Even Qian Shengyan was unaware that, in that instant, Yinzhen had already thought of someone.
He had previously thought that Hongli was young and naive and didn't even know about the medicines used in the Eight Great Hutongs—it was his oversight that allowed such things to remain in the palace!
Is there any connection between Consort Hua's matter and the medicine in Hongshi's possession?
Even... Consort Hua's pregnancy with Hongshi...
Yinzhen's eyes flickered with unpredictable emotions, and after a moment he let out a long sigh. He was unwilling to believe that his son was involved in this matter. After all, apart from Su Peisheng and Wanxia, no one else knew the true identity of Consort Hua. Even if Hongshi was unruly, he wouldn't be so inhumane.
It's definitely not Hongshi, but it's certainly related to that little eunuch and Lao Jiu's group.
These bastards should have been dealt with sooner!
While Yinzhen mentally sentenced the Eighth and Ninth Princes to death, he couldn't help but wonder what Hongshi still had in his possession. He would have to ask him later; those filthy things really couldn't stay in the palace.
He was willing to trust Hongshi one more time, hoping that Hongshi... wouldn't let his trust be in vain.
While Yinzhen was pondering a thousand thoughts, Qian Shengyan had already inquired about Shan Xiu.
Dan Xiu was still in disbelief: "I'm pregnant? I...I'm pregnant??"
"You've miscarried, the baby is gone," Qian Shengyan reminded her mercilessly.
Dan Xiu shuddered, suddenly clutching her stomach and trembling, "No, I can't have a miscarriage. He... he doesn't have any children yet. If I'm pregnant, he... he'll be so happy..."
"Who is he?" Qian Shengyan asked.
Shan Xiu opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly stopped, glared fiercely at Qian Shengyan, and bit her lip.
"Shan Xiu, do you still know who you are?" Qian Shengyan asked slowly, not looking at Shan Xiu, but only at the half eunuch shoe sticking out from under the bed.
Perhaps because they were in such a hurry, no one paid close attention to what was in the bedroom. At this moment, Qian Shengyan looked at the shoes for a moment, then subtly kicked them further inside.
Shan Xiu continued to bite her lip, without answering.
"You are the Emperor's concubine. Even if you are pregnant, can that man believe that this is his child?" Qian Shengyan continued to ask.
Shan Xiu glared at him: "Of course it's his! I've never been with anyone else!"
"Oh? Do you know the cause of the miscarriage?" Qian Shengyan scoffed. "A potent aphrodisiac. Shan Xiu, don't tell me you took it yourself?"
Dan Xiu paused, recalling the frenzy of the past two days. Her face flushed red, then turned pale, then ashen, before she finally asked incredulously in a low growl, "Was it because of that thing that I miscarried?"
Qian Shengyan hummed in agreement, then looked at Wanxia and asked, "Who was with her before her miscarriage?"
"This servant is incompetent and did not see anyone else," Wanxia thought with a frown.
Qian Shengyan almost thought that Hongshi had killed his own child, but Wanxia continued, "Besides Prince Fuhui, there is no other person in this hall."
Qian Shengyan: ?
Qian Shengyan: "Where is Fu Hui?"
“He…” Wanxia couldn’t remember either. She had been too busy just now, rushing to report to the Emperor, to summon the imperial physician, and to settle Shanxiu, but she had forgotten to look after the child…
Wanxia knelt down with a thud: "This servant has failed in her duty..."
"Alright, go find them quickly." Qian Shengyan frowned, then looked at Shan Xiu, whose face was turning pale and then red, and chuckled. "As for you, you should wake up and think carefully about how to report to the Emperor."
"Your Highness Consort Xi!" Just as Qian Shengyan was about to leave, Shan Xiu suddenly called out to her.
Qian Shengyan turned around, and Shan Xiu bit her lip, glanced at the sunset, and then, no longer holding back, whispered, "Nian Gengyao is now just a gatekeeper, and the Nian family has no reason to exist anymore..." She looked at the sunset again uneasily, and lowered her voice even further, "Your Majesty, could you... could you let me... leave here?"
leave?
Qian Shengyan glanced at her sideways with amusement.
If Shan Xiu had behaved herself, the Emperor might have supported her for life, but now that she has done such a scandalous thing in the harem, does she still think she can leave peacefully?
Qian Shengyan turned back and sat down, speaking to her earnestly: "Your elder brother, Shan Wu, is now a sixth-rank official, with a promising future. At such a young age, to have such a high position, is it because he is too brave?"
Shan Xiu's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Qian Shengyan: "My brother... my brother, is he still alive?"
"The Emperor needs you, so naturally he will treat your family with many favors. You've gained advantages and enjoyed wealth, but you've made a mistake, and now you want to easily walk away?" Qian Shengyan laughed. "Your Highness Consort Hua has a good plan."
Shan Xiu began to tremble violently, her lips quivering as she cried out, "You're lying to me! You're lying to me! My brother is dead, dead!!"
"I don't lie to fools." Qian Shengyan left with these words.
Shan Xiu froze on the spot, her lips and hands trembling uncontrollably, revealing her terror.
Is there even a hint of regret?
Qian Shengyan didn't know either.
When she came out, Ulanara and Li were still arguing. Li's mind had been led astray by Ulanara, and she was almost about to admit that she had someone bump into Consort Hua's belly.
Before Li could react, Yinzhen impatiently slammed his hand on the table: "That's enough!"
After he finished speaking, he frowned and glanced at Li Shi: "You're giving me a headache!"
"Your Majesty..." Lady Li still felt somewhat aggrieved.
"And you, put away your little schemes." Yinzhen frowned and looked at Ulanara. "I understand what you mean. Hongshi used to be disciplined by you more, and now he goes to Changchun Palace to pay his respects. Do you still have any complaints?"
"Your Majesty, I dare not," Ulanara said quickly, rising to her feet and curtsying.
Before Yinzhen could say anything more, Ulanara said, "It might be inappropriate to discuss this matter today, but..."
She seemed quite hesitant: "Having said this, I suppose I'm sorry to Consort Hua for bringing up such an unlucky matter at this time. But... before she passed away, the Third Princess Consort mentioned it many times when she came to Changchun Palace to pay her respects..."
She hesitated, then mentioned Consort Hongshi, causing everyone in the room to look at her with some confusion. Yinzhen then spoke up, "Don't beat around the bush, just say what you have to say!"
"Then I will speak frankly," Ulanara said, as if she had made a difficult decision. "When the Third Princess Consort came to Changchun Palace to pay her respects before, she looked somewhat haggard. I didn't press her for details, only offering a few words of concern. Later, perhaps because she had no one else to confide in, the Third Princess Consort told me about..."
"If she hadn't said it herself, Consort Qi, I wouldn't have known that you were such a domineering and abusive person who torments your daughter-in-law!"
Ulanara said with great distress, "Our royal family has so many palace maids to serve us. Dong E is from a prestigious family, so why do you insist on making her serve you like a slave? And you beat and scold her whenever you are unhappy. Look how thin she was before she passed away!"
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