To be honest, Lu Liangwei was not at all concerned about Madam Li and her daughter.

However, she did not want to reject Long Qingzhi’s good intentions.

It had been a while since things had gotten lively in the palace, anyway, so she might as well invite them to the celebration.

Lu Liangwei took Wanyan Zhi’s hand. “Zhi’er, I heard that you’ve been practicing archery these days. Are you tired?”

Wanyan Zhi shook his head, his dark eyes fixed on her belly. “I’m not.” He then extended a tiny hand and touched her bump. “Auntie, Mother said that you’re carrying two babies. Is that true?”

Worried that Zhi’er’s thoughtless actions would offend Lu Liangwei, Long Qingzhi warned him, “The babies in Auntie’s belly are still very small. You shouldn’t touch her belly carelessly.”

Wanyan Zhi turned to look at her dejectedly. “But I want to play with my little cousins.”

Lu Liangwei glanced at Long Qingzhi. “It’s all right, Royal Sister. A light touch won’t do me any harm.”

Long Qingzhi was relieved to hear her say this.

Lu Liangwei stroked Wanyan Zhi’s head. “Your little cousins aren’t born yet, so they can’t play with you. After they’re born, you can play with them. In fact, I’ll need you to help me take care of them.”

Wanyan Zhi’s eyes lit up, and he nodded at once. “I’ll protect them.”

“You’re a good boy.” Lu Liangwei smiled and led him by the hand toward the Western Gardens.

It would be wonderful if her children could be as good as Zhi’er after they were born.

There was a peach blossom grove in the Western Gardens, and the view was exceptionally spectacular when the peach blossoms were in full bloom.

It was currently the peach blossom’s blooming season, and the moment they stepped into the Western Gardens, they were greeted by clusters and clusters of peach blossoms, spreading all over the place like a pink haze.

“What a gorgeous sight!” Long Qingzhi exclaimed.

Throughout her years of being married off to Danjue, she had seen vast and magnificent plains, but rarely a view as brilliant and stunning as the one before her eyes.

Wanyan Zhi, too, had never seen such an enchanting sight, and for a moment, he was captivated.

Although there were a few peach blossom trees which had also bloomed in the Grand Princess Mansion, their beauty was incomparable to the spectacle in front of him.

Seeing how mesmerized the mother and son were by the peach blossom grove, Lu Liangwei smiled softly.

Looking up at the peach blossoms blooming brightly on the trees, she could not help but recall the memories of her previous year.

Before she knew it, she had already been here for a year.

Time had really flown by so fast.

She was a little sentimental.

She walked deeper into the grove, one hand on her waist and the other on her belly, reminiscing about everything that had happened in the past year.

She remembered the time when the Emperor instructed Butler Zhao to stop her on her way to pick peaches in the imperial holiday home.

Now, she was already pregnant, and soon, she would give birth and become a mother.

Her face broke into a blissful smile.

…

Nighttime.

It was still early after Long Yang had taken his bath, so he took a book and sat down at the head of the bed. His slender fingers turned over the pages, but just when he was about to settle down to read, he felt a gaze fixated on him from the side.

He could not ignore it even if he wanted to.

He looked over, only to see his young Empress staring at him, lost in thought.

After a pause, he suddenly put his book down and pulled her into his arms.

“Why are you staring at me? Can’t recognize your husband anymore?” He then leaned over to kiss her.

Like lightning, Lu Liangwei’s hands shot up to cover her mouth.

Long Yang’s kiss landed on the back of her hand.

Triumph flashed through Lu Liangwei’s eyes, but her smile faded away the next instant.

She felt a warmth envelop her fingers.

Lu Liangwei could feel her blood rising to her cheeks.

“I haven’t washed my hands.” After a long moment, she finally found her voice, hoping to recover some lost ground.

She had washed her hands, of course. She was only saying that to repel him.

However, Long Yang paid no heed to her words. In a flash, he pinned her against the bed and leaned down to kiss her.

Lu Liangwei was startled by his fervor.

After struggling for a long time, she finally managed to push him away.

“I have something to tell you.” She grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him in exasperation.

Long Yang snatched the pillow and looked at her with a raised brow. “I thought…” He paused, leaving his sentence hanging.

Lu Liangwei threw a punch at him. Did he think she was staring at him because she wanted him?

She flushed furiously.

Long Yang stopped teasing her, and combing his fingers through her tresses, he asked, “What did you want to tell me?”