Seeing her complete faith in his words, Ding Yang was secretly delighted and deliberately sighed: “Then there’s no way to prove it. In my opinion, Noble Consort Yang most likely put safflower in the pastries.”

“This venomous woman, pretending to be innocent before, even I was deceived by her!” Xiuzhu gritted her teeth and snorted coldly: “She harmed my Miss like this, I will never let this go. She must pay with her life!”

“I’m just afraid the Princess Consort won’t have the heart to be so ruthless!” Before Ding Yang finished speaking, Xiuzhu coldly said: “I will definitely persuade Miss to be ruthless, otherwise who knows when even Miss herself might fall victim to her poison!”

“It’s a pity I cannot interfere in this matter, otherwise I could help you persuade the Princess Consort.” Saying this, Ding Yang added with concern: “Be careful yourself, I’m afraid Noble Consort Yang might harm you!”

Xiuzhu nodded and touched the still-visible handprint on Ding Yang’s face, saying heartbrokenly: “Does it still hurt? It’s all my fault for being too impulsive, slapping you without asking clearly. I’m sorry.”

“It stopped hurting long ago.” Saying this, Ding Yang took her hand down and said gently: “You did this because you care about the Princess Consort. How could I blame you?”

After this tender moment, the two parted ways. Xiuzhu did not return directly to the Prince of Qin’s residence, but went to a medicine shop. When the shopkeeper saw her enter, he immediately greeted her warmly: “Miss, what medicinal herbs do you want to buy? Although my medicine shop isn’t the largest in Chang’an, it’s famous for being comprehensive. We have all kinds of medicinal herbs.”

Xiuzhu glanced at the medicine cabinet behind him and said: “Does the shopkeeper know light bamboo leaves?”

“Of course I know.” The shopkeeper opened a medicine cabinet behind him and took out several yellowish-brown root stems, placing them in front of Xiuzhu: “During summer heat, using this to boil water is best for clearing heat and reducing fire. How much does Miss want?”

Xiuzhu took out several five-zhu coins and placed them on the counter: “I’m not buying light bamboo leaves, I just need you to answer one question.”

Though the shopkeeper found it strange, he didn’t ask further and simply said: “What does Miss want to ask?”

“Can light bamboo leaves cause pregnant women to miscarry?” Although Xiuzhu believed Ding Yang’s words, she still had a trace of doubt in her heart, so after much thought, she decided to come to the medicine shop and ask personally.

“Miscarry?” The shopkeeper frowned: “Although light bamboo leaves are cold in nature and unsuitable for pregnant women and those with cold or weak constitutions, I’ve never heard of them causing miscarriage.” At this point, he looked at Xiuzhu strangely and lowered his voice: “If Miss wants to miscarry, you can buy safflower and take it. It’s guaranteed to be effective.”

Hearing this, Xiuzhu quickly spat: “Nonsense, I’m not pregnant.” With that, she turned and left. Learning that Ding Yang hadn’t deceived her, Xiuzhu’s steps became much lighter.

The one who harmed Miss and caused her miscarriage wasn’t herself, but Yang Yunyi. This blood debt, she would definitely help Miss settle!

Xiuzhu didn’t know that after she left the medicine shop, Ruyi walked in and, with half a string of five-zhu coins, learned everything from the shopkeeper.

When she returned to the Prince of Qin’s residence, it was already nearly dark. Xiuzhu made her way to Laiyi Palace where Zhangsun Shi lived and asked Wenlan, who was guarding outside the bedchamber: “How is Miss?”

Wenlan shook her head with a gloomy expression: “I don’t know. The Princess Consort has been keeping herself locked in the palace, not allowing us to enter. She hasn’t eaten dinner either.”

Xiuzhu sighed: “Go stew a bowl of bird’s nest porridge. I’ll go in and persuade Miss.”

After Wenlan left as instructed, Xiuzhu pushed the door open and entered. The palace was unlit, unusually dark. After a long while, she barely adapted to the dimness. Using the weak light from outside the window, she took a fire starter and lit the lamps on both sides before finally approaching the bed.

Zhangsun Shi maintained the same position as when she left, silently holding the palm-sized infant who had long since died, tears still wet on her face.

Seeing Zhangsun Shi like this, Xiuzhu felt sad and her hatred toward Yunyi deepened. She crouched down and softened her voice as much as possible: “Miss, you’ve been holding the young heir for a long time. You must be tired. Why don’t you let this servant hold him for a while? I’ll be very careful.”

Zhangsun Shi looked at Xiuzhu blankly, then her eyelashes drooped again as she said hoarsely: “I’m not tired.”

Xiuzhu’s eyes reddened: “This servant knows Miss is heartbroken, but the young heir is already gone. No matter how you torment yourself, he won’t come back!”

These words made Zhangsun Shi shed tears again. Ever since learning there was a child in her womb, she had been full of joy, looking forward to seeing the child soon. Now she finally saw him, but this was the result. Her poor child… didn’t even cry once before leaving, leaving her, his mother, heartbroken!

Xiuzhu heartbrokenly wiped away her tears: “Miss, please don’t cry anymore. Although this time you and the young heir were fated but not destined, this servant believes you will definitely have children again in the future.”

These words made Zhangsun Shi cry even more fiercely. After a long while, she choked out: “Even if there are more, it won’t be this child. Him… I’ve lost him forever.” At the last sentence, she broke down sobbing again.

“Miss…” Xiuzhu didn’t know how to comfort her and could only cry along.

The master and servant cried for a long time before finally stopping their tears. Xiuzhu brought the swaddling clothes Zhangsun Shi had previously sewn for the child, and after much persuasion, Zhangsun Shi finally placed the child in the swaddling clothes. Xiuzhu carefully wrapped him up and said hoarsely: “Tomorrow morning, this servant will have someone prepare a small coffin and find a good place to lay the young heir to rest.”

After Zhangsun Shi reluctantly nodded, Xiuzhu suddenly knelt down and said with choking but firm voice: “The young heir died unjustly. This servant begs Miss to seek justice for the young heir to comfort his spirit in heaven!”

Zhangsun Shi looked at her: “What do you want to say?”

Xiuzhu looked up: “This servant just went out and asked several physicians. They all said that with Miss’s fetal qi, premature birth without reason has only one possibility – someone administered miscarriage-inducing medicine.”

“Miscarriage-inducing medicine?” Zhangsun Shi struggled to sit up, weakly saying: “You want to say Noble Consort Yang?”

“Yes.” Xiuzhu said gravely: “Today, besides breakfast and the fetal-calming medicine, Miss only ate the pastries sent by Noble Consort Yang. Unless Miss thinks it was done by this servant and Wenlan and the others, besides Noble Consort Yang, this servant can’t think of anyone else.”

Zhangsun Shi shook her head: “No, Noble Consort Yang wouldn’t harm me!”

Seeing her still defending Yunyi at this point, Xiuzhu became furious and blurted out: “She has already killed the young heir. Must we all die by her hand before Miss will believe this servant’s words?”

Zhangsun Shi was silent for a moment, then said quietly: “She has no reason to harm me!”

Xiuzhu spoke in an almost mocking tone: “That’s what Miss thinks, but she doesn’t see it that way. As long as you live, you remain His Highness’s principal consort for one day, a stumbling block in her path. And the young heir’s birth would have further diluted His Highness’s favor toward her, causing her to lose her current position. All of this is enough to make her see Miss as a thorn in her side. The so-called kindness, the so-called sisterly affection, are all pretense to deceive Miss.”