Consort Zhao was filled with worry, thinking about the future.
Caiyue and Lianxing lowered their heads, lost in thought and remained silent.
After a long while, Caiyue spoke softly, “Your Majesty, you are now a concubine and the new empress chosen by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. However, due to the old man’s reasons, you have not yet been formally conferred the title.”
"Even if Your Majesty's maternal clan sends other young and fertile women into the palace, they still cannot compare to Your Majesty."
Consort Zhao sighed softly and looked up at the outside of Chuxiu Palace.
"That may be true, but I am still unhappy."
After a pause, Consort Zhao spoke again in a deep voice, "The clerk from Consort Xu's palace reported earlier that Consort Xu kept her mother and sisters for lunch in the west wing of Yikun Palace."
"I remember that Consort Xu's half-sister was a palace maid who served the Emperor?"
Caiyue nodded gently, and after thinking for a moment, she said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the eleventh sister of Consort Xu, who was born out of wedlock, is a palace maid in the Imperial Palace, Miss Wanyin."
"Although Miss Wanyin was a palace maid who served the Emperor, she was not favored by him."
Consort Zhao looked up at Caiyue and asked in a deep voice.
"How can you tell that the Emperor doesn't like her?"
"Your Majesty, Miss Wanyin has been serving the Emperor for three months, but apart from that first time when she climbed into the Emperor's bed while he was drunk, she has not been favored by the Emperor."
After Caiyue finished speaking, she lowered her head and remained silent in contemplation.
Consort Zhao nodded, her brows furrowed in thought.
After a long while, Consort Zhao revealed a mysterious smile and said in a deep voice, "Since she is Consort Xu's sister, and Consort Xu has now given birth to a prince and two princesses, becoming the third concubine in the palace to have a prince, how can Consort Xu's half-sister remain an unfavored palace maid in obscurity?"
"Lianxing, have our people contact this Miss Wanyin privately."
Lianxing paused for a moment, then respectfully agreed.
Consort Zhao then murmured, "Since they are sisters bound by blood, they should share blessings and receive the Emperor's favor together."
"Your Majesty means..."
Caiyue exclaimed in surprise, her face full of astonishment.
Consort Zhao smiled sinisterly and said, "You all said just now that Consort Xu's family background is inferior to mine, and cannot surpass mine. In that case, why don't I help them out?"
"In the harem, the problem isn't scarcity but inequality. The Xu sisters are favored; what if, in the future, rumors of 'Feiyan' and 'Hede' emerge?"
Swallowing the words that were about to come out of her mouth, Consort Zhao smiled meaningfully.
Caiyue was about to speak when Lianxing, who was standing to the side, subtly shook her head at her.
Lianxing respectfully replied, "What Your Majesty says is quite right."
Two weeks later
That day, in the morning, past Chen Shi (7-9 AM).
Yingchun rushed in from outside the palace, her face grave, and reported to Xu Lejin, "Your Highness, something has happened!"
"Um."
Xu Lejin responded faintly and said softly, "What happened? Why are you in such a panic?"
Yingchun carefully considered her words before speaking softly.
"Your Highness, this is Consort Chuyun from the East Annex of Yikun Palace. This morning, as usual, Consort Chuyun went to Chuxiu Palace with the other concubines to pay her respects to Consort Zhao."
"Consort Chu Yun, always gentle and considerate, never argues with anyone. But this morning, she got into a dispute with Consort Hesheli at the entrance of Consort Zhao's palace. In a fit of anger, Consort Hesheli shoved Consort Chu Yun a few times…"
Yingchun sighed and whispered, "Unexpectedly, Consort Chuyun lost her balance and fell to the ground, bleeding immediately and fainting."
"At that time, Consort Hesheli was stunned. Later, Consort Wanyan noticed something was wrong and immediately reported to Consort Zhao, who sent someone to the Imperial Hospital to invite the imperial physician to treat Consort Chuyun."
Xu Lejin frowned and looked at Yingchun with a puzzled expression.
"Could it be that Consort Chuyun is pregnant, and Consort Hesheli's shoving caused the imperial fetus to bleed?"
Yingchun nodded respectfully with a stern face, "Your Highness, it is indeed so. According to the report from the palace maid who serves Consort Chuyun, Consort Chuyun is already two and a half months pregnant."
Xu Lejin was stunned when she heard this.
After a long while, Xu Lejin revealed a knowing smile and said in a deep voice, "So, according to this calculation, Consort Chuyun conceived the imperial child during the Empress's mourning period?"
"Thinking about it carefully, it turns out that Consort Chuyun knew the rules of the palace, yet she deliberately broke them by burning sacrificial offerings in the palace. So that's what happened. Consort Chuyun knew that if a concubine was pregnant in the palace and revealed it too early, she would become the target of everyone's criticism. So she used the confinement to hope that the imperial fetus would be announced only after it had been three months."
Yingchun lowered her head, pondered for a moment, then looked up at Xu Lejin and said respectfully, "Your Highness, according to the reports from Shiman and Xiaolian, who serve Consort Chuyun, Consort Chuyun was pregnant before Her Majesty the Empress passed away."
With a mocking expression, Xu Lejin looked completely disbelieving.
“Shiman and Xiaolian serve Consort Chuyun. As mistress and servant, they naturally help Consort Chuyun. Consort Chuyun was the Empress's dowry maid. She became pregnant during the Empress's mourning period, which is a serious matter.”
Yingchun pondered for a moment, then softly replied, "Yes."
An hour later.
Yingchun hurriedly entered the West Annex Hall again, carefully choosing her words, and softly reported to Xu Lejin, "Your Highness, Consort Chuyun of the East Annex Hall has lost her unborn child."
Xu Lejin nodded and looked up towards the direction of the East Annex Hall.
Immediately afterwards, Xu Lejin said, "It was expected. Consort Chuyun conceived her child during the Empress's mourning period. The Emperor and Consort Zhao are not foolish people; they will not allow her child to be born smoothly."
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