That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

The following day, Song Shuangning went to the main hall to pay her respects to Consort Song.

Consort Song took her hand and said gently, "Shuangning, I see that you are quite frail. I have already instructed the Imperial Hospital to prepare a nourishing prescription. You should take it on time every day to take good care of your body."

Upon hearing this, Song Shuangning immediately curtsied obediently, "Thank you for your concern, elder sister. Shuangning will definitely take it on time every day."

Consort Song smiled and nodded, quite pleased with her docility.

On her way to pay her respects, Song Shuangning's clear, bright eyes swept over Consort Qiao, a faint smile appearing on her face.

After returning from Fengyi Palace, the Imperial Pharmacy delivered the prepared medicine.

As soon as the medicine bowl was lifted, a strong, pungent smell of medicine rushed out, filling the entire room with a bitter odor.

The dark brown medicine was still steaming. Song Shuangning tapped the bowl lightly with her fingertips and lowered her voice: "Have Quanlu check this prescription, and be careful not to let anyone find out."

He heard Lu say "Yes".

Then, Tinglu carried the clean bowl out and deliberately walked past Xiaohe.

Quanlu found the prescription and immediately went to tell Song Shuangning after he returned.

"My lady, this prescription contains four qian of Angelica sinensis, five qian of Rehmannia glutinosa, four qian of Paeonia lactiflora, one qian of Ligusticum chuanxiong, and three qian of Codonopsis pilosula..."

Song Shuangning: "So fast?"

"There are people I know in the Imperial Pharmacy," Quanlu chuckled foolishly.

"By the way, my lord," Quanlu said with some concern, "he told me that this prescription uses a lot of medicine and is not very mild, so it may not be effective."

"I understand." Song Shuangning rested her chin on her hand and gazed out the window.

It seems that Consort Song is in a hurry.

One mace of sandalwood.

The fragrance of sandalwood happens to have the effect of regulating qi and blood, as well as calming the mind and aiding sleep. She remembered that she could smell a faint fragrance of sandalwood every time she went to Consort Song's palace.

What a coincidence!

The weather has been gradually warming up lately, and the days are already quite hot. In a few more days, when the height of summer arrives and heat waves hit, there will probably be no peaceful days.

A few days later, the routine greetings were held at Fengyi Palace.

The concubines were chatting idly, discussing trivial matters about their trip to the summer palace a month later.

"I wonder who will be able to come along this year."

As soon as Consort Ye finished speaking, a gasp suddenly rang out in the hall. Consort Qiao's face was ashen, her hands clutching her lower abdomen, and she cried out in pain, "My stomach...it hurts so much..."

Consort Qiao collapsed to the ground in agony, a sight that terrified the concubines who were chatting.

The Empress emerged from the side hall, a sharp glint in her eyes, and immediately ordered in a deep voice, "Quickly, fetch the imperial physician! And quickly, carry Consort Qiao to the side hall!"

When the palace maid helped Consort Qiao up, a dark red stain was left on the hem of her skirt, and a glaring bloodstain had spread on the ground beneath her.

"Blood!" one of the concubines exclaimed.

The Empress's face darkened: "What happened? Why did Consort Qiao suddenly bleed?"

Consort Rongxian said nonchalantly, "Your Majesty, we don't know what happened either. Consort Qiao suddenly cried out in pain."

She didn't want Consort Qiao's child to be born smoothly, since if it were a prince, he would most likely be adopted by the Empress.

A cold glint flashed in the Empress's eyes: "No one can leave first today."

After saying this, she swayed her skirt and went to the side hall to visit Consort Qiao.

A quarter of an hour later, the imperial physician arrived. He placed three fingers lightly on Consort Qiao's wrist, and after a moment, his expression changed drastically. He looked up and hurriedly ordered, "Quickly! Go and brew a strong bowl of medicine to prevent miscarriage. There is no time to lose."

He then turned to the Empress and reported: "Your Majesty, Consort Qiao's pulse is unstable and her pregnancy is in great distress. She has taken cold foods, which is why she is experiencing abdominal pain and bleeding."

"Cold foods?" the Empress rebuked coldly. "Consort Qiao is pregnant; are you, as her servants, just going to let her eat whatever she wants?"

Consort Qiao's personal maid, Hua Xi, hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, my mistress has been extremely cautious since becoming pregnant. This must be a deliberate attempt to harm her!"

The Empress sternly ordered, "Qingdai, take your men and go to Consort Qiao's palace immediately for a thorough investigation. Examine everything, from food and medicine to daily necessities."

Consort Qiao's condition improved after taking the medicine to prevent miscarriage.

Half an hour later, Qingdai returned with the palace servants to report, "Your Highness, this servant had people carefully inspect the items in Consort Qiao's palace, and there is nothing wrong with them."

Hua Xi said, "This servant remembers, Your Highness just drank a medicine to prevent miscarriage before coming to pay your respects."

The imperial physician immediately stepped forward, took the medicine bowl and dregs from the palace maid, first used a silver hairpin to stir the remaining medicine in the bowl, and then picked up the dregs to smell and examine them carefully.

Before long, his expression hardened, and he turned to the Empress, bowing respectfully: "Your Majesty, there is indeed a problem with this pregnancy-preserving medicine! There are inappropriate sandalwood fragments mixed in with the dregs, and it is this that has disturbed Consort Qiao's pregnancy!"

"By imperial decree, go to the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Medical Academy to review the records and verify all those who have recently received sandalwood incense and sandalwood medicine."

……

An hour later, the concubines still in the main hall were getting impatient.

The Empress's phoenix robe swept across the ground, her expression complex: "Consort Rongxian, Consort Song, and Lady Song, please stay. The rest of you may leave."

The other concubines looked on with curiosity. Could it be that Consort Qiao's accident was related to the three of them?

Consort Rong frowned: "Why does Your Majesty the Empress want to keep the three of us here?"

The Empress said solemnly, "Consort Qiao's pregnancy-preserving medicine was laced with sandalwood, which nearly caused her to miscarry. And recently, only the three of you have taken sandalwood."

Consort Rong gave a dissatisfying snort, "Since giving birth to the Second Princess, I have been relying on incense to regulate my qi and blood, calm my mind and nourish my body. The prescription has never been changed in the slightest. The imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital and the head of the Imperial Pharmacy can all testify to this."

Song Shuangning frowned slightly, a look of confusion on her face, full of bewilderment: "Your Majesty, I do not recall ever using sandalwood incense."

"One of the ingredients in the tonic you've been taking these past few days is sandalwood," the Empress said to her.

Song Shuangning's eyes showed a hint of confusion: "This concubine was unaware of this."

A cold sweat suddenly broke out on Consort Song's back.

Song Shuangning didn't know the prescription, so naturally she was unaware of the situation.

She often suffered from insomnia, so incense sachets were hung in the palace to help her sleep peacefully.

Consort Song thought to herself: The prescription for Song Shuangning was drawn up by Imperial Physician Zeng at her request, so it shouldn't be Song Shuangning. It's even less likely to be her; could it be Consort Rongxian?

Consort Song said, "For the past six months, I have been using sandalwood incense to help me sleep peacefully."

Just as the Empress was about to speak, a eunuch outside the hall shouted, "The Emperor has arrived!"

The group quickly bowed and greeted him.

Xiao Yan entered with a stern face: "How is Consort Qiao?"

"Consort Qiao's unborn child has been saved, but the imperial physician said that Consort Qiao will have to stay in bed and rest for the next two weeks."

Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the three people below the steps, and a hint of surprise flashed across his face when he saw Song Shuangning.

"How's the investigation going?"

The Empress, her voice tinged with guilt, gave a slight curtsy: "Your Majesty, I am useless. All I know is that Consort Qiao's pregnancy-stabilizing medicine was laced with sandalwood, and only my three younger sisters have received sandalwood recently, but..."

Before she could finish speaking, Consort Rong interrupted her hastily, saying with a wronged tone, "Your Majesty, as you know, since giving birth to Wan'er, my health has been weak, and I have been taking medicine to regulate my qi and blood. The prescription has always included sandalwood."

Consort Rongxian's eyes were already brimming with tears, and she looked utterly aggrieved.