Chapter 46: Xu Answered

Chu Yunzheng seems still speaking.

Everything around becomes increasingly blurry, the ears gradually can't discern sounds, and everything before the eyes overlaps.

A sharp pain erupts in her lower abdomen, as if a pair of hands were trying to wrench her organs out.

A warm sensation spreads; Wan Tang clutches her belly tightly, and she can faintly see a crabapple blossom staining her lotus‑colored long dress.

She closes her eyes and falls into darkness.

Around her are shouts of alarm, Li Ping'er's large tears fall onto her face, and Wan Tang wishes she could raise her hand to wipe the tears from her face and say, "Don't be afraid, it's okay."

But she truly has no strength; in a daze she sees Chu Yunzheng's panic, his scent at her nose, and she presses her head against his bright yellow garment.

Look, Chu Yunzheng finally did hold her…

Opening her eyes again, she is back in Lotus Breeze Imperial Palace.

Shadows flicker around her, consisting of passing palace staff and a group of imperial physicians.

"Tangtang."

That call is Chu Yunzheng's voice; though it has been only about ten days, it feels as long as a century.

Chu Yunzheng sees her awaken, lets out a long sigh, and kindly grasps Wan Tang's hand, his gentle gaze returning to the time of favor: "It's good you're awake."

"Thank Heaven, thank Earth, thank the Lord that you are unharmed," Xiao Mingshu stands behind the Emperor, hands clasped, looking both compassionate and devout.

Wan Tang's very breath feels as painful as her organs; the more it hurts, the clearer she becomes. Struggling, she manages to speak, "Emperor, am I dreaming..."

She trembles as she touches the Emperor's cold face, tears burst forth, and she wishes to pour out all her grievances and pain.

Chu Yunzheng suddenly panics, hurriedly wipes away the falling tears: "Tangtang, don't cry; it's my fault."

His gaze is filled with deep sorrow and grief, but such a drastic change frightens and terrifies Wan Tang.

She seems to have grasped the key issue and quickly asks, "Empress Dowager, what did you just say?"

Xiao Mingshu turns away, unable to stop her eyes from reddening, silently wiping away tears.

Chu Yunzheng's eyes also show remorse; his hand gently rests on Wan Tang's belly, and he says, "Tangtang, you are still young; you will still bear my child."

Wan Tang's head buzzes, as if something suddenly tears apart inside.

Is she pregnant?

Did she have a miscarriage?

A buzzing fills her ears; she suddenly clutches both ears hard, her body trembling uncontrollably, and she collapses into a broken whisper, "No… no…"

She doesn't know where the strength comes from, but Wan Tang suddenly sits up, grabs the Emperor's hand: "I… I still couldn't… couldn't feel his presence…"

"I am an orphan, I… child…"

At that moment, Wan Tang nearly wails, and in that instant she despises everyone.

She also didn't know that the Empress Dowager's "dark willows and bright flowers" would be so vicious.

【This scene makes me want to cry; fortunately it's not real—Wan Tang isn't pregnant, it's all because of that medicine.】

【It's just an early period, only the process is a bit painful.】

【It's not that simple; clearly the Empress Dowager knows Wan Tang is hard to control, and this medicine not only can eliminate Xu Luoyan, but also render Wan Tang infertile.】

【But don't be afraid; it's just increasing mucus to block conception, discovered early, it's not incurable.】

Wan Tang's heart grew colder.

The Empress Dowager is so vicious!

Fortunately, the overwhelming joy and sorrow are too much for Wan Tang to bear; she feels completely drained, the drama has begun, and she goes along with it.

Chu Yunzheng's eyes are full of pity and an indescribable pain.

The Emperor's line is thin; besides the Princess, there isn't a single Prince. In the past two years, the palace has not received even a hint of good news.

Court officials have long harbored objections.

For Chu Yunzheng, it is also a mix of great joy and sorrow; he too feels distressed, and asks bitterly, "Why is this happening? Is Heaven blaming me?"

Wan Tang kneels, seeing red, and the cause is still the Emperor's distrust.

"Emperor, you are the True Dragon Son of Heaven; why cast blame?" Xiao Mingshu says firmly.

"Moreover, wasn't this matter caused by people?"

Wan Tang understands, her face still desperate, yet she endures the excruciating pain, struggling to kneel.

"Tangtang, don't move." Chu Yunzheng rushes forward to stop her, his eyes full of concern.

Now Wan Tang no longer dares to be enamored by such looks. She has truly witnessed the terror of imperial power. Seizing the chance, she shouts, "I beg the Emperor to decide, to uphold justice for me. I am wronged, the child… the child… wronged…"

"Yes, Emperor, at the root of this matter lies the Consort." Xiao Mingshu adds.

"Wretch!" Chu Yunzheng slams his fist on the table: "Bring her in!"

When Xu Luoyan is thrown in, her eyes are frantic and helpless. Wang Jingyi kneels at the doorway, her gaze yearning yet powerless.

"Emperor, I am guilty, I acknowledge my crime, and I will obediently stay in Jingren Palace to correct my mistakes."

During Wan Tang's unconsciousness, Wang Jingyi has given her some ideological instruction; she has improved considerably, and after coming in she no longer babbles, speaking earnestly instead.

But the Emperor's tone shifts, and he whispers, "Poisonous woman, you've harmed the Imperial Heir, yet you still dare to act obedient!"

Wan Tang, upon seeing her, feels like killing her with a sword.

Xu Luoyan's face is full of terror, she frantically shakes her head, the beads and jade ornaments on her head jingling: "I should not have corresponded with men; how did that harm the Imperial Heir?"

Chu Yunzheng's forehead veins pulse: "If you hadn't meddled, depriving Tangtang of food and forbidding the physicians to treat her, how could this have happened?"

"The child, not even a month old, was still aborted in the womb!"

As the last word falls, Chu Yunzheng, irritated by the jingling beads, reaches out, grabs it in his hand without caring whether it's tangled in hair, and pulls it out.

He throws it on the ground: "You poisonous woman, how could you match the Empress Dowager's phoenix hairpin?"

Xu Luoyan sweats profusely in pain, unable to utter a sound. The helplessness and fear of being wronged give her no solace.

She shakes her head repeatedly, seeing the Emperor distrust her, and hurriedly points to the nearby chief physician: "It must be you incompetent doctors misdiagnosing; why must we wait for her miscarriage to…"

"No, is it truly a miscarriage? Did you see it wrong!"

"If she is pregnant, why was there no detection before?"

"Even if she is pregnant, it's your fault, and you still dare to blame me!"

The chief of the infirmary, disdaining her frantic appearance, knelt methodically: "Noble Consort, the fetal pulse usually becomes evident only after twenty days. Thirteen days ago, Consort Wan felt unwell and sent someone to come."

"Noble Consort, it was you who personally ordered, saying you would personally bring people to examine, so we need not go."

"Empress, the Imperial Medical Institute could not resist the palace staff of He Feng Yu Jing Palace's repeated pleas; they slipped away, but were intercepted halfway by the Consort's people and were not permitted to go."

"Consort Wan was from the start experiencing pregnancy discomfort and had also contracted wind‑cold. She suffered daily high fever that would not subside, leading to depletion of qi and blood. If she had been able to seek treatment from the start, Consort Wan would have no worry about delivering at full term."

"But now, after this torment, she fears she may never conceive again!"

Wan Tang collapsed onto the bed in despair, her face ashen.

Chu Yunzheng raised his hand and slapped Xu Luoyan's face: "Witch! Her wind‑cold wasn't caused by you framing her, but if you had any humanity, why would you go this far?"

"I see you not only fail to uphold a woman's virtue, but also have a malicious mind." Chu Yunzheng grew angrier, glaring at her with disgust: "For years I finally hoped for an imperial son, only to have you, this witch, brutally kill him!"

Wang Jingyi, though outside the door, could hear these words, and immediately knelt and crawled down: "Your Majesty, calm your anger. The Noble Consort may have countless faults, but her father, brothers, and all her siblings are meritorious officials…"

"Shut up!"

Chu Yunzheng roared, and even though Wang Jingyi was eloquent, she dared not utter another word, shrinking as she knelt.

"Heh." Wan Tang sneered with a smile: "Just because they are meritorious officials can they harm my child? Though my status is humble and insignificant, this child is ultimately the Emperor's offspring!"

She choked out again, crying in such a mournful way.

With each word Wan Tang uttered, Chu Yunzheng's expression grew increasingly solemn, and by the end, murderous aura burst forth.

The Empress, standing nearby, said with sorrow: "The Empress Dowager has long hoped for a prince; to quickly add an heir, she has been counting on vegetarian fasting and chanting. Noble Consort, you are foolish!"

"The Empress Dowager and the Emperor have trusted you so much, having let you assist the harem all these years, yet no one has ever become pregnant."

"Now that I personally manage, after finally seeing Consort Wan pregnant, you are so spitefully jealous!"

Wan Tang was repeatedly surprised in her heart; the Empress truly was formidable—her few words seemed to be for the Noble Consort's benefit, yet she didn't realize she had already drawn her into a larger vortex. It seemed as if Xu Luoyan was the chief culprit behind the Emperor's lack of offspring.

"If Wan Tang hadn't followed Xu Luoyan for ten years, she might have believed this."

"Chu Yunzheng's complexion was far more than merely gloomy."

Wang Jingyi, already as if facing a great enemy, was about to argue, but before she could speak, the Emperor waved his hand, and two eunuchs on either side seized her and dragged her out.

"Enough!" the Emperor said, weary: "The Empress Dowager's health is already poor; the matter of Consort Wan's child being lost must not be publicized, lest it sadden the Empress Dowager."

The Empress replied softly: "I will handle everything properly."

"With you in charge of the harem, I am at ease." Chu Yunzheng took Xiao Mingshu's hand and gave it a gentle pat.

"Your Majesty, I am wronged, I beg you, please, for the sake of my father's face…" Xu Luoyan, unable to accept, clutched the Emperor's leg tightly with both hands, hoping to reverse everything.

"But Chu Yunzheng merely coldly kicked her away: 'Wronged? When you framed Consort Wan, how innocent was she? My child is gone; how innocent am I?'"

"The Xu family, all loyal and heroic, should murder the imperial heir?"

"Such a crime is so severe it warrants the entire clan's extermination; Xu Luoyan, powerless, fell to her knees."

"Chu Yunzheng coldly said: 'Your conduct does not merit being Noble Consort. Effective immediately, you are demoted to Answering. Granted: Good.'"

"The title of the malicious concubine being a single character 'Good' is the greatest insult."

"Go out, I want to spend time with Tangtang." Chu Yunzheng waved his hand, and the Empress led the group away from He Feng Yu Jing Palace.

Chu Yunzheng stepped forward, gently lifted Wan Tang into his arms, and said with affection: "It is I who owe you, Tangtang; the future is long, I will have the entire Imperial Medical Institute treat your body."

"A child will still come."

Wan Tang was slightly stunned, her heart icy. From beginning to end, the fact that she was wronged was not mentioned a single word.

All the grievances were merely a reshuffling of evidence, and the very thing that toppled Xu Luoyan was this nonexistent offspring.

Wan Tang understood: to stand in this palace, how could she survive with only the Emperor's affection?

"A concubine must have an heir by her side!"

She felt a hint of disgust toward Chu Yunzheng's embrace, yet she also looked at him, tears streaming, pretending: "Your Majesty, I am so afraid…"

With a choking sob, Wan Tang clutched into the Emperor's embrace, trembling hands, holding him.