Chapter 459

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

"Pah! Fox spirit! Shameless!"

Pregnant and still won't quiet down, clinging to the Emperor and living in Furong Palace — what ulterior motive?!

The Noble Consort paced back and forth in the main hall of Yongning Palace, cursing nonstop; Lian Xiang watched with her heart in her throat, terrified that her mistress might slip away the moment she let her guard down.

"Your Ladyship, it's late; we should rest."

Lian Xiang forced a smile and tried to usher the Noble Consort to bed, expecting the usual tantrum — but the Noble Consort merely glanced at her and reluctantly hummed twice in assent.

Lian Xiang: …… Hah?

Lian Xiang steadied the Noble Consort's arm in disbelief; even when the Noble Consort complained her grip was off, Lian Xiang didn't let a flicker of resentment show.

Washed, undressed, arranged the curtains, climbed into bed and went to sleep.

Lian Xiang carefully blew out the few candles in the room, then went to the outer chamber to rest on the couch.

For some reason Lian Xiang felt unusually drowsy and exhausted tonight; clearly she still needed to watch her rest and contact the Zhou family outside the palace in time.

Just as Lian Xiang drifted off in a fog, the Noble Consort — who should have been lying in bed with eyes closed — suddenly opened her eyes, lifted the curtain and stole a look around, then yanked the quilt over her head; if anyone had been close by at that moment, they would have heard the words spilling from the Noble Consort's mouth.

Like that Xine Zhaoyi, pregnant, the Emperor…… seems connected to Furong Palace.

Lying on the spacious bed, bodies pressed together, Shen Yao reminded the System not to forget to give the Noble Consort a cheat; otherwise, with the Noble Consort's current physical condition, she could never locate the Furong Palace where Shen Yao was.

System: ……

"Host, do you really have to go this all-out?" Not necessary, right? If this isn't handled well, the ones affected are you and the imperial heir in your womb.

"The Zhou family's power is larger than imagined; King Dun and King Wei are hidden too deep.

King Jin and King Yong were eliminated one after another; the only ones who suffered recently were some hangers-on of their factions."

Letting King Dun and King Jin pick up the pieces was simply not Shen Yao's style.

The System fell silent, turned its attention, and began keeping a tight watch on the Noble Consort in the main hall of Yongning Palace.

Shen Yao lay on her side in the Emperor's embrace; the two sharing a bed was a bit cramped, but it also let the Emperor feel the hardship of a pregnant woman — Shen Yao ordered the Emperor about without the slightest hesitation, even though an even bigger surprise awaited him tomorrow morning.

…………

"It's still early; sleep a bit more."

Shen Yao blearily opened her eyes, and by the light filtering in saw the Emperor dressing; her body struggled as if to rise.

"Your Majesty has morning court soon; this subject's body is heavy and cannot manage great matters, but seeing Your Majesty off is still doable."

With effort she hung the purse from her hand onto the Emperor's waist, Shen Yao smiled and hooked her arm through his, and the two walked out of Furong Palace together.

The imperial sedan chair waited at the doorway; the Emperor and Shen Yao stood facing each other for a moment, preparing to bid farewell and leave, when suddenly a figure darted out from ahead.

The Emperor subconsciously seized Shen Yao's wrist, his gaze displeased as it fell on the Noble Consort with hair disheveled, "When going out one must mind one's bearing and deportment — is this the Zhou family's upbringing?"

Utterly chaotic!

It had been a while since he last went to Yongning Palace to dine or sit idly, so the Emperor's impression of the Noble Consort was still stuck in the past; therefore, meeting her again today, he thought a little too little of it.

"Your Majesty! Why do you not go to Yongning Palace to see this subject? What good is this cheap woman!"

The Noble Consort's eyes locked straight on the Emperor; the occasional glance drifting toward Shen Yao was likewise full of malice.

Before Shen Yao could say anything, the Emperor spoke first, impatient: "Noble Consort, watch your wording," Cheap woman? That was the mother of his imperial son.

The Emperor's attitude made the Noble Consort hate Shen Yao even more; her glare was especially bone-chilling.

The three stood at an impasse; the Emperor still had court affairs to handle, so he waved his hand irritably and had Li Guiquan drag the Noble Consort away, "Take her back to Yongning Palace to cool down for a while."

With a mental state like this, what is she doing running out? Better to confine her in the palace for recuperation.

Li Guiquan also couldn't fathom how a frail woman like the Noble Consort had appeared — could it be she shook off her palace attendants early this morning and sneaked over just to see the Emperor once?

Thinking it over, she's quite stubborn; pity all that devotion is misplaced — the Emperor dislikes these trivialities most, so the Noble Consort is simply wasting her effort.

"Noble Consort Niangniang, it's not early; let this slave escort you back."

Li Guiquan walked up to the Noble Consort with a smile, raised his duster to act, but the Noble Consort — who had been standing frozen — suddenly bolted, pulled a gilded hairpin from her sleeve with one hand, and lunged straight at Shen Yao ahead.

"Cheap woman! Go die!"

"Noble Consort, utterly unreasonable!"

"Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!"

"Protect Niangniang and the Little Prince"

"……"

Wailing and clamor, a chaotic uproar.

Shen Yao fell to the ground, clutching her belly, face contorted in pain; her waters had broken — unmistakable signs of premature labor.

Xiao Ji and Xiao Fu hurriedly sent for the Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Hospital and the midwives residing in the side hall; in a fluster they carried their mistress into the Furong Palace delivery room — as for the doorway that had turned into a complete mess, the Noble Consort's gold hairpin piercing the Emperor's chest? Couldn't be dealt with; mistress and imperial heir came first.

Shen Yao "forced herself to rally" and pulled herself together, telling Xiao Ji and Xiao Fu to check the midwives' condition, "Make absolutely sure they bathe and change clothes, and please ask Imperial Lv Taiyi to take extra care."

Xiao Ji and Xiao Fu's voices carried a choking sob; they said they already understood, and urged their mistress to conserve her strength — everything would wait for the Imperial Physicians to arrive.

Shen Yao curved her lips in a smile, "And the Emperor?"

The situation was slightly chaotic at the time, but overall the System kept it under control, still within manageable bounds.

Although the Emperor was stabbed by the Noble Consort, his heart and lung functions were unharmed; at most he would be a little less able in the future, which would be even more conducive to father-son bonding.

Lowering her eyes to hide the emotion within, Shen Yao's voice trembled, making Xiao Ji and Xiao Fu's hearts ache even more.

"Mistress, General Li Zong Guan is with the Emperor; when we brought you back there was no serious issue," in fact the Emperor even wanted to follow along.

Xiao Fu used a well-intentioned lie to conceal the Emperor's injury, then switched to another topic.

Until the Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Hospital arrived and the midwife, who had finished washing up and was being watched closely, entered, Xiao Ji and Xiao Fu cooperated with both sides' operations, focusing their attention on their mistress's childbirth.

While Furong Palace was busy with the delivery, the Emperor, back in Qianqing Palace, was treating his wounds; as for the morning court? They had just been assassinated—who would go to morning court, tired of living?!

The Emperor was half-naked, his chest wrapped in white cloth, still in some pain; the Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Hospital knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe loudly.

"Li Guiquan, how is Consort Xin doing?"

The Emperor closed his eyes slightly, but what he worried about most was still Shen Yao's imperial heir in her womb.

Li Guiquan wished he could bend his waist into the ground at this moment, "Replying to Your Majesty, Consort Xin is in labor, the Imperial Physicians and midwife have already entered the delivery room, it is said, it is said there is a risk of difficult labor."

As soon as the words landed, a shard of shattered porcelain flew toward Li Guiquan's side!

The Emperor clutched his chest, panting heavily, and only spoke after a long while, "Go, throw the Zhou Family into prison, Noble Consort is sentenced to death, mobilize the Yulin Guard to surround the mansions of Prince Yong, Prince Jin, Prince Cheng, Prince Wei, and Prince Dun."

"Send Prince Cheng and Prince Wei to the Zongren Fu; without My oral decree, no one is allowed to see them!"

At the same time, Shen Yao, who had secretly taken the Shun Chan Wan, was 'striving' to give birth.

Falling sweat drops soaked the bedding beneath her; Shen Yao bit her lip until it broke, occasionally letting out a muffled groan, causing everyone inside and outside Furong Palace to tremble with fear.

"How is it? How is the mistress? Are the people in the palace still behaving?" Xiao Fu was anxious to the point of not working, pulling Xiao Ji aside to talk.

"Elder Sister Xiao Fu, the mistress is doing well for now; Lv Taiyi suggested brewing some nourishing soup, and the people in the palace seem honest enough," but it cannot be ruled out that they might trip them up when they are not paying attention; before the dust settles, they absolutely cannot let their guard down.

Xiao Fu took on the heavy responsibility of brewing the soup, letting Xiao Ji continue to watch the surroundings well.

Compared to the busyness of Furong Palace, although the news was blocked immediately and personnel from other palaces were strictly forbidden from moving around, some movement still leaked out.

Zheng Xiurong put down the calligraphy practice sheet that had been ruined halfway through writing and summoned a maid, "How is Yongning Palace?"

Zheng Xiurong knew about the events outside Furong Palace early in the morning; the only feeling in her heart was that the Zhou Family's death was not unjust—how could one fail to find a handle when dealing with snakes and rats on both ends?

"Li Zong Guan personally led people there; I'm afraid Noble Consort has already set off on her journey."

After all, having committed such a grave crime, Noble Consort could not escape; even having Li Guiquan personally escort her was the Emperor giving Noble Consort extra dignity.

As for the more difficult Zhou Family outside the palace, failing to teach their daughter well and failing to conduct themselves strictly, Zheng Xiurong smiled, "When I first entered the palace, Father said the palace was difficult, told me only to take care of myself and not to harbor any greedy thoughts."

"Now I have only been in the palace for half a year, and the situation in the palace changes like wind and clouds; Father was right," those with greedy thoughts had already left a step earlier, while someone like her could still continue to endure.

"Your Majesty," the maid called out.

"It's nothing, just thinking that the world is unpredictable," when she first entered the palace, Noble Consort and Virtuous Consort were so dazzling, but now, how long has it been? Gone just like that, and even the family outside the palace capsized along with them; perhaps this is everyone's own fate.

"What fate or no fate, this Palace wants to see the Emperor, this Palace won't drink, this Palace..."

Noble Consort struggled and refused incessantly, but Li Guiquan did not want to waste time with her.

The Emperor's wounds were still on his body, yet Noble Consort actually had the absurd idea of wanting to see the Emperor; Li Guiquan rolled his eyes to the sky and directly ordered the little eunuchs behind him to act.

Not far away, Lian Xiang, who had been staring blankly at everything, no longer had any spirit to struggle; she just watched blankly as Noble Consort was forced to drink poison, finally falling to the ground, closing her eyes, and breathing her last.

It's over!

Everything is over!

Why did the mistress sneak out? Why did she injure the Emperor? Why did she cause Consort Xin to give birth prematurely? Why exactly did all of this happen?

Seeing that Noble Consort had stopped breathing, Li Guiquan nodded in satisfaction.

Leaving a few people to discreetly handle Noble Consort's aftermath, Li Guiquan turned and left; as he passed Lian Xiang, he stopped, "Miss Lian Xiang, once some things happen, they cannot be undone."

"However, the Zhou Family outside the palace is waiting for life-saving help; Miss Lian Xiang, if you are willing to cooperate, this servant guarantees to make Miss Lian Xiang's passing a little easier."

This matter cannot end just because Noble Consort died; there are still many inquiries and investigations to follow.

The Emperor was stabbed; such a huge pot, this group of them cannot carry it.

Hearing this, Lian Xin moved her lips, and finally, decisively, under Li Guiquan's gaze, she slammed into a pillar with a bang and died.

No, cannot say!