Chapter 95: Pregnancy

Chapter 95: Pregnancy

They're all vile!

The music and dance abruptly stopped. Noble Consort Mi frowned, glanced at the Emperor's expression, and said sternly, "Why are you crying out of nowhere! You just said that Beauty Xiao pushed Talent Lady Yu, is that true? What exactly happened? His Majesty and I will ensure justice for Talent Lady Yu."

The little palace maid who came to report immediately wiped her tears and knelt on the ground, crying, "My mistress and Beauty Xiao were out together. On the way, my mistress accidentally stepped on Beauty Xiao's skirt. Beauty Xiao exploded in anger, calling my mistress a lowly wretch, unworthy of being near her. My mistress only argued back a little, and she accused my mistress of overstepping, slapped her, and then shoved her into the rose bushes. My mistress's clothes were torn, and she was scratched by the thorns in several places. She’s also in severe abdominal pain. Please, Your Majesty and Your Highness, help my mistress!"

At this moment, everyone's attention was on the little palace maid who came to report. No one noticed Yu Ying slipping back to Su Jiaojiao's side.

Su Jiaojiao glanced at Yu Ying and whispered, "Did you catch anything?"

Yu Ying pretended to pour tea for Su Jiaojiao and said, "Beauty Xiao did push Talent Lady Yu, but Talent Lady Yu isn’t exactly innocent either."

After saying this, she took a step back and stayed quiet to avoid suspicion.

The Emperor, sitting at the front, looked at her with a cold expression and said, "Beauty Xiao is proud, but she’s not usually this aggressive. Talent Lady Yu is gentle, but she’s not fragile. How could such a dispute arise so easily? If you’re lying even a little, I’ll send you to the training hall for the matrons to discipline you."

Su Jiaojiao looked at the Emperor and thought that his words still favored Beauty Xiao, whose family had military achievements, rather than Talent Lady Yu, who had some favor. She couldn’t help thinking the Emperor was the most cold-hearted in the harem.

The training hall was a place that chewed people up and spat them out. Those who were sent there would suffer severe punishments, either dying or being severely injured.

The little palace maid was terrified upon hearing these words, tears welling up in her eyes as she cried even more genuinely and heartbreakingly, "Your Majesty, please believe me, I dare not lie. Another palace maid from Talent Lady Yu's side has already gone to fetch the imperial physician to diagnose my mistress's injuries. It cannot be faked. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy on my mistress. She is the victim here!"

Her crying was genuine and heartbreaking, but even Noble Consort Mi, sitting beside the Emperor, couldn't be sure of the truth. She knew Beauty Xiao’s personality best—she had always been arrogant, looking down on concubines from lesser backgrounds, and was quick-tempered and domineering, often scolding and beating palace servants.

If it weren’t for this, she wouldn’t have been so angry as to have her caned for offending Noble Consort Zhen before.

It was true that the Xiao family had gained favor in the court recently, but even so, she couldn’t be so aggressive just because the Emperor gave her a bit more face today.

Although she didn’t like Talent Lady Yu, Talent Lady Yu was after all the Emperor's new favorite. Today was also the hundred-day celebration of the second prince. For her to act so arrogantly on such an occasion, even as her cousin, Noble Consort Mi had to handle the matter impartially to avoid gossip and the Emperor's displeasure.

She spoke more gently, saying, "Your Majesty, Beauty Xiao does have a bad temper. If there was a misunderstanding in her words, pushing Talent Lady Yu was indeed her fault. I will go see Talent Lady Yu immediately and punish Beauty Xiao to ease Talent Lady Yu's grievances."

At this moment, Concubine Lian, sitting below, sneered, "Noble Consort Mi, you’re calling this a misunderstanding based only on the maid’s side of the story, which is hardly fair. Moreover, since I entered the palace, I have heard some rumors and know that Beauty Xiao is your cousin. You have never liked Talent Lady Yu. Even if Talent Lady Yu is the victim here, I’m afraid you may not be able to handle this impartially."

Concubine Lian's blunt words in front of everyone were a direct affront to Noble Consort Mi's dignity. She fearlessly met Noble Consort Mi's gaze, wanting to see what else she could say.

Noble Consort Mi glared at her, suppressing her anger, and said coldly, "The Empress is ill, so I am temporarily managing the harem. Now, with only the palace maid's one-sided account, we cannot immediately conclude that Beauty Xiao is at fault. Beauty Xiao and Talent Lady Yu are both imperial consorts. It is only right to investigate thoroughly and reveal the truth, so as not to chill the hearts of our sisters."

"If we only listen to one side, wouldn’t it mean that the weak are always right in the future? Then what is the point of having me? We might as well just see who can cry the loudest. Concubine Lian, don’t you think so?"

Concubine Lian wanted to say more, but Shen Huai had already lost patience and said coldly, "Yin Shihuai is right. Since there is a conflict, we cannot be biased. We will investigate thoroughly and then reward or punish accordingly."

After saying this, he looked at the palace maid below and asked, "Where is Talent Lady Yu now?"

The little palace maid, kneeling on the ground with red eyes, quickly replied, "My mistress is suffering from abdominal pain and has been placed in an empty room near the imperial garden. By now, the imperial physician should be arriving soon."

Shen Huai called out sternly, "Cai Shan."

"Go check on Talent Lady Yu's condition and then bring Beauty Xiao here."

Cai Shan glanced at the Emperor, bowed, and said, "Yes."

At this critical moment, the ones with the most unpleasant expressions were Noble Consort Mi and Noble Lady Xiang.

This was Noble Consort Mi's first time hosting the Spring Banquet, and she had put in a lot of effort. As for Noble Lady Xiang and the second prince, the main characters of the event, their mood was both displeased and complicated.

She was upset that her son’s hundred-day celebration got ruined by this drama, but she also knew that the matter between Talent Lady Yu and Beauty Xiao was probably not so simple.

It was initially agreed that the matter of their private relationship would not be disclosed to the palace servants, but since she was recommended to the Empress some days ago, she has been visiting more frequently. Especially after Noble Consort Zhen's visit yesterday, today she has been even more blatant.

These matters were never discussed with her beforehand.

In fact, Noble Lady Xiang could roughly guess why Talent Lady Yu was getting close to her.

It was like a drowning person grabbing the only piece of floating wood on the sea. Seeing a glimmer of hope, naturally, she would want to cling tightly to it to escape her current peril.

With her second prince, as long as she treads carefully, her future support is already secured, but Talent Lady Yu is not in the same position.

Between them, there is gratitude, mutual use, and subtle intentions.

But regarding today's incident, Noble Lady Xiang is about seventy to eighty percent sure that Talent Lady Yu guessed her intentions and acted deliberately.

It was to prove her loyalty to herself and also to prove her own worth.

Noble Lady Xiang lowered her head to play with the tiny infant in her arms, smiling gently.

If it could make Beauty Xiao suffer a bit, it would still be a good deed.

Not long after, palace servants led a panicked and indignant Beauty Xiao over, bowing and saying, "Your Majesty, Beauty Xiao has arrived."

Shen Huai responded indifferently, asking lightly, "Earlier, Talent Lady Yu's maid reported that you had a dispute with Talent Lady Yu outside, slapped her, and pushed her into a flower bed, causing her severe abdominal pain. Is this true?"

Hearing the Emperor's questioning, Beauty Xiao's expression immediately turned panicked. She knelt down to explain, "Your Majesty, please understand! Talent Lady Yu stepped on my skirt first, which made me a bit upset. Moreover, Talent Lady Yu overstepped her bounds and offended me, so I acted impulsively..."

Shen Huai frowned, "So, these events are true?"

He had always known that Beauty Xiao was arrogant and unruly, which is why, after the New Year's grand conferment of titles, she was only made a Beauty, without further promotion despite the Xiao family's merits.

Originally, bringing her personally today was also considering the Xiao family's recent military achievements, intending to use this opportunity to promote her further.

But the Xiao family member was so ungrateful, slapping Talent Lady Yu as a Beauty, and being so presumptuous and rude, truly lacking in decorum.

Beauty Xiao hurriedly said, "Although it's true, Talent Lady Yu also..."

"Enough!" Shen Huai coldly reprimanded, "You have repeatedly overstepped and been rude, disregarding palace rules, and are arrogant and uncouth, ignoring my repeated leniencies!"

Looking at Beauty Xiao's face, Shen Huai lost all patience, saying coldly, "Considering the Xiao family's repeated military achievements, I will not punish you severely, but your repeated transgressions and arrogance cannot go unpunished, or else everyone in the harem would follow suit. From today, you are to kneel in front of Noble Consort Mi's palace for an hour every day, copy the palace rules a hundred times, and personally apologize to Talent Lady Yu. If you still do not learn, the punishment will be doubled!"

Beauty Xiao's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to argue, but the eunuch serving the Emperor, sensing his mood, stepped forward and whispered, "Beauty Xiao, you should accept the decree and thank His Majesty. Arguing further will only anger him more. Why trouble yourself?"

Her lips trembled, and she finally swallowed her words, lowering her head to say, "Yes, I... thank Your Majesty for your leniency."

"Take her away, don't let her be in my sight."

Shen Huai's tone was cold, and no one present dared to speak.

Beauty Xiao knew she had acted impulsively, but Talent Lady Yu, though appearing pitiful, was clearly a seductress.

It was she who spoke rudely first, provoking me, but Talent Lady Yu is good at acting, pretending to be pitiful, sending her maid to accuse me first.

But now, I am the one who acted, and Talent Lady Yu is the one injured. No matter how wronged I feel, the Emperor won't listen, because I am the one who acted.

After months of silence, this was the closest I had come to regaining favor, and because of that wretch Talent Lady Yu, it slipped away again!

Wretch, shameless wretch!

With tears in her eyes and gritted teeth, Beauty Xiao was led away from the Spring Banquet.

At this moment, Noble Lady Xiang spoke softly, looking at His Majesty and saying, "Beauty Xiao's arrogance is nothing new, Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Today is Xi Er's hundred-day celebration, a very auspicious day, and Xi Er surely does not wish his father to be upset."

After speaking, she gently patted the swaddled baby in her arms, coaxing, "Xi Er, isn't that right?"

The child in her arms seemed to understand, grinning and laughing, his soft little body looking utterly adorable.

Seeing the child's cuteness, Shen Huai's anger subsided, and his tone softened.

"Noble Lady Xiang speaks wisely. Today is the second prince's hundred-day celebration and the Spring Banquet, there's no need to get upset over trivial matters."

Seeing His Majesty's mood improve, Noble Consort Mi also felt somewhat reassured. Raising her cup, she said, "Your Majesty, I, Yin Shihuai, toast you."

Just as Shen Huai was about to raise his cup to drink, Cai Shan hurriedly entered through the archway, his face beaming with joy.

He quickly walked up to His Majesty, knelt down, and with a smile, said, "Your Majesty! This humble servant congratulates Your Majesty—Talent Lady Yu is pregnant!"