Chapter 34: Silence in the Palace

Chapter 34: Silence in the Palace

Newcomers in the palace?

Su Jiaojiao suddenly looked up, her delicate hands clenched tightly in her sleeves.

Imperial Physician Lin was a renowned gynecologist, and his words left no room for doubt.

Su Jiaojiao had long known with bitterness that Consort Mi's fetus was unstable and would eventually miscarry, but she had never anticipated that Noble Consort Wang would set a trap to lure her to meet Consort Mi, which led to Consort Mi's extreme anger and ultimately to this outcome.

Even if Su Jiaojiao claimed that Noble Consort Wang had invited her to Quhe Garden, Noble Consort Wang had a hundred ways to dismiss the matter lightly. To outsiders, it would seem more like Su Jiaojiao was making up excuses to accuse Noble Consort Wang out of guilt.

In the end, the person who caused Consort Mi's miscarriage was Su Jiaojiao herself. No matter what role Noble Consort Wang played, it was irrelevant to the Emperor.

The Empress glanced at Su Jiaojiao, hesitating, but upon seeing Imperial Physician Lin's expression, she changed her question: "How is Consort Mi's condition?"

Imperial Physician Lin bowed even lower: "Consort Mi has been pregnant for over five months, and the fetus is mostly formed. An induced miscarriage is necessary. However, Her Highness is currently weak and experiencing severe bleeding, making the situation extremely critical."

Shen Huai's deep, inscrutable eyes swept coldly, his voice heavy: "No matter what, protect Consort Mi's life."

Imperial Physician Lin bowed in acknowledgment, quickly wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve before hurrying back into the inner chamber, his figure tense.

Upon hearing of Consort Mi's miscarriage, a fleeting look of satisfaction flashed in Noble Consort Wang's eyes. She raised her eyebrows slightly and coldly smiled: "Can Your Majesty still stand by your earlier words? Consort Mi's fetus could not be saved, and she must be heartbroken now. Noble Consort Lian cannot shirk responsibility."

Consort Shu, seated to the side, immediately showed her displeasure and spoke coldly: "What are you saying, Noble Consort Wang? Noble Consort Lian is renowned throughout the palace for her gentle and humble nature. Today, she had already made an appointment with me to have tea at Jushuang Pavilion. If not for your sudden invitation to Quhe Garden, how could she have coincidentally run into Consort Mi there?"

Consort Shu's words redirected the blame from Su Jiaojiao to Noble Consort Wang, and everyone turned to look at Noble Consort Wang sitting beside the Empress.

If what Consort Shu said was true, and Noble Consort Lian had made an appointment with Consort Shu for tea, why would she suddenly go to Consort Mi and coincidentally cause her to miscarry?

If Noble Consort Wang hadn't been involved, Noble Consort Lian could be said to deserve her fate. But with Noble Consort Wang's involvement, the situation became far more suspicious.

Su Jiaojiao's tightly clenched hands relaxed slightly, and her kneeling posture remained steady.

Shifting some of the suspicion to Noble Consort Wang would significantly ease her own burden. Consort Shu's words were well-articulated.

The same words would have a different impact if she said them herself versus someone else saying them. With Consort Shu speaking on her behalf, the Emperor and Empress would also suspect Noble Consort Wang's involvement.

In this back-and-forth, Su Jiaojiao's guilt would be significantly reduced.

Noble Consort Wang's expression shifted, perhaps not anticipating that Consort Shu knew about her scheme. She shot a sharp glance at Su Jiaojiao and coldly remarked: "I invited Noble Consort Lian simply for a casual visit. Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince fell ill, which is why I couldn't attend. Am I not even permitted to invite Noble Consort Lian for a casual visit now?"

She sneered, her tone sharp: "Or does Consort Shu think that I arranged for Consort Mi to be at Quhe Garden today? Or perhaps Consort Shu believes that I caused Consort Mi's miscarriage?"

Noble Consort Wang, having been accused, turned and knelt directly, full of grievance as she pleaded to the Emperor: "Your Majesty, please understand. I merely invited Noble Consort Lian for a casual visit to Quhe Garden today. Unexpectedly, Zhou'er fell ill, which delayed me. If you don't believe me, you can ask. Everyone at Xiaoyan Jin knows that Zhou'er was unwell and even had the Imperial Physician check his pulse."

"I had no prior knowledge that Consort Mi would also be at Quhe Garden. Moreover, when Consort Mi miscarried, I was not present and had no idea what happened. I don't know how I offended Consort Shu, but such baseless accusations are being thrown at me!"

Shen Huai's expression was cold and stern as he looked at the resolute Noble Consort Wang, his voice indifferent: "I recall that you and Noble Consort Lian have no prior relationship. How is it that you suddenly thought to invite her to Quhe Garden today?"

The Empress turned to look at the Emperor, slightly surprised. She hadn't expected the Emperor's first reaction to be to speak up for Noble Consort Lian. It was true that Noble Consort Wang's invitation was suspicious, but aside from inviting Noble Consort Lian and causing her to "accidentally" encounter Consort Mi, Noble Consort Wang had done nothing else. Consort Mi's miscarriage had nothing to do with her, and she was completely innocent.

Yet the Emperor not only focused on this point but had not even reprimanded Noble Consort Lian so far. Could it be that Noble Consort Lian's standing in the Emperor's heart had already become so significant?

Hearing the Emperor's question, Noble Consort Wang's kneeling figure swayed slightly, and her previously confident expression showed a hint of panic.

She tearfully said: "Your Majesty, please understand. My invitation to Noble Consort Lian was merely a casual thought, with no deeper meaning. The person who truly caused Consort Mi's miscarriage is in this very hall, and the palace servants of Yulinglong have seen it clearly. There is no way to wash away this guilt. If you favor one over the other and let this slide, wouldn't the sisters in the palace be disheartened? I beg Your Majesty not to doubt me based on others' words. As the mother of the Crown Prince, I cannot bear such baseless accusations."

Shen Huai's expression remained cold, making it hard to discern his emotions. Sitting on the throne, he tapped the armrest with his index finger at a steady pace, causing Noble Consort Wang to suddenly feel anxious.

Just as Yu Ling, Noble Consort Mi's personal maid, rushed out from the inner room, drenched in sweat, and knelt heavily, pleading tearfully, "Your Majesty, Her Ladyship is awake and is in such pain that she is calling your name in delirium. Please, Your Majesty, go and see her..."

Shen Huai paused for a moment, his tapping on the armrest abruptly stopping, and he stood up, saying, "I shall go and see her."

Upon hearing this, Cai Shan quickly raised his head to dissuade, "Your Majesty, you must not—the birthing chamber is bloody—!"

But the Emperor's decision was firm, and Cai Shan's dissuasion was in vain, leaving him standing there with a worried expression.

Inside the room, Noble Consort Wang and Su Jiaojiao knelt in succession, the atmosphere eerily quiet.

"Shen Huai."

Shen Huai directly lifted the curtain and entered, frowning as he glanced around, finding the situation even more suffocating than the last time he saw blood.

The midwives and Imperial Physician Lin looked serious and hurried, while maids and old women ran back and forth with basins of hot water.

Although all the palace lamps were lit, the enclosed space still seemed dim, and the strong smell of blood lingered in the air. Shen Huai paused for a moment, as if recalling a certain scene, his expression becoming even more grave and cold.

On the bed, Consort Mi was drenched in sweat, her face pale and devoid of color, her hands tightly gripping the sheets, looking at him in pain, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

He stepped forward and took her damp hand, his voice tinged with warmth, "I am here."

Receiving his response, Consort Mi's tears flowed even more, crying as though her heart were breaking, her face growing paler, "Your Majesty, our child is gone, gone... This was our firstborn..."

Overcome with immense grief, Consort Mi instinctively tightened her grip on the Emperor's hand, fearing that if she let go, the person before her would disappear, saying intermittently, "My heart aches terribly, Your Majesty..."

Consort Mi's calls grew fainter, and Shen Huai, seeing this, couldn't help but be moved.

He let Consort Mi cling to his hand like a floating log in water, comforting her gently, "I had once promised you that no matter what, I would grant you the position of a noble consort. Today, I shall fulfill that promise."

"The position of a second-rank Noble Consort, from now on, you are my Noble Consort Mi."

Among the four noble consorts of virtue, only Noble Consort Wang, who had raised the eldest prince, held such a prestigious position. She had not given birth to a royal heir, and now, merely being pregnant and miscarrying, she was elevated to this rank, which clearly showed the Emperor's favor and regard for her.

But her desires extended far beyond this.

"Noble Consort Mi..." Lying on the bed, Consort Mi smiled through her tears, appearing both happy and ironic, barely releasing the Emperor's hand, "I thank Your Majesty for your grace."

Shen Huai looked at her steadily, saying softly, "Rest assured, I shall ensure justice is served for you today."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Ling, who was carrying hot water from outside, paused, looking up at Noble Consort Mi on the bed, a flash of struggle and reluctance quickly passing through her eyes, but it was immediately hidden, replaced by concern, as she hurriedly knelt and said, "Your Majesty, Her Ladyship, the imperial physician is about to perform acupuncture to induce labor, it is not appropriate for Your Majesty to remain here, please wait outside!"

Shen Huai looked at Imperial Physician Lin outside the bead curtain, withdrew his hand, and gently patted Noble Consort Mi's hand, saying gravely, "Ensure Noble Consort Mi is well cared for."

Before leaving, he stood up and took one last look at Noble Consort Mi, who had already fainted, her eyes closed. Imperial Physician Lin hurried over, seeing the Emperor lingering, and earnestly advised, "Your Majesty, please wait outside!"

In the silent room, everyone heard the commotion and looked towards the side where the Emperor appeared.

The Emperor's brow was cold, his lips tightly pressed, and after sitting down, he stared at Noble Consort Wang, but spoke of Su Jiaojiao's punishment, "Noble Consort Lian offended Noble Consort Mi, causing harm to the royal heir, punish her by copying the palace rules a hundred times and confine her to the Buddhist hall for a month to chant sutras and pray for Noble Consort Mi."

"Noble Consort." Shen Huai looked at her indifferently, his voice cool, "As the mother of the eldest prince, since you cannot take good care of him, I shall find a reliable mother for the prince. From today onwards, the eldest prince shall be raised by Lady Wen."

As soon as this decision was made, even the Empress's expression changed slightly.

Everyone in the palace knew that Noble Consort Wang treated the eldest prince as her life, doting on him like a precious gem. Now, because of Noble Consort Mi's loss of a child, the eldest prince was implicated.

It was true that Noble Consort Wang had ulterior motives in inviting Noble Consort Lian, but in this matter alone, Noble Consort Lian was indeed culpable. Compared to the punishment of Noble Consort Wang, the Emperor's punishment of Noble Consort Lian could be said to be insignificant.

Before Lady Wen could express her gratitude, Noble Consort Wang's expression suddenly changed, and she knelt on the ground, crying out, "No! I implore Your Majesty not to take Zhou'er from me!"

The thought of her carefully nurtured child having to live under the care of another consort made Noble Consort Wang feel suffocated, as if her life was being taken away. In a panic and distraught, she wept, "Your Majesty, Zhou'er is still young and cannot be separated from me. Please, for the sake of Zhou'er needing his mother, let him stay by my side..."

"I do not know what I have done to displease Your Majesty, but I am willing to accept any punishment. Please, Your Majesty, have mercy and do not separate me from Zhou'er!"

Shen Huai watched Noble Consort Wang calmly, his expression indifferent: "Even now, you still refuse to confess."

"It has been three years since I ascended the throne, and the imperial harem has been plagued by misfortune. There have been many pregnancies, but numerous accidents have occurred, leading to miscarriages. I’ve always hesitated to investigate, but that doesn’t mean I’m ignorant."

His voice was icy, devoid of any emotion: "Noble Consort Wang, as the mother of the Crown Prince, you have contributed to the upbringing of the imperial heir. I did not wish to be overly harsh on you. But today's incident is something you cannot escape blame for."

"Whether it was Noble Consort Lian who deliberately collided, or you who could not tolerate Noble Consort Mi's child and resorted to a sinister plot, you know better than I do."

Shen Huai stood up and called out coldly: "Empress."

The Empress, still somewhat shocked, immediately rose from her seat and curtsied: "Your servant is here."

"From this day forward, strip Noble Consort Wang of her authority to assist in managing the six palaces. She is to remain in her palace for quiet recuperation. Only when she has cultivated her character and improved herself will she be allowed to take the Crown Prince back."

The room was thick with solemnity, and none of the consorts dared to speak out, all shocked by the day's events. Only when the Emperor was about to leave did they rise from their seats.

"Your servant obeys. Your servant respectfully bids farewell to Your Majesty." The Empress maintained her curtsy as she watched the Emperor leave, then regained her composure as the ruler of the six palaces and said in a deep voice, "Someone, go to Xiao Yan Jin and pack the Crown Prince's belongings to be sent to Lady Wen's palace."

With the matter settled, Noble Consort Wang knew there was no room for reversal. She sat in a daze on the floor, tears cascading down her cheeks.

How could this be... How could the Emperor know about these things...

Her hands had always been clean, leaving no evidence. How could the Emperor know it was her doing?

Today, she had already distanced herself so thoroughly from the incident. How could this disaster be pinned on her?

Noble Consort Wang bit her lip tightly, her eyes filled with hatred that could tear someone apart.

Did Noble Consort Mi discover something, or was it simply the Emperor shielding Noble Consort Lian? Those vile women, every one of them! I will never allow anyone to take my child away!

Su Jiaojiao knelt on the ground, watching the Emperor's figure gradually fade into the distance. Only then did her tense spine relax slightly. Her palms were nearly bleeding from how tightly she had clenched them, and the weight that had been pressing on her heart finally, barely, lifted.

A hundred repetitions of the palace rules and prayers in the Buddhist hall.

The punishment was much milder than she had expected.

Even with Noble Consort Wang sharing the blame, Su Jiaojiao could still feel the Emperor's leniency towards her.

The Emperor's favor was a golden talisman for survival in the palace. At this moment, Su Jiaojiao realized even more the importance of his favor.

Rank, rewards, and authority in the harem were all in the Emperor's hands. He could give them or take them away as he pleased.

Only by retaining his favor could she endure in the palace, ensuring that the next time she found herself in such a predicament, she would still have a chance to escape.

After a long while, Imperial Physician Lin emerged from the room and informed the Empress that Noble Consort Mi had successfully undergone the induced labor and had been pulled back from the brink of danger. She now required quiet rest.

Only then did the people in the room, under the Empress's orders, begin to leave in small groups.

Su Jiaojiao was helped to her feet by Yu Ying. Consort Shu passed by her side and said softly, "Let's go."

She gave a slight nod and exited with Consort Shu.

The sky outside had darkened, with thick, heavy clouds looming, as if a storm was about to break.

Su Jiaojiao's knees were weak from kneeling for so long, and she moved at a much slower pace than usual.

Consort Shu was in no hurry, tilting her head to instruct, "Go back quickly and fetch a few umbrellas."

After saying this, she turned back to walk with her slowly, silent for a moment before saying, "After this incident, you are likely to be thrust into the spotlight again. Noble Consort Mi has miscarried and is known for her jealousy. Although you did not intend to offend, you can hardly escape blame. This time, His Majesty has shown you leniency, but once she recovers, she may harbor resentment and target you. Now, Noble Consort Wang's hatred for us only grows, and your situation will become even more difficult."

Su Jiaojiao glanced at the sky and said indifferently, "Not being demoted or blamed by His Majesty is the best outcome I could hope for. Noble Consort Mi has miscarried, and Noble Consort Wang is under house arrest. The summer retreat has just over a month left, and it seems like it will end without further incident."

"It's fortunate that it's this way. My month of prayer in the Buddhist hall should be uneventful."

The two walked forward for a while before Su Jiaojiao spoke again, "Sister Consort Shu, I know you have no desire to compete for favor, and you don't care for wealth or status. But you saw what happened today. Without His Majesty's favor, what would have become of me? Neither of us can say for sure."

"Even if it's just to ensure your future survival, you must compete," Su Jiaojiao looked at Consort Shu with determination, "We have this one month left. You must seize the opportunity to secure His Majesty's favor in our hands."

Large raindrops began to fall quietly, and soon the dry ground was dotted with wet spots.

Summer thunderstorms are common, and as the rain grew heavier, it poured down, soaking their clothes.

Just then, Consort Shu's maid came running over, distributing the umbrellas she had brought. Yu Ying quickly took one and opened it to shield Su Jiaojiao, raising her voice slightly in the wind and rain, "Mistress, there's a pavilion nearby. Let's go and take shelter from the rain."

When they reached the pavilion, Consort Shu's cold, hesitant expression softened slightly, "Alright."

Seeing her understanding, Su Jiaojiao smiled faintly, with a bit more sincerity, "Today's events, I owe it all to you, sister."

Consort Shu turned her face away uncomfortably, saying, "I've already said that I stand with you. Your Ling Xiao is sharp, so of course, I will help you when I can. Saying this now makes it seem distant, as if I have ulterior motives."

"Noble Consort Wang has eyes and ears everywhere. She might use some underhanded tactics during her seclusion. His Majesty instructed you to pray in the Buddhist hall, but it's practically the same as house arrest. I might not be able to visit you, so you must be careful."

Su Jiaojiao nodded, looking at the rain, and said softly, "I understand."

"All grudges will likely be settled only after we return to the palace."

"Wait," Consort Shu suddenly frowned and said, as if remembering something, "You just mentioned returning to the palace, and it reminded me of something I haven't told you yet."

Su Jiaojiao turned to look at her, "What is it?"

Consort Shu's voice turned cold as she recalled, "This is something I learned by chance a long time ago, but it just came back to me when you mentioned returning to the palace. It seems the time is right."

She looked at Su Jiaojiao intently and said gravely, "After we return to the palace, you might have another formidable rival."

"A formidable rival?" Su Jiaojiao wiped the rain from her forehead with a handkerchief, her expression calm and composed, "Please, tell me more."

Consort Shu frowned and spoke in a low voice, "This occurred when the Empress Dowager was still alive. The person in question is the Empress Dowager's niece, of noble status. She often entered the palace since she was young and had a close relationship with His Majesty. Before her passing, the Empress Dowager personally issued an edict, stating that she would enter the palace after her coming-of-age ceremony, which should be around this Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Having known His Majesty since childhood and bearing the Empress Dowager's edict, someone with such connections entering the palace will certainly not be an ordinary person."

Su Jiaojiao smiled upon hearing this, "If that's the case, I wonder what rank His Majesty will grant her upon her entry into the palace."

Consort Shu was somewhat surprised, "You're so calm about this?"

"What else can I do?"

Su Jiaojiao countered, her expression composed, "I was worried about being too conspicuous. If someone enters the palace and takes the pressure off me, it might be a good thing."

"I've been in the palace for so long, and this is the first time I've heard this news from you, which shows how deeply this edict was hidden. The more it's hidden and not spoken of, the more it indicates the importance placed on her, so we must be cautious. I asked you to guess her rank to see if we think alike."

"My current rank is already quite high, so she will likely be even more prominent. Once she gains favor, it won't be me who should be worried."

Amid the wind and rain, Su Jiaojiao gently wiped the raindrops from her neck with a handkerchief. Seeing Consort Shu's puzzled expression, she smiled softly, "Besides, Sister Consort Shu, matters between men and women are never determined by time. You should have confidence in me."

In the following month, His Majesty often visited Yu Linglong to accompany Noble Consort Mi. Among the other concubines, Consort Shu, Beauty Zhong, and Talented Lady Xiao each had their turns to attend to His Majesty, with Consort Shu having slightly more.

During this period, too many events occurred: Noble Consort Mi suffered a miscarriage, Noble Consort Wang was stripped of her power and confined to her palace for reflection, Noble Consort Lian was confined to the Buddhist hall for prayers, and Yun Liangshi was severely beaten. Each incident sent ripples of panic through the palace.

However, things finally settled down for a while.

When Noble Consort Mi had fully recovered from her miscarriage, the Emperor issued an edict to return to the palace, setting off within three days.

Roughly calculating the days, the return to the palace would coincide with just half a month before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

After Noble Consort Mi’s recovery, Su Jiaojiao’s house arrest was naturally lifted.

Although she had not seen the Emperor, she knew she still mattered to him. Once they returned to the palace, she would naturally stand by his side again.

The trip back flew by. Su Jiaojiao dozed off in the carriage for several days, and when they stopped, they had already arrived at the palace.

After two months away, she gazed at the surroundings that felt both familiar and strange—the vermilion walls and swaying willow trees—feeling as if she had been transported to another world.

In front of the Xuanzheng Hall.

Su Jiaojiao was helped out of the carriage by Ling Xiao. As she glanced forward, she happened to see Zhu Shaoshi, her belly visibly swollen, being gently helped up by the Emperor.