lcionline Chapter 511 These two vile women dare to team up and try to scare me!
Chapter 511 These two vile women dare to team up and try to scare me!
The candlelight in the palace was dim. Consort Shu leaned against the headboard. When she heard the door open, she looked over warily. When she saw that it was Chu Ruohan, her expression immediately became complicated.
"Why are you here so late?" Consort Shu's voice carried a hint of wariness.
Chu Ruohan placed the palace lantern on the table, sat down by herself, glanced around the hall, and then slowly spoke.
"I couldn't sleep, so I came to see you. After all, you're an important figure in the palace now."
Consort Shu sensed the hidden meaning in her words, but remained silent, only slightly tightening her grip on her belly.
"I just wanted to remind you of something," Chu Ruohan said casually, as if she were just chatting. "The palace is never short of smart people."
"Some people want you to be their weapon, but they're also afraid that you won't obey them and will end up hurting them instead."
Consort Shu's face paled slightly; she understood.
Chu Ruohan picked up the tea that had gone cold from the table and gently stirred it with the lid.
Her gaze, however, fell on Consort Shu's prominently protruding belly, and she changed the subject: "Speaking of which, Consort Liu is really very concerned about this 'dragon child' in your belly."
“I heard that she not only found tonics for you, but also made a lot of arrangements for the ‘safety’ of the child in your womb.”
She spoke the word "safety" very softly, yet it was like a needle piercing deep into Consort Shu's heart.
What arrangement? Was it to arrange for Wang Hu to leave, cutting off her escape route?
Or, if things are exposed, or if she loses her usefulness, will Consort Xian make other arrangements for the "safety" of the child in her womb?
For example, preventing the child from ever being born.
Cold sweat instantly trickled down Consort Shu's forehead. She finally understood completely that Consort Liu was not her lifeline, but the dark hand that pushed her into the abyss.
From beginning to end, she and this child were merely pawns on Consort Liu's chessboard, pieces that could be discarded at any time.
"Thank you... thank you for your guidance, Madam."
Consort Shu's voice trembled uncontrollably as she looked at Chu Ruohan, her eyes revealing an almost pleading expression for the first time.
"I...I understand what to do."
Chu Ruohan nodded and stood up: "It's good that you understand. Only by recognizing the situation can you protect what you want to protect the most."
After she finished speaking, she didn't linger for a moment longer. She picked up the palace lantern, turned around, and left, leaving the terrified Consort Shu alone in the dim light.
Almost at the same moment, inside the Imperial Study.
As Zhao Yunci was reviewing memorials, a bodyguard appeared silently in the hall like a ghost and knelt on one knee.
"Your Majesty, we have a new lead."
Zhao Yunci put down the vermilion brush: "Speak."
"Upon investigation, it was found that the official who impeached the Empress in court had a distant relative who had served as a staff member under the father of Consort Xian, Vice Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Personnel, several years ago."
Zhao Yunci's gaze suddenly sharpened: "Oh? There's such a thing?"
"Yes. Although the relationship is somewhat distant, that official has been in close contact with that cousin for the past six months."
Although the clues are distant, they are like a thin thread, subtly connecting the turmoil in the imperial court with the intrigues in the harem.
Zhao Yunci tapped his knuckles lightly on the imperial desk, producing a dull sound.
Vice Minister Zhou, Consort Xian.
This game of chess is bigger than he thought.
The next morning, the flowers in the Imperial Garden were just beginning to bloom, and the morning dew was still wet.
Su Wan specially invited several concubines of lower rank to enjoy the flowers here. She was dressed in an elegant palace dress, with just the right amount of worry between her brows.
"To be honest, I've always felt a little uneasy."
Su Wan gently fiddled with a delicate peony, and sighed seemingly unintentionally.
"Yesterday, I heard from the Duchess of Zhenguo that she went to visit Consort Shu and returned with a lot of worry in her words."
A court attendant cautiously interjected, "Does Your Majesty mean... that Consort Shu is unwell?"
Although the Emperor demoted Consort Shu to the Cold Palace, he did not revoke her title. Now, due to a fire in the Cold Palace, she has been released again and is pregnant.
Once a prince is born, he will be the emperor's first son, not only the eldest son but also a noble son!
These concubines all had their own thoughts...
"Her physical condition is fine, but her emotions seem very unstable." Su Wan frowned slightly. "It seems to me that she is hiding something, something she can't say. I can't get her to say anything, it's really worrying."
As soon as the words were spoken, a sharp-eyed palace servant remembered the conversation and quietly withdrew.
The news spread like wildfire, reaching Yonghe Palace in less than half an hour.
"Snapped!"
A fine white jade teacup was smashed to the ground and shattered into pieces.
"Chu Ruohan! Su Wan!"
Consort Liu's face was ashen, and even her carefully applied makeup could not conceal her shock and anger.
"These two vile women dare to team up and try to scare me!"
Her trusted maidservant immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, please calm down! The Empress clearly said this on purpose for you to hear; she must have become suspicious!"
"suspicion?"
Consort Liu sneered, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes.
"Does she have any evidence? That fool, Consort Shu, must have been intimidated by Chu Ruohan's words! I absolutely cannot let her ruin everything!"
Consort Liu paced back and forth in the palace, finally stopping with a chillingly cold look in her eyes.
"Go and bring out the prescription for calming the nerves and nourishing the fetus that I obtained a few days ago. You go to the Imperial Pharmacy and oversee the preparation."
She instructed her trusted palace maid, "Remember to add one more ingredient: placenta, and another half a coin's worth of safflower."
"Then you will personally deliver it to her and tell her that this is a blessing I have prayed for for her and the 'dragon seed' in her belly, and she must drink it in front of you!"
The palace maid felt a chill run down her spine. Placenta combined with safflower, seemingly nourishing, was actually a deadly poison for pregnant women, and its effects were subtle and extremely difficult to detect.
She dared not ask any more questions and immediately kowtowed: "Yes, Your Majesty, this servant understands!"
As soon as the palace maid carrying the food box stepped out of the Yonghe Palace gate, Su Wan and Chu Ruohan received the news inside the Chaofeng Hall.
"Sister, she really did make a move." Su Wan's palms were slightly sweaty, she was both nervous and excited.
Chu Ruohan remained calm, picked up her teacup and took a small sip: "This is called losing your composure. The more guilty she feels, the more eager she is to kill someone to silence them."
She put down her teacup and said to Su Wan, "Your Majesty, we can invite Physician Zhang now. The timing is perfect for us to go there now."
Inside the side hall, Consort Shu was restless.
When Consort Liu's trusted maid brought in a bowl of medicine, her heart sank to the bottom.
"Your Highness, this is a calming and nourishing soup that our Lady specially requested for you. Please drink it while it's hot." The palace maid handed the soup bowl to her with a forced smile.
Consort Shu smelled the faint, sweet-smelling fishy odor in the medicine, and her stomach churned violently.
She forced herself to remain calm, and said while supporting her lower back, "I feel a bit nauseous today and really can't drink. Please leave it for me and thank Consort Liu for her kindness."
The palace maid's face darkened: "Your Highness, this is a token of our Lady's affection. If you don't drink it, I won't be able to explain myself when I get back."
She pressed closer, her hand holding the soup bowl almost touching Consort Shu's lips.