Gu Qingzhao suddenly brought up Concubine Wan’s fall the previous night, startling everyone present.
Gu Yuande had been completely unaware. His voice turned stern as he questioned the maids from Qingyi Courtyard: “Concubine Wan fell—why did no one come to tell me?”
Reclining on the bed, Concubine Wan herself was stunned. No one but her own attendants knew of the incident. How could Gu Qingzhao possibly know? And she had even asked specifically about Doctor Liu, which meant she knew he had been summoned yesterday. Her hands clutched the brocade quilt tightly. For the first time, true panic set in. The scheme to frame the Madam would soon be exposed.
The servants of Qingyi Courtyard stammered, torn between fear of speaking and fear of silence.
Gu Yuande turned to Doctor Liu, waiting for his reply.
Doctor Liu bowed quickly: “Reporting to the Duke, last night the concubine did indeed suffer a fall.”
Though Concubine Wan had ordered him to keep quiet, now that the Third Young Lady had already uncovered the matter, he dared not conceal it further.
Gu Yuande pressed on: “Then this miscarriage—was it caused by the fall, or by musk?”
Doctor Liu hedged: “Both are possible, my lord. I cannot be certain. Last night I prescribed medicine to stabilize the pregnancy. Perhaps the fall was too severe, and the medicine failed. By today…” After all his words, he still gave no definite answer.
But Gu Yuande already had his suspicions. Most likely Concubine Wan had fallen, realized the child could not be saved, and then seized upon Xiao Tingyun’s return with gifts as an opportunity to shift the blame.
“Jiang Wan, speak the truth. What really happened?” Gu Yuande demanded sharply.
Concubine Wan knew there was no longer room for denial. Without hesitation, she confessed: “Last night I stumbled and fell. The doctor said the child could not be kept, so I asked him for strong medicine to preserve it for just one more day. Knowing Madam would return today, I thought the child should not be lost without cause, so I sought to pin it upon her. Whatever punishment the Duke decrees, I will accept.” Her words carried a reckless candor, like a shattered jar cast aside.
Xiao Tingyun’s brows furrowed deeply. She had spent little time in the household over the past few years and had met Concubine Wan scarcely more than five times. What kind of hatred could drive her to such a scheme?
“You must have had some reason to frame me. Surely there is one?” Xiao Tingyun asked.
Concubine Wan gave a bitter smile: “Reason? What reason is needed? You are the principal wife; I am but a concubine. The Duke despises you, and so he favors me more.”
Gu Qingzhao’s words struck deep: That child had a chance to inherit the title. Now it’s gone—how could Concubine Wan possibly accept it? She could never become the principal wife, but she could drag the principal wife down with her. Besides, with Madam returning to the household, who knew if she would target a mere concubine? If Concubine Wan didn’t strike first, what if Madam thought she was easy to bully?
Even now, Concubine Wan felt no remorse. In this grand estate, wasn’t everything a contest? Men fought for power, women fought for favor, and all fought for wealth and glory.
Gu Yuande roared in fury: “Outrageous! I’ve spoiled you far too much—how dare you scheme against the Madam herself!”
The Old Madam’s face darkened as well, though she ignored Concubine Wan. Instead, she turned to Xiao Tingyun: “Now that you’ll be spending more time in the residence, the inner quarters must be properly managed.”
Xiao Tingyun bowed her head: “Yes, Mother. Forgive your daughter-in-law for troubling you. From now on, I will see to these matters myself.”
Gu Qingzhao, however, looked toward Xiao Hongshuang: “After Doctor Liu left last night, Third Aunt came to see Concubine Wan. Didn’t you notice anything unusual?”
Xiao Hongshuang’s heart lurched. She had gone secretly—how did Gu Qingzhao know? But this was no time to deny it. Since she had been seen, she could only admit: “Yes, I did visit. But by then Concubine Wan had already taken her medicine and seemed much improved. I had no idea it was so serious.”
Gu Qingzhao gave a soft laugh: “I thought perhaps Concubine Wan had conspired with Third Aunt.”
Xiao Hongshuang’s expression soured: “Third Young Lady, mind your words. I am still your elder.”
Gu Yuande barked: “Do not speak recklessly without proof!”
Gu Qingzhao did not argue further, but her gaze lingered on Concubine Wan.
Concubine Wan hesitated. It was true—her thought of framing the Madam had been sparked by something Third Madam had said. But it had only been idle chatter, recalling an old scandal from the Yongning Marquis’ household. Could Third Madam really have planted the idea? She had no evidence, only suspicion.
“Third Young Lady overthinks. Yesterday Third Madam merely chatted. This was my own fault—I fell, lost the child, and sought to blame Madam. Whatever punishment the Duke decrees, I accept.” Her voice weakened, and she slumped against the bedframe, resigned to her fate.
But before her words had faded, Gu Yannian rushed to the bedside. Before anyone could react, he took her wrist to check her pulse. Moments later, he declared: “She didn’t miscarry from a fall. She drank a harsh cold medicine—that’s what caused it.”
Concubine Wan broke out in a cold sweat. Someone had drugged her? Could her fall have been orchestrated too? Not only had they destroyed her child, but they had also used her hand to frame the Madam. She believed the boy—because she knew the Duke’s secret. If she had truly been harmed, everything would make sense. But she dared not speak it aloud. That secret was too great for her to bear. If she revealed even a hint, the Duke would never let her live another day.
One storm had barely passed, and another was already rising. Gu Yannian’s words sent the Old Madam into a rage. “Yannian, is what you say true?”
Gu Yannian nodded. “Grandmother, I’ve lived in the Valley of Divine Healers for years, and the Master there has taught me much. Her pulse clearly shows she miscarried because she was given medicine of extreme cold.”
The old madam thought to herself: this child is only seven; he wouldn’t lie, nor does he have any reason to. “Investigate! Who dares to harm the heirs of the Gu family?” she commanded sternly.
Gu Qingzhao’s mind stirred. It now seemed clear that Concubine Wan’s miscarriage was no accident, but deliberate. Someone did not want her to bear a child—plain as day.
In her previous life, after Xiao Hongshuang assumed her mother’s identity, she adopted Gu Yantong. He became the rightful heir of the Duke household. With such ambition, of course she would not tolerate Concubine Wan giving birth to Father’s child.
After a moment’s thought, Gu Qingzhao said meaningfully, “That is strange. If Father had many concubines in the rear court, then secret harm might be understandable. But my mother only returned yesterday, and Concubine Wan is the sole concubine. Who would scheme so carefully to destroy her child?”
She knew these words would plant seeds of suspicion in Gu Yuande’s heart, destined to take root and grow.