The Emperor's uncle loves me! My paranoid wife, don't run away

Xia Zhi seemed not to hear it. He just collected his thoughts, frowned slightly, and looked calm.

She didn't respond and just focused on "taking the pulse".

In reality, she didn't know any medical skills. She was just using this action to buy herself time to observe.

His eyes swept over the palace maids, who were dressed neatly, with tense expressions and standing at attention.

The pair of palace maids holding lanterns under the window had their fingers tensed white, as if they were afraid that the lamp would flicker.

The entire bedroom was filled with incense and even the floor was covered with the finest brocade, showing great care everywhere.

Not right.

Although this bedroom is gorgeous, it should not have such a solemn atmosphere.

Even though Concubine Zhao was a favored concubine, she had not even been promoted to the rank of Imperial Concubine. Why were there so many palace maids?

Why did the emperor come in person and call her to see the doctor?

A glimmer flashed in Xia Zhi's eyes, and his fingertips paused.

This Concubine Zhao might be pregnant with a dragon seed.

She withdrew her hand, bent her knees and took a step back, lowered her eyes and saluted, her voice clear but deliberately hesitant.

"Your Majesty's pulse is disordered, and your Qi and blood are out of balance..."

"It's probably because I've been too worried lately, which has disturbed my Qi. If I don't recuperate soon, I'm afraid..."

Before she finished speaking, Concubine Zhao's hand subconsciously covered her lower abdomen. Her movements were very light, but a trace of panic flashed in her eyes.

"What are you afraid of?" asked Concubine Zhao.

This small action caught Xia Zhi's eyes and left no doubt.

She was silent for a moment, her tone soft and low, seeming hesitant but actually firm.

"I'm afraid it might damage... the fetus."

The emperor looked at Xia Zhi's back, his fingertips stroking the edge of the teacup.

"Ah."

"Besides this, are there any other questions?"

Xia Zhi restrained his expression, stood up and turned around slowly.

"Your Majesty, although the Queen's pulse is unstable, her internal organs are still fine and there is no other serious problem."

After a pause, he added a sentence.

"If you can rest quietly for two months, you won't have any major worries."

The emperor smiled faintly.

"That's good."

Then the emperor spoke again.

"Prince Ruyang is dead, Shen Runing, what are your plans?"

Xia Zhi's heart skipped a beat and he raised his eyes slightly.

Prince Ruyang is dead?

Prince Ruyang was jumping around happily.

He collected his thoughts and a trace of sadness appeared on his face.

"Your Majesty, although I and Prince Ruyang have not yet been married, we are in love and have already been engaged."

"My maid..."

"I will observe three years of mourning for him."

The emperor paused.

"He's a love-struck man."

The tone of the words suddenly changed, with some deeper meaning.

"I have always cherished loyal people, but you two are not yet husband and wife."

"No need to observe mourning."

Xia Zhi lowered his head, but his brows were quietly furrowed.

"I only wish to keep my heart."

The emperor looked at her quietly, with no smile in his eyes.

I just spoke directly.

"You have him in your heart, so I can't force it."

"But in this world, women who can keep their hearts are rare after all."

"The Concubine Selection Banquet will be held in a few days. If you are willing to take this step then, I will not treat you unfairly."

Concubine Zhao, who was standing by, was stunned by the emperor's words.

"His Majesty……"

The emperor glanced at Concubine Zhao and signaled her to shut up.

Concubine Zhao could only shut her mouth obediently.

Xia Zhi knelt down and kowtowed, whispering.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

"Even though he is gone now, I still can't let go of his feelings."

"I have been learning etiquette since I was young. Now that I am a fiancée, I must observe the etiquette for three years and dare not do anything unruly."

She raised her eyes for a moment, her gaze was clear, and a slight smile appeared at the corners of her lips.

The emperor picked up the teacup and blew gently.

"Shen Runing, have you ever thought about what will happen after you reject me?"

"What should the people in your Shen Mansion do?"

Xia Zhi's complexion changed slightly.

The emperor looked up at her, but his tone was still gentle.

"Oh, by the way, there's also Du Taizai's family."

"To be honest, you know that you rejected me again and again just now."

"Can I immediately execute the two maids behind you?"

Xia Zhi glanced at Chun Zhi and Qiu Zhi, and his whole body trembled.

For a moment, she really felt sorry for Shen Runing.

Only when the roles are truly exchanged can one truly experience the other person's pain.

"If you insist on being infatuated, I will grant your wish."

The emperor smiled slowly, his voice not loud.

"From you, to your entire Shen family, and then to the Du family..."

"None of them are in my eyes."

Xia Zhi pursed his lips tightly and his wrist joints turned slightly white.

She tried her best to suppress the violent throbbing in her chest at that moment.

"His Majesty--"

Xia Zhi opened his mouth, but found that his voice was suddenly hoarse, as if pricked by a needle, and he almost lost his tone.

"His Majesty……"

"My maid..."

Xia Zhi was about to continue speaking when his voice was interrupted by a sudden exclamation.

"Go away!"

"Go away!"

"The late queen's Qixiang Palace has caught fire!"

The sound rushed in from outside the hall, carrying with it a sharp sense of panic and confusion.

It broke the brief silence in the bedroom.

The emperor's expression froze, and the teacup in his hand fell onto the table with a clang, splashing tea everywhere.

He stood up suddenly, strode to the door of the hall and pushed it open.

Not far away, in the direction of Qixiang Palace, there was a sea of red.

Tongues of flame clung to the eaves of the palace with bared fangs and claws, and thick smoke billowed, swallowing up half of the night.

"Wang Jiao'e!"

"Go find out what's going on!"

Eunuch Wang agreed, crawling and rolling, and had just taken a few steps out of the bedroom and had not yet run far away.

In the far southwest, there is the Heavenly Prison.

A touch of orange-red quietly lit up, and then spread out inch by inch like ink staining the water surface, and the color became more and more intense.

The prison is also on fire!

The entire palace seemed to be thrown into the heart of fire.

The emperor looked gloomy.

"Somebody come!"

He raised his hand and pointed to the summer solstice.

"Leave two guards to guard it well."

"Everyone else, follow me!"

Concubine Zhao subconsciously grabbed the emperor's sleeve.

"Your Majesty, I am afraid..."

The emperor looked back at her with a somewhat indifferent expression.

"What are you afraid of? The fire isn't burning here."

Then she was not given a chance to say more.

He flicked his sleeves and walked away, his back resolute.

In the bedroom, Concubine Zhao and Xia Zhi stared at each other.

The firelight shone through the window lattice, making the bedroom flicker.

Just when most people's attention was on Qixiang Palace and Tianlao.

Two figures sneaked into Concubine Zhao's bedroom.