Chapter 88: The Imperial Consort Suffers a Miscarriage

Although Imperial Consort Wu appeared frail and delicate, she was, in truth, extremely ruthless. The other concubines in the harem had all suffered under her schemes.

The young palace maid trembled as she heard Consort Wu’s furious voice. She quickly crouched down and gathered the broken shards of the porcelain bowl. “Your Highness, you are carrying the royal heir now. Please don’t get upset.”

Hearing this, Consort Wu’s anger eased slightly. She gently touched her abdomen and smiled smugly. “That’s right. Once my son is born, I will secure my position as Empress. Why should I fear Consort Ru or Consort Xian?”

The palace maid poured her another cup of tea. “Your Highness, please don’t be angry. You must be careful not to harm the baby.”

Consort Wu waved her hand and knocked the cup away, then stood up abruptly. “I don’t want tea. Come with me to Consort Ru’s palace. And bring my coral bracelet.”

The palace maid was startled. “Your Highness, do you mean the coral bracelet that prevents pregnancy?”

Consort Wu scolded, “I told you to fetch it—hurry up!”

The palace maid immediately fell silent and left to carry out the order.

Consort Wu followed behind her slowly. Perhaps due to her pregnancy, she felt dizzy, and after taking just a few steps, a wave of vertigo hit her.

Lately, everything had been going against her, leaving her extremely frustrated. She grabbed a nearby table for support and, in a fit of rage, swept everything off of it. “Why is this child so troublesome even in the womb?!”

A loud crashing sound echoed through the chamber.

After venting her frustration, she straightened her posture and continued walking.

Just as she stepped forward, her foot landed directly on a puddle of spilled bird’s nest soup.

The originally dry and even floor had become slippery due to the spilled liquid. The moment she stepped on it, her foot slipped, and her entire body fell backward.

With a loud thud, Consort Wu let out a heart-wrenching scream. “Ah! My stomach!”

The palace maid, who had just gone out to retrieve the coral bracelet, rushed back upon hearing the cry. “Your Highness! What happened?”

Cold sweat dripped from Consort Wu’s forehead. Her face was deathly pale as she clutched her stomach, gasping, “It hurts so much! Go summon the imperial physician! Call the Emperor immediately!”

Seeing her mistress trembling in pain, the palace maid panicked and ran out to find the physician.

After summoning the doctor, she hurried straight to Consort Ru’s palace, where the Emperor was staying. “Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! Imperial Consort Wu has fallen and is in severe pain!”

Inside the chamber, the Emperor was still embracing his beloved beauty. When he heard the disturbance outside, he frowned impatiently. “Is she throwing another tantrum?”

The palace maid hesitated, then cautiously replied, “Your Majesty, the Consort truly fell. Please go see her!”

The Emperor grew increasingly impatient and snapped, “If she fell, call the imperial physician! What use is summoning me? Go and tell her—unless she is dead, do not disturb me again!”

The young palace maid was stunned for a moment, then bit her lip and withdrew reluctantly.

Meanwhile, Consort Wu had been carried to her bed by the palace maids, and two or three imperial physicians had arrived to take her pulse.

Seeing the palace maid return alone, she endured the sharp pain radiating from her abdomen and angrily pointed at her. “Where is His Majesty? Why don’t I see him?!”

Terrified, the palace maid immediately fell to her knees and repeated the Emperor’s words verbatim.

Upon hearing them, Consort Wu was overwhelmed with fury. In a fit of rage, she knocked over the medicine chest beside her, sending its contents crashing to the ground.

The imperial physicians flinched at the sudden outburst, but soon exchanged knowing glances.

It was the same story—new favorites basking in affection while the old ones wept in misery. When the Empress was still around, had the Emperor not doted on Consort Wu just as much, coldly neglecting the Empress in turn?

Because the late Empress had always been kind and treated the palace physicians and maids well, they all remembered her fondly. Seeing Consort Wu now seething with jealousy, they couldn’t help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction.

The more Consort Wu thought about it, the angrier she became. As her fury rose, so did the pain in her belly—until suddenly, a warm rush of fluid gushed out.

The imperial physicians, who had been secretly reveling in her suffering, were now completely stunned.

“Your Highness, your water just broke! This is premature labor!”

Consort Wu, writhing in pain, clutched the bedsheets and lifted her gaze to the physicians. “Nonsense! This child is only five or six months along—how could I possibly be going into labor?!”

A child born this prematurely had little to no chance of survival.

The physicians immediately realized the gravity of the situation. Gathering in a hushed discussion, they quickly decided to send someone to summon the Emperor.

Before long, the Emperor arrived—though clearly unwilling.

As soon as he stepped inside, his face darkened with anger. “You managed to fall in your own chambers? I think you never intended to give birth to this child in the first place!”

Consort Wu wailed in pain, her cries echoing through the chamber. Hearing the Emperor’s accusations, she felt even more devastated. In a weak, trembling voice, she pleaded, “Your Majesty, someone must have harmed me! Someone must have plotted against me! It’s Consort Ru! Yes—it must be Consort Ru!”

The Emperor’s expression turned livid, his face darkening with fury. With a sharp flick of his sleeve, he spat, “You’re acting just like you did back then! I am beginning to wonder—was the Empress falsely accused all those years ago?”