Chapter 24 Plum Blossom Banquet Part Two
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Plum Blossom Banquet (Part Two)
Supporting the Empress Dowager as they walked along the path in the plum garden, the snow on both sides of the palace road had not yet completely melted, shimmering in the sunlight. The Empress Dowager was still recovering from her illness, so her steps were a little slow. Su Su was happy to cooperate, but her mind had already flown to the plum garden, which was about to become a place of trouble. She just wanted to keep walking like this so that she wouldn't have to face it.
After a moment of silence, the Empress Dowager gently patted Su Su's hand, which was linked with hers. Her voice was hoarse from illness and contained a hint of barely perceptible complexity: "Su Su, last time, I couldn't help you leave the palace. Did you resent your aunt?"
Upon hearing this, Su Su was slightly taken aback, then shook her head, her tone calm and sincere: "Aunt, Su Su has never resented you. It was Su Su who was ignorant and willful in the past, causing you a lot of worry. It's good that things are the way they are now."
She was speaking from the heart. Although her dream of leaving the palace was temporarily shattered, she had also seen many things clearly and was no longer the silly girl who only knew how to indulge in love.
The Empress Dowager glanced at her and saw that her expression was calm and genuine, which put her at ease. She sighed and said, "I am relieved that you think this way. Since the Emperor has promoted you, it means that he still cares about you. Now that you are in the palace, you should settle down and serve the Emperor well. If you can produce an heir for the royal family as soon as possible and give birth to a prince, you will have someone to rely on in the future and can rest easy."
The Empress Dowager's tone carried earnest expectations and a hint of consideration from an elder. Su Su listened, but her heart was filled with bitterness. Give birth to a prince? And then she could rest easy?
Aunt, do you know that perhaps today, right before our eyes, another imperial heir on whom you have placed such high hopes may meet with misfortune, and your niece may once again become the target of public criticism and be cast into an abyss of eternal damnation? At that time, will you still believe in me? Will you still think that the Emperor cares about me?
Unable to say these words aloud, she could only lower her eyes and softly reply, "Susu understands."
As they spoke, the plum garden came into view. Although it was late plum season, many plum trees were still adorned with red or white blossoms due to the careful cultivation of different varieties in the garden. They bloomed proudly in the chilly spring air, their fragrance wafting through the air. The concubines had already arrived. Upon seeing the Empress Dowager's arrival, they all stepped forward to pay their respects. For a moment, hairpins and ornaments swayed, hair ornaments jingled, and laughter filled the air. On the surface, it was a harmonious scene.
The Empress Dowager forced herself to be cheerful, accepted the greetings, and said a few polite words such as "The spring scenery is delightful, you may all enjoy it together." Then, with the help of Granny Duan, she went to rest in the warm pavilion in the main seat. The concubines also dispersed as instructed, and went to enjoy the flowers and chat in small groups.
Su Su deliberately chose a quiet corner away from the crowd, but with a clear view of the entire scene. Her gaze swept across the room without making a sound, and she soon spotted Princess Ning, Zhuang Shuran.
She stood alone under a white plum tree, her eyes vacant, her face even paler than the plum blossoms. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, and she looked like a taut bow, as if she might break at any moment. She didn't seem to be there to admire the flowers, but rather to be tortured.
At this moment, Chunlan quietly leaned close to Su Su's ear and whispered, "Your Majesty, just as you predicted, that little eunuch Xiao Luzi, who used to serve Consort Zhuang and was later assigned to Changxin Palace, sneaked into your bedchamber and loitered near the wardrobe. Qiuju caught him, and he stammered that he was going to clean. Qiuju has already ordered someone to take him down and detain him in a side room."
Su Su's eyes narrowed! The person from Consort Zhuang's palace had sneaked into her bedchamber at this critical juncture, intending to frame her just like in her previous life! They must be planning to secretly plant those harmful things here with her!
"Well done." Su Su immediately whispered her orders, "Find two absolutely reliable and efficient people to keep a close watch on him. Don't allow him to contact anyone or pass anything on! Search his person and residence thoroughly! After the banquet, I will personally go back and question him!"
"Yes, Your Highness, I will make the arrangements immediately." Chunlan accepted the order and quietly withdrew.
Even if we catch this little trickster, we can't convict him and say that he was instructed by Consort Zhuang. As long as he doesn't admit it, it will seem like she is framing Consort Zhuang herself. We can only wait until we go back and interrogate him to see how things go. I just don't know if she will have a chance to return to Changxin Palace.
Just after dealing with this unexpected incident, Su Su saw Mu Hanyan walking slowly towards her. In this life, due to their previous encounters, their relationship, though not intimate, was much more relaxed than the confrontational one in her previous life. At least she could now talk to Consort Wan calmly.
"Is Consort Su also here to admire the plum blossoms?" Mu Hanyan's voice remained calm, but her tone was gentle.
Su Su curtsied in return, "Greetings, Consort Wan. The red plum blossoms here bloom late, which gives them a unique charm." She tried her best to appear natural, but alarm bells were ringing in her heart.
Consort Zhuang's target is Mu Hanyan. It's not a good thing for her to get close to me. Su Su doesn't want to have too much contact with her. She wants to exchange a few more polite words and then find an excuse to leave this source of trouble. It would be unreasonable to abruptly distance herself from her, after all, she helped me a few days ago.
The two chatted casually over the plum blossoms, while in the distance, Princess Ning, standing under the white plum blossoms, looked at Su Su and Mu Hanyan standing side by side. Looking at Mu Hanyan's waist and abdomen, which were not yet obvious but already showing some soft curves, her struggle intensified.
She subconsciously touched the cold, hard gold incense ball in her sleeve, her fingertips trembling. She had lost her son, her heart breaking. But if she did as her elder sister suggested today and harmed Consort Wan's child, it wouldn't just be her fault if it came to light; it would also implicate the Prince! The Prince had treated her so well… She couldn't… She couldn't drag the Prince into an abyss of no return just for revenge! Thinking of this, a resolute glint flashed in her eyes. She quietly tucked the incense ball deeper into her sleeve, completely abandoning the idea of using it.
Consort Zhuang, who had been secretly observing Princess Ning, saw her retreat and a predictable look of contempt and ruthlessness flashed in her eyes. "As expected, a useless piece of trash! A child born to a courtesan is destined to be unfit for anything; soft-hearted and soft-hearted, incapable of achieving anything great!" Fortunately, she had already prepared a backup plan!
Her gaze shifted to Mu Hanyan, who was talking to Su Su, and a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. It was about time.
Just then, Mu Hanyan, who had only exchanged a few words with Su Su, suddenly frowned, her face turning pale at a visible speed. She subconsciously reached out and covered her lower abdomen, her body swaying slightly.
"Sister Wanpin, what's wrong?" Su Su was startled and immediately stepped forward to offer a helping hand, but remembered to avoid suspicion and did not actually touch her.
"I...I don't know why, but I suddenly feel a dull pain in my abdomen..." Mu Hanyan's voice was weak and confused. She had always been in good health, so why suddenly? Fine beads of cold sweat had already seeped from her forehead.
Su Su's heart pounded. Here it comes! Consort Zhuang really did take action herself! She still couldn't dodge it. She immediately raised her voice, her tone urgent but not panicked: "Quick! Imperial Physician! Quickly go and fetch the Imperial Physician! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Consort Wan is unwell!"
Upon hearing the commotion, the imperial physician, who had been waiting not far from the Empress Dowager's warm pavilion, immediately rushed over with his medicine box. As he approached, Su Su took a few steps back, maintaining a clear distance from Mu Hanyan, and watched the imperial physician step forward to examine her with clear eyes.
The imperial physician dared not delay and immediately knelt down to take Mu Hanyan's pulse. After a moment, his expression changed drastically. He withdrew his hand, knelt down, and reported, "Your Majesty, Consort Wan... is pregnant! However... however, her pulse is erratic, and her blood and qi are surging. It is... it is a sign of miscarriage!"
Upon hearing this, the entire garden fell silent!
The concubines were initially shocked that Mu Hanyan had become pregnant without anyone knowing, and their eyes were instantly filled with jealousy and bitterness. However, upon hearing the word "miscarriage," their jealousy quickly transformed into a complex and indescribable excitement, tinged with a sense of anticipation.
Princess Ning, Zhuang Shuran, was trembling violently. She looked in disbelief in the direction of Consort Zhuang. Her elder sister... her elder sister actually did it! She hadn't done it, yet she still did it... A chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
"What?!" The Empress Dowager, supported by Granny Duan, looked at the imperial physician with a face full of shock and disbelief. Her sharp gaze swept over the pale-faced Mu Hanyan and finally landed on Su Su, who had been standing closest to Mu Hanyan. Could it be... could it be Su Su...?
Just then, a palace maid beside Mu Hanyan seemed to suddenly realize something, pointed sharply at Su Su, and cried out in a shrill voice, "It's her! It's Consort Su! She kept talking to my lady just now, she must have done something to my lady! Please, Empress Dowager, do justice for my lady!"
The accusation exploded like cold water dropped into boiling oil. The Empress Dowager looked at Su Su with a complex expression, filled with shock, disappointment, and a hint of barely perceptible heartache. She couldn't believe that her niece, who had just been saying "I don't resent it" and seemed so sensible and considerate, had been caught up in the vortex of plotting to harm the imperial heir! And this time, it was the Emperor's first child after his ascension to the throne!
Just as the garden erupted in an uproar, with everyone looking at each other in different ways, and Su Su was about to retort, a deep, cold, and authoritative voice came from the entrance of the plum garden, shattering all the noise like ice:
"What happened?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Emperor Li Qianche had arrived at some point and was standing with his hands behind his back at the garden gate with a calm expression. He had come over as soon as he received the message from An Ying.
His gaze swept across the entire scene like a cold pool, finally settling on Mu Hanyan, who was surrounded in the center and had a pale face, and Su Su, who was isolated to the side.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" The crowd hurriedly knelt down.
Li Qianche didn't wake him. He strode over, his gaze quickly sweeping over Mu Hanyan's condition, his face so gloomy it could drip water.
"What are you all standing there for! Immediately carry Consort Wan to the nearest palace and do everything you can to save her! Summon all the imperial physicians on duty at the Imperial Hospital!" His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority and a hint of suppressed anger.
The eunuchs immediately and carefully lifted Mu Hanyan, who was curled up in pain, and quickly left.
Li Qianche then looked around at the garden full of vibrant flowers and the concubines with their own differing thoughts, and coldly ordered: "Surround the plum garden for me. No one is allowed to leave without authorization until the matter is clarified!"
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