“I naturally know this, but I fear that after this defeat, Imperial Father will no longer trust us and instead…” Li Yuanji did not continue, but Li Jiancheng understood his meaning perfectly. In fact, this was also his concern, though for now they could only take things one step at a time.

The two separated outside the Taiji Palace and returned to their respective residences. For the next three days, Li Jiancheng would be confined to the Eastern Palace, unable to leave even a single step.

Upon entering the Eastern Palace, he saw Zheng Shi with their children standing in the courtyard. Seeing Li Jiancheng, she curtsied in greeting, then asked with concern, “Did Imperial Father punish Your Highness?”

Li Jiancheng removed his cloak and said indifferently, “Imperial Father is magnanimous and did not punish me severely – only confining me for three days and docking my salary for three years.”

Hearing this, Zheng Shi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. What she feared most was anything that might shake Li Jiancheng’s position as Crown Prince. From the looks of it now, she had worried unnecessarily.

“Chengdao, didn’t you say you missed your father very much? Why aren’t you calling him now?” At Zheng Shi’s urging, the two-year-old Li Chengdao beside her timidly called out, “Father.”

“Good.” Li Jiancheng merely patted his head and nothing more, though he did pick up and hold little Ying’er, who could not yet walk.

Zheng Shi said gently, “Your Highness has traveled far and worked hard. I have already ordered wine and food prepared in Yiqiu Palace to welcome Your Highness home.”

Li Jiancheng handed Ying’er to the wet nurse and said coldly, “I’m very tired and want to rest. Let’s skip this welcome ceremony.”

Zheng Shi reluctantly agreed. When she wanted to say more, Li Jiancheng had already left with his guards. She could only curtsy respectfully to see him off. After Li Jiancheng’s group had gone far, she called over the eunuch Zhuo Shan from behind her and said in a low voice, “Go see whether His Highness returned to Chongren Hall or went to Changchun Pavilion.”

Zhuo Shan left as instructed. After a while, he returned to Yiqiu Palace and bowed to Zheng Shi, who sat before a table full of delicacies, “Reporting to Your Highness the Crown Princess, His Highness… he… he…”

Seeing him hesitate, Zheng Shi said coldly, “Did he go to Changchun Pavilion?”

Seeing that Zheng Shi had guessed, Zhuo Shan could only say helplessly, “Yes, His Highness went to Changchun Pavilion!”

These words were like a sharp knife that cruelly cut another wound in Zheng Shi’s already battered heart, causing her unbearable pain that she could neither touch nor reach, only clench her hands tightly and struggle to suppress the hatred in her heart.

Seeing her like this, Liu Ye said worriedly, “Miss, His Highness…”

“I’m fine.” Zheng Shi coldly interrupted her words, then said, “Serve the meal!”

“But His Highness…” Before Liu Ye could continue, Zheng Shi had already glanced at her, “What, I can’t eat just because His Highness doesn’t come?”

“I wouldn’t dare!” Saying this, Liu Ye dared not say more. She ladled rice as full as pearls before Zheng Shi and flatteringly picked up a piece of asparagus for the gold-decorated bowl, “Today’s asparagus is especially tender, almost melting with one bite. Please try it, Miss. If you like it, I’ll have the kitchen make more tonight.”

Zheng Shi picked up her bowl and chopsticks without a word, stuffing rice into her mouth in large mouthfuls. Whatever Liu Ye put in the bowl, she ate without pause, swallowing after barely chewing. This wasn’t eating – it was simply pouring food into her stomach. Liu Ye couldn’t bear to watch and forcibly held down the bowl and chopsticks, “Miss, eating like this will harm your stomach. Please don’t eat anymore.”

Zheng Shi said expressionlessly, “Whether it harms me or not, what does it matter? His Highness wouldn’t spare me a glance anyway. Let go.”

“Miss!” How could Liu Ye let go? She held on tightly, “I know you’re heartbroken, but you can’t torture yourself like this. His Highness is just temporarily bewitched and will understand sooner or later…”

“Understand what?” Zheng Shi said sarcastically, “Understand that I’m his principal wife, or understand my suffering all these years?” Before Liu Ye could speak, she shook her head, “No, probably even when I die, I won’t live to see the day he understands.”

“That won’t happen…” Before Liu Ye could continue, Zheng Shi was already shedding tears, “Enough, don’t comfort me anymore. No matter how I try to please him or compromise myself, in his eyes it’s all worthless. Jirong is the one in his heart.”

Zhuo Shan consoled, “No matter how favored Consort Ji is, she’s only a side consort. Even if she devoted her entire life, she could never surpass Your Ladyship.”

“Not necessarily!” After coldly uttering these two words, Zheng Shi broke free from Liu Ye’s hands and ate the rice mixed with tears in the bowl, mouthful by mouthful.

As the rice gradually disappeared, her affection for Li Jiancheng was also slowly disappearing…

Li Jiancheng was unaware of Zheng Shi’s thoughts, but… even if he knew, he wouldn’t care. Zheng Shi was the Crown Princess, but that was all!

Upon arriving at Changchun Pavilion, Jirong did not come to greet him but sat lost in thought in her chair. Only when Li Yu discreetly reminded her did she notice Li Jiancheng and quickly started to rise to greet him, but Li Jiancheng pressed her shoulders first, saying gently, “You’re with child, please remain seated.”

Hearing this, Jirong’s eyes reddened and her expression became sorrowful. Seeing this, Li Jiancheng bent down to caress her abdomen and asked tenderly, “What’s wrong? Is the child being troublesome, making your pregnancy difficult?”

Jirong choked back tears, “If it were for the child, no matter how difficult, I could endure it.”

Li Jiancheng sensed something was wrong and frowned, “What do you mean by that?”

Jirong bit her lip lightly and, ignoring Li Jiancheng’s intention, forced herself to stand up, then knelt on the ground, choking out, “Please, Your Highness, give me justice!”

Li Jiancheng said in surprise, “Why perform such a grand ceremony for no reason? Quickly get up, lest you harm the child.”

To his words, Jirong wept silently without response. Li Yu, who had knelt down with her, spoke for her, “Reporting to Your Highness, Her Ladyship… she… she is not pregnant!”

“What?” Li Jiancheng’s expression changed in shock. When he left the capital, the imperial physician had clearly diagnosed and confirmed with certainty that Jirong was pregnant. How could it suddenly be said she wasn’t pregnant after his return?

Li Jiancheng’s eyes gradually became shrouded in gloom as he said in a deep voice, “You deceived me?”

Jirong looked up, her flower-like beautiful face already covered with tears, like a pear blossom in the rain, touching and pitiful, “If I had intended to deceive, why would I expose the deception today and tell Your Highness? Wouldn’t it be better to continue the lie?”

Li Jiancheng looked at her thoughtfully. Indeed, if Jirong had intended to deceive him and gain favor through pregnancy, she wouldn’t have voluntarily revealed everything today, putting herself in a difficult position. Even if she had lied until the tenth month, she could have taken a child from outside the palace and claimed she had given birth to it.

“If you didn’t deceive me, why did you sometimes say you had a child and sometimes say you weren’t pregnant?” Faced with Li Jiancheng’s words, Jirong’s delicate body trembled and pain showed on her face, “Because someone also deceived me.”