Chapter 349: Whipping to Death

A maid rushed forward carrying a medicine bowl, holding a bowl of mysterious medicine in her hand.

Bai Li's eyes were fierce; she lifted the medicine and drank it in one gulp.

"You… what are you drinking?" Ning Daying's voice changed tone; finally she realized she was scared.

"Cough… cough…" Bai Li choked and coughed, and a sharp pain suddenly surged in her abdomen.

It made her curl up instantly, her complexion shifting from pallid to ashen, cold sweat pouring down like rain.

"Ah!" she let out a mournful scream; the blood beneath her was no longer a pre‑arranged disguise but surged out, quickly staining a large area of her dress crimson.

The old woman saw this and a flash of ruthlessness crossed her eyes.

She pressed Ning Daying, who was struggling to rise, down even harder.

Ning Daying stared at the rapidly expanding, horrifyingly bright blood spreading beneath Bai Li, completely dumbfounded.

"Bai Li! You… you're so cruel! You even harmed your own flesh and blood!" Ning Daying's voice trembled, a mix of anger and fear.

In this world, there are people so vicious that they would even harm their own kin.

Bai Li, almost collapsing from pain, weakly breathed but still forced herself to grab the old woman's sleeve: "Quick… quickly tell the Emperor… it was Ning Daying… who harmed me… harmed the Imperial Heir…"

"Bai Li, you're nothing but a madwoman."

"How could a false accusation make even the child in my womb be used?"

Ning Daying's face was as white as paper.

Bai Li's mouth curled into a cruel sneer: "Don't you know how to be grateful?"

"I originally intended this great gift for the Empress. It's you who rushed to claim it."

"There's no other way; I must use your hand to deliver this great gift to that lofty woman."

"You want to harm my sister?" Ning Daying suddenly understood, struggling wildly: "Poisonous Woman, you poisonous woman."

"Whether you want to kill or beat me doesn't matter; don't think you can harm my sister."

Bai Li was drenched in sweat, her skirt quickly dyed red.

Her terrifying gaze and continual sneer: "You're just a minor character; you're not worthy of my attention."

"As long as you get into trouble, I won't believe that woman can stay safe."

"I heard she's due in a month. If she gets emotional and trips on the road, what will happen?"

"No!" Ning Daying let out a desperate shout.

Several people rushed forward and pressed Ning Daying down tightly.

When Chu Yunzheng arrived in haste after hearing the news, Changchun Palace was already in chaos.

A heavy scent of blood hit the face; Bai Li lay on the couch, colorless, the bedding beneath soaked through with fresh blood.

She wept weakly, tear‑filled eyes fixed on him, her lips moving but unable to form a complete sound.

"Emperor… I… our child…"

She reached out, fingertips trembling, but fell limp before touching him; anyone seeing this would feel pity.

"Bai Li!" Chu Yunzheng's heart tore like a knife; he hurried forward and grasped her icy hand.

"Emperor!" Ning Daying, pinned to the ground by two eunuchs, struggled to lift her head, her hair in disarray, her face still bearing the marks of the earlier scuffle; she shouted, "It wasn't me! She herself crashed into me! She herself drank the medicine…"

"Silence!" Chu Yunzheng whirled around, his eyes blazing with raging fury and the pain of losing a child; he could not hear any explanation, "Poisonous Woman! The evidence is clear, yet you still dare to argue!"

He released Bai Li's hand and stepped toward Ning Daying.

In the shocked gazes of everyone present, he raised his hand and struck Ning Daying hard across the face.

Ning Daying was knocked sideways, blood spurted from the corner of her mouth, one cheek swelled high, her ears rang, and she was nearly stunned.

"That child is mine and Bai Li's!" Chu Yunzheng looked at Ning Daying, his eyes as if ready to devour her alive, "Can you not accept that?!"

"Attendants! Drag this Poisonous Woman to the Shenxing Office and shackles her!"

"Give me a brutal whipping, until she dies!"

"Emperor! Wrongful! I am wronged! It was Bai Li who drugged herself."

Ning Daying's cries and defenses were brutally cut off by the surging guards.

She was dragged away mercilessly, her desperate voice fading into the distance.

Chu Yunzheng did not want to hear a single word.

Does any reason still matter?

What matters is that his child is gone.

Bai Li let out a faint whimper on the couch; Chu Yunzheng immediately returned to her side, embraced her, soothing her softly, though his eyes were streaked with red from the loss of his offspring.

Inside Jingren Palace.

Hui Guifei was supporting her waist, slowly pacing by the window, her pregnant belly already very obvious.

The informant staggered in, face ashen, words tangled:

"Your Highness, it's terrible. Ning Daying… Ning Daying was framed by the Pear Concubine, the Emperor is enraged, and has sent her to the Shenxing Office… to be beaten to death!"

Hui Guifei heard this, her vision blackened, her body jolted, and the palace maid beside her hurried to steady her.

"What?!"

She placed a hand on her violently rising chest, felt a sudden tightening in her abdomen, yet forced herself to stay calm, "Prepare the sedan! Quickly go to the Shenxing Office!"

"Your Highness, you must not!" Xiao Luzi fell to his knees, blocking her path, his voice trembling with tears, "You are heavy now, almost full term; how can you go to such a place and be jostled?"

"If the fetal qi moves, Nubi will die a thousand deaths without redemption! Please, Your Highness, value the Imperial Heir!"

Hui Guifei's steps halted, her hand clutched tightly around her belly, the color drained from her face.

She knew all too well the stakes.

Yet thinking of Ning Daying being punished in the Shenxing Office at this moment, teetering between life and death, her heart was torn like a knife.

"Step aside!" her voice trembled but was resolute, "Ning Daying calls me sister; I cannot watch her be wrongfully killed!"

Xiao Luzi, seeing he could not be stopped and knowing Hui Guifei's temperament, gritted his teeth and got up: "Your Majesty is determined to go, I, Nubi, will risk death to protect your carriage! I will stay with you!"

Hui Guifei gave him a glance, said no more, supported his hand, lifted her heavy belly, and, though her steps were arduous, moved with extraordinary resolve toward the Cautious Punishment Office.

With each step, the sense of heaviness in her womb became clearer, but she could no longer worry about many things at this moment.

Inside the Zen Chamber of Baoguo Temple.

Qi Qi bowed and reported: "Your Majesty, Madam Bai is dead, Bai Zihua is in utter turmoil, and is frantically

seeking trouble."

"Our men have already set a heaven‑and‑earth net; once he reaches Baoguo Temple, we can capture him on the spot."

"We only need to wait two more days, until popular resentment boils over; then, Your Majesty can return to the Capital with thunderous force and settle the world in one stroke!"

Wan Tang sat quietly listening, but suddenly shivered, and the warm water in her cup rippled.

Barrage raged in her mind.

【Quick, save Hui Guifei, she's in trouble.】

【Bai Li used a miscarriage to frame Ning Daying; that is the trap left for Hui Guifei.】

【Hui Guifei is about to give birth; this will cause a difficult delivery.】

"Sister," she suddenly rose, a flash of panic in her eyes, "Hui Jiejie is in trouble; I must return to the Capital at once!"

Qi Qi was startled: "Your Majesty! Returning to the Capital now would ruin the plan!"

"Not only will we fail to completely eradicate the Bai family, it will also alert the snakes, giving Chu Yunzheng a chance to prepare! We have endured and arranged this layout until now, and only this final step remains!"

"We can't worry about all that!" Wan Tang pushed the teacup aside, "The plan can be reset, the realm can be re‑strategized, but if Hui Jiejie suffers three Chang two short…"

Her voice was slightly hoarse, then she said firmly, "Prepare the horses immediately; we leave now!"