Chapter 57: Three Birds with One Arrow

Qixiang Palace, the left wing, Huanxiang Pavilion.

Lady Fang stood by the window, gazing at the direction of the main hall, her eyes filled with envy and longing.

She had a title, among all the Lady Zhaoyis, she was the leader, only half a step away from the rank of Lady Bin.

But this half step was an insurmountable gap.

She had been scheming to be promoted to Lady Bin, to move into the main hall, to become the mistress of a palace, instead of being confined to a side wing.

But she didn’t expect to wait for this day, but instead, that bitch Liu got there first.

Her child hadn’t been saved…

But she had such good luck.

Lady Fang was unwilling to accept this. While the Emperor was out on a summer hunt, she secretly took action…

But she didn’t expect Consort Shun to be lucky, she didn’t drink much of the soup with safflower in it, and she was saved.

This time, she must make Consort Shun miscarry!

“Mistress, everything is arranged at Changchun Palace…” a maid quietly came forward to report.

Lady Fang nodded slightly, “What about Linlang Palace?”

“Originally, Mama Ping was a hindrance, but she’s been bedridden these days, everything is going smoothly!” the maid replied.

Lady Fang’s thin lips curled slightly, “Consort Shun miscarries, Consort Zhuang takes the blame, Ning Wanyin is negligent… three birds with one arrow, very good.”

One scheme, to bring down these three bitches she couldn’t stand, all at once.

Lady Fang couldn’t help but admire her own intelligence.

“Mistress, Beauty Wei invites you to have tea.” Another maid came in to report.

Last time, she helped the Wei family send Wei Yingya to the Cold Palace, and since then, she had shown her face in front of Jieyu Cen and Beauty Wei.

“Hmm, bring a generous gift, let’s go.” Lady Fang responded.

…

The next morning, Changchun Palace.

Consort Shun and her maid were about to go out, but they were stopped by the head eunuch guarding the gate:

“Your Majesty, Jieyu Ning has instructed that you cannot leave Changchun Palace.”

Consort Shun frowned in displeasure, “Are you listening to me or to her?”

“This servant is Your Majesty’s servant, naturally, I listen to Your Majesty. It’s just that the Emperor also has instructions…”

“That was before, when this concubine was injured, the Emperor asked me to recuperate in the palace. But the imperial physicians all know that this concubine is now recovered.” Consort Shun retorted, saying calmly, “Yesterday, Consort Zhuang came to my door, I didn’t have time to see her, there are some misunderstandings between us. This time, I’m specially going to Linlang Palace to apologize, if I let Consort Zhuang misunderstand me and come to Changchun Palace to cause trouble again, can you bear the consequences?”

The head eunuch was speechless.

Chun Que immediately urged, “Hurry up and bring the sedan chair! You all accompany Your Majesty.”

“Yes.” The head eunuch had no choice but to accept the order.

The group went straight to Linlang Palace.

The eunuchs along the way were very careful, not letting anyone get close…

They arrived at Linlang Palace smoothly.

The head eunuch wiped the sweat from his forehead, worried, “Your Majesty, please don’t have any conflicts with Consort Zhuang…”

“Of course not.” Consort Shun got off the sedan chair, looking expectantly at the courtyard full of pomegranate trees just beyond the gate, she suppressed her excitement and instructed, “Chun Que, send my gift to Consort Zhuang.”

Chun Que immediately put on a smiling face and handed the heavy gift she was carrying to the palace maids guarding the gate, and announced that Consort Shun was asking to see her.

…

“Pay respects to this concubine? I didn’t slap her twice, she’s complaining…”

“Not comfortable, are you?” Empress Zhuang didn’t believe she was here to “explain the misunderstanding.”

What misunderstanding could there be between them?

“I’d like to see what she’s up to. Let her in.” Empress Zhuang sneered.

The maid led Shunbin into Linlang Palace.

They were about to pass through a pomegranate grove on their way to the reception hall.

Shunbin immediately noticed the ancient pomegranate tree in the middle of the courtyard. Looking at the clusters of fiery red pomegranate flowers, her heart raced…

Although this secret recipe for having a son might not work.

But it was worth a try, to increase the possibility.

“Oh, these pomegranate flowers are so beautiful…” Shunbin pretended to be admiring them, walking straight towards the ancient pomegranate tree.

The maid leading the way naturally wouldn’t stop her from admiring the flowers, and she smiled and said, “Our Empress loves pomegranate flowers…”

“No wonder Empress Zhuang likes them, I find them very pleasing as well.” Shunbin said, reaching out to pick a branch of pomegranate flowers –

But the next moment, a group of maids appeared from the four corners of the courtyard, quickly separating Shunbin from the pomegranate tree.

An old woman with a stern face walked out, supported by two maids.

“Who are you?” Shunbin looked at the old woman, her brows furrowed. “I was just admiring the flowers, who are you? Why do you dare to stop me!”

Ping, the old woman, looked at her and said, “There’s an abortifacient on the pomegranate tree. If you don’t want to miscarry, stay away from it.”

“What?” Shunbin’s face changed instantly, she quickly stepped back, shocked and afraid:

“You deliberately put poison on the pomegranate tree to harm me?”

Ping didn’t bother with her.

At this moment, a chant came from outside the door:

“His Majesty has arrived!”

A figure in bright yellow walked in, accompanied by Ning Wanyin.

Everyone bowed together, “Greetings to Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty, someone is trying to harm me…” Shunbin looked at Helian Qi in fear.

Helian Qi gave her a cold look, “Who let you out? Ning Jieyu has arranged everything in Changchun Palace, you went out looking for trouble yourself!”

Shunbin’s face turned pale, she bit her lip and didn’t dare to speak.

“What’s going on?” Empress Zhuang was completely dumbfounded. She heard that the Emperor had arrived and came out of the reception hall to greet him, but she was still in a daze, not knowing what had happened.

Ning Wanyin called out, “Xiazi!”

Xiazi immediately stepped forward and reported, “This servant was ordered by Jieyu to secretly monitor all the maids in Changchun Palace, and found that Chunliu, a maid in Changchun Palace, secretly went to Qixiang Palace – Huanxiang Pavilion.”

Huanxiang Pavilion was the residence of Fang Zhaoyi.

And Chunliu was the maid Ning Wanyin had noticed something was wrong with before.

“Then, Chunliu suggested to Shunbin that she should break off a branch of pomegranate flowers. This servant heard it all from the roof and immediately reported it to Jieyu and His Majesty.” Xiazi continued.

Last time, Jieyu called him to Changchun Palace to stand guard, secretly watching the maids’ movements and listening in on their conversations with Shunbin.

“This old servant received His Majesty’s orders to secretly watch the pomegranate tree, and found that two maids, when watering the pomegranate tree, tampered with the water, adding a powder called Wuhua Teng to the water jug… Wuhua Teng powder has no effect on ordinary people, but pregnant women who come into contact with it will miscarry.” Ping, the old woman, took over and reported.

Shunbin looked at the pomegranate tree in horror, unable to imagine what would have happened if she had broken off a branch and taken it back…

Now the child was gone…

She swayed, her legs weak and unable to stand. Chunque quickly supported her, both of them were terrified.

“What?” Empress Zhuang was shocked.

Ping, the old woman, pointed to the two maids in the courtyard and said, “This old servant saw it with my own eyes, it was these two who did it.”

The two maids turned pale and knelt down.

Chunliu also panicked and knelt down.

“Take these people, along with Fang Zhaoyi, to the Criminal Justice Department.” Helian Qi said coldly.