Dugu Jingyao is reborn as Li Chu's beloved

Li Chu's spies in the palace reported that Consort Du was recently ill. She often didn't eat much and would vomit, but she refused to ask the imperial physician for treatment, saying that she had a stomach ailment before, which was why she was like this, and that she would get better in a while.

Upon hearing this news, Dugu Jingyao stroked her belly and said, "Judging by the timeline, it seems that Consort Du is pregnant."

Upon hearing this, Li Chu realized that Dugu Jingyao had also experienced something similar when she was pregnant with Li Shi and Li Ying. He then asked, "If that's really the case, then they're probably about to take action. After all, Consort Du didn't serve the emperor on the Emperor's birthday. If she wants to live, joining forces with the Li faction to seize the throne is the best option."

Dugu Jingyao, however, was pleased. She said, "It's good, Donglang. Now you can finally appear in front of everyone openly."

Li Chu smiled and said, "A Yao is absolutely right. I can finally openly stay by A Yao's and the children's side." After saying that, he hugged Dugu Jingyao from behind.

Dugu Jingyao looked down at her swollen belly and smiled happily. However, she didn't forget to remind Li Chu: "Then we need to keep a close eye on their movements recently, things might be about to change."

Li Chu kissed Dugu Jingyao on the forehead and said, "Ayao, focus on your pregnancy. Leave these things to me."

Dugu Jingyao nodded slightly, smiling as she nestled in Li Chu's arms. Perhaps due to her pregnancy, her breathing soon became even.

Li Chu looked at Dugu Jingyao with affection, gently placed her on the couch, covered her with the quilt, and tucked the corners of the blanket in. Then he got up and went to the door to find Feng Shengyi to give him some instructions.

A few days later, Yu'er was returned to her original position. Li Xi knew that it would be difficult to see Consort Du now, so he could only go to another place to ask Madam Du about the situation.

Li Xi was quite polite and even brought some food, clothing, and daily necessities. Du Bin naturally flattered him, and Li Xi was very pleased.

Li Xi asked, "Madam Du went to the palace. I wonder if Consort Du is well? Did she bring any message for me?"

However, Madam Du didn't give her a pleasant look: "Thanks to His Highness Prince Zhao, my sister is doing quite well. She did ask me to pass on a message, you can see for yourself!" With that, she took out a slip of paper and handed it to Li Xi, then went to drink her water.

Li Xi didn't think much of it, after all, Du Jieyu had been confined to her home recently, and as the eldest sister-in-law, Madam Du must have felt sorry for her.

Du Bin, however, was somewhat afraid of his wife's temper with Li Xi, fearing that if she angered this man, they would be thrown out again. He was sweating profusely. But seeing that Li Xi didn't say anything, he felt relieved.

After Li Xi took the note, she read it. The letter essentially told Li Xi that she was pregnant with his child and had been pregnant for more than two months. She claimed that she had only been intimate with Li Xi that night, so if Emperor Sujong found out that she had been having an affair with another man, she would probably not escape death.

Li Xi was shocked. She hadn't expected that nothing had happened before, so why did this happen only after she fell out of favor?

Seeing Li Xi's furrowed brows, Du Bin felt a pang of anxiety, wondering what his dear "sister" had discussed with the Prince of Zhao.

Madam Du asked with a cold smile, "I wonder what His Highness Prince Zhao thinks after reading this letter?"

Li Xi was taken aback by the question. He pondered, after all, this was his child, and this woman had given him some help, so it wouldn't hurt to save her. However, if that were the case, their plan would have to be brought forward!

Seeing that Li Xi remained silent, Madam Du was displeased and asked, "Your Highness Prince Zhao, have you decided what to do? Lan'er asked me to remind you that you can't delay any longer. The best time is within a month, while Prince Chu is still asleep. It's also the easiest time to succeed when there's chaos in both Prince Chu's and Prince Yunnan's residences where people are about to give birth."

Li Xi replied, "I was also thinking of bringing the plan forward. I'll find a way outside the palace, but what about Father Emperor..."

Madam Du was relieved and said, "Your Highness, rest assured, Consort Du said that she has a way to deal with the Emperor."

After the agreement was reached, Madam Du said, "Consort Du also said that in order to prevent others from tracing the source, you should burn this letter, otherwise it will be easy to leave a handle against you."

Li Xi wasn't particularly reluctant to part with it, and since he also thought it made sense, he threw the letter into the charcoal brazier, where it quickly turned to ashes.

Seeing his unwavering demeanor, Madam Du realized the truth of the saying: "Since ancient times, the imperial family has been ruthless." However, she did not show it on her face.

Li Xi was about to leave, but then, remembering something, he turned back to Madam Du and said, "When Yu'er has the opportunity to go out of the palace to shop sometime in a while, Madam Du can come back to the palace to accompany Consort Du for a while, so that Consort Du can feel more at ease."

Lady Du thought to herself: Could this Prince Zhao be any different? He nodded slightly in agreement. Only then did Li Xi leave the villa and return to Prince Zhao's residence.

Of course, although he took a roundabout route to the villa, it didn't prevent the people arranged by the Prince of Chu's mansion from finding him. After all, Li Chu already knew that the Li family had a villa and roughly where it was located.

Seeing that Li Xi had brought a lot of things to the villa, and that a couple was living there, he reported to Li Chu some words he had overheard, such as "asking if Consort Du was alright," "within a month," and "planning ahead of schedule."

Upon hearing this, Li Chu and Dugu Jingyao understood. Li Chu said, "It seems they can't wait any longer."

Dugu Jingyao snorted coldly: "Hmph, within a month, they probably want to take advantage of the time when the women of our Chu Prince's Mansion and Yunnan Prince's Mansion are about to give birth, so that my brother in Yunnan Prince's Mansion will be caught off guard and flustered. Although we won't be in that situation, we will probably be a bit flustered at that time, and they might have an opportunity to take advantage of us."

Li Chu also felt that Dugu Jingyao's words made sense, so he said, "Yes. In addition, with this huge mansion, I, the master of the house, am still unconscious, and only you, a pregnant woman, are managing it. They must have seized this opportunity."

But Dugu Jingyao thought for a moment: "But not only do they not have enough troops now, even if they did, how could they be sure that Father Emperor would write an edict to establish a crown prince or abdicate?"

After a moment's thought, the two said in unison, "Unless Father is about to pass away!"

Dugu Jingyao suddenly remembered that when she brought Murong Linzhi to the palace before, Murong Linzhi had diagnosed Emperor Suzong with chronic poisoning, making him unable to have children.

Although Murong Linzhi prepared the antidote for Emperor Suzong and entrusted the prescription to the Empress for safekeeping, the antidote was always prepared by the Empress before Emperor Suzong took it.

However, Dugu Jingyao never had another suitable opportunity to bring Murong Linzhi into the palace, and it is unknown how Emperor Suzong's health is now.

So Dugu Jingyao told Li Chu her thoughts: "Donglang, do you remember what I said before about someone in the palace poisoning Father Emperor?"

Li Chu seemed to recall this matter, and then said, "You suspect that Consort Du was the one who poisoned her?"

Dugu Jingyao nodded and said, "Yes, because it's too coincidental. According to the time Lin Zhi mentioned, it happened right after Consort Du entered the palace and became pregnant."

Li Chu also felt that the matter was too coincidental. He said, "It is indeed suspicious, but we do not have any conclusive evidence."

Dugu Jingyao said, "At least with a guess, we know who to guard against. In a few days, when we pay our respects, we'll have Lin Zhi disguise himself as Shi Jian and come with us to pay our respects. He can also take the opportunity to examine Father's pulse and see how the poison is clearing up."

Li Chu agreed, and then said, "Alright, A Yao, don't think about these things anymore. It's not good to overwork yourself during pregnancy."

Dugu Jingyao didn't want this either, but it just so happened that the last time she was pregnant, the An Lushan Rebellion broke out, and now that she's pregnant again, the Li faction and Consort Du are up to something again...