Chapter 39: After Binding the Child-Bearing System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 39 Cannon Fodder Minor Imperial Consort (39)

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

Entered the hall

Sat before the dressing table to remove makeup and change clothes.

Shen Yao stretched out a hand and yawned, "I wasn't here last night; did something happen in the Imperial Harem?"

Qiu Yue's expression turned somewhat strange upon hearing this, "Your Highness, you weren't here last night, and the palace halls of the Imperial Harem suddenly summoned Imperial Physicians en masse.

It wasn't just one palace hall; it was many. The most severe cases belonged to those Imperial Consorts who were pregnant — several showed faint signs of miscarriage."

Miscarriage? Is that medicine that potent?

Shen Yao lifted her head, her hand still by her ear removing the hanging pearl earrings, "How is the situation now?"

Qiu Yue shook her head, "Not optimistic. Heard that even more palace halls requested Imperial Physicians this morning; only a scattered few remain peaceful."

Qiu Yue left some words unsaid — because of the timing of last night's events, she had also worried Weiyang Palace would be caught in the ripple effect, and spent the whole night tossing and turning, unable to sleep a wink.

This morning, hearing from the messenger eunuch that her own master had returned early from outside the palace, Qiu Yue has been so busy she could probably fall asleep standing up right now.

Shen Yao didn't notice Qiu Yue's complexion; she was still pondering last night's and this morning's events.

She rose, walked to the bedchamber, and sat down, leaning sideways against the soft pillow Qiu Yue had already arranged.

"Have we arranged manpower?"

"Arranged."

"Pull them all back. His Majesty's side will investigate thoroughly. This matter implicates far too many; it's inconvenient for us to participate."

"Yes, this slave understands."

"……"

The master and servant's brief dialogue ended; Shen Yao signaled Qiu Yue she could withdraw to rest.

Shen Yao had slept well last night; it was just that she left in some haste this morning — everything she'd bought from outside the palace yesterday was left at the Wei Residence outside the palace and couldn't be brought in.

Sigh, what a pity. Among them were many little trinkets the children would like; she'd spent a long time carefully selecting them last night, and it looks like she'll break her promise again.

Shen Yao had nothing pressing, still in the mood to ponder these odds and ends, while the other palace halls have been in utter chaos since nightfall yesterday.

No one knows how it happened — they just attended a Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet, how did it turn into this mess?

Right, the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet — all these Imperial Consorts were attendees of the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet.

Who was in charge of the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet? Fengyi Palace — the Empress!

Those who reacted turned their gazes toward the still-silent Fengyi Palace, even suspecting whether this was something the Empress actively orchestrated or was framed into doing.

The result: they got the news that Fengyi Palace had hastily summoned Imperial Physicians.

Everyone: …… Fine then, turns out none of them escaped.

Shaking their heads in speechless resignation, everyone's gazes turned back onto themselves once more.

Taiji Hall

Xiao Yanchen curled his fingers and tapped the tabletop, eyes fixed on this sheet of thin paper Wei Zhu had sent back.

The Empress?

The Empress has gone mad — doing this herself, what is her purpose?

"Wei Zhu, who all knows about this matter?"

Xiao Yanchen spoke in a low voice, his indifferent gaze sweeping over the memorials spread on the tabletop.

Those submitted memorials were full of suggestions that made him lose his appetite entirely.

Heh!

Truly, once the limelight passes, everyone forgets the previous pain.

Think he won't strike again? How could that be — threatening his throne, threatening the stability of the Great Jing Realm, is trampling his bottom line.

Xiao Yanchen's bottom line was never low to begin with; added to that, his wings have grown full these years — he truly doesn't fear these people jumping up and down making threats.

Wei Zhu bowed, "Replying to Your Majesty, this slave only traced this matter to Fengyi Palace."

The implication: aside from the Empress, others most likely don't know.

Hearing this, Xiao Yanchen let out a light laugh, "The Empress truly gives Zhen a great surprise."

What on earth does she want? Dragging this many Imperial Consorts of the Imperial Harem down with her.

Thinking of the talk he'd had with the Empress before, Xiao Yanchen only felt vexed in his heart.

Clearly she'd already chosen to actively give up — so why, when push comes to shove, is she still unwilling to let go?

Truly an eye-opener — for the sake of the clan, she can abandon even her own son and the Empress Position; he wouldn't expect her to do anything that would surprise him.

"Set this matter aside for now," tossing the memorial in hand casually into the desk corner, Xiao Yanchen lowered his head and closed his eyes, lightly rubbing his brow, "Zhen wants to see just how far the Empress can take this."

Such an out-of-the-blue frame-up — who does the Empress want to bring down? Yao'er?

Xiao Yanchen speculated in his heart about the Empress's thoughts, little knowing Wei Jingyi hadn't thought of Shen Yao at all.

In fact, regarding this matter, the Imperial couple's thinking could be described as poles apart.

Xiao Yanchen took Wei Jingyi's past handling style as reference, confining her scope to the Imperial Harem's Imperial Consorts.

But Wei Jingyi went big this time — her target is the Front Court.

As for the reason, one must thank the Wei Family's stupidity — Wei Jingyi staked her own Empress position this time, solely to secure the Wei Family's clean escape.

But as the saying goes, who can guard against thieves for a thousand days? Moreover, with the Wei Family having lost Wei Jingyi who could always cover for them, who knows what rotten state they'll end up in.

Wei Jingyi worried her actions were treating symptoms not the root, so she simply went all the way, eliminating the source of trouble to guarantee the Wei Family's survival and her own son's smooth growing up.

The two Empress Dowagers, and the several princes and great clans behind them, are the true targets Wei Jingyi wants to move against.

Fengyi Palace

After Wei Jingyi fainted, the palace servants reacted rapidly — those summoning imperial physicians summoned imperial physicians, those maintaining order maintained order — and when the person woke, the palace inside and out still operated busily in orderly fashion.

Opening her eyes and calling for someone, Wei Jingyi's body felt somewhat fatigued; this was the inevitable reaction after drinking the medicine.

"Your Ladyship"

"Qing Suo"

Backhand resting on Qing Suo's forearm, Wei Jingyi borrowed the other's strength to rise.

Seeing her master in such a strained state, Qing Suo was frightened and immediately wanted to call an imperial physician over.

"No need, this palace's body is unharmed."

Stopping Qing Suo, Wei Jingyi opened her mouth to ask whether His Majesty had come over.

Qing Suo shook her head, her expression visibly lost.

Toward this, Wei Jingyi took it in stride — at this time His Majesty simply would not come over.

By Taiji Hall's ability, they have likely already investigated and found that the one who acted was her.

"Better he didn't come — it severs her fancies, and makes her recognize reality all the more."

Qing Suo looked worried, "Your Ladyship, will we have done... too much?"

Acting at the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet, and targeting the entire harem's consorts at that.

Wei Jingyi leaned against the propped-up soft pillow, letting her fatigued body relax as much as possible, "Qing Suo, if this palace does not do this, after this palace departs, what will become of Heng'er?"

Leaving alone a young child without a mother consort to live in the harem — without needing to think deeply, Wei Jingyi felt her chest dense and swollen with pain.

Difficult, too difficult.

Seeing this, Qing Suo wanted to persuade her master not to be so resolute — why must she abandon the little prince and leave? That clearly was not her master's fault.

Wei Jingyi smiled bitterly, "Taking advantage that this palace and His Majesty still have a thread of marital affection, voluntarily yielding the position to the worthy now can secure the greatest benefit."

Otherwise, I fear nothing at all will be left.

His Majesty is, after all, Great Jing's Emperor — this palace's daughter of a future guilty minister, how long can she occupy the empress position? She is merely making a wedding dress for someone else.

Lifting her gaze, Wei Jingyi sighed lightly; the emotion in her eyes was a complexity Qing Suo could not fathom.

Qing Suo was merely a lowly servant, knowing little — Wei Jingyi even sometimes deliberately kept things from her.

Seeing her master had no desire to continue speaking, Qing Suo tactfully helped Wei Jingyi lie down to rest.

"Your Ladyship, the imperial physician said your body is weak and needs careful nurturing."

While speaking she straightened the bedding on Wei Jingyi's body and pulled it over her.

"Rest assured, with the imperial physician here, this palace's body will have no trouble."

The curtains on both sides of the bed were lowered, blocking out the light that had been shining in.

The pitch-black square space made one feel especially oppressed.

Wei Jingyi suddenly gasped as if panting heavily, clutching her chest, half-bent like a taut bow, large beads of sweat dripping down one by one.

After a long while, she abruptly flattened her body and drifted into a muddled sleep.

……

The harem saw a swath of people collapse for unknown reasons, stirring up a commotion larger than imagined.

Although a gag order was issued early on forbidding spread, underground rumors still flew everywhere — just the versions Qiu Yue brought to Shen Yao to relieve boredom had already changed three times in half a day.

Shen Yao: ……

What could Shen Yao say? She could only marvel at how fast gossip spreads, wondering if the Imperial Household Department could intercept it.

"Master, now even the Empress is ill — they say this matter is very likely the work of outside-the-palace forces."

Qiu Yue peeled dried fruit taken from the Imperial Kitchen in her hands, shelling them bit by bit for her master.

The plump, round kernels were set aside by Qiu Yue, already gathered into a small handful.

Shen Yao took a kernel, popping them into her mouth one by one at a steady rhythm, "Outside forces? His Majesty just purged a batch of restless court officials — who dares jump out and tweak the tiger's whiskers at a time like this?"

Today's Xiao Yanchen is not the Xiao Yanchen of three years ago — with full power in hand, he no longer fears anyone.

The several imperial clan relatives who previously stirred trouble have now all been demoted or stripped.

These are all Xiao Yanchen's handiwork.

Shen Yao even suspects that Xiao Yanchen's move this time was merely a taste — he hasn't truly enjoyed himself at all.

You see, several great clans' people still remain in the front court — His Majesty held back.

Qiu Yue shook her head, a face of innocence, "Master, this servant also only heard other people idly talking nonsense."

Not a single accurate source — all are various kinds of petty rumors.

"Can't call it nonsense — winding about, perhaps it can get tangled up with outside-the-palace connections."

These years, His Majesty has continuously purged harem spies — relying on the mere surviving few seedlings, those outside forces want to strike inside the palace and create a major incident, they have the will but not the power.

But palace insiders wanting to pull a 'darkness under the lamp' — that is a very easy thing.

Palace people and outside people have contact — doesn't that get them tangled up seven-seven-eight-eight?

The corner of her mouth curling slightly, Shen Yao felt she was truly a hundred times clever.

Lowering her head, she ate all the kernels Qiu Yue had peeled in a few bites.

Shen Yao patted her palm, telling Qiu Yue to take good care of several children these days.

The two little ones still can't walk — no major issue — just the three older ones, "Recently also don't go to Taiji Hall — His Majesty's side will likely be busy for a stretch of days; have the small kitchen prepare some of the soups His Majesty likes to drink, and send them at fixed hours each day."

The intent that should be shown must be had — Shen Yao felt this kind of thing that only requires moving one's lips still ought to be done.

Qiu Yue nodded in agreement, turning to bring Shen Yao a cup of warm tea to moisten her mouth.

Tea fragrance overflowing, the taste light — Shen Yao sipped a mouthful and set down the teacup, "Bring a storybook over."

With no one to keep her company, she knew how to entertain herself; Shen Yao preferred finding things to do rather than sulking.

Life is short; be happy while you can. Why trouble your mood with boring guesses?

Shen Yao hummed a little tune, flipping through the pages of her book, her eyes flashing like stars across the sky.

……

Taiji Hall

Xiao Yanchen sat behind his desk, an open memorial before him.

The memorial's content was simple: an impeachment, and the target was a senior court official, Grand Tutor Zheng Yunzheng.

The Zheng Family!

The natal family of Dong Palace Empress Dowager Zheng Hongzhuang, and an opponent Xiao Yanchen had long wanted to move against.

"The Empress sent someone to request Your Majesty's presence?"

Xiao Yanchen's voice was calm and deep, giving no hint of emotional fluctuation.

"Replying to Your Majesty, Qing Suo, a maiden attending Her Majesty the Empress, came at the start of the Shen hour.

She said Her Majesty the Empress has already uncovered the full story of the poisoning at the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet.

Due to her health, she cannot come to Taiji Hall to report, so she requests Your Majesty move to Fengyi Palace to learn the situation."

Learn the situation?!

Xiao Yanchen stared steadily at Wei Zhu, ignoring how Wei Zhu's waist bent lower and lower, and suddenly let out a light laugh. Interesting.

Clearly it was her own mess, yet now she wanted him to go to Fengyi Palace to learn the situation.

Could it be that the Empress had already found the 'culprit'?

Leaning back, he said, "Since Her Majesty the Empress invites me, how could I not go?

Have the slave prepare the sedan chair, and send someone to deliver a letter; I, will arrive shortly."

Hearing this, Wei Zhu felt as if granted a great pardon, "Acknowledgment."

Turning around, he quickly withdrew from the room. Wei Zhu raised his head and wiped the sweat drops appearing on his forehead, waving his hand to tell the little eunuch at one side to hurry down and prepare the sedan chair.

"Go to Fengyi Palace once more, and inform Her Majesty the Empress that Your Majesty departs immediately."

"The slave understands."

"……"

An emperor's journey must have grandeur.

Xiao Yanchen sat in the sedan chair, turning his head to ponder what the Empress could say to him.

Pleading? Playing the victim? Threatening?

He couldn't figure it out.

Sometimes, Xiao Yanchen himself didn't quite understand the Empress.

Back when he was merely a Prince, marriage was nothing more than an unavoidable formality.

If one said Xiao Yanchen had never hoped to treat his wife with mutual respect, that would be a lie.

But clearly, Wei Jingyi was not someone Xiao Yanchen could hold expectations for.

Whether it was her background or her behavior style, Xiao Yanchen was dissatisfied.

But helplessly, the two of them were bound together, their interests intertwined, and they could only grit their teeth and carry on.

He had thought that after a hundred years, by his side, whether willing or not, the other would be buried in a coffin.

Unexpectedly, the world changes unpredictably, and this imperial couple drifted further and further apart.

"The sedan chair has arrived."

The sharp cry carried far away, also calling back Xiao Yanchen's wandering thoughts.

The wide sedan chair stopped at the gate of Fengyi Palace, and Wei Zhu, bowing his body, reported softly, "Your Majesty, Fengyi Palace has arrived."

Xiao Yanchen said nothing, only stood up and stepped down from the sedan chair.

He walked at the very front, with Wei Zhu and the others following not far, not near, behind him.

Passing palace servants, seeing the Emperor enter the door, all lowered their heads to salute and ask after his well-being.

Passing through the small courtyard where the flowers and grass were withered and yellow, slightly bleak, Xiao Yanchen arrived at the main hall.

Squeak—

Pushing the room door open with one hand, Xiao Yanchen lowered his head and drooped his eyes, entering indifferently.