Consort Zhuang doesn't want palace intrigue; she just wants to raise her child and live a caref

"Little Cheng'er, I'm your mother!" Su Nuannuan teased the adorable, delicate blue-haired Jingcheng in her arms with a smile. The little guy grinned from ear to ear, occasionally blowing out a few cute little bubbles.

Jinse, who was standing nearby, watched this heartwarming scene and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, look, the Fifth Prince is already a month old, but Consort Mei's belly still hasn't shown any signs of pregnancy." As she spoke, her gaze turned to the Fifth Prince, who was playing happily.

Su Nuannuan continued playing with her son gently, her hands never stopping, and casually asked, "What did the imperial physician say?"

Jinse frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then replied, "The imperial physician said everything is normal, but in my opinion, Consort Mei's belly is much larger than that of an average pregnant woman. If she is not carrying twins, then the babies may be too big."

Su Nuannuan shook her head slightly, saying dismissively, "This is not something we should worry about; Her Majesty the Empress will handle it."

Jinse nodded in agreement. Just then, a figure rushed into the hall; it was Li Quan. His face was beaming with excitement, and he didn't even bother with the proper greetings before shouting, "Your Majesty, great news!"

Su Nuannuan looked up in surprise at Li Quan, who was panting heavily, and asked in confusion, "What joyous occasion has caused you, a servant, to lose your composure and disregard all manners?"

Li Quan took a breath and said excitedly, "Your Majesty, the Emperor just issued an edict, bestowing the title of Marquis of Ding'an upon the Grand General, and promoting the General Who Guards the Nation directly to Duke of Guards the Nation!"

Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan's face instantly lit up with a delighted smile. She abruptly stood up and asked incredulously, "Is this really true?"

"Your Majesty, the person who went to deliver the imperial decree this time is none other than Chief Eunuch Li, who is deeply trusted by the Emperor! He has already set off for the Zhenguo General's Mansion."

"Oh, right, His Majesty not only issued an imperial decree, but also bestowed upon him an additional mansion as the Marquis of Ding'an!" Li Quan replied with a beaming smile.

Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan excitedly exclaimed, "This is truly a joyous occasion! In that case, I hereby issue the decree that everyone in Cuiwei Palace, regardless of rank, shall be granted a month's salary!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the palace servants who had been quietly serving in the room couldn't help but show their joy upon hearing the news. They all knelt down and kowtowed to express their gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty!" In an instant, the room was filled with laughter and joy, and the atmosphere was exceptionally warm and lively.

Su Nuannuan looked at the crowd with delight, nodded slightly and smiled, "Everyone, get up quickly."

Although my father and elder brother have lost their real power, they still have this incomparably noble status, so at least they don't have to worry about being bullied or humiliated.

Su Nuannuan then turned to Li Quan beside her and instructed, "Li Quan, go to the storeroom immediately and carefully select a few practical and presentable congratulatory gifts for me. Once you have chosen them, send someone to deliver them to Father and Elder Brother immediately. Remember, there must be no negligence whatsoever!"

Li Quan quickly bowed and replied with a beaming smile, "Hehehe, Your Majesty, please rest assured, this servant will do his best to handle this matter and will never fail Your Majesty's trust!" After saying that, he turned and left happily to begin preparations.

Anning Palace

"Your Majesty, I just heard that the Grand General has been enfeoffed as the Marquis of Ding'an, and the General of the State has been promoted to the Duke of the State. At this moment, the imperial edict is on its way to the General of the State's residence, and the person who went to deliver the edict is Chief Steward Li." Yingchun hurriedly entered the hall, curtsied to the Empress, and quickly reported.

Upon hearing this news, the Empress slowly put down the book she was reading, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Hmph, this Duke of Zhenguo is quite the schemer," she said, "using military power as a bargaining chip. He not only secured the honor of having two noble titles for his family but also successfully appeased the Emperor's mind. In this way, his position in the court will likely become even more secure."

Seeing that the Empress's expression was calm, Yingchun hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "Your Majesty, there is another matter I need to report to you. Consort Mei's due date has passed by several days, but there is still no sign of her giving birth."

The Empress frowned slightly, her face showing concern, and pressed for an answer: "What does the imperial physician have to say about this?"

Yingchun hurriedly replied, "This servant went to the Imperial Hospital to inquire about the situation. According to the imperial physician, Consort Mei's health is fine and everything is normal. However... this servant noticed that Consort Mei's belly is unusually large compared to other pregnant women."

Upon hearing this, the Empress pondered to herself, "These women, all they know is scheming and causing trouble. If Consort Mei is not carrying twins, then this is truly a troublesome matter. Who is secretly coveting the children in Consort Mei's womb? Is it to abort the mother and keep the child, or to create a tragedy that results in the deaths of both mother and child? This matter must be thoroughly investigated." Thinking of this, the Empress sat upright on the small couch, her expression growing increasingly solemn.

"Your Majesty, it is Physician Zhang from the Imperial Medical Academy," Yingchun replied respectfully to the Empress.

The Empress nodded slightly, then parted her lips and said, "Quickly, invite Imperial Physician Zhang here. Tell him that I am concerned about the unborn child in Consort Mei's womb and request that he come to inquire about the situation."

"Yes," Yingchun replied and hurriedly left. After she left, the Empress pondered for a moment, then summoned Chen Honghai.

Chen Honghai strode into the hall, bowed respectfully, and then asked, "Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

The Empress's gaze was sharp as she stared intently at Chen Honghai. She lowered her voice and said, "I suspect that someone has secretly poisoned Consort Mei's belly. You must immediately investigate and find out who is so audacious!"

Chen Honghai's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will do his utmost to thoroughly investigate this matter and will never fail Your Majesty's trust." After saying this, he got up and left.

"Does Your Majesty suspect that someone has targeted Consort Mei?" Yingqiu asked, pouring the Empress a cup of hot tea.

"I will neither protect them nor intervene. Whether they can give birth or not depends entirely on their own abilities. And whether they can raise the child to adulthood also depends entirely on their own abilities," the Empress said, holding her teacup, seemingly unrelated to the question.

"Did Her Majesty send Eunuch Chen to investigate just in case?" Ying Qiu asked, stepping aside.

"Although I'm turning a blind eye, I can't just let myself suffer the consequences."

"Sometimes I really envy Consort Zhuang and Consort Qin. They don't have to worry about anything; they just have to raise their children," the Empress said, taking a sip of tea and putting down her teacup.

Consort Mei's pregnancy ended prematurely, attracting the attention of everyone in the harem, and eventually even alarming the Emperor.