Chapter 171 Standoff
"How is Consort Hui?"
As the Empress, Yixiu was the first to receive news of Shen Meizhuang's premature birth and the first to arrive.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
"Get up, everyone," the crowd quickly bowed. Yi Xiu frowned, glancing at Zhen Huan's swollen cheek, and looked at An Lingrong: "Consort Zhuang, you speak."
"Your Majesty, Consort Hui is giving birth. The midwives have gone inside, and the imperial physicians are waiting in the outer hall. We do not yet know the current situation."
"What exactly happened? How could Hui Guiren be born prematurely at eight months?"
Yixiu looked grim. The previous dynasty had just won a battle, and the emperor hadn't even had time to catch his breath before he got busy with the affairs of Tsarist Russia. As a result, this mess had occurred in the harem. Wasn't this a sign that she had mismanaged the situation? The more Yixiu thought about it, the more agitated she became.
"Your Majesty, please do justice for Consort Hui. It was Consort Wan who indulged the palace maid Huanbi, who offended Consort Hui, causing Consort Hui to have a premature birth due to fright."
An Lingrong glared at Zhen Huan with hatred, making no attempt to hide her hostility in front of Yi Xiu.
Zhen Huan and Huan Bi knelt down with a thud, saying, "It is because I failed to discipline them properly, and I am willing to accept the punishment."
"Whether it's due to poor discipline or deliberate indulgence, who can say for sure?" Just then, Consort Hua arrived, holding Songzhi's hand, and slowly walked in. She gave Yixiu a perfunctory bow and said meaningfully.
Yixiu had no time to argue with Nian Shilan and pressed, "What does Consort Hua mean by this?"
“I didn’t mean anything by it,” Nian Shilan said, touching the jade pendant on her ear and looking at Zhen Huan with a half-smile. “I have only heard of the great name of Huanbi, who is by Consort Wan’s side.”
"Your Majesty, I have no intention of harming Consort Hui." Instead of getting entangled with Consort Hua, Zhen Huan spoke only to the Empress. After all, in the harem, only the Empress truly held the power to decide her fate.
"Who can say for sure? I've heard Huanbi badmouth Consort Hui behind her back more than once, saying that she's only relying on the child in her belly... but I've never seen Consort Wan punish her."
Following closely behind, many concubines arrived one after another. Seeing that Zhen Huan was being harassed by Consort Hua, Rou Ze was the first to stand up and prove that her words were untrue.
"After all, she was a personal maid brought from home, so Consort Wan was naturally reluctant to part with her."
Cao Qinmo, standing to the side with her belly in her hand, chimed in, seemingly to explain for Zhen Huan, but in doing so, she confirmed her relationship with Huanbi. Now, the others couldn't help but begin to suspect Zhen Huan as well.
After all, who hasn't heard their palace maids say a few words about Huanbi's arrogance? And who doesn't know that it was because of Huanbi that Zhen Huan, Shen Meizhuang, and An Lingrong fell out? Even so, Zhen Huan hadn't really punished Huanbi much. Who knows if today's incident was Huanbi deliberately doing this for her mistress?
Feeling the suspicious gazes of everyone, Zhen Huan's heart sank. She suddenly realized how bitter the consequences of indulging Huan Bi were.
"I swear to heaven, I really did not do it. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and clear my name."
Zhen Huan had no choice but to take the initiative, requesting the Empress to investigate and prove that she was indeed harmless. However, An Lingrong, who was standing nearby, was furious upon hearing this: "You're innocent? What makes you innocent? Isn't Huanbi your personal maid? Wasn't she brought here by you?"
"I……"
"ah--"
Before Zhen Huan could speak, Shen Meizhuang's painful scream came from the delivery room, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
Why is Consort Hui screaming so pitifully?
Many concubines were so frightened by Shen Meizhuang's shout that their hair stood on end. Cao Qinmo couldn't help but frown, clutching her belly and slightly regretting coming to watch this spectacle.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to enter and accompany Consort Hui."
An Lingrong was so worried that she knelt down and begged the Empress for permission.
"Go and keep an eye on Consort Hui's condition for me."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Watching An Lingrong hurry inside, Yi Xiu noticed Cao Qinmo frowning beside her. "If Consort Cao is unwell, she can go back first. The same goes for Consort Yuan."
"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."
Cao Qin silently agreed, already regretting her actions, but she didn't refuse the Empress's kindness and hurriedly left. As for Yuan Yuxiu, she frowned and moved closer to Mei Qiyue, shaking her head to indicate that she was alright.
Shen Meizhuang's wailing went from high-pitched to weak, lasting for more than an hour. Yixiu couldn't let a group of people stand and wait, so she had someone arrange seats for them to sit down.
Just then, Yinzhen, who had just finished the meeting, rushed over.
"How is Consort Hui?"
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
People bowed to him all the way, but Yinzhen stepped through the crowd and went directly to Yixiu's side: "Rise, all of you. Empress, how is Consort Hui?"
"Consort Hui is still giving birth, and Consort Zhuang is with her inside. I have also had a hundred-year-old ginseng prepared and sent in. Your Majesty need not worry. With Your Majesty's protection, Consort Hui will naturally give birth safely."
Hearing Yixiu's words of comfort, Yinzhen nodded solemnly: "Thank you for your hard work, Empress. Has the matter of Consort Hui's premature birth been investigated?"
"Your Majesty, it was Huanbi, a palace maid serving Consort Wan, who offended Consort Hui. However, whether Consort Wan was behind this has not yet been determined."
Yixiu gestured, and Zhen Huan and Huanbi were brought up and knelt before Yinzhen.
"Your Majesty, it is my fault for failing to properly discipline Mei-jie, but I had no intention of causing her to have a premature birth."
The same words of apology were used, but seeing the emperor's silent and cold face, no one dared to add anything at this moment.
Zhen Huan dared not raise her head, but feeling the Emperor's gaze upon her, a gaze that seemed to radiate a growing sense of disappointment, she panicked. Raising her face, a tear slid down her cheek: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I swear to Heaven, I had no intention of harming anyone! I never imagined such a thing would happen..."
"Enough!" Yinzhen looked at Zhen Huan, his eyes filled with disappointment: "Consort Wan, no matter what the truth is, you cannot escape responsibility. I have neglected you for so long, and you have not improved at all."
"Your Majesty?" Zhen Huan looked at Yinzhen with teary eyes, puzzled. She didn't know what this had to do with her falling out of favor, but a sense of fear crept into her heart.
The others also perked up their ears for gossip. After all, Zhen Huan was so favored back then, and she lost favor so easily. Who wouldn't be curious? As for the claim that it was because of Rou Ze, the concubines who came from the Prince's residence curled their lips in disdain. Rou Ze didn't have that much power.
"I can't understand whether you value this maid or not. You say you value her, yet you give her such an insulting name, Huanbi, which sounds like 'servant.' You say you don't value her, yet you indulge her in every way. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have known that a mere palace maid would dare to be so disrespectful and bully the concubines."
“Consort Wan, I gave you a chance, but you didn’t seize it at all.”
Like a thunderbolt striking Zhen Huan's heart, it turned out that the Emperor's neglect of her was also because of Huan Bi? At this moment, recalling the bits and pieces of her time with the Emperor, it seemed that the Emperor had indeed given Huan Bi many hints, but how come she had never noticed them?
Zhen Huan was immersed in the pain of regret, while the attention of everyone else, including Huan Bi, fell on the name "Huan Bi". After repeating it a few times, they suddenly realized what it meant.
Huanbi, a maidservant—why didn't they notice how strange her name was before? Huanbi had learned a few characters from Zhen Huan, and although she wasn't well-versed in poetry and literature, she quickly figured out the two characters that were the same as her name under everyone's strange gazes.
Overwhelmed by immense humiliation, Huanbi, in a fit of rage, crawled forward two steps on her knees and cried out, "Your Majesty, this servant wants to denounce Consort Wan and the Zhen family for deceiving the Emperor! Their crimes are unforgivable!"
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