Mad Queen Leaves the Palace

The Weiyang Palace was illuminated by candlelight, as bright as day, its entire interior bathed in a warm and soft glow. Consort Tong sat quietly in the bathtub, surrounded by vibrant rose petals scattered like stars on the water's surface, drawing the eye. The clear water gently caressed her delicate skin, like a breeze kissing a lake, creating ripples and subtle waves.

Although Consort Tong's son was already eighteen years old, time seemed to have left few traces on her. Her skin remained as fair, firm, and translucent as that of a young woman in her late teens, radiating a captivating glow like white jade.

Just then, Consort Tong slowly extended her slender, jade-like fingers, which swayed gently in the water like dancing water plants. Then, she parted her lips slightly and softly called out to those outside the screen, "Someone, come quickly and help me change my clothes." Her voice was clear and melodious, like a nightingale singing in a valley.

As soon as she finished speaking, two clever and obedient maids entered. They gracefully approached Consort Tong, carefully unfolding one magnificent garment after another and gently draping them over her snow-white body. First, she wore a pale purple gauze dress; its sheer fabric, like swirling clouds, subtly outlined Consort Tong's graceful figure. The delicate purple color further accentuated her fair skin, making her appear even more ethereal and breathtakingly beautiful.

Just then, Qiuyue walked in gracefully. She bowed slightly and said respectfully to Consort Tong, "Your Highness, the eunuch just informed us that His Majesty will be visiting this place tonight, and he specifically instructed you to prepare in advance."

Upon hearing this, Consort Tong snorted coldly, a hint of displeasure on her face, and said, "Hmph! Let him come if he wants to. I also want to hear in person how he plans to deal with what happened two years ago."

Upon hearing Consort Tong's words, Qiu Yue's heart tightened. She carefully lowered her voice and said, "Your Majesty, but you have only just..." However, before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Consort Tong's sharp gaze.

Consort Tong frowned slightly and scolded, "Silence! Never be so rash and lose your composure again. I'm just feeling a little tired these days; it's nothing serious." As she spoke, Consort Tong's eyes seemingly casually swept over the faces of the two head maids beside her, as if observing their expressions for any unusual behavior. After confirming that everything was normal, she fell silent and sat there quietly.

Meanwhile, Qiuyue was secretly annoyed, cursing herself for being too reckless and almost ruining her mistress's important matter due to a moment of carelessness.

A respectful servant led in a fair-skinned eunuch dressed in court attire. The eunuch carried a steaming bowl of soup steadily in both hands, carefully walked to the group, bowed slightly, and then said softly, "Your Majesty, this is turtle soup specially prepared and sent over from the Imperial Kitchen."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yue, standing to the side, felt a tightness in her heart. She was about to say something, but at that moment, the words her mistress had just given her suddenly echoed in her mind, so she quickly swallowed back the words that were already on the tip of her tongue. Then, Qiu Yue subconsciously turned her head to look at Consort Tong, who was sitting in a chair. She saw that Consort Tong was giving her a look that was clearly signaling her to keep quiet.

Understanding her mistress's meaning, Qiuyue quickly stepped forward and took the bowl of still-steaming turtle soup from her father-in-law. She gently and skillfully placed it on the table, then swiftly took a slender silver needle from her sleeve and inserted it into the soup without hesitation. After waiting a moment, and confirming there were no unusual reactions, Qiuyue breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Consort Tong, saying, "Your Majesty, please enjoy your soup."

Then, her gaze slowly shifted towards Consort Tong's direction, secretly considering whether she should take this opportunity to deliberately trip and fall, spilling the bowl of hot soup she was holding and making it disappear without a trace. However, the thought had barely formed when she hesitated. After all, if she really did that, and things got out of control, she might face more unpredictable troubles and precautions in the future, which would truly be a loss.

Just then, an unexpected scene unfolded! After taking a small sip of the soup in her bowl, bright red blood suddenly began to flow from the corner of her mouth. This sudden turn of events stunned everyone present, especially Qiu Yue, who was closest to Consort Tong and was terrified, her face drained of color and her movements completely halting. She cried out in utter panic, "Someone come quickly! Summon the imperial physician!" Her voice was sharp and urgent, echoing throughout the entire palace.

Upon hearing the head maid's anxious cries, the palace maid at the door tensed up and, without a moment's hesitation, rushed off like an arrow to fetch the imperial physician. Meanwhile, the person who had delivered the soup was ruthlessly detained by the other guards.

Seeing that no one else was around, Consort Tong gently patted Qiu Yue's hand and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, I'm fine. The blood is just from when I bit my lip. But now that things have come to this, I'm afraid I can't hide it anymore. Quickly send someone to inform the Emperor!" After saying that, she subconsciously stroked her slightly protruding belly, as if comforting the unborn child in her womb.

"Your Highness, rest assured, this servant will send someone to do it immediately." Qiu Yue nodded hurriedly in response, then quickly walked to the door and whispered a few instructions to a palace maid guarding the place. The maid listened and quickly turned to leave to carry out her task. After the maid left, Qiu Yue hurriedly returned to Consort Tong's side, quietly waiting, her eyes filled with concern and worry.

Not long after, Yan Zhen arrived. Seeing the imperial physician taking Consort Tong's pulse, he didn't say much, just waved his hand, not allowing everyone to bow. Not long after, the imperial physician came over and bowed to the emperor. Yan Zhen asked, "How is Consort Tong?"

The imperial physician replied, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, Consort Tong is pregnant."

Upon hearing this, Yan Zhen's face immediately lit up with an ecstatic smile, but his brows quickly furrowed slightly as he pondered to himself. After all, he had frequently visited Weiyang Palace recently without noticing anything amiss. Filled with doubt, he eagerly asked, "How long has it been?"

The imperial physician standing nearby quickly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, it has been over a month." As he spoke, the physician couldn't help but secretly gossip. Rumors circulated that the mistress of Fengluan Palace was greatly favored, but only those in the Imperial Medical Academy knew the truth: the Emperor actually visited Weiyang Palace at least five or six days a month. And after each of Consort Tong's nights with the Emperor, she would drink a bowl of contraceptive soup. The amount of contraceptive soup sent to Weiyang Palace over the past two years far exceeded the total amount sent to all other palaces combined. However, in the first three months, due to Consort Tong's prolonged use of the contraceptive soup, her menstrual cycle became extremely irregular, and she often felt unwell. Therefore, after careful consideration, it was decided to temporarily stop her from drinking the contraceptive soup. Who could have predicted that in just a few months, Consort Tong would become pregnant so quickly? This Consort Tong must be the kind of person her master had mentioned who was naturally fertile! Upon hearing the news that Consort Tong was pregnant, Yan Zhen's face instantly lit up with an ecstatic smile. He clapped his hands excitedly and shouted, "Great! This is truly wonderful news! Guards, a generous reward awaits!" As his joyful voice rang out, the palace erupted in cheers.

However, just as everyone was immersed in this joy, an unexpected scene unfolded. Suddenly, Consort Tong gently nudged Qiu Yue beside her, signaling for her to help her to her feet. Then, Consort Tong knelt shakily before Yan Zhen.

Her beautiful eyes were now brimming with tears as she looked pitifully at Yan Zhen, her lips trembling as she said, "Your Majesty, I am filled with fear and dread. Do you remember my Fourth Prince? He left us so inexplicably, and I have yet to recover from my grief. Now I am pregnant with your child, and I am so worried that this child might also meet with misfortune..." At this point, Consort Tong was sobbing uncontrollably, her frail body swaying as if a candle were about to fall in the wind.

"No," Yan Zhen quickly stepped forward to help Consort Tong up. He said, "With me here, let's see who dares to do that. I won't let anything happen to you."

Consort Tong continued to sob softly, tears streaming down her face like a burst dam. She clung tightly to Yan Zhen, as if trying to pour out all her grievances and pain to him. Her cries were mournful and desolate, heartbreaking to hear.

As Consort Tong wept, she extended her slender index finger and gently circled it on Yan Zhen's chest. This tender gesture seemed to carry endless longing and dependence. However, as time passed, Yan Zhen felt a pang of heartache. He slowly lifted Consort Tong and placed her on his lap.

However, Consort Tong was restless, constantly struggling to escape from Yan Zhen's embrace. Perhaps because of the unborn child in her womb, she dared not exert too much force, but instead writhed in Yan Zhen's arms like a slippery fish. This coy and reluctant posture only added to her charming and coquettish nature.

Finally, Yan Zhen could no longer bear Consort Tong's tearful, pitiful appearance. A surge of emotion welled up within him, like a gentle tickle from a kitten, an irresistible itch. Without hesitation, he issued an imperial edict, ordering the Empress and the Imperial Concubine to take good care of Consort Tong's unborn child. Any mishap would result in punishment for both of them!

This sounded utterly insane, but unexpectedly, Consort Tong actually achieved her goal. She constantly flirted with Yan Zhen, her coquettish and alluring demeanor making him both restless and helpless. After all, Consort Tong was only a month pregnant at this time, and no matter how much Yan Zhen wanted to do something, he could only sigh in vain.

Even before the Emperor's rewards were officially bestowed, the news had already spread throughout the Phoenix Palace and the Phoenix Phoenix Palace. Empress Lin, upon hearing this, remained relatively calm and made no comment. However, in stark contrast to the tranquility of the Phoenix Palace, the Phoenix Phoenix Palace was filled with the incessant sounds of clattering and smashing throughout the night. It turned out that Consort Ye, upon learning the news, had flew into a rage and smashed almost everything she could in the room to pieces. Porcelain, jade, and other valuables shattered into fragments, scattering across the floor with a crisp, resounding sound. In the end, the palace servants responsible for cleaning had to use baskets to gather up the broken pieces; the scene was utterly chaotic.

Several days later, sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves and dappled the Wutong Residence. At this moment, Xiao Lan and Yan Nan were standing in the courtyard, examining the results of the hard work of Uncle Zhang, Yue'er, and the others over the past few days.

The inn that once stood there has undergone a complete transformation. The items that needed to be sold have long been disposed of, and the once dilapidated walls have been carefully painted and now look brand new, exuding a faint scent of paint.

Xiao Lan smiled and took out a scroll from her bosom, gently unfurling it to show everyone the design of the health-preserving bed she had personally drawn. The exquisite pattern seemed to leap off the page, catching everyone's eye. Next, she took out a finely crafted nameplate, on which were engraved the three large characters "Wutongju" in a vigorous and powerful style, containing a unique charm.

Afterwards, Xiao Lan patiently explained to Yue'er and the other shop assistants in detail the subsequent placement of these items and their specific usage. She gestured as she spoke, her eyes focused and attentive, ensuring that everyone understood clearly.

After explaining these matters, Xiao Lan turned to Uncle Zhang and said, "Uncle Zhang, please find five skilled carpenters. Remember, their craftsmanship must be exceptional! Also, we need to sign long-term contracts and a confidentiality agreement that I personally drafted. Here is a sample; please take it and have everyone sign it in the same format." As she spoke, she handed the agreement to Uncle Zhang.