“Lengmei, you should keep a low profile these days,” said Zui Linglong as she gazed at the tea in the cup, interrupting Lengmei’s meditation.

“I paved the way in secret for everything you have obtained,” She raised her head and looked at Lengmei, and her eyes filled with peace.

“She’s really a crank.” Lengmei thought as she got absent-minded while contemplating Zui Linglong’s countenance.

“You don’t have enough cards in your hand to play against that person,” Zui Linglong’s voice brought Lengmei back to the reality.

Her words were blunt, but Lengmei didn’t care. She laughed instead.

“Yes! I know what I should do. What I’m doing right now was meant to be used on Tang Xia.”

Lengmei held up her teacup and took a sip in an elegant manner.

She didn’t care whether she could get true love from the emperor, but she knew Tang Xia’s existence was an obstacle in her way to power.

She would get rid of Tang Xia at all costs.

Lengmei sat there with her back upright, displaying her inalienable pride to Zui Linglong.

For her family and her future in the harem, she would not allow Tang Xia to stay above her!

“You seem to have your plan. I don’t need to say anything more,” said Zui Linglong as she recognized Lengmei’s preparedness and thought she wouldn’t do anything dangerous.

“She does have some wits. I made a right choice to pick her,” Zui Linglong nodded to herself in her mind.

“Thank you for your appreciation. I won’t waste our efforts,” Lengmei smiled gently at Zui Linglong, her eyes full of confidence.

“Well then, I should probably leave now.”

Zui Linglong stood up and bid farewell to Lengmei.

Lengmei nodded. Zui Linglong held her sleeves together and walked outside, her white clothes waving and her steps swift as if she was walking on air. Her figure disappeared outside the gate in the blink of an eye.

Lengmei stared at her leaving figure and then gave a quiet smile.

“Your Grace, you have been sitting here for a long time. How about I help you get some rest?”

Anran walked in the chamber and said to Tang Xia in a gentle voice.

Tang Xia had been sitting there for nearly an hour. She was in low spirits whenever Anran approached and asked her something. Anran was worried and could do nothing but keep caring for her.

Tang Xia shook her head and showed no interest in her suggestion.

“Then what about I get some snacks for you?” Anran made another suggestion.

Tang Xia shook her head again and said, “I’m fine. Let me sit here alone a little longer.”

Anran stepped outside resignedly.

Tang Xia had been in a bad mood ever since she learned about Lengmei’s pregnancy. Even though she knew what she experienced here was all fake, she was still unable to control her feelings.

A suspicion was crying in her head. She tried to suppress it, but it only fretted her more.

How could Lengmei get pregnant?

Tang Xia was deeply confused, but the imperial doctor’s diagnosis was real. No matter how badly she didn’t want to believe it, she had to admit it was the truth.

On the other hand, Chu Tiankuo’s reaction was by no means fake either, which made Tang Xia feel somewhat relaxed, even though she still didn’t know how to ease her worries.

Tang Xia didn’t realize Chu Tiankuo had gradually influenced her mood.

“His Majesty is arriving!” Suddenly there was a cry outside, and Chu Tiankuo walked in.

Tang Xia heaved a sigh and stood up to receive him. Visitors always came at the worst time. With her bad mood, Tang Xia was a little concerned about whether she could hold her temper.

“All of you, step outside. I have something to say with the queen!”

Chu Tiankuo waved his hands and all the servants nearby bowed and stepped outside.

Tang Xia sat back to her seat as soon as she saw the door closed.

“Well, you’re not happy to see me?” Chu Tiankuo looked at Tang Xia who sat back, and a teasing smile crept up his lips.

In his eyes, Tang Xia was always outgoing and optimistic. He felt curious about her being unhappy.

“You are the emperor here. You are free to go anywhere in the palace, aren’t you?” Tang Xia raised her eyes lazily and cast a glance at him.

The very man who disturbed her mind was standing in front of her. She felt mixed emotions in her heart and didn’t know how to talk with him.

“I didn’t do anything to upset you, did I? So what’s up?” Chu Tiankuo gave a short laugh and was puzzled at Tang Xia’s tone.

However, he was in a good mood, and he was glad to play along.

“I’m just in a bad mood. Could you please visit your other concubines lest you get unhappy too in my company?” Tang Xia was still in a fret and said as she raised her head.

Her words were strange and somewhat meaningful. Even though Chu Tiankuo didn’t know what happened, he knew he was being blamed and couldn’t help feeling annoyed.

“So you vent your feelings on me?” Chu Tiankuo gave a sneer and snapped at Tang Xia.

“Do you come here just to quarrel with me?” Tang Xia raised her voice too, and her eyes fixed on Chu Tiankuo fiercely.

She didn’t want to kick up a row, but she just couldn’t hold back her sarcasm with Chu Tiankuo standing in front of her.

“Tang Xia, you’re really being unreasonable!” Chu Tiankuo found Tang Xia’s words were getting vexatious. He pointed a finger at her vigorously and flung his sleeves angrily.

Tang Xia curled her lip and smiled instead of showing anger. She taunted, “If I’m unreasonable, why don’t you seek company with someone reasonable enough? Why are you wasting time here?”

“This is my harem and I can go anywhere as I wish. You just said it, didn’t you? Now you want to kick me out?”

Chu Tiankuo taunted back with Tang Xia’s own words, which made her silent. Then he sat opposite Tang Xia with a sneer.

The tension between them was growing, and none of them was willing to yield.

Tang Xia didn’t want to let the silence continue and racked her brains for an excuse.

“Your Majesty, someone is carrying your baby now. Shouldn’t you care about it more? If you continue to stay in my chamber, people will talk about your partiality again!”

Tang Xia was eager to send Chu Tiankuo away, and as she was thinking about Lengmei’s pregnancy all the time, the idea of sending him to see Lengmei just occurred to her naturally.

Chu Tiankuo was taken by surprise at her words, and the tension eased a lot.

“Is my queen falling in love with me?”

Chu Tiankuo gave a smile and eyed Tang Xia from head to feet. Tang Xia’s face gradually blushed from his eyesight.

He knew Tang Xia never felt about him in that way, but Tang Xia’s words left him much to think.

Her imposing manner in the quarrel just now was gone, and her eyes bulged, making her look clumsy and cute.

“So you were being jealous just now?” Chu Tiankuo asked as if he just realized the real cause and looked closely at every tiny change of Tang Xia’s expression.

Embarrassment suddenly arose between the two persons who were attacking each other just a few minutes ago.

Chu Tiankuo was waiting for Tang Xia’s reply. He tapped the table relaxedly with two fingers, and the sound of each tap amplified at Tang Xia’s ears and striking at her heart.

Tang Xia wasn’t in the mood to watch the bullet screens during the quarrel, and now as the silence continued, loads of bullet screen comments flashed in front of Tang Xia’s eyes.

“Thought it’d be a bloody thing between you and the emperor. Didn’t expect it to be lovey-dovey!”

“Single guy crying out loud.jpg”

“Hahaha, I knew something was going to happen between you two.”

“Bravo, Your Majesty!”

“Send like if you wish to see them together!”

And there were many more comments of “bravo” and “lol”. Tang Xia was deeply annoyed and turned off the bullet screen.

Those people really fed on misery!

Tang Xia was so annoyed that she ignored private messages from loads of viewers asking her to turn on the bullet screen.

She cast another eye at Chu Tiankuo, who was clearly amusing himself by waiting for Tang Xia’s reaction. Her mind was a complete mess.

Jealous?

This very word popped up in her head and would not disappear even after a tiny person she pictured in her mind kept smashing it.

“How can I be jealous?” said Tang Xia after a long pause, finally coming up with something to refute Chu Tiankuo.

Chu Tiankuo looked at her suspiciously, his eyebrows raised high, waiting to enjoy her embarrassment.

“Chu Tiankuo! You’re such a bully!” Tang Xia rushed over to push him as her embarrassment turned into anger, and Chu Tiankuo stood up in time to shun her pounce.

“Get out of here!” Tang Xia pushed him harder outward, “This is the queen’s chamber! Who allowed you to come inside?”

Chu Tiankuo kept laughing and resigned himself to being pushed outside by the bashful Tang Xia.

He replied in the process, “Ok, Ok, I’m leaving, but your face is flushing so badly!”

Tang Xia ignored his tease and kept pushing him with her hands.

After finally pushing Chu Tiankuo through the door, she took a step back, shut the door closed and leaned herself against the door.

She heard Chu Tiankuo laughing loudly and punched the door heavily, which only made Chu Tiankuo laugh even more loudly.

She didn’t know how long it took before it was finally quiet outside the door. She sat back beside the table and drank up the cold tea in the cup.

Lengmei, in her own chamber, learned about the news soon.

“His Majesty entered the queen’s chamber? Not a big deal!” She repeated the little maid’s words and expressed her contempt.

She fiddled with the fresh flowers in front of her with her delicately cared nails and was lost in thought.

After a short pause, she turned back her head and said to the little maid, “Order the kitchen to make a refreshing soup. I’ll take it to His Majesty tonight.”

The little maid observed her mistress’s face closely and heaved a sigh of relief after seeing she was composed and confident.

She bowed courteously and replied, “Yes, Your Grace!”