Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

In Shengjing, the snow fell like a mat.

Inside the sleeping quarters of Luanxiang Palace, a brazier and two incense burners were burning, creating a warm and fragrant atmosphere.

Zheng Xiangxiang hugged a hand warmer, curled up in the fluffy blanket, and said to Xing'er, "I've heard that pregnant women have a lot of internal heat, but I often feel cold. Could there be something wrong?"

Xing'er comforted her, "The imperial physicians take your pulse every few days. If there really is a problem, how could they dare to hide it? Your Majesty, please rest assured. By early autumn, you will surely give birth to the little prince safely!"

Zheng Xiangxiang's eyes shone with maternal tenderness as she stroked her belly.

"I've been having a lot of wild thoughts lately, all because of the little one in my belly. He's not even born yet, but he already has a bunch of cunning ideas!"

Xing'er smiled and said, "The little prince is intelligent, His Majesty will surely cherish him, and perhaps..." She leaned closer to the bedside, "...he will be made crown prince!"

Zheng Xiangxiang was pleased by her coaxing, picked up a salted plum and put it in her mouth, her eyes squinting from the sourness.

A young palace maid lifted the curtain and entered, her expression panicked. "Your Majesty, the Prince of Wu attempted to assassinate the Emperor in Tongzhou. His Majesty has sent back an imperial decree ordering the execution of Consort Dun!"

"Such a thing... such a heinous act!" Zheng Xiangxiang exclaimed, sitting up abruptly. "Is the person dead?"

"Not yet!" the palace maid said. "The imperial decree arrived at Kunning Palace, but Her Majesty the Empress is devoted to Buddhism and cannot bear the sight of blood, so she entrusted the task to Eunuch Fu, who serves His Majesty!"

Zheng Xiangxiang said disdainfully, "What's the use of eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers? Even if she wears out the prayer mat, the late Crown Prince still won't come back! Now, besides the Empress, I am the most powerful person in the palace. How can I not be present for such an important matter as dealing with the concubines? Xing'er, let's go take a look!"

Xing'er disagreed, "Your Majesty, the snow is so heavy outside, and the roads are difficult to walk on. What if the imperial heir falls and gets hurt?"

Zheng Xiangxiang was in high spirits, saying, "Just walk slowly, it's not that easy to fall."

Xing'er looked worried and had a palanquin prepared, instructing the young eunuch to proceed slowly.

The group arrived at Huanhua Pavilion, where Eunuch Fu had already poured the medicine into Consort Dun's stomach. Upon entering, they saw the tragic sight of Consort Dun bleeding from all seven orifices.

Zheng Xiangxiang thought that with her previous experience, she would not be afraid anymore, but she forgot that the day her lover died was at night, and she did not see the man's expression clearly at all.

In this brightly lit room, facing the grotesque corpse directly in front of her, she was so shocked that her eyes almost popped out!

"Sister Zhengfei, what brings you here?" Consort Liang exclaimed in surprise.

She was in charge of assisting in the management of the six palaces, and Eunuch Fu specially sent someone to invite her over. Now, seeing Consort Zheng standing unsteadily at the door, he was terrified!

If Consort Zheng were to miscarry because of this, how would she explain it to His Majesty?!

Eunuch Fu slapped his thigh and said, "Oh dear! Sister Xing'er, don't just stand there, quickly help Her Majesty to the side hall!"

The people of Luanxiang Palace seemed to wake from a dream and helped Consort Zheng walk out.

Zheng Xiangxiang felt a chill run through her body, as if the ghost of Consort Dun hadn't left. She gripped Xing'er's hand, "Back to the palace! Let's go back to the palace!"

Xing'er was in so much pain that her brows furrowed, but she endured the pain and ordered her servants to bring a palanquin.

On the way, Consort Zheng kept urging them on, and the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair were kicking so hard that smoke was flying everywhere.

At the corner of the palace wall, a little boy of about four or five years old suddenly darted out. Everyone stopped in their tracks, and Zheng Xiangxiang stumbled forward, almost falling off the palanquin.

The boy saw her clinging awkwardly to the pole and burst into laughter.

Zheng Xiangxiang shouted angrily, "Where did this little beast come from? Xing'er, go and slap him!"

Xing'er stepped forward and slapped the boy across the face, and the boy burst into tears.

"You...you dare hit me! I'm going to tell...tell Grandmother! Waaaaah!"

After saying that, the boy covered his face and ran away.

Xing'er panicked. She stared at her hands for a moment, then turned to look at Consort Zheng.

They actually hit His Highness the Crown Prince!

Zheng Xiangxiang was frightened twice in one day, and her stomach was cramping. Her face was pale as she said, "Quick, go and fetch the imperial physician!"

Xing'er stumbled and ran towards the Imperial Hospital, while the others escorted Consort Zheng back to Luanxiang Palace. They were all pale-faced, but they still had to force themselves to take care of their mistress.

After all, the child in Consort Zheng's belly was their only lifeline!

Xing'er rushed back with the imperial physician. After examining the baby's pulse, the physician said that the fetus was fine, but the baby should not have too much emotional fluctuation in the future, otherwise it might cause a miscarriage.

Xing'er saw the imperial physician off and served Consort Zheng her medicine to prevent miscarriage. She had just fed her a spoonful when the head maidservant beside the Empress burst in with a large group of people.

"May I ask, Consort Zheng, who just struck the eldest grandson of the Emperor?"

Xing'er looked to Consort Zheng for help, hoping she wouldn't expose her, but Consort Zheng avoided her gaze and lowered her head.

"Does Consort Zheng's silence mean she wants me to carry out torture in Luanxiang Palace?"

Zheng Xiangxiang's eyes reddened. "How dare you! How dare you, a lowly servant, run wild in Luanxiang Palace!"

The head maid said, "Although Her Majesty the Empress does not concern herself with worldly affairs, she is still the mistress of the harem and has the right to deal with a concubine!"

"I am carrying the imperial heir!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince is the Regent! Even if the Empress's child is born, let alone before it is, offending the Crown Prince will only result in being sentenced to death!"

Zheng Xiangxiang clutched the blanket, unsure of what to do.

Xing'er knows her secret. If Xing'er is handed over, the other party might betray her in order to save their own life! If she is not handed over, the people outside will be tortured and will also implicate Xing'er.

Or she could drag it out until the last minute, pretending to be powerless, and Xing'er would be grateful to her and might keep her secret!

We'll talk about what happens next when Brother Xiao returns to Shengjing!

When the head maid saw that she was pretending to be deaf and dumb, she ordered her servants to torture her. The eunuchs confessed in no time that it was Xing'er who had beaten her.

When Xing'er was taken away, she cried her heart out. Her aunt felt it was bad luck, so she ordered her mouth to be gagged and she was dragged all the way to Kunning Palace.

*

The procession for the Fengshan ceremony was half a day late, so the emperor ordered that the procession travel light and simply arrive at Mount Dai the day before the Lantern Festival.

The next day, the sky was clear and the air was fresh.

The nine-foot-high earthen and stone altar was filled with offerings. People from the Imperial Observatory chanted blessings, and strong liquor and sacrificial animals were thrown into the bonfire, where thick smoke rose into the sky.

All the officials knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

After offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, Li Rui led everyone back the way they came.

Upon reaching Tongzhou, the Leopard Guards brought the wounded back to their ranks. The prefect arrived to report the results of his investigation, stating that the Prince of Wu had conspired with iron prospectors to secretly forge weapons at a small iron mine.

Li Kai was furious upon hearing this and ordered the prefect to eliminate all iron prospectors within a month to prevent such incidents from happening again.

Yuan Zhi went to see Duan Sheng, who cursed at her and threatened to report her to the Emperor. Far from being afraid, Yuan Zhi even helped him lift the curtain of his tent and urged him to set off.

"What's the use of just shouting? Why don't you go out and show your face, Lord Supervisor? You keep saying you want to surpass your junior brother, but the opportunity is right in front of you. Why are you hiding like a turtle and not even daring to show your face!"

The Fengshan ceremony at Mount Dai was proposed by Duan Sheng, and the King of Wu and Consort Dun died as a result. Duan Sheng didn't dare to tell the Emperor the truth. Because if he did, the Emperor would use him as a sacrifice to Heaven first!

Based on this, she shot him.

Firstly, it was to avenge the women in the palace, and secondly, it was because she worried that he would be too terrified and panic, thus revealing her plan.

Now that everything has settled, she has nothing to fear!