Chapter 346: Obstructing the Exit from the Palace

The night grew deeper and the dew heavier; Chu Yunzheng had just announced his departure from the palace when the news spread from Yangxin Hall toward the other palaces.

Inside Changchun Palace.

Bai Li had just seen Nan Zhu off, and her eyes were full of smug glances.

The young eunuch serving outside Yangxin Hall, Chong Chong, rushed over and whispered, "Madam, the Emperor has changed into casual attire, prepared the carriages and horses, and says he wants to go see the Empress."

"He only took the Chief Steward with him, and even ignored the old ministers outside the Grand Hall."

Bai Li's hand trembled: "Leave the palace? At this hour…"

"What on earth is he thinking?" she snapped to her feet, her gaze instantly becoming sharp and icy, "No."

"At this moment, he absolutely must not be allowed to leave the palace."

According to the plan, Wan Tang is still gravely injured at this moment; if she is not discovered within ten days to half a month, she will certainly be rescued.

"A bunch of idiots, what are they still dazed about? Prepare the sedan, head to the Gongmen!"

"During this period, I will never allow her to see the Emperor again."

Inside Jingren Palace.

Hui Guifei and Ning Daying were playing chess.

Even though it was already past bedtime, the recent events made them uneasy.

Naturally, the two of them could not sleep.

The trusted palace maid hurried in, her face anxious: "Noble Consort, the Emperor intends to leave the palace, saying he wants to see the Empress."

Hui Guifei raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? Our Emperor, at this time, suddenly thinks of the Empress."

"What? Are the whole court's civil and military officials not enough to trouble him?"

She let a cold smile curl at the corner of her mouth, "Bai Li over there probably can't stay seated."

"Yes, Pear Princess is now rushing toward the Gongmen," the maid said after glancing cautiously at Hui Guifei, "It seems she wants to keep the Emperor here."

"Hmph! She's the one with many affairs!" Ning Daying heard this and his complexion instantly turned cold: "The Empress now has only a Princess under her knee; the Prince is gone because of the Emperor."

"If it weren't for this woman's appearance, the Empress and the Emperor would have had another Prince long ago."

Hui Guifei said gravely, "This matter must never be mentioned again."

"The Empress was injured, and it will be hard for her to bear children again."

"To have survived at that time was already Heaven's favor."

Ning Daying's face flushed, and he exclaimed, "But we can't keep giving Bai Li every concession; back then, Bai Li was always opposing you at the residence."

"Later, she even forced you to enter the palace."

"Sister…"

Hui Guifei raised her hand to stop her, her expression solemn: "Don't be hasty."

"The Empress, before leaving the palace, repeatedly instructed us to watch quietly and not act rashly."

"Bai Li will surely go to block him now; if you get involved, you may only suffer her harm."

"It's precisely because the Empress is absent that we must be even more cautious." "Do you intend to watch the Emperor be tripped up by Bai Li with our eyes wide open?"

"Now the Emperor already obeys that woman to the point of following every word. As for the Empress, he is even more distant."

There was another sentence Ning Daying kept in his heart but could not utter.

If the women of the harem lack the Emperor's favor, how could they survive?

It's like me; if Noble Consort hadn't received special treatment from the Emperor, her days in the palace would have been a lifetime of suffering.

Recalling how the two sisters usually treated him, Ning Daying said firmly, "Since I'm in the palace, I must let her feel fully at ease."

"I will never let that woman act behind the scenes!"

Without waiting for Hui Guifei's further persuasion, Ning Daying hurriedly rushed out of Jingren Palace.

Hui Guifei's body grew increasingly heavy; even she, when it comes to bearing children, must be fragile and need protection.

Unable to block it, she could only sigh helplessly and immediately ordered, "Take several more people and follow. Report any sign of movement at once."

Watching Ning Daying's impulsive demeanor, Hui Guifei supported her waist, her eyes full of worry.

The Gongmen, which should have been silent, was now brightly lit.

The carriage was already prepared at the entrance.

Xiao Dongzi brandished a horsewhip as Chu Yunzheng was about to board, when a delicate cry rang out, "Emperor!"

Bai Li, dressed thinly with her hair loose, stumbled and ran over.

Regardless, she rushed forward, grabbed his sleeve with tearful eyes, "Emperor, leaving the palace late at night, are you abandoning me and the Imperial Son without care?"

Chu Yunzheng frowned, "Nonsense, I have my own matters."

Bai Li immediately displayed a pitiful demeanor, "But I just had a terrifying nightmare."

As she spoke, she threw herself into Chu Yunzheng's arms, "I dreamed those ruffians cut open my abdomen and took our child out."

"Wuwuwu, I'm scared."

"Please, Emperor, don't leave the palace."

Hearing this, Chu Yunzheng tightened his grip on Bai Li's hand, his expression turning extremely grim.

Bai Li only managed to clutch Chu Yunzheng's sleeve, her voice trembling, "Emperor, please."

"First deal with those ruffians, okay?"

"In my heart, you've always been a king with a clear purpose since childhood!"

Bai Li said, and at the right moment lifted her head, seeing only deep affection in his eyes.

Chu Yunzheng was stunned.

The lost waves in his heart surged again.

It turned out that in Bai Li's heart, he had always been so good since childhood.

"Li'er…" Chu Yunzheng felt his heart already loosen.

"Emperor!" Ning Answering hurried, and before anyone was in sight, the voice had already arrived.

She quickened forward, performed a proper bow, and in a sincere tone said, "Emperor, the Empress is praying for the nation, her toil is extraordinary. If you could personally go to visit, the Empress would surely be grateful for your sacred grace."

Seeing Bai Li's affected demeanor again, only disgust remained in his eyes.

She hurriedly added, "The imperial couple are one; now is the moment to demonstrate the Emperor's care."

"If the Emperor also goes to Baoguo Temple, outwardly he can claim to be mindful of the people's feelings and pray in person, which would be even more effective."

Chu Yunzheng's lips curled into a smile.

Clearly he was looking at Ning Answering, yet it seemed as if he were looking at someone else.

In a soft voice he said, "I didn't expect Ning'er to also say such things."

"But did your sister teach you that?"

Ning Answering's goosebumps rose, instinctively wanting to retort, "My sister would never say such things."

Shei would be willing to pay attention to you.

Bai Li's smiling face turned pale in an instant; when Hui Guifei was mentioned, she was like a fighting cock.

She glared angrily, "You incited the Emperor to leave the palace late at night—what are your true intentions? If the Emperor makes even the slightest mistake on this trip, can you bear the responsibility?"

"And the Old Ministers of Yangxin Hall—if they learned that a daughter of the Ning family acted so, what would they do?"

Ning Answering showed no weakness, retorting, "You're the one—the Emperor and Empress are bound as a married couple; what's wrong with visiting the wife?"

"You block so persistently—could it be that you have something hidden in your heart, fearing the Emperor meeting the Empress?"

"You're talking nonsense!" Bai Li, angry to the point her face turned white, then shook Chu Yunzheng's arm while crying, "Emperor, look at her."

"I, the concubine, am only worried about your safety, missing the child in my womb; she would slander me like this…"

Chu Yunzheng was left flustered and confused by the two's argument.

Since Ning Answering had come, she naturally intended to secure it.

Bai Li gave Ning Answering a cold stare, then suddenly let out a chilly snort.

"Ah!" Bai Li suddenly let out a painful cry, clutching her abdomen with both hands, her complexion turning ghastly in an instant, her body collapsing weakly toward Chu Yunzheng, "Emperor… my belly… hurts so much…"

"Emperor… please save me quickly. That nightmare is about to come true!"