Six months later, the Crown Prince Manor.
She was walking back to her rooms after paying her respects to the crown princess when she noticed some maids running around tearfully. Bie liu noticing her master's concern squeezed Lu Xiaolian's hands and walked towards the servants, a few minutes later she ran back to Lu Xiaolian and whispered into her ears " My lady second madam Yang has gone into labor but the imperial physician is currently attending to Madam Jang".
"Is the crown princess consort aware of this? Lu Xiaolian asked with a frown, second Madam Yang was carrying the first imperial heir even the Empress dowager was concerned.
"the crown princess has refused to receive visitors" Bie liu replied.
"At a time like this wasn't a midwife invited ? she said walking quickly towards second madam Yang rooms.
"The midwife was invited but madam Yang started bleeding heavily and the baby isn't in the right position" Bie liu replied.
"Quickly send for physician Li, explain everything to him and tell him to come quickly time is of the essence in the meantime Yao Yao get some herbs from my dowry" she quickly walked into madam Yang's main room ignoring the servants greetings. The servants were too busy and failed to announce her presence so she walked in to find midwife forcing a liquid down second madam Yang's throat with two maids restraining her and madam Yang resisting seriously.
"What is going on here, let her go" Lu Xiaolian said running forward and slapping the plate away.
The midwife and the two maids quickly looked up shocked and letting go of madam Yang fell to the ground crying out "Your highness".
"Quickly grab hold of them, don't let them get away" Lu Xiaolian said as she helped second madam Yang up to the bed, just then Bie liu rushed in with Physician Li who ran up to Madam Shen and taking her pulse said
"We have to hurry up she's slipping away, your highness will have to leave us for a minute". Nodding she stood and instructing the guard to drag the midwife and two servants for questioning picked up the fallen plate and handing it over to a maid walked out of the room. She was already outside the room when the servants announced the Empress presence.
"Xiaolian greets Imperial mother" She said bowing. The Empress had walked in with Chief imperial physician and Madam Shen In tow like that wasn't already suspicious enough.
Empress He noticing the held up servants turned to Lu Xiaolian and said "Xiaolian what's going on?
"Answering her highness, the midwife and these maids were caught manhandling madam Shen and forcing her to take poison, luckily I arrived on time and with a physician" she stood signaling the guards to bring them forward.
"No your highness, it no true" the midwife and two maids shouted loudly
"Impertinence" Empress He said angrily.
"Your highness we can have the chief Imperial physician check this for poison" She turned to the maid who quickly handed the plate over to the Chief imperial physician who checked for poison
"Answering your highness, her highness is right this is a very strong poison that kills quickly leaving no residue" the chief imperial physician said to the Empress bowing.
"Your highness please forgive us we were only doing as we were told" the midwife and two maids chorused loudly.
"What, who ordered you to do this" Madam Shen said loudly.
"It was first madam Jang" the midwife said crying loudly.
"Her again it wasn't enough that she held the imperial physician from attending to second Madam Yang quick get her here together with the Imperial physician" Empress He said angrily taking a seat on the Host chair and signalling Lu Xiaolian to seat next to her.
"Xiaolian was very swift in taking charge of the situation, you did well and so did third madam Shen" the Empress said making things much clearer to Lu Xiaolian, she already suspected that the Empress would not have gotten her message yet.
"You may not be aware but madam Shen risked and barged into the palace to ask for my help, not that I thought that was necessary considering that you were present. My Xiaolian has always been kind and smart nothing would go astray with you present" Empress He said taking hold of Lu Xiaolian's hands and smiling softly.
"I was only doing what I should, I already sent a message into the palace" Lu Xiaolian replied with a small smile.
"your highness Xiaolian jei jei is just being humble she single handedly turned everything around" Madam Shen said softly.
"Madam Shen was also helpful risking her life to get help, I will have to thank madam Shen for lending a help" Lu Xiaolian replied with a smile.
The guards quickly returned with madam Jang and the imperial physician. the crown princess consort quickly walked in panting. As soon as they saw the Empress the quickly bowed in greeting, the Empress ignored the crown princess consort and facing first Madam Jang said "What right do you have to keep the imperial physician while second madam Yang was in labour"
"answering your highness I don't dare, the imperial heir was restless so I call the imperial physician to check on the baby" Madam Jang replied.
"And when the Imperial physician was requested to attend to second Madam Yang, why didn't he comes" the Empress said flexing her fingers.
"I wasn't aware that second madam Yang was in labour" Madam Jang replied.
"is that so" the Empress said looking towards the maids.
"answering your highness, I rushed to second madam Jang's rooms and requested for the imperial physician to attend to my mistress but I was rejected and thrown out of the courtyard by the servants" the maid replied tearfully.
"the servants must have done it out of their own accord because I was not informed" Madam Jang said.
"Even you Mingzhu you also wasn't informed? the Empress asked finally acknowledging her presence.
"Answering your highness Mingzhu wasn't feeling well and was taking a nap for sometime, I was just becoming aware of this" The Crown princess consort replied.
"Oh really, what a great consort my son has. What kind of job are you doing as the head of the Haram second madam Yang and the imperial hair nearly lost their lives thanks to your incompetence" The Empress said angrily.
"Mingzhu was wrong your highness" the crown princess consort replied
"Madam Jang the midwife claimed that she was ordered by you to poison and kill second madam Yang and the imperial heir" the Empress said watching her every move.
"I wouldn't there your highness I have never seen her in my life" madam Yang said kneeling quickly. The maid quickly rushed out of the room carrying bowls of red blood drawing everyone's attention a baby's cry was heard and the maid present in the room bowed and said "congratulations madam on the birth of your daughter" the elderly maid servant quickly walked out carrying the baby and handing it over to the Empress bowed and said "Congratulations your highness on the birth of a little princess". A loud scream was heard and Physician Li came out and bowing announced the death of madam Yang.