Dethroned the Crown Princess? Then she became your mother

"As you command, Your Highness the Crown Princess." The attendant responded softly with lowered brows and a pleasant look. The air was filled with a sense of relief after the tension.

Finally, someone suddenly realized that there was still a crucial link that had not been completed - the diagnosis by the imperial physician.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tianci quickly gave an order, allowing only the imperial physician whom he had always trusted to enter.

The door opened slightly, and the imperial physician's footsteps were steady and quick. The rest of the people were strictly ordered to stop outside the door.

A moment later, the imperial physician completed his mission, and a maid carefully wrapped the newborn life tightly, fearing that a slight breeze would blow it away.

She held the baby so tightly that others could not see the truth inside the cradle, and could only sense a hint of foreboding from her overly cautious posture.

As they exited the delivery room, they were greeted by a group of anxiously awaited concubines and maids. The two ladies stood up almost simultaneously, and the concubines couldn't hide their concern. Their gazes were fixed on the maid, eagerly asking, "Is the Crown Princess all right? Where's the little grandson? How's he doing?"

However, their response was the wailing of an old maid. Her voice was sharp and desolate, as if it could tear people's hearts apart: "The Crown Princess's condition is worrying. It's hard to describe her as safe. You all heard it. She gave birth, but it was a premature birth caused by someone's frame-up. My little grandson..."

At this point, the nanny was already sobbing. Her mixed emotions of grief and resentment moved everyone present.

The palace maids and midwives following behind him also whispered in a voice filled with sorrow: "Crown Princess... the little prince is in a bad condition..."

"My little grandson, he was born prematurely and died at birth. The imperial physician was powerless to save him. My little grandson, Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Majesty, the Imperial Physician, the Crown Princess..." The nanny's crying became more and more mournful, as if she was going to drown the entire Eastern Palace in this boundless grief.

The two ladies' faces instantly turned pale at the sound of their cries. They clutched their handkerchiefs tightly, their fingertips turning white from the strain, knowing in their hearts that this storm might also drag them into it. They opened their mouths, but found they had lost the ability to speak.

In contrast, the concubine was relatively calm. Although she was also eager to see the little grandson, she did not dare to act rashly and could only express her concern through words. The others were bewildered.

Finally, the nanny holding the little grandson left silently with the others, leaving behind a dead silence. A short while later, several imperial physicians hurried in from the garden outside the Eastern Palace. As soon as they entered the palace, they learned of the Crown Princess's birth. However, this news was somewhat ominous.

Their faces suddenly changed. Thinking of the expectations of the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and recalling the rumors they had heard along the way, they didn't know what to do for a moment.

-

Outside the East Palace, Zhang Tianai and the old lady Yuan from Weiyuan Marquis's Mansion were sitting opposite each other. The atmosphere was warm yet a bit solemn.

Zhang Tianai asked Nanny Li and others to prepare tea, while she chatted with her grandmother, trying to make her feel at ease.

"Grandma, please don't worry about my belly anymore. I'm used to it." Zhang Tianai gently stroked her bulging belly, with a helpless smile.

"Your belly is getting bigger day by day. How can I not worry?" Yuan's voice was full of worry. She looked at her granddaughter's thin body, and her heart was filled with mixed feelings.

Nanny Yu also nodded in agreement, her eyes full of concern.

"Grandma, don't worry. It's just that my belly is a little big. It will be fine in due time." Zhang Tianai tried to comfort her grandmother, but there was a hint of bitterness hidden in her smile.

Upon hearing this, Yuan felt a little relieved, but then she thought of more: "Your belly is so big, how can you hold it alone?" Her tone was full of heartache and worry.

Zhang Tianai noticed her grandmother's worry, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She coquettishly pulled her grandmother's hand and said, "Grandma, look at me, I'm fine, aren't I? The imperial physician also said that the child is very healthy."

After hearing this, Yuan felt relieved, but then she remembered something else: "I haven't seen you for such a long time, and your belly has grown so much all of a sudden. Is the baby moving around a lot inside?"

Zhang Tianai smiled and replied, "It's moving very well and very vigorously. The doctor said the baby is very healthy."

Upon hearing this, Yuan finally smiled, a long-lost smile on her face. "That's good, that's good. I've been worried about you. The Emperor even sent someone to tell me you were here alone. I was terribly worried when I heard that. I asked and found out that everyone had gone to the autumn hunt, leaving you here alone. I wanted to come and keep you company, but I couldn't. Now, the Emperor has finally asked Grandma to come and keep you company."

Zhang Tianai felt guilty when she heard this: "Grandma, it's all because of me that you can't go on the autumn hunt."

"Silly child, grandma is very happy to be here to accompany you. There is no way for my old bones to go on autumn hunting." Yuan stroked her granddaughter's hair lovingly, her eyes full of pampering.

At this time, Nanny Li and Chunmei came in with tea. Zhang Tianai motioned them to put the tea on the table, then poured a cup for her grandmother herself, and also took a cup for herself to drink with her grandmother.

After finishing her tea, Yuan suddenly spoke, "The virtuous concubine and the others are not here. I didn't see anyone in the garden when I came here. I think no one will know I'm here. This way, I can accompany you with peace of mind."

Zhang Tianai looked at her grandmother, her expression becoming serious. She knew that there were some things she had to tell her grandmother, otherwise it might be even harder for her to accept it.

Nanny Li and Chunmei were watching from the side. They could tell from their master's eyes that an important conversation was about to take place, and their hearts couldn't help but tighten.

Zhang Tianai took a deep breath and finally spoke: "Grandma, I have something I must tell you."

When Yuan heard this, she felt an ominous premonition in her heart: "What's the matter?"

Nanny Yu also looked at Zhang Tianai nervously, as if she had a premonition of something.

Zhang Tianai spoke slowly, talking about her second sister's recent situation, "This matter concerns my second sister. Grandmother's arrival may have been just in time, or maybe not. She herself probably didn't expect it. I only learned about it recently by chance." After that, she waved her hand gently, motioning for Nanny Li to come forward and explain in detail.

Upon hearing this, Yuan's expression immediately grew serious, and she was eager to get to the bottom of the matter. Her gaze passed over the crowd and fell on Nanny Li. Nanny Yu followed closely behind, her expression equally nervous.

Nanny Li felt her master's urgency and began to narrate in detail.

"It's about premature birth, it's about Ci'er's premature birth..." After hearing this, Yuan's face turned pale instantly, as if she was suddenly struck by an invisible force. She stood up suddenly, her voice trembling, "I want to enter the palace, I want to see Ci'er immediately!"

Her tone was filled with determination, as if any obstacle standing in her way would be ruthlessly crushed by her. Yu Ma was also stunned by this sudden news. The eldest daughter said that the second daughter had given birth prematurely and that she had been framed. How could this be possible?

"Grandmother, please be patient," Zhang Tianai said gently but firmly. She took Yuan's hand, trying to calm her down. "Entering the palace now will be useless. You might not be able to enter the Eastern Palace at all. The Eastern Palace must be heavily guarded by now."

She had already sent someone to get information, and she only needed to wait a little longer to get more details. But Yuan Shi seemed to be completely oblivious to what she was saying. Her mind was only on Ci'er, the child who was about to become a mother but had suffered such misfortune.

"Ci'er..." Yuan murmured the name over and over again, her eyes filled with anxiety and panic, "I can't just wait like this, I want to go to the palace to see her!"

She couldn't imagine Ci'er being born prematurely. Although there were some setbacks in the first few months, she finally got through it smoothly. She firmly believed that all this was the fault of the two concubines in the Eastern Palace. They were the ones who harmed Ci'er.

Ci'er's belly is even bigger than Ai'er's, and the day of delivery is approaching, but now...

Yuan didn't dare to think any further. She just hoped to see Ci'er as soon as possible, hoping for a miracle. But Zhang Tianai had to bring her back to reality: "Grandma, I'm worried and scared too. But things have developed to this point. We can only calm down and wait for news. Then we can find a way to help."

Yuan could only helplessly call out Zhang Tianai's name, and Zhang Tianai responded to her gently: "Grandma, I also thought about whether to tell you, but now that you are here, I can't hide it from you. I believe you will understand my painstaking efforts."

Nanny Yu watched all this silently from the side, and she admired the young lady's decisiveness. After a brief silence, Yuan finally nodded: "I understand, my dear. You are right. We can't lose our composure."

Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and everyone was waiting anxiously. It wasn't until a long time later that Yuan finally opened her mouth to speak again, but Zhang Tianai gently pulled her back. At this moment, footsteps were heard, and Nanny Li, Chunmei, and Yuan's personal maids walked in together.

Zhang Tianai's eyes immediately turned to Li Ma, who nodded gently. She asked, "How is the situation?"

"The Crown Princess has given birth." Although Nanny Li's voice was calm, the amount of information contained in it was enough to shock everyone present.

Yuan opened her mouth wide, but couldn't utter a word for a long time and could only make babbling sounds.

Seeing this, Zhang Tianai immediately urged, "Grandma, ask again, ask more clearly."

Yuan nodded woodenly, her gaze fixed on Zhang Tianai's face. Zhang Tianai motioned for Li Ma to continue questioning. Upon learning that the Crown Princess had given birth to a stillborn child, Yuan felt as if all her strength had been drained from her. She sat there in a trance, her eyes empty and confused.

"Grandma..." Zhang Tianai called out to her distressedly, and Yuan Shi seemed to wake up from a dream, tightly grasping Zhang Tianai's hand, "How could this happen? Ci'er... How dare the people of the Luo family and the girl from the Ning'an Marquis' Mansion! Ci'er is the Crown Princess! We can't let them go!"

Her tone was filled with anger and unwillingness, as if she wanted to pour out all her resentment.

But Zhang Tianai was calmer than her: "Of course we can't let them go. When the Crown Prince returns to the palace, the Emperor will know about this and he will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly. None of them will be able to escape."

As she spoke, she glanced at Nanny Yu, motioning her to come forward and comfort Yuan. Nanny Yu understood and immediately stepped forward, gently patting Yuan's back, trying to calm her down. But no matter how she comforted her, the pain in Yuan's heart was difficult to heal.

"Grandma, if you really want to enter the palace..." There was a hint of hesitation in Zhang Tianai's words.