After the Lantern Festival, the lively New Year celebrations finally came to an end, and the Great Yan Dynasty welcomed a new year.
Jiang Xinyue's due date was in April, and counting the days, she was only two months away from giving birth.
In Shunan Palace—
Consort Liang's restlessness was most apparent to Noble Consort Ye, who shared the palace with her.
But their relationship wasn't good, so she could only send her maids to secretly gather information.
And they indeed found out something.
Noble Consort Ye's eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had thought of something, and she covered her mouth and laughed.
"Oh my! The little dumpling kicked me again!"
Xi Que removed her hand from Jiang Xinyue's large belly, excitedly jumping up and down, rubbing her hands: "It seems the young prince really likes me!"
Nanny Li and Nanny Xiang laughed happily on the side: "You're always trying to flatter yourself. The young prince is always lively after Her Highness finishes her meal. You deliberately chose this time, who else would he kick if not you?"
Everyone in the room burst into laughter.
Jiang Xinyue looked at the sky outside, then raised her head to exchange a glance with Nanny Xiang.
Meanwhile, in Shunan Palace, Consort Liang was pacing back and forth in her room, her face flushed with excitement.
"Shu Xiang! Should I go to the Emperor or the Empress?"
Shu Xiang bowed and waited on the side: "This servant thinks that you should tell the Empress first, My Lady. It's better to act first and report later, to prevent the Emperor from being lenient towards Concubine Zhen due to old affections."
"You're right!"
Consort Liang paced anxiously: "The Emperor is completely bewitched by that vixen, and she's carrying his child. With her silver tongue, the Emperor might not be willing to punish her. It's better to go to the Empress first. The Empress is the head of the inner palace and has the responsibility and authority to cleanse the harem."
Although the Empress hadn't explicitly said so, as the biggest sycophant under Empress Zhu, she could sense that the Empress had already harbored murderous intentions towards Concubine Zhen.
Since that was the case, why shouldn't she give the Empress a push?
If the Emperor were to blame someone later, the Empress would take the fall, and she wouldn't suffer any losses.
At most, it would just add another layer to Concubine Zhen's hatred for her.
Concubine Zhen already knew that she wanted to harm her child, so she wouldn't easily forgive her anyway. What difference would one more layer make?
If this succeeded, even if Concubine Zhen hated her more, she wouldn't have the chance to seek revenge.
This was witchcraft after all!
It was a crime punishable by the execution of nine generations of the family. It wasn't something Concubine Zhen could talk her way out of with just her words.
"Hey? What are you doing? You can't go in! My lady is still taking her afternoon nap."
"Quick! Go find the Emperor, the Empress and Consort Liang are here with ill intentions."
Jiang Xinyue had just woken up from her afternoon nap when a commotion broke out in Hexi Palace.
She got up and put on her clothes. Just as Xi Que opened the door, an old nanny rudely pushed her aside, causing her to fall and scrape her palm.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
Jiang Xinyue helped Xi Que up, her face full of terror, looking as if she had done something wrong and was about to be caught.
"Search for Us!"
"I'd like to see who dares!"
Jiang Xinyue shielded Xi Que behind her, standing in front of Empress Zhu and Consort Liang. Her outstretched arms and protruding pregnant belly blocked the guards who were about to rush in to search.
"Empress, this is Hexi Palace, my personal chambers. You bring so many guards, say nothing, and barge in to search. What is the meaning of this? I have done nothing wrong. Even if you come personally, Empress, you cannot search my palace at will."
Empress Zhu stepped forward, coming close to her belly: "Concubine Zhen, do you think that just because you're heavily pregnant, We won't dare to do anything to you?"
Jiang Xinyue didn't back down an inch, still spreading her arms to block them.
She wanted to test whether the Empress's words about letting her take good care of her pregnancy and not blaming her were sincere or just a pretense.
"Guards, pull Concubine Zhen aside."
Several burly nannies approached with sinister smiles: "Concubine Zhen, our apologies!"
As they spoke, they were about to twist Jiang Xinyue's arms.
"Slap!"
The lead nanny was the first to receive a slap from Jiang Xinyue, who scolded with full force: "Where did these dog servants come from, daring to say they're sorry to me? If you dare to touch a single hair on my head, I'll make sure you regret it."
This wasn't an empty threat. She had even dared to kill the daughter of the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. These old servants were indeed frightened by her outburst and didn't dare to approach.
"Useless things."
Empress Zhu also felt that Jiang Xinyue was doomed this time, so she didn't bother to pretend to be sisterly anymore. She said sternly: "We are still here! What can she do to you? Are you treating Us, the Empress, as if We're dead?"
Her meaning was clear - whatever happened, she as the Empress would take responsibility. They should just proceed without worrying about the consequences.
The nannies once again gathered their courage to grab at Jiang Xinyue. At this moment, Nanny Li, Nanny Xiang, as well as Jiang Chuan and Xiao Xuanzi, hearing the commotion, came running over.
Nanny Li and Nanny Xiang stood guard at the front without hesitation: "Empress, can't we discuss this civilly? The Emperor has ordered us to take care of Concubine Zhen, and we cannot allow any harm to come to her."
"Empress, Concubine Zhen is eight months pregnant. Surely you wouldn't want her to be hurt by rough palace maids at this time?"
If anything went wrong, wouldn't the Empress have to bear the consequences?
The Emperor wouldn't forgive anyone who harmed Concubine Zhen.
Empress Zhu smiled: "As the Empress, We have the right to search the chambers of a criminal concubine. You two are also old servants of the palace, surely you know the palace rules?"
Jiang Xinyue pushed Nanny Li aside: "Empress, you keep calling me a criminal concubine. May I ask what I have done? What could warrant the Empress to disregard all decorum and forcibly enter my chambers?"
"Someone has reported to Us... that you, Concubine Zhen, have been practicing witchcraft in the palace, cursing the Emperor and Us to meet an untimely end!"
"What?"
Jiang Xinyue's face changed color, which made Empress Zhu and Consort Liang even more convinced that it was true.
"I absolutely have not done such a thing."
"Whether you've done it or not, we'll know after We search."
Empress Zhu pushed Jiang Xinyue aside, and the guards behind her poured in, starting to search everywhere.
Jiang Xinyue stumbled a couple of steps from the Empress's push. Xi Que acted as a human cushion, letting Jiang Xinyue fall on top of her.
Consort Liang snorted a laugh, looking at her with disdain: "Concubine Zhen, you'd better pray for yourself! Witchcraft... is punishable by beheading."
She stared meaningfully at Jiang Xinyue's belly: "Tsk tsk tsk... After all, you're carrying the dragon's seed. I'll help you beg the Emperor later, to let you give birth to the sixth prince before you die. Then, let him be a little follower for my Jade. That would be his honor."
Her words already assumed Jiang Xinyue's inevitable death, and even suggested that a proper prince should serve as a servant to a princess.
"Pah!"
A mouthful of spit landed on Consort Liang's face: "You're dreaming!"
