Chapter 24 You'll pay with your life for the child in your belly!

Wanqing paused for a moment before nodding: "There are still some. I didn't know how much I needed before, so I took a little more than I should have."

Shen Qingci nodded, then asked, "Where is the Marquis?"

"This servant does not know, but at this moment, they should still be in court."

Shen Qingci's lips curled into a cold smile. That's just right.

The prostitute was locked in a somewhat secluded courtyard in the Marquis's mansion, presumably as instructed by Huo Yunzhan. When Shen Qingci was helped there by Wan Qing, the guards at the courtyard gate were somewhat surprised that she had just had a miscarriage and had rushed over, but they did not stop her.

As soon as Shen Qingci pushed open the door, she saw a woman standing in the courtyard, looking up at the peach tree in the yard.

Upon hearing the door open, the woman immediately turned around. When she saw Shen Qingci enter, a look of surprise flashed across her face, but she quickly suppressed it and simply bowed to Shen Qingci, saying, "This servant, Yue Niang, greets the General's wife."

Shen Qingci stared intently at the woman named Yue Niang, who was indeed a pretty and delicate beauty.

Shen Qingci's eyes were dark and brooding: "Do you know why I came to find you?"

Yue Niang nodded, her eyelashes trembling slightly: "Because Yue Niang had someone impersonate the Lady of the Marquis's attendants, intending to harm the General's wife's unborn child."

Shen Qingci narrowed her eyes. She knew perfectly well who Bitao was in disguise.

Huo Yunzhan didn't know what benefits he had promised her, but she just readily agreed to them.

Shen Qingci's mind raced, and some guesses began to form in her heart.

Nine times out of ten, it's to tell the Moon Goddess that she's only here to help put on a show.

The child in her womb was gone, so the one in Yue Niang's womb became Huo Yunzhan's only child.

Huo Yunzhan was gambling, gambling that she loved him deeply and couldn't bear to see him die without an heir. He was gambling that she would keep Yue Niang and the child in her womb because of the already dead Huo Yunzhan.

In this way, the child in Yue Niang's belly can be born safely, and after the child is born, it can naturally stay in the Huo family as Huo Yunzhan's child.

Shen Qingci sneered inwardly; Huo Yunzhan was quite adept at manipulating her.

If it were a past life...

If she didn't know he had faked his death...

Perhaps she really will do it.

What a pity.

She knows everything now.

She hated Huo Yunzhan for using her past feelings for him to scheme against her!

Therefore, the more Huo Yunzhan tried to use every means possible, the less she wanted him to get his way.

A flash of malice crossed her eyes. She quietly loosened her grip on her hands, which were tucked into her sleeves, and closed her eyes briefly: "Why did you do this?"

Na Yue Niang lowered her head, hesitated for a moment, and then continued, "Because I am jealous of you, Madam."

"Jealous of the lady, who is able to stand openly by his side as his legal wife."

“Jealous of the child in the lady’s womb, which, once born, would be his rightful heir.”

“But my child is also his child, yet perhaps no one knows of his existence or his identity.”

Shen Qingci walked over slowly, bent down, lifted Yue Niang's chin, and whispered in her ear: "Didn't the Marquis tell you that I love the General to the core? As long as you acknowledge this, even if I hate you to the core, I will definitely not take your and the child's lives because the child in your belly is the General's child?"

"Did he mean that when your child is born, it will be recognized by everyone?"

Yue Niang's eyes darted away: "This servant doesn't know what Madam is talking about? That matter was originally done by someone I sent."

Shen Qingci scoffed: "Is that so?"

"You know my child... is gone, right?"

Shen Qingci's eyes were cold, almost manic: "Since you killed my child, then... it's not too much for me to pay with my life for the child in your womb, is it?"

Yue Niang suddenly raised her head and met Shen Qingci's bloodthirsty gaze. She couldn't help but tremble: "No, no, I... the child in my belly is the general's!"

"The general has passed away, and this child in my womb is his only child!"

"You can't touch him!"

Shen Qingci couldn't help but laugh out loud when he heard what Yue Niang said.

See, she guessed right.

Huo Yunzhan understands her, and she understands Huo Yunzhan just as well.

Shen Qingci scoffed: "So what?"

"You probably don't know, but I've always been jealous. When Huo Yunzhan married me, my father made him swear that he would never take a concubine."

“I will never allow him to have a concubine.”

"Not to mention, a bastard child!"

Shen Qingci reached out and grabbed Yue Niang by the neck, his eyes filled with ruthlessness: "Wan Qing."

Wanqing quickly stepped forward and handed a small celadon bottle to Shen Qingci, while also helping Shen Qingci to grab Yue Niang's hand and tuck it behind her back.

Shen Qingci pinched Yue Niang's cheek and poured the contents of the jade bottle into her mouth.

Moon Maiden sobbed and struggled.

But Shen Qingci was pinching her cheeks, so she couldn't struggle.

Shen Qingci watched her swallow the medicine before letting go of her.

Moon Lady hurriedly grabbed Shen Qingci's leg: "What did you give me to drink?"

"Abortion pills."

Shen Qingci laughed, a cruel laugh: "Didn't you say that my miscarriage was your doing?"

"Since you killed my child, it's fair that I abort the bastard in your belly, isn't it?"

Moon Lady's eyes widened, turning bloodshot: "No! Impossible!"

Shen Qingci tilted her head: "Although I don't know why you insist that I could never do this, that I would keep the bastard child in your belly!"

"But all I can say is that you might... have been deceived."

"I've always been this ruthless and incredibly jealous woman. Everyone in the Huo family knows that..."

"Although I don't know how they convinced you to come to the Huo residence and admit that you killed my child, since you dared to come, didn't you think about the consequences?"

Moon Maiden's expression changed, and she felt a slight pain in her stomach: "No, they clearly said..."

"What did they say?" Shen Qingci prompted.

Moon Lady shuddered, quickly shook her head, and remained silent.

As her stomach began to hurt, she struggled to break free from Wanqing's hand and started gagging, seemingly trying to vomit up the medicine.

Shen Qingci had also taken those medicines.

He knew perfectly well how potent and fast-acting the medicine was: "It's useless. Just wait and see, wait for your child to struggle inside you, then gradually die, and then be expelled..."

Yue Niang curled up on the ground, struggling in agony.

Shen Qingci simply stood aside and watched, her gaze unwavering.

Before long, Shen Qingci saw a crimson stain spreading across Yue Niang's lower body...

Just then, the courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open.

Shen Qingci looked up and saw Huo Yunzhan and Liu Ruolan rushing in.