The Emperor did not notice the Empress's unhappy face, and he let out a hearty laugh, "Hasn't the Empress always been fond of the Crown Prince's son? I won't compete with you for Taotao then, I can just hold Susu."
The words only served to anger the Empress further, "Your concubine does fancy the Crown Prince's son, but that doesn't stop your concubine from liking Susu. How can Your Majesty, a grown man, have the nerve to compete with me? Moreover, Your Majesty did not care for Lady Shen at all previously."
The Emperor felt guilty, so he took the Empress's hand and said in a gentle, soft voice, "Alright, Empress, let's go and have a look at Taotao and Susu first."
The Empress snorted and let the damned Emperor lead her by the hand to the East Palace.
Shen Chuwei had been counting the days of her confinement, and as the end neared, she was more excited than usual.