Chapter 35 – The Empress’s Schemes

Consort Yu’s fall was no small matter. Wen Qiu didn’t dare to move her, but she couldn’t just let her lie there in the Imperial Garden either. While sending someone to call the imperial physician, she also had her attendants carry Consort Yu. Since Zhaohua Palace was the nearest, and there was no time to be cautious about propriety, she could only take Consort Yu there for temporary care.

Shen Qing hadn’t expected something like this to happen.

But now that they were here, she couldn’t exactly refuse to let them in. She even vacated her own inner chamber for Consort Yu. In fact, she hadn’t even been living in the main hall of Zhaohua Palace since her rank was too low. But the main hall was unoccupied, and it wasn’t appropriate to send Consort Yu there either.

Shen Qing simply stepped outside. Seeing that Wen Qiu had already arranged for the physician and informed the Emperor and Empress, she could only stand off to the side like a statue.

She remembered that in the original story, Consort Yu never managed to carry this pregnancy to term, so she’d hoped to steer clear of the situation entirely. Who would’ve thought that after getting injured in the Imperial Garden, Consort Yu would end up here?

Wasn’t this a calamity falling from the sky? And somehow, she’d gotten caught up in it too. Truly “blessed,” wasn’t she?

The imperial physician came running in, so rushed he didn’t even have time to wipe the sweat from his face before heading inside.

Hearing Consort Yu’s cries of pain from within, Shen Qing frowned. This child couldn’t possibly be saved now, could it?

The Empress arrived quickly. Although she didn’t like Consort Yu, she was the Empress and by protocol, when something happened to Consort Yu, she had to come and take charge.

As soon as the Empress arrived, Shen Qing immediately bowed.

“What exactly happened?” the Empress demanded.

Shen Qing shook her head in a panic. “This concubine is not sure. Consort Yu’s maidservant barged in with people. When I saw Consort Yu, she was already clutching her stomach.”

The Empress frowned. “Where is the physician?”

“He’s inside now.”

The Empress didn’t ease her expression and sternly called Wen Qiu out from within.

Wen Qiu dropped to her knees in front of the Empress with a thump.

“Explain clearly—what exactly happened to Consort Yu?”

Wen Qiu broke out in cold sweat, but before she could speak, Emperor Xuanyuan Ling arrived.

His expression was dark. How could someone in perfect condition suddenly trigger a miscarriage? And by the sounds of it, it was serious.

“What happened? What did the physician say?” he asked.

The Empress replied, “The physician hasn’t come out yet. I was just questioning Wen Qiu, who attends Consort Yu.”

Under the Emperor’s sharp gaze, Wen Qiu couldn’t withstand the pressure. An ordinary palace maid could never endure the Emperor’s imposing presence. She dared not lie in front of everyone and said, “Her Ladyship was feeling stifled today and decided to get some fresh air in the Imperial Garden. But just as we reached the pavilion, she slipped and fell…”

Xuanyuan Ling was truly angered. She’d caused this disaster by falling on her own? Pregnant and yet still so careless?

Just then, the physician came out and dropped to his knees before the Emperor. “Your Majesty, Her Ladyship is experiencing severe abdominal pain and has started bleeding. I’ve administered medicine, but it’s not working. Acupuncture hasn’t helped either. It’s clear that the child is not doing well. I’m afraid this child… cannot be saved.”

The implication was clear—there was no hope for the baby.

Xuanyuan Ling’s voice turned cold. “Do everything you can.”

The physician replied gravely, “Your Majesty, if we induce labor now, we can guarantee the safety of Her Ladyship. But if we try to save both mother and child… we may lose both.”

Xuanyuan Ling took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Then induce labor.”

With the Emperor’s command, the physician naturally returned inside.

Xuanyuan Ling’s face remained grim. After giving the order, he no longer wished to remain. A well-maintained pregnancy, gone just like that—he didn’t even want to see Consort Yu now.

The Empress escorted him out respectfully. According to protocol, after the Emperor left, she was to remain and ensure Consort Yu’s proper care.

Shen Qing also had to bow in farewell. As the Emperor glanced at her while leaving, his brows furrowed even more upon seeing her frightened expression. Her own injury wasn’t even fully healed, but he said nothing and left.

After he departed, Shen Qing remained quietly in place.

Inside, Consort Yu was still in pain. The physician didn’t say much, but from the look on his face, she could already guess the outcome.

Sure enough, after being given the medicine, she soon felt something pass from her body. The abdominal pain slowly subsided, but what had emerged was unmistakably a formed fetus.

At over four months, the baby already had visible hands and feet. The palm-sized fetus was covered in blood. Consort Yu felt as if her own heart was just as bloodied.

One look was all it took for tears to stream down her face. At first, she sobbed aloud, but soon she lay silently on the bed, weeping without a sound. Tears kept falling, but not a single sob could be heard.

Wen Qiu came in and gently supported her, heart aching. “My Lady, please take care of your health.”

Consort Yu’s eyes were bloodshot, and she felt like her heart was being torn apart. Finally regaining a bit of awareness, she gritted her teeth and hissed, “I don’t believe I lost the baby from just a simple fall. Four months in—he was already stable. Investigate! I vaguely remember stepping on something at the time!”

She paused, then asked, “Has there really been no movement from Fengyi Palace lately?”

She simply didn’t believe she’d lost the baby from one fall. Something had to be behind this. And if anyone in the palace wished her ill the most, it could only be the Empress. Now that something had happened, the first person she suspected was naturally her.

Wen Qiu had been too flustered earlier, but hearing this now, she quickly said, “This servant will investigate thoroughly.”

The Empress remained to help settle Consort Yu, and once she had someone escort her back to her own palace, she too returned.

Outside Zhaohua Palace, the Empress exchanged a look with Jin Zhi, then once they returned to Fengyi Palace, she asked, “Everything’s been handled cleanly?”

Jin Zhi replied, “Rest assured, Your Majesty. It was done with utmost care. It wasn’t even a potent drug—under normal conditions, it would have taken until six months for her to start bleeding. Who knew she’d fall on her own? But it worked out perfectly. She brought it on herself, which makes our plan flawless. And now His Majesty is repulsed by her—it truly kills two birds with one stone.”

The Empress let out a long breath. “As long as the imperial heir isn’t in Consort Yu’s womb, I’m content.”

Jin Zhi nodded. “And the child in Noble Lady Fang’s womb…”

The Empress said coldly, “Keep it for now. We may need it in the future.”