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

Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, Consort Shu suddenly felt a piercing pain in her lower abdomen.

Her face turned deathly pale instantly, and she clutched her lower abdomen tightly with both hands, cold sweat pouring down her forehead.

Consort Shu frowned, her voice trembling with sobs and unbearable pain, and looked pitifully at Xiao Yan: "Your Majesty... my stomach hurts so much..."

Xiao Yan's face darkened, and he quickly stepped forward and picked her up in his arms.

Only then did everyone realize that a patch of dark red blood had seeped into the hem of her skirt.

Song Shuangning thought to herself: What a coincidence? Consort Shu is pregnant?!

Consort Rong stood frozen in place, unable to recover for a long time.

She grasped Xia Yun's hand. "Xia Yun, did you see? Consort Shu... she's bleeding. Is she...?"

Is she pregnant?

Throughout the journey, Consort Shu kept complaining of stomach pain. Even though Consort Shu was slow to realize something was wrong, she said, "Your Majesty, I... have lost so much blood, could I have miscarried?"

"No, it won't happen." Xiao Yan placed her on the bed and comforted her with a few words.

A series of hurried footsteps approached, and Imperial Physician Li, Imperial Physician Zhang, and several female physicians arrived.

Each person had their own duties and clear division of labor. The most skilled physician, Imperial Physician Li, went to examine and treat Consort Shu first, while the female physician went to bandage Song Shuangning's wounds. Imperial Physician Zhang also dared not delay and went to the side hall to find out the reason why Consort Qiao had suddenly gone mad.

The Empress rushed over: "Your Majesty, I am late."

"Please sit, Your Majesty."

Xiao Yan sat on a sandalwood chair, his face somber. The hall was eerily quiet, so quiet that even breathing felt suffocating.

After bandaging her wound, Song Shuangning went to the main hall.

Xiao Yan noticed the bloodstains on her sleeve and frowned slightly: "Why are you here? Your wound hasn't healed yet, why don't you go back and rest?"

Although his tone was cold, his concern was undeniable.

Song Shuangning looked up at Xiao Yan and said, "I'm fine."

Of course she couldn't leave; she wanted to stay and watch the excitement.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Yan said to Li Fuquan, "Give her a seat."

A moment later, Imperial Physician Li came out and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Shu is over a month pregnant, but she was frightened and fell, which has affected the fetus and put her at risk of miscarriage. Fortunately, Consort Shu has always been healthy and has a solid foundation. She only needs to rest and recuperate for a month and take good care of herself to turn the danger into safety."

Upon hearing these words, Consort Rong's heart sank as if struck by a heavy hammer, and a surge of bitterness and resentment welled up within her.

Consort Shu is indeed pregnant.

She gripped the handkerchief in her sleeve tightly, her fingertips almost digging into her palm.

Consort Shu is pregnant, so why is there no sign of pregnancy in her belly? It's been three years, and she's received a lot of favor from the emperor.

Why... why is this happening? Why is Heaven so unfair?

If Consort Shu's baby is a prince, wouldn't she and her daughter Shu'er be considered inferior again?

The Empress was also somewhat disappointed. Like Consort Rongxian, she had not conceived again after giving birth to the eldest princess.

However, the Empress quickly changed her tone and took the lead in congratulating the Emperor: "Your Majesty, I congratulate you."

Song Shuangning and the other concubines bowed in agreement.

One has to admire Consort Shu's good fortune; she was diagnosed with pregnancy at just the right time, which made her the most valued person and made it difficult for others to make a move.

As for her, she was lucky enough to protect the pregnant Consort Shu.

"Yes, we must ensure the safety of Consort Shu's pregnancy," Xiao Yan said.

Imperial Physician Zhang entered and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Qiao has passed away."

Xiao Yan's gaze was deep, as if concealing turbulent undercurrents: "Why did Beauty Qiao suddenly go mad?"

Physician Zhang replied, "Your Majesty, Consort Qiao has taken Daphne odora."

"A celestial maiden?"

"The Celestial Maiden can confuse people's minds, making them unable to control their thoughts, confused and unable to distinguish between reality and illusion, and causing them to act madly and erratically. Within an hour, they will die."

Xiao Yan's cold eyes darkened, and he uttered only one word, "Check," each word landing with a resounding thud.

Li Fuquan dared not delay and immediately led his men to investigate. In less than half a cup of tea's time, they returned panting.

"Your Majesty, Consort Qiao's personal maid, Huaxi, has committed suicide. I have questioned the palace servants, and they said that since Consort Qiao's miscarriage, her temperament has become increasingly irritable and unpredictable. She often takes her anger out on others for no reason, and she frequently beats and scolds her personal maid, Huaxi."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall suddenly realized that Qiao Meiren's personal maid, Hua Xi, could no longer endure the constant beatings and scoldings, and had drugged Qiao Meiren.

The matter was finally settled, and it was not appropriate to publicize such an incident. Consort Qiao's grandfather was a minister who helped the emperor ascend the throne, and her father was the Minister of Rites. After much deliberation, news finally spread that Consort Qiao had suffered a miscarriage and, due to excessive worry, had accidentally fallen into the water and died. Consort Qiao was buried with the rank of Noble Consort, thus hastily ending this scandal.

Consort Rong returned to Ningxiang Garden and sat weakly on the couch: "Bring me my fertility-enhancing medicine."

Consort Rongxian picked up the dark-colored fertility-enhancing medicine and drank it down without even frowning.

"Give me another bowl."

After drinking three bowls in a row, Xia Yun cried and stopped her, "Your Majesty, you have already drunk three bowls. You can't drink anymore. Medicine is three parts poison."

The medicine for inducing pregnancy was too bitter, causing her stomach to churn and Consort Rong to vomit in discomfort.

Consort Rong grasped Xia Yun's hand, her voice choked with suppressed sobs.

"Then tell me why I can't get pregnant, even Consort Shu is pregnant! Why can't I get pregnant? It's been three years, it's been three years already."

"Fate is predetermined, and the matter of the imperial heir cannot be rushed. Your Majesty, please do not be sad anymore. The little prince will arrive when Your Majesty is in good health."

Xia Yun continued to comfort her: "Your Majesty, you see, the Emperor values ​​you highly. This fertility-enhancing medicine is unique in the harem. The Emperor also hopes that you can give birth to a prince soon. You must take good care of your health and not let others distract you."

Consort Rong Xian stroked her lower abdomen and slowly nodded.

Pillow Star Pavilion.

As Tingyu treated her wound, she said with heartache, "Your Highness, why did you have to go and save Consort Shu yourself? Consort Shu might not even remember your kindness. Instead, you hurt yourself. Look, thankfully the wound isn't deep."

Song Shuangning smiled and said, "It's better to have one less enemy than one more. I saved her today not so that she would remember this favor."

She was putting on a show for the emperor; her kind image had to be firmly established in his heart.

"I don't think Consort Shu is the despicable person they describe."

Just like last time in the Imperial Garden, she felt that Consort Shu was not entirely beyond redemption.

"Then you can't take that risk again next time," Tingyu said fearfully.

"I see."

"Has Quanlu handled everything properly?"

Tingyu said, "Don't worry, my lady. Quanlu said everything has been taken care of. He even wrote a short will based on Huaxi's notes."

Song Shuangning nodded: "Remember this: details determine success or failure."

Because sitting by the window allows her to clearly see who comes, Song Shuangning always preferred to sit on the couch by the window.

She sat by the window, which was half-open, and out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a blurry figure reflected by the door.

She immediately raised her finger and whispered a "shh." Upon seeing this, Tingyu instantly understood and quickly stopped talking and held her breath.