Chapter 48 Let the Empress taste the pain of losing her son

At this moment, the main hall of Yikun Palace was not as casual and lazy as Yongshou Palace.

It also doesn't deliberately maintain a superficial luxury and majesty like the Kunning Palace.

Everything here exudes a sense of settled, almost rigid order and solemnity.

The rosewood furniture was wiped spotless, and the objects on the display shelf were arranged meticulously.

Consort Niohuru sat upright in the center of the rosewood armchair, her back ramrod straight.

Her hands were folded and placed on her knees, her nails were neatly trimmed and rounded, with a faint pink hue.

Her face was still beautiful, but those eyes, which might have once been lively, were gone.

Now they are like two bottomless ancient wells, calm and still.

Only when he occasionally lowers his eyes does the chill hidden beneath his gaze reveal itself.

An elderly woman dressed in a dark brown palace gown, her hair neatly combed, stood beside her with her hands at her sides.

His expression was respectful and cautious.

After a long while, Consort Niohuru finally spoke slowly, her voice steady and without any inflection.

It's like stating something that has nothing to do with you.

"Did all the people Father arranged successfully enter the palace during this talent show?"

The old woman immediately bowed and lowered her voice to make sure that only the two of them could hear her.

"Your Majesty, the people arranged by the old master have gradually infiltrated the palaces during this imperial concubine selection, taking advantage of the opportunity for the Imperial Household Department to replenish its staff. They are now all on the Imperial Household Department's roster, waiting for the right time to be assigned to the various palaces, especially... Kunning Palace."

Consort Niohuru nodded almost imperceptibly, her gaze fixed on a certain spot in the void outside the palace.

It was as if she could see through the many palace walls and into the palace she hated so much.

“Very good. Tell them to stay put and not to rush things. As for Kunning Palace, they need to be even more patient. Empress Hesheli is pregnant and like a frightened bird, and she is being watched closely. There will always be an opportunity.”

She paused, her tone still calm, yet carrying a chilling coldness that seeped into her bones.

"The Empress owes me, and I will make her pay back with interest. She has made it impossible for me to ever be a mother again, so I will make her taste what it means to lose a child."

She said that although the pain of losing her son was outwardly calm, there was a deep chill in her eyes.

Hate? How can you expect her not to hate?

When Jiang Nan's seemingly unintentional but actually hurtful words revealed the truth about the dwindling number of offspring in the harem.

Her long-dormant suspicions reignited like wildfire.

She used the deepest hidden power of the Niu Kulu family to investigate, and all the clues eventually pointed to Kunning Palace.

No solid evidence? What more solid evidence do you need?

Consort Jin is right. In this cannibalistic harem, who else but her, Empress Hesheli, would have such means and motives?

If it wasn't her, who else could it be?

She was from the Niohuru clan, and her family was extremely distinguished.

Amma Ebilun was one of the four regents who helped Emperor Kangxi ascend the throne.

The Niohuru clan was one of the most prominent families among the Manchu clans, with a deeply entrenched and powerful influence.

It was in no way inferior to the Hesheri family.

Although later, Ama was marginalized by the emperor due to his close relationship with Aobai and gradually faded from the core of power.

But this does not mean that the Niohuru family has completely lost its heritage.

For Ama, being able to spend his later years in peace is already a blessing, especially for her daughter…

The family owes a great debt.

This sense of indebtedness has now transformed into an undercurrent of power supporting her revenge.

Her life is ruined; all her warmth, expectations, and longing to be a wife and mother are gone.

They all perished at the hands of the Hesheli clan.

The only belief that keeps her alive now is revenge.

"How is the medicine that Father prepared?"

She looked away and turned to the old nanny, her voice still devoid of emotion.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in the old woman's eyes as she whispered.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, the formula that the old master found is extremely secretive. It is mixed into a special calming incense, colorless and odorless, making it very difficult to detect. Just a small amount each day, mixed into the incense used daily in Kunning Palace, will, over time... subtly damage the fetus, causing the mother to become weak and prone to postpartum hemorrhage and dystocia. Moreover, even if the fetus is born, it will most likely be born with congenital deficiencies and be difficult to survive."

Consort Niohuru's fingertips twitched slightly inside her sleeve, but her face remained calm.

"Yes, as long as everything goes smoothly, we just need to wait for our people to get access to the spices in Kunning Palace..."

"This old servant understands and will seek the safest opportunity."

The old woman assured her.

Consort Niohuru raised her eyes, calculated the days, and spoke without any change in her voice.

"Is the Empress almost five months pregnant now?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, she is nearly five months pregnant."

"It's almost time."

The corners of Consort Niohuru's lips curled into a chilling smile.

At five months, the pregnancy is stable, which is the perfect time to let your guard down and the best time to take action.

What she wanted was not to have an abortion, but to nurture the baby with hope.

Finally, at the moment of childbirth, she experiences the ultimate pain of falling from the clouds to hell.

At this moment, the old woman seemed to remember something and whispered again.

"Your Majesty, the Old Master has another matter to convey to this old servant. He said... In the previous court session, Suo'etu of the Hesheli family once challenged the Emperor regarding Consort Jin's promotion, using strong words, but was rebuked in court by Tuhai of the Guarjia clan, and the Emperor ignored it. The Master's idea is... Consort Jin is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor and her position is secure, and she is at odds with the Empress. Your Majesty might consider befriending her and helping each other."

Upon hearing this, Consort Niohuru remained silent for a moment.

She was naturally aware of Consort Jin's current popularity.

That flamboyant and sharp-tongued woman was indeed a good weapon against Hesheli.

She waved her hand gently, her tone carrying a hint of cautious distance.

"I understand. Friendships are fine, but there must be limits. This Consort Jin may seem arrogant and reckless, but she is actually quite methodical. She prefers to bring conflicts to the surface, using overt strategies rather than covert methods. Joining forces with her to deal with the Empress would certainly be beneficial, but if she finds out what we've done…"

She shook her head.

"This might cause unforeseen complications. It's enough to maintain a friendly facade; there's no need to get too close. She has her own path, and I... have my own way."

The old nanny understood and bowed.

"Yes, this old servant understands."

Consort Niohuru fell silent and turned her gaze back to the outside of the palace.

The autumn sunlight streamed through the window paper, casting shadows on her cool profile.

But it did nothing to warm the long-frozen ice in her eyes.

The palaces of Yikun Palace, like her current state of mind, were quiet, solemn, and turbulent, awaiting the moment of final explosion.

——————

Two days later, the talent show came to an end.

Inside the East Warm Pavilion of Yongshou Palace, Jiang Nan lazily reclined on a cushioned chaise lounge, like a satiated cat.

Chunlan sat on a small stool by the couch, carefully peeling each of the glistening grapes.

Then he carefully brought it to Jiang Nan's lips.

Jiang Nan opened her mouth and took it; the sweet juice burst in her mouth, and she squinted her eyes in satisfaction.

This is what a human life should be like...

On the other side, Wang was sitting on an embroidery stool under the window, her hands flying with needle and thread.

She was sewing a small and exquisite baby swaddle.

Her belly is now quite noticeably protruding, and she moves around more cautiously.

Seeing her so focused, Jiang Nan couldn't help but tease her.

"Sister Wang, once you sit down, you get so engrossed in your needlework that you don't stop from morning till night. By the time this little one is born, he probably won't be able to wear all the clothes you've made until he's three years old!"

Upon hearing this, Wang stopped what she was doing, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

She gently stroked her belly, a tender yet slightly worried smile on her face.

"Please don't tease me, sister. I really don't know what to do. When I'm idle, I tend to overthink and feel very anxious. Doing needlework helps me calm down. I only hope that this child will be born safely. It doesn't matter if it's a prince or a princess, as long as it's healthy."

She paused, seemingly wanting to change the subject, her gaze falling on Jiang Nan's flat stomach with a mixture of concern and confusion.

"Speaking of which, my sister, you've been favored by the Emperor for quite some time now, and he often comes to visit you. How come there's no sign of pregnancy at all?"

——————

Thank you to the lucky readers who gave me the tips, and thank you again to Princess Yunshuang and Demon Dragon Beast for their book reviews. Spicy snacks are coming soon, do you have any more book reviews to share?

As a thank you, the next chapter will be incredibly exciting. This is my golden word.