Dethroned the Crown Princess? Then she became your mother

Everything around seemed to be still. Zhang Tianai noticed the emperor's silence and stillness, slowly raised her head, and her eyes met the emperor's.

The Emperor's eyes were fixed on her abdomen. Combined with his tone and demeanor, Zhang Tianai understood that he held an indescribable desire for her. A warm current welled up in her heart, yet she was also somewhat surprised that the Emperor was once again driven by this emotion.

Recalling when she first arrived at the enclosure, she was still in a state of amnesia, and that ignorance and innocence seemed to still be before her eyes.

"Your Majesty?" Zhang Tianai called softly, his voice gentle and lingering, like a spring breeze.

Murong Shuo pulled himself out of his thoughts, looking away, no longer indulging in those fantasies. However, when her voice rang out, his body involuntarily tensed up, as if being pulled by some kind of magic.

"Your Majesty." Zhang Tianai called again, with a hint of temptation and coquettishness in her voice.

Murong Shuo stared at the woman in front of him, a barely perceptible sharpness flashing in his eyes: "Are you deliberately teasing me?"

"No." Zhang Tianai quickly denied, her eyes full of seriousness and sincerity.

"No?" Murong Shuo's voice was filled with doubt, and his eyes were fixed on her.

"Yeah." Zhang Tianai nodded slightly.

"You woman..." Murong Shuo shook his head lightly, a playful smile on his lips. He was about to withdraw his hand from caressing her, but Zhang Tianai held it tightly.

Zhang Tianai held the emperor's hand tightly. She enjoyed teasing him and found his unsatisfied look very interesting. Although she was pregnant, they could still sleep in the same bed.

She secretly planned in her mind that after giving birth, when her body recovered and her figure became even more graceful, she would use her amnesia as an excuse to continue teasing the emperor and seduce him in an ambiguous way, just like when they first met.

Imagining the emperor being tantalized by her, yet helpless, felt incredibly thrilled and excited. She decided to take good care of her body and make it even more perfect. However, before doing so, she had to deal with a potential threat—the woman who might seduce the emperor.

After thinking about it, Zhang Tianai took the emperor's hand and called softly: "Your Majesty, please sit down."

Murong Shuo stared at her, his heart full of doubts, his eyes moving back and forth between her abdomen and face. However, Zhang Tianai insisted that he sit down and even gently pulled him.

Murong Shuo finally sat down, leaning forward slightly. Zhang Tianai took the opportunity to pull him into her arms, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheeks and lips affectionately. Her body exuded a faint fragrance that intoxicated Murong Shuo.

Zhang Tianai's hands gently roamed over his chest, teasing him subtly. Even now, they could enjoy this fleeting warmth.

After kissing for a long time, Murong Shuo finally felt her passion and desire. He responded to her kiss, holding her waist while gently pulling her away: "Stop kissing, your belly..."

He held her abdomen with one hand, his eyes full of tenderness and concern.

"Your Majesty, I miss you." Zhang Tianai's voice was as thin as a mosquito, but full of affection and attachment.

"I miss you, too," Murong Shuo finally spoke, his voice hoarse and full of affection. He recalled the time when he had just returned to the enclosure. Back then, he had missed her immensely, but at that time, he hadn't cared about anything. Now, he still didn't want to care about those tedious etiquette and rules.

Zhang Tianai looked at the emperor and remembered that the emperor had not said her belly was ugly when they returned to the enclosure: "Your Majesty, is my figure ugly? I know that my waist has become thicker, my face is rounder, and my body has become clumsy. I don't have a thin waist anymore, and I don't have the appearance that Your Majesty likes."

After saying that, she stood up and pretended to leave.

"I'm doing this for your own good." Murong Shuo quickly held her back, preventing her from getting up.

"I know." Zhang Tianai lowered her head, her voice filled with a hint of grievance. She didn't actually want the emperor to find another woman, and she didn't want him to be seduced by another woman.

"I heard that there are hot springs in the palace. Does Your Majesty want to go and soak in it? Your Majesty wants to go too, right? If Your Majesty wants to go, I will accompany you. Or will you go alone or find someone else to accompany you?" Zhang Tianai raised her head, her eyes filled with expectation and temptation.

"What do you want me to accompany you for?" Murong Shuo chuckled. It was not like he had never soaked in a hot spring before.

Zhang Tianai said nothing more, secretly glad that the emperor didn't want to go. If she really decided to accompany the emperor to the hot springs, she would definitely find a way to make the emperor belong to her alone.

At this moment, the voices of Chunmei and the palace maid, Eunuch An, were heard outside. Upon hearing the noise, they hurriedly tidied each other's clothes and let Eunuch An and his companions in. Eunuch An brought them dinner, which consisted of the medicinal meal prescribed by Imperial Physician Li and some dishes specially prepared by the imperial palace.

The table was filled with a variety of dishes, making people salivate.

Zhang Tianai looked at the emperor as Murong Shuo pulled her along to join him for dinner. She sat down with the emperor and surveyed the dishes on the table, all prepared to their tastes. She picked up a piece of her favorite dish and put it in her mouth; it tasted quite good. She asked Chunmei to try it, too, and she agreed.

They enjoyed dinner together. The emperor took great care of her and served her with Chunmei. After Zhang Tianai finished her meal, she also served the emperor. Murong Shuo asked her not to get tired, but she insisted, "Your Majesty, I am not tired."

After the meal, water was prepared. Zhang Tianai washed her hands and asked the emperor what he thought of the dinner. Murong Shuo said indifferently, "It's barely edible."

Zhang Tianai also felt that the taste was not particularly good, so she wanted to cook a delicious dinner for the emperor herself. However, she looked at her stomach, then looked at Chunmei, and finally decided to let Chunmei supervise the cooking tomorrow morning. Chunmei agreed.

At this time, Eunuch An came in again. Zhang Tianai glanced at him, then exchanged a glance with Chunmei. Eunuch An lowered his head and stood aside respectfully.

"Your Majesty." Eunuch An called softly.

"Yeah," Murong Shuo replied, and stopped eating. He washed his hands and wiped his mouth, then pulled Zhang Tianai to her feet. They walked around the yard, admiring the bright moon overhead.

The wind blew, bringing a bit of chill. They didn't leave. Zhang Tianai asked the emperor to wait for her for a while, and then Chunmei and the palace maids helped her bathe and change clothes. The emperor also went to the bathroom and added some hot spring water to the water, which was a moderate temperature, neither hot nor cold.

Zhang Tianai soaked in the hot spring water for a while, then quickly got up. After cleaning up, she applied some perfume and changed into a skirt that didn't show her belly. She asked Concubine Chunmei and Wanwan if they knew about her situation, but Chunmei shook her head, indicating that she didn't know.

"I don't know how things are going with Concubine Xian, and also with Doctor Li." Zhang Tianai mentioned Doctor Li with a hint of emotion in her tone, "Doctor Li will stay until we get to the capital, and will settle down there in the future."

Chunmei was stunned when she heard this. She had originally wanted to ask her master about Doctor Li, but she hadn't expected her master to bring it up first. She asked cautiously, "Master, you said Doctor Li was going to stay? Who said that?"

Zhang Tianai looked at Chunmei's nervous expression, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She gently patted the back of Chunmei's hand and said, "You are worried too, aren't you? Don't worry, it's okay. The emperor..."

At this point, Zhang Tianai suddenly paused, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She took a deep breath and continued, "The Emperor will understand us." Zhang Tianai softly explained to Chunmei, "Don't worry. Did you see that?"

Chunmei was still calling, as if she had endless worries in her heart.

"It's okay." Zhang Tianai comforted Chunmei and told her the emperor's decision that Doctor Li would stay in the capital, trying to reassure her: "Don't worry anymore, everything will be fine."

"Doctor Li wants to stay?" Chunmei seemed to be hesitant to speak.

Zhang Tianai's thoughts drifted to her past with Dr. Li.

"By the way, that Miss He, master, she saved the emperor." Chunmei suddenly remembered something and added.

"There is a way to solve this problem." Zhang Tianai responded calmly, still asking Chunmei to be more careful and secretly inquire about the news.

Chunmei nodded to show that she understood.

"Sister Xianfei." Zhang Tianai spoke again.

"Miss Mu asked about the virtuous concubine and learned that the emperor was accompanying the master, so he did not come. The virtuous concubine seemed very worried as well." Chunmei replied.

Zhang Tianai felt a surge of mixed emotions at the mention of the virtuous concubine. She saw Eunuch An and thought to herself that she didn't need to worry too much now.

"The virtuous concubine is still worried about you." Chunmei seemed to have something unfinished.

Zhang Tianai waved her hand gently: "No need to say more."

Chunmei lowered her head and agreed silently.

After everything was packed up, Zhang Tianai walked out of the room and happened to meet the emperor. She slowly approached and saw the emperor standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back, his eyes deep, staring at something unknown.

Although his hands were behind his back, the Buddhist beads spinning between his fingers revealed a subtle tension.

Zhang Tianai signaled Chunmei to step back, then slowly walked behind the emperor.

"What is the emperor looking at?" she asked softly.

Murong Shuo turned around, a smile flashing in his eyes: "Is everything settled?"

"I thought I wouldn't be able to see the emperor when I came out." Zhang Tianai said half-jokingly.

"We've finished everything we needed to do." Murong Shuo put his arm around her and asked if she needed a break. If she did, he would accompany her.

Zhang Tianai nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty needs to rest, and I will naturally follow you and stay by your side."

Murong Shuo looked at her affectionately, and they walked into the bedroom at the back together.

At this moment, someone came to report. Zhang Tianai looked towards the Emperor, while Murong Shuo looked outside. Eunuch An came in and said that someone had been sent by the Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother.

Murong Shuo asked Eunuch An to go out and tell them that he was tired and needed to rest.

"Yes." Eunuch An responded and retreated.

Zhang Tianai hugged the emperor tightly, and Murong Shuo could not help but kiss her, sniffing her sweet fragrance. Then, his kiss became more affectionate, and Zhang Tianai responded with the same affection, gently caressing his chest with her fingers.

"You..." Murong Shuo murmured in a low voice.

"Who am I? I'm just a palace maid, an ordinary one. You can't touch me like this, I'm a married woman." Zhang Tianai's eyes gleamed with cunning, and she whispered in the emperor's ear with a smile. Her voice was captivating, and her hands began to become restless.

Murong Shuo grabbed her hand and said, "What on earth do you want to do, woman?"

Zhang Tianai giggled: "I want to tell my husband that you can't force me. I..."

"No one can escape from whoever I like, even if you are already married." Murong Shuo said domineeringly.

……

After leaving the palace, Eunuch An took a deep breath and looked into the distance. He said hello to the people beside him and continued to walk out with his whisk. The Emperor and Concubine Liang had reconciled, but he didn't dare to think about the details.

After he walked outside, he saw people sent by the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager's people were concerned about the Emperor, wanting to know what he was doing, whether he had dinner, and wanted to invite the Emperor to come over or to visit other Empresses.

Even if the ladies did not send people like the Empress Dowager and the Empress, they were all waiting in secret and taking action.

The Empress Dowager wanted to send Concubine Ning to serve the Emperor.

Eunuch An responded to each question one by one, explained the emperor's situation to the people on both sides, and asked them to go back. After they left, he also returned to the palace.

After hearing the report from the returnees, the Queen Mother looked at Concubine Ning and said, "There are hot springs here. I wanted to ask you to serve the Emperor, but he has already rested."

Ningpin secretly wondered: Why did the emperor retire so early? Was he with another woman? But she didn't dare mention it to the Empress Dowager.

"Will the Empress Dowager..." Concubine Ning asked tentatively.

"There's no question of whether or not. The Emperor has said it, and it's settled," the Empress Dowager said firmly. She believed the Emperor's words; even if there were any falsehoods, they were his own.

Nanny Qin looked at Concubine Ning, who said nothing more and left unhappily. She went to find someone to confide her dissatisfaction to.

The Queen Mother looked at Concubine Ning's back and felt a surge of dissatisfaction in her heart. She originally wanted to take Concubine Ning to soak in the hot spring with her, but the Emperor was not there, and she did not want to go with Concubine Ning. So, she decided to go to the hot spring alone.

After dinner, the Empress learned that the Emperor had gone to bed, so she joined the other women in their own hot spring pool. Consort Shu, Noble Lady Hui, and the others also soaked in their own hot springs, but their hearts were filled with resentment. They had never encountered the Emperor.

Doctor Li also received the emperor's grace and had a separate hot spring pool to soak in. He went to the hot spring pool, but He Qing did not go.

As the night deepened, everything returned to calm. Only when the sky was slightly light did they set off again.