Chapter 60 Consort Hui Sees Blood
"Grandmother, please rest assured. Those medicines were used by the Imperial Concubine to regulate her body. She was unable to conceive in the future, so she found a folk remedy. The imperial physician examined it and confirmed that it was effective, but it would not help her conceive and would instead damage her health."
When Emperor Kangxi recalled what Physician Zhang had told him, his guilt towards Empress Dowager Niohuru deepened.
If she knew the truth, I wonder how heartbroken she would be.
Sigh, it's all his fault.
"Even so, there are pregnant women in the palace now, and those medicines should not be allowed into the inner palace," the Empress Dowager said, still uneasy.
“The Niohuru clan is not stupid. I think she must have guessed something, or she has found out something. The Emperor and the Consort must be on guard.”
Regarding her previous illness, Physician Li and Physician Wang said she was poisoned. They have been investigating, but they just can't find out who did it.
A number of people in the harem have been purged, but it's unknown how many more treacherous individuals are still lurking in the shadows.
She can't afford to have any accidents yet; she has to wait until the child in Consort Hui's womb has grown up.
Although Qiqige is Consort Hui's aunt, she cannot see through the scheming in the harem, so she has to hold on for a few more years.
Those hiding in the shadows can't find her without feeling at ease.
It seems the only solution is to wait until Consort Hui gives birth and then leaves the palace with her child, away from this place of trouble.
"Impossible." Upon hearing his grandmother say that what he had done had been discovered, Kangxi immediately retorted, "I was extremely careful; she couldn't possibly know."
"How does the Emperor explain her current behavior? Does he really believe her excuse of seeking treatment?" The Empress Dowager asked anxiously, bringing up the matter of medicinal herbs again.
"Your Majesty, you must not deceive yourself as well."
Emperor Kangxi slumped dejectedly into a chair.
He remained silent for a long time.
Finally, it was the Empress Dowager who couldn't bear to see him like this and spoke up to remind him: "Emperor, you are the ruler of a country. You must not be swayed by your emotions. Whether it is the Niohuru clan or the Hesheli clan, they are all slaves."
If Sony hadn't passed away so early, the Empress would never have been able to give birth to a prince.
Alas, time waits for no one, this grandfather and grandson.
"I understand. Rest assured, Grandmother, I will not gamble with the fate of the nation."
After leaving the Cining Palace, Kangxi returned to the Qianqing Palace, and the inner palace was peaceful and harmonious thereafter.
Even the power struggle between the emperor and the empress dowager came to a halt.
Fanghua thought that life would continue peacefully like this.
Unexpectedly, something bad happened just before the Ghost Festival.
First, Lady Dong discovered she was more than a month pregnant. She was overjoyed, but then she heard that Consort Hui had started bleeding.
The imperial physician had previously said that Consort Hui's pregnancy was going smoothly, but not long after, she started bleeding. It's said that she ate something bad.
If this happened at Jingren Palace, people might not think much of it, but this is Cining Palace, so people have to think about it more.
Who is so powerful and influential that they could actually do this in the Cining Palace?
Fanghua was curious about this, let alone others.
But after an unexpected person arrived at Kunning Palace that day, she understood the reason behind it all.
"Aren't you afraid I'll report you for telling me all this?" Fanghua couldn't understand whether this person had a mental illness.
The Imperial Concubine wore an inscrutable expression, a smile Fanghua had never seen before playing on her lips. "Does the Empress think I'm afraid you'll complain to me?"
This question sent shivers down Fanghua's spine. "Oh, it seems the Imperial Concubine has found something on me." Interesting. She wanted to see what this person had to offer.
The imperial concubine pursed her lips, "Some things don't need to be said, after all, we all know what's going on."
Fanghua remained silent. If she really had something to hide, things wouldn't be like this now; someone would have come looking for trouble for her long ago.
It's a pity that she's so clean in public; no one can find fault with her.
"I'm very curious, how did you manage to get that medicine into Consort Hui's palace?" She was still curious.
As if she knew the concubine would ask, she told her everything without hiding anything.
"Want to know? Sure, lend me two days and I'll tell you."
Previously, Niohuru only said that Consort Hui was the one who did it, but she didn't say how she did it.
Now that the Queen wants to know, she naturally wants to get something in return.
The Empress rolled her eyes at her. "Dream on. You can lend anything, except your child." She cherishes her own child dearly; how could she possibly use the child as a bargaining chip?
"If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. I'm not particularly interested in knowing anyway," Fanghua said, sipping her tea slowly.
Seeing that she wasn't taking the bait, the Imperial Concubine pouted, "You're so stingy. If I weren't infertile, I wouldn't be competing with you for her." Her eyes were full of accusation.
Fanghua was taken aback when she heard this. "What, are you planning to give up?" She had already helped once, and there was no way she would help again.
She still retains some kindness, but not to everyone.
The debt of gratitude owed to Niohuru for protecting Yinreng has been repaid.
"What's this talk of giving up or not? There was never any hope to begin with." Niohuru also picked up her teacup and began to sip her tea.
"It is destined that one of us will be childless, either you or me. Since you have Chenghu, then naturally the one who will be childless is me. Empress, I really don't know whether to envy you or resent you."
He said this calmly, as if accepting the outcome.
Fanghua understood what she meant, but what could she do? Her child could be said to have been born at the cost of her grandfather's life.
After her grandfather passed away, no one in the family was able to uphold the family's honor. If it weren't for the emperor recognizing her second uncle's abilities, her Hesheli clan would probably have declined by now.
Even with her as empress, it's useless; there's no one to succeed her.
"You've probably forgotten Lord Aobai. If you want to bear a child for the Empress, you'll have to wait until you became godparents back then." She knew how good Aobai was to Niohuru, and how he genuinely treated her like a daughter.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been one of the candidates for Queen back then.
“If that were not the case, then I would be even more different from you. Well, it is none of our business to discuss the affairs of the previous generation. However, I truly envy Chenghu, the child. Your Majesty, please take good care of him.”
"Next time the Emperor comes, remember to make him change his clothes before seeing Chenghu." After saying this, Niohuru got up and prepared to leave. She suddenly felt extremely bored.
"I will come to see Prince Chenghu again next time."
Fanghua nodded. "It's hot outside, so walk in the shade. Remember to bring a gift next time you come; raising a son is very expensive."
After saying that, she called out to Li Changfu outside, "Li Changfu, please see the Imperial Concubine off."
After everyone left, Fanghua fell into deep thought.
It seems the problem lies with the emperor.
Change clothes.
Change clothes.
What is the Imperial Concubine up to?
The emperor doesn't usually wear clothes made by his concubines, and it's not appropriate for them to change their undergarments as soon as they arrive. It seems that...
Fanghua's eyes lit up. "Qiaoling, let me ask you, has His Majesty recently had anything new on him? Or is there anything different about him?"
These words immediately brought back memories for everyone who heard them.
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