Chapter 21: Sword Pointed at Ning Wanyin

Consort Shu was a devout Buddhist.

The air in Jingxi Palace was thick with the scent of sandalwood.

Add to that the various perfumes and scents worn by the concubines who came to pay their respects, the air was heavy with fragrance.

The faint scent of Tianzhu grass was almost impossible to detect amidst this cacophony of aromas, even for a dog.

After curtseying to the high-ranking concubines, Ning Wanyin took her seat, her gaze sweeping across the room. She saw someone unexpected.

Danli!

She stood beside Noble Consort Li, a position reserved for a personal maid.

“Sister Ning, I requisitioned Danli from the Department of Internal Affairs. She’s a diligent worker, always putting her master’s needs first. Such a loyal and clever servant, you dismissed her, what a loss for you.” Noble Consort Li looked at Ning Wanyin, her smile strained.

Danli looked at Ning Wanyin, her eyes filled with suppressed resentment.

When she was sent to the Department of Internal Affairs, she thought she would be relegated to the lowest level of palace maids in the Sinful Kitchen.

But…

Noble Consort Li had requested her.

Noble Consort Li constantly questioned her about how Ning Wanyin had seduced the Emperor.

Danli instantly understood her purpose. She readily divulged everything, spilling the beans on Ning Wanyin’s every move.

Many concubines, witnessing this scene, finally understood.

Who wouldn’t want to be the next Ning Wanyin? If they could figure out her seductive ways, wouldn’t they be able to take her place?

Noble Consort Li was indeed clever and quick-witted.

However, Ning Wanyin saw another layer to this. On the surface, Noble Consort Li had taken Danli to learn about her private affairs.

But in reality, she could also…

She understood!

Ning Wanyin immediately looked around. Noble Consort Li was in the second row on the right, flanked by two other Noble Consorts, all newly entered the palace this year.

In front of her was an inconspicuous Lady Consort.

The Lady Consort’s face was pale, as if she wasn’t feeling well, but she was enduring it.

Just as Ning Wanyin was about to speak, she suddenly saw a red stain soaking through the Lady Consort’s green skirt.

“Blood!” The Lady Consort’s maid cried out in alarm.

The concubines around them all looked over, seeing the blood, they quickly backed away.

Consort Shu stood up in surprise, “What happened to Lady Consort Liu?”

“Could it be her monthly cycle? Lady Consort Liu, you’re so careless! You’ve made such a spectacle of yourself.” Lady Consort Fang turned her head in disgust.

Lady Consort Liu looked down at the blood stain on her skirt, her face turning pale, she hurriedly called out, “Imperial Physician… Imperial Physician… My child…”

Child?

The entire palace fell silent.

What? Lady Consort Liu had a child?

“Lady Consort Liu, what… what child are you talking about?” Consort Shu looked confused.

Lady Consort Liu was already crying, anxiously calling out, “Please, Consort Shu, quickly summon the Imperial Physician… I am pregnant, please save the Dragon Seed.”

The words “Dragon Seed” left Consort Shu with no choice but to act. She immediately said, “Quickly, summon the Imperial Physician!”

The first to arrive at Jingxi Palace was Imperial Physician Sun.

She was almost at the entrance of Jingxi Palace when she heard that a concubine had seen red. She rushed over.

Lady Consort Liu was carried to the inner chamber of Jingxi Palace, Imperial Physician Sun immediately began to administer acupuncture and medication to save the fetus.

The other concubines waited in the outer chamber.

After a while, the experienced Chief Physician of the Imperial Medical Bureau and others also arrived.

“His Majesty has arrived!” A eunuch’s voice announced from outside.

The concubines all bowed, “Greetings to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!”

The Emperor’s face was as dark as a storm cloud. He went straight to the main seat and sat down.

The Emperor, ignoring everyone else, fixed his cold gaze on Consort Shu.

“How do you manage the inner palace? How could such a blunder occur?”

“Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was my negligence, I didn’t know about Lady Consort Liu’s pregnancy in time, and I didn’t take good care of her. It was all my fault!” Consort Shu knelt down and pleaded guilty.

Lady Consort Cen bowed deeply, chiming in, “Your Majesty, Lady Consort Liu knew she was pregnant but didn’t inform Consort Shu. The Dragon Seed’s misfortune is entirely her own carelessness.”

The Emperor gave them both a cold glance but didn’t speak.

At that moment, the Chief Physician of the Imperial Medical Bureau and Imperial Physician Sun walked out together, bowing to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Fortunately, Imperial Physician Sun arrived in time and protected the Dragon Seed. Congratulations, Your Majesty, the Dragon Seed is safe!” The Chief Physician, an old man with a white beard, was the Emperor’s most trusted physician. He reported the truth.

The Emperor’s coldness softened slightly. “Imperial Physician Sun, you will be heavily rewarded. Chief Physician Zhao, Lady Consort Liu’s pregnancy is now in your hands.”

“Yes!” The two physicians bowed and accepted the order.

Chief Physician Zhao continued to report, “Your Majesty, Lady Consort Liu almost miscarried due to a drug that harmed the fetus.”

Drug?

Lady Consort Liu’s personal maid immediately knelt down, “Please, Your Majesty, seek justice for my mistress! Someone is trying to harm her!”

The Emperor said coldly, “Investigate!”

Lady Consort Liu hadn’t eaten anything since she left her palace this morning. The incident happened after she arrived at Jingxi Palace.

An Imperial Physician was sent to check the incense used in Jingxi Palace today.

They also investigated the concubines and maids closest to Lady Consort Liu one by one. Soon, they reached Danli.

“This sachet…” Imperial Physician Sun picked up a sachet hanging on Danli’s waist and opened it, her face changing instantly.

“Tianzhu grass! There’s Tianzhu grass in here! Tianzhu grass can cause pregnant women to miscarry!”

Consort Shu immediately looked at Danli, furious, “So it was you, you vile servant, who tried to murder Lady Consort Liu!”

Danli’s face turned pale, she knelt down and kowtowed, “I’m innocent! Noble Consort Li loves incense, she ordered all the maids to wear sachets, I’m using the incense that was distributed by Noble Consort Li’s palace!”

“What are you talking about!” Noble Consort Li looked shocked, she knelt down and pleaded with the Emperor, “I have never had any dealings with Lady Consort Liu, I didn’t even know she was pregnant, how could I possibly harm her!”

Lady Consort Xue saw this scene, her heart sank.

Noble Consort Li was her person, if she was implicated, it would inevitably raise suspicions about her involvement.

“As far as I know, Tianzhu grass, besides causing miscarriages, is also extremely harmful to the body, causing infertility. Noble Consort Li has already been poisoned by it, I suspect someone deliberately tried to harm Noble Consort Li, and accidentally harmed Lady Consort Liu. Lady Consort Liu’s pregnancy was a secret, none of us knew about it, who could have predicted the future and tried to harm her?” Lady Consort Xue said calmly, “Furthermore, I believe that if Noble Consort Li wanted to harm Lady Consort Liu, she wouldn’t have let her maid bring the drug in, wouldn’t that be illogical?”

Her words were logical and convincing, many concubines agreed.

Lady Consort Liu rarely received the Emperor’s favor, no one expected her to be pregnant!

If they really wanted to harm her, anyone with a brain wouldn’t let their own maid bring the drug in.

“Lady Consort Xue is right! Your Majesty, please investigate, I’m truly innocent!” Noble Consort Li cried with tears in her eyes, “I really didn’t know Lady Consort Liu was pregnant, even if I’m stupid, I wouldn’t dare to plot to harm the Imperial Heir! I’m truly innocent.”

Lady Consort Fang suddenly interjected, “This maid was originally from Lingxue Pavilion…”

Noble Consort Li suddenly realized, she glared at Ning Wanyin with anger, “It was you! You deliberately dismissed her, I understand now, I understand everything…”

She kowtowed to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, please see clearly, Danli is Ning Wanyin’s person! She was acting on Ning Wanyin’s orders to harm me, I’m innocent!”

All eyes turned to Ning Wanyin.