The next morning, Gongsun Li woke up. Her every living cell fueled with anger as she remembered the incident of the previous night. It would be a lie if she said she didn't enjoy at all. She did! And that's the main reason why she was fuming crazy.

She felt she lost her self respect, her eyes burnt with angry tears. An innocent man was suffering for her fault and what was she doing? Writhing in pleasure underneath the man who was being cruel for no reason?!

She balled her fists and got up in a seating position, immediately wincing because of the soreness in her lady parts. She looked around to find her torturer but he was nowhere. It was good that he was not, Gongsun Li could bet she would burst into tears if he appeared before her now.

After taking a long shower to calm her anger down, Gongsun Li dressed up and went out to search for Xian xu. Maybe he could tell her if Huang Xiaomin is released yet.

"Madam" Xiao Hua called her. Gongsun Li's face flushed in embarrassment as she remembered about last night. All her maids might have heard the lewd noises that the bastard emperor forced her to make.

God! She wanted to die.

"Huangshang ordered nubi to take care of you once you woke up. Why didn't miss summoned nubi for help?" Xiao Hua said with crying voice as if Gongsun Li offended her by not calling for help.

"No problem. I managed myself. Now go and find Xian Xu and tell him to meet me and keep in mind that Huangshang doesn't notice you while you do that."

"Okay." Xiao Hua grinned, happy that she finally got to help her miss and went to find Xian Xu.

Gongsun Li was already feeling weak from the moment she woke up. Now, her legs didn't seem like they could carry her weight for long. After ordering Xiao Hua, she returned back to her palace and laid down on her bed.

That bastard husband of hers! All of it was happening because of him. He might have worked her body too much last night that it feels so weak right now.

Settling the pillow under her head, she decided to take a nap, maybe she will feel better after a nap.

"Miss, you didn't have breakfast." Jade, one of her maids softly called her out beside her bed.

"I don't feel good now, maybe I'll have them once I wake up."

Jade's face flashed with worry,

"Miss doesn't feel good? Should I call daifu (a royal physician)?"

"Don't need." Gongsun Li winced with her sudden rise of headache. "Let me sleep."

........

"Huangshang, you did right by ordering a decree for marriage between Song Jian and Li Lian." Master stated with a deep voice, his gaze shining with respect for his student.

"En. Minister Chen was already getting out of hands, he is one of the biggest supporter of the first prince. Now that his only daughter is married to Song Jian, he wouldn't dare to ruin his daughter's marriage by betraying Zhen."

"Of course. The first prince must be fuming with the loss of his biggest support."

"We can not be sure." The emperor went in deep thought as he leant again his throne. "Underestimating enemy is a fool's job. We should be more careful."

"Of course." Master nodded before bowing to the emperor with a closed fist.

"This servant devoted his life for huangshang. My loyalty and devotion lies at huangshang's feet."

"Master should not be formal with his student. Before an emperor, I was your student. Treat me as such."

Master smiled with gratefulness.

"But" Zhu Zhen's expression turned grim. "Master knows that I ordered to captivate your other student, right?"

Master's gaze turned stern as he nodded,

"If he dared to do something that offended huangshang, this servant won't complain. It's this servant's failure to make him worthy, please punish me too."

"Don't need. Zhen trusts your loyalty and goodwill. Zhen needs your support." The emperor smiled warmly.

"Master should take rest. Zhen will attend counsel now." Zhu Zhen hinted the master to leave the chamber and then called Xian Xu inside.

"Speak!" his angry voice boomed as soon as Xian Xu entered the chamber.

Xian Xu widened his eyes with shock.

"Zhen saw you talking with Li's maid." Zhu Zhen glared at him intensely, his aura cold showing no signs of gentleness and mercy.

Xian Xu hurriedly kneeled down and started kowtowing, his temple banging with the floor again and again.

"Xian Xu doesn't dare to offend huangshang. Xiao Hua told this servant that furen(madam) wanted to see this servant."

Although Zhu Zhen's expression didn't faze, he was actually surprised. His little wife seems to be getting braver day by day.

"Did you meet her?"

Xian Xu again got ready to kowtow, the bone in his forehead weeping for mercy.

"Nu(this servant) went to meet, but furen's maid said furen was sick. So nu didn't dare disturb furen."

Zhu Zhen frowned with worry at Xian Xu's words.

"Sick?" he swiftly stood up and walked towards Gongsun Li's palace before shouting,

"Summon the daifu!"

When he reached the palace, he entered Gongsun Li's chamber as fast he could. All the maids bowed before him,

"Peace and prosperity to huangshang!"

Zhu Zhen didn't bother to respond to them.

"What happened to her?" he asked, his gaze worriedly trailing over Gongsun Li's tired sleeping face. Beads of sweat accumulated on her forehead, and her brows were frowned as if she was in pain.

Zhu Zhen's heart started beating fiercely in his chest.

Was I too rough on her last night?

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ears, he lovingly kissed her forehead,

"It'll be alright, my love."

"Daifu is here!" One of the guards announced.

Old daifu Gu Qin entered the palace, quickly bowed before the emperor.

"Don't! Quickly check her."

Daifu sat beside the bed which was covered with a red curtain hiding Gongsun Li's figure from him. Zhu Zhen took her hands out of the curtain and put a lace on her pulse.

Daifu placed his fingers on her pulse through the lace and paid attention to her pulse, his expression focused and eyes shut.

Zhu Zhen on the other hand was pacing around with worry and fear.

After some time he stopped as he saw daifu open his eyes. His heart beating faster when daifu smiled widely at him,

"Congratulations huangshang. Furen has conceived."