Concubine Liu fell to the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood.
She looked at the emperor in disbelief, "Your Majesty, I was personally appointed as your Imperial Concubine, and you did this for this bitch. Your Majesty, you have such a cruel heart!"
Concubine Liu began to sob, her heart broken.
In the past, she had punished many concubines who did not know the rules, some of them were beaten to death or even maimed, but His Majesty had never been so angry.
Shi Liu crawled over crying and helped Concubine Liu who had fallen to the ground. She kowtowed heavily to the emperor and said loudly:
"It's all my fault. I couldn't bear to see Concubine Shu's arrogance. She was disrespectful to Concubine Gui just because she was favored. I was so angry that I told the servants not to bring her food."
"Your Majesty, please understand. It's just a matter of not eating. How could someone faint? When our queen was copying scriptures for the empress dowager, she didn't eat or drink anything, and she wrote all day long. Your Majesty has served you for many years. Please have mercy on me!"
The emperor gently stroked Ji Yunhuan's face. Huan'er frowned, her face full of pain.
Huan'er was pregnant, and as an emperor, he would rather humble himself and coax her than force her, let alone say a harsh word to her.
Now the person he carefully protected was tortured like this!
The emperor's rage grew even greater. "Very good! You are such a loyal and good servant! I will grant your wish!"
"Someone, come! Drag her out! Beat her! I won't stop until Concubine Shu wakes up, even if I have to kill her!"
Shi Liu's face was ashen as death as she was dragged out by two eunuchs. Soon the sound of flesh being hit was heard at the door. Shi Liu's screams were blocked in her mouth, leaving only painful whimpers.
Concubine Liu collapsed on the ground, a chill creeping up her spine like a maggot attached to her bones, frightening her so much that her whole body shivered.
This was the first time she felt fear after being in the palace for so long.
Doctor Li, under great pressure, finally finished taking the patient's pulse.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Concubine Shu is pregnant! Pregnant women are prone to fatigue, and Your Majesty is indeed exhausted. She needs to take good care of herself and must not overwork herself in the future."
This was not the first time the emperor heard the news that Ji Yunhuan was pregnant, but he was still very excited. He didn't need to pretend to be ecstatic.
"Good! Reward! Doctor Li has made great contributions. This baby is now in your hands. Come and take my pulse every day from now on. Don't make any mistakes!"
"Shufei is pregnant. This is a great joy. Once the pregnancy is stable, I will announce it to the world! Shufei is a blessed person. I will have more children in the future. There is no need to worry about the stability of the country and the prosperity of the country!"
Concubine Liu was struck by lightning and sat on the ground for a long time without being able to recover.
How is this possible? How could this bitch be pregnant with the emperor's child? She's the only one in the harem who can give birth!
This bitch must have seduced the emperor on her first night in the palace! She deserves to be damned for seducing the emperor!
Concubine Liu scratched the floor tiles with her fingers, regretting deeply why she couldn't just beat this bitch to death with a stick!
The Queen had expected this day to come, but she didn't expect Concubine Shu to become pregnant so soon.
"Your Majesty, I will send someone to invite the Queen Mother. She has been waiting for so many years, and finally she can hold her grandson in her arms."
The empress dowager arrived very quickly. Without waiting for anyone to inform her, she rushed in like a gust of wind, pushed the emperor aside with her butt, and sat down next to Ji Yunhuan.
"Huan'er, are you okay? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Such a big thing happened, and no one informed me. Are you going to wait until my darling grandson dies before you tell me, an old woman?"
The emperor stood aside, feeling quite embarrassed. "My son was afraid that you would worry, so he kept it a secret from them."
Ji Yunhuan took the Queen Mother's hand and said with a smile, "I am fine, and the baby in my belly is fine. It is truly my fault for disturbing the Queen Mother."
"What have you done wrong? You are pregnant with the royal heir, so you have made great contributions! But you, Imperial Concubine Liu, are vicious and cruel, tormenting the concubines. I don't know how many lives you have taken over the years. Imperial Concubine Liu, do you admit your guilt?"
Faced with the empress dowager's questioning, Concubine Liu refused to admit it.
"I am wronged. I didn't know that Concubine Shu was pregnant. I was just being kind and wanted to teach Concubine Shu how to handle palace affairs."
The clapping of the board at the door had stopped. Liu Dewang hurried in and whispered, "The palace maid Shi Liu couldn't endure the torture and is dead."
"Pomegranate!" Concubine Liu wailed, stood up and stumbled out, but was stopped by the eunuch at the door.
The emperor's face was as cold as iron. The death of a palace maid was also a warning to Concubine Liu.
"Liu Yan, from today on, you will be confined to Changchun Palace and recite scriptures and pray for Concubine Shu and her unborn child every day."
"You have cruelly harmed the concubines and are vicious and ruthless. You are no longer fit to be in charge of the affairs of the six palaces. From today on, you will hand over the seal of the Imperial Concubine. The Empress will be in charge of the palace affairs, and the Concubine Shu will assist you."
"Don't you always feel that Concubine Shu is lower in rank than you? I will issue an order to demote you..."
Ji Yunhuan struggled to get up from the bed and quietly interrupted the emperor, "Your Majesty, I dare to ask for mercy. Concubine Liu only made an unintentional mistake. Your Majesty, please give her a small punishment or a severe warning, but please do not damage the harmony of the harem for my sake."
The emperor's eyes were bloodshot, filled with anger and heartache. In the end, he just sighed and said:
"Well, since Concubine Shu has pleaded for you, then I will demote her to a concubine. Come, drag Concubine Liu away and guard Changchun Palace. Without my order, Concubine Liu is not allowed to take a single step out of Changchun Palace!"
Ji Yunhuan lowered her head, she knew this would be the result.
Such a small matter could not bring down Concubine Liu. Prime Minister Liu of the previous dynasty was very powerful and the emperor had to be cautious. Now that she has stopped while she is ahead, she can even win the emperor's sympathy.
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