Chapter 133: A Miscarriage

Chapter 133: A Careless Miscarriage

"Nanny Song, hold her down! Chunhua, go fetch the Prince!" Jiang Yaozhen's face twisted viciously, like a hellish fiend, her eyes piercing with bone-chilling cold. "Let him see for himself who is causing trouble in the Lin Ge Palace!"

Jiang Lian's heart skipped a beat. She struggled with all her might to break free from Nanny Song's grip, ripped off the human skin mask, and lunged recklessly toward the candle stand.

Jiang Yaozhen instantly saw through her plan and barked, "Quick, stop her! She wants to burn that mask!"

Nanny Song lunged forward and grabbed Jiang Lian tightly, but in her excessive force, she smashed her into the wooden table beside the candle stand.

With a loud thud, a searing pain tore through Jiang Lian's lower abdomen. She instinctively clutched her stomach, groaning in pain.

Jiang Yaozhen marched over, snatched the human skin mask out of her hand, and gave her a hard kick, sneering, "Trying to destroy the evidence? In your dreams!"

But Nanny Song's face suddenly turned pale. Trembling, she reported to Jiang Yaozhen, "Your Highness, it's bad... Concubine Jiang might be... miscarrying!"

Jiang Lian's skirt was already soaked in blood, the blood soaking the floor, giving off an ominous vibe.

Being young, Jiang Lian had no idea she was pregnant. Hearing Nanny Song's words, a maternal instinct stirred deep inside her.

Clutching her stomach, she sobbed and begged, "Your Highness, please... spare your concubine! I know I've done wrong..."

Nanny Song urged hastily, "Your Highness, call the imperial physician at once—we might still save the child in Concubine Jiang's womb!"

"Save her child? For what?" Jiang Yaozhen laughed coldly, her eyes devoid of any pity. "She's just a lowly concubine—who does she think she is to bear a child before me, the Principal Consort? No physician is to be summoned. Let her lose this child!"

Nanny Song was horrified and begged, "Your Highness, you must not! This is His Highness's own child! Harming a royal heir would have dire consequences!"

"Who can prove I caused her miscarriage?" Jiang Yaozhen's gaze was icy. "She scared me with that human skin mask, and when I caught her, she tried to run, hit the table, and miscarried. What's that got to do with me?"

Knowing her child would surely die if this continued, Jiang Lian screamed at the top of her voice, "Help! Someone, help—!"

"Hurry, cover her mouth!" Jiang Yaozhen barked, her eyes full of ruthless cruelty.

Nanny Song had no choice but to brace herself and press a handkerchief to Jiang Lian's mouth.

Seeing this, Jiang Lian yanked a hairpin from her hair and stabbed it fiercely into Nanny Song's hand.

"Ah!" Nanny Song shrieked in pain and jerked back. Seizing the chance, Jiang Lian, clutching her aching stomach, stumbled and rushed out.

Seeing her escape, Jiang Yaozhen gritted her teeth in fury but knew it was too late to send anyone after her.

Just then, Xiao Xiuzhan was heading to the bedchamber with the imperial physician when he ran into Jiang Lian, her dress bloodstained and her steps faltering.

Her face streaked with tears, she stumbled toward him, whispering weakly, "Your Highness, save our child..."

Xiao Xiuzhan was shocked. He caught her in his arms, his rage blazing as he roared, "Who did this?!"

In the end, Jiang Lian's child could not be saved.

The imperial physician shook his head with a sigh, his tone full of regret. "The fetus was still small and fragile, and Concubine Jiang's abdomen suffered a heavy blow... Your Highness, please accept my condolences."

Staring at Jiang Lian's pale, paper-like face on the bed, and thinking of the unborn child that had perished, Xiao Xiuzhan's fury burned. He commanded in a low voice, "Summon the Prince's Consort!"

In the main hall, Xiao Xiuzhan glared coldly at Jiang Yaozhen, his voice as icy as frost. "Lian's child—did you kill it?"

"Your Highness, I am wronged! It was that Concubine Jiang who suddenly wore a human skin mask to frighten the Princess, and she..." Nanny Song hurriedly tried to defend herself, but Xiao Xiuzhan cut her off with a furious shout.

"Who gave you permission to speak? Guards, drag this old hag out and give her twenty heavy lashes!"

At this command, a flicker of panic finally crossed Jiang Yaozhen's face.

She forced herself to stay calm and argued, "Your Highness, how can you punish people without knowing the truth? Nanny Song speaks the truth. It was Jiang Lian who deliberately scared me. When I caught her, she fled in panic and bumped her belly, causing the miscarriage. What's that got to do with me? Why punish my people?"

With that, she handed over a crumpled human skin mask.

Xiao Xiuzhan took it and examined it closely. Though the mask was badly wrinkled, he could vaguely make out the features of Jiang Tianen.

He frowned deeply and said in a low voice, "How did Lian come to possess this?"

"She must have brought it back to the palace during her visit home to scare me! Your Highness, I was already ill, and she plotted against me like this. You must seek justice for me!"

Jiang Yaozhen immediately put on a pitiful expression, squeezing out a few tears from the corners of her eyes.

Xiao Xiuzhan's expression grew even darker. He waved his hand, and the guards holding Nanny Song finally released her.

He shot Jiang Yaozhen a cold glance, his tone full of warning. "I will get to the bottom of this. If I find out that you harmed Lian's child, I will not go easy on you!"

As soon as he left, Nanny Song and Chunhua trembled like leaves in the wind, whispering fearfully, "Your Highness, if that Concubine Jiang wakes up and tells His Highness everything, what will we do?"

"What's there to fear?" Jiang Yaozhen's expression turned sinister, a cruel smile curling at her lips. "Then we'll make sure she never wakes up!"

In the Jing He Palace, Ling Feng hurried in to report.

"Your Highness, a spy stationed in the Third Prince's Lin Ge Palace has sent word. Concubine Jiang has miscarried, and the culprit is suspected to be the Third Prince's Consort. It is said that she secretly ordered her people to add anesthetic powder to Concubine Jiang's medicinal meals, intending to keep her unconscious."

Xiao Lingchuan sneered, a flicker of disdain in his eyes. "That woman is truly ruthless."

Compared to her past life, her methods were even more vicious.

As if recalling something, he narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "That Concubine Jiang—is she the Third Miss of the Jiang family?"

"Yes, Your Highness. She is Miss Jiang's cousin, named Jiang Lian."

Xiao Lingchuan pondered for a moment, then instructed Ling Feng, "Send a letter to Ling Wu. Tell her that her cousin has miscarried."

"Yes, Your Highness! Should I also mention that Divine Physician Sun is currently residing in your palace?" Ling Feng asked tentatively, a teasing smile on his lips.

Xiao Lingchuan shot him a cold glare. "Mind your own business!"

Ling Feng chuckled to himself.

His master was never one to meddle in others' affairs, especially the petty squabbles in Xiao Xiuzhan's harem.

This was just an excuse to see Miss Jiang.

Miss Jiang cared deeply for her cousin. She would surely come in person to "borrow" Divine Physician Sun, and then his master could naturally meet with her.

For the sake of seeing Miss Jiang, his master had truly gone to great lengths!