Chapter 83: Untimely Death

No one noticed, but that didn’t mean Noble Lady Shen hadn’t noticed.

The Second Prince had met with an accident, and naturally, the birthday banquet couldn’t go on. Everyone left their seats, and Noble Lady Shen left as well. She returned to her palace and dismissed all the servants. Only a single lamp was lit inside the room.

The candlelight was faint and murky. She slowly walked to the bedside, only to find something lying by her pillow.

She froze for a moment and picked it up—it was a double-heart knot. The moment she saw it, tears streamed down her face.

At that moment, a palace maid entered. It was Suqiu, the maid who had accompanied Noble Lady Shen as part of her dowry.

Seeing Shen in tears, Suqiu pressed her lips together and said, “My Lady, please don’t cry. Things haven’t been settled yet. If someone sees you like this, it won’t be good.”

“You’re right,” Noble Lady Shen exhaled and handed her the knot. “Burn it.”

Suqiu was taken aback. “My Lady…”

“The situation hasn’t been settled yet. No matter what the outcome is, it’s not safe for me to keep this thing. Burn it.”

Suqiu took the knot and hid it away. She replied, “Rest assured, My Lady. During an occasion like the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, everyone was there, so he didn’t draw attention. He wasn’t caught at the time either, and even afterward they likely won’t be able to trace anything. The scapegoat has also been arranged…”

“Mm.”

At the same time, the Empress was on her way to Consort Yu’s residence. On the way, a young eunuch whispered something into Jinzhi’s ear.

Jinzhi’s expression changed sharply. She quickly leaned in and whispered to the Empress.

“It was her, just as expected,” the Empress said without surprise.

The day Noble Lady Shen pledged loyalty, she had been very certain—clearly, she already had a backup plan in place. She had a grudge against Consort Yu, and after being tormented by her for so long, how could she not harbor hatred? Ha, Consort Yu… in the end, the retribution came down on her son.

The Empress’s voice carried an undeniable sense of satisfaction. The burden that had weighed on her heart for nearly four years had finally been removed, albeit in such a manner.

Jinzhi said, “This Noble Lady Shen is truly capable. Thankfully, Your Majesty noticed something was off and had me assign people to monitor her movements. Otherwise, if she had taken action during the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, no one would’ve suspected a thing.”

Who would have thought she would use such a bold and blatant method? She waited for someone to pass by the lakeside and had them pushed directly into the water. The method was incredibly risky—if the attacker wasn’t determined or skilled enough and got caught, it would be a total disaster.

But though risky, the plan had a high chance of success. In truth, all Noble Lady Shen wanted was an effect—a show of allegiance to the Empress. She didn’t expect that by some twist of fate, it would actually lead to the Second Prince’s death.

“Jinzhi, do you think she did it merely to show her loyalty to me, or was she already set on eliminating the Second Prince from the start?”

Jinzhi couldn’t easily answer that question.

If we’re talking about ruthlessness, Noble Lady Shen was indeed ruthless. She went straight for the Second Prince. Even if her goal was to pledge loyalty, what if she had also calculated further ahead?

Consort Yu had both a son and a daughter, making her the most favored among the concubines in the entire palace. Now that she lost her son, only a daughter remained—she wouldn’t be considered as important. If Noble Lady Shen sided with the Empress and bore a son in the future, raising him by the Empress’s side, wouldn’t that child be seen as a legitimate heir?

Given the current situation, could anyone believe that she didn’t already have such ambitions—that her future child would be the most distinguished in the palace?

The Empress continued, “I originally thought that if she was useful, I’d use her. But once she made a move, it cost the Second Prince his life. With someone like this under my command, what if she bears a child in the future? Would I not have to live every day in fear? Even if the child is raised by me, I would never feel at ease.”

Jinzhi immediately understood the Empress’s meaning—she feared Noble Lady Shen, and even though she had pledged allegiance, the Empress no longer intended to accept her.

“I’ll arrange it right away.”

After giving these instructions, the Empress quickly followed behind the Emperor and Consort Yu, heading to the Second Prince’s residence. As soon as she entered, she saw imperial physicians and attendants kneeling all over the floor. If the child had been saved, the physicians wouldn’t still be kneeling here.

The Empress saw Consort Yu unconscious, and another physician treating her. Clearly, she had already fainted from the shock.

As soon as Xuan Yuanling saw the Empress arrive, he turned his piercing gaze toward her.

The Empress turned to the kneeling physician and urgently asked, “How is the Second Prince?”

The physician kowtowed heavily. “This subject is incompetent. The Second Prince… has passed away.”

The child was so young. After falling into the water, he had no ability to save himself and choked. By the time he was pulled out, he had already stopped breathing. The physician arrived too late—how could he possibly save him?

Just then, Consort Yu regained consciousness. Upon hearing the word “passed,” she clenched her fingers so hard she broke a nail, then collapsed to the floor. But she soon crawled up again, unable to stand, practically dragging herself inside. There, she saw the tiny figure lying motionless on the bed. Her child would never again open his eyes or call her “mother.” Her mouth hung open in silent shock for a long time before she finally let out a scream from the depths of her soul:

“Ah!”

She threw herself onto the child who wasn’t even four years old, as if she had gone mad.

Xuan Yuanling heard her scream and felt an unbearable pain in his heart—that was his child too. But beyond the grief, there was also rage: “How did the Second Prince fall into the water?!”

The palace maid who had been carrying the lantern earlier said in a terrified voice, “This servant saw a eunuch suddenly rush out. I didn’t expect him to head straight for the Second Prince. He knocked over the nanny carrying the prince, and both fell into the water.”

“Which palace did the eunuch belong to?”

“Your Majesty, it was too dark—this servant couldn’t see clearly.”

“Impudent! Zhao Hai, investigate immediately!”

The Empress’s heart sank. As expected, the Emperor no longer trusted her. Matters of the inner palace should be handled by her, yet he didn’t give her any say at all.

Her face was filled with sorrow as she knelt before Xuan Yuanling. “This consort is at fault. Please punish me, Your Majesty.”

When something happens to a concubine, the Empress bears undeniable responsibility.

Xuan Yuanling stared coldly at her, unable to stand her current pretentious display. “You haven’t even gotten to the bottom of the matter involving Noble Lady Xi and the abortion medicine, and now the Second Prince has been murdered. Can the Empress really investigate anything at all?”

“This consort is incompetent.”

Xuan Yuanling said, “Then return to Fengyi Palace and reflect on your failure!”

It was like he had slapped her across the face. The Empress turned pale and bowed again before quietly saying, “This consort is incompetent. I take my leave.”

“Seal the inner palace. No one on duty today is allowed to leave!”

Just then, a palace maid cried out from inside, “Consort Yu has fainted again!”

Chaos broke out once more.

That side was in turmoil, while Shen Qing had already returned to Zhaohua Palace.

On the way back, she hadn’t said a single word. Once inside, Chunhua noticed that Shen Qing’s expression seemed a bit grim.

“My Lady?”

Shen Qing seemed to come back to herself at that moment.

This kind of absentmindedness was rare in her. Chunhua couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong, My Lady?”

Shen Qing waved her hand. “You may go.”

“But My Lady…” Chunhua was worried, but since Shen Qing had spoken, she looked at her a few times, then left. Outside, Fangyun asked, confused, “What’s the matter?”

Chunhua shook her head. She didn’t know either.