Noble Lady Shu miscarried

If her scheme succeeded, the palace would be turned upside down.

The only person who could have given Consort Shu this idea was Noble Lady Yu.

But this woman was far too clever and cunning. Whatever she did, she always kept her own hands clean. Catching her out would not be easy.

Judging by the timing, a storm was about to sweep through the harem.

After night fell, Jun Chenyu still came to the Peony Pavilion.

This shocked the palace consorts. With Noble Lady Shu pregnant, she should naturally have taken precedence, yet Wen Yunmian had still managed to lure him away.

When Wen Leyan heard the news, she was at the Palace of Prolonged Happiness currying favor with Consort Shu. She immediately flew into a rage. "I really don't know what's so good about Wen Yunmian that His Majesty cares so much about her."

Consort Shu felt no better. What mattered most to her was neither glory and riches nor the position of noble consort or empress. All she cared about was who occupied His Majesty's heart.

Yet His Majesty rarely stayed overnight in her palace these days. Could that little hussy Wen Yunmian really have stolen him away?

At that moment, however, Noble Lady Yu had no mind to comfort Consort Shu. She merely looked at her with tear-filled eyes and said, "Your Highness, my younger sister..."

Consort Shu was already irritated. Seeing Noble Lady Yu pleading with reddened eyes, she snapped impatiently, "Enough. How long have you been going on about this before me? What sort of spectacle are you making, weeping and sobbing like this?"

"Your sister has been raised in my Qin Family. Now that she's of age, what's wrong with my younger cousin taking a fancy to her and keeping her by his side as a concubine? Must you insist on marrying her off to some ordinary household?"

Noble Lady Yu clutched her handkerchief tightly. "It isn't that I'm ungrateful, but my sister already has someone she loves. She truly cannot marry Young Master Qin. Please show her mercy, Your Highness."

Only after receiving a letter from home that day had she learned that Consort Shu's younger brother intended to force her sister to become his concubine.

Even a favored concubine was still a concubine. Besides, her parents had already intended to betroth her sister to a provincial examination candidate, her childhood sweetheart. Who could have expected that she would now have to enter the Qin Family as a concubine?

Her sister had cried herself unconscious several times.

The moment she learned of it, she came to plead with Consort Shu, only to find that Consort Shu saw nothing wrong with it at all.

"In this world, a woman must hold power and wealth in her hands to secure her footing. Feelings are of no importance. My younger brother has now joined the Golden Guards. With my elder brother and father supporting him, he will surely soar to success and rise straight into the azure clouds."

"Even as his concubine, she'll be assured a lifetime of glory and riches. Why are you so stubborn?"

"But..." Noble Lady Yu had only this one younger sister. She truly did not want her to enter the Qin Family as a concubine.

She knew very well what kind of man Young Master Qin was. A dissolute womanizer-how could he be someone her sister could entrust her life to?

"What? Do you think marrying my younger brother would be beneath her? Don't forget that your family is nothing but a fallen household. If I hadn't lifted you up back then, could you possibly be thriving like a fish in water in the palace now?"

Noble Lady Yu truly feared Consort Shu. Faced with such an unyielding attitude, she opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but dared not speak for fear of provoking her.

Eager to curry favor with Consort Shu, Wen Leyan chimed in from the side. "Sister Yu, for your younger sister to marry into the Qin Family as the concubine of Her Highness's younger brother is a blessing earned through a lifetime of good deeds."

"If it were me, I would be absolutely delighted. Why are you still wearing such a mournful face? You really mustn't upset Her Highness."

Noble Lady Yu swept Wen Leyan with an icy glance. Though she said nothing, she committed those mocking words to memory.

A wretch who threw stones at someone already trapped in a well-she would get what was coming to her later.

Consort Shu was agitated now. "You should focus on doing your own duty properly and getting rid of those eyesores for me!"

Watching from the side, Consort Chun immediately stepped in to smooth things over, smiling as she said, "There's no need to be angry, Your Highness. His Majesty may be somewhat captivated by Wen Yunmian's beauty, but he doesn't take her seriously at all."

"This morning, melting snow actually caused water to seep into Wen Yunmian's Peony Pavilion and damage the walls. Wen Yunmian had to ask people to come repair it herself. I even sent someone specifically to laugh at her misfortune, and to my surprise, she foolishly let that person follow them into the Peony Pavilion."

"Someone like her is not worth troubling yourself over. His Majesty's interest in her is merely a passing fancy."

Noble Lady Yu wiped her tears with her handkerchief. As she listened to Consort Chun, she suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

After crossing swords with Noble Lady Yan several times, Noble Lady Yu understood her quite well. She was deeply calculating, calm, and self-possessed. Why would she allow Consort Chun's people into the Peony Pavilion?

Although Noble Lady Yu noticed something amiss, she suppressed the thought. She merely sat quietly to the side, listening as they discussed their schemes, without offering a single word herself.

As dawn approached, a piercing scream suddenly shattered the palace's silence.

"Something terrible has happened! Noble Lady Shu has miscarried!"

Jun Chenyu had only just left the Peony Pavilion when he received the news. He immediately hurried to Lucky Cloud Palace.

The Imperial Guards and eunuchs followed close behind, surrounding Lucky Cloud Palace inside and out.

Upon hearing the news, the Empress endured her exhaustion and pain and hastily took a sedan chair over. "Everything was fine. How could she have miscarried...?"

Suo Chun hurriedly soothed her. "Don't be anxious, Your Majesty. We'll know once we arrive. You must take care of your own health."

Wen Yunmian had come along behind Jun Chenyu. Before entering Lucky Cloud Palace, she lifted her eyes to the sky, where dark clouds hung oppressively overhead.

At last, this storm was about to begin.

The only slight uncertainty was Noble Lady Yu.

Wen Yunmian pushed her thoughts aside. The moment she entered the hall, a strong smell of blood reached her.

The Empress nearly lost her footing as she came in. Fortunately, Wen Yunmian reacted swiftly and supported her. "Be careful, Your Majesty."

The Empress breathed rapidly, her chest heaving. She nodded to Wen Yunmian before making her way farther into the hall.

"Your Majesty..."

Jun Chenyu's expression was exceedingly grim.

The imperial physicians hurried over, with Mi Yuheng among them.

Jun Chenyu immediately ordered, "Hurry and treat Noble Lady Shu!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Consort Shu and the others rushed to Lucky Cloud Palace. The moment she stepped inside and saw the commotion, the corners of her lips secretly curled upward.

Seeing Wen Yunmian standing quietly in a corner, Consort Shu swept her with a cold glance. "Sister Yan is here too."

Wen Yunmian respectfully curtsied. "Greetings, Your Highness."

Noble Lady Shu's screams continued to ring in their ears. Her face was deathly pale, her legs were covered in blood, and the palace maids carried out basin after basin of water.

After quite some time, the imperial physicians hurried over to stand before him. "Your Majesty, Her Ladyship... I fear her condition is grave..."

Jun Chenyu's brows drew together sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Her Ladyship shows signs of exposure to white Luo! White Luo promotes blood circulation and dispels blood stasis, but it can also cause severe hemorrhaging in pregnant women. It is extremely potent. Even brief contact with a fingertip can cause a miscarriage."

Jun Chenyu's gaze turned sinister. "Why would Noble Lady Shu have been exposed to white Luo for no reason? Investigate this. Investigate it at once!"

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