Seizing the throne, abolishing the adopted son, the imperial concubine rose to prominence

"How can this be……"

Concubine Zheng was so frightened that her body went limp, but fortunately she was supported by Caifu.

"Help Concubine Shen lie down on the couch quickly."

The emperor's brows were deeply furrowed, and he looked at Concubine Shen with a look of deep regret.

"Shen Jieyu's dragon fetus has always been fine. Does Zhao Yuanpan know why..."

Since her concubine sister was no longer useful, Concubine Zheng naturally didn't bother to even look at her. Instead, she wanted to know who dared to touch the prince she had been longing for.

"I just took Concubine Shen's pulse and she seems to be frightened and depressed."

"Fear and depression?"

Concubine Zheng was surprised.

That bitch was still alive despite being tortured like that before, but she has been treated well to good food and drink for the past month and is still frightened and depressed.

"I think this is a bit strange."

After Concubine Zheng, the first person to speak was He Zhiyi.

"What Concubine He said is true. I also think this matter is a little strange. We all know how much the Imperial Concubine values ​​Concubine Shen's dragon fetus. She always provides the best food and care. Even if she occasionally has some problems, it won't harm the dragon fetus."

Li Cairen interjected.

The Queen frowned slightly when she heard this. She asked Zhichun to go back to the original preparations, but she could not remind Li Cairen in front of everyone.

However, when she thought about He Zhiyi who mentioned this matter, she felt a little relieved.

The emperor knew He Zhiyi's character very well, and her words and actions were often unexpected.

"Your Majesty, ever since my sister became pregnant, I have had the palace maids take good care of her, refusing to let her suffer even the slightest injustice. Now, my sister has lost the child for no apparent reason. I wonder if she came into contact with something she shouldn't have. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."

Concubine Zheng said with a look of regret.

"Then how do you think we should investigate?"

The emperor asked without joy or anger.

"I request your permission to first check the food at the banquet, as well as the belongings of the concubines and maids in the palace."

Concubine Zheng glanced sharply at the woman in the room.

"Shen Jieyu suddenly lost her dragon fetus, and it happened at a banquet. I, your concubine, have no choice but to take responsibility."

"If the Imperial Concubine wishes to investigate, I will certainly cooperate."

The banquet was prepared by the Queen, and Concubine Zheng's words clearly showed her suspicion of the Queen.

"I'll leave this matter to the Queen."

The emperor stroked the jade ring and said.

The queen nodded in agreement and first asked the palace servants to guard Zhaoyingxuan and the things on the banquet, and then asked all the concubines present to take off their head ornaments, sachets, purses, etc.

The rest of the concubines were fine, but several concubines from aristocratic families all looked unhappy. It was simply inappropriate for them to take off their rings and hairpins in front of all the palace maids. Everyone was even more resentful towards Concubine Zheng.

Feeling depressed? Perhaps it was because Concubine Zheng was too harsh on her concubine sister. Everyone in the palace knew that Concubine Shen was not as comfortable as the head maid of Cheng'an Palace in front of her own sister.

"President Zhao, is there anything wrong with the food at the banquet?"

During this time, Zhao Qing also took two imperial doctors from the Imperial Hospital to check the food at the banquet.

"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, the food on Concubine Shen's table is not harmful to pregnant women."

Hearing this, the Queen seemed relieved, but Concubine Zheng looked unhappy.

If no problems are found in the banquet, the matter cannot be blamed on the Queen.

"Then please ask Envoy Zhao and the imperial doctors to check these things again."

The queen pointed to the tray in the palace maid's hand, which was filled with items that had just been taken from the concubines.

Zhao Qing and others responded and went forward to check.

As the head of the nine concubines, Gu Youning's rank was only below that of Concubine Zheng, so Zhao Qing and another imperial physician quickly found her belongings.

The imperial physician picked up the sachet, sniffed it carefully for a while, opened the sachet and looked at what was inside. Then his face changed slightly and he presented the sachet to the emperor.

"What? Is there something wrong with this sachet?"

Concubine Zheng had been watching closely, so the sachet was easy to recognize.

The fabric is ordinary and the embroidery is not exquisite, but Gu Youning wears it every day.

The emperor's face also darkened.

"Yes, the spices inside are mixed with some medicinal herbs, which are not suitable for pregnant women."

The queen frowned and glanced at the emperor, appearing to be doubtful, but in fact she was assessing the emperor's expression.

"Gu Zhaoyi, I know you're unhappy with me because of what happened in Ci'an Palace last time, but why are you so vicious and want to harm the dragon fetus in Concubine Shen's belly?"

Concubine Zheng pointed at Gu Youning and said angrily.

But Gu Youning, who was being questioned, had a blank expression on her face. She stared blankly at the sachet in the imperial physician's hand: "Impossible..."

"What's impossible? Now that the evidence is here, you're the only one among all the concubines in the palace who has found problems with your things. Please, Your Majesty, make the decision for my sister and the dragon fetus."

Concubine Zheng looked at the emperor with red eyes and actually knelt down.

The emperor's gaze passed coldly across the imperial physician holding the sachet.

"This matter involves the heir to the throne, and is of grave importance. Cao Zhong, summon all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital who are proficient in this matter."

"Noble Concubine, please stand up. No matter who it is, I will not let anyone who harms the royal heir go easily."

The emperor said coldly.

"Yes."

With the emperor's promise, Concubine Zheng was delighted. She didn't expect that the little bitch could still be of some use. She had long wanted to deal with Gu Youning, the vixen, but now this vixen was digging her own grave.

Not long after, all the imperial doctors from the Imperial Medical Bureau who were proficient in childbirth arrived.

But the emperor did not summon them in immediately. Instead, he asked Cao Zhong to take them to the next room with the sachet to check.

The queen's eyes darkened. She knew that the emperor was afraid that the person in Changchun Palace would be framed. However, the thing in the sachet was arranged by Nanny Qu. No matter how much she investigated, it was something that could cause abortion.

It was almost two cups of tea before Cao Zhong came back with an imperial physician.

"how?"

The emperor stared at the imperial physician kneeling below.

"We, the ministers, have carefully examined this sachet as instructed by Eunuch Cao. The medicine contained in it is indeed detrimental to a woman's ability to conceive an heir to the throne."

But before the Empress and Concubine Zheng could rejoice, the imperial physician continued, "If you carry this sachet with you for a long time, it can prevent pregnancy."

Avoid children?

"If a pregnant woman touches this sachet, will there be problems?"

Concubine Zheng asked anxiously.

She didn't notice the emperor's increasingly gloomy face.

The kneeling imperial physician shook his head and said, "The dosage of the herbs in it is very well controlled. Unless you wear this sachet day and night, it will not have any effect on pregnant women."

Concubine Zheng was stunned, but the Queen unconsciously cast her eyes on Gu Youning.

Could it be that the two things she planned today were happening right under everyone's noses?

Aunt Qu would never put such insignificant contraceptive medicine in there.

"Gu Zhaoyi has been wearing this sachet for some time. Is it causing any trouble?"

The emperor glanced at the confused woman, clenched his jade ring, and his eyes were full of anxiety.

"If it's less than a year, your Majesty should be able to recover."

The imperial physician did not dare to say it was too full.

The emperor breathed a sigh of relief. If it weren't in front of others, he would have wanted to hold the woman in his arms.

If it hadn't happened today, Ning'er's body would have been harmed by these people in a year or two.

"Your Majesty, the master has woken up and she has something to say."

When everyone was being startled, Concubine Shen's personal maid Yun'er came out from the inner room.

The emperor stood up after pondering for a moment, and the empress and Concubine Zheng naturally went in together.

"Ning'er, come here."

But just as the emperor was about to walk towards the screen, he extended his hand to Gu Youning.

"Yes."

Gu Youning lowered his head and let the emperor hold his hand.

Not to mention the jealousy of the Queen, Concubine Zheng and other concubines, in the inner room, Concubine Shen was kneeling on the ground leaning on the palace maid Yun'er.

"What are you doing? You just lost your child, how can you do this..."

"Your Majesty, I am incompetent. I failed to protect this child, and I should never have lied to Your Majesty."

Concubine Shen interrupted the Queen's caring words and kowtowed with difficulty.

"What did you deceive me about?"

The emperor asked in a deep voice.

"Yun'er."

Concubine Shen looked at her palace maid.

"Yes, master."

Under the puzzled gazes of several people, Yun'er took off her master's clothes one by one.

"What are you doing? How disrespectful to do this in front of the Emperor and the Empress!"

When she took off her middle clothes, Concubine Zheng shouted angrily, "This little bitch is trying to take advantage of the emperor's pity to seduce her."

But Yun'er's hands just trembled a little, and she continued to take off her master's undershirt.

In this way, Shen Jieyu was left with only a tube top pulled in front of her upper body, exposing her entire back and waist. Her snow-white skin was covered with fine and dense red dots.

Someone screamed in surprise.

"I beg the Emperor and Empress to help our master. The Imperial Concubine usually beats and scolds our master, but even after our master became pregnant with the royal heir, she still refuses to show any mercy."

"What nonsense! Everyone in the harem knows that I am hoping for the heir in her belly. How could I possibly beat or scold her?"

Concubine Zheng immediately said angrily.

"The Imperial Concubine wanted the child in our master's womb, but you only wanted a prince, so you asked Madam Lu to give the master acupuncture using a folk remedy for conceiving a child. The master was in unbearable pain after each acupuncture, and she knelt at your feet and begged several times, but all she got was insults from you and Madam Lu."

"Master is worried and frightened every day, and has to endure the pain. How can she possibly have a healthy pregnancy?"

Yun'er cried.

"you……"

Concubine Zheng had a righteous look on her face just now, but Yun'er suddenly changed her tone and she was speechless for a moment.

"I am a timid person and dare not report this matter to the Emperor and the Empress, but my child is gone..."

Concubine Shen looked at her elder sister, Concubine Zheng, with resentment.

"Noble Concubine, is what Concubine Shen said true?"

The emperor looked at Concubine Zheng with disappointment and sorrow in his eyes.

"Do not……"

thump!

Before Concubine Zheng could finish her defense, a figure fell to her knees beside her.

She subconsciously turned her head and saw that it was her personal maid Caifu.

She felt her head buzzing and her heart aching, but there was no one to support her, and she fell on the bed, which seemed to confirm her guilty conscience.

"I am guilty! Everything Yun'er said is true. The set of silver needles is still in Madam Lu's room. I tried to persuade the mistress, but she refused to listen. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy."

Caifu, however, started banging her head on the ground.

"My Lady, you...ah, you are too confused."

The queen didn't expect to have such a harvest today, and she got rid of her dejection today.

As for Concubine Zheng, the betrayal of her concubine and personal maid, as well as the emperor's disappointed and disgusted look, made her vomit blood and faint.

"Zheng was evil-minded and plotted to murder the heir to the throne, and was demoted to a concubine."

"Although Concubine Shen made the mistake of concealing her identity, out of sympathy for her loss of her son, she was neither rewarded nor punished, and she remained in Cheng'an Palace."

The emperor's cold and stern voice echoed from the inner room, and when it reached the ears of the concubines outside, it was like thunder.

"The Queen will handle the rest herself."

After the emperor said this, he picked up Gu Youning, who looked pale with fear, and walked out.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

The concubine only heard the emperor's very gentle coaxing, and then the bright yellow figure left the room.

Thinking of the decree they had just heard, everyone secretly thought that things were about to change in the harem.