“Sister Zhang is right. I live with Sister Zhang in Xianfu Palace, and sometimes I can’t sleep well,” Consort Sun said, seizing the opportunity. “Consort Nara, you are younger, but you can’t always expend so much energy like this. In the long run, it will not be good for your health.”
"Who says otherwise? We're all sisters, and there are some things that are really inconvenient to say. But Sister Nara should still be more careful."
Consort Zhang and Consort Sun spoke back and forth, their united front against a common enemy leaving everyone stunned.
The two of them work together very well, but as far as Xiuning knows, they have quite a few conflicts.
Tsk tsk, is this what they mean by "there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests"?
Consort Nara wanted to fight two opponents at once, but reality didn't allow it, and she was driven to despair by the arguments before she gave up.
Of course, that wasn't the end of it. At the end, the Empress reminded Consort Nara to pay more attention to the relationships between neighbors in the harem, which was a warning to Consort Nara not to get too arrogant, since she had only given birth to a son.
Consort Nara: ...This is really strange. Where did she get so arrogant? She clearly suffered a lot during her postpartum period, so why is everyone now criticizing her?
"This humble servant will humbly obey Her Majesty the Empress's teachings."
Reluctantly rising to express her gratitude, Consort Nara wore a long face, looking as if someone owed her money.
The Empress ignored her, then turned her gaze to Xiu Ning and immediately inquired about Xiu Ning's pregnancy.
The imperial physician who examined Xiu Ning now said that the baby was probably a girl, and the Empress's tense nerves relaxed for the time being, and her attitude towards Qixiang Palace became much gentler.
"Your Majesty, I am perfectly fine. Moreover, the servants in the Imperial Kitchen and the Imperial Household Department are very attentive. I have no complaints whatsoever."
Xiu Ning's pregnancy was arguably the best among everyone, even the three women who had already given birth were envious.
Hearing the Empress's concern for Xiuning, everyone had mixed feelings, but it must be said that the fact that Xiuning was carrying a girl had already relieved most people's worries; otherwise, if it were another prince, that would be a disaster.
"You are carrying the imperial heir, so your health is of utmost importance. If you need anything, just send someone to report it to us."
The Empress smiled and said a few more words. Just as she thought it was almost time to leave, Tan Yun rushed over from the side hall.
The Empress's expression suddenly changed, and she lost all patience for exchanging pleasantries with Xiu Ning and the others. She left after only a few words of greeting.
"Where has Her Majesty the Empress gone?" one of the concubines couldn't help but ask.
"Should we continue waiting or return to the palace first?"
"Let's go back. It's almost time. Didn't Her Majesty the Empress say we could leave?"
"..."
The once quiet hall instantly became lively.
Xiuning frowned, stood up, and took Chunyu's hand as they walked out, "Back to the palace."
Staying in Kunning Palace is not safe; who knows what might happen?
Chunyu carefully replied "yes," then helped Xiuning turn around and quickly left.
With Xiu Ning gone, it was as if everyone's meridians had been opened. The group stopped arguing and dispersed like fireworks with a loud bang.
'System, did the Empress just go to Chenghu's place?'
Once seated in the sedan chair, Xiu Ning braced herself against the seat and summoned the system from her mind.
"Would the host like to check in real time?" the system replied, without explaining where the Queen had gone.
Xiu Ning nodded, instructing the system to turn on the screen. She then clearly saw the Empress sitting calmly on the couch.
Xiuning: ? ! !
"Stop the sedan chair"
As Xiuning suddenly spoke, the entire palanquin began to shake.
Xiuning steadied herself immediately. Chunyu, who was beside her, was so frightened by the commotion that she simply braced herself against the sedan chair with her hands. Unfortunately, the sedan chair was carried by four people, and its weight was far too much for a weak woman to bear.
After swaying for a while, the sedan chair finally landed safely.
Xiuning, with her arm around Chunyu's, stepped down from the sedan chair with a cold expression.
"What exactly happened? Why did it start shaking for no reason just now?"
Chunyu was furious with the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair. They couldn't even do their jobs properly. Did they know that if they caused their mistress to fall off the sedan chair, the height difference could very well cause her to miscarry?
The four eunuchs knelt down and begged for mercy. They weren't afraid of death, so why would they think of such a thing?
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I don't know why, but I just felt a bit prickly when I was carrying the crossbeam, and I subconsciously shrank my shoulders."
Then the imbalance of forces caused the sedan chair to sway restlessly from side to side.
"It is only the lackey who thinks there is something wrong with the crossbeam."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Chunyu turned to look at Xiuning beside her.
"Go and take a look, but don't make a fuss," Xiu Ning knew perfectly well that she had been tricked. She breathed a sigh of relief, and thankfully, in the instant the sedan chair swayed, she had already had the system stabilize the fetal breathing in her womb.
Chunyu responded with a "Yes," then turned and walked to the side of the sedan chair. After inspecting it, her expression turned grim. "Master, that crossbar..."
"Don't say anything, let them carry it back to the palace," Xiuning waved her hand. They were still outside, and there were some things she had to be careful about saying.
“Perfect timing. I’ve been sitting in the main hall for a while and I’m getting a bit tired. I won’t take the sedan chair; I’ll walk back.”
"Yes, I understand."
Chunyu held Xiuning's wrist and glared at the little eunuch who was still kneeling on the ground. "Get up, all of you. Carry the sedan chair and follow us back to the palace."
The group hurried back to Qixiang Palace. On the way, Chunyu couldn't stop worrying about Xiuning's belly, but Xiuning reassured her with her eyes.
"Tell me, what exactly happened?"
Sitting on the tatami mat, Xiu Ning's tense nerves relaxed.
Chunyu sighed, "There are nails on that crossbeam. I don't know who put them there. It's been freshly painted, so you can't see them unless you look closely."
After being used for a long time, the nails became exposed, which caused problems with the crossbeams.
"It was because the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair didn't check in time that you almost fell off."
In the end, Chunyu wanted to glare at these eunuchs. They didn't have to do anything, just carry the sedan chair, and easily received a generous monthly allowance. They didn't appreciate such a good thing, they were really asking for trouble.
"Report this matter to the Imperial Household Department, and at the same time send a message to the Empress."
Also, please fetch the imperial physician for me. Tell him I was startled and have some abdominal pain.
She waved her hand, rubbed her forehead, took off her qipao, changed into her nightgown, and lay back on the bed.
Chunyu responded with a "yes," but encountered trouble while trying to summon the imperial physician.
"Your Highness, all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy have gone to the Princes' Residence and Kunning Palace, so there is no one available for the time being."
Her face looked even worse than before, and Chunyu was so angry she wanted to curse.
What are you holding?
Xiu Ning remained calm. She could tell that if you're going to scheme, you have to go all the way, and she was just one part of it.
"It's a pregnancy-stabilizing medicine prescribed by the imperial physicians of Kunning Palace," Chunyu said, unsure of what to do.
"Go and get the medicine and prepare it." Since the Empress dared to send it, it certainly wouldn't implicate her. Regardless of whether she drinks it or not, let's get the medicine first.
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