Chapter 124 - The Ruthless Emperor

Chapter 124: Chapter 119: The Ruthless EmperorEmperor scolded Prime Minister Xiao harshly for the rumors about Consort Rong, who along with her family, became the new favorite concubines and favored ministers in the capital.

However, the popularly favored Consort Rong felt somewhat uneasy now. Her strategy system dictated that only through causing the destruction of a country on her account would it count as a success. Although Prime Minister Xiao lost some credibility in front of the courtiers, it wasn’t enough and did not damage his foundation. Furthermore, her original goal had been to instigate a conflict between the Empress’s Li family and the Xiao family, but she had found no weaknesses in the Empress to exploit.

Moreover, due to her weak health recently, the Emperor also visited Weiyang Palace a few times. After 13 years, unexpectedly, there were news that the Empress was pregnant again.

Ye Qiu was also somewhat surprised by this. Although he didn’t spend much time in the harem in the five years before Consort Rong’s arrival, there wasn’t any news, but this time it surprisingly hit the mark!

Considering that the Empress was thirty this year, she was considered an older mother in this era. Ye Qiu was somewhat worried, but seeing the joyous expressions of the Empress and the Crown Prince, he also began to look forward to it. However, the harem was currently unstable, so he needed to devote more care.

Consort Rong felt uneasy, especially since she had just lost a child, and now there was news of the Empress’s pregnancy. Although she did not particularly like the idea of having children herself, seeing Ye Qiu’s expectant look made her feel as uncomfortable as if she had swallowed a fly. She couldn’t help but start to question whether it was right or wrong to give up that baby.

However, regardless of anything, Li Wan definitely did not want to see the Empress give birth to this child. Her eyes shifty, she quickly thought of a good plan.

According to her understanding, the Hong Dynasty was currently quite stable and peaceful, only two enemy nations were not much of a threat, she would need to stir trouble internally if she wanted to bring down the Hong Dynasty.

Currrently, the Empress’s brother controlled a huge army of two hundred thousand at the border. If it were possible to provoke a conflict between the Li family and the Imperial Family, causing the Empress’s family to rise in rebellion, maybe it could work.

As for the chaos amongst the courtiers causing suffering to countless common people, this naturally wasn’t a concern for Li Wan. She only cared about completing her task. Everyone else was just a passerby in her long life, destined to die sooner or later, and that had nothing to do with her.

Since that was the case, then this child of the Empress should not be born safely. It would be best to shift the blame to the Xiao family, and also onto Consort Rong. Xiao Bairen shared the same thoughts as her. The Crown Prince was already hard enough to deal with, and the Empress definitely could not give birth to another legitimate son, which would fulfill his earlier plans.

The two held the same purpose, but both Ye Qiu and the Empress were not fools to be slaughtered at will.

During the New Year’s palace banquet, the Imperial Physician discovered musk added to the bird’s nest meant for the Empress. After investigation, they only traced it back to a background-less little palace maid. Over the next two to three months, whether on walks or from often drunk almond milk teas intended to harm, the schemes continued one after another.

"Investigate, you must find out the manipulator behind the curtain for me," Ye Qiu smashed another teacup, though he is the Emperor, he isn’t an immortal, could he foresee once and prevent it three or four times?

Though he clearly knew it was just those few people, he still couldn’t catch any evidence.

Great, just really great, although Consort Rong was highly favored, her foundation was shallow after all, without enough people to work for her, but Xiao Bairen, unexpectedly he in his previous life, because of his lust for power brought down the Hong Dynasty, and in this life, he still does as he pleases.

All the evidence pointed to Consort Rong, could he be thought a fool?

However, at this time, Xiao Bairen felt that Ye Qiu was shielding Consort Rong. With the evidence so clear, he couldn’t believe that the Emperor didn’t notice, yet there was no news from the harem, if this isn’t shielding, what is? Therefore, he felt even more that he should eliminate Consort Rong relying on this child of the Empress, ideally getting rid of two lives in one go. Without the Empress’s protection, what could the Crown Prince amount to?

The three factions schemed and fought a battle of wits. Soon, it was the day the Empress was to give birth. Ye Qiu divided his attention between dealing with Consort Rong’s persistent entanglements and laying plans for the safety of the Empress, truly straining his mind to the utmost.

"Ah!"

Listening to the heart-wrenching screams coming from the delivery room, Ye Qiu involuntarily clenched his hands together. At this moment, he was reminded of his past life. In the past life, they didn’t have this child, and their relationship wasn’t good. She managed the harem diligently for him, yet he heartlessly favored Noble Princess Consort Xiao.

Until his dying moment, he realized that the ones he had let down the most were not only the people of the Hong Dynasty but also the Empress and the Crown Prince.

In this lifetime, the Empress did not seek favor, so he gave her dignity that no one else could offend. She valued the Crown Prince, so he personally took him to his side to teach him. She was looking forward to the child in her womb, so he must make sure nothing happens to this child.

"Father Emperor." It was also the first time the Crown Prince experienced such an event. He was still young, and his youthful face was filled with anxious worry as he listened to his mother’s exhausted screams.

"It’s okay, don’t worry." Ye Qiu patted the Crown Prince’s head, softly consoling him.

There were six midwives in the delivery room, all experienced in childbirth. At this moment, one of the midwives gave a look to a little maid beside her, who understood and soon left the room, returning shortly with a bowl of herbal medicine.

"Wait." Ye Qiu spoke up to stop her, "What is this?"

The little maid’s eyes flickered, and she quickly bowed her head, "Your Majesty, it is a herbal medicine to aid delivery."

"The Empress has only been in the delivery room for half an hour, does she need this already?"

"This servant doesn’t know, it was prescribed by the Imperial Physician."

"Oh, is that so?" Ye Qiu laughed coldly, "Call all the Imperial Physicians out, I want to see which one of them prescribed this."

Hearing Ye Qiu say this, the little maid obviously panicked, "Your Majesty, the Empress might not be able to wait."

"It’s not your place, a little maid, to speak here. Doctor Liu, check what exactly is in this bowl of soup." Ye Qiu finished speaking, and Eunuch Shun immediately gave a sign to two eunuchs under him, and the bowl reached Doctor Liu’s hands as the little maid was detained by the eunuchs.

"Your Majesty, this contains Bletilla striata, Panax notoginseng, Mugwort... all are herbs for stopping bleeding and dispersing blood stasis." Doctor Liu said and then knelt down, shocked.

It was a critical time for the Empress to give birth. If she really took this medicine, it could be disastrous, and none of the Imperial Physicians would be able to escape responsibility, which scared them enough to break into a cold sweat.

"Your Majesty, forgive this servant, this servant didn’t know, this servant had no idea!" The little maid, anticipating her fate, was so frightened that she knelt on the ground and kept begging for mercy.

"Take her away for strict interrogation." After finishing, he looked at the delivery room with concern and spoke sternly, "Keep everyone inside alert. If anyone behaves unusually, bring them out immediately."

Shortly after, the midwife who had signaled the little maid was carried out by two nannies, her mouth gagged, struggling fiercely.