Her insincere manner made Huangfu Mi feel both love and pity for her. Surrounded by her scent, he didn't want to listen to her nonsense. He sealed her lips with another kiss, and with a slight turn, he pinned her beneath him.
Meng Wan instinctively tried to push him away, but Huangfu Mi wouldn't give her a chance to escape. Using both hands and feet, he quickly stripped her naked, and the two of them fell onto the soft pillows of the high bed. As the curtains fell, the room was filled with an ambiguous and alluring atmosphere.
--
The next day, Meng Wan originally planned to go to the palace to take a look, but as Huangfu Mi said, she felt more at ease looking at Consort Xin. However, she probably caught a chill during the night and woke up with a splitting headache. She lay there, not wanting to move at all, and drifted off to sleep in a daze, completely unaware that a huge upheaval had already taken place in the palace.
--
Consort Xin was waiting for Meng Wan but she didn't come. Feeling bored, she saw Chun Tao push the door open and come in. Seeing that Consort Xin had finished drinking the tonic, Chun Tao stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty, the Empress just sent someone to tell you to go to Chonghua Palace."
Consort Xin raised an eyebrow: "The Empress? What does she want with me?"
Chuntao shook her head: "The messenger didn't say, but I guess it might be because of what happened yesterday. They were worried that you would complain to the Emperor, so they asked you to come and apologize to them?"
Upon hearing this, Consort Xin raised her eyebrows and smiled.
"If that's the case, then I'll go."
She got up, changed her clothes, and then, with Chun Tao's help, went to Chonghua Palace. She originally thought that the Empress wanted to apologize to her, but when she arrived, there were already many people gathered in the room, sitting around the Empress and chatting about everyday things.
Consort Xin stood at the door, instinctively lifting her foot to go in, when she heard a woman's voice piercing out: "She's got quite the airs, isn't she? Even when Her Majesty the Empress summoned her, she was so hesitant. Does she expect us all to go and invite her?"
“That’s right.” Someone immediately chimed in, “Just because she’s pregnant, she’s become lawless, not even putting the Empress in her eyes. The Empress was chosen by the late Emperor, what right does that young girl have to be so disrespectful?”
The people in the room were whispering among themselves. Consort Xin listened outside, her face stiffening. Before anyone could say anything more, she pushed open the door and said, "Who called me a brat? And who said I'm lawless?"
Everyone turned around and saw Consort Xin walk in. Yingying walked up to everyone, glanced at them with a cold look, and finally landed on the Empress: "If I hear any more of these vile people talking behind my back, I'll tear their mouths apart."
Her appearance startled everyone, but the Empress smiled and calmly looked back at her. When she saw that Meng Wan was not by her side, she subtly curled the corners of her lips.
It was very light and shallow, and Consort Xin didn't notice it. She was only focused on those long-mouthed, vicious women, her eyes filled with anger.
Everyone felt their hair stand on end under her gaze, and no one dared to look her in the eye. Just then, the Empress spoke up: "Stop talking, everyone. Sit quietly. Consort Xin, come and sit down too, and chat with everyone."
"I'd rather die than chat with those jerks!"
Consort Xin had no desire to sit with those gossipy women. She gave a cold laugh and turned to leave. However, her earlier remark about being a "bitch" displeased everyone present. Consort Hui, who was sitting on the outermost edge, couldn't help but reach out and block Consort Xin's path.
"Consort Xin, watch your tongue. Who's the lowly one?"
"Get your filthy hands off me!" Consort Xin said coldly, her brows furrowed.
Consort Hui had originally intended for her to apologize, but seeing her so impolite, she became angry and not only refused to let go, but gripped her even tighter.
Seeing this, Consort Xin became even angrier and struggled to break free from Consort Hui. However, perhaps due to the excessive movement, she felt a jolt in her lower abdomen and a slight downward pull.
She shoved Consort Hui hard, not in the mood for arguing at the moment, and called Chun Tao over. Large beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
She had only one thought in mind at that moment: she needed to get back as soon as possible.
Consort Hui, enraged, was unwilling to let the matter rest easily. Seeing Consort Xin about to leave, she went over and grabbed her clothes, saying, "Who gave you permission to leave? Don't think you can act recklessly just because you're pregnant. In this harem, Her Majesty the Empress is still in charge..."
"Boom—" Consort Xin had already reached the door, but Consort Hui suddenly pulled her back. Behind her was a foot-tall bone china vase. She stumbled and fell down. Chun Tao tried to help her, but it was too late. With a loud "boom," the vase shattered, and Consort Xin's body fell straight down.
"Bang—" She felt her brain explode, and the deafening roar was so piercing that it threatened to make her deaf.
"Master—" Chun Tao immediately cried out in a high-pitched voice, "Master—"
She ran over and knelt down, holding Consort Xin's petite body in her arms. Looking at her pale face, Chun Tao exclaimed, "Don't frighten me! Open your eyes!"
"Baby, baby—" A sharp, intense pain shot through her lower abdomen, so intense it almost suffocated her. A surge of heat rushed out, instantly staining her clothes. Chun Tao accidentally touched the warmth and screamed.
"Blood, there's blood..."
Everyone present gasped in shock. The bright red patch was obvious to everyone. They looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.
Consort Hui was utterly panicked. She never imagined that a mere push would cause her to fall and bleed. Could it be...? Could it be...?
She could barely think. Although she hated Consort Xin for being arrogant, she didn't want to hurt the child. After all, he was the Emperor's flesh and blood, and she never intended to harm him.
She shouted at the top of her lungs, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and summon the imperial physician!"
The Empress stood up at this moment, her gaze falling on the crimson stains on the ground and Consort Xin's pale face. Her eyes suddenly narrowed, and at this moment, a fleeting smile appeared on her lips.
The barely perceptible worry was quickly replaced by a look of concern in her eyes. Everyone's attention was focused on Consort Xin, and no one noticed the change in her emotions.
For a moment, there was a great deal of noise.
"Save, save my child..." Consort Xin's mind gradually weakened, and she used all her remaining strength to finish this sentence. The pain in her lower abdomen and the heat slowly flowing from her lower body terrified her. She seemed to feel the heartbeat leaving her body, and she wanted to cry out in panic.
"My lady, my lady..." Chun Tao had never encountered anything like this before, and she immediately began to sob. She hurriedly carried Consort Xin to the soft couch, where she collapsed limply to the ground. Looking at the dark mass of people around her, she was somewhat dazed, even forgetting that she should be crying, only repeatedly muttering, "What should we do? Will something happen to our lady? Imperial physician, imperial physician..."
--
The night was exceptionally quiet, with the wind whistling and rustling through the trees.
Inside the room, a group of palace maids filed in and out, each carrying a basin in turn, and the basins contained bloody water.
A cloud of sorrow hung over everyone's face, as if black and white had enveloped the entire world, bringing no peace for eternity.
"Your Majesty, I have done my best. I could only remove the stillborn child from Her Majesty's body. Otherwise, if we delay, I'm afraid neither mother nor child will survive."
A chorus of sighs reached the emperor's ears, and along with Doctor Cui's words, he felt a wave of weakness wash over him, and he almost lost his balance.
Consort Xin... ... The child... ...
His starry eyes reflected a terrifying light. He raised his hand, glared at the crowd, and said in a deep voice, "Where is that bastard?"