Chapter 117

Chapter 117

When Xie Run heard that Shiqie An had scared herself into labor after a nightmare, she was at a loss for words.

She genuinely wondered how Shiqie An had managed to carry her children to term safely in the prince's residence.

Due to the collapse of the Zichen Hall, Shiqie An also planned to keep a low profile and did not hold a third-day bathing ceremony for the twins.

On the seventh day after the Zichen Hall collapsed, the emperor, unable to withstand the pressure from his ministers, deposed Consort Chen to commoner status and sent her to a Taoist temple, granting her the title "Wangyuan Niangzi" (Lady Who Forgets Fate).

From this title, everyone knew the emperor could not forget Consort Chen.

He had only deposed her under pressure.

After all, the Eighth Prince still resided in the palace and was deeply favored by the emperor.

This was also the result of negotiations between the ministers and the emperor, temporarily suppressing public discussion.

Only Xie Run and Fang Yuaner, who knew the plot, understood the truth.

The emperor had not yielded to the ministers' pressure at all.

He was simply frightened!

Previously, he had doted exclusively on Consort Chen, never caring about the words of his ministers or the people, because he was the emperor—no one could threaten his position.

But now the Zichen Hall had collapsed, and it happened while he had summoned Consort Chen to attend him.

Not to mention that the emperor already believed in ghosts and gods; even a skeptic would feel uneasy at this moment, sensing divine wrath.

No matter how much he favored Consort Chen, she could not compare to his own importance.

So the emperor pretended to succumb to the ministers' pressure, conveniently deposing Consort Chen while keeping the Eighth Prince by his side, showing that he still cherished old ties.

The emperor's thoughts were hard to guess, yet not so hard after all.

Xie Run also knew that in another month or two, the arrogant Eighth Prince would gallop recklessly down the street, fall off his horse, and die a tragic death.

Prince Su and the Empress, who had conspired in this plot, would both face the emperor's unbridled fury.

But these were matters outside the prince's residence. As a Shu Fei, she dared not interfere, nor could she.

What Xie Run did not know was that because Fang Yuaner and Wan Linlang had played their "prophecy" game, Prince Jing had grown suspicious.

He had long sent people to investigate the Zichen Hall.

They had uncovered the cause of the collapse and even learned of Prince Su and the Empress's scheme.

In other words, everything Prince Su and the Empress did was observed by Prince Jing.

His path to the throne in this lifetime would be smoother than in his previous one.

Xie Run remained tense, watching for news from outside. But before anything happened to the Eighth Prince, trouble arose within the residence first.

Lu Zhi had gone early in the morning to collect the monthly stipend. Just as she stepped out of the courtyard gate, she heard someone shout that something was wrong.

She went over to look, gathered the news, and immediately returned to Chunshan Court to report back to Xie Run.

"Madam, something has happened in Shiqie An's courtyard."

Xie Run was chatting with two senior maids, asking about things to be careful with when raising children.

Upon hearing Lu Zhi's words, she asked, "What happened?"

Lu Zhi said, "They say the charcoal in the room burned too heavily, and they forgot to open the window. After quite a while, they discovered the two children couldn't be woken up."

The two maids' faces changed instantly upon hearing this.

"Oh no, this could be serious!"

Xie Run guessed it was likely carbon monoxide poisoning, but pretended not to know, asking with slight fear, "Do you two know what this condition is?"

"Will it affect the children?"

One maid, quick-tempered, immediately said, "Madam doesn't know. Burning charcoal for too long produces poison; one must open the window to let the air out."

"There was a woman on my street who fell asleep while burning charcoal, and the smoke was so thick it knocked her child unconscious. The poor child lost his wits!"

The other maid added quietly, "There was a woman in my village who tried to take her own life by sealing the room and burning charcoal. Within half a day, she passed away."

Lu Zhi's face also turned pale. "Is it that serious?"

"I saw someone from Shiqie An's courtyard going to notify the Princess Consort, probably to request an imperial physician."

Xie Run suddenly thought, "If I remember correctly, today is the day Physician Fang comes for my routine health check?"

Lu Zhi's eyes lit up. "By this hour, Physician Fang should already be on his way!"

Xie Run said, "Send a swift-footed maid to Qingsong Court to inform the Princess Consort and have her send someone to fetch Physician Fang."

"If we try to submit a formal request to the palace for a physician now, it will take far too long."

Lu Zhi acknowledged, "Yes! I'll arrange it immediately!"

Once Lu Zhi left, Xie Run also gave the two maids some silver as a reward and sent them off.

Dan Tao entered. "Madam, are you worried about the Second Princess and the Fourth Young Master?"

Xie Run shook her head. "I'm worried for myself."

"These are turbulent times, and I'm about to give birth. I just hope no trouble arises."

Dan Tao smiled. "Since Shiqie Ning and Shiqie Han are gone, the household has been much quieter lately."

"With the court in turmoil and the Princess Consort keeping a tight grip on the inner courtyard, as long as Madam keeps a close watch on the gates of Chunshan Court, nothing will happen."

"Is that so?" Xie Run felt it was true, yet a nagging unease lingered in her heart.

Especially upon hearing that Shiqie An's twins had encountered trouble—that unease peaked.

Xie Run said, "The tree desires stillness, but the wind will not cease."

"What else have I overlooked?"

Xiaoshu and Dan Tao could not think of anything. It was Hong Xi who quietly asked, "Madam, when you give birth, would you like to have family come to stay with you?"

"Madam Fang went into premature labor and didn't have time to send for her family. Madam An had no family to call on."

"Since your eldest sister is in the capital, why not have her come to keep you company?"

Xie Run froze.

Dan Tao was reminded and perked up. "The Princess Consort has always been easygoing in such matters. I've heard other princely mansions have done the same."

"As long as you ask, she'll definitely agree!"

"You depend so much on the Eldest Miss. If she could be with you during labor, it would really put your mind at ease, my lady."

Xie Run managed a weak smile, unable to muster a genuine one.

Xie Jiang was doing her best to hide her pregnancy. Six months along, how could she possibly come to the mansion and make a public appearance?

"That won't work." Xie Run slowly shook her head.

Xie Jiang couldn't come, and her mother was thousands of miles away. The Xie family had no relatives in the capital either.

After thinking it over, Dan Tao could only abandon the idea.

Xie Run said, "But Hong Xi's comment reminded me of where I slipped up."

Xie Run lowered her gaze.

Because of the original plot, she'd overlooked her original self's maternal family and what was happening outside.

She hadn't died, Xie Jiang was famous in the capital, and Xie Jing had passed the provincial exam... The Xie family was thriving.

But no one knew if there were hidden dangers.

And there was another thing... her original self's childhood sweetheart from next door!

That was a ticking time bomb, plain and simple.

Xie Run had married into the mansion without investigating what had happened outside, so she had no idea how that man was doing now.

The Xie family and that childhood sweetheart were indeed big hidden risks.

After thinking it over, Xie Run picked up her brush and wrote letters to both Xie Jiang and Xie Jing.

Dan Tao, who was grinding ink beside her, asked curiously, "If you want to know about the Xie family's situation, why not ask the eldest young master instead of the eldest miss?"

The future head of the Xie family would definitely be Xie Jing.

On a lot of things, Xie Jing would certainly know more than Xie Jiang.