After seeing off Consort Qi, it was already April.
Wan Cai Ren has stopped going out.
My belly is quite big now, and the imperial physician said the delivery date is in the next few days.
It started raining heavily on the night of the first day of the fourth lunar month.
It was pouring rain; such heavy rain is rare in the north at this time of year.
Early on the second day of the Lunar New Year, it got cold again.
Yan Nangui naturally didn't go to pay his respects; he simply lay down and went to sleep.
I didn't get up until noon.
I had just gotten up when I heard that there was some commotion at Wan Cai Ren's place.
"They say it hurts, but it's not like she's giving birth yet," Jiangxiang said.
Yan Nangui nodded: "I'll go take a look later."
"You shouldn't go, right? It just rained, and the roads are slippery," Jiangxiang said.
"It's alright, I'll walk. What can I do in flat embroidered shoes? It's not far."
Jiangxiang had no choice but to agree and prepared the things.
After lunch, Yan Nan returned to Yiyu Pavilion.
The Empress and the others were all there. Upon seeing her arrive, the Empress quickly said, "Why have you come? You should rest well; there's nothing urgent here."
"It's alright, I wouldn't feel at ease if I didn't come and see," Yan Nangui said.
As they were talking, a loud commotion started coming from inside.
Wan Cai Ren finally felt the intense pain, and the midwife also realized that she was about to give birth.
This pregnancy is quite large for Wan Cai Ren, and being her first, it will be difficult to deliver.
By the time the emperor arrived, the baby had still not been born.
Shu Chengfeng frowned when he saw Yan Nangui there: "Why did you come out? It's starting to rain again outside."
As he spoke, he took off his cloak and draped it over her shoulders.
The empress pretended not to see it.
Speaking of the midwife, she said, "The midwife meant that it would take a while, since this is her first pregnancy."
Shu Chengfeng nodded: "Tell the imperial physicians to prepare to serve you."
Inside the room, Wan Cai Ren was tormented to the point of feeling like a bird that had fallen into the water.
But at this point, there was no turning back.
While they were waiting outside, they suddenly heard a scream from inside, and someone shouted, "What are you doing?"
Before long, they pulled her out by twisting a midwife's arm.
"This person suddenly pressed down on Consort Wan's stomach. We servants have inquired and learned that such pressure will kill the baby in Consort Wan's womb! Consort Wan will also perish!"
"No, no, no, that's not it. I just... I just saw that the lady couldn't give birth right away, so I gave her a little push. How could I have pressed down? You must have seen wrong!" the midwife argued.
"It's only been a short while, how come it's already time to press?" the Empress asked in confusion. "Quickly, stop this person and question him thoroughly. You all serve him diligently."
The midwife cried out in alarm, "Help! No, I didn't! Your Majesty, please save me! Your Majesty, please save me!"
The Empress's heart skipped a beat: "What are you saying?"
"Your Majesty, this servant is quite strange. Why is she pleading with you?" Consort Jing asked, puzzled.
Before the empress could say anything, panic erupted again in the room.
Shu Chengfeng frowned: "Yunji, go and take a look."
Yun agreed, no longer caring about being embarrassed. Upon entering, she discovered that the midwife's squeezing had caused Wan Cairen's amniotic fluid to almost run out, preventing the baby from coming out.
She was so weak that she almost suffocated the baby.
The other midwife acted decisively and prepared to pull the baby out.
Otherwise, if things continue like this, I'm afraid it will be difficult to give birth.
When Yun Ji spoke up, everyone's eyes turned even closer to the midwife.
Regardless of the reason, she's aiming to harm people.
The Empress's heart was pounding. She had made a move, but not recently. Who had betrayed her like this?
But we can't worry about her right now; everyone should focus on what's inside.
The man was exhausted and needed ginseng soup to continue.
Sang Jieyu went in to keep him company.
Fortunately, as night fell, the baby was finally born.
The adults are all fine.
A maidservant came out to announce the good news: "Your Majesty, it's the Sixth Princess! Consort Wan and the Sixth Princess and her daughter are safe and sound."
"Very well, issue the decree: promote Wan Cairen to the rank of Jieyu. Reward her," Shu Chengfeng said with a smile.
The Empress also bestowed rewards.
The midwife, who had been kneeling for a long time, was now on tenterhooks.
Shu Chengfeng waved his hand, and Yun Ji pulled her up and led her to the torture chamber.
The midwife cried out, "I confess! I confess everything! It was the Empress! It was the Empress who took my only son! I didn't want to, she forced me. If I didn't comply, she threatened to kill my son. He's my only child all these years, I just can't bring myself to do it, Your Majesty… Your Majesty…"
"You! You're spouting nonsense! How dare you slander me?" The Empress was shocked and furious.
No one spoke. Consort Jing wanted to speak, but seeing that no one else was saying anything, she held back for the time being.
Shu Chengfeng glanced at the Empress a few times, then waved his hand: "Take them to the torture chamber for a thorough interrogation. All these midwives from today, take them away for questioning."
"At least be polite to the other midwives; they've all done a good job," Yan Nangui said.
Yun Ji responded.
Consort Xiang frowned at this moment: "This person must be talking nonsense. Your Majesty the Empress need not worry. After being subjected to severe torture, he will surely behave."
The Empress nodded and looked at Shu Chengfeng: "Your Majesty... I am innocent."
"I will investigate this myself." Shu Chengfeng's voice was indifferent, revealing nothing.
“Yes, Her Majesty the Empress is certainly innocent,” Consort Ke added.
Consort Chenhui, who always stood up for the Empress, remained silent this time.
Consort Jing couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "Consort Chenhui has never been on the Empress's side, so why is she silent today?"
"What are you saying? Didn't they take the midwives in for questioning? Aren't the facts they found more reliable than what I said?" Yan Nangui said calmly.
Shu Chengfeng glanced at her, thinking to himself that this woman was holding a grudge.
The Empress glanced at it as well, and forced a smile: "What Consort Chenhui said is true. I am innocent, for I am innocent."
As everyone was about to leave, Shu Chengfeng, feeling uneasy, accompanied Yan Nangui back home.
Sang Jieyu volunteered to stay and take care of Wan Jieyu.
After Wan Jieyu finished getting ready, she ate some light porridge and soup.
The sixth princess is in good health and looks very robust.
Sang Jieyu waved for everyone to leave, leaving only her two personal maids, both from Baiye Kingdom.
"Is your sister feeling better?"
"I'm much better now, it's nothing serious."
The two were actually speaking in the language of Baiye Kingdom. Even if someone outside was listening, they wouldn't understand them for a while.
"Luckily, it was Consort Chenhui who told me, otherwise I would never have known that the Empress was so vicious." Consort Wan said bitterly.
What happened today was not done by the Empress, but she used the same old trick and tampered with her tonic.
However, unlike Consort Jing, she did not rely on tonics, so although the child was large, it was still within the normal range.
In the last month, I basically didn't touch those things at all.
"I don't know who did it today, but thankfully you're alright." Sang Jieyu was also extremely frightened.
Although both of them served the emperor, they came from the same place and had known each other since childhood. They knew that if one of them were lost, there would be no one left to be close to him in the deep palace.
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