"The current dynasty governs with filial piety. Princess Heart's filial piety is renowned throughout the court and the palace. The imperial concubine wouldn't block Princess Heart from fulfilling her filial duties and inviting criticism!" Empress Dowager De spoke slowly.
Empress Consort Chang agreed, smiling and saying, "As concubines, we should serve our imperial mother-in-law, but assuming the dominant position is something I absolutely cannot do."
Princess Heart's face flushed red. If they assisted her in serving her illness, they could also seize power in the palace.
Empress Dowager De and Empress Consort Chang looked at her with kindness. Princess Heart clenched her hand under her sleeves tightly. She raised her head and said, "I will certainly serve my mother-in-law properly, but Empresses Dowager De and Chang, you should also adhere to the etiquette of concubines! A few days ago, I heard an interesting story. Do you have interest in hearing me tell it?"
Empress Dowager De smiled. "We are in the Pavilion of Auspicious Phoenix. Since the imperial mother-in-law is absent, Princess can speak freely."
There was a momentary anger in Princess Heart's expression, but she quickly recovered. She said, "There was a concubine named Huang who, taking advantage of her mistress being ill, tried to seize control of the household management rights. In the end, she was directly killed by the mistress! Our dynasty clearly distinguishes between spouses and concubines, and such despicable people are absolutely not tolerated."
Ji Mingxuan sighed. This matter... how could she possibly say anything about it?
Empress Dowager De and Empress Consort Chang listened without any strange reactions. Instead, many of the concubines became colder toward Princess Heart. Even Ji Mingxuan didn't want to speak up for her.
The atmosphere was very serious. In ordinary families, the divide between legitimate and illegitimate offspring, and between spouses and concubines, was permanent. But in the royal family, this system was much less strict. After all, both the Grandmother and the Emperor were illegitimate! Moreover, since the founding of the dynasty, how many legitimate sons had ascended to the supreme throne?
Empress Dowager De said, "Princess Heart has been taught well by Queen Mother. In the future, Prince Consort must take good care of Princess." Princess Heart was now ten years old, and in two years, she would get married. Hearing Empress Dowager De's words, she had a moment of embarrassment.
Empress Consort Chang laughed out loud.
Those who understood smiled, and those who didn't smile did so anyway.
Ji Mingxuan sighed. Not for status, she hoped this pregnancy would result in a prince. In this era, even princesses were weak in marriage, only truly married women knew the hardships of being a wife!
Just then, the sound of "Imperial Father arrives" came from outside.
Everyone immediately put on worried expressions. When Zhao Xunliao entered, everyone looked anxious.
"Concubine/Priestess, please pay your respects to Imperial Father!"
"Son, welcome Father."
Zhao Xunliao personally helped Princess Heart up, then said, "No need to bow!"
"Thank you, Imperial Father."
Zhao Xunliao looked at Princess Heart and said, "How is your mother-in-law?"
When Princess Heart heard Zhao Xunliao mention her mother-in-law, her eyes reddened. She said, "Mother-in-law has never woken up."
Hearing this, Zhao Xunliao took her hand and walked into the inner chamber. Before leaving, he issued a command that no one could disturb them.
When Zhao Xunliao and Princess Heart entered the inner chamber, many people clutched their handkerchiefs, and Empress Dowager De's smile couldn't last. Empress Consort Chang's face was tense.
Ji Mingxuan glanced over and saw that most of these people had carefully dressed themselves to come.
Recently, the emperor had been recruiting people who were usually favored, so some new concubines hadn't seen the emperor in almost two months. Today, they waited anxiously in the Pavilion of Auspicious Phoenix. For them, the most important thing wasn't the state of the queen mother, but seeing the emperor.
And the favored ones naturally wanted to become even more favored, so they spent most of their efforts on their appearance.
The emperor today disappointed everyone, especially Empress Dowager De and Empress Consort Chang.
Ji Mingxuan had a clear idea that the emperor respected the queen mother greatly.
Sure enough, when originally serving the illness in the inner chamber, Yun Pinren and Rong Guiren emerged.
Everyone rushed around to ask for news, while Ji Mingxuan sat quietly. These people gathered together, and if something happened, it would definitely be detrimental.
Suddenly, "Bang!" Everyone instantly fell silent. Looking at the source of the sound, they saw that Yu Xiuhua sitting on the other side had an extremely pale face. Sweat poured down her forehead continuously, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
Empress Consort Chang urgently said, "Quick... Quickly summon the doctors!"
"Your Highness, the doctors are all in the inner chamber!" Baoxi, standing before Empress Consort Chang, said anxiously.
Empress Consort Chang was stunned. The grandmother was unconscious, and all the doctors would naturally gather for a consultation.
Now that the emperor was inside and there was a command that no one could disturb them, who would dare enter the inner chamber to remove the doctors and delay treatment for the queen mother? The child in Yu Xiuhua's womb, whether a son or daughter, was lighter than the grandmother.
Empress Dowager De remained silent, and Ji Mingxuan's heart grew cold.
Yu Xiuhua had been lying in bed yesterday morning but had forcefully gotten up today to visit the Pavilion of Auspicious Phoenix. Whether it was her own decision or influenced by someone else, it was clear.
Ji Mingxuan couldn't help but say, "There aren't any other imperial physicians in the imperial medical bureau?"
No one answered; the result was plain to see.
Yu Xiuhua screamed in pain, soon turning red, and Empress Consort Chang grew even more anxious. This child belonged to her; if Yu Xiuhua died, the child couldn't survive either.
The inner chamber wasn't far from where they were, so it was unlikely that anyone outside knew what was happening.
Although Ji Mingxuan didn't examine her pulse, she could tell that Yu Xiuhua's condition was extremely poor. She wanted to share her concerns and decided to treat Yu Xiuhua.
So, she tore off a piece of jade pendant from her body.
Looking at Empress Dowager De, she said, "Empress Dowager De, Empress Consort Chang, this is the jade pendant given to concubine by the Grandmother. Perhaps it gives you a chance to enter the inner chamber."
Empress Dowager De was taken aback, and the other concubines looked at Ji Mingxuan like she was crazy.
Empress Consort Chang, however, didn't mind so much. Since Ji Mingxuan dared to take risks, why should she fear? If she did well, the Grandmother and the emperor would give her a second look.
Taking the jade pendant from Ji Mingxuan, Empress Consort Chang went into the inner chamber.
Empress Dowager De narrowed her eyes and followed her.
Ji Mingfu hurriedly held onto Ji Mingxuan, feeling extremely complex emotions. There was sympathy for Yu Xiuhua, anger at Ji Mingxuan's rash action, and admiration for her behavior.
In the midst of severe pain, Yu Xiuhua didn't lose her consciousness. She turned her head with difficulty and spoke staccato: "Thank... thank Ji..." Before she could finish, she fainted.
Cloud Pinren was alarmed, as the blood on her clothes had already stained her gown.
Ji Mingxuan was shocked. She was about to go over, but Ji Mingfu said, "Your Highness, you still have your body; you shouldn't go over!"
Ji Mingxuan tightly grabbed Ji Mingfu's hand, and Ji Mingfu pulled her back.
Ji Mingxuan stared at Yu Xiuhua, her face changing drastically.
She actually had a way to treat her, but she refused to use it. Saying she was cruel or cold-blooded, she simply wouldn't act.
Everyone thought Ji Mingxuan was frightened, and Ji Mingfu blocked her, seemingly not wanting her to continue watching.
Soon, Empress Consort Chang and Empress Dowager De, along with two attendants, rushed out.
Everyone's attention was fixed on the two attendants.
Ji Mingxuan was surprised to see that it wasn't the most skilled physician, Yanzhuang Zhanguan, but two young eighth-grade imperial physicians, with one of them being Li Jianmo.
From this, Ji Mingxuan saw more. The hierarchy in the palace was extremely strict, and she also realized the emperor's cruelty. He doted on Yu Xiuhua daily, yet now... not even a high-ranking physician was sent out.
And the queen mother... maybe she was happy!
Many people had complicated expressions. What Ji Mingxuan saw, others could think of too.
Empress Dowager De's face was bad, and Empress Consort Chang seemed much more demoralized! Although she didn't know what had happened inside, she could guess.
The queen mother... the palm under her sleeve suddenly tightened, hoping that her conflict with her could slow down.
Ji Mingfu's gaze flashed, but she felt relieved. For her, the more the emperor valued the queen mother, the better it was for her.
Yu Xiuhua was placed on a small couch in the inner chamber.
Seeing Yu Xiuhua's condition, the two attendants frowned deeply.
Apart from Li Jianmo, another doctor named Hou. Hou said, shaking his head, "Yuxiu Mainzuo has signs of miscarriage yesterday. Her body was already weak, and today, seeing the wind and being troubled by her heart caused her qi and blood to be exhausted. Her body has collapsed. The attendant believes he can save Yuxiu Mainzuo, but the tiny dragon fetus in her womb... I'm helpless!"
Empress Consort Chang's eyes tightly gazed at the unconscious Yu Xiuhua, flashing with fury. Indeed, two incompetent doctors!
Empress Dowager De remained silent but could see the situation clearly.
"Dr. Li, do you have any method?" Cloud Pinren hurriedly asked.
Li Jianmo also said, "Attendant Hou has already explained everything."
Seeing the unconscious Yu Xiuhua, everyone suddenly felt a sense of sorrow.
Ji Mingxuan saw Empress Consort Chang's expression and immediately pulled away from Ji Mingfu. Ji Mingfu shook her head; her younger sister...
"Is there really no hope?" she first asked Attendant Hou.
Hou knelt down and said, "Attendant, I am guilty!"
Ji Mingxuan immediately looked at Li Jianmo and said, "Dr. Li, Elder Judge Zhang often says you're a master healer. You can't do anything?"
Li Jianmo hesitated, looking at Yu Xiuhua and meeting Ji Mingxuan's hopeful gaze. Compassion for the healer took precedence, and he knelt again, saying, "Your Highness, I have a method."
Ji Mingxuan was delighted and said, "Dr. Li, still..."
Li Jianmo said, "This method is very dangerous. If there's a mistake, not only will the tiny dragon fetus die, but Yuxiu Mainzuo may also..."
Ji Mingxuan immediately fell silent.
Everyone exchanged glances. Empress Consort Chang naturally inclined towards trying it. If Yu Xiuhua survived, that child would be hers. If she died, she'd lose one less competitor, and in any case, it would be beneficial for her.
The other concubines also had their own thoughts.
Regardless of everyone's thoughts, no one dared to make a decision at this moment.
Then, Yu Xiuhua on the couch suddenly woke up, "Please... save... the imperial child!"
Everyone turned their heads, and Yu Xiuhua looked hopeful. Usually timid, she was now astonishingly brave. This could very well be her death road.
Empress Consort Chang was certain that what Yu Xiuhua had said was true now.
"Dr. Li, don't worry and proceed. If Yuxiu Mainzuo is indeed unlucky, I'll ensure you won't be harmed," Empress Consort Chang immediately said.