Chapter 139

A chaotic farce ended with the Crown Princess’s urgent exclamation.

King Jing Consort had already started feeling unwell when Xiao Xun mentioned her childlessness and his intention to take a concubine. Her lower abdomen ached faintly, but she gritted her teeth and endured it, unwilling to appear even more pitiful. As time passed, her body grew colder, her abdomen twisted in pain, and her consciousness gradually blurred. Fortunately, no one cared or paid attention to her.

Xun Shuling silently leaned against her maid, watching her husband rage impotently over another woman. Whether he took a concubine or not, she only wished for the banquet to end quickly.

Something wet and sticky flowed beneath her. She was somewhat aware, yet also confused, feeling only a groggy discomfort.

The thick winter clothing, especially her palace attire, concealed the bloodstains until they seeped through. By then, King Jing Consort had already fainted. Her face was as pale as paper, yet she tightly held her maid’s hand, forbidding her to call for help. She had already lost enough dignity and clung to the last shred of self-respect, unwilling to attract attention or sympathy.

It wasn’t until the Crown Princess inadvertently turned around and exclaimed at the bloodstains on the ground that everyone noticed Xun Shuling’s abnormal state.

Nianxi witnessed this scene as well.

Xun Shuling’s purple-gold palace gown became dark and sticky. She lay quietly, motionless.

Her heart suddenly clenched, as if she had returned to that midnight, helplessly clutching her stomach, not knowing whom to call for help.

“Who will save me, save my poor, unborn child?” A suffocating pain struck her, and Nianxi’s vision went black. Slowly, she collapsed to the ground.

Lu Huai had been holding Nianxi’s hand all along, so he was the first to notice something was wrong. When Nianxi fell, he tried to catch her with his small body.

Of course, it didn’t work; he was pulled down with her.

Lu Huai’s voice was much louder than the Crown Princess’s, filled with fear and panic and piercingly sharp, “Nianxi was also killed by King Jing! Wuwu, Nianxi, wake up…”

Everyone turned to look at Nianxi again.

The entire hall once more descended into chaos.

Empress Lu only felt vexed and irritated. Her carefully planned birthday banquet—how had it turned into such an uncontrollable farce?

“Wensheng…” She couldn’t help but look at the brother she trusted and relied on the most.

Lu Wensheng had already noticed when Nianxi collapsed. Initially, he planned to take Nianxi and Xiao Qi out of the palace, but when he turned back and saw the unconscious King Jing Consort, the somber-faced King Jing, and Lady Chengjing …

He let out a soft sigh in his heart.

Lowering his head, he glanced at the unconscious young girl in his arms. She was so light as if she weighed nothing—soft, delicate, and leaning gently against his chest.

For the first time, he could gaze at her this closely and intently. There was no need to restrain himself or adhere to propriety. He saw the girl’s delicate brows furrowing lightly and her lips moving faintly. Leaning closer, he caught fragments of her murmurs: “Save… the child…”

A girl barely in her teens, despite her strength, would naturally feel frightened after such a shock. Lu Wensheng noticed tears sliding down the corners of her eyes. They slowly seeped into her hair.

His heart felt as though it had been soaked by a damp rainstorm. The collapsed corner was filled with tenderness and pity.

Lu Wensheng held Nianxi in his arms, glanced down at Xiaoqi, and began to turn and leave together. However, Empress Lu called out loudly from behind: “Wensheng!”

Her tone carried urgency and apprehension, along with an almost imperceptible admission of fault that only a sister could convey.

Lu Wensheng stopped in his tracks. In the end, he couldn’t harden his heart completely.

He gently passed Nianxi over to Madam Li, who had been by his side the entire time. His movements were careful, and he worried about causing her discomfort. After making the necessary arrangements, he said to Madam Li: “Madam, the carriage from my residence is spacious; why not take mine to return home?”

Harboring deep resentment toward those associated with Empress Lu’s faction, Madam Li clenched her teeth in hatred. However, since Duke Fu had helped Nianxi earlier, she couldn’t bear to be overly cold in return. She simply refused, saying, “That won’t be necessary.”

Nianxi was still unconscious, and Madam Li, consumed with anxiety, couldn’t think of anything else. Hurriedly, she left the palace.

The sky was shrouded in darkness.

Lu Huai gave his father a reassuring look and then joined Madam Li in the soft sedan chair as they departed.

…

Nianxi fell gravely ill. She had a high fever for several days that wouldn’t subside, leaving her in a delirious state. She muttered incoherent words from time to time.

Madam Li, desperate with worry, developed blisters on the corners of her lips from stress. Despite the heavy snow, she went to the temple to pray and make offerings, begging the gods and Buddhas to protect Nianxi and grant her health and peace.

After four or five days, Nianxi finally regained consciousness.

Madam Li had visibly lost weight, and Nianxi’s father and elder brother looked equally worn. They had spent every moment of the past few days in anxiety over her.

Nianxi felt deeply guilty. Because of her ordeal, her entire family had suffered alongside her.

Her brother, Wen Qingheng, looked at her pale and fragile appearance as she recovered from her illness. Though his heart ached, he said with restrained emotion, “From now on, wherever you go, your brother will go with you.”

No one would ever bully his sister again. All those vile men could go die!

During these few days, the court was in an uproar over King Jing’s attempt to forcibly take an official’s daughter as a concubine. The day after the Empress’s birthday banquet, memorials from the Censorate flooded the Emperor’s desk, almost burying it.

It wasn’t just the Censorate; all the families allied with the Wen family, along with colleagues and relatives of the Wen father and son, submitted memorials one after another.

King Jing Consort’s miscarriage only fueled the outrage over the incident, drawing widespread condemnation and adding to King Jing’s woes.

Rumors spread among the public, claiming that while King Jing appeared young and vigorous, he was, in fact, weak and impotent. It was said that despite frequently boasting about his “great size” during his dalliances with courtesans, the reality was far from it—details abounded, many unflattering.

King Jing faced censure from the Emperor and was ordered to remain confined and reflect on his actions.

Xiao Xun sat in his study, pacing back and forth like a caged beast. His face was filled with fury as he listened to his subordinates’ reports.

“Those old scoundrels from the Censorate! They’ve got nothing better to do than to keep poking into my affairs all day! Just wait until I’m out—I’ll deal with them one by one!”

At this point, one of his advisors interjected, “Your Highness, you intended to take a concubine one day, and by the next day, the Censorate uniformly submitted their memorials. Such speed seems suspicious.”

Xiao Xun furrowed his brows. “Are you saying someone is intentionally targeting me?”

The advisor nodded. “Very likely.”

Xiao Xun clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked. He said in a chilling tone, “Don’t let them fall into my hands.”

Turning to his subordinate, he asked impatiently, “What else? Speak now.”

The subordinate hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words to relay the rumors circulating among the people.

As the subordinate spoke, Xiao Xun’s expression grew darker and darker. When the subordinate mentioned the claim that “the object was no larger than a needle tip,” Xiao Xun erupted in rage. Veins bulged on his neck, and his entire demeanor became violently agitated.

He kicked the man with full force. “Get out!”

For a man, being accused of incompetence and inadequacy in that matter was more devastating than any other blow.

In the study, the advisors tried to minimize their presence, fearing they might provoke his wrath.

But misfortune never comes alone.

Pei Jian, the official entrusted with investigating corruption in the salt monopoly case, discovered new evidence in the Lianghuai region. A memorial was directly submitted to the Emperor, accusing King Jing of embezzlement and massive bribes.