Therefore, the affairs of the previous court were also rather tangled. Moreover, the investigations concerning the Xu Family conducted by Prince Zhan and Lin Guifei at Taishan had essentially reached their conclusion. Every now and then, correspondence requesting recall would be sent back from them. The Emperor intended to delay until Lin Wanyi gave birth, but now it seemed somewhat difficult. Thus, tonight’s supper was the first time the two ate together since April. "Yes, let’s walk more; I might eat more later as well. Your Majesty, you don’t know, Chunqi made that lotus leaf chicken even better than at BaBao Building, you’ll love it." The Emperor raised an eyebrow and glanced at Lin Wanyi. He spoke with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "If this girl were to put the effort she spends on culinary exploration into taking care of you, she’d certainly be more attentive than Xia An." The Emperor had already noticed. Whenever he visited, Xia An was often the one attending. While Chunqi mostly stayed hidden in the small kitchen. Initially, he thought Chunqi was just accustomed to staying in the kitchen, only to later realize she had been Lin Wanyi’s personal maid from the start. The reason she stayed in the kitchen every day was to avoid saying anything wrong in front of him that might cause trouble for Lin Wanyi. He thus considered her to be a loyal girl. "She now is a favorite in the eyes of the Chief of the Imperial Kitchen." Indeed, her exquisite culinary skill is something to be envied; everyone wants to learn from her. The two stood up, with the Emperor supporting Lin Wanyi’s waist. Fearing any slight mishap. Actually, Lin Wanyi had long wanted to mention. The Emperor’s actions were unnecessarily cautious, but thinking of the Emperor’s fondness, her heart filled with sweetness. The calm before the storm is always marked by peace and stillness. Early the next morning, Lin Wanyi received news that the Empress Dowager’s carriage was near the palace gate. Everyone, including the Emperor, was waiting in front of Taiqing Palace. The ceremony to greet the Empress Dowager was held here, indicating how much importance the Emperor attached to this. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novel⚑fire.net Lin Wanyi did not arrive late, some people were already standing in small groups. Before coming, she ate and drank a bowl of fetus-preserving medicine. Thus, she was in good spirits. The noble concubine’s court attire was rather loose, thus if both hands were crossed in front of the stomach, not much was noticeable. Yet those in pregnancy have certain differences. Fortunately, Princess Consort Yi and Princess Consort Ying had not arrived yet, so her appearance didn’t seem odd to anyone. She merely showed extra concern for the Second Princess. After all, her fate had been fraught with difficulties, having been ill since childhood. Lin Wanyi explained one by one, and everyone was reassured. The Princes and Princesses stood separately from the concubines. When the Second Prince arrived with the Second Princess, Lin Wanyi saw them at once. Now they were nearly seven and one year old respectively. They looked vastly different from the time Lin Wanyi first saw them last year. Back then, the Second Prince was gloomy and indifferent. Now he had been studying for over a month; although still incomparable to the Third Prince who had studied for years. The improvement over last year’s "blind eye" was notable. Yesterday, the Emperor even mentioned his studies were praised. Hence, the Second Prince seemed more confident. The Second Princess, now nine months old, had become increasingly adorable. Entirely crafted under Lin Wanyi’s guidance for Nanny Ji and others. Thus, in both color and fabric, everything was exceedingly comfortable. Enhancing her pink and sprightly appearance. While the Ming Ruo Princess beside wore a long-tailed gown embroidered with red and gold peony patterns, rich as it was, it seemed old-fashioned. A child of about five, forced to appear over ten years older. She increasingly resembled Lin Guifei. Lin Wanyi, however, had a poor impression of her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, thus found Ming Ruo Princess not very appealing. Just as she was about to look away, she saw Princess Consort Yi and Princess Consort Ying approaching. There was a repressed yet palpable tension between them. Lin Wanyi had heard the Emperor speak of the external love-hate affairs these days, hence she understood their household matters quite well. Their simultaneous arrival was somewhat peculiar. Princess Consort Yi was concerned about how the ceremony for the Empress Dowager’s return was conducted, paying much attention to her surroundings. On the contrary, Princess Consort Ying immediately noticed Lin Wanyi, her skeptical gaze fixed upon Lin Wanyi’s abdomen. Lin Wanyi was not foolish, and returned Princess Consort Ying’s gaze without any concealment. If it’s fortune, it’s not disaster; if it’s disaster, you can’t escape. If indeed her pregnancy were revealed at this moment, she would not succumb. Princess Consort Ying seemed to have understood quite a bit seeing Lin Wanyi behaved. Clearly a person of wit, adept at concealment. Her recent attention had been on her maternal family, thus missing it. Observing Lin Wanyi , she estimated she was around three months pregnant. Hence intended to speak up and start trouble. Unexpectedly, the Emperor arrived. "His Majesty Arrives." "Long Live the Emperor, Long Live, Long, Long Live." Everyone respectfully bowed to the Emperor, including Lin Wanyi. With her current abdomen, it was slightly cramped to squat but not a major trouble. She soon heard the Emperor’s calm reply. "Thank You, Your Majesty." After that, everyone hurried to stand in their positions. With the Emperor in the front and Princess Consort Yi beside, Princess Consort Ying’s intention to cause trouble naturally subsided. Lin Wanyi steadily stared into the distance, quite poised. A mother’s strength is unparalleled, as she increasingly realized these days. So even if in the future she’ll face storms, she won’t be afraid. She would strive with all her might to protect all four children. Thinking of this, she glanced towards the Second Prince and Second Princess’s location, her lips slightly upturned. Evidently, the Second Prince noticed. Feeling Lin Wanyi’s resolve, the Second Prince returned a reassuring gaze. As the Empress Dowager’s carriage slowly approached Taiqing Palace, everyone stood upright. Not daring any degree of transgression. This was the most powerful woman in the Da Wei Dynasty, even Empress Xu had to show exceptional regard upon seeing the Empress Dowager. Unlike these women constantly scheming within the harem, the Empress Dowager had protected the young Emperor for over ten years. Tasked with stabilizing the previous dynasty and educating the Emperor. In all aspects, she was outstanding. Thus, Lin Wanyi held great anticipation for the Empress Dowager. "The Empress Dowager Arrives." The somewhat aged eunuch accompanying the carriage announced loudly. Except for the Emperor, everyone once again respectfully knelt down. Although Lin Wanyi was pregnant, her kneeling was impeccably proper. Only the bow was not quite sufficient. In Princess Consort Ying’s eyes, this further confirmed her suspicions, causing a bout of discontent.