Yuwen Lan still remembered that four years ago, after he led his army on a campaign against the Xiongnu, achieving a great victory, and was returning to the capital, just as he was nearing the outskirts of the capital, he received a message from the palace stating that the late Emperor was gravely ill.

He had no time to rest. Without delay, he spurred his horse, riding through the night to return to the palace. When he arrived at Qianming Palace, what he saw was the scene that would forever be engraved in his memory:

The late Emperor, who had just spat blood, still had traces of blood on his robes, but his breath was already gone.

At the time, everyone said that the late Emperor had died due to long periods of meditation and alchemy, neglecting food and rest, eventually growing weak and dying from his obsession.

Could it be...?

No, that possibility was dismissed the moment it surfaced in his mind.

— This matter absolutely could not be related to the Empress Dowager!

It must be that this vile dog thief held a grudge and intended to sow discord between mother and son.

Yes, how malicious was this person? On his deathbed, he pulled out this letter. If Xun Lan were to see it, Xun Lan would undoubtedly carry such a heavy burden on his heart. Whether he spoke of it or kept it to himself, it would be a crime either way.

Life would no longer be peaceful after this.

Or, just as it was now, he saw it, intending to drive a wedge between mother and son.

This vile dog thief.

Yuwen Lan silently clenched his teeth, but his face remained calm as he spoke to Imperial Physician Xun. "It’s fine now. You may leave. The Empress Dowager will complete her treatment in half a month. Take good care of her, and be sure there are no complications."

Imperial Physician Xun, who had no idea what had happened, hurriedly bowed in acknowledgment and exited the hall, carrying his medicine box.

Yuwen Lan threw the letter into the incense burner, and then called for Fu Hai to enter. He ordered, "Issue the decree: Zhang Shengkang is guilty of grave crimes. His body will be flogged for three days, then thrown into a mass grave without allowing anyone to collect the remains."

Fu Hai quickly responded, then went out to carry out the orders. As he walked, he thought to himself: Could it be that another horrific deed by Zhang Shengkang had been uncovered, leading the emperor to issue such an order?

~~

Ganlu Palace

Yuwen Lan arrived a bit late tonight. By the time he reached the palace, Yanshu was nearly asleep, only hearing the sound of the door.

Before she could get up, he had already climbed into the bed, and without a word, he pulled her into his arms.

Yanshu was still somewhat groggy, letting out a soft hum as she said, “This concubine waited for the key to be brought, but I didn’t see His Majesty. I thought you wouldn’t come.”

Yuwen Lan’s voice was low and deep. “I was busy, so that’s why I’m here now.”

He paused for a moment and then asked, “How was your day?”

Yanshu mumbled half-dreaming, “It was fine.”

Hey, today she sent that vile dog thief to his demise, and it felt truly satisfying. If she weren't pregnant, she would have drunk three hundred cups to celebrate!

Yuwen Lan silently listened before saying, “Go to sleep.”

Yanshu gave a soft “mm” in response, shifted her body, found a comfortable spot in his embrace, closed her eyes, and soon drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Yuwen Lan lowered his gaze and reached out to gently touch the top of her head.

If there had been anything unusual, she would have sensed it, wouldn’t she?

And just now, he had heard nothing unusual in Yanshu’s heart.

So, Zhang Shengkang had truly been slandering them.

In the darkness, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The night passed lightly, and when Yuwen Lan woke up, it was still before dawn.

Although there was no court assembly this morning, he didn’t feel like sleeping anymore. He got up, dressed, and headed to Qianming Palace.

The cold wind along the way helped clear his mind. After half an hour of reviewing memorials in the imperial study, the sky outside gradually brightened with the first light of dawn.

Fu Hai had been waiting beside him, thinking it was time to bring the Emperor breakfast. However, before he could move, he saw the Jin Yi Wei enter to report, “Your Majesty, we’ve just received news from Minyue. They’ve captured a Taoist, and it seems to be the White Crane Immortal.”

Yuwen Lan let out a soft “oh” and immediately asked, “Is he alive?”

The Jin Yi Wei responded, “The people from Minyue said they chased him into the mountains, but seeing no way to escape, he jumped off a cliff. His current condition is unknown.”

He jumped off a cliff?

Yuwen Lan furrowed his brows, thinking for a moment before saying, “This person is treacherous and not to be trusted. Have them find the body and make sure it’s truly the White Crane Immortal before we proceed. And we cannot afford to underestimate the Honglian Sect.”

The Jin Yi Wei responded and exited the hall.

Yuwen Lan pondered briefly, then picked up another memorial.

— There’s so much more business to attend to. Why dwell on something that happened four years ago?

Besides, he didn’t believe it.

~~

A few days passed, and it was already November in the capital.

The first snow had fallen, and the weather had grown increasingly cold.

Fortunately, the palace had heated floors, especially in Ci'an Palace, where the servants made sure the heat was particularly warm, fearing that the Empress Dowager might catch a chill.

Today was the last day of the Empress Dowager's final treatment session. Even though Yanshu’s belly had grown as round as a ball, she still made sure to come and accompany the Empress Dowager to have Imperial Physician Xun check her pulse.

At this moment, seeing Imperial Physician Xun withdraw his fingers from the pulse, she hurriedly asked, “How is it?”

Imperial Physician Xun quickly responded, “Your Majesty need not worry. The Empress Dowager's ailment has been completely cured, and there is no need to fear a recurrence of the old condition. However, with the cold weather, she must still be cautious of wind and cold to avoid catching a chill.”

Upon hearing this, Yanshu finally relaxed and quickly said to the Empress Dowager, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. You no longer need to worry about it.”

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly and said to Imperial Physician Xun, “You have worked hard and treated her well, I should reward you.”

Imperial Physician Xun hurriedly knelt and said, “It is the physician's duty to treat the sick. Moreover, the kindness of the esteemed ones is as heavy as a mountain. I dare not ask for a reward.”

The Empress Dowager, however, insisted, “Whether you ask for it or not is your concern, but rewarding you is my decision. Do not be polite.”

She then instructed the servants, “Give Imperial Physician Xun fifty taels of gold, a pair of deer skin gloves, and a pair of cloud boots. It is cold now, and as you walk back and forth, you should keep warm.”

Hearing this, Imperial Physician Xun hurriedly kowtowed in thanks, his face full of fear.

Yanshu almost got up to clap her hands in excitement—hmph, her big shot was so generous! When he liked someone, he threw real gold and silver at them. So domineering!

At that moment, the Empress Dowager spoke again, “Next, I’m just waiting for your baby to be born. Let me count... there’s about a month left, right?”

Before Yanshu could respond, Imperial Physician Xun hastily added, “Your Majesty is correct. In about half a month, the crown prince will be full term. At that point, whenever the baby is born, it will be normal.”

The Empress Dowager nodded and said, “Then you must continue to pay attention to the health of Consort Yi, and look after her carefully.”

Imperial Physician Xun hurriedly agreed.

At that moment, the curtain at the door was lifted, and a tall figure in a crane cloak entered.

Everyone in the hall quickly rose to bow, and the Empress Dowager said, “Why is His Majesty visiting at this hour?”

Yuwen Lan replied, “I remember today is the last day of Mother’s treatment, so I thought I would come and check on how things are going.”

The gentle Yanshu immediately said, “Your Majesty need not worry, the Empress Dowager’s health has improved.”

Yuwen Lan sighed in relief and nodded, “That’s good.”

But then Yanshu asked, “Your Majesty, why is your shoulder wet?”

Yuwen Lan grunted, “It’s snowing outside.”

It’s snowing again? Yanshu’s eyes brightened.

She then heard the Empress Dowager sigh, “Your Majesty, you’re still like when you were a child, you don’t like to use an umbrella when it snows. What will happen if you catch a cold?”

Yuwen Lan smiled and said, “I came in a palanquin, but I walked a few steps after getting off, and the snowflakes got me a little wet. Don’t worry, Mother.”

The Empress Dowager said no more.

Then Yanshu cheerfully said, “Snowy days are perfect for hot pots! How about we have lamb hot pot for dinner?”

Cough, everyone here knows she’s a foodie, so she wasn’t going to pretend. Today, the big shot was recovering, so they should celebrate!

To her surprise, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, “You two go ahead, I’m not fond of that flavor.”

Yuwen Lan also said, “Mother doesn’t like lamb.”

Yanshu could only comply, since the Empress Dowager didn’t like it, she wouldn’t force her. She could only have dinner with the Emperor.

Then the Empress Dowager instructed her, “The weather’s cold, and it’s likely to freeze tomorrow. You don’t need to come tomorrow, just stay inside the palace. There must be no accidents at this time.”

Yanshu quickly agreed.

Afterward, she left with the Emperor.

As they exited the hall, they indeed saw the snow falling from the sky. The two of them boarded the palanquin and headed toward Ganlu Palace.

Yanshu was already hungry, and all she could think about was the delicious lamb hot pot. She couldn’t help but say, “We’ll need six plates of lamb in the kitchen.”

Yuwen Lan raised an eyebrow, “Is that necessary? I only need two plates.”

She froze and said, “Oh, right, there’s also His Majesty. So, we’ll need eight plates.”

Yuwen Lan, “...”

So, the six plates of lamb didn’t even count him?

  ~~

After finishing the hot pot and taking a bath, the two of them climbed onto the bed together.

Without the thick robes covering her, Yanshu’s belly was now more obvious, round and firm, like a watermelon.

Yuwen Lan couldn’t help but ask, “It’s so big. Will it hurt?”

Yanshu hummed and said, “It doesn’t hurt now, but I’m not sure how much it will hurt during labor.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a bump appeared on her belly.

Her eyes lit up, and she smiled as she rubbed her belly, talking to the little one inside, “Baby, you want to tell Mama that you’ll be good and not make Mama hurt for too long, right?”

As she spoke, the bump rolled in another direction.

— As the birth approached, the baby’s movements became more distinct and varied. The lump rolled and even stretched out little arms and legs, making everyone more excited to see its appearance.

Yuwen Lan couldn’t resist placing his hand on her belly, smiling, “The baby will definitely listen to Mama.”

As soon as he spoke, the little one responded by rolling the bump again.

Yuwen Lan’s heart softened, and he said, “The baby is a good child. It’s late now, so go to sleep, and let Mama sleep well too.”

Strangely, the baby seemed to understand the words, and gradually, it stopped moving.

Yanshu’s eyes brightened, “It looks like the baby really recognizes Your Majesty’s voice. How obedient.”

Yuwen Lan raised an eyebrow, “Naturally, my baby will be as clever as me.”

He then kissed her forehead and said, “Go to sleep now.”

Yanshu hummed and closed her eyes in his arms, soon falling into a peaceful sleep.

That night, the snow fell silently outside the window. Yuwen Lan dreamt of the baby being born a month later.

He was holding his child, who raised its hands and kicked its legs, smiling at him and even calling out “Dad.”

In the dream, he thought, as expected, it’s my child. Even speaking comes earlier than most, so clever!

~~

The next day, as usual, Yuwen Lan woke up early and went to Qianming Palace.

The snow from the previous night had stopped, but the weather was indeed very cold.

In the court, the ministers presented important matters. Yuwen Lan asked, “Did the snow last night cause any disasters? Are there any citizens suffering from the cold?”

The Minister of Revenue quickly responded, “Your Majesty, please rest assured. The snow was not heavy, so it didn’t cause any disasters. This morning, the Jingzhao Prefecture has set up three porridge kitchens and shelters in the city to provide warmth. There shouldn’t be any issues.”

Yuwen Lan nodded and said, “It’s not just the capital, but all places that experienced snowfall should follow suit. If they lack funds, they can apply to the Ministry of Revenue. But we must strictly ensure that no one pockets the funds. The government’s money must go to the people.”

The Minister of Revenue quickly agreed.

Then, the Head of the Imperial Court stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, I received a report from the Jingzhao Prefecture this morning. Recently, there have been several cases of pregnant women miscarrying. Some doctors noticed something was wrong and reported it to the Prefecture.”

Upon hearing this, the officials were surprised.

Someone said, “Could it be that the cold and ice caused the pregnant women to slip and fall?”

The Head of the Imperial Court responded, “That may not be the main cause. According to the Jingzhao Prefecture’s statistics, there have only been two snowfalls recently, and they weren’t large. The roads weren’t icy. Most of the pregnant women have been staying at home to avoid the cold, rarely going outside. Yet, there have been unexplained miscarriages. This situation is quite suspicious.”

After hearing this, Yuwen Lan frowned and asked, “How many such cases have there been?”

The Head of the Imperial Court replied, “According to the reports from the Jingzhao Prefecture, there have been more than ten cases in the past half month.”

More than ten cases in half a month?

That meant there was nearly one case every other day?

Yuwen Lan immediately thought of someone.

— He remembered that Yanshu had mentioned before that the White Crane Immortal had used human placentas to refine pills...

Also, a few days ago, the Jin Yi Wei had reported that the White Crane Immortal had fallen off a cliff. He had ordered an investigation, but no further updates had been received.

He paused for a moment, about to give an order.

But then the Head of the Imperial Court added, “Your Majesty, I also recall that about four years ago, a similar incident occurred in the capital. A number of pregnant women miscarried in a short period of time, but that was in the summer, not like now during the harsh winter.”

At these words, Yuwen Lan froze.

The summer of four years ago...

Wasn’t that just before the late Emperor passed away?

At that time, the White Crane Immortal was still in the palace, accompanying the late Emperor in his cultivation...

Had the White Crane Immortal already started using this method to refine pills back then?

If so... did the late Emperor know about it?

While he was still reflecting, the Head of the Imperial Court spoke again, “Your Majesty, I believe there may be someone behind this, and it’s crucial that we investigate thoroughly to prevent more pregnant women from being harmed.”

Yuwen Lan snapped back to his senses and immediately ordered, “Yes, instruct Jingzhao Prefecture, the Imperial Court, and the Ministry of Justice to investigate this matter. Have the Jin Yi Wei send people to search the city. If any Taoist priests of unknown identity are found, arrest them immediately. I suspect the White Crane Immortal has already entered the capital.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the officials quickly responded, not daring to delay.