November was when the ginkgo leaves carpeted the entire palace road, and the concubines inside the palace started wearing their light padded jackets.
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Xinyue had been in the palace for half a year.
The Xuanwu Emperor said he wanted to give her a child, but she had just celebrated her sixteenth birthday a month ago, and her belly showed no signs of movement.
For this reason, the Emperor had specially summoned Imperial Physicians skilled in gynecology from the Imperial Hospital to examine her.
The Imperial Physician only said that Zhen Fangyi seemed to have suffered from cold in her youth, resulting in internal cold symptoms and irregular menstrual cycles. She needed to take medicine to regulate her body; otherwise, it would be very difficult for her to become pregnant.
What a twist of events!
How wonderful!
Jiang Xinyue secretly rejoiced, finally not having to sneak out after each night of intimacy.
The weather was cold, and it was truly an ordeal to go out in the middle of the night.
Meeting the Xuanwu Emperor's affectionate gaze, Jiang Xinyue smiled and nestled into his embrace reassuringly: "Your Majesty, it's alright. Without a child, your concubine and you can still enjoy our private world! Besides, the Imperial Physician said that as long as your concubine takes the medicine, she will definitely be able to conceive in a year or so."
It was truly heartbreaking that she had to comfort him when she herself was utterly devastated.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
Just as he was about to indulge in intimacy, Wang Dequan, that insensitive fool, barged in: "Your Majesty, Consort Li has fallen into the water, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it's not looking good."
"Boom!"
The Xuanwu Emperor's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly released his embrace of Jiang Xinyue, nearly causing her to fall to the ground.
Before she could steady herself, the Xuanwu Emperor had already taken large strides towards the exit, his steps somewhat disorderly: "What happened? How could she have fallen into the water? How is she now? Where are the people from the Imperial Hospital? Order them all to come to the Changxin Palace immediately."
"Master, are you... alright?" Jiang Xinyue's expression was unsightly, as the dog Emperor had nearly caused her to fall flat on her backside.
She straightened her clothes. "I'm fine. The Empress must have received the news by now. Let's hurry over there too, lest anyone gossips."
Jiang Chuan hurriedly followed: "I've inquired about it. It seems Consort Li's health had improved, so Consort Jiang invited her to the Xihuo Palace for a visit. But when they passed by the lotus pond, the carriers of Consort Li's sedan chair accidentally bumped into the railing, causing it to break. Consort Li fell into the water and hit her head, bleeding profusely, and everyone was terrified."
Xihuo Palace... lotus pond... Consort Jiang...
Jiang Xinyue had an ominous premonition, as if the peaceful days she had enjoyed for so long were about to face turmoil again.
After all, these three factors seemed to be related to her.
Before leaving, she instructed Xi Que: "Go to my trunk and take some silver pieces to hide on your person."
Although Xi Que didn't understand, she still did as told.
To be extra cautious, Jiang Xinyue also hid some silver on her own person, as no servant would dare to search her.
The Changxin Palace was deathly silent -
After the Imperial Physician stopped Consort Li's bleeding, he said to the Xuanwu Emperor: "Your Majesty, Consort Li has suffered from near-drowning and lung injuries. She also struck her head on the stone ground of the lotus pond and lost a significant amount of blood. Tonight is critical, and she must be closely monitored. If she develops a fever, medicine must be administered immediately, or her life could be in danger. If she can make it through tonight, Consort Li will be out of danger and can recover with careful rest."
"Order the Imperial Hospital staff to take shifts guarding the Changxin Palace. Report any developments to me immediately; I will be here."
The Empress Zhu narrowed her phoenix eyes and looked at the kneeling Consort Jiang sternly: "What exactly happened? How did Consort Li fall into the lotus pond?"
Consort Jiang shook her head tearfully: "Your servant has only recently moved to the Xihuo Palace and has never been to the lotus pond before. Your servant is also unaware why the railing of the lotus pond would break without warning."
Her words carried a strong implication, and everyone turned their gaze towards Zhen Fangyi, who stood beside the Empress.
Sensing the Emperor's suspicious eyes, Jiang Xinyue knew her premonition was about to come true.
She didn't say a word, merely meeting the Xuanwu Emperor's gaze with defiance and determination.
She didn't explain, and the Xuanwu Emperor gritted his teeth: "Investigate this."
At the command of the sovereign, officials from the Ministry of Justice dared not defy, and within half a day, they discovered a saw under Xi Que's bed in the Hexi Palace.
The size of the saw teeth matched perfectly with the sawed railing of the lotus pond.
An eunuch from the Internal Affairs Department testified that on the fifth day of the seventh month, a palace maid from the Xihuo Palace had borrowed a saw from the department, and it was recorded in the register.
As for which palace maid from the Xihuo Palace, due to the passage of time and personnel changes after Zhen Fangyi's relocation, she could no longer be found.
The Xuanwu Emperor recalled that the fifth day of the seventh month was precisely the day he had encountered Jiang Xinyue at the lotus pond.
Consort Jiang cried bitterly: "Your servant has heard that the reason Zhen Fangyi gained Your Majesty's favor was that on the fifth day of the seventh month, she fell into the lotus pond by chance and was rescued by Your Majesty. What a coincidence! The sawing of the lotus pond's railing on that day might have been Zhen Fangyi's attempt to gain Your Majesty's favor. After succeeding, Zhen Fangyi forgot to repair the railing, leading to Consort Li's peril today. Your Majesty, you must uphold justice for Consort Li!"
While using schemes to gain favor was not a major offense among concubines, causing harm to the Emperor's most beloved consort was a capital crime.
The Empress Zhu wanted to say a few words in defense of Jiang Xinyue but was stopped by her, who shook her head: "If one wishes to accuse, there will be no lack of excuses. I won't deny my actions, but even if I did do it, I wouldn't be foolish enough to bring the incriminating saw from the Xihuo Palace to the Hexi Palace, leaving it in the Xihuo Palace to become ironclad evidence of Consort Jiang's plot to harm Consort Li."
She pointed out the flaw in Consort Jiang's words with pinpoint accuracy, saying no more.
But the eunuch from the Internal Affairs Department insisted that it was Jiang Xinyue's palace maid who had borrowed the saw, unable to clarify further.
At this moment, Xia He, an attendant of Consort Li, suddenly knelt down and questioned: "Zhen Fangyi, everyone in the palace says you are Consort Li's replacement. Don't you harbor resentment? Don't you want to take her place?"
Her words drew a collective gasp from the crowd.
In front of the Emperor, this maid dared to utter such words, truly loyal to Consort Li, and unafraid of angering the Emperor.
But what she said was true.
"This servant does not know how to respond to you. I have never heard His Majesty say that I am Consort Li's replacement, so you should ask His Majesty on my behalf - am I truly Consort Li's replacement?"
Jiang Xinyue stood in the center of the hall, dressed in a peach-colored banner robe embroidered with scattered osmanthus flowers, padded with quilting, and covered by a sleeveless fur cape with a collar of white rabbit fur, exuding an aura of sweet and lovely innocence.
Concubine Li had always been strikingly beautiful, with bold and vibrant colors, but never before had she possessed such an adorable charm.
If Jiang Xinyue knew that she was favored for her resemblance to Concubine Li's appearance, she would never have dressed in such a manner. She should have imitated Concubine Li instead.
"Slap!"
Xia He's face was struck by the Xuanwu Emperor's hand.
