Chapter 205:

It was noisy on this side, while Bai Youran was extremely anxious. She did not know the exact situation, and although Emperor Jing’s words seemed to indicate he would not truly harm her, without a definite conclusion, she could not feel at ease.

Thinking of the young Ning’er, she became deeply worried. She wondered how the child was doing now.

Did he miss her? Did he cry?

“Screeeak—” A palace maid with two buns entered the room.

Bai Youran lifted her head and saw it was Yun Xue.

How could she not recognize the head maid of Fu Jinyao?

“I wonder what business Yun Xue has here,” Bai Youran said with a smile.

Yun Xue showed no particular expression and simply replied, “I’m just here to say a few words and then I’ll leave.”

“Oh?”

“The Third Prince has encountered trouble—he fell down the steps of Fengqi Palace and is now in an uncertain condition between life and death. My mistress asked me to tell you, ‘The Empress is truly cunning.'”

Yun Xue said no more and immediately turned to leave.

Bai Youran did not move after hearing this. She naturally understood that Fu Jinyao was eager for her to rush out immediately and confront Shen Layue. However, she was determined not to fall into the trap. If she did, all her previous efforts to plead her innocence and endure silently would be in vain.

As for the child, Bai Youran thought, Ning’er would not be in danger. How could he possibly go to Fengqi Palace?

Although Bai Youran continued to doubt, she still controlled herself and refused to act recklessly.

She sat there until dawn, when several eunuchs arrived. The leader was Lai Xi, the emperor’s chief steward.

Thinking that perhaps the real culprit had finally been found, she unconsciously smiled.

“Master Lai Xi, do you bring good news?”

Lai Xi smiled: “Your Lady Bai, indeed. The real culprit, Lady Andei, has already confessed. The Emperor has ordered that you may return to your palace. We’ve already sent you some pomelo leaves to cleanse the bad luck from the Cold Palace.”

When Bai Youran heard that it was Lady Andei, she was momentarily stunned.

With a bitter expression, she said, “I never expected Lady Andei to do such a thing.”

Lai Xi remained expressionless: “Lady Andei kept insisting that it was Your Lady Bai who harmed her child.”

Bai Youran looked distressed: “How could this be? Didn’t Lady Dei already admit her guilt? Why is she now blaming me? It’s so easy to accuse someone when you want to. Fortunately, the Emperor does not believe her.”

Lai Xi did not respond.

Bai Youran then thought of what Yun Xue had said.

“How is the Third Prince?”

Lai Xi looked at her expression, as if suspecting something. He realized she might already know something.

“The Third Prince fell last night and hit his head, but he is now out of danger.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Youran was stunned, and her heart became even more uneasy.

“Where is the Third Prince now?” she asked blankly.

Lai Xi paused: “The Emperor said the Third Prince will temporarily reside elsewhere for now. Lady Bai, you should return to your palace and rest properly.”

At this point, Bai Youran had completely lost Emperor Jing’s favor.

She was even worse off than Lady Dei had been before.

Although Lady Dei was wicked, she raised Yan Jia well. Bai Youran, however, was different.

The Third Prince had been raised by her like this. How could the Emperor tolerate it?

A child could be mediocre and lack talent, but he must not harbor evil intentions. At just three years old, the Third Prince was already like this. How could the Emperor allow Bai Youran to continue raising him?

Bai Youran had not expected the Emperor to refuse to let her see her child.

“But, but previously, the Third Prince was always with me!” She could not live without Ning’er. If the child was placed elsewhere and something happened to him, what would she do?

He was her very life!

Lai Xi said nothing more. These were matters beyond his control.

Bai Youran naturally understood that Lai Xi was merely a servant and could not interfere in such matters. Only the Emperor had the authority to make such decisions.

Regardless of the chaos in Kangning Palace, Bai Youran sat there for a long time, unaware even when Lai Xi left.

Many people in Kangning Palace had been replaced. It was said that many had been punished in the Ministry of Justice and could not return, needing time to recover.

At this moment, Bai Youran was filled with hatred.

She hated everyone.

“Meilan.”

“Your Majesty.”

“You tell me exactly what happened.” Lai Xi had not given many details, and she could not trust Yun Xue, who served Fu Jinyao, even the slightest. Now, she could only ask Meilan.

“Your Majesty, Lady Andei framed you. It was all her doing. She claimed you were the one who caused her miscarriage, so she wanted revenge. Moreover, she said she would not let you die easily. Only by executing your entire family could she satisfy her hatred. As for the Third Prince, it was those wicked servants who deliberately said ambiguous things in front of him. The Third Prince went to Fengqi Palace in the middle of the night. No one knows exactly how, but he fell from the steps and has not recovered yet. It is said that he is still unconscious.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Youran’s face turned pale.

“Still unconscious? How did he fall? There must be a reason for this, right?” Bai Youran cried out hysterically.

Meilan flinched and replied, “I don’t know the details. At that time, only Fengqi Palace’s own servants were present, and no one else could witness what happened. In my humble opinion, this entire matter might not be the Empress’s plot.”

“Oh?” Bai Youran looked at Meilan.

Meilan mustered her courage and said, “Think about it—no one knows the exact circumstances. In the palace, the First and Second Princes are under the Empress’s control, but the Third Prince is not. If she had deliberately orchestrated something, it’s entirely possible. Furthermore, Your Majesty, even though Princess Zhaoyang is favored, she is still just a girl. Perhaps the Empress secretly negotiated with Lady Andei, deliberately guiding her actions. Sacrificing a daughter could completely topple a Consort Dei and a prince. What a tremendous gain that would be.”

Meilan’s words struck a chord with Bai Youran’s own suspicions.

Previously, she had also harbored such suspicions, thinking the matter might be related to Shen Layue. Now, after hearing Meilan’s words, she became even more convinced.

“Has no one taken care of the Third Prince’s injuries?” Bai Youran gritted her teeth.

Where was her Ning’er now?

Meilan looked sorrowful: “Your Majesty, we don’t know the details. The Emperor has already isolated the Third Prince, and no one is allowed to see him.”

As everyone knew, the Third Prince Yan Ning was the apple of Bai Youran’s eye. She could give up everything else but not him. She would never have another child, and if this child were not by her side or even harmed, she didn’t know if she could go on living. He was her only source of strength.

As if to make Bai Youran even more distressed, Meilan added, “I heard the Empress is pregnant again. The Emperor is overjoyed.”

Pregnant again?

Feeling upset, Bai Youran’s face turned cold, showing no further emotion.

“Prepare the bathwater and help me bathe.”

Seeing that Bai Youran had nothing more to say, Meilan hurried out to prepare, but in the instant she turned around, her eyes flickered quickly. If Bai Youran were still her usual self, she would surely notice Meilan’s odd behavior.

But now, weakened by her stay in the Cold Palace and uncertain about Yan Ning’s condition, Bai Youran took Meilan’s words to heart. After all, she herself had similar suspicions.

Sometimes, one’s own suspicions can ferment and grow worse over time. In this case, she didn’t even need time for her suspicions to ferment—just a casual hint from someone else was enough to deepen her doubts.

Soaking in the water, Bai Youran submerged herself deeply, pondering her next move.

How could she get the Emperor to return Ning’er to her?

It was all Shen Layue’s doing. It had to be Shen Layue.

She had always harbored resentment towards Shen Layue, and now her hatred was even stronger.

Actually, the two of them had not been on bad terms. But over the years, with their own children, they had eventually become like strangers.

The next day, Bai Youran requested an audience with Emperor Jing, but he refused to see her.

Not only that, he sent Lai Xi to tell her that from now on, she would never be allowed to see Yan Ning again. The child staying with her would only lead him to become heartless and unrecognizable.

The accusation was heavy, but Bai Youran was powerless to refute it.

Even after kneeling at the steps of Xuanning Hall for an entire day and night, she did not get to see the Emperor or her child.

No matter how much she begged, Emperor Jing ignored her.

It was pouring with rain, but Bai Youran still refused to leave.

Regardless of how others looked at her or laughed at her, she hoped to gain a bit of the Emperor’s pity through this opportunity.

In her quarters, Layue heard everything and went to the window. The rain was falling heavily.

She bit her lip and sighed, “Jinxin, should I go and persuade her?”

Seeing Bai Youran kneeling there reminded her of her own past.

Jinxin tried to comfort her: “Your Majesty knows the answer already. The Emperor refuses to see her, so it would be inappropriate for you to go. Moreover, you are not alone in your condition. It’s raining heavily outside. You should take care.”

Layue silently gazed out the window without speaking.

At the same time, in Zhuxuan, Fu Jinyao seemed extremely happy.

“Yun Xue, bring the bird’s nest soup.”

Yun Xue complied and left.

Fu Jinyao looked out the window at the heavy rain, smiling joyfully, while the room was empty except for her.

“Bai Youran, the more you suffer, the more you will hate Shen Layue. Don’t hold back. Use your power to your advantage!”

She laughed again after speaking.

Her clever plan of using the enemy’s strategy against them had indeed worked.

So what if others could get pregnant and have children too? She would be the one laughing in the end. No one loved the Emperor more than her. No one. All of them deserved to die.

They kept competing with her for Yan Che. How could they?

In the past, she had even sacrificed her own sister. Now, she would not let them go.

Only she could give the Emperor a child.

And the position of Empress would definitely be hers.

Fu Jinyao snapped the flower by the window and smiled sinisterly.