Dethroned the Crown Princess? Then she became your mother

Zhang Tianai still couldn't detect any signs of abnormality. She gently opened her red lips and called out again, "Chunmei." Her voice was filled with a hint of urgency, but also seemed a little powerless due to her physical discomfort. She struggled to get up from the bed, but found the movement quite difficult.

"Oh, master, you are finally awake? Why did you wake up suddenly? Are you thirsty? Or are you feeling unwell? If you need anything, I will get it for you right away." Chunmei moved at the sound, turned over and sat up suddenly, rubbing her eyelids sleepily, and prepared to get up in a panic.

Zhang Tianai felt a little relieved upon seeing this. She let out a breath and said slowly, "Don't worry. I just woke up suddenly from a dream. Everything was so quiet and I was a little flustered. Now I just have a leg cramp and a dry mouth. It's very uncomfortable."

As she spoke, she pointed to her lips and gently stroked her legs, indicating where she was uncomfortable. She even pressed it with her hands involuntarily, thinking to herself, if the emperor were here, why would she bother Chunmei? He would definitely relieve her pain gently and forcefully.

Thinking of the emperor, Zhang Tianai's heart couldn't help but ripple. The emperor's broad and powerful palms were completely different from the delicate hands of the palace servants. Every time of comfort seemed to reach the bottom of her heart, bringing endless peace and warmth.

Chunmei carefully observed her master's expression and noticed that she looked unhappy. She did not dare to be negligent and said quickly: "Are you thirsty, master? Does your leg still hurt? I will ask someone to bring some water and give you a massage." After she finished speaking, she wanted to get up and leave, but Zhang Tianai stopped her gently and told her to be cautious and not to panic.

"I understand." Although Chunmei didn't understand, she didn't dare to ask any more questions. She hurried out of the house and called the servants. Zhang Tianai had vaguely heard the movement outside and breathed a sigh of relief again.

Soon, Nanny Li came in with several palace maids carrying some water. Zhang Tianai took the cup and took a sip. She felt refreshed all over, but the discomfort in her legs remained.

"Master, would you like me to massage your legs?" Madam Li asked with concern. Chunmei was also anxiously calling out to her master.

Zhang Tianai nodded slightly, lying back on the bed, and signaled Li Ma and the others to extinguish most of the candles, leaving only a faint wisp, and let the palace maids massage her. Under this gentle touch, she gradually felt sleepy, and her eyelids became heavier.

However, the discomfort in her legs lingered, and her thoughts drifted involuntarily to the distant temple and the master the emperor had mentioned. She gently stroked her swollen belly, feeling the silence of the fetus, and an inexplicable wish welled in her heart.

She longed to go to the temple, light a stick of incense, and pray for the gods' protection. This thought was not new, but she had not been able to make the trip in the past for various reasons.

Now, she was in this situation, and the emperor was not around, so she didn't want to be too conspicuous, so as not to attract unnecessary trouble. After all, this huge garden might be secretly watched, and if she stepped out of the garden gate, she might fall into someone's trap.

Thinking of this, Zhang Tianai stopped investigating and let sleepiness overwhelm her, slowly falling into sleep. Seeing this, Nanny Li, Chunmei, and the others looked at each other and spoke softly, feeling a little relieved as they confirmed that their master had fallen asleep peacefully.

The next night, still no news from the palace. Zhang Tianai suddenly felt a hankering for a hearty hot pot meal to dispel her boredom and distract her grandmother. "How about hot pot?" she suggested.

Upon hearing this, Yuan looked at her curiously, and so did Nanny Yu.

Zhang Tianai smiled and nodded, then instructed Li Ma to prepare all the ingredients for the hot pot. Although it was late autumn, the palace gardens were still rich in vegetables and meat.

She instructed Nanny Li to arrange for people to get mutton, beef, pork, chicken, and fish, and ordered them to prepare enough portions for everyone to enjoy.

The hot pot was quickly prepared, the broth bubbling and the aroma filling the air. Zhang Tianai personally directed the palace maids to place the ingredients into the pot one by one, and once they were cooked, they would pick up the ingredients and taste them.

They sat in the garden, admiring the bright moonlight and enjoying a delicious dinner by candlelight. The hot pot's fresh aroma and flavor were so delicious that it seemed to dispel some of the autumn chill.

Considering that some people might not be able to tolerate spicy food, Zhang Tianai also prepared a clear soup pot. This was the clear soup pot her grandmother used, adding a lot of mushrooms to the pot, which brought out the rich and fragrant flavor.

Everyone gathered together, laughing and chatting, enjoying this rare warm time. Even in summer and autumn, they had tasted hot pot here before, and each season had its own unique flavor.

After dinner, Zhang Tianai worked up a sweat, feeling refreshed. After bathing and changing, she draped her coat around the garden, admiring the moonlight. Nanny Li, Chunmei, and the others had also finished bathing, their scents still lingering as they strolled with Zhang Tianai and her grandmother. Although most of the flowers in the garden had withered, a few still stubbornly clung to their bloom, as if proclaiming the tenacity of life.

However, in the dead of night, Zhang Tianai tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Perhaps it was because she had eaten too much mutton at dinner, which made her body feel hot and dry.

She felt slightly sweaty and uncomfortable, and wanted someone to wipe her body. But before she could open her mouth, sleepiness came over her like a tide, and she closed her eyes involuntarily.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly opened her eyes, a strong sense of unease welling up in her heart. She felt her body was unusually heavy, her head was a little dizzy, and her hand involuntarily went to her forehead.

She turned to look at Chunmei and found that she had also fallen asleep. There was silence all around, so quiet that it made her uneasy, as if even the air had frozen.

Zhang Tianai felt an inexplicable fear in her heart. She thought of what happened last night and felt even more uneasy. She gently pushed Chunmei, trying to wake her up, but Chunmei did not respond.

She was startled and quickly got up from the bed, staggered to the window, looked at the dark night outside, and felt helpless and confused.

"Chunmei!" she called again, her voice filled with anxiety and fear. However, all she received was endless silence. She knew tonight's situation was completely different from last night's. A sense of foreboding gripped her, preventing her from falling asleep.

Suddenly, there was a slight noise from outside, as if some force was trying to push open the tightly closed window. However, because of the previous thrilling assassinations, the window was tightly closed every night by her, not allowing any gap to enter.

Zhang Tianai's heartstrings clenched, each breath vibrating in the air. The gloom of those nights forced her to be constantly vigilant, fearing uninvited guests might sneak in through the window. The flickering candlelight, its faint glow struggling in the darkness, blurred her vision, making it difficult to confirm whether the slight movement she had just experienced was just an illusion.

Her gaze turned to the flickering candlelight in the corner and she called Chunmei's name with a barely perceptible tremor in her voice.

At this moment, a sudden sound broke the tranquility of the night, like the roar of fire, or like some ominous thing coming through the air.

Then, a fiery red light gradually appeared outside the window, as if the gate of hell was suddenly pushed open, reflecting the horrific scene on the window frame.

Zhang Tianai seemed to smell the pungent smell of smoke, and an ominous premonition surged in her heart - fire, it was a blazing flame that was devouring everything.

The flames grew increasingly intense, illuminating the entire room like daylight. Yet, all around her was eerily quiet, as if the entire world had fallen into a deep sleep, no one aware of the disaster. She was filled with anxiety. Where were the secret guards? Where were the imperial guards? Why was there no one around at this moment?

Another deafening explosion sounded, and Zhang Tianai's face instantly turned as pale as paper.

That sound, like the wailing of a house engulfed in flames, filled her with despair. Thick smoke billowed in, carrying with it a scorching heat wave, forcing her to cover her mouth and nose to avoid the suffocating fear. She knew the real crisis had arrived, and she had to act immediately.

She raised the teapot high in her hand and pointed it at the sleeping Chunmei. Perhaps, using this remaining warm tea to wake her was her only hope.

However, when she poured the tea, she found that Chunmei seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep. No matter how she called or patted, she could not wake up this loyal maid.

An ominous premonition welled up in her heart - perhaps they had all been poisoned by some unknown substance.

"Chunmei, wake up!" Zhang Tianai called out anxiously, but all she got in response was dead silence. She looked out the window at the raging flames, her heart filled with helplessness and despair.

The windows were tightly closed, but the fire grew more and more intense, as if it would break through the barrier at any moment and devour them all.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her inner panic. She knew now was not the time to panic. She had to remain calm and find a way to escape. She looked around, her gaze finally settling on the hidden corner behind the bed.

Although the room was spacious, there were few places to hide. She pulled Chunmei and stumbled towards the shadows, silently repeating in her heart: "I must survive."

Just as they were hiding, heavy footsteps were heard outside the door. Then, several masked men in black burst into the room. Their movements were light and swift, as they rushed straight to the bed. When they found it empty, expressions of astonishment crossed their faces.

"Where are the people?" A deep voice sounded in the darkness.

"Not found," another voice replied.

"Impossible! They must be here!" The leading man in black spoke in a firm tone, his eyes searching the room as sharp as an eagle.

Zhang Tianai's heartbeat quickened, nearly leaping out of her chest. She held Chunmei's hand tightly, feeling the sweat on their palms. They knew that if they were discovered by these men in black, the consequences would be disastrous.

"Don't move yet," Zhang Tianai whispered to Chunmei. She pressed herself against the wall, observing the men in black with her peripheral vision. They began rummaging through the room, searching every corner.

"Look more carefully! They must be hiding here!" The voice of the man in black was full of threats.