Chapter 35

Chapter 35

No one expected that the accident would come so soon.

The joyful atmosphere in Cining Palace hadn't even dissipated when a young palace maid from Zhongcui Palace rushed in, looking panic-stricken.

"Empress Dowager, our noble lady started bleeding over an hour ago and had severe abdominal pain. We went to the Imperial Physician, but the attendant only said that the physician specializing in women and children was temporarily unavailable."

"Wuuu... Before the Imperial Physician could even arrive, our noble lady miscarried. Please, Empress Dowager, we beg you to seek justice for her!"

At the moment when the young palace maid came to cry out for help, the Empress Dowager was enthusiastically selecting tonics for Chuxiu Palace and Zhongcui Palace. Hearing this, she seemed to falter.

It had only been half a month since Su Changzai's pregnancy was confirmed. It hadn't even been October since the Double Ninth Festival, and the child was already gone?

Empress Dowager Uya wore a stern expression as she headed towards Zhongcui Palace. More than the heartache of losing a child in the palace, she was filled with anger.

How could Su be so foolish as to fall victim to schemes and miscarry within just over ten days of confirming her pregnancy? Even in the early years of the Retired Emperor's reign, when children in the palace were constantly dying, the schemes hadn't been this fast.

If the Su family had known their daughter was this foolish, they never would have sent her into the palace!

As they arrived at Zhongcui Palace, Geng Shuning, supporting the Empress Dowager, was immediately startled by Su Changzai's piercing wails as they entered the rear hall.

"Did you harm my child? Beat this lowly maid to death!"

"Noble lady, please spare my life! I know nothing!"

"If you hadn't given me that bowl of tonic soup, my child wouldn't have..."

After a brief pause, another round of wails came from the side room, followed by the impatient reprimand of Empress Ulanara:

"Enough! What nonsense! I will find out who harmed your child, so stop this..."

The Empress Dowager entered the room with a livid face, cutting off the Empress's tirade.

The imperial concubines who had rushed to Zhongcui Palace quickly bowed to the Empress Dowager.

Only Su Changzai wasn't subdued. Her pale face was covered in blood as she rolled off the kang and crawled a few steps, grabbing the Empress Dowager's clothes.

Tears and snot streaming down her face, she cried loudly, without any trace of the gentle grace of a palace lady.

"I beg the Empress Dowager to seek justice for me!"

"This servant has been extremely cautious these past days, not even sleeping peacefully at night, yet I still couldn't protect the emperor's offspring. Someone harmed—"

Empress Dowager Uya took a step back and coldly interrupted her, "Shut up! Where is Nanny Jingqi? Have her explain!"

She didn’t want to waste time talking to someone who couldn’t even protect her own child.

The experienced Nanny Tatara knelt down with a bitter expression.

"Empress Dowager, please understand. The noble lady miscarried due to internal and external use of cold items. However, the daily meals are managed by the Imperial Kitchen Bureau, and I have checked that there were no cold items."

"The items used in the noble lady's daily life were inspected every day by the Imperial Physician who monitored her condition. The noble lady even stopped using scented incense. There is nothing unusual in Zhongcui Palace..."

With years of experience in the palace and having cared for multiple pregnant women, Nanny Tatara had never seen anything like this before.

Empress Dowager Wuya was not surprised. She never underestimated the schemes of the women in the harem.

She asked with a cold face, “What does the Imperial Physician say?”

The Imperial Physician kneeling outside the door hurriedly replied, “Imperial Physician reports to Empress Dowager, this servant indeed found no issues with Su Shi's daily use of items. However... Su Shi did indeed have a rapid miscarriage due to a large amount of cold items.”

Su Shi glared viciously at her personal maid, Changxia.

Under such careful conditions, no one but this despicable maid could have harmed her!

Changxia, with her forehead broken from kowtowing, trembled and pleaded for her life, “I have something important to report, Empress Dowager.”

Wuya said indifferently, “Speak!”

Changxia said with a hoarse voice, “This servant reports to Empress Dowager, every day the noble lady would go to Changshou Palace to greet her. In Changshou Palace, incense was always burning, and the consorts and concubines often wore scented cosmetics.

“The noble lady occasionally went for walks in the Imperial Garden and would occasionally encounter the imperial concubines. They would occasionally chat during these encounters.”

“This servant does not dare to falsely accuse the imperial concubines of harming the noble lady, but despite what the Imperial Physician and Tatala Nanny said about everything being normal, I believe otherwise. This servant only asks Empress Dowager to investigate!”

If everything were truly normal, the small amount of cold ingredients in the tonic soup Su Shi drank would have been enough to kill Changxia.

But the Imperial Physician clearly said that the small amount of cold items was not enough to cause a miscarriage, only making the fetus unstable.

Changxia did not want to die. Even being sent to Xinzheku would be better than dying with such grievance.

As Wuya listened, her expression calmed slightly.

She did not feel too much sorrow for the loss of a grandchild that had not been born yet. Such things were far too common in the palace.

Originally, she thought Su Shi was simply too foolish, but now it seemed that the schemes in the harem were quite sophisticated.

She was not surprised.

Since the new emperor's ascension, this was only the second time a pregnancy had been announced. The women, who had accumulated skills, had likely been waiting for this for a long time.

She swept her gaze over the women in the room, pausing briefly on Niuheru Jingyi, whose face was slightly pale as she held her stomach.

“Noble Lady Niu is excused from greeting me for now. She may resume after three months when the fetus is stable.”

“As for Su Shi's miscarriage, I will personally investigate and give you all a resolution.

“The imperial offspring in the harem are not plentiful. I don’t expect much from you, but at least be truthful! If I find out who dares to harm the imperial offspring, I will not show mercy!”

The Empress was the first to lower her head, followed by the consorts and concubines who bowed in agreement.

When Empress Dowager was still De Fei, she managed palace affairs together with the now bedridden Hui Taifei, as well as Rong Taifei and Yi Taifei.

*

Her control over the harem was far greater than that of the consorts who had only been in the palace for two years.

Usually, she did not show her power, but when she truly wanted to investigate something, she acted swiftly.

Just a few days into the tenth month, Empress Dowager found some clues.

What surprised Geng Shuning was that this matter involved Guerjia Changzai and Garudai.

Before Su Shi's miscarriage, she had met Garudai in the Imperial Garden.

Safflower and chuanxiong were found in the quarters of Garudai's personal maid in the side hall of Yikun Palace.

Although Garudai explained that the safflower was prescribed by the Imperial Physician to regulate her menstruation and that she had the prescription,

if she had taken it, the quantities wouldn’t match, and there was no reason to store it in the maid’s quarters.

As for the chuanxiong, it was prepared for menstrual pain relief, with the same reasoning.

Garudai was placed under house arrest in Yikun Palace by the Empress Dowager, and her personal maid was sent to the Imperial Punishment Bureau for interrogation.

Geng Shuning gradually realized that the clear path she had once hoped for was harder to walk than the path out of the palace.

Not only was the chance of bearing a son only fifty percent, but even the most amiable people could turn into man-eating tigers in this deep palace at any moment.

Surviving long enough to achieve her ultimate goal while dealing with the Fourth Master was incredibly difficult.

It would be better to take a gamble and become a trusted aide who occasionally served at his bedside rather than struggle in the harem.

In late October, the maid sent to the Imperial Punishment Bureau died unexpectedly before revealing much.

Garudai personally came to Cining Palace to confess her guilt.

In front of the Empress Dowager, Garudai did not try to absolve herself.

"As a former female official, I have not learned how to manage those under me, allowing others to take advantage of the situation. Regardless, it is my fault."

"Although the amount of safflower and chuanxiong found was small and not enough to cause the miscarriage of Attendant Su, I can’t be certain when that disloyal maid took action. I ask the Empress Dowager to punish me!"

Empress Dowager Uya only said indifferently, "Since the person is dead, I cannot blame you for now. I will continue to investigate. You should stay in your palace and reflect."

Garudai’s maternal uncle was Guanyinbao, and Guanyinbao was the second elder brother of the Duanhe Empress.

As Empress Dowager Uya investigated, she uncovered traces of servants from the old Yuqing Palace.

She suspected this matter involved more than just the harem.

Empress Dowager Uya felt the difficulty and did not wish to act rashly.

Garudai gently left the main hall and, before leaving, found Geng Shuning.

With red-rimmed eyes, she clung to Geng Shuning for a moment before quietly pleading, "Shu Ning, do you trust me?"

Geng Shuning was no longer the naive girl who had just crossed over. Her voice was gentle, and her words were precise.

"Attendant Gua Jia, don’t worry. The truth will always come out. I understand the temperament of our mistress and believe she would not wrong you."

Garudai hesitated, looked at Geng Shuning, and sighed.

"I understand this reasoning, but Shu Ning... the rumors that Tong Siya and Jingyi spread about you have not yet dissipated. In this palace, there is no such thing as innocence."

"Honestly, this incident truly has nothing to do with me. If you, Shu Ning, value our years of friendship and there is an opportunity not to make things difficult, I ask that you speak for me."

Geng Shuning’s eyes curved slightly, her tone even gentler, and she did not refuse.

"Attendant, rest assured. You know my nature. When it is time to speak, I will not stand by."

Garudai looked deeply at Geng Shuning.

In such a short time, the once innocent and vulnerable girl had learned to be cautious.

She forced a bitter smile and didn’t say any more, leaving Cining Palace with a forlorn look.

*

When the first snow fell in the capital, Geng Xue, who had been quiet for a long time, stepped into Geng Shuning's duty room.

"Elder Cousin… when I went to the Imperial Clothing Bureau, Concubine Niuchangzai asked me to pass you a message."

"The person said that Concubine Niuchangzai is heavily pregnant and her emotions are hard to control. She keeps thinking about when she first entered the palace and wants to talk to you."

Geng Shuning was learning to sew a waist warmer with Nanny Chen.

The Empress Dowager had many children in her early years, and her lower back easily became cold and ached when the weather turned cold.

In the previous life, this wasn’t considered a major issue. Using a moxibustion waist warmer for a few hours each day could significantly ease the pain.

Hearing Geng Xue’s especially respectful tone, she didn’t even lift her head, leaving Geng Xue, who was standing uneasily, in the room.

Carefully finishing the waist warmer, Geng Shuning looked at the somewhat sturdy bamboo she had embroidered and gave a playful smile to Nanny Chen.

"I’m just not cut out for this kind of work."

Geng Xue suddenly raised her head, about to say that her embroidery skills were good and she could help her cousin, but she stopped.

Despite her promotion from sixth-rank recordkeeper to fifth-rank attendant, she was still being sidelined, from Changchun Garden to Cining Palace.

The Imperial Household Department treated her indifferently, and even the kitchen staff seemed to know that Geng Shuning was being ignored, making her wait for her meals until they were half-cold.

Geng Xue felt somewhat wronged. She had never thought of harming her cousin. At most, she had coldly observed the emperor’s interest in her cousin. Why was her cousin pushing her away?

Despite her grievances, she didn’t dare to speak. Not to mention the emperor, her cousin was also highly favored by the Empress Dowager, and she couldn’t afford to offend her.

But she couldn’t bring herself to say the flattering words, and Geng Shuning’s cold, disapproving glance silenced her.

Geng Shuning put down the waist warmer and looked calmly at Geng Xue.

She didn’t know that her expressionless and cold demeanor, resembling Yinzhen’s, sent a chill down one’s spine.

"Do you think that human strength can’t compete with fate, and that my past words are just empty, that in the end, you still have to be manipulated by the Geng family because of blood ties?"

Geng Xue remained silent. Isn’t the Geng family’s prestige what we rely on to survive?

"You can betray me to the emperor without any guilt for the sake of the Geng family and your future. Is it enough for you to just kneel before me?"

"Even when you clearly noticed something was wrong, you pretended not to know. It’s best if I became an Empress. Even if I die, you can continue to serve the Geng family, right?"

Geng Shuning lowered her eyes and looked at Geng Xue calmly from below, until she met her cousin’s aggrieved eyes.

But why should she be sucked dry by the Geng family and Geng Xue to climb up?

If you want something, you must be willing to pay the price.

"After I become an Empress? In similar situations, would my life and death still be irrelevant?"

Geng Xue felt a genuine chill in her heart and instinctively shook her head, "It's not like that..."

"I don’t want to hear your explanation." Geng Shuning interrupted her flatly.

"Geng Xue, I don’t owe you or your family anything. Betrayal always comes at a price."

"Your experience at the Imperial Punishment Bureau should have taught you that if there’s even the slightest issue with me, you and your father will die before I do."

Geng Xue was stunned.

Geng Shuning's gaze grew colder, and she stood up, gently wiping away the tears that had unconsciously fallen from Geng Xue's face.

"I won't scold you, nor will I hit you. There are countless ways to make a servant disappear in the deep palace. Do you really think the Geng family would speak up for you?"

"These days should be enough for you to calm down. In the future, when others have something to say, consider whether your life is hardy enough before deciding to pass it on to me... Do you understand?"

Geng Shuning's finger at her temple was ice-cold, and Geng Xue nodded involuntarily, shivering all over.

"I... I... I shouldn’t have come to pass on a message because of the child in Niu Changzai’s womb and the past favors we shared. I was wrong, and I will never act rashly again. I beg for your forgiveness, sister..."

Without a word, Geng Shuning slowly wiped her fingers with a handkerchief and sat back down.

Nanny Chen smiled and stood up. "I'll see Geng Xue Miss out. It gets dark early these days, and with the snow, the hot water bag should be prepared early..."

Once the room was empty, Geng Shuning lazily leaned against the kang, lost in thought.

Geng Shuning understood what Niuheru Jingyi meant. This was an invitation to meet at the Qingyu Pavilion.

With Su Changzai’s miscarriage, the palace was now on edge. There was no reason for her to get involved in this mess.

Besides, favors... ha, she’d rather believe she had some connection with the Fourth Master.

*

Geng Shuning brushed off Geng Xue’s words, but Niuheru Jingyi soon found an opportunity to speak with her.

By the end of October, after being pregnant for three months, Niuheru Jingyi, as usual, followed the Empress to pay respects at Cining Palace. She cornered Geng Shuning at the storeroom door.

Seeing her, Niuheru Jingyi smiled warmly. 'It’s not easy to catch a moment alone with you.'

Geng Shuning bowed respectfully. "I didn't know Niu Changzai was looking for this servant. If I had known, I would have gone to Chuxiu Palace."

Niuheru Jingyi chuckled. "There's no need to be so formal between us, right?"

Geng Shuning smiled without saying a word.

Niuheru Jingyi asked again, "May I speak to you alone for a few words? I’ll have Nanny Chen and the palace maids stand at a distance."

Geng Shuning was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Nanny Chen in the storeroom.

Nanny Chen, with the young palace maid, stood far away under the corridor.

Niuheru Jingyi's palace maids also stood at a place where they could see but not hear the conversation.

Knowing time was short, Niuheru Jingyi wasted no time getting to the point.

"I know that Sister Gua Jia has sought you out. Take my advice: don't speak about Concubine Su's matter in front of the Empress Dowager."

Geng Shuning’s heart stirred, but she kept her expression calm as she looked up. "Why does the Changzai say this?"

Niuheru Jingyi's expression softened a little, even revealing some sarcasm, but she didn't answer Geng Shuning's question. Instead, she brought up something else.

"Previously, the emperor summoned me to Nine Continents Clear View for his company, but there were few actual favors. I became more curious why you went to the Qingyu Pavilion and why you gave me the opportunity for advancement."

"During the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration, concerning the longevity fruits and phoenix pomelos, you were whispering with Sister Gua Jia in the duty room, right? Gua Jia got the credit for this, but no one knows it was related to you. Someone must have sealed Sister Gua Jia's lips."

"Though it didn’t cause much of a stir, I know that Wanfang Anhe and Rugu Hanjin were also searched. Otherwise, the Empress wouldn't have been secretly investigating this matter."

Geng Shuning lowered her eyes, her expression unreadable, but her heart felt heavy.

Niuheru Jingyi looked at Geng Shuning and smiled calmly, "There are no fools in this palace. The emperor's special treatment of you cannot be hidden from anyone."

"No one can stop what the emperor wants to do, and it's inevitable that more people will take notice."

"You've given me a great opportunity, and today I want to return the favor."

"The situation is far more complicated than you realize. Whether you still wish to leave the palace or not, if you get involved and are stained by this mess, with how much the empress dowager values the emperor's offspring, punishing you will be no different than punishing any other servant."

Geng Shuning was amused and looked up at her, nodding. "Thank you for the reminder, Niu Changzai. This servant will be cautious in words and actions."

Niuheru Jingyi, however, lost her smile as she realized Geng Shuning's lack of concern. She placed her hand on her belly.

"What I say today, even if not entirely for you, I dare to use the life of this child in my womb to guarantee that seven parts are for your own good, and the remaining three are not meant to harm you. As for what to do, take your time to consider it."

She didn't say more, smiled at Geng Shuning, called over her palace maid, and gracefully left the back palace.

Niuheru Jingyi didn't know that the young palace maid by Nanny Chen's side had been trained in the imperial palace. The maid had sharp ears and overheard everything, quietly reporting it to Nanny Chen.

When there were no outsiders left in the storeroom, Nanny Chen asked in a low voice, "Miss, should this servant go and investigate?"

Geng Shuning smiled more relaxedly. "No need. Didn't she tell me to think it over? Let me take a guess."

"Su Changzai's miscarriage—whether Guarjia Changzai is innocent remains unclear, but those who acted were likely not just one person."

Nanny Chen nodded in understanding. "In the palace, if you want to poison someone, there are ways to use food interactions, but to gather medicines that can cause a quick miscarriage, it's likely the whole family would be on the chopping block."

In novels and TV dramas, there are many methods to cause a miscarriage, like safflower, musk, and oleander, but in reality, it's not easy to obtain these in the palace.

Smuggling items into the palace is a capital offense that can result in the execution of the entire family. At the Shenwu Gate, nannies from the Bureau of Works oversee thorough checks of both palace maids and eunuchs as they enter or leave.

At the only gate where things can be brought in, the Xihua Gate, there are specially trained imperial dogs and test rabbits to prevent any unknown substances from entering the palace.

It's not completely impossible to get these things, but even an ounce of safflower must have a provenance.

As for palace maids like Garudai, it's unclear how they managed to smuggle these items in, either through highly skilled methods or by using influential ministers and noble ladies to find ways to bring things in.

Nanny Chen explained carefully, "Whenever this is discovered, from the Imperial Physicians to the lower-ranking servants, many people are executed. No one dares to harbor ill intentions easily."

Geng Shuning understood. It was only after she transmigrated that she realized the crude methods of knocking down pregnant women, forcing them to kneel, or pushing them into water were the most common means of palace intrigue.

The empress dowager had previously arranged for skilled nannies who were quick and specifically guarded against such things, which was why the empress dowager thought Su Changzai was foolish.

Now it seemed, Geng Shuning's expression turned playful. "From what Niu Changzai implied, quite a few people are involved."

She was just helpless. "I don't understand why, time and again, someone tries to drag me into this."

Nanny Chen smiled. "Niu Changzai said that the emperor's favor for you cannot be hidden from others..."

Geng Shuning lightly scoffed. "Even if the emperor favors me, I don't understand why everyone thinks I'm an easy target."

Nanny Chen fell silent. Miss indeed didn't seem like someone ruthless, having only ever dealt with one life.

Geng Shuning thoughtfully looked at Nanny Chen. "Nanny, do you also think I'm easy to bully?"

Nanny Chen looked up and saw Geng Shuning smiling lazily against the doorframe. The winter sun after the snow made her delicate features seem even more pristine, but upon closer inspection, her almond-shaped eyes revealed a chill that couldn't be ignored.

Nanny Chen was a bit uncertain but knew how to say the right things. "Miss's methods may not be understood by ordinary people, but sometimes, it's wise to hide one's true abilities."

"Nanny is right." Geng Shuning remained smiling.

"Then would Nanny be willing to help me? In the future, there will definitely be a place for you by my side. I will ensure you a life of luxury and honor, more glorious than the elderly titled ladies of common families."

Nanny Chen's heart wavered at these words.

She had spent decades in the palace, rescued by the emperor from a low-ranking concubine and serving as his spy for nearly a decade before becoming the storeroom manager in Cining Palace. Though it sounded respectable, it was actually quite useless. When she grew old, she would end up in a nunnery.

If she could truly become a trusted confidante of Miss Shu Ning, once Miss Shu Ning rose to power, she would be rewarded with a mansion and honor, making her future far more promising than it is now.

But this required a price.

Without Geng Shuning needing to say it, Nanny Chen knew that to gain these, she would have to switch allegiances.

She hesitated and lowered her head, "Miss, could you give me some time to think?"

"Take your time, Nanny. Even if you refuse, I won't hold it against you." Geng Shuning said with a smile, holding a gilded hollow hand warmer retrieved for the Empress Dowager, stepping from the shadows into the bright snow.

However, if Nanny Chen did not prove useful, she would replace her with someone who would pledge loyalty based on merit.

Fortunately, Nanny Chen was genuinely tempted by Geng Shuning's offer.

*

The next evening, after Geng Shuning had her dinner and the door was closed, Nanny Chen knelt before her and gave her answer.

"From now on, whatever Miss Shu Ning asks me to do, no matter what I see or hear, before the emperor, my will shall be yours."

Geng Shuning smiled and helped Nanny Chen up, pulling her to sit down, her voice sweet and soft.

"Remember, I don't like it when others kneel to me. Let's continue as we were before."

"Regarding Consort Su's matter, since others want to drag me into this, I need to know what I should know." She would not be naive enough to think that retreating into her shell would solve everything.

"I assume the emperor has secret guards?"

Seeing Nanny Chen nod, Geng Shuning's dimples deepened. "Please help me pass a message: it's not that I want to investigate, but clarifying the truth behind Consort Su's miscarriage and identifying all involved is crucial for the grand gift I plan to present to the emperor."

"If they fail to complete their task, delaying the gift for the emperor, many will die, and you'll need to make it clear to Chief Su that it's not due to our lack of effort."

"But if they perform well, all secret guards involved will be rewarded by the emperor, without exception."

Nanny Chen's unease eased significantly after hearing Geng Shuning's words.

She nodded with a smile, "Rest assured, Miss Shu Ning, I understand your intentions."

A day later, in the hot spring manor in Chengde, Gao Bin knelt before Yinzhen.

*

"I understand Miss Shu Ning's intentions, but... the secret guards are unsure how far they should go in carrying out the task."

Su Peisheng, attending by the side, marveled inwardly. The little fox, who had once seemed recklessly bold, had unexpectedly grown wiser, using both the stick and the carrot in a way that even he couldn't refuse.

In less than half a year, the little fox had grown so quickly that she was well-suited to thrive in the palace.

After a month of busyness, Yinzhen's weary expression softened into a faint smile at the news.

"Isn't she clear enough? As for the extent, don't worry about my punishment; just weigh it yourselves."

Pausing, he happily sipped his hot ginseng tea and ordered, "Send word to my mother to delay the matter of Consort Su's miscarriage for now, allowing them to stir up a commotion. Report any reactions from Geng Shuning and Hong Xi to the imperial presence promptly."

He wanted to know how much power Hong Xi had gained from his second brother and father.

He was also curious about the grand gift the little fox was preparing, daring enough to command the secret guards with such confidence.