Zhang Wenshan was trembling slightly, which showed that he had some awe for Empress Mingyue.
He asked, "Why would Your Majesty ask such a question?"
Mingyue smiled gently, and the more she smiled, the more flustered Zhang Wenshan felt.
"I was thinking that Physician Zhang has worked so hard to protect my unborn child, and rewarding him with gold and silver is too vulgar. I would like to give him something different."
Zhang Wenshan quickly replied, "Your Majesty is too kind to this humble subject. This is what I should do."
After he finished speaking, he secretly glanced at Mingyue and found that Mingyue still looked calm and composed, as if she were talking about something ordinary.
Mingyue said, "I have always been fair in rewarding and punishing. Those who have made contributions should naturally be rewarded. If I am stingy and reluctant to give this or that, I am afraid that my subordinates will become disloyal and betray me."
Her speech was slow, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.
Despite the cold weather, sweat poured down Fang Wenshan's forehead, revealing his guilty conscience. Moreover, Mingyue's words made him feel that she must know something.
Mingyue noticed Zhang Wenshan's nervousness and unease, but she remained calm and continued, "Since your wife is pregnant, let her enter the palace as well, so that she can talk to me and relieve her boredom."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear to everyone.
Upon hearing this, not only was Zhang Wenshan stunned, but he also refused, saying, "No, my wife is uncouth and might shock you..."
Before Zhang Wenshan could finish speaking, Mingyue immediately interrupted, "Don't worry, I will treat her well. As soon as she enters the palace, she will eat whatever I eat. If I can't touch her, she naturally can't touch her either."
Zhang Wenshan's mind went completely blank.
"What's wrong? Is Physician Zhang unwilling? This is an immense favor, something ordinary people would beg for." Mingyue raised an eyebrow and asked.
“It’s my wife’s bad luck… and besides… everyone’s constitution is different. Using the Empress’s method of protecting the pregnancy on my wife might not… work.” Zhang Wenshan gritted his teeth, his words stammering.
"Is that so?" Mingyue smiled. "Physical constitutions can be different, so wouldn't everyone's medical skills be different as well?"
She looked down at Zhang Wenshan, waiting to see what his choice would be.
“This…” Zhang Wenshan frowned, seemingly lost in thought.
Mingyue didn't urge him, but quietly stood up and waited for his answer.
"Your Majesty, please spare my life!" Zhang Wenshan hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.
Mingyue laughed, "Imperial Physician Zhang, what nonsense are you talking about? This is a reward from me, how come you say it's as if I'm going to kill someone?"
Her voice was gentle and melodious, yet it carried a hint of majesty, making people involuntarily submit to her and unable to resist.
Zhang Wenshan's expression changed several times, but he finally lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, please stop beating around the bush. This humble subject knows his crime."
He still chose his wife, which shows he is not a heartless person.
Even so, he still hurt Mingyue, so how could she possibly let him go?
"Where are you guilty?" Mingyue sneered.
“I should not have lied about the pulse, which led Her Majesty the Empress to eat more and move less,” Zhang Wenshan said, bowing with his hands clasped.
"You not only lied about my pulse, you also wanted to cause my pregnancy to become difficult during childbirth, resulting in the death of both mother and child!" Mingyue suddenly became serious and said, word by word, "What a vicious mind Physician Zhang has!"
"Your Majesty, spare me! I dare not!" Zhang Wenshan hurriedly kowtowed and begged for forgiveness.
Mingyue watched coldly, "Dare not? Then why did you do it anyway?"
“Your Majesty…” Zhang Wenshan raised his head, somewhat at a loss, “Your Majesty did not do it on purpose, Your Majesty was forced to do so.”
"What a convenient excuse! Your excuse of being forced into a corner could cost me and the baby in my womb our lives!" Mingyue could no longer contain her anger and smashed a bowl of tea hard against Zhang Wenshan's chest.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger..." Zhang Wenshan kowtowed repeatedly, "I know I was wrong, I will never dare to do it again." His chest was red from the scalding tea, but he dared not wipe it.
"There won't be a next time. Confess properly, and I might spare your family's lives. But if there's even the slightest falsehood, the crime of plotting against me alone will be enough to wipe out your entire clan!"
This wasn't Mingyue trying to intimidate anyone. Having come to this feudal era, she had already accepted the principle that everyone prospers or suffers together.
Zhang Wenshan trembled even more violently. Although death was inevitable, he still chose the lesser of two evils and told Mingyue everything he knew.
"Your Majesty, I beg you to spare my family; they are innocent."
Whether they were innocent or not, Mingyue didn't know. As long as they didn't harm herself or ordinary people, she could turn a blind eye.
Only after Zhang Wenshan informed her did Mingyue learn who the real mastermind was.
It turned out that a few months ago, Zhang Wenshan was on night duty and drank some wine when he woke up to find a naked woman next to him, and that the woman's master had seen them.
Coincidentally, at this time, Zhang Wenshan's wife became pregnant. His wife was already in poor health, and after several years of marriage, she had only conceived this child with the help of many medications. If she were to suffer this shock and miscarry the child, she would be unable to conceive again for the rest of her life.
After much deliberation, in order to protect his wife and children, he had no choice but to obey the woman's orders.
Upon hearing this, Mingyue glanced at him and said, "Such a coincidence is clearly a setup. Can't you see that?"
"I can see it, how could I not see it? But I've already been tricked, how can I escape!" Zhang Wenshan gave a bitter smile, his gaze towards the person in front of him filled with apology and guilt.
He also felt sorry for Mingyue, but in front of his wife, Mingyue was obviously insignificant.
Mingyue could understand, but she would not forgive. "So you listened to her and plotted to harm me?"
"Yes!" Zhang Wenshan nodded vigorously. For some reason, after saying it, he was no longer terrified, but rather felt much more relaxed.
"Who is she?" Mingyue asked sharply.
"It's Princess Jianning!"
"What?" Upon hearing this, Mingyue's expression changed drastically. She never expected that the person who wanted to kill her was Princess Jianning, not the concubines in the harem.
Now she was truly confused. Jianning was Xuan Ye's aunt, so there was absolutely no need for her to compete for his favor.
"Why did she do this?" Mingyue asked, her tone tinged with grief and indignation.
She thought to herself: If I had known it would turn out this way, I should have killed her mother when I was still Hailanzhu, so that this scourge would not remain in the harem.
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