“Noble Consort, why aren’t you picking up your chopsticks?” Consort Wu smiled softly, her voice carrying a gentle coyness. “His Majesty said that this consort is the most important one — there is no need to wait for His Majesty before eating. If I am hungry, I may begin my meal.”

Though His Majesty had said so, she had never truly dared to start eating without waiting for him. But today was different — today, with Consort Pei here, she ought to flaunt His Majesty’s affection for her, however she could.

“Is that so?” Consort Pei toyed with her finger guards and gave a light smile. “This consort would not dare. How could this consort compare to Consort Wu? If Consort Wu is hungry, by all means eat first. As for this consort — I can only look on and wait until His Majesty arrives before having my meal.”

What a fool.

What was there to boast about?

The child in her womb would be this consort’s son, all the same.

With Consort Pei’s words, Consort Wu’s smile grew even more radiant. “Then this consort shall begin first.”

Xiao Dai stepped forward with a smile to serve food into Consort Wu’s bowl.

Consort Wu sipped a spoonful of white fungus soup, and her brow lifted. “Why does this taste so awful? Is the imperial kitchen simply dismissing this consort with such carelessness?”

“My Lady, if you are displeased, this servant will have the imperial kitchen prepare a fresh serving at once,” Xiao Dai said quickly.

It wasn’t truly awful — Consort Wu merely wanted to make a scene, to let Consort Pei see her standing in Prince Xuan’s heart. She waved her hand dismissively. “Forget it. Tomorrow, tell the imperial kitchen to change up the dishes. This consort is tired of eating the same things.”

Xiao Dai took the soup bowl from Consort Wu’s hands and obediently replied, “Yes, this servant will remember.”

“Noble Consort, please don’t think this consort is being overly delicate — it’s just that if the food disagrees with me, the child becomes restless, and this consort can do nothing about it.” Consort Wu gently caressed her small belly.

Consort Pei raised an eyebrow slightly. “Of course not — how could this consort think that of you?”

Consort Wu smiled sweetly, lifted her wooden chopsticks, and began to eat. The dishes on the wooden table were almost entirely without repetition.

Consort Wu had originally intended to eat only a few bites and then wait for Prince Xuan to join her. Perhaps it was the pregnancy — as she ate, she found herself eating quite a great deal.

By the time the hour for the evening meal had passed, the dishes on the table had all grown cold, and still there was no sign of Prince Xuan. Consort Pei gazed out at the darkened night sky through the window, a growing unease in her heart.

The well-fed Consort Wu reclined lazily against the wooden chair, eyes half-closed in contentment.

After waiting a little longer, the sound of footsteps came from outside the hall. Both Consort Pei and Consort Wu rose to their feet with smiles — the hall doors were pushed open, and a guard spoke first, “Today, the inner palace guard Qu failed in his patrol duties and has been dealt with in accordance with palace regulations.”

Consort Pei’s brow furrowed slightly. Why announce this so abruptly?

Was it truly necessary to inform them about disciplining one guard?

The guard stepped aside, and Prince Xuan, dressed in dragon robes, walked into the hall. With a resounding thud, the hall doors were shut by the guard behind him.

Consort Wu’s face drained of color in fright. She sensed… His Majesty likely knew…

“This consort pays her respects to Your Majesty.” Consort Pei bowed with a warm smile.

“Your servants pay their respects to His Majesty Prince Xuan.” The maidservants in the hall knelt in obeisance.

Prince Xuan let out a cold, ambiguous laugh.

Consort Pei’s heart was unsettled, and she dared not rise. The silence in the great hall was oppressive.

“Your Majesty…” Before Consort Wu could finish her words, a sudden, sharp pain gripped her lower abdomen without warning. Thick, dark blood trickled down her thighs, soaking into her skirt. She trembled and lowered her head, pressing her hand to her belly.

The blood on the floor was a glaring crimson. Prince Xuan made no sound, and so of course no one else in the hall dared to make a sound.

Consort Pei’s dread deepened. She could not fathom what Prince Xuan intended.

The night grew darker still. The candlelight in the hall was dim. Consort Wu looked up at Prince Xuan’s darkened expression and stumbled backward in terror, collapsing onto the floor.

She looked up at the full table of dishes and felt a sudden wave of bitter irony — those dishes were surely all tainted.

When had His Majesty found out?

His Majesty knew her nature — so he had told her she need not wait for him to eat, knowing that once Consort Pei arrived, she would inevitably show off his affection. And so His Majesty had deliberately come late, waiting for the abortion-inducing medicine in the dishes to take effect…

His Majesty… his schemes were truly masterful!

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty…” Consort Wu curled in on herself, crying out in pain. “Your Majesty… this consort’s child… Your Majesty…”

The sovereign gazed down at Consort Wu, who was biting her handkerchief in agony, and curled his lips with cold cruelty. “Put your heart at ease. Consort Pei has harmed this sovereign’s ‘imperial child.’ This sovereign will seek justice for the ‘imperial child.'”

“Your Majesty?” Consort Pei’s heart seized.

Eunuch Feng waved his hand, and two guards stepped forward to take hold of Consort Pei’s arms.

“Your Majesty, this consort did no such thing — it was Eunuch Feng who invited this consort here. The food was prepared by the imperial kitchen; it has nothing to do with this consort.” Consort Pei rushed to explain.

“Aah—!” Consort Wu arched her back in agony, her vision darkening.

A guard stepped forward and pressed a handkerchief over Consort Wu’s mouth.

Consort Wu trembled violently, muffled, helpless sobs escaping her throat.

“Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with this consort.” Consort Pei was still pleading.

Prince Xuan toyed with his jade thumb ring, not even lifting a brow. A eunuch brought over a sandalwood chair, and Prince Xuan slowly took his seat. In a low, composed voice, he said, “Bring it.”

At his words, a guard carried in a potted plant — nearly withered — and placed it before Consort Pei.

Consort Pei’s pupils contracted sharply. Was this not the one she had arranged to be sent to the Crown Prince’s bedchamber?

How had it ended up in His Majesty’s hands?

She had had someone sprinkle medicinal powder on this potted plant. Prolonged exposure to it would make it exceedingly difficult for a woman to conceive.

“Does my beloved consort recognize it?” Prince Xuan took the tea offered by Eunuch Feng and sipped it at his leisure.

“Your Majesty, this consort does not recognize it.” Consort Pei cried out. “Your Majesty, this consort truly does not.”

“Oh?” Prince Xuan said mildly. “That day when Yuyu and the Yan girl entered the palace, you sent Xiaojiu to find Xiao Ran — to share some pastries together — that too you have forgotten? This sovereign’s account is not mistaken, is it?”

Consort Pei’s body trembled, and fear rose in her eyes.

Prince Xuan gave a mocking, quiet laugh. “That very same day, you brought the Prime Minister’s daughter, Pei Shu Tong, to intercept this sovereign, to join him for a meal. You served food into the Yan girl’s bowl, while the Xuan Empress kept devising ways to prevent the Yan girl from eating — that too you have forgotten, is that right?”

That day, the Xuan Empress had repeatedly exchanged glances with the nanny behind her — it would have been difficult for him not to notice. He was not like Yuyu, whose heart was entirely fixed on one person; with the Yan girl present, Yuyu would notice nothing else. The Xuan Empress’s unusual behavior, combined with the inexplicable way Consort Pei had served food to the Yan girl — a junior — had prompted him to look into the matter afterward, and he had kept someone watching Consort Pei ever since.

“Your Majesty…”

“It matters not if you have forgotten. Today, several beggars were directed by someone to harm the Crown Princess — however, this sovereign has already had those beggars warned.”

Fixing his gaze on Consort Pei’s expression of despair, Prince Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly. “My beloved consort, this sovereign cannot let your goodwill go to waste — those beggars have already been sent to keep Miss Pei company.”

He was not as vicious as Consort Pei — he had merely had those beggars give the Pei girl a fright, so that she would stop filling her head with foolish notions all day long. There were guards watching from the shadows, so there was no fear of those beggars going back on their word.

Consort Pei had time and again sought to harm the Yan girl — and all of it was for Pei Shu Tong’s sake. Without Pei Shu Tong, Consort Pei would never have risked harming the Yan girl.

This time, she had gone far too far. She had actually dared — actually dared to send those beggars to…

He couldn’t even bring himself to say it.

And afterward, she planned to leave the Yan girl abandoned on the open street!

The long street was busy with passersby — Consort Pei intended to ruin the Yan girl’s reputation entirely.

“Your Majesty, how could you be so ruthless — Tongtong is only twenty years old. How could you do this to her? How could you do this to her? What is she supposed to do from now on?”