Deng Hui and Ju Fen had tea together in the evening.

  "Sister Hui, I had never thought the other way. Today when the Crown Princess blurted out about my son, somewhere I felt guilty. I was the one who supported him and never once corrected him! Prince Yongzheng did not think once about his mother and wife. The shame we are carrying for his sins," Ju Fen turned sad after recalling the incident.

  "The Ministers had put the pressure on the Emperor to send you two to the Cold Palace. If the Crown Prince had not supported you two, then it might have been a problem," Deng Hui explained to Ju Fen.

  "Yes. For that, I am grateful to the Crown Prince. Sister Hui, I once wanted ill of the Crown Prince. I used to get happy when the previous Empress made the plans to harm Sheng Li. I, somewhere, wanted him to be dead so that it would clear the path of my son. I never accepted this truth, but in front of you, I am accepting it. I was the one, who instigated the same feelings in my son towards Sheng Li.

  Sheng Li could have punished me along with Yongzheng. But he showed kindness to me. I remember the remark that I have made against him– that he is cruel by heart. However, he showed the utmost kindness towards me and Bai Yaling.

  Yongzheng created many problems for him when they were kids and I always encouraged my son for it. I had no idea that when he would grow up, he would try to poison his father and my husband. I am surely guilty of all his acts. The Crown Princess is absolutely right. I should think about Bai Yaling, who got betrayed. My son used to abuse her. She did not even tell me this. The Crown Princess was right! Who would like to follow the path of widow chastity for such a husband," Deng Hui blurted out everything that was in her mind. The teachings she gave to her son were somewhere that shaped him into a monster.

  Deng Hui recalled her time when she also tried to do the same. She was glad that the Crown Prince saved her when she did not deserve to be saved. However, she had fallen in her son's eyes.

  "Sister Hui, what's done cannot be corrected but what's ahead can be improved. Let's see all the Princes as our sons. We all kept this feeling of jealousy in our hearts. Sheng Li's mother was such a kind woman. Does sister Hui remember the time when Sheng Li's mother refused to be the Empress? She had no greed for the throne. Because of her kindness and generosity, the Ministers were adamant about making her the Empress.

  Now, I feel how much pain she had undergone while bearing Sheng Li. She was poisoned by the former Prime Minister, whom she saved once. We all got blind in front of power and the result was nothing. We only lost things close to us," Deng Hui stated and started to cry. Ju Fen also started to weep to recall all those things.

  "Sheng Li's mother lost her life all because of this political greed of us. He is such a great person that he kept us alive else we also deserved punishment along with the Former Empress," Ju Fen proclaimed as she sobbed. The tea in front of them got cold as they both cried for their respective crimes. The only difference was that Deng Hui's crimes were not known to everyone that's why she was not punished. However, she was getting punished by her soul, her son, and the Crown Prince too.

  ~~~~

  Sheng Li brought Ying Lili to their private residence. Both were in the palanquin when Ying Lili asked him, "Have you prepared a surprise for me?"

  "No. I want you to enjoy your night with me. Lately, you have been under a lot of stress, and it worries me. The Private Residence is a place where we both can have our minds off the Imperial Palace activities," Sheng Li explained to Ying Lili.

  "We could have come on Kongqi," Ying Lili opined.

  "You indeed do not know how to take care of yourself, Lili. You have a life inside you. Since it's the initial month, so you need to be extremely careful. You cannot jump around all the time," Sheng Li asserted.

  "When did I jump around?" Ying Lili asked as she furrowed her brows together.

  "Every day you do that," Sheng Li replied. "Get a hold on your feet for a few months," he stated.

  "You are scolding me," Ying Lili said.

  "I did not scold you," Sheng Li replied and chuckled. "You are having strange mood swings," he said.

  "Are you getting annoyed?" She asked him.

  "No. Why would I get annoyed? Instead, I want to kiss you," Sheng Li said. It brought a smile to her lips. She leaned forward to him and closed her eyes.

  Sheng Li leaned forward and kissed her lips. They both smiled and withdrew. Ying Lili pushed the curtain away and looked outside. "The weather is so pleasant. Our child will be born in the summer time… probably in the year of Dragon. I am eagerly waiting for our child," Ying Lili said and tilted her head to gaze at Sheng Li.

  Court Lady Ki was smiling as their conversation was loud enough to hear.

  "Look at the cloud. It is looking like a horse," Ying Lili said and pointed towards the sky. Sheng Li gazed up and hummed.

  He grabbed her hand and pushed the curtain on the wooden window of the palanquin.

  "What happened?" She asked.

  Sheng Li put his hand on her nape and pulled her for a kiss, astonishing Ying Lili. She put her hands on his shoulders, tapping on them to stop him. But he did not. Ying Lili did not know the reason for this sudden behavior of Sheng Li.

  "Kiss me back, Lili," He urged as he gave her enough time to breathe before pressing his lips again on hers.