The Eldest Daughter Returns: Imperial Uncle, I'm Pregnant!

His Majesty is currently unwell and his condition is quite serious, which means that the grand New Year's Eve banquet, which should have been a lively and joyous occasion for all, is destined to be canceled as scheduled.

Amidst this atmosphere of widespread anxiety, Gu Qingwan was extremely worried. She knew that the most important thing at this moment was to ensure that Xiao Jingchen could get sufficient rest and recuperation.

Gu Qingwan wanted to take Xiao Jingchen back to the Prince's residence. After all, given the Prince's current condition, it was really not advisable for him to stay in the palace any longer. There were too many people and too much business to handle there, making it difficult for him to rest and recuperate in peace.

Moreover, the prince's emotions fluctuated greatly today, and he was prone to anger and rage, which was extremely detrimental to his physical recovery.

Thinking of this, Gu Qingwan kept gently comforting her lover beside her, hoping to bring him a little warmth and peace.

The imperial physicians, their faces grave, hurried into the library and began their intensive diagnosis and treatment work, carefully surrounding the emperor beside his bed.

They first carefully observed the emperor's complexion, pulse, and breathing, and then exchanged their views and diagnoses in hushed tones.

However, after a detailed discussion, these experienced imperial physicians still looked puzzled, having no clue as to the reason for the emperor's sudden fainting.

It seems that the situation is indeed as Consort Xi said; the Emperor seemed to have fainted due to a sudden surge of anger.

But what could possibly have angered the usually calm and dignified emperor so much? Is there some hidden story or conspiracy at play?

For a moment, a tense and oppressive atmosphere filled the entire palace, as everyone anxiously awaited the imperial physicians' definitive diagnosis and effective treatment plan...

"Empress!" the Empress Dowager called out again, raising her voice, but still received no response.

She couldn't help but feel puzzled, so she slowly turned around to take a look, and was instantly at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

The empress was seen staring intently at the King and Queen of Chu not far away, her eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly lost in thought. It was unclear what she was pondering.

The Empress Dowager had been hoping that the Empress would step in to take charge of the situation, since the Empress, as the head of the six palaces, should take on this responsibility in such a situation.

However, looking at the Empress now, she appeared completely absent-minded and distracted, as if she were so engrossed in her own thoughts that she had no time to pay attention to her surroundings.

Seeing that she couldn't rely on the Empress, the Empress Dowager sighed helplessly and thought to herself: "So be it, things have come to this point, it seems I have no choice but to take matters into my own hands." So, the Empress Dowager straightened her clothes and put on her dignified air.

The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze revealing a hint of authority and decisiveness.

She gently raised her hand and summoned her trusted eunuch, whispering, "Quickly inform everyone at the banquet that today's New Year's Eve banquet has been changed to a family dinner. Except for the Xiao family, all other guests may go home and spend this auspicious festival with their families."

Upon hearing this, the eunuch quickly bowed in agreement, then hurriedly left with small, quick steps to convey the Empress Dowager's decree.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the banquet hall instantly became somewhat subtle. People whispered among themselves, their faces revealing surprise and doubt to varying degrees.

However, due to the Empress Dowager's authority, no one dared to say anything. They could only silently pack their things and prepare to leave this once bustling place.

Just as everyone was in a panic, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess arrived at the scene like a whirlwind. What they saw made them gasp in shock—the entire scene was in complete chaos!

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess looked around anxiously, trying to find out why this had happened. They wanted to get some answers from the Empress.

However, when their gaze fell upon their own mother, they found her equally bewildered, completely unaware of what had happened.

The two exchanged a glance and instantly understood each other: it seemed that their mother had once again "dropped the ball" at the crucial moment, just like always!

Without the slightest hesitation, the crown prince acted decisively.

"Grandmother, with you and the Empress Dowager here, I'll go ahead and check things out to prevent those people from causing trouble. Also, the New Year's Eve rewards that were prepared beforehand cannot be interrupted, otherwise there will be another upheaval in the court."

The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction; she was quite pleased with her grandson, the Crown Prince.

"Go ahead, I'll take care of things here. You just need to focus on managing the affairs of the previous dynasty."

Before leaving, the Crown Prince glanced at his uncle, Chu, and saw him nod. He knew that his uncle could handle things here, and with his uncle here, there was nothing to worry about.

The Crown Princess, on the other hand, remained quietly by the Empress's side, serving her with utmost concentration and daring not to slacken for even a moment.

After catching his breath a few times, Xiao Jingchen slowly stood up from his seat. He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, each step steady and powerful, as if carrying an invisible pressure as he walked toward the Emperor.

This action instantly drew the attention of everyone present, especially the Empress, whose face turned deathly pale and whose eyes were filled with terror.

Without a second thought, the Empress rushed in front of the Emperor, spreading her arms to block Xiao Jingchen's path, and shouted, "What does Your Highness want to do!" Her sharp and piercing voice echoed throughout the hall.

Faced with the Empress's questioning, Prince Chu, Xiao Jingchen, stopped in his tracks, his face as gloomy as the sky before a storm.

He stared coldly at the Empress, his gaze as sharp as a cold sword, sending chills down one's spine.

After a moment, he parted his thin lips slightly and replied in a deep and authoritative voice, "What do you think I'm going to do? Please step aside, Your Majesty!"

The empress was already terrified, her face paled, and her body trembled uncontrollably, making her unsteady on her feet.

However, despite her immense fear, out of concern for the Emperor's safety, she gritted her teeth and stood firmly in front, refusing to back down an inch.

At the same time, the mask worn by the King of Chu gleamed with a cold light, as if it came from the deepest hell, making the already chilling atmosphere even more heavy and oppressive.