Chapter 110:

The people around gasped when they saw Consort Qi collapse. Meanwhile, Rumeng, the senior palace maid attending Consort Qi, quickly noticed the blood trickling down her thigh.

“The Consort is bleeding! Call the imperial physician quickly…”

Upon seeing the situation, Emperor Jing immediately waved his hand, and a young eunuch behind Lai Xi darted out in an instant. Chaos erupted in the room. Layue stood aside, glancing at the food on the table, and tightly grasped Madam Zhou’s hand, feeling a wave of dread.

It wasn’t long before the imperial physicians arrived. Everyone gathered in the outer chamber of Qingxiang Palace. Meanwhile, basins of blood-soaked water were carried out from the inner chamber, indicating the grim situation.

Layue sat on the side while the physician was checking her pulse.

“How is Consort Chun?”

Sitting at the head seat, Emperor Jing anxiously asked.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, Consort Chun is fine.”

Once he learned of Consort Qi’s incident, the Emperor naturally thought of another pregnant woman. Upon the physicians’ arrival, one was immediately sent to examine Layue. Fortunately, she was unharmed.

Layue spoke softly: “I haven’t eaten anything.”

At this point, everyone naturally suspected that the food must have been the problem; otherwise, how could Consort Qi have encountered such a mishap?

The Chunchun Pavilion had already been sealed off, and another group of physicians were inspecting it. It was evident that the Emperor was extremely furious.

In truth, this time the Emperor was genuinely caught off guard. He had not expected that while he intended to warn everyone, someone would seize the opportunity to harm others. How could he not be furious?

It seemed he had indeed been careless, otherwise how could someone have exploited this loophole? His eyes swept sharply over the people in the room. The culprit must be among them.

Except for Shen Layue, who was pregnant, everyone else stood there, their expressions revealing anxiety.

The Emperor inwardly snorted. Who among them was genuinely anxious for Consort Qi’s well-being, and who was secretly pleased? That was yet to be seen.

Observing them further, he felt even more disgusted by their hypocrisy.

As the Emperor was scrutinizing everyone, Lai Xi hurriedly entered and whispered something into the Emperor’s ear. The Emperor furrowed his eyebrows and cast his gaze over the crowd, causing everyone to feel a jolt of fear.

He coldly snorted: “Both the vinegar-braised carp and the spicy diced chicken on Consort Qi and Consort Chun’s tables were laced with potent abortifacient drugs.”

It was commonly believed that cravings for sour foods indicated a boy and cravings for spicy foods indicated a girl. Either way, the person who poisoned the food would achieve their goal.

Everyone looked at each other in shock, too afraid to speak recklessly.

Upon hearing this, Layue felt a chill of dread. If she hadn’t already eaten a lot before coming and had a preference for Qiaoning’s cooking, she likely wouldn’t have been spared today.

Who could have committed such a despicable act?

Thinking further, since the banquet was organized by the Emperor, she couldn’t help but suspect him and cast a glance his way.

The Emperor was already furious, and when he noticed Layue’s suspicious gaze, his heart tightened.

Was she actually suspecting him?

Although she quickly averted her eyes, the Emperor was sure he hadn’t misread her expression, and he felt a wave of discomfort.

“Yue’er, come here.”

Hearing the Emperor’s voice and seeing his expression, Layue quickly stood up and hurried to his side.

Seeing her hurried movements, the Emperor scolded her: “Slow down. You’re pregnant and still rushing around like this. Don’t you care about the baby? Are you deliberately trying to upset me?”

Reprimanded without cause, Layue felt deeply wronged. Her expression showed her hurt as she lifted her head slightly and curtsied:

“Your humble concubine is at fault.”

Seeing her expression, the Emperor sighed inwardly. After all, she was just a young girl, stubborn and easily hurt by a single reprimand. Indeed, he had spoiled her too much.

Looking at her figure, he felt some concern. After only three months, her pregnancy was already showing, unlike Consort Qi, who had shown no signs at three months.

Seeing that he didn’t tell her to rise, Layue remained in her half-curtsied position.

Seeing her remain in that posture, the Emperor didn’t know what to say and sighed: “Come and sit by my side. You’re not alone anymore, so you can’t be as reckless as before. I was just a little harsh with you, but you reacted like this.”

Since she was young and carrying his child, he decided to continue spoiling her.

He would teach her gradually; eventually, she would improve.

Others had never seen the Emperor behave like this and were practically gnashing their teeth in frustration, inwardly cursing Shen Layue for being ungrateful.

After a while, Layue realized she had overreacted.

Although she felt wronged, since he was the Emperor and she had to depend on him, shouldn’t she have been more obedient?

It must be the baby’s temperament causing her to act this way; otherwise, why would she behave like this?

Layue secretly blamed her recent behavior on the baby.

Only three months pregnant, she had already attributed her changes—sleepiness, increased appetite, cravings, and mood swings—to the baby. She inwardly told herself that she would make sure to discipline the child properly so that she wouldn’t turn out this way.

The Emperor, unaware of her inner thoughts, simply saw her pouting lips:

“I will be extra careful with my own baby.”

Looking at her closely, the Emperor noticed her natural, unadorned appearance, realizing she must have avoided cosmetics for the baby’s sake.

“You’re still young. Since the physician has confirmed you’re fine, you don’t need to stay here any longer. The air here isn’t good, and I don’t want it to affect your mood and harm the baby. Go back to your quarters and rest.”

Due to Consort Qi’s incident, everyone had gathered here, and the air wasn’t as fresh as in Chunchun Pavilion. Layue indeed felt a bit stifled.

Without declining the Emperor’s favor, Layue nodded: “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness. Your humble concubine will return now.”

Seeing her compliance, the Emperor was satisfied: “Lai Xi, escort Consort Chun back. Also, assign more people to attend to Tingyu Pavilion. I don’t want to hear any more bad news.”

Seeing the Emperor genuinely caring for her, Layue felt somewhat comforted.

Madam Zhou supported her mistress, feeling a chill of dread. If her mistress hadn’t eaten a lot in the palace before coming, who knew what would have happened today.

Layue didn’t speculate about Consort Qi’s condition or why she had been targeted. She quietly made her way back to Tingyu Pavilion.

Jinxin and others had already heard about the incident at Chunchun Pavilion and were anxious. Seeing their mistress return, they hurried over and supported Layue into the inner chamber from the other side.

Seeing their worried expressions, Layue shook her head and said: “I’m fine. The physician has already checked me. It was Consort Qi who had the accident.”

The others didn’t know the exact situation.

Hearing that their mistress was safe, they finally breathed a sigh of relief and murmured, “Amitabha.”

Actually, Layue was quite tired and didn’t talk much about the incident. After a quick bath and grooming, she fell asleep.

This matter will be set aside for now.

Meanwhile, after Layue left, the Emperor’s demeanor became even colder.

He didn’t speak much, merely scrutinizing the beautiful women before him.

Looking at them, each was naturally beautiful, but their inner selves were despicable.

After a while, the physicians finally came out, knelt down with a “thud,” and shook their heads.

“Your humble servants have failed. We couldn’t save the young prince.”

The Emperor closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

After a long while, he opened his eyes: “How is Consort Qi?”

The physician didn’t dare to hide anything: “Consort Qi’s life is not in danger. She should regain consciousness tomorrow. However…”

The physician paused, and the Emperor knew there was more.

“Continue.”

“However, due to the potency of the drug, Consort Qi may no longer be able to conceive.”

Upon hearing this, someone gasped in shock.

The Emperor sneered: “Unable to conceive, a seven-month-old child dead. Good, very good! So, I have been too lenient with you all.”

The Emperor glared at these women with almost icy eyes.

“Though you may be beautiful, your hearts are filthy. Return to your quarters. I will also make this clear: by tomorrow evening, the culprit must be found. This time, I will not show mercy.”

Rarely seeing the Emperor in such a mood, the women dared not argue much. Since the Emperor ordered them to leave, they filed out one by one.

The Emperor glanced around the room and spoke in a low voice: “Let’s return to the palace.”

This night was inevitably sleepless for everyone, except for Shen Layue, who was pregnant and prone to sleepiness. The Emperor had solemnly declared that this matter was not over and that the culprit would be identified by tomorrow evening.

Recalling previous incidents, which all ended with much ado about nothing, many thought that perhaps another low-ranking concubine would be made the scapegoat.

But considering the Emperor’s expression, they became uncertain.

However, the lower-ranking consorts were worried, fearing they might become someone else’s target.

The next day was a bright and sunny day.

Layue didn’t wake up very early but was quite energetic.

Seeing the several senior palace maids constantly attending to her, she smiled and said: “What are you all doing? Haven’t I already said that I’m fine?”

They all nodded, but knowing didn’t dispel their concern after such a big incident the previous day.

“Has there been any news from outside?” Layue wasn’t indifferent to this matter.

Ta’er spoke up: “It’s said that the Emperor declared yesterday that the culprit must be identified by tonight, with no leniency.”

Layue was somewhat skeptical about this statement.

So many times before, there had been much ado but little result.

“What about Consort Qi?” Given the amount of blood at the scene, Layue already had a vague suspicion that the situation wasn’t good.

Ta’er hesitated for a moment but finally answered: “Reporting to the Lady, Consort Qi will recover after a period of rest. However, the physician said the drug was too potent, and Consort Qi may no longer be able to bear children in the future. As for the child in her womb, he has already passed away and could not be saved.”

Upon hearing this, Layue was shocked.

She had guessed that the child might not survive, but she hadn’t expected the person who poisoned the food to have calculated even this far ahead.

Layue felt another wave of dread. If she had indeed eaten the food on the table, she would likely be in unbearable pain by now.

In the quiet room, the Emperor stood with his hands behind his back in front of the window, looking at the fallen leaves on the ground, feeling particularly desolate.

He didn’t know whether he had made a mistake.

In the past, he thought that only mothers capable of protecting their children could give birth to his offspring. Otherwise, even if the child was born, he would invest much emotion, only to have the child eventually fall victim to schemes. How would he feel then?

But today, he suddenly became uncertain.

This uncertainty wasn’t only because of the loss of Consort Qi’s seven-month-old child but also because of Layue’s suspicious glance.

Why had she looked at him like that? Why had she suspected him?

Perhaps there was some reason for it.

The Emperor clenched his fist, his expression indescribably lonely.

In the past, Layue had only looked at him with shining eyes, full of joy and smiling. When had she ever looked at him with such suspicion?

It made sense, too. In the palace, ten out of ten children couldn’t be protected. Although he had publicly ordered thorough investigations, he had ended up treating it lightly.

And this time, the incident occurred at a banquet he had decided on a whim. No wonder the child had looked at him with fear.

Thinking further about the person behind the scenes who had dared to scheme against him, the Emperor felt even more anger.

If someone could scheme against him this time, who knew what else they might scheme for in the future?

The Emperor’s eyes sharpened.

Those with such grand ambitions truly couldn’t be spared.

Perhaps he had made some mistakes.

What did it matter if the child’s mother was capable? After all, it was his child. If the mother couldn’t protect him, couldn’t he, as the father, protect the child?

He didn’t want to follow his father’s approach, but he didn’t need to overcorrect and go to another extreme either.

Thinking for a while longer, the Emperor seemed to have figured something out, and his expression returned to calmness.

“Lai Xi.”

“Your humble servant is here.”

“Gather all the concubines from the palace to Chunchun Pavilion this evening. There’s no need to inform the Empress Dowager.”

It seemed the Emperor had made up his mind about something.

When the concubines from various quarters heard the news, they were somewhat surprised, knowing that the Emperor must be about to announce the outcome. In the past, such matters were always left to the Empress Dowager, but today, it seemed the Emperor himself would handle the matter.

No one knew what the outcome would be, and everyone felt anxious, unable to articulate their feelings.

Meanwhile, upon hearing the news, Layue was also taken aback, not expecting the Emperor to genuinely handle the matter.

Smirking slightly, she wondered how this man would deal with it.

For some reason, she felt uneasy, as if something was about to happen.

Seeing her distracted, Jin Xin asked in confusion: “What’s wrong, my lady?”

Thinking that her lady might still be uneasy from witnessing the terrifying scene at Chunchun Pavilion, Jin Xin continued: “My lady doesn’t need to worry too much. This time, the Emperor will surely be more careful. My lady will be safe.”

Layue shook her head. She felt a sense of unease, an inexplicable bad feeling.

Jin Xin didn’t understand her lady’s meaning but didn’t ask further, silently attending to her lady.

By evening, Layue was properly dressed and, accompanied by Jin Xin and Madam Zhou, arrived at Chunchun Pavilion.

At that time, the Emperor had already arrived, sitting at the head seat, watching everyone with a blank expression.

After performing her curtsy, Layue stood aside. Looking around, everyone had their heads bowed, likely feeling anxious as well.

How things would turn out, Layue did not know. However, this matter had nothing to do with her anyway; she just needed to be cautious. As for the faint unease in her heart, Layue attributed it to yesterday’s incident.

Soon after, everyone had arrived.

The Jing Emperor glanced at the crowd.

He spoke, “You must have already known why I summoned you here today.”

Everyone softly replied, “Yes.”

“Bring the people in.”

Everyone looked on, surprised to see Lian Xiuyun and Chen Yulan, who should have been confined to the cold palace.

Behind them were several young maids and eunuchs.

Among them, people noticed Shulan, the favored servant of Virtuous Consort.

All eyes turned to Virtuous Consort.

Virtuous Consort’s face turned pale, but she quickly regained her composure and looked calmly at the Jing Emperor.

The Jing Emperor did not even glance at her.

“Shulan, you speak for yourself.”

The Jing Emperor spoke expressionlessly, his voice extremely cold. Shulan shivered slightly, her face turning pale.

“The master was jealous that Qi Concubine and Chun Zhaoyi were pregnant. She feared that once they gave birth to princes, it would threaten the position of the Second Prince. She ordered me to go to the cold palace to seek out Lian and Chen. She hoped to use their hands to eliminate the fetuses of the two women, and furthermore, to ensure that they would never have the chance to conceive again.”

Filled with anger, Virtuous Consort glared at Shulan. “Your Majesty, I did not do it! I am innocent! Shulan, you were my senior maid, and I have always treated you well. How could you falsely accuse me? Who exactly is manipulating you?”

Her voice was heart-wrenching.

Still, the Jing Emperor did not look at her. “Continue.”

Shulan did glance at Virtuous Consort, but continued without delay: “This was not the only thing. There were many other deeds ordered by the lady. While managing the affairs of the palace, she once threatened the midwife attending Bai Jieyu’s delivery with the safety of her family. Because of this, Jieyu gave birth prematurely and suffered bodily injuries.”

Bai Youran suddenly raised her head, glaring at Virtuous Consort with eyes that could devour her.

With a “thud,” Bai knelt down. “Your Majesty, please grant me justice.”

Her voice was filled with tears.

Seeing the Jing Emperor remained silent, Bai knelt there sobbing softly.

Shulan, obviously terrified, continued: “Moreover, there was also Consort An. At that time, the lady suspected Consort An was pregnant through some clues. To be safe, she deliberately pushed her down. She thought that if Consort An was not pregnant, it would be nothing serious. However, if she was pregnant, it would cause a miscarriage. And the talcum powder that could be detected was also intentional, merely an excuse to cover up.”

This time, Consort An also knelt down.

Her cries were loud enough to shake the heavens: “Your Majesty, Your Majesty! My child, my child whom I never even got to know, was taken by this poisonous woman, this evil woman…”

This side was in chaos with crying.

Meanwhile, Qi Concubine arrived, supported by others.

“Your Majesty…” she began to kneel.

At a signal from the Jing Emperor, Lai Xi quickly supported her.

“Your Ladyship must not do this,” he said, helping Qi Concubine to a chair nearby.

The Emperor’s face softened slightly with concern. “Your condition is so poor; why did you get up?”

Qi Concubine was not crying, but her face was filled with sorrow. “Your Majesty, I must come. I must know who killed my royal son. My life is not worth much, but for my son, I would willingly give my life in exchange.”

Her words were filled with sorrow.

Everyone listening was moved.

The Emperor nodded slightly. “Rest assured, I will see justice is done.”

At this moment, the scene was somewhat chaotic. Virtuous Consort knelt there crying out her innocence. Qi Concubine appeared sorrowful and fragile. Bai Jieyu and Consort An wept bitterly over their grievances and injuries. Lian Xiuyun and Bai Xiaodie knelt to the side, trembling, unable to tell why.

Watching the scene unfold, Layue felt her unease growing stronger.

She stepped slightly backward. She was with child and could not afford to be too close to them. If they became desperate and acted recklessly, she would be unable to defend herself.

Madam Zhou, who was beside her, seemed to have the same thought. She gave a signal to Jin Xin, and the group shifted their positions slightly.

At this moment, everyone’s attention was focused on the drama unfolding, so no one noticed their movements.

“Enough!” The Jing Emperor shouted, and the crying and shouting abruptly stopped.

Seeing the Emperor rebuke them, Shulan finally found the courage to continue: “Previously, the master sent me to the cold palace to find Lian and Chen. Although they had been sent to the cold palace, Lian Xiuyun was the only legitimate daughter of the Lian family, and Chen Yulan was similar. Both families had not abandoned them and had placed many secret agents inside the palace for their sake. The master proposed an exchange: if Lian and Chen used their family’s secret agents to eliminate the children of Qi Concubine and Chun Zhaoyi, she would find a way to help them leave the cold palace and regain their status.”

Virtuous Consort shouted her innocence from the side: “Your Majesty, please don’t listen to this girl’s nonsense. How could I, merely a concubine, decide whether they would be reinstated? Moreover, wouldn’t Lian and Chen fear being caught? Or did they trust me one hundred percent? Your Majesty, please see clearly.”

Her words made some sense.

“At that time, at that time, Virtuous Consort personally wrote a letter to each of them as proof,” Shulan bravely added.

“Where are the letters? I am willing to confront them,” Virtuous Consort shouted.

At this, Chen Yulan trembled and replied, “Your Majesty, your humble concubine was deceived by Virtuous Consort. The letters have now turned into blank sheets of paper. I suppose we were just foolish. How could Virtuous Consort leave such evidence in our hands? However, we were truly deceived, please forgive us, Your Majesty.”

Hearing her words, Virtuous Consort sneered, “She said I wrote the letters, but now she says they’ve turned blank. How inconsistent! Your Majesty, clearly Shulan has been bribed by someone else, and these people are conspiring to frame me. Their intentions are truly heinous!”

But then Chen Yulan raised her head: “Your Majesty, Virtuous Consort ordered this young lady Shulan to deliver the letters as a sign of sincerity. However, when I opened them last night, they had all turned into blank paper. Fortunately, I had my suspicions at the time and secretly kept a copy. Otherwise, today, Your Ladyship would surely deny everything.”

From Chen Yulan’s implication, it seemed she had kept evidence.

Virtuous Consort’s expression changed slightly, but she still tried to remain calm. However, this brief change was already noticed by many sharp-eyed observers.

It seemed these people had not wrongfully accused Virtuous Consort. This must have been her doing.