Zheng Yi returned to the Capital City with Su Xi, and the two kept exchanging words in the carriage along the way.

Zheng Yi spoke of some interesting events within the Imperial Palace, along with a few jokes from his past life, causing Su Xi to giggle incessantly.

Under Zheng Yi's deliberate guidance, Su Xi also recounted some past events about her and her grandfather Tianxingzi.

According to Su Xi, she and her grandfather had been living in seclusion in a valley in Binzhou.

The valley was shrouded by an array, making it impossible for mortals to discover, and they spent several years there.

Along with them, there was a small village protected by Tianxingzi, which consisted of Tianxingzi's clan, providing Tianxingzi with some living resources.

This group of clan members respected and revered Tianxingzi greatly for keeping them away from the wars.

Su Xi was not actually Tianxingzi's biological granddaughter, but a girl from his clan.

Among the entire clan, only Su Xi possessed a Spirit Root, so Tianxingzi regarded her as his granddaughter.

The two were both teacher and student and grandfather and granddaughter, and Tianxingzi imparted all his knowledge to her.

Today, Su Xi had become a Qi Cultivation Third-layer Cultivator.

Just as they entered the Capital City, a eunuch hurriedly ran over. After a brief exchange with the guarding Imperial Guards, this eunuch managed to approach Zheng Yi's carriage.

"What is the matter?"

"Congratulations Your Majesty! Good tidings, Your Majesty! Both Consort Jie and Consort Yuu have successfully given birth, and both have borne you a prince!"

"What? Jie'er and Yu'er have both given birth?"

"Return to the palace immediately!"

He had been prepared for the birth of the two women, but he hadn't anticipated it would happen so quickly.

Both women became pregnant on the same day, and the birth date was also on the same day, so he had already ordered preparations.

He was calm about the birth of the two princes, as he had long known the outcome.

Compared to the two princes, he cared more about Jie'er and Yu'er.

After all, a pair of exquisite Twin Lotuses was rare, and both women possessing Wind Attribute Spirit Roots made it even rarer.

The speed of the carriage hastened, and inside, Su Xi curiously asked, "Your Majesty, you have children?"

"Of course I do."

Zheng Yi said, "I have ten princesses, and six... no, now it's eight princes."

"And two consorts are also pregnant; they will give birth within half a year at the latest."

"So many!"

Su Xi exclaimed in surprise, "There are very few children in our village, and many die young. Two of my little friends passed away due to accidents when they were young."

"It's a pity that grandfather was in closed-door cultivation at that time; otherwise, he could have saved them."

Zheng Yi became interested, "Xi'er, did Daoist Master Tianxingzi also teach you the Divination Technique?"

"Yes, he did."

Su Xi nodded, "Aside from the Divination Technique, he also taught me Face Reading and Astrology, but I only learned the basics."

"As for Feng Shui and arrays, grandfather didn't teach; he said only by traveling the world and personally experiencing the earth's veins and celestial aspects could one learn Feng Shui and arrays."

"So, this time grandfather brought me out, it counts as traveling."

"I see~"

The two chatted and rested, and under Zheng Yi's deliberate guidance, the vigilance within Su Xi's heart relaxed a lot, and her mood became cheerful.

After all, she was just a little girl, having just left her family, innocent and naïve, easily deceived by Zheng Yi... oh no, persuaded by Zheng Yi.

As Zheng Yi's carriage slowly entered the Imperial Palace, Su Xi couldn't help but poke her little head out of the window to look around.

"Wow, Your Majesty, the palace walls are so high!"

"So many people, and they're all so beautiful~"

"Is that a dragon carving? So magnificent..."

Su Xi exclaimed in wonder as she observed, while along the way, palace maids, eunuchs, and guards all knelt to pay respects.

After the carriage passed by, almost all the eunuchs and palace maids were discussing.

"Who is that girl? How did she get on His Majesty's carriage?"

"Hush... hush! Any woman who can ride His Majesty's carriage is surely destined to be a consort!"

"I'm so envious of her; if only I could..."

The news of His Majesty returning to the palace with a young girl on the carriage quickly spread throughout the entire Imperial Palace.

This was the first occurrence since His Majesty ascended the throne.

Many were speculating about the girl's identity, wondering who she could be to have so captivated His Majesty.

Even some mischief-makers opened a betting pool, wagering on when this girl would be made a consort by His Majesty.

Would the first conferment be as a Noble Lady, a Concubine, or... directly as a Consort?

As Zheng Yi stepped into Bingtai Palace, the mature and glamorous Concubine Zhen hurried out to welcome him.

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty~!"

"You may rise."

Concubine Zhen quickly rose, her face brimming with joy, "Your Majesty, both Jie'er and Yu'er have given birth to princes, it's truly wonderful... Eh? And who might this young lady be..."

In her excitement, she hadn't noticed the young girl following behind Zheng Yi until now, which piqued her curiosity.

Zheng Yi explained, "She is a descendant of a senior, staying in the palace temporarily."

"Oh~"

Concubine Zhen suspected nothing and stepped aside, "Your Majesty, please~"

Zheng Yi nodded and headed into Bingtai Palace, "By the way, where are the Empress and others?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, the Empress came early in the morning. After Jie'er and Yu'er finished labor, she chatted with some of the other sisters. Seeing it was late, I let them return first."

"That's good."

Saying so, he stepped into Bingtai Palace.

Bingtai Palace was the residence of Jie'er, Yu'er, and their mother Li Lizhen.

Jie'er and Yu'er held the rank of Consort, so according to protocol, Bingtai Palace should be centered around them.

However, because Concubine Zhen was their mother, she took charge of Bingtai Palace despite being of the Concubine rank.

Yet no one found this arrangement unusual.

Soon, Zheng Yi saw Jie'er and Yu'er.

Perhaps to accommodate both, Concubine Zhen had arranged for the two women to be placed in the same bedroom.

The Dragon and Phoenix Beds of the two women were right next to each other, and they were resting at the moment.

As a little palace maid had already informed them of His Majesty's arrival, the two women dressed themselves carefully. But even so, Zheng Yi still felt a pang of sympathy for their delicate, endearing demeanor.

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty..."

"Consorts, please lie down~"

Zheng Yi quickly walked over, taking each hand with a heart full of tenderness.

"Consorts, you have suffered, giving birth to children for me."

Jie'er spoke first: "To give birth to a Prince for Your Majesty is the honor of my sister and me."

"Indeed, Your Majesty, my sister has always wanted to bear a child for you; now her wish is fulfilled."

"You, too, were clamoring to have two, one son and one daughter..."

"Hahaha~"

Zheng Yi laughed heartily: "Have them! Have them all! There will be opportunities in the future~!"

Seeing the happy smiles of the two daughters, Concubine Zhen was filled with joy, her eyes inadvertently shedding a few tears.

Once upon a time, she had fantasized about the kind of man Jie'er and Yu'er would marry, living harmoniously, respecting each other.

But who would have thought they would become the Emperor's consorts.

Even she herself got caught up in it.

After chatting for a while, Zheng Yi asked: "Right, where are the children?"

Concubine Zhen said: "Next door, I will have someone bring them."

Soon, two loud cries were heard, and two nurses came out holding the babies as they soothed them.

"Wah~"

"Wah wah~"

A nurse said: "Your Majesty, listen, the cries of the two young Princes are very loud~ Surely healthy."

"Indeed, indeed."

Zheng Yi stood up to have a look, saying: "Everyone in Bingtai Palace, all palace attendants are given rewards!"

"Your Majesty~"

Concubine Zhen said: "The Empress and I have already given rewards."

"It's different; those were the Empress's and your rewards, how could mine be less?"

"We thank Your Majesty for your heavenly grace!"

The clever eunuchs and palace maids serving nearby all knelt down, thanking earnestly.

"Rise~ You have served Consort Jie and Consort Yuu well, and I naturally won't be stingy with rewards."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"By the way, Your Majesty, the Princes have not yet been named. I wonder..."

Concubine Zhen cautiously asked, as the names of Princes must be discussed and determined by Your Majesty or the Royal Family, and court ministers, with some special meanings.

Zheng Yi said: "No rush... Xi'er, didn't you say you learned face reading from Daoist Master Tianxingzi? Can you take a look at these two children for me?"

Su Xi furrowed her brows: "Your Majesty, newborn babies are innocent and pure, containing a thread of innate Qi, their face cannot be read."

"Oh? Then, at what age?"

"At least when the baby's fontanel closes."

"I see..."

The so-called "sky opening" is actually the fontanel on a baby's head.

In the Daoist Sect, it is said that the fontanel is the place where a baby receives innate Qi.

As the baby grows, gets tainted by mundane air, the fontanel will close, and one can no longer sense the innate Qi.

"But I can read the face of the two sisters, and since their lives are linked with the children, I can vaguely see the fate of the two Princes."

"Oh~ Come and take a look~"

Zheng Yi made room, and Su Xi walked over.

Consort Jie questioned oddly: "Your Majesty, who is this sister~"

"A granddaughter of a senior, entrusted to my care for a few days."

Consort Yuu pouted: "Some granddaughter, I think she's a new consort Your Majesty has taken in~"

"Yu'er, don't speak nonsense~"

Zheng Yi's tone suddenly cooled, and Consort Yuu was startled, instinctively lowering her head: "It was a slip of tongue, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

"It's nothing, let Xi'er read the face carefully."

"Yes!"

Su Xi first stood in front of Consort Jie, examining closely.

Starting from the fontanel, going through the brow, eyes, nose wings, up to lips and chin, while inspecting, she kept pinching her fingers, seemingly calculating something.

Then she turned to Consort Yuu, repeating the previous action with some speculation in her eyes.

"Your Majesty, the face of both consorts is one of great fortune and prosperity."

"Forehead full, chin square, this is great fortune."

"Light like black lacquer as fine as silk, a visage of earthly wealth. Hair wide and long beyond ordinary folk, southern shape, northern form, so unique and rare."

"Both consorts have northern physique with southern appearance, this is great prosperity."

"This indicates that the Princes born to the consorts also have a fate of great fortune and prosperity."

After these words, Jie'er, Yu'er, and Concubine Zhen were all joyful, their eyes looking at Su Xi with more warmth.

"But..."

Su Xi suddenly changed her tone: "This face would mean great fortune and prosperity in ordinary families."

"But in the Royal Family, already possessing great fortune and prosperity, why seek more?"

"If they abide by their true selves, they will naturally be carefree for a lifetime, living long and healthy."

"Once ambitions arise and greed ignites, calamity will inevitably descend."

"The Scripture of Hidden Talisman says: 'When Heaven sends forth its killing Qi, dragons and snakes arise; when man sends forth its killing Qi, Heaven and Earth overturn; when Heaven and man combine to send forth, myriad changes set the foundation!'"

Royal Family!

Everyone's eyes changed subtly, faintly guessing what Su Xi was alluding to.

Born into the Royal Family, one is naturally wealthy and noble.

But greed ignites, and calamity inevitably descends.

What is greed?

It's naturally the throne!

"Your Majesty~"

Consort Jie, Consort Yuu, Concubine Zhen all instinctively looked at Zheng Yi, hearts uneasy.

Zheng Yi suddenly laughed: "I remember now, the children born to Jie'er and Yu'er are my flesh and blood."

"Just wondering, how should Concubine Zhen be addressed?"