Chapter 188:

Since the day she had spoken with Emperor Jing, Layue Shen had been much more cautious. Since Emperor Jing wished to have another child, she had to take good care of herself.

To be honest, she did not really want to conceive so soon. Their several children were still young, just learning to walk and needing constant attention. Naturally, there were many people in the palace who could help, but it was just not the same!

She was their mother, and that feeling could never be replaced.

Just like when she was young—her mother had passed away, and even though her grandmother had treated her very well, it was still not the same as having a mother.

“Jinxin, are all the people here now?”

“Yes, basically everyone has arrived.”

Layue did not know what the previous empress had been like, but she had followed the Empress Dowager’s approach. She would only appear once everyone had arrived, and she had no interest in chatting with others idly.

If it were just idle chitchat, that would be fine, but conversations inevitably involved schemes and probing, which she found extremely boring.

After dressing appropriately, Layue entered the main hall.

“Your Majesty, we greet the Empress—”

Everyone curtsied in unison.

Layue told them to rise.

“The younger sisters came rather early today.” Among those present, Layue was not the oldest, but as Empress, she was addressed thus.

“Now that autumn has arrived, we go to bed earlier at night, so naturally we wake up early in the morning,” Fu Jinyan smiled.

Seeing Fu Jinyan trying to flatter Empress Shen, Consort Hui curled her lip slightly.

“Achoo!” As the two were speaking, Zhang Lan sneezed, somewhat inappropriately.

Seeing this, Consort Hui mocked, “How undignified of Lady Zhang.”

Zhang Lan felt somewhat embarrassed and merely smiled faintly.

But soon, she sneezed again.

Layue looked over and noticed her face was faintly flushed.

“Are you feeling unwell, sister?”

Zhang Lan looked at everyone and shook her head. “Nothing serious, just slightly uncomfortable.”

Then, she couldn’t help herself and scratched her neck.

Layue could tell she must be very itchy; otherwise, she wouldn’t act like this.

“Apricot, go and summon the imperial physician immediately. Jinxin, help Lady Zhang to the inner chamber to rest while we wait for the physician.”

She glanced at Jinxin meaningfully as she spoke.

Jinxin quickly went over to support Zhang Lan.

Understanding the Empress’s good intentions, Zhang Lan followed Jinxin into the inner chamber.

“Please wait a moment, Lady Zhang. The physician will come soon to examine you properly.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me; I suddenly started feeling unwell. Come to think of it, it might be an allergy to the rare flower.”

Jinxin hesitated for a moment, then seemed to recall something.

She bowed slightly, stepped out, and quickly returned with another maid—Cuiwen, one of Empress Shen’s six chief palace maids.

Zhang Lan knew this person. There were many rumors in the palace that Cuiwen had a natural talent for medicine, and after spending some time with Empress Shen, her medical skills had become quite advanced.

“May this servant examine Lady Zhang briefly?”

Zhang Lan nodded, as she had no concerns about the Empress harming her.

In fact, she was probably the only concubine in the palace whom the Empress still treated with a little respect.

But she also knew that this was likely because she had never received the Emperor’s favor. Not once.

Her mother had been very worried about this at the time, but Zhang Lan herself didn’t care much. After all, she had no feelings for the Emperor anyway. However, since Layue Shen had become Empress, Zhang Lan had actually felt a sense of relief that she had never received the Emperor’s attention.

She merely wanted to live a peaceful and unassuming life in the palace. As for other ambitions, they were not really important.

After examining Lady Zhang’s pulse, Cuiwen looked at Jinxin. “It’s indeed an allergy to the rare flower. Someone outside must have used the rare flower.”

The rare flower was a forbidden one, previously used by their mistress to frame Consort Xian.

Now it seemed that someone must have thought the Empress was allergic to this flower and deliberately did this.

Upon realizing this, Jinxin’s eyes darkened, and she hurriedly returned to the outer chamber.

At that moment, Consort Hui was speaking in a sarcastic tone: “How strange! Lady Zhang was perfectly fine, but as soon as she arrived at Fengxi Palace, she started feeling unwell. Come to think of it, every time I come here, I also feel a bit unwell!”

Her words carried great malice.

Many concubines changed expressions, glancing at their teacups and looking around anxiously, fearing that the Empress had deliberately done something.

These palace women had all been taught the palace rules by elderly nannies and had heard many stories about the palace—how the Empress avoided other concubines from conceiving by burning certain incense or serving specially prepared tea during morning greetings.

“If Consort Hui also feels unwell, someone should examine her properly. Since Consort Hui trusts Physician Zhu the most, let’s ask Physician Zhu to come. Apricot may not know how to properly summon Physician Zhu; you go over there and bring Physician Zhu along.”

Layue responded with a smile.

Fu Jinyao’s expression changed slightly.

This Shen Layue, not willing to suffer even the slightest disadvantage, made Fu Jinyao feel frustrated, yet she couldn’t think of a proper retort.

Jinxin approached and whispered a few words into Layue’s ear.

After listening, Layue sneered.

Looking at everyone, her gaze turned colder.

Seeing her expression, everyone felt puzzled but knew something must be amiss.

“Apricot, there’s no need to summon Physician Zhu anymore. Go to the Imperial Physicians’ Office and tell them it’s on my order—ask Physicians Wan and Lin to come together. Xiao Dengzi, increase the security, and no one is to move anything, whoever it is.”

Consort Hui widened her eyes. “What is Her Majesty the Empress trying to do?”

Shen Layue sneered. “That’s exactly what I want to ask—what was the person who brought the rare flower in here trying to do!”

This statement caused an uproar.

Who in the palace didn’t know that the Empress was allergic to the rare flower? Even if it weren’t the Empress who was allergic, the rare flower was still forbidden.

But it was indeed strange—since the Empress was allergic to the rare flower, why wasn’t she affected this time?

Many people also suspected that this was a deliberate act by the Empress herself.

At that moment, the previously summoned Physician Wang also arrived. Seeing the scene in the Empress’s palace, he wiped his sweat.

Sure enough, after examining Lady Zhang, he confirmed it was indeed an allergy to the rare flower.

“Physician Wang, once Physicians Wan and Lin arrive, the three of you will examine everyone here. I refuse to believe the source isn’t within this palace.”

Physician Wang naturally knew about the Empress’s allergy to the rare flower.

“Lady, please allow this old servant to examine you first. Previously, Your Majesty was very severely allergic to the rare flower. Although there are no symptoms this time, we must not be careless.”

Shen Layue did not move. “My allergy has already healed. I suppose whoever tried to harm someone must have wasted their effort.”

“Ah?” Physician Wang frowned, puzzled.

Layue slightly lifted her head, looking at the concubines below. “Previously, when Lady Wan visited the palace to treat the Empress Dowager, I once asked her about this issue and followed her method for recuperation. Although she said it might not necessarily work, I persisted. Although the rare flower is forbidden and rarely appears, it’s still not good to accidentally come into contact with it. I never expected something like this to happen today. Even less did I expect Lady Wan’s method to actually be effective. If it weren’t for Lady Zhang’s allergy, that malicious person might have gotten away with this.”

Soon, the other two physicians also arrived.

“For everyone’s sake and to clear any suspicions, I ask the three of you to thoroughly examine everyone, so no one can accuse me of framing them.”

The Empress’s expression was stern.

Consort Hui was unwilling. “Your Majesty the Empress, to say it was us without any evidence seems rather unfair. Perhaps Lady Zhang encountered the rare flower outside and then came in. Or maybe it was already something in this palace?”

She spoke quite bluntly.

Layue sat there, watching her leisurely.

After a long while, she sneered. “I didn’t know a mere consort would dare to openly accuse me. Just as Lady Zhang had an incident, Consort Hui was already hinting that I might harm someone, and also claimed to feel unwell yourself. If you indeed feel unwell, then you must be examined even more thoroughly. Whether it’s fair or not is for me to decide, not for a mere small consort like you.”

This statement from Empress Shen was extremely arrogant.

Looking at her expression, she clearly held Consort Hui in complete contempt.

Fu Jinyao felt a surge of anger and glared at Shen Layue fiercely.

“Begin.”

Seeing the Empress’s determination, the three physicians naturally hurried into action, examining one by one.

Layue sat at the upper seat, speaking slowly. “Examine carefully. I cannot allow someone with hidden malice to remain in the palace. If today she dares to harm me, tomorrow she might harm other concubines, even the young princes, or even dare to harm the Emperor.”

This statement was very serious.

Upon hearing this, others understood immediately—once found, the consequences would be severe.

However, if the rare flower had been ground into powder, it would indeed be difficult to detect.

Physician Wan raised this point. “Your Majesty, there are many ladies here. If the flower is hidden in their clothing, it would indeed be difficult to detect. We old servants are not convenient to do so thoroughly.”

“If you find it inconvenient, then let Cuiwen assist.” A sudden male voice interrupted.

The person at the door was none other than Emperor Jing.

His expression was grim.

He strode in, looking at these beautiful faces, feeling a wave of disgust.

Seeing Emperor Jing’s arrival, Layue quickly greeted him.

The other concubines naturally did the same.

Emperor Jing helped Layue up, then looked at the others with clear distaste.

“First, examine Lady Fu. If Lady Fu has no issue, let her assist you in the examination.”

“Yes.”

At this moment, many people turned their gazes to Fu Jinyan. It seemed that the Emperor still held her in some regard.

Fu Jinyan, naturally innocent, did not refuse and immediately joined the physicians in the examination.

Very carefully.

“Yue’er, are you alright?” As the lower-ranking concubines were being examined, Emperor Jing pulled Layue aside to ask.

Yue’er looked at him with eyes full of concern and spoke truthfully. “Your servant is fine. My allergy has healed. But I must find out who had such ill intentions. Otherwise, people might say that since I healed on my own, I deliberately used this method to frame other concubines.”

There was a hint of displeasure in her tone.