Chapter 985: Retaliation
the evil artifact in between, beginning to consume the attached evil energy.The ripples had drained the spiritual energy from his dantian, but the evil artifact stubbornly continued to resist the thre...The news of the pregnancy was kept secret, known only to the Crown Prince, the Empress, and the Emperor. After all, the fetus wasn't stable yet, so there was no announcement made to the public. All that happened was Dr. Liang from the Imperial Court running back and forth between the East Palace quite frequently.
The Empress also thoughtfully sent a postnatal confinement nanny, who would work with Doctor Liang to help Lian'er conceive. They began supplementing her diet and using medication to ensure the child's well-being as much as possible.
The prince's concubine, Lady Ruan, sensed something was amiss. Trusting her intuition as a woman, she didn't believe that Lianyi was as ill as the outside world portrayed.
Concubine Ruan bribed a maidservant from Lianyi Courtyard with a hefty sum. She learned that while the Crown Princess had been bedridden, her personal attendants didn't seem worried at all; instead, they were all cheerful and even more careful in their work.
"Could she be pregnant"
Ruan Cifei murmured to herself.
Concubine Ruan paced in her own room for a long time, and then, accompanied by her personal maid, she went to see Concubine Liu. The two had been bitter enemies before, but now she felt it was necessary for them to form an alliance.
Lady Liu was not pleased with the arrival of Lady Ruan. The two were merely acquaintances, so after her guest sat down, she bluntly asked:
"How come Sister Ruan has time to visit my courtyard today"
I didn't really want to come, but thinking that we're in the same boat, I figured it was better to at least say hello.
What's up
Lady Liu Ci hated when people played coy. She asked directly.
"The Crown Princess is pregnant!"
"What Is this really true"
Then, Lady Willow questioned immediately.
"Isn't that true You could just find out by asking around. I don't believe you haven't placed anyone in the Crown Princess's courtyard."
The soft-spoken concubine sarcastically remarked.
"I wouldn't trouble you with this, sister. You came all this way to tell me this good news, surely there's more to it than that!"
They're all old rivals. How could she not know what the other side is thinking
"Only Willow understands me. As for whether it's out of kindness, you'll have to ask yourself if you're willing to do this. I, for one, am not willing to let it go. And this is a chance to get rid of the Crown Princess, it just depends on whether you dare to gamble."
"Ruan Jie jie, be careful with your words. What you think is your own business, don't try to drag me down."
Lady Liu immediately pulled a face and said with displeasure.
"Well, I've told you what I know. Whether you want to work with me is up to you."
After the Soft-Side Concubine finished speaking, she turned and left Liu Side Concubine's courtyard.
Only Liu Caifen was left sitting in the courtyard, her expression constantly shifting. Finally, she summoned her closest maid and whispered a few words into her ear. The maid then lifted her skirt and hurried away.
The ripples are eating cherries, and Doudou tells her mistress about the secret plot of the two concubines.
"Do you mean they have formed an alliance already"
"Well, the two of them have teamed up to get rid of the child in your belly and you as well."
“I want them to live two more days. They're bouncing around happily themselves. With such obvious signs of wanting to stab me, if I don’t accept, it would be rude.”
"Master, what are you going to do I'll help you!"
"Once they make their move, I'll play my hand."
After resting in bed for over a month, when Dr. Liang took her pulse and said that the child in Riyi's stomach was stable, she went to greet the Empress on a bright and sunny day.
Before she was pregnant, now it's basically stable, she naturally has to go to pay respects. Just as the group of people just walked out of the East Palace gate not far away, the eunuch carrying the sedan chair tripped and directly threw the rippling sitting in the soft sedan chair out. Rippling fainted on the spot, and there was blood under her body.
Both Grandmother Sun and Lanzhi's faces turned pale. If anything were to happen to the crown prince’s concubine’s child, none of them serving her would escape punishment.
Grandmother Sun immediately declared:
"Lan Zhi, go get Dr. Liang now!"
"Yes!"
Lan Zhi blushed and nodded, then turned and ran away.
"You lot take the Crown Princess back to her quarters."
"Yes!"
The two palace maids who were pointed out were both strong and well-built. They were the meat pads prepared by Granny Sun for Lian'er. It was these two who had just timely cushioned Lian'er underneath her.
"Call the guards, and have them bind all four of them. We await the prince's instructions."
Grandmother Sun pointed at the four eunuchs carrying the sedan chair and gritted her teeth.
"Grandmother, we were wrong."
The eunuch who had fallen was already kneeling on the ground. Hearing what Nanny Sun said, he wished he were dead. He really didn't mean to do it.
Unfortunately, no one listened to his explanation. The guards in the palace had already rushed over and took all four of them away.
Go and inform the Crown Prince that something has happened here at the Crown Princess's residence. Tell him to arrange for someone to take charge of the situation.
Grandmother Sun issued her final command, then turned and rushed back to the East Palace.
Dr. Liang arrived first, seeing Ripples' face as white as paper and the blood-stained hem of the other party's skirt, he immediately frowned and asked:
"What's the matter Wasn't it fine when you took your pulse this morning"
"After you left, the Crown Princess said she was going to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. As soon as she left the East Palace, the eunuch carrying her palanquin tripped and fell, throwing the Crown Princess out."
Grandmother Sun explained the reason in just a few words.
When Liang, the physician, heard this, he knew something was wrong. He immediately took out his pulse pillow and checked Ripple's pulse, his brow furrowing deeper with each beat. This clearly indicated a miscarriage.
The ripples at this moment slowly woke up, after looking around, her gaze fell on Dr. Liang's face, she touched her belly weakly and said:
"Doctor Liang, please be sure to save the child in my womb. It's a child the Crown Prince has longed for."
"Your Highness, please rest assured. This old minister will do his utmost."
"Doctor Liang, please don't worry about me, just make sure the child is safe."
The ripples urged her one last time, then fainted again.
Just as Lian Yi was speaking, the prince who had rushed over listened intently. He had already learned the ins and outs of the matter from Lan Zhi. He whispered to Doctor Liang:
"Be sure to protect the child, or else Ripples will be unable to withstand it."
"I will certainly do my best, but this medicine is three parts poison. It can harm the mother's body, and the Crown Princess's body is already weak. I am afraid..."
"How"
"I'm afraid the Crown Princess won't be able to make it through childbirth."
Dr. Liang told the prince the prepared speech he had ready.
The prince fell silent for a moment, then let out a fake sigh and said:
"To protect the child, that was her only wish. I couldn't betray her deep love and loyalty."
"Yes, this old minister knows what to do."
Dr. Liang had expected this answer long ago, but he still felt sorry for the Crown Princess. Everyone was calculating against her, while she was the only one who cared about the child.
Liang Taiyi brushed and wrote down a prescription. The prince ordered Quanfu to personally fetch the medicine and boil it, not allowing anyone else to do it.
After the prince had left his bedchamber, Granny Sun knelt down before him with a thud, sobbing and saying:
"Your Highness, you must stand up for the Crown Princess. Today's incident was not an accident, but a deliberate act of malice."
"Get up! You did very well today. With you by Ripple's side, I feel at ease. Now you just need to stay with the Crown Princess. As for the rest, this prince will investigate and give Ripple an explanation."
The prince's eyes narrowed. The other party chose this moment to strike, clearly aiming for his offspring. This was something he absolutely would not allow. Lian Ri's words were too straightforward, or perhaps General Meng didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble, after they met that day, Lian Ri never went to pay her respects again. She simply staye...