for half a day and finally devised a way to anger Wan Tang and bring her down.】

【Haha, in the end they became the pushers, steering the scummy dragon toward Tangtang; the two sit with shameful matters, making babies.】

【The Xu family will be furious, truly interesting. Wan Tang, keep it up—strive to conceive the dragon seed and become an untouchable existence.】

【Not only the Xu family; the Empress must be sleepless now, too!】

【Right, Xiao Mingshu understood the double‑shot plan: not only make Lady of Grace Qi pregnant, but also cause the Emperor to neglect Wan Tang. Unexpectedly, it instead heated things up for them.】

Xiao Mingshu, like a starving child, repeatedly indulges in Wan Tang's body.

Meanwhile, the chaotic shouts from the barrage gradually fade away.

After all, that night… was too exhausting.

There are countless beauties in the harem, yet every time he's with the Emperor, his vigor is boundless, and the tormented Wan Tang keeps begging for mercy.

In the faint morning light, within Phoenix Throne Palace, the imperial concubines take their seats one after another, pearls and jade swaying lightly, subtle fragrance drifting.

News that Chu Yunzheng stayed overnight at He Feng Palace had already spread through the Six Palaces; now, the gazes of the concubines toward Wan Tang are jealous, envious, or restrained, each laced with thorns.

Wan Tang sits upright, expression calm, with only a faint red mark at the side of her neck silently indicating the emperor's favor.

And this unremarkable thing also determines whether one speaks while standing or kneeling in the harem.

Outside the hall, footsteps suddenly echo; everyone turns to see Xu Luoyan in a light‑emerald palace robe, striding in proudly, with a shy figure trailing behind her.

Xu Qinghuan has also arrived.

The whole seat erupts in a clamor.

Lady of Grace Qi immediately sneers, lightly flicking her fan, voice sharp: "Xu Da Ying shows up, fine, but why bring an unknown person along?"

She lifts the corner of her eye, mocking: "Even if you're paying respects to the Empress, not just any stray cat or dog can enter."

Xu Luoyan's red lips curve slightly, unafraid, retorting with sarcasm: "Lady of Grace Qi, your words sound as if you're more honored than the Emperor himself."

She lightly brushes her sideburns, smugly: "The Emperor likes Qinghuan, the Emperor permits her to come; what, do you have an objection?"

Everyone chokes, faces grim, yet no one dares to rebut.

Who doesn't know that the Xu family now boasts great military merit, even the Emperor gives them a sliver of favor?

Xiao Mingshu's complexion is also very grim; she props a hand on the railing, supporting her forehead, seeming afflicted by a head ailment, silent.

In the silence, Wan Tang suddenly lets out a light laugh.

She lightly taps the teacup with her fingertip, voice cool: "Xu Da Ying is absolutely right."

She lifts her gaze, a faint chill glint in her eyes: "If you had understood earlier that 'who the Emperor likes can come,' why would it have come to today's… level of Da Ying?"

Xu Luoyan's face changes abruptly; she leaps to her feet, cinnabar‑stained fingertips pointing at Wan Tang: "How daring of you, shut your mouth!"

Seeing this, Xu Qinghuan steps forward, frail and limbless, pulling Xu Luoyan's sleeve, tears in her eyes: "Sister, don't be angry because of me…"

She turns to the others, makes a respectful bow, voice choked: "It's the little lady who doesn't know the rules; little lady… I'll leave now."

Having said that, she turns to leave, steps floating as if bearing a great injustice.

The Empress Xiao Mingshu watches with cold eyes, a smile at the corner of her mouth, yet none in her eyes.

Lady of Grace Qi pouts, murmuring low: "Pretentious!"

Wan Tang lowers her gaze to sip tea, covering the cold smile in her eyes.

Xu Qinghuan can pretend if she wants; after all, the one currently favored alongside her is Lady of Grace Qi, not her.

The tense atmosphere in the hall is broken by Xiao Mingshu's light sigh.

She presses a fingertip to her temple, brows slightly furrowed, phoenix eyes half‑closed, showing fatigue: "Alright, early morning, the noise gives my palace a headache."

The gilded armor taps lightly on the desk, producing a crisp sound: "Everyone, step back."

The imperial concubines, hearing this, rise and bow in turn.

Amid the tinkling clash of jeweled hairpins, Xu Luoyan shoots a fierce glare at Wan Tang, dragging the still‑tear‑wiping Xu Qinghuan away.

Just as they leave, she leaves Wan Tang with a cold remark: "We'll see."

Lady of Grace Qi leads, her peach‑red palace robe sweeping the threshold, deliberately flinging her fan to make a rustling sound.

In the Langxia, a gentle breeze blows; Lady of Grace Qi suddenly stops, turns and blocks Wan Tang's path.

"Sister Wan, what a skillful move," she says, her vermilion phoenix eyes tilted, fingertip twirling the fan tassel, "Last night you just endured rain and dew, and this morning you're eager to bite?"

Li Ping'er tries to step forward, but Wan Tang halts her with a single glance.

【Wan Tang, stay away from Lady of Grace Qi; she's pregnant, already hates you, so don't provoke her.】

【The Empress has always wanted to bear a child herself, but her body fails her. This pregnancy is not only the Empress's hope but also the Empress Dowager's design.】

【Don't cause yourself trouble, otherwise no one can save you.】

Pregnant?

Now that's truly a deadly weapon.

Wan Tang feels no fear at all; after all, the one vying for favor with Lady of Grace Qi isn't herself.

"Sister is joking," Wan Tang's lips hold a perfectly timed smile as she reaches out to steady the wobbling Step Shake, "This gold‑inlaid jade dragonfly hairpin, wasn't it a gift from the Emperor last month? You must wear it securely."

Lady of Grace Qi's complexion shifts sharply, vermilion phoenix eyes narrowing, voice lowered: "What do you mean?"

Wan Tang's lips curl slightly, smile not reaching her eyes, fingertip gently brushing the rim of the teacup, tone gentle: "We are both of the Empress's faction, naturally of one mind."

She lifts her gaze, eyes distant, half‑smile: "The Emperor comes to see me, merely for novelty."

She suddenly lowers her eyes, a plain hand lightly covering her lower abdomen, voice soft and self‑deprecating: "The point is... if others don't know, how could you not know?"

"Even if I receive favor once, a hundred times... what's the difference?"

Her tone was plaintive, as if she truly mourned, yet her eyes were coldly calm.

Lady of Grace Qi's pupils narrowed slightly, and she instantly grasped her hint: the medicine the Empress gave could never make her pregnant!

She let out a cold laugh, gritted her teeth: "That bitch… she's been protected too well by the Xu Family."

"Even the Madam finds it hard to intervene."

Wan Tang sighed, watery light filling her eyes, seemingly helpless: "Indeed, she's younger, isn't she?"

Younger, more likely to conceive.

Younger, more likely to obtain the holy heart.

Lady of Grace Qi's complexion suddenly turned icy, her knuckles whitened from gripping, and a fierce murderous intent surged in her eyes.

Seeing this, Wan Tang knew her aim was achieved, so she gave a gentle smile, her voice soft: "Speaking of it, the Emperor has been doting on my younger sister for a month now; I'm just waiting for her good news."

"I also hope my sister can soon have joy, after all… what I want has been waiting far too long."

She gave a slight bow, turned and left, her slender, delicate figure seeming truly a helpless, pitiful person.

Lady of Grace Qi stared at her silhouette for a while, then spat fiercely: "Idiot!"

She sneered repeatedly, her voice full of contempt: "Only you, a mother who has been dead for many years, regard it as more important than the Emperor."

"A fool like you is utterly unfit to be my opponent."

She turned, her skirt flaring, with only one thought remaining in her mind.

Xu Qinghuan must die.

Lotus Breeze Imperial View Palace.

Li Ping'er stood nearby, quietly grinding ink for Wan Tang.

Wan Tang held a brush, quietly writing "Treat others with kindness".

When she reached the character "kind", Wan Tang's hand suddenly paused, and she said wistfully, "Ping'er, am I beginning to become malicious?"

Li Ping'er has lately been serving very carefully.

Her hand trembled slightly at the words, but she shook her head firmly: "No, Master is only trying to survive."

"This place literally devours people without spitting out bones; Master hasn't wronged anyone, Master has done nothing, it's they who are pressuring Master relentlessly."

Wan Tang gave a wry smile.

Is that so?

Perhaps it no longer matters; the moment one decides to stay in the Imperial harem, it's destined that one's hands will sooner or later be stained with blood.

【Wan Tang still has mood shoes, Xiao Mingshu's, and Xu Luoyan's are all going crazy.】

【Xiao Mingshu has already decided to act, and Xu Luoyan's side is even going to kill Wan Tang.】

【What do we do now? Xu Luoyan's people have already come this way, and we don't know what new plot they have.】

Inside Lotus Breeze Imperial View Palace, Wan Tang was holding a brush, copying a calligraphy copybook, the ink spreading, the tip of the brush cold.

Suddenly, a clamor arose from outside the hall.

"Miss Xu, you cannot enter! The Madam is resting."

Xiao Shunzi's anxious protest had not finished when the vermilion palace doors were violently flung open.

Xu Qinghuan, dressed in a light pink palace outfit, her hair adorned with jingling pearl hairpins, rushed in panting, her cheeks flushed from the hurried run, yet her eyes glittered with an unusual light.

Wan Tang's brush tip paused briefly, she lifted her gaze and gave her a light glance, showing no anger, but a slight smile at the corner of her lips, her voice gentle: "Miss Xu, why do you have time to come to my palace today?"

She set down the brush, her fingertips lightly brushing the non‑existent folds of her sleeve cuff, her demeanor dignified, as if the other were just a regular visiting sister.

Xu Qinghuan was startled, clearly not expecting Wan Tang to react this way.

She opened her mouth, as if a belly of words to say, but finally said dryly: "I, a young lady… I am just passing by, wanted to see my sister."

The hall fell into an eerie silence.

Xu Qinghuan's gaze drifted, her fingertips unconsciously twirling the handkerchief, occasionally glancing at the copybook on Wan Tang's desk, sometimes sweeping the hall's furnishings, yet never daring to meet Wan Tang's eyes.

Wan Tang was unhurried, leisurely pouring a cup of tea and pushing it forward: "Since my younger sister has come, have a cup of tea before you leave."

The other party was clearly an enemy; any action was dangerous.

Li Ping'er's peripheral glance constantly measured cautiously, on guard, wishing Xu Qinghuan would leave immediately.

But Wan Tang spoke, so she could only comply.

The tea was crystal clear, reflecting Xu Qinghuan's slightly flustered face.

She leapt up sharply, her voice tight: "No… no need! The concubine just remembered she has other business, I must take my leave now!"

Having said that, she fled as if escaping, forgetting even proper etiquette.

Li Ping'er stepped out from behind the screen, her face full of confusion: "Master, this person is simply incomprehensible."

"She ran here herself, gave her tea and then ran off, just like someone who would poison."

Wan Tang laughed: "Of course she's scared; a nameless, faceless person, if killed, what's the point?"

"Then why does she come?" Li Ping'er wondered: "Is she ill?"

Wan Tang picked up the brush again, adding a bud on a plum branch, then chuckled lightly: "It's not illness."

She dipped the brush, the tip cutting sharply to draw a thorn: "After all, not everyone is Xu Luoyan, who only rushes headlong."

"A dog without a name bites more."

She continued to paint, waiting for Xu Qinghuan's move.