Chapter 1 — The palace was happy, the Emperor went crazy.

1A cup of poisoned wine was given to my father for no reason. A light divine decree made me fall straight from the clouds into this mud puddle. Those days in the cold palace were hard to bear. The summer is as hot as a steamer, and there are so many mosquitoes that it seems like they want to carry people away. In winter, the torn window paper cannot block the cold wind, chilling to the bone. What about food? Leftovers of spoiled rice and soup are a common occurrence, and it is God's mercy that can fill the stomach. Close maid Thuy Vi followed me to suffer. She was so thin that she was only skin and bones, yet she always gave me the rare things she could swallow. "Master, you should eat a little more, your body is important." Thuy Vi held a bowl of porridge so thin that she could see the silhouette of a person, her red eyes looking at me. I pushed the bowl away, my stomach churning violently. This feeling… has lasted for several days. At first I thought it was because I was hungry, or because I accidentally ate something unclean. But this morning, that feeling of nausea arose again. I leaned against the cold wall and vomited for a long time, finally only being able to vomit a few mouthfuls of sour water. Thuy Vi gasped in panic, "Master, what's wrong? Don't scare me." I gently waved my hand, signaling her not to make a big deal out of it. The cold palace is a place like this, just a little movement is enough to attract the wolf to call the wolf. I leaned my back against the wall and sat down. The cold air from the ground penetrated through the thin layer of clothing, penetrating straight into the skin. My heart suddenly jumped. A thought that was both wild and scary, without warning, rushed straight into my mind. Calculate the dates. The night before being beaten into the cold palace, Tham Nghien did indeed come to my palace. He smelled strongly of alcohol, his eyes were complicated and unpredictable. That night, he took it almost violently, more like a punishment than a grace, as well as a cold declaration. Then he waved his sleeves and left, never looking back again. Immediately after that, the house was searched, the concubine removed, and sent to the cold palace. Could it be... I couldn't control my hand, it was slowly and terrifyingly placed on my normally flat lower abdomen. Impossible Absolutely impossible. The cold palace is a place with heavy negative energy, not enough warm clothes, and lack of food and drink. Many women who were brought here soon withered and withered. No matter how good our body is, it cannot withstand such torment. How is it possible to be pregnant with a dragon? But the body's feelings cannot deceive people. But the feeling of the body cannot deceive people. Fatigue, drowsiness, and this horrible feeling of nausea, which is getting stronger day by day. Fear is like icy vines that, in an instant, tightly grip our hearts. If this news spreads out, what will be the consequences? Does Tham Nghien believe it? He just thought that I was lying to find a way to reverse the situation, which was an even greater humiliation. As for the concubines who are lurking like hungry tigers, especially Concubine To Chi Yen who is in a position of power, how will they deal with me? I'm afraid this cold palace will immediately turn into a place to bury my corpse. Cold sweat slid down my temples. "Thuy Vi," my voice was hoarse, trembling to the point that it was difficult to hide, "you sneak out for a while, find a way to... bring back some sour food. The more sour the better." Thuy Vi was stunned for a moment, then her eyes suddenly opened wide, staring at my stomach in disbelief. The girl, who was clever, immediately understood the hidden meaning of my words. "Master, you are talking about... you..." She was both scared and happy, scared and confused, and couldn't even complete the sentence. "Shut up!" I interrupted in a stern voice, glancing warily at the tattered door outside. "Remember, keep an eye on your mouth. Not even a single word can leak out. Hurry!" Thuy Vi's face had no tears left, continuously. nodded, looking like one

The rabbit was scared, then quickly slipped out. I'm the only one left in the palace. I leaned my back against the cold wall, the cold air coming from all around, almost freezing my whole body. The hand unconsciously covered the lower abdomen. It seemed like something was really different there, no longer just a simple feeling of hunger, thirst and emptiness. A weak ray of warmth, even I didn't dare admit it, and a huge fear entwined tightly together, almost tearing my mind apart. This child... is it a blessing, or a curse? Thuy Vi quickly returned, her small face red from rushing, her arms clutching a small cloth bag. She cautiously looked around left and right, then cautiously opened it. Inside were a few stiff green apricots, along with a handful of dried and wrinkled medlars. "Master, slave... the slave asked to be at the waste disposal area of the imperial room, from a young servant he knew. He said... originally intended to throw it away, it was no longer fresh..." Thuy Vi's voice trembled, carrying sobs, full of guilt. "It's okay, that's enough." I picked up an apricot. The sour smell rushed straight into my nose, the churning feeling in my stomach miraculously calmed down a bit. I took a small bite. The harsh sour taste made my whole face wrinkle, but the nausea was really suppressed. Thuy Vi looked at me nervously, "Master, are you feeling better?" I nodded. The sour taste makes me speechless, but the heavy rock in my heart seems to have moved a little. Body sensations cannot deceive people. That almost confirmed that wildest conjecture. In the following days, Thuy Vi and I lived in the cold palace like shadows, becoming more and more careful with each step. Try to endure the nausea. If you really can't stand it, go to the most hidden corner to solve it. The sour fruits became my lifeline. Thuy Vi thought of every possible way, only occasionally earning a little. Our bodies begin to change. The lower abdomen is still flat, but the waist seems to be a bit fuller, and the chest is also often tight. The scariest thing is that we start to become especially sleepy and our spirit clearly declines. In the cold palace, that was almost a fatal signal. That afternoon, sleepiness came and was unbearable. I leaned against the cold earthen bed and fell asleep in a daze. I don't know how long I slept when an unusual noise suddenly woke me up. It was not the familiar shouting of the eunuch, nor the pitiful crying of the other abandoned concubines. That sound... like a lot of people running, calling to each other, brought with it a feeling of... panic and loss of control. The cold palace was originally a place where the water did not ripple, and even the slightest disturbance was rare. So where does this big movement... come from? My heart suddenly jumped, an unexplained feeling of insecurity immediately gripped me. Thuy Vi also woke up, panicked and grabbed my arm. The noise grew closer and closer, seemingly heading straight towards this most remote palace of ours. With a bang, the old palace door was pushed open by a strong force. The rotten door shaft emitted a shrill groan. The harsh daylight rushed in, making me unable to open my eyes for a moment. Right in front of the door, backlit, was a tall figure standing tall. He was wearing a dark yellow dragon robe, but that dragon robe was stained with dust and dry grass, wrinkled and out of shape. The front hem of the shirt still had suspicious stains on it. His hair was messy, his golden crown tilted to one side. This appearance... is Tham Nghien? My heart was momentarily suspended in my throat. What did he come here for? Finally

Remember me, the one with the name of concubine, to give me a death? Or did Concubine To Chi Yen blow more wind on his pillow, making him think that my death was still too slow? Fear makes people's hearts freeze. I instinctively covered my lower abdomen, blocking the child behind me, my whole body tensed up like a bowstring pulled to its maximum. However, his next action made Thuy Vi and I completely petrified on the spot. ………………………….