The Rebirth of Li Fei: The Strongest Palace Fighting System

As I looked at him, a wave of tender joy welled up in my heart. It was a pure and profound maternal love I had never experienced before. My eyes welled up again, tears unconsciously falling onto the soft swaddling clothes of the little prince. I gently reached out my hand, trembling as I stroked his tender cheek. I silently vowed in my heart that no matter what the future held, I would give my all to protect this little life and allow it to grow healthily in this complex palace.

I suddenly remembered that terrible moment and struggled to sit up. My voice was weak but urgent:

"Your Majesty...it's Huichun...the court lady Huichun..."

The emperor's expression darkened instantly, and a trace of anger flashed in his eyes:

"I already know. I have already ordered that Huichun be beaten to death."

His tone was filled with unquestionable authority, and he was obviously very angry about this matter:

"As a palace maid, you dared to do such a treasonous act. Your crime is unforgivable!"

Seeing this, the Queen hurried forward a few steps and whispered softly to comfort him:

"I'm glad you're okay! I'm glad you're okay! Concubine An is blessed by fate. This time, it was thanks to Concubine Xiang that she discovered the situation in time and called the imperial physician to bring you back from the brink of death and move you back to the Yanxi Palace. The imperial physician also examined you thoroughly and said that Huichun was suffering from madness, which was why she did such a foolish thing."

I sneered in my heart. So this is what the Queen meant by "reward for merit."

I understand very well that Huichun is the Queen's follower, and this incident must have been arranged by the Queen.

If it succeeds, I can take the opportunity to abort my baby. If it fails, I can also ask Cao Qinmo to do me a favor and take credit in front of the emperor.

But I remained calm and said to Cao Qinmo beside me in a polite manner:

"Thank you, Sister Xiangpin. This time, it's all thanks to you."

Cao Qinmo heard this and put on a fake smile:

"You are so kind, Your Highness. This is what I should do. It is my honor to be able to help you solve your problems."

I looked at her smiling face, but I felt mixed emotions.

In this deep palace, everyone is scheming, everyone is vying for favor, so who can truly trust anyone else? I secretly made up my mind to be more cautious in the future, to protect myself and my child, and not let anyone take advantage of me.

The emperor glanced at Cao Qinmo with approval, and his tone was filled with praise:

"Xiangpin has made great contributions by saving Concubine An and her son. I will reward her generously."

Upon hearing this, Cao Qinmo showed a humble yet complacent smile on his face, and bowed respectfully, saying:

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

The emperor turned to look at Jianqiu, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes:

"Promise Jianqiu that you will be rewarded for taking care of Concubine An's dragon fetus. After the dragon fetus is born, according to the rules, you will be promoted to a concubine."

When Jianqiu heard this, her expression instantly changed from nervousness to surprise, and she quickly knelt to express her gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

However, when she looked up at the queen in fear, she happened to meet the queen's angry and sharp eyes.

The queen glared at her fiercely, her eyes seemed to say that she was so incompetent.

Jianqiu's heart trembled, and she quickly lowered her head.

The Emperor then turned his gaze towards me:

"Noble Concubine An gave birth to a prince for me. What should I reward you with? A promotion?"

I was delighted and was about to speak, but the Queen beat me to it.

The Queen smiled slightly, seemingly gentle but actually concealing a sharp edge, and said:

"Your Majesty, Noble Consort An is now a Noble Consort, a very high position, and yet she has no title. How about Your Majesty grant her a title?"

As soon as the Queen said this, the joy in my heart was instantly extinguished.

I forced a smile, but in my mind I was thinking about how to respond.

The Emperor heard this and seemed to think that what the Queen said made sense. He nodded slightly and said:

"The Queen is absolutely right. Huichun may be insane, but Jianqiu is indeed capable. Jianqiu is from the Queen's palace, and there's also Xiuxia, who also carefully cared for Concubine Fucha and helped her give birth to a prince. Let's follow the Queen's wishes on this matter. So, what title should be given to them?"

The queen's lips curled up into a complex smile, and her eyes swept over me vaguely, as if admiring the subtle changes on my face:

"Noble Concubine An's voice is melodious, like the sound of nature. Why not give her the title 'Li', meaning her voice is as clear and melodious as an oriole?"

My heart sank. It was "Oriole" again!

This word makes me think of orioles imprisoned in cages for people to admire, which is a title I extremely dislike.

It seemed to suggest to me that even if I was a noble concubine, I was just a plaything under the imperial power.

Just as I was secretly feeling resentful, Cao Qinmo started to make inappropriate comments beside me:

"'Li' is a great name! The Empress is truly inspired. The oriole breeds many children. Concubine An already has Princess Zhiqiu and the Fourth Prince, plus this newborn little prince, making her three children. The name 'Li' is a perfect match for Concubine An!"

The emperor listened to Cao Qinmo's words and seemed to think they made sense. He nodded with satisfaction.

"Not bad, not bad, it's 'Lil'. Concubine An, do you like it?"

Although I was extremely dissatisfied, I also knew that the matter was done and there was no way to change the emperor's decision. I had to suppress my anger, force a smile, and respectfully thank the emperor:

"I thank the Emperor for the title. I will follow His Majesty's wishes and live up to the reputation of the word 'li'."

Seeing this, the queen curled her lips into a barely perceptible sneer, as if she had won again in this silent contest.

As for me, I could only endure this humiliation silently, secretly planning how to fight for more dignity and freedom for myself and my children in this deep palace.

The emperor smiled, his eyes revealing infinite expectations for the future, and made a decision on the name of the young prince:

"The young prince hasn't been named yet, so why not call him 'Hongying'? It means he'll soar high like an eagle, possessing extraordinary courage and strength to protect the Qing Dynasty."

Although I was still a little unhappy about the title, I couldn't help but feel a little relieved when I heard that the emperor had given the little prince such a meaningful name.

So, I adjusted my mood and thanked the emperor with the most sincere attitude:

"On behalf of the young prince, I thank the emperor for the name. Hongying, this name is really good. I believe that the young prince will live up to the emperor's high expectations in the future."

After saying that, I gently stroked the little prince's soft hand and secretly swore in my heart that no matter how difficult the road ahead was, I would do my best to protect his healthy growth, let him soar freely in the sky and become a real eagle.

At the same time, I also understand that this court struggle is far from over, and I need to be more cautious and careful to strive for a peaceful sky for my children and myself.