Lady Guo was covered in snot and tears, looking quite miserable.
Xu Lejin couldn't help but be moved, but then she thought that Consort Fu wouldn't be so foolish as to target Consort Guo's unborn child after only half a year in the palace and before she had a stable foundation.
Consort Fu is from the prestigious Fucha clan, and she was carefully groomed. She is young and beautiful, so how could she not even tolerate the child of a noble lady, whose gender is unknown?
With a furrowed brow, Xu Lejin looked at Consort Fu, pondered for a moment, and then spoke in a cold voice, "Consort Fu, Consort Guo said that you were plotting to harm her unborn child. What is your explanation for this?"
Consort Fu raised her eyes, glanced quickly at Xu Lejin, and then lowered her head.
After a moment's hesitation, Consort Fu said softly, "Your Highness, I had no such intention. Although I envy Consort Guo's pregnancy, I have never thought of harming her child."
“When I was at home, my mother taught me that no matter how much I fought after entering the palace, I must not harm my unborn child, or I will be punished.”
Xu Lejin nodded, looking at Consort Fu with admiration.
Consort Fu hesitated for a moment, then continued, "I was just talking to the palace maids around me in private. Consort Guo is pregnant and has been pregnant for only a month. There are still nine months until the tenth month of pregnancy, when the baby is ready to be born."
"I'm thinking of having the palace servants be extra careful to ensure that Consort Guo's food and drink are absolutely safe."
Upon hearing this, Consort Guo lowered her head and her eyes flickered.
With a look of unease, Consort Guo glanced up at Xu Lejin and Consort Fu, and said softly, "Your Highness, in the main hall of Yongshou Palace, Mo'er, who serves Consort Fu, heard Consort Fu's vicious curse that she tripped and fell, ate the wrong thing, and lost her imperial pregnancy."
"I swear to Heaven, I have absolutely not slandered Consort Fu."
Consort Fu's expression changed, she straightened up, and looked coldly at Consort Guo, while inwardly sneering.
Mo'er, who served in the main hall of Yongshou Palace, turned out to be Consort Guo's person.
What a treacherous lackey! Not only did he secretly side with Consort Guo, but he also fabricated rumors and distorted the truth.
That's absolutely despicable!
With a slight darkening of her expression, Xu Lejin coldly ordered Nongying beside her, "Go to Yongshou Palace and bring Mo'er from Consort Fu's palace. Let Mo'er confront Consort Guo and Consort Fu on the spot."
"yes."
Nongying responded and quickly went out.
Half an hour later, Nongying led a pretty, sixteen or seventeen-year-old palace maid into the main hall of Yikun Palace, her head bowed and her face full of fear.
Consort Fu and Noble Lady Guo sat on either side of Mo'er, their eyes fixed on her.
Clearing her throat, Xu Lejin spoke coldly, "So you're Mo'er? So you were the one who served in Consort Fu's palace, overheard her conversation, and then told Consort Guo?"
Mo'er timidly raised her head and quickly glanced at Xu Lejin, Consort Fu, and Consort Guo.
"Your Highness, Consort Yu, this servant is Mo'er. Consort Guo has been kind to me, and I knew that Consort Guo was carrying the Emperor's child, which is extremely precious. So, when Consort Fu plotted to harm Consort Guo's unborn child, I overheard some things..."
Upon hearing this, Consort Guo's face revealed a stubborn and arrogant expression.
Consort Fu gritted her teeth in anger, her sharp eyes fixed on Mo'er, and said coldly, "You say I wanted to harm Consort Guo's unborn child? Then how did I harm her unborn child? Did I instruct my people to do anything..."
"Consort Fu, Consort Fu,"
Mo'er's eyes flickered incessantly, her pupils darting around.
Seeing this, Xu Lejin immediately understood that Consort Fu was jealous of Consort Guo's pregnancy, but she did not intend to harm Consort Guo's unborn child, or rather...
Consort Fu had not yet had a chance to harm Consort Guo's unborn child.
However, the palace maid who served Consort Fu was prone to believing rumors and relayed Consort Fu's conversation with her personal maid to Consort Guo. As a result, Consort Guo became suspicious and brought the matter to Consort Fu's attention.
With a 'smack', Xu Lejin slammed her hand on the table, her eyes sharp as she looked at Mo'er and said coldly, "Mo'er is distorting the truth and disturbing the peace of the palace. Drag her out and give her thirty strokes of the cane, then expel her from the palace."
"Guo Guiren made baseless accusations without distinguishing right from wrong, but considering that she was pregnant, she confined her to her quarters for three months."
After a pause, Xu Lejin's gaze fell on Consort Fu. After pondering for a moment, she spoke in a deep voice.
"Consort Fu's words were inappropriate; she is hereby punished with a three-month salary deduction and ordered to copy the palace rules ten times, to be completed and submitted to me within one month..."
The palace maid, Mo'er, collapsed to the ground, her body limp.
After realizing what had happened, Mo'er kept kowtowing and begging for mercy, "Your Highness Consort Yu, spare me! Your Highness Consort Yu, spare me! This servant knows she was wrong! This servant knows she was wrong!"
Xu Lejin waved her hand impatiently.
"Drag him out!"
Afternoon
The sweltering sunlight fell on the ground.
Xu Lejin squinted at Consort Guo, who was being supported by palace maids and was trembling as she followed Consort Fu out of Yikun Palace. A slight sneer appeared on her lips.
Although time has been kind to Consort Guo, who is beautiful and still retains her charm even now, nearing thirty, with skin as youthful as a young woman in her late teens, however…
Consort Guo, however, was not very bright.
Today's incident has backfired on Consort Guo, revealing that she planted spies in Consort Fu's palace. From today onwards, Consort Fu and Consort Guo will likely never be able to live peacefully together again.
Two days later
Nongying ran into the palace, not even having time to wipe the sweat from her forehead, and respectfully reported to Xu Lejin: "Your Majesty, something has happened in Consort Fu's palace. Noble Lady Guo has gone through a miscarriage and is bleeding."
"、、"
Startled for a moment, Xu Lejin's expression turned serious. "Consort Guo is under house arrest, how could she suddenly start bleeding?"
After saying that, Xu Lejin brushed away Ru Hua's outstretched hand that was about to help her up, stood up, and hurriedly walked outside.
Ruhua and Nongying exchanged a glance and quickly followed.
Yongshou Palace
Consort Fu stood outside the East Side Hall with a solemn expression, her hands clenched into fists, which were hanging down in her sleeves.
Xu Lejin arrived in a hurry. Consort Fu composed herself, stepped forward with a dignified expression, and bowed, saying, "This concubine greets Consort Yu. May Consort Yu be blessed."
"No need for such formalities."
Xu Lejin gently helped Consort Fu up and said in a deep voice, "Why did Consort Guo suddenly start bleeding? What did the imperial physician say?"
With her head bowed, Consort Fu carefully considered her words.
"Your Highness, I know what happened. Consort Guo suddenly started bleeding. The imperial physician just went in and is treating her right now."
"Um."
Xu Lejin responded and looked expectantly at the closed door of the east side hall.
Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager were both very much looking forward to Consort Guo's pregnancy, so there couldn't be any mishaps. They hoped that Consort Guo's unborn child could be saved.
Time ticked by, and a quarter of an hour passed.
Consort Que, Consort Hui, and others also rushed to Yongshou Palace, inquiring about Consort Guo's condition with concern. They all lowered their heads slightly, each with their own thoughts.
With a 'creak',
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