On ordinary days, most of the palace servants liked to go to Fengyi Palace to do their work. Everyone knew that the Empress was the Emperor's favorite. If one could work in Fengyi Palace, it would be a blessing from one's previous life.
Overnight, the situation reversed. Most of the palace servants in Fengyi Palace were dragged out and beaten to death, the stench of blood so strong it made one want to vomit. Although it had rained all night, a faint smell of blood could still be detected when one got close; it was hard to tell if it was just an illusion or real.
When Bai Yiran woke up from her coma, she found herself surrounded by unfamiliar faces. She had lost the child she had worked so hard to conceive. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and her heart was filled with fear.
"Who are you? Where is the Emperor? Where is my personal maid? Where is the prince?" Leaning back on the cushions, Bai Yiran unconsciously clutched the blanket tightly, her bright almond-shaped eyes filled with boundless fear.
"Your Majesty, this servant was sent by the Empress Dowager to attend to you. You have just suffered a miscarriage and are in a weak state. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager instructed you to take good care of yourself in Fengyi Palace and avoid being exposed to the wind outside."
The stern-faced old woman bowed respectfully, her every movement stiff and rigid, her gaze towards Bai Yiran inscrutable.
"I need to see the Emperor. Go and invite him here immediately." Even if Bai Yiran was stupid, she understood what miscarriage meant. The child she had finally conceived was gone. She had suffered so much, drunk so much bitter medicine, and even almost ruined her face, only to have a stillborn child.
Her face drained of color, and Bai Yiran's large almond-shaped eyes instantly welled up with tears, filled with grievance and sorrow. They had just lost their child, yet the Emperor was not by her side. Bai Yiran's heart ached terribly, and she couldn't help but become somewhat hysterical. She grabbed the blankets and glared fiercely at the old woman, reprimanding her in a commanding tone.
Unexpectedly, the old woman remained composed and spoke in a measured tone, "His Majesty is busy with state affairs and has no time to attend to Your Majesty. Please understand His Majesty's difficulties. Once Your Majesty recovers and your appearance is restored, you will surely be able to see His Majesty again."
Bai Yiran accurately grasped the key point in the old woman's painting. He touched his face, and the hardness of his hand made his lips tremble involuntarily.
She stiffly looked down at her hands, which were now skin and bones, no longer the slender, fair and tender hands they once were.
"Mirror! I need a mirror!" Bai Yiran cried out in terror, waving her hands wildly, showing signs of madness. Coincidentally, a mirror sat on a nearby table, its angle peculiar, clearly reflecting the woman's face—emaciated and deathly pale, making one think they had truly encountered a ghost.
"Ah—this isn't me—it's not me—get away—get away—" Bai Yiran screamed wildly, her hands waving so wildly that only afterimages remained. She scrambled to the corner of the wall, bending her knees and screaming repeatedly.
"Her Majesty the Empress has gone mad! Quickly grab her, don't let her hurt herself!" Seeing the situation was dire, the nanny quickly ordered the palace servants to restrain Bai Yiran. It took three or four people to barely control her.
When the Emperor received the news, he had just left Yiyuan Palace and rushed to Fengyi Palace without even catching his breath. As soon as he entered the inner palace, he saw a woman curled up in a ball, covering her face tightly, unwilling to reveal any part of her features, and hiding her body under a quilt. Emperor Liang Yuan's heart softened. After all, she was the woman he had loved for so many years, and he felt a surge of tenderness. He sat by the bedside, his voice so gentle it could melt hearts.
"Yiran, it's me. I've come to see you in person. Take good care of yourself. You can have another child in the future. Lie down and rest."
What he didn't notice was that the moment he spoke, the figure on the bed froze for a second and buried its head even deeper.
"Yiran, Yiran, why aren't you saying anything?" After a long while without a response, Emperor Liang Yuan became anxious and subconsciously reached out to grab her, only to be met with a sharp, urgent cry.
"Ah—get away from me, get away from me, don't touch me—" Bai buried her head in the quilt, still trembling like a leaf, causing the quilt to shake wildly, like a leaf falling in the wind.
"Yiran, what's wrong with you? Is it me?" Emperor Liang Yuan was also quite frightened. He reached out to grab the other person's blanket, afraid that she would have trouble breathing, but Bai Yiran pushed him hard and he fell to the ground.
"Your Majesty, please forgive us! Your Majesty, please forgive us!" The palace maids and eunuchs knelt on the ground, kowtowing desperately.
"That's enough." Seeing his beloved, now driven mad and no longer possessing her former exquisite beauty and gentleness, Emperor Liang Yuan was deeply hurt. He shook his head, having neither the mood nor the time to pursue the matter further.
"Take good care of the Empress and make sure she recovers as soon as possible." Unable to bear Bai Yiran's ravenous hunger any longer, Emperor Liang Yuan instinctively fled, leaving behind these words before hastily departing with his entourage as if a ghost were chasing them.
This news was no secret and quickly spread throughout the palace. The Empress Dowager sighed deeply, a knowing look on her face.
He knew he was bound to suffer a terrible setback, not only becoming haggard but also losing his child and never having another one.
However, her erratic behavior inevitably tarnished the royal family's reputation, as the Great Liang Dynasty had never had a madwoman-like empress before.
"Alas, perhaps I shouldn't have agreed to let Yiran become Empress. If it were Wuyou, none of this would have happened." The Empress Dowager couldn't help but sigh, feeling a pang of regret.
She thought that as the legitimate daughter of the Bai family, and with the emperor's favor towards her, she would bring even more glory to the Bai family. However, she never expected that after entering the palace, the child would become a different person. Instead of being as obedient and gentle as before, she showed a domineering nature, refusing to allow the emperor to favor other concubines, resulting in the harem remaining childless for three years.
She finally got pregnant, but then gave birth to a freak, causing such a huge uproar.
Unlike Wuyou, who, despite being a concubine's daughter, had been diligent and conscientious since entering the palace, managing the harem in an orderly manner, maintaining excellent relationships with the other concubines, and even giving birth to his eldest grandson.
Thinking of her grandson Liang Qingchen, who was so young yet so dignified and composed, the warmth in the Empress Dowager's eyes deepened. This child was truly intelligent, sensible, and endearing. If it weren't for Bai Yiran, this child would have been the rightful eldest grandson.
"How is the Empress?" The Empress Dowager turned the prayer beads in her hand, knelt on the prayer mat, closed her eyes and concentrated, speaking calmly to the Buddha statue.
"Her Majesty the Empress is much better. She is taking her medicine as instructed by the imperial physician every day, and it seems she has come to her senses. She has asked the palace maids to help her collect some beauty-enhancing recipes." Granny Liu respectfully returned home.
The Empress Dowager gave a soft "hmm." Her niece wasn't entirely stupid, but it was too late.
"Since the Empress wants to find beauty-enhancing recipes, then you should send some over to her." In short, she couldn't risk getting the Empress pregnant again; if a freak were to be born, it would be another huge problem.
"Yes." This medicine is a secret palace formula known only to the Empress Dowager. Even the imperial physicians couldn't figure it out. After the Empress, she can only ever be the Empress.
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