buckle

Empress Li clenched the silk thread in her hand, the emerald green thread leaving deep red marks between her knuckles. The charcoal fire in the palace burned brightly, but it couldn't stop the chill in Empress Li's eyes. "I just took the pulse of the Sixth Consort half a month ago, and now Concubine Qi is pregnant. Ha."

If the imperial physician hadn't diagnosed the pregnancy then, it would have been fine. But if he had, he would have never dared to withhold information. That meant Concubine Qi was deliberately hiding her pregnancy.

Li Qingping and Concubine Ke also thought of this, and they looked at each other, lowered their eyelashes, and looked at the necklace in their hands.

All I can say is that the ways women commit suicide are all similar.

Li Qingping recalled how Concubine Jin, Yang, had also concealed her first pregnancy at Prince Xuan's mansion. Even before that, it was Yu Jin's biological mother, Wu. But the present was nothing compared to those times. If anything happened to the heir, Concubine Qi's fate would be far worse than what Concubine Jin and Wu had faced.

"The same goes for Concubine Wan. Didn't you say a while ago that you wanted to take good care of your pregnancy? Why are you out here in the freezing cold?" Empress Li's voice trembled slightly. "Hui Xin, please explain clearly. Was there anyone else present on the palace road?"

Hui Xin knelt down, resting her forehead on the back of her hand, and calmly replied, "Your Majesty, besides the two noble ladies serving on both sides, a patrolling guard happened to pass by and said that Noble Lady Wan and Noble Lady Qi had been arguing for some reason. When Noble Lady Wan reached out to help Noble Lady Qi, she slipped and fell to the ground. When I returned, Noble Lady Qi had already been carried back to Chengqian Palace, and the Imperial Hospital staff were on their way."

The silver scissors in Concubine Ke's hand fell onto the embroidery frame with a clang.

It's also bad luck. Concubine Qi is still a member of Concubine Ke's palace. Isn't it bad luck to see blood in the palace just a few days after the winter solstice?

She leaned back, the pearls and jade in her hair jingling as she moved. She sneered and said, "Reaching out to pull? I think you're pushing her on purpose! Everyone knows they don't get along. How could such a coincidence happen? Concubine Wan took advantage of her pregnancy and attacked Bai Shi because she didn't dare to touch her. Who would have thought that Bai Shi was also secretly pregnant? Now that's a disaster!"

Li Qingping was calmer than the others. She gently placed the silk cord on the rosewood table, her fingertips brushing against the entwined Ruyi knot. "Please be patient. Since the palace maids and guards are present, they must have proof. But Concubine Qi is still pregnant, and she's fallen. I'm afraid it's not good for her."

Empress Li took a deep breath and stood up with the help of the palace maid. "Let's go and take a look." When she reached the door, she turned back and instructed Huixin, "Have you informed the emperor? If not, let's go to the imperial court."

The side halls of Chengqian Palace were already in chaos, the air thick with the stench of medicine and blood. Concubine Qi lay on a bunk bed covered in thick brocade, her face as pale as paper, several pearls scattered from her temples. Her personal maid was wiping the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.

The last time the six concubines came to ask for her pulse, the imperial physician had already diagnosed her with a suspected pregnancy, but at that time the imperial physician said that the child's pulse was not strong and that it would take some time to confirm. Concubine Qi asked the imperial physician not to tell anyone and wait until the baby was firmly seated and the pulse was confirmed before making a decision.

I never thought that I would encounter such a disaster before I had the chance to consult the imperial physician again.

Concubine Qi clenched her teeth, she was terribly frightened and her tears couldn't stop flowing.

Hetun… She thought of her own Hetun, who had died young. If anything happened to this child, she would lose her second child. She had waited so long for this second child, she couldn't lose this child.

"The Queen has arrived—"

"Empress Kefei has arrived, Empress Dingpin has arrived—"

Everyone in the hall knelt and saluted. Only Concubine Qi struggled to get up, but Empress Li held her shoulders and said, "Lie down. Be careful not to disturb the fetus."

Empress Li's eyes swept across the mess in the room, finally landing on the bloodstains beside the bed. Her brows knitted into knots, and she asked in a cold voice, "Where is Doctor Zhang?"

"I'm here." Imperial Physician Zhang emerged from behind the medicine chest, his robe stained with dark red stains. "Your Majesty, Concubine Qi is still young and her pregnancy was unstable. Now she's been hit. I've used acupuncture to stop the bleeding, but..." He paused, his voice lowered to a whisper. "Her pulse is very weak. Whether she can be saved depends on tonight."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Qi cried even harder, digging her nails into the quilt but unable to stop the pain: "My child! Your Majesty, please make the decision for me!"

Empress Li was mentally prepared for this, and ignored Concubine Qi's crying and said to Doctor Zhang, "Do your best."

Doctor Zhang agreed.

Li Qingping looked around and asked, "Where is Concubine Wan?"

Concubine Wan came out from behind another screen, supported by a palace maid. Her face was also very pale. After looking at Concubine Wan's belly, Empress Li exempted her from the formalities.

Empress Li glanced at her and asked coldly, "Tell me, Concubine Wan, why did you attack Concubine Qi?"

Concubine Wan gritted her teeth, knelt down, and said, "Your Majesty, I am innocent!"

Concubine Ke said impatiently, "There are palace maids coming and going on the palace roads, and there are patrolling guards as witnesses. Do you still want to quibble?"

Concubine Wan straightened her back and sneered, "Empress Ke also said that with so many people on the palace road, I'm not stupid enough to attack Concubine Qi in front of them! Besides, I didn't touch her at all! If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have stretched out my hand. I should have just watched her fall!"

This time, Concubine Wan was truly wronged. She had a feud with Concubine Qi and her group, and had endured her share of hardships. But the recent snowy weather and slippery roads had already worried her about being out there with her pregnant daughter. This child was the key to her future advancement, so precious, she couldn't afford even the slightest mistake. How could she have the energy to waste time on arguing with Concubine Qi on the palace road? Who knew that Concubine Qi would collapse without even realizing it? It just so happened that she had exchanged a few words with Concubine Qi, and seeing her about to fall, she instinctively reached out to help.

Empress Li scolded: "Xu, be careful with your words!"

When Concubine Ke thought about Concubine Wan's previous behavior, she realized that she was indeed not a stupid person. She frowned and kept silent.

Concubine Wan was filled with rage. She truly felt that there were few people in the palace whom she could please. Everyone was trying to get in her way. "Anyway, I didn't do what happened today and I don't admit it!"

Then he taunted, "Besides, Concubine Qi's concealment of her pregnancy is no small matter. Should we deal with that as well?"

Queen Li said calmly, "Let's put it this way. Once this fall is over, we'll naturally investigate."

The crying sound beside his ears was piercing. Li Qingping turned around to look at Concubine Qi who was crying bitterly. He sighed and said, "Concubine Qi, please stop crying. It will harm your health. This pregnancy is already in danger. Don't cry anymore..." and she really had a miscarriage.

Although he didn't finish his words, everyone present knew what Li Qingping meant.

When Concubine Qi heard this, she was so frightened that she stopped crying immediately and touched her belly with lingering fear.

Queen Li asked her, "You too, why did you suddenly fall down?"

Concubine Qi thought about it seriously, and said with a stiff face, "I felt a little dizzy at that time... Maybe I had a few arguments with Concubine Wan and it caused the miscarriage."

Concubine Wan sneered, "Are you still holding on to me?! I didn't want to bother with you in the first place, but you were the one who started it all! Now you're putting it all on me? You're acting like everyone's pregnant, like you're pissing me off too! I'm also really pissed off by you!"

Wan Guiren's maid, Bi Tao, spoke up at the right moment, "Your Majesty, it was Guiren Qi who came up first to speak to our mistress today. And before Guiren Qi even spoke, she was already holding her forehead, looking unwell!"

Empress Li glanced at Concubine Qi indifferently and said, "Bai, is this true?"

Qi Guiren's face was as white as pink: "Concubine, concubine..."

So what's so unclear? Before Empress Li could even begin to speak, Emperor Yongping's voice boomed like thunder: "You ignorant, foolish woman! Not only did you conceal your pregnancy, but you were so foolish as to stir up trouble! And you even dared to slander me!"

Everyone knelt and saluted. Concubine Qi's tears, which had just stopped flowing, flowed again: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty...I know I was wrong! My stomach! My stomach hurts!"

Concubine Qi screamed, and chaos reigned. Doctor Zhang, who had been trembling beside her, pretending to be invisible, stepped forward to give Concubine Qi another acupuncture treatment. After making Concubine Qi fall asleep, he said to everyone, "Concubine Qi, please stop having such extreme mood swings, otherwise this baby... will be lost."

Empress Li looked at Emperor Yongping, who looked unhappy, and touched his arm soothingly, saying softly, "Your Majesty, the heir is the most important."

After everyone calmed down, Li Qingping, who was sitting there, spoke: "Your Majesty, I have a question. The fact that Concubine Qi was able to survive the miscarriage shows that she is in good health. Why would she be dizzy for no reason? How about asking the imperial physician who took An's pulse earlier to come and ask?"

Emperor Yongping glanced at Li Qingping, nodded, and waved his hand for Liang Pei'an to go and invite him.

Doctor Liang, who was in charge of taking the pulse, arrived quickly. He apologized first, then reported truthfully, "Although the pulse was weak at the time, it was only because the pregnancy was still early. The fetus was normal, and no additional medication was needed to maintain the pregnancy. Concubine Qi was also in excellent health at the time. Normally, someone so healthy wouldn't experience dizziness in the early stages of pregnancy!"

As soon as everyone here heard this, they knew there was a problem.

Concubine Wan was filled with confusion and infuriation. Someone had rigged Concubine Qi and was trying to pin the blame on her?! How bold! In the past, she was the only one who schemed against others, never someone else to scheme against her!

Li Qingping asked the maidservants of Concubine Qi: "What has your master eaten these past few days? What has he used? Is there anything unusual? Think carefully about it one by one."

Several maids thought about it for a while, and then one of them, with a round face, trembling, said, "My master has been very cautious ever since she knew she was pregnant. Yesterday, the dessert after lunch was almond curd. My master took a bite and said it was sweeter than usual and didn't want to eat more. My master thought her taste had changed after she became pregnant, so she asked me to taste it. It was indeed very sweet and different from her usual taste."

Thinking about it now, it's strange. The kitchen knows the masters' tastes, so there's no way such a mistake would happen. Even if they accidentally made it too sweet, the chefs would taste it before serving it, and if it didn't taste right, they would have to redo it. How could they possibly serve a bowl of cloyingly sweet almond cheese?

Emperor Yongping said to Liang Pei'an with a dark face: "Investigate!"

Liang Pei'an hurried to the kitchen to look for the chef who had made the dessert for Concubine Qi, but he found that he had committed suicide by jumping into a well, along with his godson. Then he went to look for the remaining ingredients and discovered that bitter almonds were mixed in with the sweet almonds!

You should know that pregnant women should not eat bitter almonds! Ordinary people can only eat a few bitter almonds, but they can cause poisoning and miscarriage in pregnant women! Not to mention the fetus is so young.

Li Qingping didn't expect that this matter would involve him.

When Liang Pei'an came back to report, he didn't even dare to look up: "The pastry chef's godson has a godsister named Fang'er, who works in the main teahouse. Fang'er's biological sister is Miss Yunguan in Concubine Ding's palace."