The harem is too complicated; the empress, a lazy bum, wins by doing nothing.

Chapter 123 Incense Ash
Shen Qingwan frowned: "Does the Emperor know about this?"

Actually, when she asked that question, she already had some guesses in her mind.

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor have always valued imperial offspring. Even if Consort Lan had a poor background and was not favored by the Empress Dowager, the child in her womb was of imperial lineage. Even if the Imperial Hospital had ten heads, they would not dare to conceal such a major matter.

Lan Changzai was very beautiful and gained Emperor Yuanwu's favor during Consort Xian's serious illness. Even though she was favored many times, Emperor Yuanwu did not confer a title upon her until she was found to be pregnant. He only conferred upon her the title of Changzai.

Lan Changzai came from the General's Mansion, which shows that even though the Emperor was captivated by beauty, he remained clear-headed.

The General's Mansion's intentions were too obvious. Consort Xian had only fallen and was injured, not dead, yet they hurriedly brought in a woman. Even she couldn't understand it, so how could Emperor Yuanwu not understand it?

The imperial harem is never short of beautiful women; it's just that the general has been brainwashed by the opera about loving beauty more than the country.

Although Shen Qingwan didn't know Emperor Yuanwu very well, she knew that power could always be infinitely magnified in a man's heart, while a woman could always find another one if she lost one.

"Since this matter hasn't been reported to us, let's just pretend we don't know anything about it," Shen Qingwan said calmly.

Meanwhile, at Jingyang Palace.

Consort Xian returned to the palace in a huff.

She was increasingly convinced that the idea of ​​sending the hostage to the palace was not the Emperor's, but the Empress's.

Late at night on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, the night before the Lantern Festival.

Zhen'er woke Shen Qingwan from her sleep: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Wake up! Something has happened at Jingyang Palace."

"Jingyang Palace? What happened to Consort Xian?" Shen Qingwan sat up in bed, still half asleep.

"Your Majesty, Consort Lan has miscarried. Consort De and Consort Shu have already rushed over. We dared not disturb the Empress Dowager. His Majesty is staying at Consort Yao's palace tonight. Xi'er has already gone to deliver the message."

Shen Qingwan was wide awake. With a child missing from the harem, she, as the empress, would definitely have to go there in person. As for who was responsible, that would depend on Emperor Yuanwu's own decision.

"Ahhh...ah..."

The Jingyang Palace was brightly lit late at night.

Shen Qingwan's chariot had just arrived at the gate of Jingyang Palace when the sound of wind accompanied by screams sent chills down her spine in the pitch-black night. She couldn't help but tug at her collar and shrink her neck.

"what happened?"

Lan Changzai's palace was surrounded by imperial physicians, and the room reeked of blood, which instilled fear in everyone.

Physician Zhang, his hands stained with blood, came out of the bedchamber upon hearing the commotion: "Your Majesty, may you be well. Your Majesty, Lan Chang is suffering from severe bleeding, and the child is certainly beyond saving. Your humble servant will do everything in my power to save Your Majesty."

"Oh no, how could this happen?" Shen Qingwan frowned deeply.

"Your Majesty," Consort Shu said as she emerged from her palace, "it is said that Consort Lan has been depressed and melancholy since becoming pregnant, and her insomnia has affected the child in her womb."

Shen Qingwan glanced at Lan Changzai, who was lying on the bed with a pale face.

Women like her in the harem were favored by the emperor a few times and then discarded. Consort Lan had visited her palace before; she was also an educated woman. Although it was unclear why the Grand General had chosen her to enter the palace, she probably already knew her fate the moment she climbed onto the dragon bed.

Since it's something she can't even hope for, why would she torment herself to the point where she has no hope left?

Shen Qingwan gave Zhen'er a look.

While Shen Qingwan was talking to Physician Zhang, Consort Xian rushed in.

"This humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty be blessed."

Shen Qingwan glanced at her indifferently and said, "Get up."

"It's all because I was sleeping too soundly. I only just heard that Consort Lan is not well. I'm late," Consort Xian said apologetically.

It would have been better if she hadn't explained; her explanation only made it seem deliberate.

Lan Changzai's screams were so loud that she could hear them even when she was standing at the entrance of Jingyang Palace, but Consort Xian, who lived in the main hall, could not hear them.

Even if she was sleeping soundly, how could the servants in Jingyang Palace not wake her up for something so important?

Actually, she didn't want to come. If Shen Qingwan hadn't come, she probably would have slept until the next morning when she was supposed to pay her respects.

"Your Majesty, it's all my fault for not managing the people in the palace properly, causing Your Majesty to make a trip so late at night. It's getting late, Your Majesty should go back and rest early. Consort Lan is here with me. If there's anything else, I'll have someone invite Your Majesty over."

"I just asked Physician Zhang, and the child cannot be saved. Consort Lan has just escaped death, and it is thanks to the kindness of the General's Mansion. Since the Noble Consort has spoken, I will return first. If there is anything else, send someone to Kunning Palace to deliver the message."

Upon hearing Shen Qingwan's words, Consort Xian's smile froze: "This concubine respectfully sees off Her Majesty the Empress."

As they exited Jingyang Palace, Zhen'er asked in confusion, "Why did Your Highness say those things to the Imperial Concubine? This Consort Lan is originally from the General's Mansion. Whether she lives or dies, what does it have to do with our Kunning Palace? I'm afraid some people will take Your Highness's good intentions for granted."

"Since Lan Changzai became pregnant, she has been staying in Jingyang Palace. Her child was lost so suddenly, so naturally she can't blame anyone outside Jingyang Palace. If someone wanted to use her as a tool to kill her, that would be one thing, but if she survived, who do you think she would blame for losing her child?"

Zhen'er's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty wants them to fight amongst themselves."

Shen Qingwan yawned lazily: "Have you noticed anything unusual?"

"Your Majesty, I found some incense ash in the corner of the backyard of Jingyang Palace that I hadn't had time to clean up. I don't know if there's anything wrong with the ash, but normally, when I clean the incense burner every day, I wouldn't dump it in the backyard. This doesn't seem like I want to throw away the ash; it seems more like I want to bury it and cover something up."

Zhen'er, as expected of the original owner's personal maid who had been with her since childhood, could understand her meaning with just a glance.

Perhaps the truth about Lan Changzai's loss of her son is hidden in this incense ash.

Shen Qingwan felt that there was no need to dwell on this matter too much. Whether it was intentional or accidental, Consort Lan's favor had come to an end. Judging from Consort Xian's attitude today, even if Emperor Yuanwu did not blame her, Consort Xian would not treat her well in the future.

After all, no woman could tolerate her personal maid climbing into her husband's bed while she was seriously ill.

If Emperor Yuanwu were to investigate this matter, she would have some clues, given that she possessed this incense ash.

However, if there really was something wrong with the incense ash, how come so many imperial physicians went today and didn't find a single clue?
(End of this chapter)