The palaces where the consorts and concubines of the harem resided were divided into three sections: the outer hall, the inner hall, and the bedchamber.
Yun Wu and several other low-ranking consorts below the fourth rank were all crowded at the entrance of the outer hall.
Emperor Lu Yao, exuding an awe-inspiring authority that made one tremble at the sight, sat on the arhat couch in the inner hall with a cold, sharp expression.
Empress Xue sat at his side.
Consort Shu, Consort Xian, Consort Rong, and other high-ranking consorts sat across from them, while Liu Meiren knelt quietly in the open space between them.
In the innermost bedchamber, Imperial Physician Gao was attending to Ning Changzai.
Standing outside, Yun Wu could only hear Ning Changzai's agonized screams continuing without end, while maidservants, their faces pale and frantic, carried basin after basin of bloody water out with hurried steps.
The scene was somewhat chilling to behold.
Especially for the four newly entered young women like Yun Wu, who were only in their teens and had been pampered and cherished at home—how could they have ever witnessed such a sight?
"Sister Yun, I'm scared!"
At that moment, Beauty Jiang suddenly grabbed Yun Wu's hand tightly, speaking with an uneasy tone.
Everyone's gaze was immediately drawn to her.
Even the Emperor, Empress, and others seated in the inner hall all looked over.
Beauty Jiang seemed extremely timid, frightened as she hurriedly hid behind Yun Wu, lowering her head, not daring to look at anyone.
Yet when she sensed the Emperor's stern, imposing gaze upon her, she mustered her courage and peeked out, her round, cat-like eyes meeting the Emperor's directly. Her slightly chubby, baby-faced features displayed a maiden's innocent charm—a pure, guileless allure meant to entice.
Her performance drew varied reactions from everyone present.
Consort Rong immediately rolled her eyes.
The Empress and Consort Xian acted as if they hadn't seen anything.
Jieyu Yang was thinking about what she'd have for a midnight snack when she returned.
A few others whispered among themselves, saying that Yun Wu was foolish, being used by Beauty Jiang to draw the Emperor's attention.
As for Yun Wu, she seemed completely oblivious to all of this, even patting Beauty Jiang's hand reassuringly, silently comforting and protecting her.
Lu Yao sat there with a cold face, naturally taking in all of this.
Women of the harem would use any means to win his favor, and he had seen every trick in the book.
On an ordinary day, if Beauty Jiang made such an alluring move, he might have been willing to oblige and favor her.
But today, having just lost a child of the imperial bloodline, and with Ning Changzai not yet out of danger, he truly wasn't in the mood.
Moreover…
Lu Yao shifted his gaze away from Beauty Jiang's feigned innocence, turning instead to look at Yun Wu, his sword-like brows furrowing involuntarily.
This Yun Cairen was truly too naive—did she not even realize she was being used?
But then again, thinking about it, that made sense.
If she weren't such an obedient soul, how could she, when Consort Rong had intercepted his favor, not fight, not compete, not cry, not make a fuss, but instead understandingly push him away and say she would wait for him?
It seemed he would need to look after her more in the future.
Otherwise, in this harem, she might be sold by someone and still be naively counting the money for them.
With this thought, the coldness in Lu Yao's eyes softened somewhat.
Beauty Jiang keenly noticed the change in the Emperor's expression, her gaze flickering slightly as she looked at Yun Wu before her.
"Your Majesty, this humble official is incompetent—I failed to preserve the imperial heir…"
At that moment, Imperial Physician Gao suddenly emerged, wiping cold sweat from his brow as he knelt before Lu Yao.
"What of Ning Changzai?"
Lu Yao asked coldly.
"To answer Your Majesty, Ning Changzai is now out of danger. She only needs a period of rest to recover," Imperial Physician Gao quickly replied.
Lu Yao paid him no further attention, merely waving his hand.
Imperial Physician Gao hastily rose and busied himself with writing prescriptions and preparing medicine.
The Emperor's gaze shifted to Liu Meiren, who was kneeling before him.
"Speak, then. What exactly happened today?" he said.
"Your Majesty…"
Liu Meiren's lips trembled, her voice faltering as she defended herself, "This, this concubine truly did not know that Ning Changzai was carrying the imperial heir!"
The same excuse again.
Lu Yao, somewhat impatient, raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Seeing this, Empress Xue furrowed her brows and spoke on his behalf: "Liu Meiren, what use is it to keep saying you didn't know?
"If you didn't know, then why did you send your personal maidservant Xi'er to loiter suspiciously outside Mingguang Dian?"
Hearing this, Liu Meiren's eyes darted evasively, but she refused to answer the question.
Empress Xue slammed her hand heavily on the tea table with a sharp crack, her brows raised in fury: "If you cannot explain this, then you cannot escape the crime of plotting against the imperial heir!
"Know that once your head rolls, it'll be far too late to speak!"
The sudden action startled Liu Meiren, making her whole body tremble.
"Your Majesty, Empress! This concubine merely sent Xi'er to take a look at what birthday gift Ning Changzai had prepared for Your Majesty's Wanshou Jie next month!
"She boasted all day long, saying that her gift would surely please Your Majesty!
"This concubine was afraid of being outshone by her, so I had that idea… This concubine truly never intended to harm Ning Changzai!"
Tears and snot streaming down her face, she confessed everything.
Empress Xue raised an eyebrow: "Is that truly so?"
"Tr, truly!"
Liu Meiren wiped her tears as she spoke, "Empress, how would this concubine dare to lie!
"Ning Changzai is pregnant with Longsi, but she herself didn't even know. How could this concubine have known?
"The quarrel between us was simply because I couldn't stand her arrogance. I only pushed her out of anger! Who would have thought it would lead to such a grave mistake… This concubine is truly wronged!"
Empress Xue listened to her finish and then looked toward Lu Yao.
How Liu Meiren was to be dealt with was a matter for the emperor to decide.
"Your Majesty, Empress, she lies!"
At that moment, a palace maid suddenly rushed out from the bedchamber and spoke.
Everyone looked.
It was Qian'er, Ning Changzai's personal maid.
Her eyes were red from crying. She knelt on the ground and raised an object with both hands, saying loudly, "Your Majesty, Empress, please look! This item fell from Xi'er's person and was picked up by this servant!
"This servant has already asked Imperial Physician Gao!
"He recognized it at a glance—this is the very Xueyu Zhuozi that caused Concubine Chen and her unborn child to perish!
"Xi'er is Liu Meiren's personal maid. She carried these fragments of the bracelet and appeared suspiciously outside Mingguang Dian, intending to plant them inside to cause my mistress's miscarriage!
"She had malicious intent all along! It was by no means an accident!
"Originally, she and my mistress were very close when they were in the prince's residence. My mistress always trusted her deeply. It was only later that she seemed to change into a different person, opposing my mistress in everything… Isn't it simply because she saw that my mistress had gained the emperor's favor and grew jealous?
"So she must have long since noticed that my mistress was with child, yet deliberately said nothing, and instead seized the opportunity to harm her!
"How utterly heartless! My mistress was always saying she wanted to find a chance to mend their friendship, but who would have thought… there is no one more vicious than her in this world!
"Your Majesty, Empress, please seek justice for my mistress!"
The inner hall fell silent.
From across the crowd, Yun Wu could see clearly the object in Qian'er's hands.
It was a broken piece of jade.
Blood-red in color.
At the thought of something, a flicker of insight passed through her eyes.
Two years ago, shortly after the emperor ascended the throne, Concubine Chen had been pregnant with Longsi.
Her health had been poor, and the imperial physician suggested she could use blood jade to nourish her body. Coincidentally, there happened to be such a bracelet in her storeroom. After the physician examined it and confirmed there was no problem with it… she wore it.
The result was that in her sixth month of pregnancy, Concubine Chen and her unborn child both perished.
Afterward, the Xueyu Zhuozi disappeared without a trace, and the imperial physician was found to have hanged himself at home.
In his residence, another blood jade bracelet soaked in safflower was discovered, confirming that Concubine Chen's death had been caused by that bracelet.
Now, with the fragments of the Xueyu Zhuozi reappearing, if Liu Meiren could not prove her innocence, the charge of harming the imperial heir would be inescapable.
"You're lying! This thing was never on me!"
At this moment, Xi'er said anxiously, "You're falsely accusing me for no reason!"
However, Liu Meiren, who had been tearfully protesting her innocence moments before, instead grew quiet.
Her mouth slightly open, she knelt there in a daze, as if lost in thought.
"This matter is simple. We only need to send someone to search Liu Meiren's quarters, and won't we know the truth? If no other fragments are found there, perhaps Liu Meiren truly is innocent."
At this moment, Consort Xian, who was seated with her back to Liu Meiren, suddenly spoke up in a gentle tone.
Yun Wu's sharp eyes noticed.
Liu Meiren's body instantly stiffened and tensed.
"Search it!"
Empress Xue glanced at Lu Yao, and seeing that he had no objection, immediately ordered with a cold expression.