Transmigrated into a seven-year-old child, my fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens.

At this moment, the emperor was reviewing memorials in the Qiankun Hall. Due to health issues, he had accumulated a large backlog of memorials some time ago.

These past few days he's been busy reviewing memorials, thinking that after the wedding, he'll make time to spend with Zhaolian.

Eunuch Wu strode in: "Your Majesty, the wedding procession has arrived, and the bride has been arranged in the Lotus Appreciation Hall."

"Hmm~" Zhu Yuanzhang responded, continuing to review the memorials without looking up.

Eunuch Wu hesitated for a moment, then cautiously said, "Your Majesty, today is your joyous day; you mustn't neglect the bride!"

The Emperor glanced up at Eunuch Wu and said, "I have my own plan for this. You may leave."

Wu Gonggong broke out in a cold sweat: "Yes, this old servant has spoken out of turn!" He then hurriedly retreated.

About half an hour later, Zhu Yuanzhang finally finished reviewing the remaining memorials and stretched.

Suddenly realizing it was getting late, and having almost forgotten about the bride, he quickly called out towards the door, "Someone come here!"

……

Lotus Appreciation Hall

Zhao Lian sat in the bedroom, waiting and waiting, but the Emperor did not come in. She was getting impatient.

Before the emperor married her, he said how much he wanted to marry her. Now that she has entered the palace, he is nowhere to be seen.

He just walked in and then left me hanging. What's going on? Is he doing this on purpose?

Just as Zhao Lian was lost in thought, she heard someone speak at the door: "Your Majesty~"

Zhao Lian's heart skipped a beat for no reason, her face flushed subconsciously, and she became inexplicably nervous.

"You may all leave!" the Emperor's magnetic voice rang out.

"Yes~"

Then I heard footsteps fading away.

The door creaked open and then closed again. Someone came in, footsteps slowly approaching the bed.

Zhao Lian's heart was in her throat.

Under the fiery candlelight, looking at the graceful figure before him, Zhu Yuanzhang was filled with excitement, just like a young man getting married for the first time.

He had his own concubines, but no one had ever given him this feeling; Zhaolian was the exception.

The Emperor picked up the scale bar beside the table and gently lifted it. What came into view was Zhao Lian's delicate face, which was slightly flushed with shyness.

The Emperor lifted Zhao Lian's chin with his hand, looking at her large, watery eyes beneath her long, fan-like eyelashes, and her pink lips. He couldn't help but kiss her.

But to his surprise, the moment he was about to kiss her, Zhao Lian tilted her head, and the emperor missed his target.

Zhao Lian got angry: "Hmph! Why are you only arriving now? Did you deliberately make me wait so long?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked completely innocent: "You've misunderstood me! I've been rushing around all day, just trying to finish up my business so I can spend a couple of days with you."

Zhao Lian looked suspicious: "Is this true?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said earnestly, "Of course it's true. Heaven knows how long I've been waiting for this moment, but I've had too many memorials piling up recently!"

"Okay, I believe you."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Zhao Lian's stomach rumbled inappropriately, and her face turned as red as a tomato.

"Are you starving? I'll have someone bring you some food." With that, the Emperor opened the door and shouted, "Granny He, hurry up and bring in the food!"

About fifteen minutes later, Granny He brought in the food, put it down, and quickly went out again.

Zhao Lian didn't stand on ceremony this time. She picked up a bowl of white rice and started eating. There was braised pork and steamed egg. The taste was better than Zhao Lian had imagined.

Why aren't you eating?

After finishing half a bowl of rice, Zhao Lian realized that the Emperor was sitting to the side, staring intently at her.

Zhao Lian's face flushed again: "What are you looking at me for? Hurry up and eat!"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head: "I'm not hungry." Then, with a wicked grin, he leaned close to Zhao Lian's ear and breathed, "Right now, I only want to eat you."

"go with!"

Zhao Lian understood his implied meaning, her face flushed, and she punched him lightly, wishing she could disappear into the ground.

Zhu Yuanzhang poured wine into a cup: "Let's drink a toast together." He then picked up the cup and handed one of the cups to Zhao Lian.

Zhao Lian shook her head hesitantly: "I don't drink alcohol."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes crinkled with amusement: "Just one bite~"

After saying that, he reached out and bypassed Zhao Lian's hand, taking a small sip first.

After taking a sip of wine, Zhao Lian felt her face burning, and she felt restless, her body swaying slightly, and her eyes becoming involuntarily glazed over.

"Come, let me help you sit down on the bed." Zhu Yuanzhang helped Zhaolian sit down on the bed.

At this moment, Zhao Lian's eyes were glazed over, her face was flushed, and her rosy lips were extremely alluring to the Emperor.

The Emperor reached out and lifted Zhao Lian's chin, then lightly kissed her lips.

Looking at the face that suddenly loomed large in front of her, Zhao Lian's heart pounded, until the gentle touch on her lips sent a jolt of electricity through her body.

The smell of hormones filled her nostrils, making her head feel like a mess. Zhao Lian subconsciously wrapped her arms around the Emperor's neck, and the Emperor leaned off the bed.

The dragon and phoenix candles flickered, and a moment of spring night within the red tent was worth a thousand pieces of gold.

After getting married, Zhao Lian handed over the management of the shop to Zhao Di and went out once a month to check the accounts.

Zhao Di was a good manager, and the shop's business became more and more prosperous. Soon, another branch was opened, which was then handed over to Da Ni'er for management.

Three months later

That day, Zhao Lian suddenly felt nauseous. The Emperor thought she had caught a cold and quickly summoned the imperial physician.

The imperial physician arrived, took her pulse, and immediately congratulated her with a smile: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations! Consort Lian is pregnant! It's a happy pulse; she's already more than two months along."

What?! She's pregnant?

Zhao Lian was stunned, and her mood inexplicably became somewhat low. She was going to be a mother, and she wasn't mentally prepared at all.

After the imperial physician left, the emperor picked up Zhaolian and shouted happily, "Great! I'm going to be a father!" He then spun Zhaolian around in his arms.

Although there were other concubines in the harem, none of them had conceived children for the Emperor; Zhaolian was the first.

Zhao Lian cried out anxiously, "Hey, be gentle, be gentle!"

Seeing how happy the Emperor was, Zhao Lian was also happy. She was willing to have a child for him.

Since Zhaolian became pregnant, the Emperor has come to visit almost every day.

Seven months later

In the golden autumn of October, the melons ripened and fell from the vine, and Zhao Lian gave birth to a son who weighed a full 7 pounds.

The Emperor sent ten thousand taels of gold, along with silks, satins, gold hairpins, and jade ornaments, and issued an edict to bestow upon Zhao Lian the title of Consort Lian.

In June of the same year, Zhao Di gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, and in November, Zhao Feng gave birth to a daughter.

Two years later, Zhao Lian gave birth to another son and was made empress. Her eldest son was made crown prince, and all the civil and military officials in the court had no objections.

At Zhao Lian's suggestion, the Emperor agreed to release An Ye and An Hei from the palace and gave each of them 20 mu of fertile land, allowing them to live ordinary lives with their wives and children.

After Zhao Feng gave birth, she managed the rice flower workshop and opened one branch after another, while Zhao Lian could just sit back and wait for her share of the profits.

Under Zhao Di's management, Yu Lian Pavilion is thriving, and Zhao Lian helps develop new dishes every now and then.

Under Zhao Lian's guidance, Qiao Feng's restaurant business flourished, becoming one of the top establishments in the capital, just like Yu Lian Ge.

When Song Wenjie was 50 years old, he also retired and returned to his hometown to manage the shop with Zhao Feng.

It is worth mentioning that the emperor fell seriously ill at the age of 55. His illness became incurable and he eventually passed away. The crown prince naturally succeeded to the throne.

Zhao Lian eventually became Empress Dowager, and lived to the ripe old age of 86 before passing away peacefully.

(End of book)