Colin Gu smiled and glanced at Chloe Zhu.
No wonder she's called the most beautiful woman in the Blue Moon Kingdom—none of the palace ladies can compare to her.
Although she's just an ordinary person without a spiritual root, once she enters the palace... perhaps I should shower her with more favor.
First, I could enjoy the pleasure of her beauty.
Second... it would be useful to win over the Prime Minister, making it easier to conquer cities for me.
"A few days ago, I acquired a five-hundred-year-old snow ginseng—perfect for nourishing the body. I'll have someone bring it to you later, so you can take it home for your mother to recover!" Colin Gu added.
Chloe Zhu lifted her gaze and looked at Colin Gu.
He was smiling at her, his eyes gentle as water, utterly focused.
It was that look in his eyes that had fooled her for over twenty years.
Chloe Zhu gave him a slight smile, as if ice and snow melted and a lotus bloomed. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generous gift."
"Since she's the Empress's birth mother, she's also my mother. Naturally, I should show concern," Colin Gu said.
Wendy Zhu listened to their conversation, her smile fading slightly.
What's up with His Majesty today?
Why does he keep calling that sickly woman his mother-in-law?
That woman—how is she worthy of being the Emperor's mother-in-law?
Only her own mother should be the Emperor's mother-in-law!
Unfortunately... her mother's status has always been that of a concubine.
"Jingkang, don't you have a gift for the Empress Dowager?" Grace Wan said with a sweet smile.
"Yes!" Kevin Zhuo stepped forward, graceful and poised, and presented a crystal bone bracelet that glimmered with a faint blue light. "Empress Dowager, I personally hunted the Crystal Spirit Beast in Eastwood Forest for these bones. May you enjoy good health and boundless blessings!"
The Crystal Spirit Beast is a rare spirit beast found in Eastwood Forest.
Every part of it is precious—especially its bones, which nourish and strengthen the body and boost spiritual power. As jewelry, it's a rare spiritual treasure.
The Empress Dowager had it collected and nodded with a smile. "Good! You are thoughtful!"
Kevin Zhuo glanced at Princess Olivia Gu in the distance, smiled, and stepped back.
This year, the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet invited only the imperial family and royal relatives.
The Zhu family attended as the Empress's family.
Other officials' families from the court were not invited.
Still, Chloe Zhu worried she might run into Evan Xiao.
What if he showed up anyway?
Fortunately, once everyone arrived and the banquet began, he was nowhere to be seen.
Chloe Zhu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She glanced at Sierra, the maid standing behind Cindy Zhu.
Sierra looked a little pale, her eyes nervous.
But when she noticed Chloe Zhu watching her, Sierra subtly nodded.
There's a tradition in the Blue Moon Kingdom.
At an elder's birthday, if a family member or guest is found to be pregnant, it's considered a sign of new life and prosperity—a very good omen.
Many young wives choose to announce their pregnancies on an elder's birthday to seek good fortune.
The elder will give the pregnant woman a Blessing Pouch—a token of protection and prosperity.
So today is Sierra's only chance.
If she could get the Blessing Pouch from the Empress Dowager, Grace Wan wouldn't dare kill her.
Not long after the banquet started, Sierra suddenly fainted.
Even though Sierra was just a maid, the Empress Dowager was a kind, Buddhist woman.
She quickly summoned the imperial physician to see what was wrong.
Grace Wan, Cindy Zhu, and the others were quite puzzled as well.
The imperial physician checked Sierra's pulse and reported to the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty, she's pregnant. She probably fainted from standing too long and being overexerted."
"Pregnant?" Grace Wan blurted out, reflexively glancing at Kevin Zhuo.