Chapter 78: Settling for Second Best

Footsteps came from within the Imperial Palace.

Bai Wei held up an umbrella, shielding Xiao Mingshu as she hurried over.

From afar, one could already hear the voice wishing the Empress "ten thousand blessings and golden peace."

Then came Xiao Mingshu's startled exclamation: "Noble Consort? Today is not your birthday, why are you kneeling here?"

"The snow is so heavy, and you are dressed so thinly — can your body bear it?"

"Bah! Enough of your false sympathy." Xu Luoyan attacked indiscriminately: "Empress, you guarded against it with painstaking effort, yet the one inside is still pregnant."

Xiao Mingshu took a long moment before replying: "That is a wonderful thing."

The door curtain was lifted.

Xiao Mingshu walked in, wearing a smile difficult to fathom, and paid her respects to the Emperor.

She then looked at Wan Tang on the bed, her gaze falling directly on the pregnant belly, her eyes trembling.

She said in surprise: "This… what is going on?"

Just as she spoke, hurried footsteps approached.

Li Defu had already brought Xie Huairen into the palace.

The candlelight in the hall flickered, illuminating Xie Huairen's gaunt face.

When this venerable senior imperial physician was carried in, everyone was taken aback.

The once hale and hearty master healer of the medical world now had disheveled white hair and a skeletal frame, as though he had aged thirty years.

"Imperial Physician Xie!" Xiao Mingshu's phoenix eyes were filled with worry as she quickly stepped forward to support him personally. "How did you fall so ill? Quick, bring a seat for the physician."

Xie Huairen knelt trembling on the ground, yet his clouded gaze stared straight at Wan Tang's swollen abdomen, and his taut face instantly relaxed.

"This old minister bows to the Emperor, and greets the Empress."

Chu Yunzheng's brow furrowed tightly: "Imperial Physician Xie, what exactly is going on?"

"May the Emperor see clearly!" Xie Huairen pressed his forehead to the ground, his voice hoarse yet firm. "This old minister has been wronged! From beginning to end, Lady Wan's pulse has been a pregnancy pulse!"

Xiao Mingshu sighed softly, her jade hand gently stroking her chest: "Imperial Physician Xie, I have always respected your medical ethics. But that day, ten physicians consulted together."

She looked at Wan Tang as if hesitating to continue, "If you insist on your view, does that not mean the other physicians were all deceiving the sovereign?"

Xie Huairen stood as straight as a pine or cypress in the wind.

He said in a firm tone: "So what if there are ten? So what if there are a hundred?"

"What others say is others' business. This old minister only trusts his own diagnosis."

Xiao Mingshu said earnestly: "If there truly has been an injustice, the Emperor and I will certainly see justice done."

She turned to Chu Yunzheng, her brow filled with worry. "It is just that this matter is peculiar. Even if Imperial Physician Xie's medical skill is superb, could it be that all the other physicians are inferior to him alone?"

Xiao Mingshu's words carried profound implications.

Even Chu Yunzheng looked at Xiao Mingshu in surprise.

His voice dropped, cold as he said: "Empress, I will not judge others' medical skills."

"But Imperial Physician Xie's character is plain for all to see. Moreover, the child in Lady Wan's womb has already taken shape — could that possibly be false?"

Wan Tang watched coldly from the sidelines, and knew that the moment had come.

Wan Tang suddenly stumbled to her knees, tears falling like rain: "Emperor! This subject has been wronged! That day when Imperial Physician Xie diagnosed a pregnancy pulse, I was overjoyed."

She choked on her words: "Had Heaven not shown mercy and protected this child, even if I jumped into the Yellow River, I could never have cleared my name."

"That day, I had no way to defend myself. Fearing harm to the child in my womb, to protect the child from injury, I had no choice but to admit to everything."

At the mention of this, Wan Tang's tears fell like rain.

Xiao Mingshu hurriedly helped Wan Tang up, pulling out her own embroidered handkerchief to wipe her tears: "Sister, do not cry, lest you harm the baby."

She gently stroked Wan Tang's abdomen, her tone gentle yet concealing a sharp edge, "It is just that the timing is too coincidental. Three months ago, when all the physicians consulted together, they all said there was no pregnancy."

"Lady Wan, in these three months, have you seen anyone?"

"Or rather, has anyone come to visit?"

Xiao Mingshu's tone was gentle, yet every word she spoke set off endless speculation.

Hearing this, Xu Luoyan immediately burst into loud laughter.

She repeatedly echoed: "Emperor, did you hear that? I am not the only one with doubts!"

"In three months' time, anything could have happened."

"She is pregnant, but how can one prove whose child this is?"

The hall was brightly lit with candles. Xie Huairen knelt on the ground, his voice hoarse yet firm: "Emperor! This old minister swears upon sixty years of practicing medicine — the fetus in Lady Wan's womb is indeed four months along!"

Chu Yunzheng's eyes sharpened, and he immediately waved his hand: "All physicians, examine her pulse at once!"

The Head of the Imperial Medical Institute stepped forward first, placing his fingertips on Wan Tang's wrist. His brow furrowed tightly, and only after a long moment did he withdraw his hand, cold sweat seeping from his forehead: "Reporting to the Emperor… it is indeed… over four months…"

The other physicians stepped forward in turn, but without exception, they all confirmed it with trepidation.

Wan Tang's pulse was indeed a four-month pregnancy pulse.

Xiao Mingshu's eyes flickered slightly, her fingertips gently rubbing the Buddhist beads at her wrist, her tone still gentle: "If that is so, then why did all the physicians diagnose it as stomach qi congestion three months ago? Could it be… someone tampered with things in secret?"

She looked meaningfully at Xie Huairen, then slowly swept her gaze over the physicians kneeling on the floor.

A smile played on her lips, yet every word struck at the heart: "Or should I say… in these three months, Lady Wan saw someone, and only then suddenly became pregnant?"

Hearing this, Xu Luoyan immediately laughed shrilly: "Emperor! Did you hear that? The Empress has doubts too!"

She lifted her chin triumphantly, "In these three months, who knows whom she has seen? Who knows whose child this is?"

【Who would have expected the Empress to also kick her while she is down — what should Wan Tang do?】

【At this point, Wan Tang could not pin the blame on anyone. After all, there was no substantive evidence even when Qiu Ju did what she did, and Xu Chengyuan only made his accusations because he had letters — at worst, she could simply claim she had been deceived. Either way, it was the Imperial Medical Institute that dropped the ball, and those people's families were all in others' control — who would dare speak the truth?】

【Hopefully Wan Tang would be smart about it and not waste the Emperor's guilt and heartache for nothing.】

Wan Tang's face was deathly pale, tears rolling down in streams.

She knew this was not the time for her to speak.

Yet she forced herself up from the couch, staggered, and knelt before Chu Yunzheng: "Your Majesty, I have not. These three months, I have not seen anyone."

"Oh? Then that is strange." Xiao Mingshu's tone was meaningful.

"Your Majesty, Empress, please stop wronging Master like this." Li Ping'er knelt on the ground, knocking her head repeatedly.

Xiao Mingshu did not even look at her, saying coldly, "Presumptuous slave, who gave you leave to speak? Drag her out—"

"Let her speak." Chu Yunzheng's voice sank.

Xiao Mingshu's tone softened: "His Majesty is merciful. Then speak properly."

Li Ping'er said, "Master, forgive my impertinence."

Trembling, she unfastened Wan Tang's outer robe, revealing a gaunt, skeletal body. Her abdomen was slightly swollen, which only made Wan Tang look even more haggard.

"These three months... Master has lived a life worse than a dog or a pig..."

Li Ping'er's voice choked, every word dripping with blood: "The gates of Cuivei Palace were locked tight. The meals sent every day were either spoiled or mixed with sand."

"If she wanted a little food, Master had to scrub the night-soil buckets."

"We were so starving we could only gnaw on tree bark and chew grass roots..."

She suddenly rolled up her sleeve, revealing hideous frostbite on her wrist: "In the dead of winter, there wasn't even charcoal for a fire. We could only shiver, wrapped in moldy quilts..."

Wan Tang raised her eyes to Chu Yunzheng, tears blurring her vision: "Your Majesty, do you think, in such a life, I could still see anyone?"

"Let alone a man." Wan Tang gave a bitter laugh. "Even if I saw a rat, I would pounce on it... because that would be meat!"

Chu Yunzheng's pupils contracted sharply. His chest heaved violently, and a towering rage surged to his head.

"Li Defu!" Chu Yunzheng bellowed, his voice shaking the candle flames in the hall. "Investigate this for me!"

"What exactly happened these three months?"

Li Defu was so frightened he knelt prostrate: "Your Majesty, this servant does not know!"

"You don't know?" Chu Yunzheng sneered. "Then you need not serve as Chief Eunuch any longer!"

Hearing that the Emperor was about to dismiss him, Li Defu was so terrified that the fat on his body quivered, and he immediately knelt prostrate.

His forehead struck the bricks heavily: "Your Majesty, this old servant will investigate at once! I will investigate at once!"

He scrambled and rolled out of the hall, shrieking in a shrill voice: "Men! Bind and bring every servant who was on duty at Cuivei Palace these three months! Not one is to be missed!"

In less than the time it takes half a stick of incense to burn, over a dozen eunuchs and palace maids were dragged into the hall, bound hand and foot. At their head were Granny Zhang, who had withheld the charcoal, and Eunuch Liu, who had locked the palace gates.

As soon as Granny Zhang saw the scene in the hall, she collapsed on the spot, her trousers soaked: "Your Majesty, spare my life! This servant was only following orders!"

Chu Yunzheng's eyes were dark and sinister: "Whose orders?"

"It was you who said... house arrest..."

Hearing this, the Emperor roared: "I ordered her confined! When did I ever say to cut off her food, clothing, and supplies?"

"If you do not confess properly, I will flay the skin off your back."

Granny Zhang trembled like a sieve, then suddenly pointed at Xu Luoyan: "It—it was Xu Guifei!"

"She said... that Consort Wan was faking a pregnancy to win favor, and deserved punishment..."

Eunuch Liu also kowtowed repeatedly: "This servant was forced as well! Xu Guifei said that if Consort Wan had an easy time of it, she would have my entire family killed!"

Xu Luoyan's face turned deathly pale, and she shrieked: "Nonsense! When did I ever give such an order?"

Chu Yunzheng suddenly smashed his teacup at Xu Luoyan's feet, shards of porcelain flying everywhere: "Wretch! I see you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin!"

He grabbed Xu Luoyan by the collar, his dragon eyes blazing with fury: "I remember it clearly! Three months ago, the Xu Family was the first to jump out and accuse Consort Wan of faking a pregnancy!"

"I have been very puzzled about that!"

Xu Luoyan was scared out of her wits and suddenly pointed at Xiao Mingshu: "Your Majesty! How can this be blamed on me?"

"I only did it to vent your anger for you, Your Majesty."

"Who told her to be so wicked and try to fake a pregnancy to win favor? The imperial physicians all confirmed it. We were in the dark too."

"Enough!" Xiao Mingshu cut her off sharply, her phoenix eyes glistening with tears as she looked at Chu Yunzheng. "This subject has failed in her duty of discipline. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

Chu Yunzheng gave a cold laugh: "Li Defu!"

"This old servant is here!"

"Take these treacherous slaves who bullied their master." His sword blade swept across Granny Zhang's neck. "Slice them alive for me! Grind their bones to dust!"

Screams pierced the sky, and blood stained the Han White Jade Steps red.

Xu Luoyan sat slumped on the ground, watching her former trusted confidants being sliced to pieces. She finally broke down and wailed: "Your Majesty, spare me! I know I was wrong!"

Xu Luoyan knelt prostrate on the ground, her hair in disarray, her carefully applied makeup smeared into a mess by tears. She clung desperately to the hem of Chu Yunzheng's dragon robe, her fingertips trembling.

"I was just confused for a moment! I will never dare do it again! I beg Your Majesty to forgive me this once..."

Chu Yunzheng looked down coldly, not a trace of warmth in his eyes.

"Get out."

He spat out only that single word, his voice cold as ice.

Xu Luoyan's whole body trembled. She wanted to beg again, but Chu Yunzheng kicked her away.

Xiao Mingshu stood to one side, her fingernails digging deep into her palm, but her face still maintained its composure.

She gave a slight bow, her voice soft: "Your Majesty, I am indeed guilty of negligence in this matter. In the future, I will strictly govern the Imperial harem and never allow Consort Wan to suffer any grievance again..."

Chu Yunzheng gave a cold laugh, his gaze sweeping over her: "Empress, I always thought you were a meticulous person."

Xiao Mingshu's heart trembled, but she forced herself to remain calm: "This subject is ashamed."

"But what happened today has greatly disappointed me." Chu Yunzheng's tone was heavy. "If you cannot even manage such a small matter, how can you govern the Imperial harem?"

Xiao Mingshu's face instantly turned deathly pale. She immediately knelt, her voice trembling slightly: "This subject knows her error! In the future, I will do my utmost and will never let such a lapse occur again! I will personally attend to Consort Wan's pregnancy and allow no mishap whatsoever..."

"No need."

Chu Yunzheng straightened up, his tone brooking no argument: "I will attend to this pregnancy myself."