The rain poured down, forming a curtain of rain between heaven and earth, obscuring everything in a hazy, indistinct way. The sound of the rain pattering on the ground only added to the already dire situation.
Looking at the heavy rain outside the window, the Empress Dowager chanted Buddhist mantras, her prayer beads spinning faster in her hand. She knew perfectly well what the Emperor was worried about lately. Just when the rain had finally subsided a bit, trouble arose again.
At this moment, only the cries of a child could bring a glimmer of joy at the arrival of new life. Although she disliked Bai Yiran, he was, after all, her grandson, and the Empress Dowager breathed a long sigh of relief upon hearing the cries.
Before they could even catch their breath, the midwife's panicked voice came from the delivery room, followed by the sounds of things being smashed and a chorus of wails. Apparently, someone had fallen, triggering a domino effect.
"What happened? Why is it so noisy inside? Where are the imperial physicians? Where are the midwives?" Emperor Liang Yuan's eyes and brows were tinged with anger. Taking advantage of the loud shouting inside, everyone fell silent, shrugging their shoulders, afraid to say a word, lest they offend the emperor.
"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager... This servant is guilty, this servant is guilty." The curtain was lifted, and a midwife dressed in plain clothes with a slightly plump figure knelt on the ground, trembling all over, her face terribly pale, and the fear in her eyes was almost overflowing.
"I'll go in and take a look first. The delivery room is filthy. Your Majesty, you sit here." The Empress Dowager's bad premonition grew stronger. She stood up to comfort the Emperor and, with the help of Granny Liu, went into the delivery room.
"Your Majesty, I am not very talented, but I have given birth before, so perhaps I can help my sister." Wuyou walked up to Emperor Liang Yuan and bowed slightly, speaking quickly with a worried expression on her face.
"Consort Xian, please go in quickly! Inform me immediately if there is any news." Emperor Liang Yuan frowned, his heart filled with worry. Hearing Wu You's words, he agreed without hesitation.
Wuyou accepted the order and left, giving a wink to Consort Duan and the other two. Supported by Xiaju, she entered the delivery room. Upon entering, a strong smell of blood assaulted her senses, a sweet and pungent odor that made her gag. Wuyou covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, managing to get used to it somewhat.
"What exactly is going on?" The Empress Dowager's deep, resonant voice, tinged with anger, rang out. Wuyou looked up and saw midwives and palace maids kneeling on the ground, while the imperial physicians and even more so, knelt down, not daring to speak.
The Empress Dowager's hands trembled slightly, her face contorted with rage, her complexion pale and almost imperceptible. She clenched her fists and then released them repeatedly, revealing her fear and anxiety.
The Empress Dowager was no ordinary person; she was a woman who had experienced dynastic changes and even killed people. What could possibly make her change color so drastically, losing her former composure and pretense?
Wuyou's red lips pursed into a straight line. He took a few steps toward the Empress Dowager, grasped her slightly trembling hand, and felt the warmth spread through her body, making the Empress Dowager's cold body feel a little warmer. He turned his head to look at Wuyou, his eyes adding a touch of warmth.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. If the servants below have not done their jobs well, just punish them. Why get angry and hurt yourself?" Wuyou held the Empress Dowager's hand with one hand and patted her back gently with the other to soothe her. His tone was gentle and comforting.
"Wuyou is right." The Empress Dowager's anger lessened somewhat. She took a deep breath, forced a smile, and stared sharply at the servants below.
"Your Majesty, the young prince... the young prince..." The imperial physician trembled violently, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time, his eyes fixed on Bai Yiran's bed with terrified eyes.
Wuyou followed his gaze and could only vaguely see a red swaddled baby, which occasionally twitched. Bai Yiran's child was hard-won, and forcing it to come out with medicinal soup would definitely cause some problems.
She initially thought it was due to physical weakness or disability, but judging from the expressions on these people's faces and the Empress Dowager's furious expression, it seemed that things were not so simple.
"The little prince was born stillborn. He cried twice and then stopped breathing. Do you understand?" The Empress Dowager's expression was cold, and her eyes were full of threat as she looked at the imperial physician.
How could such a scourge be born into the royal family? If outsiders knew, they would probably use this to cause trouble, accusing the emperor of being punished by heaven for giving birth to such a child.
The emperor is the son of Heaven, which is why he possesses supreme status and power. If he were rejected by Heaven, how could he enjoy this supreme position on earth? He would likely be scorned and condemned by the people and lose his life. The mother and son have worked hard to reach this point; how could they let it all go to waste?
With this thought, the Empress Dowager's expression grew even more ruthless, and her eyes were filled with murderous intent as she looked at the palace servants. These people must not be allowed to live.
"Granny Liu, these people failed to take good care of the Empress, resulting in the death of the young prince. By my order, they are to be executed."
The Empress Dowager slightly puffed out her chest and raised her chin, looking arrogant. As her confidante, Liu Mama naturally understood her thoughts. She quickly ordered the guards to gag the people and drag them out. These people didn't even have a chance to beg for mercy before losing their lives.
"Aunt, don't be sad. My sister will have another chance in the future and will definitely give birth to a healthy and lovely prince."
Wuyou remained noncommittal about the Empress Dowager's actions. No one in a position of power would put themselves in danger. The lives of these servants were insignificant. In a society where royal and divine authority were supreme, any mistake could lead to one's downfall. Such behavior was perfectly normal.
It can only be said that these people were unlucky to serve Bai Yiran as their master, and were implicated by him.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager did not show any relief; instead, she frowned and fell into deep thought. The Empress had given birth to a monster; who knew if she would give birth to another one next time? She could not allow herself and her son to take such a risk.
Perhaps the Empress was an unlucky omen, which is why she and her son were implicated.
"Wuyou, you are a smart child. You must keep quiet about everything that happened today." The Empress Dowager touched Wuyou's shoulder with her wrinkled hand, her eyes scrutinizing, and gradually increased the pressure.
Under such a scorching gaze, anyone would be frightened, but Wuyou remained calm and innocent. "What happened today? I just came into the delivery room with my aunt and heard that my sister gave birth to a stillborn child. Isn't it normal for the palace servants to be punished for their incompetence?"
"Good child." The Empress Dowager released her hand, her face full of satisfaction. "From now on, our Bai family will depend on you."
Does this mean she's completely abandoning Bai Yiran? Wuyou feigns shyness but inwardly grumbles, "She really puts profit above all else!"
The Empress Dowager didn't want Wuyou to know too much, so she sent Wuyou out to inform the Emperor and comfort him in his grief over the loss of his eldest son. In fact, Wuyou was only guessing and truly knew nothing about it.
Emperor Liang Yuan was indeed deeply grieved upon learning that his beloved was safe, which was good news for him. He didn't feel much affection for an unborn child, and after being comforted for a while, he was over it.
As she left, Wuyou looked back at Fengyi Palace. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night, and the curse of Fengyi Palace would probably have to be washed away with blood.
"Xia Ju, go back and give some compensation to the families of those palace servants!" This was her only act of pity.
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