Liu Menghan pondered constantly. With the Empress protecting her, her child would be established as the heir apparent upon birth. When the Third Prince ascended the throne, the position of Crown Prince would surely be hers.
However, Feng Ruoyan’s unborn child remained her greatest concern. Although the Third Prince no longer doted on Feng Ruoyan as before, Liu Menghan could not afford to be careless. Anything that threatened her own child had to be eliminated as soon as possible.
“Nanny, regarding Feng Ruoyan… what did the Empress say?”
Nonetheless, Feng Ruoyan’s unborn child was still the Third Prince’s bloodline. Liu Menghan had no choice but to seek the Empress’s guidance.
If she acted rashly now and angered the Empress, losing her most powerful backing, her position within the manor would become even more precarious.
“The Empress understands the Imperial Consort’s difficulties. Moreover, the Empress has always disliked Feng Ruoyan and naturally does not wish for her to raise the child. The Empress has already made arrangements to ensure the child’s survival while the mother perishes on the day of Feng Ruoyan’s delivery.”
Liu Menghan’s hand, gripping the teacup, tightened abruptly. The Empress, after all, was still soft-hearted. She indeed cared about Feng Ruoyan’s unborn child. But this was also good; with Feng Ruoyan, this bane of her existence, eliminated, she could finally rest easy.
“Then, we shall proceed as the Empress wishes.”
Maintaining her demeanor of obedience and gentleness, Liu Menghan understood clearly that the only thing she could do now was to rely on the Empress and act according to her will. Step by step, she would leverage the Empress’s influence to build her own foundation. Only then could she truly triumph one day.
“The Imperial Consort is wise and lovely. On the day the Third Prince ascends the throne, the Empress will surely declare the Imperial Consort as Empress.”
The nanny, having served by the Empress’s side for many years, was sent to the Third Prince’s manor both to oversee Liu Menghan’s child and to help the Empress supervise Liu Menghan.
It seemed this Third Prince’s Consort lacked any resolve, possessing a weak disposition and only knowing to inquire about the Empress’s wishes. She was indeed easy to control, which explained why the Empress had chosen her among the daughters of the Liu family to marry the Third Prince.
Such an easily managed person was reliable for the Empress to utilize. As for Feng Ruoyan, her eccentric and willful nature, coupled with her arrogance and high-handedness due to the Third Prince’s favor, meant she often disregarded even the nanny. If such a woman remained by the Third Prince’s side for too long and gained power, would she still respect the Empress?
If it weren’t for the fact that Feng Ruoyan was carrying a child, the Empress would have eliminated her long ago. Keeping her alive until now was only to await Feng Ruoyan’s delivery; the child’s birth would be her death.
“I hold the Empress Mother’s affection for me dearly in my heart. During these times, I have been greatly indebted to your care and protection of me and my unborn child. Your kindness is immeasurable. These meager tokens are but a small expression of my gratitude; I implore you not to refuse them.”
The maid beside her presented a red box to the nanny, filled with gold and jewels.
With just a glance, the nanny’s face lit up with joy. She accepted the box, saying, “Imperial Consort, you are too generous. I shall not decline such a gift.”
After accepting the gifts, the nanny’s attitude towards Liu Menghan became even more cordial. After exchanging pleasantries, she left in a hurry with the box.
“Your Ladyship, look at that old hag’s expression just now. Her eyes nearly bulged out when she saw those things. She claims to be here to care for you, but who can’t see that she’s clearly monitoring you, both openly and subtly? Every time she comes, she wants to take something back from you… Your Ladyship, who knows how much of your dowry this old hag has pilfered…”
“That’s enough, Qing’er. Don’t say such things. I know you are concerned for me, but those are worldly possessions. I must curry favor with her. Only if she accepts the gifts will she speak well of me to the Empress. To establish a firm footing in this manor, I must rely on the Empress’s help.”
She was self-aware. The Third Prince did not favor her, and her maternal family was without power or influence. If she did not appease the Empress, she would be subjected to bullying in this manor.
For now, sacrificing some worldly possessions was a small price to pay. When she cultivated her own influence, these things would return a thousandfold.
“Qing’er, have you made the arrangements for the people you were to plant?”
“Your Ladyship, rest assured, your servant has made all the necessary arrangements. Once the concubine delivers, and the Empress’s people make their move to kill the concubine, our people will then kill the child.”
“Good… I trust you with this task. However, you must be extremely cautious. This matter is of utmost importance, and absolutely no traces must be left. If we are discovered, we will both face dire consequences.”
She was driven to this desperate measure. The child’s survival would threaten her own child’s status. Even if her hands were stained with blood, she would not allow such a thing to happen.
She had originally intended to use the Empress’s hand to eliminate Feng Ruoyan and her son. She had not expected the Empress to still be unwilling to kill the child, resorting instead to this method of separating mother and child to appease her.
Did she expect Liu Menghan to help Feng Ruoyan raise the child if the child were to be left alive? Since relying on others was not an option, she would have to act herself.
…
When Madam Sun returned to the manor, the moment she stepped through the gates of the Feng manor, she smelled a pungent scent of blood, her heart jolting in alarm.
She hurried towards the main hall. The instant she pushed the door open and saw the scene before her, her legs gave out, and she collapsed.
The entire hall was filled with corpses. These were all the people she had dispatched to search for Feng Yuanping. Now, without a single exception, they lay dead before her.
Sun Shi trembled violently in fear. Who could have done this? Who possessed such immense power to kill all her men and then arrange them so neatly in the Feng family hall?
They were all elite soldiers of Xi Liang, and they had all been killed in this manner…
Now, Feng Yuanping had escaped, the items had not been retrieved, and all the people sent by their master had been killed. If their master learned of these events, she too would have no way out.
Overcome with worry and fear, Sun Shi’s breath hitched, and she fainted.
When Sun Shi awoke, she found herself suspended in mid-air.
Bai Li Xi sat at the head seat, coldly observing Sun Shi, who had fainted and was hanging in the air. He instructed his subordinates to awaken her.
A basin of cold water was poured over her. The unconscious Sun Shi shivered instinctively but did not awaken. It wasn’t until a fierce whip lashed across her body that Sun Shi, unable to bear the pain, finally stirred.
Upon seeing Bai Li Xi seated at the head seat, a wave of terror washed over her. Sun Shi shuddered involuntarily, her lips trembling as she said, “Your subordinate greets Master.”
Hearing the voice, Bai Li Xi did not look up, merely toying with the jade thumb ring on his finger.