Chapter 28: Consort Shu’s Miscarriage 2

Chapter 28: Consort Shu's Miscarriage 2

"What has happened?"

Regular Consort Yao pushed through the crowd to get a closer look.

Song Zhao observed from a distance, noticing Consort Shu’s deathly pale face and the light green bedspread stained with blood.

Lady Li, having also witnessed the scene, covered her mouth and whispered something into Song Zhao's ear.

“With so much blood, the child is probably beyond saving, isn’t it?”

The child was indeed beyond saving,

If there was any sliver of hope, the imperial physicians wouldn’t dare to bring abortifacient medicine to Consort Shu.

As Consort Shu continued her commotion, the Empress, Consort Yun, and Consort Ying also arrived one after another.

Seeing the Empress, Consort Shu cried incessantly, “Empress, they’re trying to harm me! They want me to miscarry!”

The Empress grasped Consort Shu’s hand, feeling its wet warmth,

and upon a closer look, realized it was drenched in blood.

Taking a deep breath, the Empress reassured, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here, no one can harm you.”

Consort Shu’s abdomen was in so much pain that her whole body trembled.

The Empress asked Consort Yun and Consort Ying to stay with Consort Shu, then called the physician responsible for the prenatal care aside and asked in a low voice:

“What’s the situation? How did she suddenly start bleeding?”

The physician was also terrified, stuttering, “Your Majesty, when I arrived, Consort Shu’s pulse was already weak and slippery, and she had started bleeding... the movement of the child in her womb is extremely weak, I’m afraid it’s... beyond saving.”

“Nonsense!” The usually dignified and composed Empress angrily retorted, “Are you joking about the life of an imperial heir? You must find a way to treat her, even if there’s a glimmer of hope!”

Hearing this, the physician fell silent, almost ready to kneel and bow to the Empress.

His words had been cautious enough, but it was clear to anyone with eyes that with Consort Shu bleeding so severely, how could the child possibly be saved?

“The Emperor has arrived!”

Song Zhao looked towards the voice and saw Xiao Jingheng and Consort Chen arriving one after the other,

All the consorts bowed to greet him, but Xiao Jingheng paid no attention to anyone and went straight to Consort Shu’s bedside to check on her condition.

Consort Chen walked leisurely into the hall, yawning as she passed by Song Zhao, and asked in a languid tone:

“What trick is she playing now?”

Before Song Zhao could speak, Li Changzai jumped in to say to Consort Chen, “Consort Chen, it seems Consort Shu might lose her child.”

Consort Chen was visibly startled by the news, and then tiptoed to glance towards Consort Shu.

Seeing the blood-stained bed, her feet gave way, stumbling backward, but luckily Yingxiang was close behind and quickly supported her, stabilizing her.

“How, how could this happen?”

Consort Chen clutched the fabric over her chest tightly, her eyes burning with anxiety as she looked at the frantic Consort Shu.

“Your Majesty! They are trying to harm me! They want to harm our child!”

Consort Shu, nestled in Xiao Jingheng’s embrace, wept heartbreakingly.

Xiao Jingheng held her shoulders, his brow furrowed deeply upon seeing the blood-stained bed.

Accompanied by the chief physician of the Imperial Medical Bureau, who, after checking Consort Shu’s pulse, knelt before Xiao Jingheng in a panic, lamenting:

“Your Majesty... please accept my condolences! The imperial heir in Consort Shu’s womb has perished. If we don’t remove the deceased fetus promptly, leaving it inside Consort Shu’s body might endanger her life!”

“No!!! My child!” Consort Shu’s voice was hoarse from crying. The words she screamed out seemed to be drenched in blood.

She clung tightly to Xiao Jingheng’s arm, collapsing emotionally, “It can’t be, Your Majesty, our royal child is fine, he’s fine! You visited him yesterday, he was still kicking inside me, how could they tell me... my child is gone!”

The scene before their eyes was enough to move even the hardest of hearts.

Even the usually arrogant and domineering Consort Chen turned away to secretly wipe her tears.

She had once lost a child at six months due to a fall, experiencing the same despair and helplessness as Consort Shu, feeling as if the sky had collapsed upon her.

Song Zhao stole glances at Xiao Jingheng, noticing his right hand clenched tightly, knuckles reddening, veins on his neck bulging, his face a complex mix of emotions.

There was anger, sorrow, and a hint of pity for Consort Shu.

But as the emperor, the ruler of the land, no matter the gravity of the situation, he must remain calm and composed, never showing any sign of weakness.

Seeing him briefly close his eyes in silence before quickly regaining composure, he gently stroked Consort Shu’s shoulder, speaking in a deep voice:

“The most important thing now is to take care of your health. You are still young; we will have children again.”

“No! I want this child! Please save our child, Your Majesty!”

Consort Shu became hysterical, her fingers digging into Xiao Jingheng’s hand, nearly piercing his skin with her nails.

Xiao Jingheng, with a stiff motion, moved her hand away and coldly instructed the physician:

“Prepare the abortion medicine for Consort Shu.”

In the end, the medicine to terminate the pregnancy was personally administered to Consort Shu by Xiao Jingheng.

The medicine took effect quickly, and Consort Shu’s agonized cries and screams were heart-wrenching.

The imperial physician surrounded the bed to help her with the delivery, while Xiao Jingheng and the other concubines waited in the main hall for news.

With such a significant event unfolding, the servants of Zhong Cui Palace knelt throughout the hall, terrified and not daring to raise their heads.

Xiao Jingheng's gaze swept over the crowd with a menacing intensity as he fidgeted with the ring on his thumb,

"How are you attending to your master?"

Qingyue, kneeling at the front, bowed twice and tearfully said, "Ever since Her Highness became pregnant, we have all been diligently serving her. Her Highness was in good health, but after dinner tonight, she suddenly felt unwell. I assisted Her Highness to rest in bed and immediately sent for the imperial physician... But before the physician could arrive, Her Highness began to bleed!"

"What did you serve Consort Shu for dinner tonight?" asked the Empress.

Qingyue replied, "Her Highness's daily diet is planned according to the menu formulated jointly by the Imperial Medical Bureau and the Imperial Kitchen. To avoid any mishaps, we stopped accepting meals from the Imperial Kitchen three months ago and have been cooking in our small kitchen in the palace.

Tonight's dinner included steamed millet with pork ribs, stir-fried asparagus with shrimp, garlic-flavored Brassica juncea, steamed bass, and black chicken ginseng soup. These are all dishes Her Highness enjoys, and I supervised the preparation myself, so there should be no issues..."

"Should be?" Xiao Jingheng slammed his hand on the table in anger and sternly said, "The safety of your mistress and the imperial heir relies on your 'should be'? Summon the imperial food taster and have them inspect every dish from Consort Shu's dinner tonight!"