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At that moment, the delicate expression on her face seemed even more fragile than a legendary beauty.

Beiming Yuan didn’t particularly like Dugu Rou, but without her, he might not have been able to handle Dugu Yan so easily. If it hadn’t been for this considerate sister serving Dugu Yan a bowl of "pregnancy-safe" medicine that day, even with three thousand Royal Guards, who knows if they could have subdued that woman.

“I greet the Crown Prince...” On the bed, Dugu Rou struggled to sit up, only to fall into Beiming Yuan’s arms the next second.

“Has the doctor been here?” Beiming Yuan asked gently, sitting by the bed and letting Dugu Rou lean against his chest.

“He has. He said my blood and energy are stagnant and prescribed some medicine...” Dugu Rou spoke softly, her voice as delicate as her frail body.

This was Dugu Rou’s strength; she understood a woman’s role better than Dugu Yan and knew how to capture a man’s heart. Competing with her husband in courage and wisdom was one thing, but to not lose even a bit—Dugu Yan, do you realize how far off the mark you were?

Beiming Yuan gently stroked Dugu Rou’s long, waterfall-like hair. “Are you upset?”

“I wouldn’t dare...” Dugu Rou said, yet tears fell like raindrops, “I know my brother must have done something wrong for the Crown Prince to punish him.”

"He didn't really do anything wrong; he just crossed someone he shouldn't have." Because of Dugu Yan's strong personality, Beiming Yuan was particularly drawn to Dugu Rou's gentle nature. He liked being relied upon.

"Why is Feng Tiange someone he shouldn't have crossed?" Dugu Rou asked, her eyes welling up with tears, evoking sympathy.

Beiming Yuan's lips formed a thin line. "It's not Feng Tiange; it's the Empress Dowager Chu."

Dugu Rou suddenly understood. "But the Empress Dowager has always stayed out of politics. Why should the Crown Prince care about her opinion?"

"Although the Empress Dowager doesn't involve herself in political affairs, there's a reason she transformed from a queen opposed by many courtiers to a respected dowager. Back in the day, she and the late emperor achieved countless military victories. Especially in the battle of Yunnan, where she single-handedly took the enemy general's head amidst thousands of troops. Even now, the old generals in court speak of it with admiration."

Beiming Yuan explained to Dugu Rou that gaining the Empress Dowager's support would be entirely beneficial for his claim to the throne.

And now, in the Empress Dowager's eyes, there was only Feng Tiange.

"I understand," Dugu Rou replied. "I'll send Mo Hua to talk to my brother later, so he doesn't go looking for trouble with Feng Tiange again." She pressed her cheek tighter against Beiming Yuan's chest. "I..."

"How about it?" Beiming Yuan asked softly, a gentle smile on his face.

"Mo Hua, that thoughtless girl, often refers to me as the Crown Prince Consort in front of others. I've reminded her so many times, but she just can't seem to remember..." Dugu Rou playfully complained, her lips forming a slight pout.

Beiming Yuan's smile deepened. "She's not wrong to call you that. Haven't I already promised you the position of Crown Prince Consort? It's just that with Dugu Yan's recent passing, the situation is still unstable, so the formal announcement has to wait. But rest assured, I won't go back on my word."

"That's not what I meant..." Dugu Rou's cheeks flushed as she buried her head into Beiming Yuan's chest, missing the fleeting coldness in his eyes.

The position of Crown Prince Consort could never belong to Dugu Rou. The future Empress of the realm, if not the daughter of a powerful minister, must at least come from a prestigious family. Dugu Rou's only claim to fame was being the sister of the late Grand Marshal, Dugu Yan, and now that he was gone, that connection no longer held any weight. Dugu Rou was destined to remain a Vice Consort, as long as she continued to be obedient...

Meanwhile, when Feng Tiange left the palace, it was already past 5 PM. If she hadn't insisted, Empress Dowager Chu would have surely made her stay overnight at Yanxi Palace.

As a member of the royal family, she couldn't stay in the palace past the evening curfew—that was the rule. She didn't want to give anyone a reason to gossip, and besides, she needed to study the Grand Yin Scripture. Last night, she spent nearly four hours on it but still couldn't grasp the essentials. It was just a deeply skilled ink landscape painting, so how could it be a martial arts manual?

The next morning, Tiange woke up early because she had arranged with Nanny Sunn to visit the Imperial Academy and fill out the application form. Initially, Empress Dowager Chu wanted Nanny Sunn to bring the form to the palace, but that would have violated the academy's regulations. Tiange didn't want anyone to think she was getting special treatment.

The Imperial Academy was located on the west side of the palace's Thousand Steps Corridor, covering hundreds of acres. Its layout was exceptionally meticulous. Entering through the main gate, there were twelve pedestals, each representing an ancient master—six scholars on the left and six warriors on the right.