Chapter 40: Miscarriage
Zhaorong Yun was questioned, her expression momentarily stunned, forcing her to step forward and recount what had happened on the small boat.
“Your Majesty, this concubine was the first to disembark from the boat. In the moment I turned around, I heard someone shout that Beauty Rong had fallen into the water. At that time, I had my back turned and truly didn’t see anything…”
Zhaorong Yun’s expression was complicated, unsure whether she should mention what had happened on the boat.
Consort Rou seemed to sense her dilemma and gently urged, “If you know anything else, just speak the truth.”
Hearing this, Zhaorong Yun glanced at Lan Wu, who was kneeling on the ground with her head lowered, and said, “It’s not that I know anything else, but on the boat, I heard Zhen Jieyu and Beauty Rong exchange a few words. Zhen Jieyu seemed displeased that Beauty Rong had given her personal palace maid that name.”
Lan Wu endured the pain—not just pain, but also an illusion that her thigh was already wet. Yet the dampness and the faint scent of blood seemed both present and absent, leaving her unsure if it was real.
Her ears buzzed, but the voices still clearly reached her mind.
She clenched her fists, her palms icy cold, unwillingly whispering, “This concubine… did nothing wrong. It was Beauty Rong who tried to push me into the water. I only instinctively defended myself—”
Before she could finish, a mournful, heart-wrenching cry echoed from the side chamber.
Everyone realized what had happened.
Soon, Zhi Lan hurried into the main hall, weeping as she reported, “Your Majesty, Her Ladyship has miscarried—”
Silence.
Stillness.
Everyone stared at Lan Wu, not daring to glance at the Emperor’s expression. After a moment, they heard the Emperor speak softly, “By my decree, promote Beauty Rong to Rong Shuyi and order the Imperial Physician to take good care of her health.”
A leap of three ranks—Your Majesty had indeed bestowed considerable honor upon Beauty Rong.
But no matter what, the child was gone.
From the moment she entered the hall until now, Chu Mingheng had not spoken a single word to Lan Wu.
Listening to everything, Lan Wu couldn’t help but feel a sour taste rise in her mouth. She swallowed hard, using the support of Lian Xi beside her to kneel upright, her body visibly trembling.
“Your Majesty…” Lan Wu had originally intended to defend herself with dignity, but her voice came out as faint as a mosquito’s hum. Not only could Chu Mingheng not hear her, but even Lan Wu herself could barely make out what she was saying.
It hurt so much—was there a knife twisting in her belly?
Her head hung weakly. She struggled to lift it, unaware that strings of teardrops were falling onto the palace carpet before her.
Was she crying?
It was unbearable—the pain was killing her.
Chu Mingheng also noticed her tears. He sighed, unable to ignore her completely. Just as he was about to order someone to help her sit up and speak, he suddenly heard someone exclaim in shock and panic:
“…Blood, Her Ladyship is bleeding…”
Lian Xi’s gaze dropped, fixed intently on the blood-soaked skirt beneath Lan Wu. The dress was green, and at first glance, the damp stains were hard to distinguish as blood. But upon closer inspection, it was clear—this was indeed blood.
Lan Wu wanted to tell her to lower her voice, to explain that this wasn’t something to be frightened of, but her lips lacked the strength to form words. All she could manage were low moans from her throat.
Her field of vision gradually narrowed. Someone lifted her into their arms. She clutched Chu Mingheng’s robes, tears streaming even more freely, unable to speak.
“Tell the Imperial Physician to get in here now.” With that, Chu Mingheng kicked open the door to the inner palace and strode inside, carrying Lan Wu to the bed.
Due to Rong Shuyi’s unexpected miscarriage, several Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy had arrived and were still waiting in the side hall. They were quickly summoned to the main hall. Upon learning that another imperial concubine was bleeding, their legs went weak, fearing it was another miscarriage.
In the main hall, the imperial concubines had shifted from initial shock to bewilderment.
“Could it be… could it be that Zhen Jieyu is also…” someone began to say.
Immediately, another voice refuted, “Fool! It hasn’t even been a month since His Majesty issued the decree to confer her title. How could it be possible…”
That was true—it had indeed been less than a month. But if it were a miscarriage, whose child was in Zhen Jieyu’s womb?
It was undeniable that the concubines present harbored a faint sense of anticipation, hoping it was exactly as they imagined.
In the Inner Palace, Lan Wu was carried to the bed. As Chu Mingheng released her, his hands were already stained with blood.
He stood still, his gaze heavy as he looked at the blood on his hands, but he let go the next moment.
Lan Wu lay listless on the bed, her cries of pain barely audible.
The Imperial Physician was brought over to take her pulse. After a moment, he let out a deep sigh and reported, “Your Majesty, Jieyu’s condition is due to an imbalance of qi and blood, causing menstrual pain. Allow this humble physician to administer acupuncture to alleviate her discomfort.”
“Stop wasting words,” Chu Mingheng said, having washed his hands, urging him to hurry.
The physician dared not delay any further and quickly murmured his assent before turning to administer acupuncture to the woman on the bed.
Chu Mingheng walked over and looked at her pale face. He reached out to stroke her cheek, feeling its coolness.
“Fetch a basin of hot water.”
Lian Xi hurriedly complied and soon brought the hot water inside.
By now, Lan Wu’s complexion had improved slightly, though her eyes remained closed as she drifted in and out of sleep.
The imperial concubines were still waiting outside, and this situation could not continue indefinitely.
Consort Rou first went to check on Rong Shuyi in the side hall. Rong Shuyi knew she had miscarried and lay with her eyes open, her face streaked with tears, still awaiting His Majesty’s decision.
But for some reason, one of the Imperial Physicians had been called away, and it took a long time before Consort Rou arrived.
“Concubine… pays respects to Your Highness.”
Consort Rou looked at her with pity, helping her lie still. “His Majesty has just issued a decree, conferring upon you the title of Shuyi. Focus on recovering your health. There will be more children.”
Upon hearing this, tears welled up in Rong Shuyi’s eyes again. She turned her head to bury her tears in the pillow, gazing toward the doorway as she struggled to ask, “Your Highness, why hasn’t His Majesty come to see concubine? Does His Majesty despise concubine now… because concubine lost the child…?”
Consort Rou gently stroked her hair and said softly, “Don’t think such thoughts. His Majesty… has urgent matters to attend to now. What you must do is focus on recovering your health.”
Urgent matters?
At a time like this, what could be more important than the lost imperial heir?
Could it be that His Majesty still intends to shield Zhen Jieyu—Zhen Jieyu, who pushed her into the water and caused her miscarriage? How could His Majesty possibly shield her!
Rong Shuyi unconsciously clenched her fists. Suddenly, she lifted her grief-stricken face and asked Consort Rou, “Your Highness, please tell me. Tell me how His Majesty plans to punish Zhen Jieyu. Tell me, so concubine can find peace—”
“This…” Consort Rou hesitated, but finally turned her head away and spoke a few words. “Just now, Zhen Jieyu also experienced bleeding. His Majesty is with her at the moment. Don’t overthink it. His Majesty’s actions must have a reason.”
These words pierced her heart like a sharp dagger, churning viciously through flesh and blood. Rong Shu Yi felt her vision suddenly darken, and it took a long moment for her to regain her senses. Faced with Consort Rou’s concerned inquiry, she forced a strained smile, her expression twisting into one of profound loathing. Word by word, she spat out, “Your Majesty is unjust.”
“Outrageous!” Consort Rou quickly covered her mouth, warning her, “You are merely speaking nonsense in your grief. I will pretend I never heard it.”
“Do not forget how Cairen Liu died.”