Chapter 342: Following Cause and Effect

Minghui's little face bore a mischievous playfulness.

Wan Tang's heart tightened, then quickly settled.

She crouched down and asked softly, "So, Minghui, what do you think should be done?"

Minghui tilted his head, thought seriously, and said, "Naturally I hope that mother and the exchange can be together."

He seemed to think of something, and his good‑looking eyebrows immediately knit: "But there must be no Lady Bai Li."

"Since Lady Bai Li arrived, it always makes people uncomfortable."

Minghui looked at Wan Tang with a worried face and said, "It feels like mother and Hui Niangniang are both unhappy."

It seemed that just this one problem was enough for Minghui to ponder for a long time.

When he finally understood, the worry on Minghui's face vanished instantly.

He then extended his small hand, placing it before Wan Tang: "Mother, I have figured it out."

"If Mother is willing to give Minghui a candy, I can keep the secret."

That clever demeanor seemed to finally have Wan Tang firmly in his grasp.

Wan Tang was slightly stunned, deliberately raising her face: "No."

"At such a young age, already bargaining with Mother?" Though her tone carried reproach, her eyes remained indulgent.

Seizing the moment, she pulled Minghui into her arms, her voice softening: "Not understanding, Minghui, you are really great; you already know how to weigh pros and cons and set conditions."

"But Minghui must remember. Besides the transaction between us, there is something more important: the bond between mother and daughter."

Wan Tang gently stroked Minghui's smooth long hair: "You are Mother's child, an inseparable part."

"But Mother also hopes Minghui can grow quickly; if anything is unclear, you can ask me. As for how to decide, it's up to Minghui."

Minghui tilted his head slightly.

Both hands looped around Wan Tang's neck, his face leaning dependently against her shoulder and neck.

His voice trembled slightly: "Mother, Minghui knows, Mother will always be Mother."

"And the Father Emperor will never become a father."

"Daughter will forget what she saw today."

Wan Tang felt uneasy, but the emotion she had barely raised completely sank after Minghui's words.

The matter is of great importance.

Su Yanci must see to it that it is handled properly.

Imperial harem.

Inside Changchun Palace, the candlelight flickered.

Bai Li sat on the soft couch, with an imperial physician kneeling at her feet, taking her pulse.

The answer was the same as before.

"Your Highness, the pulse is gradually stabilizing; compared to a miscarriage, the chance of this child being malformed is greater."

The imperial physician looked worried, gazing at Bai Li with a sorrowful face.

In such a situation, a physician is most troubled.

"What do you think?" Bai Li retorted to the physician.

Within the harem, there are too many schemes; every reply must be made cautiously.

The imperial physician pondered repeatedly and said, "If Your Highness favors the First Prince, I, your humble servant, am confident that safeguarding the Prince's safe arrival will be achieved."

Bai Li's hand gripping the handkerchief tightened suddenly.

What nonsense about safety—the First Prince is just a fool; just say he'll turn out mentally disabled, and that's it.

"Fine, I understand in my heart, you may…" Bai Li's lips turned pale, her voice weak.

The imperial physician slowly raised his head, glanced at Bai Li, and quickly bowed his head.

He dared not look at Bai Li again and hurriedly withdrew.

Nanzhu personally went to escort the person.

After returning, she hurried forward to persuade: "Your Highness, now the Emperor knows you are pregnant; this is a tremendous good thing."

"Look at the past few days; the Emperor's favor toward you. With this preferential love, as long as the Prince arrives safely, what difference is there between your status and the Empress's?"

"There is still a long way to go."

Nanzhu's gaze never left Bai Li's lower abdomen.

After all, inside is a living life.

"Risk?" Bai Li's eyes turned icy instantly, glaring at Nanzhu: "I will not take such a risk!"

At this point, Bai Li raised her tone: "If I give birth to the Prince, it would be fine at first, but if the child is malformed or mentally disabled, how would the Emperor view me?"

"How would the civil and military officials mock me?"

"I fear instead…"

Nanzhu still felt reluctant: "But this child is truly the Highness's blood."

"I, the servant, also hope Mother has a child by her side."

"Hmph! You think I don't want it?" Bai Li gritted her teeth, her gaze shifting: "But by saying that, you actually reminded me."

"Keeping this child is not entirely impossible."

Bai Li placed both hands over her abdomen, her eyes exuding a sinister coldness: "If, before the child is born, the Empress is no longer Empress."

"I already sit in the rear position; after the child is born, does what it looks like still matter?"

Mentioning Wan Tang, Bai Li clenched her teeth: "That scoundrel, now pretending at Baoguo Temple, gaining the people's praise, has become the people's favorite."

Nanzhu whispered, "Indeed, the Empress's reputation is soaring, yet she is not in the palace; even the Emperor cannot find a way to deal with her."

"What if she disappears?" Bai Li suddenly interrupted her.

A frantic flame flickered in the eyes.

Nanzhu shivered all over, terrified, and looked up: "Your Majesty, what do you intend to do?"

Bai Li slowly rose, and there was no trace of human radiance in the eyes: "Isn't she insisting on being a good person, going to Baoguo Temple to pray for the people?"

"It's just a pity that beyond this palace, the road is long, and who can foresee how many accidents might occur?"

"And the emergence of these accidents is enough to ensure that she will never return."

Nanzhu inhaled sharply, and the handkerchief in the hand almost fell.

The night was deep.

Although Nanzhu had given Bai Li many suggestions, at this moment the spine only felt a chill.

After much difficulty, they waited for Bai Li to fall asleep.

Nanzhu finally wiped the cold sweat from the temples and tiptoed out of the room.

Clad in night, she ran swiftly toward Kunning Palace.

Seeing Kunning Palace's lights drawing nearer, Nanzhu's steps quickened.

"Quick…"

"You must tell the master quickly."

"Bai Li is truly a lunatic; now she actually wants to persecute the Empress…"

She murmured, and the dog‑hole leading to Kunning Palace was right before her eyes.

Before she could pry open the dense roses on the courtyard wall, a muffled sound rang out.

A sharp pain surged behind the head.

Nanzhu's vision went black, she slowly turned, saw a figure behind, and shouted in shock: "Is that you?!"

The person's hand showed no mercy.

Another dull club struck directly on Nanzhu's head.

A salty, fishy odor spread, Nanzhu's world turned red, and she collapsed heavily to the ground.

Baoguo Temple.

Wan Tang stood in the courtyard.

The autumn moon shone bright, yet it could not resist the heavy black clouds that drifted slowly, swallowing the last sliver of light.

This night was especially pitch‑black.

Minghui leaned against the surrounding deities, feeling fear, and instinctively pressed closer to Wan Tang.

Wan Tang set down the sutra in the hand, rose, and walked to the abbot.

Her eyes were clear, her voice full of inquiry: "Abbot Master, lately we have been praying for blessings, yet this palace grows ever more bewildered."

"I wonder if the master could dispel my doubts."

"May I ask, Master, what is cause and effect?"

The abbot clasped both hands, lowered his eyes, and replied: "Amitabha."

"Sowing good causes yields good fruits; sowing evil causes yields evil fruits. The cycle of cause and effect, Retribution never fails, this is the ultimate principle of heaven and earth."

"So, can it be understood that cause and effect is heavenly will, beyond human intervention?" Wan Tang asked again.

The abbot suddenly sensed something amiss, and rotated the prayer beads in the hand several times.

He furrowed his brows abruptly: "It is natural."

"I, a humble monk, will obey cause and effect; tonight, I shall recite the sutras again through the night."

"The senior monks of the temple naturally ought to accompany."

"Nothing will be disturbed."

Wan Tang heard this, a faint bitter smile appearing at the lips, and said, "If so, please the master remember your own faith."

"This palace is a bit weary."

"Yes, Your Majesty, rest early," the abbot bowed and replied.