Yes,
When people do anything, they are always mixed with purpose.
What did Consort Hui work so hard to move to Chang Le Palace for? What is she after?
She didn't come to compete for favor. If she wanted to harm the imperial heir in Empress Song Zhao's belly, she should have kept her distance. Why would she ask to live with Song Zhao? This is no different from digging her own grave.
Look at Consort Hui spending her days eating, drinking and having fun without a care in the world.
Even someone as astute as Song Zhao doesn't see through what she is really up to.
Song Zhao suspects that if Consort Hui isn't hiding her intentions too deep, then her nature must simply be like this.
In any case, Song Zhao is wary of her.
That day in the evening, Song Zhao instructed Xiao Fuzi, "Go put more ice in Yun Shan's cellar room. Her wounds have just healed. If they get soaked in sweat again, it could cause problems and that would be bad."
Xiao Fuzi quickly nodded and moved closer to Song Zhao to lower her voice,
"Yesterday when I went to the laundry department to get your clothes, I already took care of what you asked. And when I went there, the people from Consort Yin's palace, Consort Yun's palace, Consort Chen's palace, and even Consort Yao's palace were all there to get clothes for their masters. I didn't stand out."
Song Zhao stirred the fog rising from the ice pot with indifference, "In this hot and humid weather, even the most beautiful woman will be covered in a layer of sweat. It's natural for the palaces to send clothes to the laundry department every day."
Xiao Fuzi's eyes darkened as she said viciously, "She planned to injure you and the imperial heir in your belly. And she made Yun Shan sick in bed for so long. She really is cold-hearted! I can only hope she pays for this with her life!"
Song Zhao scolded, "Don't say such vicious things. Just do your part and let fate handle the rest. Even if there is an accident this month, a premature birth 10 days early could still result in a safe delivery. It's hard to say if that sickly one can make it through."
Two days later in the evening,
The Empress was worshipping Buddha in her palace when Shuang Ruo rushed back to report,
"Empress, I just got word from the Imperial Medical Bureau. Noble Consort Xiao is having intense contractions today. I'm afraid she will give birth prematurely, likely in the next couple days."
The Empress lit three incense sticks over the candle flame,
"If she wants to give birth, let her give birth. What comes out won't be anything good anyway."
The Empress was very calm and detached. She just kept burning incense and worshipping Buddha without even glancing at Shuang Ruo.
Shuang Ruo laughed from the side, "That's right, the Empress doesn't need to do anything, just sit back and enjoy the show."
As the Empress inserted the incense into the burner,
when she bowed down to worship, her wide movement caused a pearl tassel on her phoenix robe to come loose and fall off.
The hem of the phoenix robe was very close to the ground and the Empress was standing on a mat, so the pearl didn't make a sound as it fell.
It only rolled twice before quietly coming to a stop at the Empress's feet without her noticing.
After finishing the incense offering, the Empress shook her head with a wry smile,
"People who commit too many sins will surely be punished in the next generation. I'll just watch and see what that Noble Consort Xiao can......ah!"
As the Empress spoke, she turned to go back to her bedroom,
but stepped right on the pearl under her foot. Her sole slipped and she fell straight to the ground.
The late-to-react Shuang Ruo was shocked speechless,
"Empress! Are you alright?"
She threw herself to the Empress's side and helped her up, only to see the Empress clutching her belly with a grieved expression,
"It hurts! My stomach hurts so badly!"
Only then did Shuang Ruo notice the bloodstain spreading under the Empress. She cried out,
"Yan Jiude! Quick, call the imperial physicians! The Empress is giving birth!"
She held the Empress's hand tightly and consoled her,
"Hold on, Empress! With the blessings of the Bodhisattva, you and your child will be safe!"
Just as she finished speaking,
the incense sticks the Empress had put in the burner snapped at the tips, and the ashes extinguished on the ground, turning to dust.
At that time, Xiao Jingheng was in Song Zhao's palace sharing evening meal with her.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!"
Jiang Deshun came scrambling and stammering in panic, "The Empress is giving birth!"
"What?"
Xiao Jingheng jumped up in shock, "Why so suddenly?"
After sitting for so long, his sudden movement caused a rush of blood to his head. He felt dizzy and stumbled.
Song Zhao and Jiang Deshun quickly steadied him,
"Don't panic, Your Majesty. I will accompany you to the Empress's palace."
Chang Le Palace wasn't far from Kun Ning Palace. Xiao Jingheng couldn't bother with a sedan anymore. He hurried over on foot,
but still told Song Zhao to take her time and go by sedan.
Song Zhao arrived at Kun Ning Palace a bit later than Xiao Jingheng.
Just at the palace gates, she could already hear the occasional blood-curdling screams of women coming from inside.
The screams made one's scalp tingle. Song Zhao couldn't help but shudder.
Xiao Fuzi steadied Song Zhao, "Be careful where you step, Mistress."
Song Zhao entered the inner chambers. When she lifted the door curtain, the thick stench of blood rushed up her nose.
Kun Ning Palace was in total chaos.
Palace women were rushing in and out with basins of hot water and towels, all looking very harried.
Xiao Jingheng stopped a palace maid and asked,
"What happened? Isn't the Empress still 20 some days from her due date? Why is she suddenly having contractions?"
The palace maid was so anxious she was nearly in tears, "The weather is hot and humid. While the Empress was praying for Your Majesty's fortune, her strength gave out, triggering premature labor."
The entire Kun Ning Palace must be reciting the same story.
They certainly can't tell Xiao Jingheng that the Empress slipped and fell.
That would make Xiao Jingheng feel the Empress was careless and not taking the imperial heir seriously while pregnant.
"What is the Empress's condition now? Why are her screams so harrowing?" Xiao Jingheng asked again.
The palace maid couldn't answer that.
Just as she hemmed and hawed,
a person walked out from the inner chamber - the ace obstetrician from the Imperial Medical Bureau's Department of Obstetrics, Imperial Physician Zhou.
He specialized in obstetrics and was even more knowledgeable about women's matters than the chief imperial physician Chu.
Imperial Physician Zhou's expression was very ugly.
He didn't even dare make eye contact with Xiao Jingheng.
He kneeled with a thump when he got to Xiao Jingheng and said in a trembling voice,
"R-reporting to Your Majesty. Because the Empress went into premature labor due to sudden contractions, and the imperial heir is large while her cervix is narrow, the birthing process has been extremely agonizing. Seeing that the Empress has exhausted her strength, I have no choice but to give her oxytocic drugs to ensure the delivery continues smoothly."
Xiao Jingheng ordered, "Then go quickly!"
"But this..." Imperial Physician Zhou steeled himself to continue, "Once oxytocics are administered, it will inevitably trigger the Empress's heart disease to relapse. If her heart acts up at this time, it's very likely that she will..."
He kowtowed vigorously at this point, grief-stricken as he said,
"Forgive me, Your Majesty! I dare to ask, if only one between the Empress and the imperial heir can be saved, does Your Majesty prefer...?"
