Early spring, within the imperial palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty, in the Eternal Spring Palace—

The hour of the Rabbit(5-7a.m.) has passed, and the sky is now brightly lit. The consorts and concubines have been seated for nearly an hour. The tea in front of them has been changed three times and has completely cooled. However, the Empress Consort at the head of the assembly refuses to dismiss everyone. This is becoming quite unbearable.

The young consorts suppress their grievances and gaze at the first chair next to the empress consort—no need to say more, it naturally belongs to the Noble Consort.

And today, the Noble Consort is still nowhere to be seen, no wonder the Empress Consort's face looks so unpleasant. She even directly dismissed them without summoning. Before she was pregnant, although the Noble Consort was arrogant and domineering, she had to adhere to the palace rules and could not skip her daily duties and responsibilities. Now that the Consort is pregnant, in the late stage of pregnancy, and with the imperial heir about to be born, she feels more confident. Lately, using the excuse of physical discomfort, she rarely attends events, even on the first and fifteenth days of the month. If she does come, it's usually when the others are about to leave. She hurriedly salutes the Empress Consort as if paying her respects, appearing quite arrogant. If the roles were reversed, and they were empresses, they certainly wouldn't tolerate such behavior.

Of course, what irritates people the most is the brazen actions of the Noble Consort. The Emperor, however, seems to turn a blind eye, allowing her to act without restraint. How can others not be jealous in such a situation?

Setting aside all of the aforementioned, what the young concubines regret the most at this moment is that they shouldn't have drunk so much tea. Today, with the spring chill in the air, sitting there has left them with cold hands and feet. Thinking that drinking more tea would warm them up, who would have expected it to turn out like this?

They want to leave, but they can't. They want to use the restroom, but with so many people watching, saying it out loud is inappropriate. They can only endure in silence, and soon, their entire bodies can't help but break into a sweat.

As for some of the older and especially higher-ranking consorts, they are the most adept at observing words and expressions. Sensing that something is amiss, they didn't dare to eat and drink too much. Now, it seems like a wise decision.

After all, the Empress is the Empress, and no one dares to blame her. Everyone just feels that the Noble Consort went too far. At the moment when everyone was lamenting, finally! A familiar sound came from outside Eternal Spring Palace, followed by the greetings of palace maids and eunuchs, greetings "Noble Consort Rong is here", "Noble Consort Rong, may you be auspicious." "Sisters, I sincerely apologize. I didn't feel well today, overslept a bit. Please don't blame me."

The heavy door curtain lifted and dropped, ushering in a cool breeze. With the wind, a young woman in her twenties, radiantly beautiful, was assisted by her attendants as she slowly entered the room. Her abdomen showed a prominent swell, and her palace dress featured an elaborate embroidery of entwined lotus flowers. Perhaps to ward off the chill, the fabric around her belly had been intentionally made thicker. Against the backdrop of the pure white rabbit fur trim, it gave her an endearing and rounded appearance.

Of course, only the woman herself found it adorable. The other consorts, especially the empress who had been without children until now, found her particularly conspicuous. Perhaps due to the late stage of pregnancy, the woman's waist was no longer slender, but she seemed unconcerned about it. Combined with her innate physique, whether it was her hands, face, or neck, they remained as delicate and jade-like as in the past, showing no signs of swelling. Even in the midst of envy, the consorts had to admit that the noble consort was indeed exceptionally beautiful. Throughout the entire palace, even the newly selected beauties of this year couldn't compare to her. However, her temperament was truly not praiseworthy.

Even though Noble Consort Rong apologized with words, her expression didn't show any genuine remorse. The Empress endured for a moment and said, "Noble Consort Rong, how many times have you been late this month? Have you forgotten the rules set by our ancestors? While I understand the challenges of your pregnancy, you must not neglect your duties as a consort." Compared to the Empress, even if she is the Noble Consort, she is ultimately just a concubine. Noble Consort Rong still thinks that she should be the Empress after the previous Empress Yuan passed away. She believes that the current Empress schemed to take the position. Additionally, there's ongoing tension between their families in the Court, and the Empress continues to create difficulties for her in the palace.

With past grievances and ongoing resentments, pretending to be cordial doesn't seem worthwhile. Noble Consort Rong, who can't stand injustices, quickly argues, "As per our ancestral rules, the priority is on having offspring. If my memory serves me right, during the time of Empress Deming, it was only necessary to pay respects at Weiyang Palace on the first and fifteenth of each month. Pregnant consorts after the seventh month were exempted."

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Empress Deming, the late empress, is indirectly portrayed as more lenient compared to the current empress. Noble Consort Rong, not one to back down, retaliates when the empress touches a nerve. The heated verbal exchange between them makes other consorts nervous. Noble Consort Rong's long-standing presence in the palace is attributed to her prestigious background, as her bold demeanor wouldn't be tolerated otherwise.

"Empress, I'm feeling tired. Since I've already greeted you today, I'll head back now." Ever since she got pregnant, Noble Consort Rong has been dealing with a lot of discomfort. Even though she manages to hide it well, her private struggles are quite intense. Her emotions towards the unborn child are mixed – she feels both love and frustration, and the latter tends to dominate when the discomfort hits. These conflicting feelings challenge the conventional idea that mothers should naturally love their children, even for someone as indulgent as Noble Consort Rong.

Noble Consort Rong had never considered herself so repulsive. She even began to question her own character, wondering if it was as flawed as others claimed. Under this daily torment, her temper naturally grew more volatile. Coupled with the occasional provocations and reprimands from the Empress, it would be strange if Noble Consort Rong's mood remained good. Without waiting for the Empress's reaction, Noble Consort Rong made a perfunctory salute, and without waiting for the Empress's permission, she left as if carried by the wind. In an instant, the entire Eternal Spring Palace fell into a deathly silence.

On the other side, in the Eastern Palace—

With the imminent birth of the new imperial prince in the palace, the Crown Prince found himself inexplicably restless. At the age of fifteen, the Crown Prince was already sensitive, and with the early demise of the Empress, he lacked a mother's support, leaving him with no place to vent his bitterness. Although the Emperor treated him exceptionally well, being the emperor, he couldn't attend to every detail. This wasn't the first time the Crown Prince was welcoming a younger brother. Before Noble Consort Rong, he already had five younger brothers, and he hadn't thought much of it before. In the royal family, having more sons ensured stability and a smooth succession. However, this time, the Crown Prince knew it was different.

Noble Consort Rong's powerful background, combined with the military might of her father, Duke Wei Guang, and her unborn son being the grandson, made the Crown Prince anxious. Learning that Noble Consort Rong was expecting a boy added to his worry.

The Crown Prince's tutor, usually strict, acknowledged the sensitive situation and suggested action. The Crown Prince, young and sheltered, struggled with the tutor's proposal, feeling unable to cross moral boundaries. He couldn't fathom harming innocent lives, especially an unborn child. The tutor, saddened by the situation, wondered if it would have come to this had Empress Deming still been alive.

In a tough situation, the tutor sighed, realizing it was unavoidable. After a moment, the Crown Prince comforted the tutor, suggesting that Duke Wei Guang and his brothers might not have a smooth journey.

The Crown Prince hinted at an uncertain fate for Duke Wei Guang and his brothers due to their ambitious actions. He believed that their unchecked behavior could lead to trouble, and even Emperor Jingwen might not tolerate it for long.

As they talked about the unsure future of Duke Wei Guang and his brothers, both the Crown Prince and his tutor found some relief, thinking that recent actions by the emperor in the court hinted at trouble for Duke Wei Guang. Meanwhile, in the Hall of Brightness...

Due to the serious atmosphere, the eunuchs kept quiet. The man at the jade table was Emperor Jingwen, 33 years old and in his prime. His imposing presence, dressed in a black dragon robe, added an air of regality, made it hard for anyone to meet his eyes.

And at this moment, Emperor Jingwen furrowed his brow, as if facing a difficult problem. He couldn't believe that, despite instructing the imperial physicians to add infertility medicine to Consort Rong's health tonic, making it impossible for her to conceive, they had dared to deceive him!

The emperor's mood was at its worst. Seeing that August had passed, and Consort Rong's unborn child was about to mature, Emperor Jingwen was at a loss. If he were to kill... after all, it was his own son, and the emperor couldn't bear to harm him. But if he were to let it be, Consort Rou giving birth to an imperial son would undoubtedly boost the influence of the Duke Wei Guang, potentially leading to internal conflicts and power struggles.

It was truly headache-inducing. Well, there were still two months. Let's see what fate has in store for that child.

On the other side, in modern society— Shortly after bidding farewell to Old Mr. Gu, Gu Shao calmly accepted the imminent reality of his own fate. He even felt somewhat fortunate that it took almost half a year to discover Old Mr. Gu's passing. Otherwise, his father would have been worried sick about dying.

Gu Shao understood that the chances of curing the illness ultimately depended on fate. Some people recovered without any apparent reason, while others struggled with all their might and still couldn't escape death. Indeed, the end of science seemed to lead to metaphysics. It was pitiful that he and his father had worked so hard for many years, only to end up with nothing in the end.

In his final moments, realizing there was no hope, Gu Shao went completely mad and rushed to do everything he wanted to do. Eventually, as the pain became unbearable and he couldn't move, he lay on the hospital bed and quickly signed his will. Even in death, he wouldn't let others benefit from his wealth. Gu Shao hadn't lived in vain. When the people who came to see him off filled the entire ward, even though he had no wife or children, his departure was lively. In the end, even hospital staff, including doctors and nurses, joined the crowd. However, they couldn't retain him. In his dying moments, Gu Shao had only one thought—damn, fame, wealth, and power are all external things, useless in life and death. If given another chance, he would...Damn, he'd play even harder and more ruthlessly than in this lifetime! Truly, he hadn't had enough of life...

Since the time with Old Mr. Gu, the secretary had been by his side, and after Old Mr. Gu fell ill, he continued to stay with Young Mr. Gu. It's been nearly twenty years now. Both father and son had always treated him very well. Now that both are gone, the secretary couldn't help but feel the sadness of losing loved ones.

Originally, the secretary was contemplating what to do if the shareholders tried to seize control again, until the arrival of the lawyer made him realize that Young Mr. Gu had already arranged everything.

This time, the secretary truly witnessed the full picture of Young Mr. Gu's capabilities, leaving everyone in awe.

In addition to inheriting Old Mr. Gu's company, Young Mr. Gu had a multitude of shares and equity under his name, not to mention numerous prestigious awards and articles, all bearing his name.

Surprisingly, Young Mr. Gu had even contributed to some foreign laboratories, and when the value of his assets was translated into money, it was considered beyond estimation. Despite his youthful demise, many, including the lawyer, felt regret and sadness.

Young Mr. Gu, who had no family, no spouse or lover, and no worldly attachments, generously distributed all his wealth and research findings among those close to him.

"Secretary Xun, you have a share too." The secretary, taken aback, never thought he would be included. It seemed that Young Mr. Gu had thought about everyone around him. Each person not only received a sum of money but also a few words of farewell.

For some unknown reason, the secretary suddenly felt a shiver. Upon opening the paper in front of him, it straightforwardly expressed, "Thank you for your care. Today we part ways, and in the future, I hope you all take good care."

At the same time, in the final stages of pregnancy, after nine months, Consort Rong suddenly experienced a sharp pain in her abdomen.