A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

Even for the sake of her own future, the wax apple would have to fight desperately.

……

Emperor Qianwu watched helplessly as Zhou Mingyi fainted again, her sweat and blood staining the bed and even Emperor Qianwu's eyes.

How could this happen?

Why is this happening?

Emperor Qianwu still remembered that when he dealt with the jealous Consort Min, she cursed him.

He is said to be ruthless and heartless, and one day his cold-heartedness will backfire on him.

She also cursed him, saying he would never have any children of his own.

At that time, he was cold-faced and only ordered someone to send her poisoned wine and a white silk ribbon.

He granted her the privilege of choosing how she would die.

He believed he had been kind enough.

Later, Consort Chen successfully gave birth to Chaoyang, which showed that Consort Min's curse had not taken effect.

Although Chaoyang is a woman, she is his bloodline.

Therefore, Emperor Qianwu never took Consort Min's curse seriously.

But at that moment, he suddenly remembered this matter...

Emperor Qianwu tensed up.

Consort Zhen is doing very well; she is even pregnant with twins, and it is very likely that they will be two princes!

If he lost these two children and Consort Zhen, he couldn't believe how furious he would become and how he would lose hope in life.

How about giving up on yourself...?

Emperor Qianwu's eyes were bloodshot, like a lion raging with suppressed fury.

The Empress Dowager had been helped to sit down by Zhu Lan.

Emperor Qianwu, however, could not sit down no matter what.

Once the Empress Dowager had recovered somewhat, she immediately ordered that news from Weiyang Palace be kept under wraps.

It's impossible that Consort Zhen would intentionally ingest cinnabar; someone must have tampered with her food.

But the Empress Dowager just couldn't understand it.

The layout of Weiyang Palace was almost like an iron barrel, so how was it possible for that person to still be able to lay a hand on Consort Zhen?

However, with three imperial physicians being summoned to Weiyang Palace, such a grand affair was impossible to completely conceal from the people in the palace.

……

Chang Le Palace.

"It's not unusual for imperial physicians to go to Weiyang Palace, what's there to say about that?"

Since discussing things with her daughter that day, Consort Chen has stopped being in a hurry.

Given His Majesty's favor towards Consort Zhen, even if she gave birth to a prince, it wouldn't be her turn.

Then she could only hope that Consort Zhen's child would not be born, or that even if it was, it would be two daughters.

Granny Chen said, "His Majesty went there too, and has been inside for several hours without coming out..."

Consort Chen paused for a moment, then said, "Have someone inquire about it."

Granny Chen immediately said, "No news can get out of Weiyang Palace. It is said that even when Consort Lan went there, she was stopped outside the palace."

Consort Chen could no longer sit still. "You mean to say..."

After a moment of silence, Granny Chen said, "If that's true... perhaps it can work!"

Consort Chen paused for a moment, "Then..."

"Then what should I do?"

Granny Chen said, "Since Consort Lan has gone to Weiyang Palace, to show your concern, I think Your Highness should also go!"

Consort Chen was immediately furious, "I'd love for her to lose those two pieces of flesh in her belly, yet she went to Weiyang Palace to put on this pretense?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Consort Chen changed her mind.

"Since we can't send messages secretly, let's go openly. Maybe we can find out some information..."

Consort Chen went to Weiyang Palace in high spirits, but as expected, she and Consort Lan were stopped outside the palace.

Apart from Consort Lan, almost all the concubines in the palace had arrived.

Even Consort Liu, who always prided herself on her composure, came.

She was still the same, seemingly indifferent to everything.

Consort Chen scoffed. If she really didn't care, she wouldn't be standing here.

No one took the initiative to speak.

After an unknown amount of time, the sky gradually darkened, and no one from Weiyang Palace came out to invite them in. The concubines did not show it on their faces, but they were somewhat unhappy inside.

If something had truly happened to Consort Zhen, it would be understandable.

But if she has nothing to hide, yet puts on such an air and shuts everyone out, then she is making enemies of all the concubines in the harem.

But everyone had a vague feeling that Consort Zhen's pregnancy was probably not going well.

Some are happy, some are sad.

"Why don't we go back?"

Someone whispered, "The Empress Zhen's palace is very busy these days, and we're not allowed to go in..."

"Standing here in this cold wind isn't a good idea."

"that is……"

Those lower-ranking concubines may not have genuinely cared about Consort Zhen; it was merely a matter of following the crowd.

If Consort Zhen's pregnancy has encountered problems and they don't even offer any indication of it, what if Consort Zhen seeks revenge later?

She was made a concubine as soon as she entered the palace, and now, before her child has even been born, she has been made a Noble Consort... Even if they are unwilling to admit it, they have to admit that Noble Consort Zhen is indeed very much loved by His Majesty.

Even if she loses her child, she may not necessarily fall out of favor.

On the contrary, the person who attacked her behind her back was the one who suffered.

Of course, no one would believe that Consort Zhen herself had done this.

With His Majesty's harem nearly extinct, what do the two children in Consort Zhen's womb signify? Anyone with a sound mind can understand.

At times like these, no one dares to speak recklessly.

Just as everyone was about to leave, the gates of Weiyang Palace suddenly opened.

"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager invites all the masters inside."

Consort Lan took the lead and immediately went inside.

Consort Chen was not to be outdone.

The crowd immediately entered Weiyang Palace in single file.

Upon entering the palace, one is immediately greeted by a strong smell of medicine and a faint stench of blood.

Zhou Mingyi had already been cleaned up; at least on the surface, she only appeared pale, rather than bleeding from all seven orifices in a horrifying manner.

The dress and the bed have been changed.

However, the concubines were not allowed to enter the inner palace and could only wait in the outer palace.

As Emperor Qianwu led his entourage out of the inner hall, everyone immediately sensed that the air pressure in the entire outer hall had suddenly plummeted to rock bottom.

"Bring the person up."

Before long, a palace maid who was tied up like a dumpling was brought up. Her cheeks were covered in bloodstains, and she was kneeling on the ground trembling.

Emperor Qianwu frowned, his voice somber.

"Tell me, who instructed you to put safflower in Consort Zhen's white fungus soup?"

As soon as Emperor Qianwu finished speaking, the hall erupted in uproar.

"What?"

"safflower?"

"Isn't that a medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis?"

"Pregnant women absolutely cannot use safflower; who would dare to do that?"

Emperor Qianwu glanced at the seated concubines, and everyone immediately fell silent.

The palace maid's cheeks were swollen from being slapped, and blood and foam flowed from her mouth as she opened it, but she still cried out, "Your Majesty, I am innocent!"

A flash of malice crossed Emperor Qianwu's eyes. "Slap him!"

His words were concise, but his expression was utterly ruthless!

The palace maid was slapped twice hard by the eunuch, spitting out a mouthful of bloody teeth.

"These past few days, Consort Zhen has been enjoying white fungus soup. Every day, the Imperial Kitchen staff delivers a soup bowl, which is then placed inside the palace."

"Inside the palace, apart from Consort Zhen's confidantes, only the cleaning maids were allowed to enter at specific times."

The palace maid dared not look at the furious Emperor Qianwu, but still tried to argue her way out of it.

"I'm not the only palace maid who sweeps and cleans; why does Your Majesty only suspect me?"

Emperor Qianwu stared intently into her eyes. "I suspect you, naturally because you are suspicious."

The Empress Dowager looked impatient.

"Why is the emperor wasting so much time talking to her?"

"Send him to the imperial prison and let the officials there interrogate him thoroughly. Who is this person who dares to harm my grandson!"

The Empress Dowager was a Buddhist and vegetarian, and she was very soft-hearted and did not like to interfere in worldly affairs.

Now, his actions are so ruthless, which makes Consort Chen uneasy.

If they find out that she and Chaoyang were behind this, will they still be able to tolerate them, mother and daughter?

No, if those two pieces of flesh in that wretched woman Zhou's belly were aborted, Chaoyang would still be the only precious jewel of the royal family. What could His Majesty and the Empress Dowager do to them?

I wonder what that bitch Zhou is like?

Consort Chen suddenly became extremely curious.

"Your Majesty, is it true that this palace maid dared to administer safflower to Consort Zhen?"

"Does she really have that much guts?"

The Empress Dowager and Emperor Qianwu both looked at Consort Chen, whose expression was slightly unnatural.

She quickly said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Could it be that you suspect the concubine was behind this?"

"How is that possible? I don't even know this palace maid."

The Empress Dowager glanced at Consort Chen and said, "Since it has nothing to do with you, shut up, lest people think you're guilty."

Consort Chen was immediately embarrassed.

The palace maid was being dragged away and was about to be sent to the imperial prison when she hurriedly cried out, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, I confess, I confess everything! The red flower was given to me by Consort Liu!"

"The Consort Zhaoyi instructed me to add safflower to the Imperial Concubine's white fungus soup."

"It is said that Her Majesty has been taking Pearl Nourishing and Tranquilizing Pills. Those pills were presented to Her Majesty by Princess Chaoyang and contain extremely fine cinnabar powder."

"This servant has only heard that taking the Pearl Nourishing and Tranquilizing Pill alone will not harm Your Highness's body, but if it is drunk together with a white fungus soup containing a large amount of safflower, it will cause bleeding from all seven orifices and incessant abdominal pain!"

"presumptuous!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Consort Chen immediately shouted angrily.

"Who are you to dare slander the princess like this!"

Although she knew that her daughter might have been behind it, Consort Chen would never admit it.

However, the Pearl Nourishing and Tranquilizing Pills were indeed sent by Princess Chaoyang.

At the time, it was specially examined by the imperial physicians and found to be safe before Zhou Mingyi took it.

The amount of cinnabar powder on it was extremely small; if it weren't for the system, Zhou Mingyi might not have been able to detect it.

Consort Lan immediately seized the opportunity to kick someone when they were down, saying, "Why didn't this palace maid confess to anyone else for no reason? Instead, she implicated Consort Liu, dragging the princess down with her. Is all of this really just a coincidence?"

"Liu Zhaoyi hasn't said anything yet, but Consort Chen is already jumping out to defend the princess."

"Your Majesty, don't you think all of this is too much of a coincidence?"

Consort Lan knew that if Zhou Mingyi's child did not survive, even if the matter was indeed related to Princess Chaoyang, His Majesty and the Empress Dowager might not be willing to be ruthless in punishing Consort Chen and her daughter.

But she already had a grudge against Consort Chen and her daughter, so she naturally couldn't help but kick them when they were down.

Consort Chen was indeed furious, "You!"

Consort Lan rolled her eyes. "What? Are you angry because I guessed right?"

Consort Chen immediately exclaimed, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, the princess and I have been wronged!"

"The princess was overjoyed to learn that Consort Zhen was pregnant with twins!"

"The princess has heard that a calm and peaceful mind during pregnancy is essential for raising a lovely and healthy prince, which is why she specially presented the Pearl Nourishing and Calming Pill!"

"The prescription and pills have all been checked by the imperial physicians and are safe to use."