A few days later, Cao Qinmo received word from Yu Ying’er that Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang were strolling together near Bitong Academy.

Cao Qinmo specifically invited Empress Qi and Xin Changcai to accompany her, saying that she had made an inappropriate joke with Zhen Huan in front of the Emperor, so she had arranged a banquet to apologize.

As the saying goes, one doesn’t hit a smiling face, and Cao Qinmo’s move was indeed quite clever!

Zhen Huan thought this was also a good opportunity to remove Cao Qinmo.

She had already instructed Xiao Yunzi to keep a close eye on Liu Bu.

If the Empress didn’t act, Xiao Yunzi would take people and arrest Liu Bu.

So, the group followed Cao Qinmo to her palace.

After a satisfying meal and drink, Cao Qinmo had someone prepare plum soup to aid digestion.

Even Xin Changcai praised Cao Qinmo for her thoughtful consideration, saying no one could compare to her.

Indeed, no one could compare. After all, how could one so quietly fall into her trap without even realizing it?

Perhaps it was the medicine’s effect, but Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan had been craving sour foods in particular these past few days.

As they were drinking, Zhen Huan pretended to gag, and seeing this, Shen Meizhuang also mimicked the motion, pretending to vomit.

“Oh my, what’s wrong with Guiren Shen and Guiren Wan?” Cao Qinmo was the first to raise the question.

Empress Qi and Xin Changcai, both women who had given birth before, saw Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang acting this way, and their first reaction was that they must be pregnant.

Zhen Huan immediately pretended to be embarrassed, saying, “It shouldn’t be. How could it happen so coincidentally?”

“Oh, what’s impossible about it? Look at the two of you, you must be pregnant,” Empress Qi said, laughing.

She then asked whether they had been feeling sluggish, craving spicy foods, or losing their appetite recently.

Both of them nodded in agreement.

Cao Qinmo then asked if their monthly cycle had come recently, and both of them shook their heads.

Xin Changcai seemed genuinely happy for them.

Empress Qi, however, had a more serious expression.

Cao Qinmo instructed a eunuch to fetch the imperial doctor, and Shen Meizhuang specifically requested that Liu Bu be the one to check.

Zhen Huan worried that if the imperial doctor confirmed it wasn’t pregnancy, it would become an embarrassing situation.

She didn’t want to make a big deal by bringing in other doctors, so she suggested they use the same one as Shen Meizhuang.

Cao Qinmo was pleased to save herself some trouble.

After checking their pulses, Liu Bu confirmed both of them had pregnancy pulses.

When the Emperor received the news, he was overjoyed.

He said it had been a long time since such good news had come from the palace, and they must celebrate properly.

At this moment, the Empress arrived with a smile.

She first congratulated the Emperor and said that she had reviewed the sleeping records of both Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, which matched the records from Tong Shi.

The Emperor was delighted when he saw this.

The Empress noticed that the Emperor’s joy had been sufficiently stirred, so she began speaking.

“Your Majesty, the harem doesn’t have many children. Now that both Guiren Wan and Guiren Shen are pregnant at the same time, we cannot be careless.”

“Guiren Wan has always had a weaker constitution, and to avoid any mishaps, I think it’s best to have Doctor Zhang and other doctors come to examine them together. It would also be helpful to prescribe the most suitable pregnancy supplements for them.”

The Emperor, in a good mood and considering the health of the children, immediately agreed after hearing the Empress’s suggestion.

Zhen Huan thought to herself, as expected, the Empress didn’t disappoint her.

When Liu Bu heard the Empress’s words, he was so frightened that he trembled all over.

“Your Majesty, if there’s nothing else you need from me, I will take my leave.”

Was Liu Bu trying to flee, feeling guilty?

This palace won’t let you escape!

Anyone associated with Hua Fei will not be spared!

“Doctor Liu, you’ve been the one checking Shen Guiren’s pulse recently. You’re the most familiar with the appropriate pregnancy supplements for her. Please stay and help the other doctors prescribe medicine for both her and Guiren Wan.”

The Empress’s seemingly casual words carried immense weight for Liu Bu.

Zhen Huan noticed that his forehead was drenched in sweat.

Looking at Cao Qinmo, her face had also turned dark, no longer showing the triumphant expression from earlier.

Soon, the news that the Empress had sent the imperial doctors to examine Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang’s pregnancies spread to Hua Fei through Yu Ying’er.

Upon hearing this, Hua Fei was so anxious that she paced back and forth in Yikun Palace like an ant on a hot pan.

“When did the Empress start caring so much about others’ pregnancies? She even had the imperial doctors jointly examine them and prescribe pregnancy supplements! Isn’t one doctor enough?”

Hua Fei was furious with the Empress and felt like tearing her apart.

But the situation had already unfolded. What should she do now?

“Your Highness, since this matter has already been exposed, how about…”

Yu Ying’er whispered her plan into Hua Fei’s ear, a plan that Zhen Huan had taught her.

“Yes, yes, I should protect myself first. Song Zhi, go and bring Wen Yi to me.”

After hearing Yu Ying’er’s plan, Hua Fei felt it was quite effective.

Only Cao Qinmo could take on this responsibility without implicating her.

Wen Yi, who was Cao Qinmo’s precious, would be used as a pawn, and for Wen Yi’s sake, Hua Fei had no choice but to comply.

Meanwhile, following the Empress’s orders, Zhang Mi brought the imperial doctors to check Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang’s pulses.

“Your Majesty, this… this… Guiren Wan and Guiren Shen do not have pregnancy pulses!”

After taking their pulses, Zhang Mi knelt on the ground with a fearful expression.

Hearing this, the Emperor’s expression immediately darkened, and the green jade pendant he was holding no longer seemed fragrant.

The other doctors in the imperial medical office quickly checked as well.

They all shook their heads.

“What?” Zhen Huan pretended to look disappointed, standing up with a vacant expression, her eyes soon filling with tears.

Seeing this, Shen Meizhuang immediately fainted from distress.

“Mei Jie, Mei Jie…”

Zhen Huan’s tears flowed uncontrollably, making the Emperor’s heart ache.

When he saw Shen Meizhuang faint from distress, the Emperor’s anger reached its peak.

“Liu Bu!”

The Emperor only uttered one name, and Liu Bu was so terrified, his soul nearly left his body.

“Your… Your Majesty… It is my fault, I’m unskilled, I must have misdiagnosed the pulses of both noble ladies…”

“It’s all my fault, please forgive me, Your Majesty, please forgive me…”

“What a fool you are!” The Emperor slammed his hand on the table.

The plum juice that hadn’t been finished yet spilled from the impact, showing just how hard he had struck.

The Emperor had come in a good mood, but now he was caught in this enormous embarrassment, and it seemed like he might even kill someone.

Zhen Huan, heartbroken, gently took the Emperor’s hand and blew on it.

The Emperor, seeing that Zhen Huan, despite being deeply saddened herself, still cared for his hand, felt even more affectionate toward her.

Zhen Huan, with tear-filled eyes, looked at Liu Bu:

“Doctor Liu, if your medical skills were poor, how could you have cured the pimples on Mei Jie’s and my faces with just a few prescriptions?”

“If it weren’t for the remedies you gave us that worked, how would Mei Jie and I have trusted you so much…”

As she spoke, Zhen Huan leaned her face against the Emperor’s chest and began to cry.