Consort Shu was stunned for a long time when she heard the news.
Upon entering the palace and seeing a room full of kneeling imperial physicians, he realized something was amiss.
"His Majesty......"
The emperor did not respond to her bow, but asked her directly, "Did you send those lilies?"
Consort Shu was bewildered. "It was a gift from me. Lilies have a calming and soothing effect, so I..."
"Did you know that the scent of lilies is harmful to pregnant women?"
Consort Shu was dumbfounded.
Pregnant woman?
What kind of pregnant woman?
Which pregnant woman?
Ignoring her astonishment, the emperor asked again, "Is it because of the incident two years ago when you lost your child that you still harbor resentment towards Consort Xian?"
"Your Majesty, I do not understand?"
The series of seemingly random questions left her speechless.
Seeing her attempt to evade the question, the emperor decided against further inquiry and instead asked the imperial physician:
"Imperial Physician Sun, that lily shouldn't be the main cause of Consort Xian's miscarriage, right? What else could it be?"
Upon hearing the words "miscarriage," Consort Shu was completely stunned. She could only stiffly turn her head to listen to what the imperial physician was saying.
"Your Majesty, based on Consort Xian's pulse, the lilies and oleander were the triggers. Consort Xian should also have taken a medication to induce miscarriage. This medication takes effect very quickly, so it should have been taken not long ago."
Lotus replied to the imperial physician: "Your Highness has not been eating well these past two days. She only ate a few bites of side dishes and drank a few sips of wine at the palace banquet at night."
The emperor exhaled a breath of stale air.
The flowers were a gift from Consort Shu, and the wine was served to Consort Xian by Du, Consort Shu's personal maid.
Each and every incident points to Consort Shu.
"Consort Shu offered Consort Xian three cups of wine, but before she could drink the third cup, Consort Xian had a stomachache and knocked over the wine cup."
The imperial physician hurriedly said, "If it had been spilled on the ground, the wine would still be wet, and perhaps we could still discern something from it."
The emperor waved his hand helplessly: "Investigate, and make sure the truth comes out."
To avoid making a mistake, the three imperial physicians went to the main hall of the palace banquet together.
A short while later, the three of them returned together.
"Your Majesty, I, along with two other imperial physicians, examined the wine on the ground and indeed found abortifacients in it."
Consort Shu shuddered and shook her head stiffly, like a piece of wood.
"No...impossible...what do you mean?"
"Are you saying that I first sent lilies, which are harmful to pregnant women, and then poisoned the wine, with the aim of harming Consort Xian's unborn child and causing her to miscarry?"
"Absurd! I didn't even know Consort Xian was pregnant, how could I have known beforehand and put abortifacients in her wine?"
"This...this is a complete frame-up!"
Consort Shu's fear overcame her surprise.
The sudden pregnancy, the sudden miscarriage, and then it was said that she was the culprit who caused Consort Xian's miscarriage.
This is absolutely incomprehensible!
Lotus, however, cried and sobbed, saying:
"Your Majesty! Please allow me to speak at the risk of my life. Consort Shu may have known all along that Your Highness is pregnant!"
"You brat, what nonsense are you spouting!" Consort Shu said angrily.
The Emperor gestured to Consort Shu to be quiet, then asked Lotus:
"Don't be afraid, just say what you know."
Lotus clenched her fists and recited every word she had memorized:
"Your Majesty, during this period, the young lady has shown some signs of pregnancy and has repeatedly ordered me to go to the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Kitchen to collect items, but I have been blocked by Du Mama, who is by Consort Shu's side."
"When I wanted to get the sleeping incense, Granny Du blocked me. I went to get hawthorn, plum, grapes and other sour foods many times, but Granny Du blocked me from getting them, saying that Consort Shu wanted to eat them and that she would not allow me to get them."
“These sour flavors are what pregnant women usually crave. Granny Du is an experienced nanny, and she must have been able to tell from the change in a woman’s taste that the young lady was pregnant, and then informed Consort Shu of this.”
"You vile servant! How dare you slander me! Believe me or not, I'll kill you!" Consort Shu lost her mind and ran towards the lotus flower.
"Shu Ziming! How dare you! Are you plotting a rebellion in front of me?!"
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