Chapter 157: Qi Er

Qifu.

Xiao Shunzi has already brought the items.

Qi Qi pinched the stack of xuan paper and paced in the study, the agarwood floor creaking under his steps.

Looking at the contents on the paper, his tone carried a hint of anger: "Absurd fantasy!"

"Do you really think the power brokers of the Forbidden City are all marionettes in her Consort Wan's hands?"

Xiao Shunzi stood with hands lowered in the shadow of Langxia, voice steady: "The matter Master ordered, Nubi is only responsible for delivering it."

His face remained deferential as usual, "Lord Qi, just do as instructed."

Qi Qi's expression shifted slightly, then he clasped his hands and said, "Since the Empress requested, we shall comply."

"Sorry to trouble you, Grandfather, for a trip."

Qi Qi casually slipped a purse into Xiao Shunzi's hand: "Travel in the Imperial Palace is inconvenient; Grandfather, thank you for the extra effort."

Xiao Shunzi took the silver, nodded, and left.

When the young eunuch's figure vanished into the rain curtain, Qi Qi grabbed the stack of paper and hurled it violently to the ground.

The snow‑white xuan paper scattered, the incomprehensible clauses spreading across the blue bricks like a spider's web.

"Father."

From behind the screen stepped a man in his early thirties, wearing a rain‑kissed sky‑blue robe, his brows seven‑tenths alike Qi Qi's but with an added scholarly air.

He bent to pick up the paper, his fingertip suddenly pausing on the line "Luan Mirror Test Lip Balm."

Qi Er's expression grew increasingly solemn as the pages rustled in his hands.

When he saw the "Relationship Tree" diagram, he inhaled sharply, "What she wants isn't money."

"Clearly it's the hearts of the entire Forbidden City!"

"The methods aren't especially sophisticated, but if it were me, I'd certainly never think of it."

"A woman's opinion!" Qi Qi sneered, "A palace concubine with a fifty‑tael monthly stipend knows nothing of commerce."

"It's all just talk on paper, relying entirely on imagination."

Qi Er suddenly drew a wolf‑hair brush and scrawled on the blank xuan, "Father, take a look."

"If we change 'investigate one's own husband' to 'investigate another's husband.'"

The ink spread new branches beside "Glory Voucher," "Allow the noblewomen to exchange others' secrets for points; the highest‑scoring can redeem the latest palace makeup tutorial?"

Qi Qi suddenly grasped his son's wrist, "What do you mean?"

"Everyone is selfish, and even more fearful of others gaining profit."

Qi Er's eyes flashed, "If we tell them that the Xiao Family's eldest daughter siphons five thousand taels of her legitimate mother's dowry each season…"

He lowered his voice, "Father, would you consider buying the address of the Xiao Family's illegitimate son's outer residence?"

The brush snapped with a "pop," and a startling gleam flashed in Qi Qi's eyes: "What a perfect double‑kill!"

He burst into laughter, "My son not entering officialdom is truly a pity!"

The father and son looked at each other and smiled, while the rain outside seemed to turn into the crisp clink of gold and silver striking.

Qi Er lifted the ink‑stained xuan to the candle flame; the ink became translucent, revealing a hidden watermark.

Qi Er frowned, "That alone isn't enough; we still need to brand a tiger skin as a banner."

He drew the palace wall pattern on the paper, "Why not spread a rumor that Yunxiang Pavilion's rouge formula leaked from the palace?"

The candle flame leapt wildly, casting the scheming silhouettes of the father and son onto the wall.

Like two spiders poised to strike, they slowly wove a man‑eating web.

West Pond Courtyard.

Xiao Shunzi has been gone for an hour, and Wan Tang's brows remain unable to relax.

Although she planned this route according to the words in the Barrage.

But she always feels something is off!

Wan Tang, listening to Li Ping'er's bustling voice, suddenly asked, "Ping'er, if I hadn't asked you today, would you have told me about your affairs?"

"No." Li Ping'er's face showed an apologetic smile, "After all, no one wants to hand their secrets to another."

Hearing that, Wan Tang's tightly knit brows suddenly relaxed.

"Exactly!"

Wan Tang slapped her thigh, exclaiming delightedly, "Everyone has a defensive mindset."

"But if you start talking about the long and short, you'd be different."

Wan Tang was just about to speak to adjust the dislike.

The voice of the Barrage echoed again in her mind:

"Wait until you remember, the daylilies will have gone cold."

"Yeah, Lord Qi's brother thought of it even more than you. After seeing your plan, he immediately offered revision suggestions."

"Although the method is a bit crude, I must say it's very effective."

"What's called a rumor is just a bit of info from one mouth, a bit from another, eventually forming a massive intelligence network, right?"

The other side actually spotted the flaw in advance and patched it?

Lord Qi's brother, Qi Er?

That top scholar of the academy who refused a court post, insisting on doing business—the fool?

No!

He isn't a fool; he's the smartest of all.

Wan Tang's lips curled into a faint smile, comfortably leaning against the bed.

Having someone like that to help, what else does she have to worry about?

【Tangtang, what is this? Aren't you going to ask?】

【Could it be that the nonsense we said, she heard again?】

【A demon has emerged, it can truly hear us speak; does that mean we, as the audience, can alter the script?】

【Who cares? We're all spectators; as long as we enjoy watching, that's enough.】

【Besides, as the boss my job is to point the direction; the details and how to solve problems are left to the subordinates.】

【That's true; we haven't seen the emperor think of everything in every detail!】

【Wan Tang closed her eyes and pretended to nap, her heart already blooming with joy.】

【She was just about to add, "The audience gentlemen are all well."】

【Kunning Palace.】

【The Empress regrasped the Phoenix Seal, the morning‑evening court sessions proceeding as before.】

【Morning light filtered through the carved lattice windows, casting speckled patches on the golden‑brick floor of Kunning Palace.】

【Xiao Mingshu sat upright on the Phoenix Throne, her fingertips lightly caressing the crimson‑gold Phoenix Seal that had returned to her hand, a perfectly gentle smile lingering at her lips.】

【The Imperial Concubines in the Imperial Palace have already arrived in great numbers.】

【They are full of compliments toward the Empress.】

【Although regaining power involved setbacks, in the end it was still the outcome the Empress desired.】

【When Wan Tang stepped in, supporting her waist and walking slowly, she even rose to greet her personally: "Quickly help Lady Wan sit down!"】

【"With such a heavy body still coming to pay respects, it truly burdens you."】

【The Empress's voice was so soft it could squeeze water, yet her eyes were as cold as an ice lake in the depth of winter.】

【All the concubines in the hall rose in unison, the clink of jewels and jade as crisp as shattered crystal.】

【Once upon a time, these people looked at Wan Tang with contempt; now they all wear eager smiles.】

【"Your Majesty, you speak too heavily." Wan Tang nodded slightly.】

【Her pregnant belly made her movements a bit clumsy, yet her bearing was more graceful than anyone present's, "Rules must not be discarded; I dare not rely on favor to become arrogant."】

【Li Pin even voluntarily gave up the spot near the heater.】

【Seeing Wan Tang felt even more intimate than seeing her own mother.】

【"Sister, you've gotten thinner lately." Seeing this, Wan Tang hurriedly asked with concern.】

【Li Pin's brows and eyes were full of love and satisfaction: "The child has started to be noisy lately; at first I was so worried I couldn't sleep, seeing his restless spirit troubled me, but now I can be a bit more at ease."】

【As tea cups lightly clinked, everyone exchanged insincere polite chatter.】

【The Empress continuously smiled while gazing at Wan Tang's swollen belly.】

【In less than half a cup of tea's time, she dismissed the morning court, citing "Lady Wan should rest properly."】

【The concubines fluttered away like colorful butterflies, while Lady Qi remained rigidly seated on the embroidered stool, her pallor terrifying.】

【The silk handkerchief in her hand was twisted almost to the point of tearing, and she didn't even notice her nails cracking.】

【Lady Qi was unusually quiet today.】

【Even though she's been through some events, given Lady Qi's nature, she could never be this silent.】

【Now that she is bound to the Qi Family, Lady Qi naturally has to pay extra attention.】

【Wan Tang frowned and approached, "Sister, are you feeling unwell?"】

【Just as her fingertip was about to touch the other's sleeve, Lady Qi snapped her head up.】

【In those almond eyes that always held pride, now lay a near‑death desperation.】

【Tangtang, go, don't approach Lady Qi.】

【The Empress's tactics are utterly despicable, using the First Prince's life to threaten Lady Qi, forcing her to push you down.】

【These past evenings, the First Prince has been crying; Lady Qi's ears are about to shatter from hearing it. She even saw with her own eyes the Empress place a pill into the First Prince's milk, saying that if Wan Tang is fine today, tonight this cup of milk will be fed to the First Prince.】

Wan Tang had just halted her steps when Lady Qi lunged like a mad beast!

Her eyes reddened, hair disheveled, she shrieked, "Lady Wan! I'm sorry! I have no choice!"

Those pampered hands pushed forward with astonishing force.

Lady Qi's movement was so swift that there was no way to evade.

Fortunately, the Barrage warned her; Wan Tang had already prepared, but as she sidestepped, her skirt hem was firmly grabbed.

Lady Qi, unable to recover her momentum, staggered forward.

At that moment, a delicate voice sounded outside the hall doors: "I am late…"

A girl dressed in goose‑yellow palace attire stepped over the threshold, and upon seeing Lady Qi barreling toward her, she neither dodged nor avoided.

Instead, with a "Ah‑ya" she fell softly, her body twirling half a circle like a butterfly.

Wan Tang's robust surprise, just as she was about to dodge, the Empress rushed in urgently, occupying the last spot she could run to.

And that girl, without missing, collided directly with Wan Tang's swollen belly!

"Ugh!" Wan Tang felt excruciating pain explode, her whole body flung backward.

As the world spun, she saw scarlet blood like splashed ink soaking her skirt, and heard terrified screams from all directions:

"Master."

"Lady Wan, Your Majesty."

"Sister!"

"Blood! Lady Wan, it's red!"

"Quick, summon the Grand Physician!"

Before she fell completely into darkness, Wan Tang's dilated pupils fixed on the girl who had fallen to the ground.

The goose‑yellow palace attire made her skin glow like snow, and her brows and eyes bore about seventy percent of the resemblance to herself when she first entered the palace.

Only between her brows, Wan Tang had a hint of redness.

The girl timidly lifted her head, and a fleeting smile line brushed her lips.

"Master!"

Amid Li Ping'er's hoarse cries, Wan Tang's hand fell limp.

On the glazed floor tiles of Kunning Palace, a pool of blood slowly spread over the phoenix pattern, like a strangely vivid red plum blossoming.

Inside the courtyard, chaos reigned; Li Ping'er's voice, tinged with sobbing, shrieked in the Langxia: "Midwife! Quickly send the midwife!"

"Xiao Shunzi, what are you standing still for? Hurry to the Imperial Medical Institute and summon Xie Taiyi!"

The crisp crash of the overturned porcelain basin mingled with clattering footsteps, and the scent of blood mixed with medicine spread through the air.

Wan Tang lay tangled in the brocade quilt, her consciousness as if submerged in thick fog.

The silhouettes before her flickered, and every sound was veiled by a watery curtain, indistinct.

Sharp pain surged like tide after tide, leaving her almost unable to breathe.

"Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years…" The panicked kneeling and bowing of the Guanren was abruptly cut off.

"Get out of the way! What about Consort Wan?" Chu Yunzheng's voice thundered like a startling bolt splitting chaos.

"Your Majesty, it cannot be! The birthing chamber's blood flash collides with the dragon body!" Xiao Mingshu's voice sounded urgent.

Immediately followed a crisp slap.

The sounds outside were chaotic to the extreme.

Wan Tang strained to open her eyes, and through the haze saw a bright yellow figure break through the obstruction and arrive at the bedside.

A warm large hand tightly grasped her cold fingers.

Such a warm hand inexplicably gave Wan Tang a sense of peace.

Staring at the indistinct bright yellow figure, Wan Tang whispered hoarsely, "It hurts…"

Her faint moan felt her whole strength draining little by little with the blood beneath her.

Chu Yunzheng's hand trembled violently, yet his voice forced calmness: "Open your eyes for me!"

"I command you to look at me!"

He leaned close to her ear and said, "I am right here with you, I am going nowhere."

Xie Taiyi replied tremblingly, "Your Majesty, the Empress's consciousness is fuzzy and she cannot exert strength; the amniotic fluid has broken and is accompanied by bleeding."

"If this continues, I'm afraid neither the adult nor the child can be saved!"

"Incompetent doctor!" Chu Yunzheng barked without turning his head, "Pull him out!"

The head of the courtyard hurriedly knelt, "Consort Wan's pregnancy has always been tended by Xie Taiyi; perhaps handing it to Xie Taiyi will find a solution."

"Ouyang Qing!" The Emperor's voice was like cold iron, "Go at once and bring Xie Taiyi!"

"If you come too late, you need not return."

Xiao Mingshu stepped forward again, her voice mournful, "Emperor! Ancestral rules must not be broken!"

"A woman's birthing place is a great misfortune; if it collides with the true dragon's qi, I, your humble servant, would be unable to escape the blame even in ten thousand deaths."

"I shall see what specters dare approach me!" Chu Yunzheng snapped his head back, his eyes blood‑red and terrifying, "Get out!"

When the hall returned to silence, he gently wiped the cold sweat from Wan Tang's forehead, his voice so gentle it was almost broken: "I am here guarding, even King Yama would not dare to snatch anyone."