The emperor just doesn't treat everyone equally, and it's none of my business!

That night, Lu Junze turned over Gu Shijin's sign again.

After receiving the news, Gu Shijin packed up early and waited in Ningyu Pavilion with the people in the palace.

But she didn't wait for Lu Junze, but waited for Su Deyuan who came to deliver the message.

"Your servant greets Lady Jin." Su Deyuan bowed.

Gu Shijin raised his hand: "Eunuch Su, please stand up."

"What's the matter, Eunuch Su?"

"My lady, the emperor asked me to tell you that he cannot come tonight because he has something else to do."

"Okay." Gu Shijin responded indifferently, with a look of disappointment on his face: "Thank you for your hard work, Eunuch Su."

Su Deyuan smiled and said, "My lord, you are too polite. This is what I should do. I will take my leave now."

"Eunuch Su, take care."

After seeing Su Deyuan off, Ningyu Pavilion closed and locked its door.

Xingzhu supported Gu Shijin and said carefully: "My lady, let's go back."

If the emperor didn't come, she was afraid that the young lady would be in a bad mood.

"Yeah." Looking at Xingzhu's cautious look, Gu Shijin smiled: "I'm fine."

The fact that the emperor had turned over his name card showed that he was thinking about her, and that was enough for now. As for what had delayed him from coming, it was not within Gu Shijin's consideration.

The most taboo thing to survive in the harem is to fall in love, especially to the emperor. Gu Shijin would not do such a stupid thing.

Perhaps, it is not a bad thing that the emperor does not come today.

"My lady, why doesn't the emperor come?" Xingyue asked puzzledly.

"Your Majesty is the emperor, the ruler of the world. He has so many things to do every day. Perhaps he was delayed by something." Gu Shijin said lightly.

"Okay, let's rest."

"Yes, my lord."

Ningyu Pavilion is remote and the news is not well-informed. Gu Shijin found out why the emperor did not come tonight when he went to pay his respects to the queen the next morning.

Gu Shijin arrived today at the same time as yesterday, but he didn't expect that there were already many concubines sitting in Fengyi Palace, and even the queen had already sat in the high seat.

Gu Shijin hurriedly took a few steps forward and greeted: "I greet the Queen, may the Queen be blessed with good health. I greet all the sisters."

"I am late, please forgive me, Queen."

Shangguan Yan raised her hand and said, "Get up. I don't blame you. I came early today."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." After saying that, Gu Shijin walked to his seat and sat down.

Looking at the situation today, Gu Shijin could guess that something big had happened in the harem again. But it had nothing to do with him, so Gu Shijin lowered his head and drank his tea.

Gu Shijin quietly reduced his presence and didn't want to get involved, but things just kept coming to him.

"Maybe Concubine Jin doesn't know yet, but Concubine Liu from Yufu Palace is pregnant." Shunpin said with a smile. She was just annoyed by Gu Shijin's nonchalant look.

"Sister..." Gu Shijin had just said one word when he was interrupted by Shunpin.

"Oh, Sister Jin should know that the emperor turned over your name card last night but did not go. You should be the first one to know it." Shunpin covered her mouth and laughed.

It turned out that Concubine Liu was pregnant.

The concubines in the harem care about two things the most. The first is to gain the emperor's favor and rise to the top. The second is to get pregnant and give birth to a child, as mothers will become more honored by having a child.

The current emperor now has only five children, three of whom are princesses.

There were two princes. The eldest prince, Lu Shaoqin, had a congenital ear disease and could not hear in his right ear. The second prince, Lu Yian, was born prematurely and was weak and could not live without medicine. Both princes were not up to the task, so the people in the harem naturally hoped that they could give birth to a prince and become the future crown prince.

Now that Concubine Liu is pregnant, it would be strange if these people were not nervous.

Gu Shijin replied expressionlessly: "Thank you, Sister Shunpin, for telling me. I just learned the news as well. Congratulations, Sister Liu."

"The succession to the throne is a big deal, so the emperor should naturally pay more attention to it."

"Hmph." Shunpin snorted coldly.

The hall fell silent again. After a long while, the queen who was sitting at the top spoke.

"Noble Lady Jin is a sensible person." After saying that, Shangguan Yan glanced at the faces of the concubines and said, "It's a good thing that Noble Lady Liu is pregnant. All the sisters should serve the emperor well and help him have children."

"Yes." The concubines said in unison: "Your servants/concubines will follow the instructions of the Queen."

Shangguan Yan nodded with satisfaction.

At this time, Rong Fei suddenly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, the eldest prince has caught a cold today. I will take my leave now."

After saying this, he left with the palace maid without waiting for the queen to speak.

Shangguan Yan's face froze, then she smiled and said, "The eldest prince is not in good health, so it's reasonable for Concubine Rong to be worried."

After she finished making up for herself, Shangguan Yan stood up and said, "It's getting late, sisters, go back."

"Yes, I will take my leave."

Returning to his own bedroom, Shangguan Yan's expression suddenly turned cold, with a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes: "Empress Rong!"

Yunzhi picked up the tea and handed it to Shangguan Yan respectfully: "Your Majesty, the eldest prince is deaf in his right ear, it's just a disability, your Majesty don't need to worry about it."

Shangguan Yan took the tea from Yunzhi's hand, blew on it, and said calmly: "Yes, a disabled person, the crown prince cannot be a person with a physical defect, a disabled person is really not worth my attention."

Even the second prince is more likely to be the crown prince than the eldest prince. After all, the second prince is just weak, but he is not physically defective.

It was a good thing for Shangguan Yan that Concubine Rong was worried about her disabled son all day long.

After figuring it out, Shangguan Yan felt relieved and ordered, "Go to the Imperial Hospital and call in a doctor. Ask them to take a good look at the eldest prince and see if his ears are any better."

Yunzhi: "Yes, Madam."

Yufu Palace is very bustling now.

Concubine Rong and the eldest prince live in the main hall of Yufu Palace, and Concubine Liu lives in the side hall Biyun Garden. Now the eldest prince is sick and a concubine is pregnant, so the imperial doctors are busy here.

Moreover, the eldest prince caught a cold yesterday, and Concubine Rong asked someone to invite the emperor, but the emperor said he had something to do and did not come. As a result, at sunset, Concubine Liu went to invite the emperor because she was pregnant, and the emperor came immediately.

When Concubine Rong returned to Yufu Palace, the eldest prince's fever had subsided, but children always like to cry when they are sick. When Concubine Rong saw the eldest prince crying, she felt very distressed.

"Where is the imperial physician?" asked Concubine Rong.

"Your Majesty..." Concubine Rong has two personal maids, one named Mingchun and the other named Mingxia. The one who is speaking now is Mingxia. She did not accompany Concubine Rong to pay respects to the Queen's Palace today, but stayed in Yufu Palace to take care of the eldest prince.

"Why are you hesitating? I'm asking you about the imperial physician," Concubine Rong said sternly.

Ming Xia knelt on the ground and said, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. The imperial physician... the imperial physician was called away by Concubine Liu."

"Lady Liu has a stomachache, and she's afraid that the imperial physician might not be in time when she goes to the Imperial Hospital, so..."

"Heh..." Concubine Rong was so angry that she laughed. She handed the eldest prince to the wet nurse and turned to walk towards the side hall, Biyun Garden.

"I want to see how much pain Concubine Liu's stomach hurts!"