Chapter 142 All are Empresses

Chu Mingheng ignored what Consort Shu said.

Even if he didn't say a word, someone would still mock Consort Shu at this time, and Consort Li would be the first to be targeted.

"Your Highness, please don't say that." Consort Li looked at Consort Wen pitifully and said softly, "Weren't you just praising Physician Qi's superb medical skills, and saying that you specially sent him to examine Consort Wen's pulse?"

"Now that the two imperial physicians have diagnosed an abnormal pulse, you turn around and say it has nothing to do with you."

"Who would believe that?"

Consort Li touched the gold bracelet on her slender wrist and suddenly smiled: "You say you have a good relationship with Consort Wen, but as far as I know, Consort Wen has been ill for so long, and you haven't even visited her once in Hanlu Palace. On the contrary, Consort Bai has visited her a couple of times—that's what you call a good relationship."

"In the end, Imperial Physician Qi is just an imperial physician. How much grudge could he possibly have against the concubines in the harem? Who knows..."

"Consort Li! Think before you speak. Don't blurt out something you shouldn't and then regret it later. When that happens, no one will speak up for you." Consort Shu was furious and glanced at Consort Li sideways.

Consort Li is now like a barefoot person who has nothing to fear. She's already in this state, spending her days in the palace enduring the cold stares of others. What more could she possibly want from Consort Shu?

That's impossible!

Whoever is trying to punish Consort Shu today, she'd be happy to see Consort Shu fall from grace and suffer a terrible fate.

"Your Majesty is overthinking it. What could I possibly regret? It is Your Majesty's words that truly frighten me. His Majesty is still here, yet Your Majesty dares to utter such threatening words. If His Majesty were not present today, would Your Majesty order me to be punished?"

"Your Majesty, I am truly terrified."

"You—" Consort Shu had always thought that Consort Li was stupid and impatient, but she never expected that Consort Li was also quite eloquent. With just a few words, she had put Consort Li in a difficult position. Consort Shu had no choice but to calm down and not respond to Consort Li's question.

Lan Wu looked down at them as they finished arguing, guessing that this was probably what Chu Mingheng had been talking about: not only did he not allow the banquet, but he also ordered all the concubines to be present, using Consort Wen as a pretext to punish Consort Shu.

It has to be said that Chu Mingheng is truly skilled at scheming against people. Without firing a single shot, he can still make people not want to think about him in the end.

Perhaps even now, Consort Shu doesn't know that Chu Mingheng was the one who did this.

Physician Qi was brought into the main hall.

He was brought here by guards, and his posture was quite disheveled. As soon as he was released, he rolled to the ground, but quickly straightened up and knelt down again.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty..."

Physician Qi seemed unaware of why he had been brought here, but that didn't stop him from looking trembling with fear. When he saw the two other physicians waiting beside him, he was even more puzzled.

"Imperial Physician Qi, you are in charge of diagnosing Consort Wen, aren't you?"

Upon recognizing that the questioner was the chief eunuch by His Majesty's side, Physician Qi dared not be careless and hurriedly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. Although Consort Wen's illness has been prolonged, it is truly due to her weak constitution..."

“Imperial Physician Qi,” Chen Kang’an interrupted him unhurriedly, “it has now been discovered that you added a drug to Consort Wen’s prescription that is incompatible with her health. Both imperial physicians said that this drug will harm her. Imperial Physician Qi, do you have anything else to say?”

Upon hearing this, Physician Qi's eyes widened. He looked sharply at Consort Wen, then glanced at the two waiting physicians, and hurriedly said that it was impossible.

"Your Majesty is wise. This humble subject did indeed prescribe the medicine according to Consort Wen's physical condition, and I have not found any ingredient that would harm Consort Wen's health..."

He lowered his head anxiously, wanting to defend himself, but now that both imperial physicians had found out and determined that he had done something wrong, no one would listen to him no matter what he said. After all, he was the one who gave the prescription and he was the one who was responsible for Consort Wen's illness. If something happened to Consort Wen, he could not escape the blame.

Then everyone heard him suddenly change his tone and turn his attention to Consort Shu.

"Your Majesty, Consort Shu, please save this humble servant—this humble servant was following your orders to examine Consort Wen's pulse—it was all your orders, Your Majesty!" Physician Qi said as he knelt down before Consort Shu, kowtowing repeatedly, hoping she would spare his life.

It is true that it was Consort Shu who summoned Imperial Physician Qi to examine and treat Consort Wen, but these words sound as if Consort Shu had instructed on something else, suggesting that her motives were not pure.

Consort Shu couldn't help but raise her voice: "Shut up! When did I give you any orders! I was just worried because Consort Wen's illness hadn't improved for a long time, and I thought you were a good doctor, so I let you try—who would have thought you would harm Consort Wen!"

"You dare to plot against a concubine! You deserve to die a hundred times over!"

Physician Qi turned pale with fright at her words and hurriedly begged His Majesty for mercy, shifting all the blame onto Consort Shu, saying that Consort Shu had ordered him to do it.

"What did Consort Shu make you do?"

Finally, Chu Mingheng put down his cup, seemingly intrigued by Physician Qi's words, and suddenly asked a question.

"What...what did I do..." Physician Qi repeated unconsciously, then glanced guiltily at Consort Shu, who was glaring at him.

Consort Shu stepped forward and knelt before Chu Mingheng, her knees slamming heavily onto the ground. The sound clearly indicated she was in great pain, but she seemed oblivious, and before Physician Qi could speak, she began to assert her innocence:

"Your Majesty, please understand. I have always been very caring towards Consort Wen. When Consort Wen was ill, I even sent someone to visit her in her palace. I really have no reason to harm Consort Wen."

"This matter must have been orchestrated by someone who bribed Imperial Physician Qi to deliberately slander me. I am truly innocent—I beg Your Majesty to be fair!"

Each side had their own reasoning on the matter, and Physician Qi quickly refuted her words.

"Your Majesty, it was indeed Consort Shu who gave this order to me. She said that Consort Wen is too opinionated and difficult to control, and that I should take advantage of Consort Wen's illness to make her so ill that she can no longer speak or do anything, but she cannot—cannot die. This is what Consort Shu told me. I dare not speak nonsense. Every word is true. Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly!"

Upon hearing this, Consort Wen's fingers trembled slightly. She wasn't sure if what Consort Wen said was true. If it was true, then Consort Shu had truly guessed her thoughts correctly.

She originally intended to stay away from Consort Shu, but unexpectedly, Consort Shu struck first.

Just then, a figure flashed past her, and a woman's voice softly drifted out, sounding somewhat familiar to her.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say."

Consort Wen turned her head to look at the person and saw Consort Bai kneeling in the hall.

Chu Mingheng smiled slightly with interest. No one could see that his hand was in Lan Wu's palm, his fingers gently tracing patterns on her hand. On his face, he was only looking down at the hall. When he saw Bai Xiuyi kneel down and say such a thing, he nodded slightly and asked meaningfully, "What do you want to say now?"