Hearing Consort Lian's cries, Mingyue initially didn't want to bother, just wanting to leave.
But after a few steps, she turned back.
An innocent new life, she couldn't ignore it.
Returning to the rose garden, she saw Consort Lian lying among the flowers.
Her hands clutched her stomach, her face pale, and blood had already seeped through her skirt.
"How are you feeling? Hold on, I'll take you to the Imperial Hospital."
Seeing Consort Lian's condition, she must be in severe pain. Mingyue bent down, wanting to pick her up.
"Stop! What have you done to Lian'er?
Lian'er, Lian'er, don't scare your aunt."
Just then, the Empress Dowager appeared, surrounded by a group of eunuchs.
Before she even got close, she started shouting.
She had received reports from Consort Lian's attendants, worried about her niece's safety.
She immediately rushed over with her people.
Seeing Consort Lian lying in the flower bushes from afar, Mingyue bent down and reached out to her.
The Empress Dowager thought Mingyue was going to harm Consort Lian and quickly reprimanded Mingyue.
Then she hurried forward, embracing Consort Lian.
"Aunt, my child, save my child quickly."
Consort Lian saw the Empress Dowager and felt as if she had found her backbone, crying loudly in the Empress Dowager's arms.
"You're pregnant with the imperial heir?
Quickly summon the imperial physicians! Quickly!"
The Empress Dowager's face lit up with surprise upon hearing that Consort Lian was pregnant. This was indeed great news.
If her niece could give birth to Ji Shiyou's eldest son, with her and the Prime Minister's influence, this child would surely be the next emperor of Langyue Kingdom.
But then she saw the bloodstain beneath Consort Lian, and her face immediately turned ashen.
Shouting for imperial physicians, she was determined to save this child at all costs.
"Lian'er, tell your aunt, did this lowly woman harm you? How dare she hurt the imperial heir?"
The Empress Dowager stood up, her eyes burning with rage, as if she could devour someone, staring at Mingyue.
Consort Lian's face was swollen and red, clearly from being slapped.
In this palace, no one dared to be so bold except Mingyue.
The Empress Dowager had no children of her own and treated Feng Lian as her own daughter.
Now that Feng Lian had been beaten like this, the Empress Dowager was on the verge of exploding.
"Aunt, it was her. She hit me as soon as she came up and threw me into the rose garden.
And I bled so much. Will I lose the baby? You must get justice for me.
You must avenge my child! She is the Emperor's first child.
To lose her like this, it's too tragic."
With the Empress Dowager backing her, Feng Lian felt her abdominal pain lessen considerably.
She adamantly stated that Mingyue had caused her condition and begged the Empress Dowager to punish Mingyue.
"Don't talk nonsense. The child will be fine."
The Empress Dowager sternly stopped her niece, telling her not to speak carelessly.
She had seen that the amount of bleeding on Feng Lian's skirt was not much, so the child would surely be alright.
"Guards, seize this lowly woman who harmed the imperial heir for me."
The Empress Dowager pointed at Mingyue and ordered. She was determined to execute Mingyue today.
Her brother had already sent word that the leverage Ji Shiyou held had been dealt with, so she no longer needed to be hesitant.
Seeing the guards surging towards her, Mingyue remained still, offering no defense.
Although Consort Lian's miscarriage had nothing to do with her, this outcome was exactly what she wanted.
"Your Majesty, it was all this servant's doing. It has nothing to do with the Empress.
Please punish me and spare the Empress!"
Yanliu saw the guards, like wolves and tigers, surrounding them.
She immediately stepped in front of Mingyue and shouted loudly.
"Seize them both."
Just a palace maid, the Empress Dowager didn't even spare her a glance, directly instructing the guards.
Although she wanted to die, she couldn't implicate Yanliu.
Mingyue secretly tightened her grip on the dagger in her sleeve, about to make a move.
"All of you, stand down!"
At this moment, a furious roar came, and Ji Shiyou appeared.
Following behind him was Dongnan, leading the imperial physicians. Mingyue was speechless.
She didn't understand. Was Ji Shiyou that idle?
As the ruler of a nation, shouldn't he be busy with state affairs, with endless matters to attend to?
Why did it feel like he could appear at any moment, especially when her plans were about to succeed?
Mingyue didn't know that by her side, there was the secret guard Xing Sheng, who would report her every move to Ji Shiyou in meticulous detail.
"Mother, has the Empress angered you again?
You are the elder, and she is not from Langyue Kingdom, but your junior.
Please be more tolerant in all matters. Constantly engaging in conflict is truly unbecoming of the Empress Dowager's dignity.
It doesn't sound good if word gets out. If you continue like this,
out of filial piety, I will have no choice but to close Cining Palace and let you recuperate!"
Ji Shiyou walked to the front of Mingyue and her servant. The guards immediately retreated.
He looked at the Empress Dowager with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, his words piercing.
Although he didn't explicitly say it, his meaning was clear.
He was implying that the Empress Dowager was acting inappropriately for her age and disturbing the peace of the harem.
If it continued, she would be confined to Cining Palace for self-reflection.
Mingyue stood behind Ji Shiyou, her heart full of suspicion.
Was Ji Shiyou speaking up for her? Why was he doing this?
It must be that he wanted to use her again. With the experience from the previous incident with Noble Consort Zheng, Mingyue understood.
"Emperor, what do you mean by that?
Do you think I'm making a fuss and causing trouble for no reason?
Let me tell you, this lowly woman hit Lian'er, and that's why I wanted to punish her."
Ji Shiyou's attitude provoked the Empress Dowager, who shouted without regard for her demeanor.
"Mother, Mingyue is the Empress, the mistress of the six palaces.
Everyone in this palace is under her management.
If they make a mistake, let alone scolding.
Even killing them is permissible.
This is the power I have granted her. Mother, you must know your place."
Ji Shiyou's words were spoken slowly, directly confronting the Empress Dowager.
The meaning behind his words was even more cutting, implying that even the Empress Dowager was subject to the Empress's authority.
"Good, good, good!
The Emperor has now consolidated his power and no longer needs this Empress Dowager, is that it?
But Consort Lian is now carrying your child, and this lowly woman has harmed her. It's uncertain whether your child can be saved.
This lowly woman harmed the imperial heir, and you are still protecting her.
As a father, don't you have any paternal affection?"
Empress Dowager Feng was so enraged by Ji Shiyou that she revealed Consort Lian's pregnancy.
"The Empress Dowager is right, which is why I have brought imperial physicians to examine Consort Lian.
Once we have the results, we can then determine the punishment, can't we?"
Upon learning of Consort Lian's pregnancy, Ji Shiyou's expression remained unchanged. He ceased arguing with the Empress Dowager.
With a wave of his hand, he instructed Dongnan to bring the imperial physicians to examine Consort Lian.
Hearing his words, the Empress Dowager fell silent. The priority now was to save the child in Consort Lian's womb.
Mingyue let out a cold laugh. She had thought Ji Shiyou was helping her, but it turned out he was waiting for the results to determine her guilt.
She now hoped that the child would not be saved, and her crime would be even greater.
Furthermore, she cursed Ji Shiyou to be childless.
Even if she couldn't kill him herself, she wanted him to be a widower and live alone in his old age.
Consort Lian had already been carried out of the flower bushes. Due to the risk of moving her, she was taken to a nearby pavilion.
The imperial physician approached and felt her pulse repeatedly, his brows furrowed as he emerged from the pavilion.
"How is it? Is the baby gone?"
Seeing the imperial physician's expression, the Empress Dowager asked nervously.
Mingyue also sighed silently. Although she had just cursed Ji Shiyou,
she still felt regret that a child had died like this.
"Speak freely and report truthfully."
Only Ji Shiyou's expression remained unchanged as he calmly instructed the imperial physician.
"Your Majesty, according to this servant's diagnosis, Consort Lian is still a virgin."
As soon as the imperial physician spoke, everyone present was shocked. Pregnancy while still a virgin was an unbelievable marvel.