Chapter 89 Confirmed
In the side hall, Chen He's cold and confident voice echoed in the side hall, resoundingly.
Everyone's eyes were instantly focused on the emperor at the top, who remained silent but controlled everything.
The emperor's eyes were as sharp as an eagle, sweeping across Chu Yue and finally landing on the face of Chen He who was standing there with his eyes lowered.
Deep in those seemingly calm eyes, there is a subtle sense of certainty.
The emperor's heart moved slightly, his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the jade ring on his thumb, and a meaningful arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Crown Prince Xiao Jinghuan, who was standing aside, did not utter a word from beginning to end.
He just pursed his thin lips, his fingertips slightly curled up, and looked at the scene in front of him with complicated eyes.
The hall fell into an eerie silence again, with only the sounds of people breathing, some rapid and some suppressed.
The Queen and Shan Zhuyu's hearts were in their throats.
Doctor Liu's face turned pale and her palms were covered in cold sweat.
After a long moment, the emperor's majestic eyes slowly scanned everyone in the hall. Finally, he uttered a word in a steady and powerful voice: "Accurate."
He paused slightly, as if weighing his next words, and then added, "Send it to the Imperial Hospital, Chief Judge Zhang De, Director Li Ming, and Imperial Physician Wang Chengen."
As soon as the order was given, a response came from outside the hall.
Every breath of waiting seemed extraordinarily long.
The door to the side hall was still tightly closed.
The imperial physician has not arrived yet.
But this short wait felt like enduring countless years.
Everyone in the hall has different thoughts and undercurrents.
Outside the side hall, the scene was already quite different.
How could those ladies who were stopped outside care about the solemnity of Buddhism?
They gathered in twos and threes, heads touching, whispering. Although they tried to lower their voices, they could not hide their astonishment and excitement.
"Have you heard? The second young lady of the Shen family is actually pregnant!" One person lowered his voice, his eyes flashing.
"Oh my God! How is this possible? And it happened in the majestic Putuo Temple!" another person exclaimed, his face full of disbelief.
"This guy is so bold! If we find out who did it...tsk tsk, that will be a real show to watch!" The third person shook his head and sighed, with a hint of mockery in his tone.
"The Shen family has really lost face this time!" Someone sighed, his tone full of regret.
"It's not just the Shen family. Where will the Queen's face be?" another person continued, with a hint of worry in his tone.
"That's right, Miss Shen was praying for the Queen!" Someone else added, revealing a hint of confusion and blame for Miss Shen's behavior.
"Tell me, who does this child belong to?" At this point in the conversation, everyone fell into deep thought, with complex expressions on their faces.
"Shh! Keep your voice down! Don't say that!"
"This Second Miss Shen usually never leaves the house..."
"It's hard to say, it's hard to say..."
Rumors are more hurtful than knives. At this moment, countless invisible knives are slashing the reputation of the Shen family, Shen Jiao, and even the Queen, leaving them bleeding. This fire has been thoroughly ignited.
There was deathly silence in the side hall.
Outside the side hall, there was an irrepressible noise.
The queen was feeling very uneasy and kept trying to signal Doctor Liu with her eyes, but the latter was already frightened out of her wits and lowered her head, not daring to look at her.
Shan Zhuyu sat on the edge of the bed, holding Chen Jiao's hand, muttering to herself, no one knew what she was saying.
Only Chu Yue and Shen He remained kneeling, one calm and composed, the other with eyes lowered, as if staying out of the matter.
Soon, three old doctors dressed in crimson official uniforms, with white hair and beards and calm temperaments hurried to the side hall.
They looked solemn. It was obvious that they had heard vaguely about the commotion in the side hall through the palace servants on their way here. At this moment, they were watching their noses with their eyes and their hearts with their noses, not daring to breathe.
"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother, and the Empress Dowager."
The three of them knelt down and saluted, their voices cautious.
The emperor had already lost his patience and waved his hands impatiently:
"No need to be polite! Go and take his pulse!"
"yes!"
Zhang Yuanpan, the judge in charge, did not dare to neglect him. He stood up and sat down on the embroidered cushion brought by the palace maid. He held his breath and placed three fingers on Chen Jiao's still exposed wrist.
The hall was once again so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone's heart was hanging in the balance as Judge Zhang's fingertips moved.
The queen clenched her handkerchief tightly, her knuckles turning white, and stared at Zhang Yuanpan's face, not missing any slight change in his expression.
Shan Zhuyu even held her breath, her eyes filled with the last hope and extreme fear.
After a moment, Judge Zhang's brows knitted slightly, almost imperceptibly.
He seemed a little unsure, and concentrated on examining the patient for a moment, with beads of sweat gradually oozing out of his forehead.
He withdrew his hand and did not speak immediately. Instead, he stood up and stepped back, motioning Envoy Li behind him to come forward.
Dean Li took the pulse in the same way, with a serious expression and a furrowed brow. The time he took the pulse was even longer than that of Dean Zhang.
Finally, it was Wang, the imperial physician's turn. His expression was no different. Even after taking the pulse, he subconsciously raised his head and quickly glanced at the queen, whose face was ashen.
After the three doctors finished their examination, they did not reply immediately, but stepped aside and huddled together.
They lowered their voices and communicated rapidly in almost inaudible tones, occasionally looking up at the emperor and empress at the top, and then at Chen Jiao who was dying on the soft couch.
Although the whisper was small, it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.
The Queen Mother was getting impatient waiting, twirling the Buddhist beads in her hand rapidly. Her well-maintained face showed a hint of annoyance. She frowned and asked in a deep voice:
"What happened?!"
"Everyone is hesitating and stammering, how shameful!"
The Queen Mother's voice was filled with unquestionable authority.
The three imperial doctors looked at each other and seemed to have reached a consensus.
Finally, the leading judge Zhang took a deep breath, took a step forward, and fell to his knees with a "thump".
Behind him, Envoy Li and Imperial Physician Wang also immediately followed suit and knelt down in unison.
This action completely chilled the hearts of the Queen and Shan Zhuyu!
Judge Zhang lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly, yet he replied with remarkable clarity:
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Queen Mother, and the Empress..."
He paused, as if he had exhausted all his strength, before continuing:
"The three of us have just carefully examined Miss Shen's pulse..."
"Miss Shen's pulse is...stringy, slippery, and strong, unlike usual..."
He took a deep breath and finally uttered the final verdict:
"This pulse is indeed slippery, it is... it is a sign of pregnancy!"
Zhang Yuanpan was afraid the Emperor and Empress might not be completely convinced, so he hurriedly added, his voice even lower, almost whispering to the ground, "However, the period is very early, and the pulse is hidden. If the three of us had not repeatedly confirmed it, it would probably be difficult to detect. It should be less than a month."
The dust has settled! The three highest authorities in the Imperial Hospital have simultaneously confirmed the pregnancy, less than a month in! Chu Yue's words are true! This undoubtedly gives the Empress, Shan Zhuyu, and Dr. Liu a resounding slap in the face!
The situation has completely reversed!
Chen Jiao is pregnant before marriage, it’s a foregone conclusion!
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