Consort De truly had her methods. With her overseeing things, Li Concubine's pregnancy was guarded without a single flaw.
By contrast, Fang Changzai, living tucked away in her corner, constantly feared someone would harm the child in her womb. As a result, she frequently summoned the imperial physicians, which only confirmed suspicions that her pregnancy was unstable.
This time, with Xiao Qianming's full attention and care, both pregnant concubines safely reached the seventh month.
During this period, Zheng Qingling enjoyed constant favor. The emperor's hand was generous—he frequently rewarded her with treasures from his private vault.
But none of the other concubines were envious. After all, Consort Rou's future was already clear to see. She was destined to be pitied as someone who could hardly bear children. No one cared to waste effort contending with her.
What did astonish everyone was that Consort Rou's younger brother had placed second in the recent imperial examinations, becoming the Second Scholar, and was now basking in glory.
Originally, Zheng Yun—because of earlier scandals—had been demoted to a minor seventh-rank post in a remote border town. Who could have expected Consort Rou's luck to be so good? Her brother turned out to be so brilliant, even earning the emperor's appreciation.
When Zheng Qingling heard the news, she too was pleased. After all, the mother's family of a future crown prince shouldn't be entirely without backing.
"Chunxiu, later you are to reward each of the palace maids with twenty taels of silver. As for you, my trusted aide, take fifty."
"Congratulations, My Lady! Young Master has finally risen to prominence. Now you truly have support in the palace…"
After dispersing the servants, Zheng Qingling sat deep in thought over something else.
That morning, on a whim, she had used her powers to glimpse the gender of Li Concubine's unborn child. What she discovered unsettled her—the fetus seemed underdeveloped. Yet with only a brief scan, she couldn't be entirely certain.
In Yongshou Palace, the Empress Dowager read the secret report in her hands with satisfaction. Very good. She wanted to see if the emperor could keep his throne steady when one of his concubines bore a crippled child.
Empress Dowager Cian fell into bitter memories of the past—the pain etched into her bones.
She too had once had a beloved youth. But that man sent him to the battlefield. Later, though she entered the palace, she deliberately took a sterility potion herself.
Hmph. Because that youth had been the late emperor's son. Xiao Qianming, Xiao Qianming—blame only your unlucky fate!
That very night, Xiao Qianming received secret reports from his shadow guards. He could not sleep a wink.
Soon after, strange substances began appearing in Li Concubine's meals—so subtle that not even Consort De could detect them.
The emperor's hand was swift and ruthless.
In Baoming Palace, the midwife looked in horror at the stillborn infant missing several fingers, her face full of terror.
Li Concubine, still half-conscious, clung to hope. Though she had gone into labor two months early, as the saying went—"seven months live, eight months die"—her child still had a chance.
Hearing the midwife's movements, she forced herself upright and scolded: "Wretched servant, how dare you keep my son from me? Bring me my prince at once!"
But the instant her eyes fell upon the infant, she fainted dead away.
Outside the hall, Consort De, standing beside the emperor, was anxious beyond words. None of her own people had been allowed in—the emperor had staffed the place entirely with his own men.
Xiao Qianming caught her anxious look with a flicker of disgust, though his lips said smoothly: "Beloved consort, go in and see for me. A birthing chamber is filthy—this emperor will not enter."
Consort De brightened instantly and rushed inside, ready to act with her own hands.
But upon seeing the shocking scene before her, she shrieked uncontrollably and collapsed in a dead faint.
Not long after, Li Concubine delivered a stillborn child. Strangely, all who had attended the birth were executed in secret.
Consort De was punished for negligence and demoted to Concubine De. Li Concubine herself was left with lingering illness and never recovered.
Zheng Qingling immediately understood—it must have been that the emperor discovered the truth about the child in Li Concubine's womb, and so acted with such ruthless decisiveness.
Two months later, Fang Changzai struggled through a day and night of labor to bear a frail little princess.
The Empress Dowager, having already known the child's gender, had not bothered to intervene.
Xiao Qianming could not hide his disappointment. He already had more than enough princesses—what he lacked was a prince. Still, he promoted Fang Changzai by one rank.
Time soon moved to the eve of the palace draft. Before her next night with the emperor, Zheng Qingling swallowed a Fertility Pill, said to guarantee a healthy pair of dragon-phoenix twins.
That night, the emperor found Consort Rou unusually cooperative—even willing to indulge in high-level positions she had previously refused.
Afterward, Zheng Qingling used her psychic power to temporarily seal the emperor's seminal ducts.
Until her own son grew strong, the emperor must not father other sons.
As for why she did not administer sterility drugs—this wasn't out of compassion. She merely feared that if her firstborn son proved incapable of holding the throne, she would need another as insurance.
After all, if the elder crown prince failed, a younger one might succeed. Otherwise, her position as Empress Dowager would never be secure.