“Ever since learning about her past deeds, this servant knew she was no good person. I repeatedly advised Miss not to let her approach His Highness, but Miss not only wouldn’t listen, you pushed her toward His Highness time and again, and later made her His Highness’s consort, giving her the opportunity to harm you!”

Zhangsun Shi’s face turned deathly pale as she murmured: “No… she wouldn’t treat me like this, she wouldn’t!”

Xiuzhu sighed deeply and said earnestly: “Miss, you are too kind. You treat everyone as a good person and are sincere to all, but you forget that not everyone is as kind as you. ‘One can paint a tiger’s skin but not its bones; one can know a person’s face but not their heart.'” After a pause, she continued: “This time, you absolutely cannot spare Noble Consort Yang!”

Zhangsun Shi asked in surprise: “What do you want to do?”

Xiuzhu’s expression turned cold: “As this servant said before, a life for a life!”

Zhangsun Shi never expected Xiuzhu to say such words and said in shock: “You want me to kill Noble Consort Yang?”

Xiuzhu urgently said: “Doesn’t Miss want to avenge the young heir?”

“I…” Zhangsun Shi was flustered by her words. Losing the child was certainly painful, and she did want revenge, but to kill someone… especially killing Yunyi, whom she regarded as a sister, was truly something she had never considered.

Xiuzhu persuaded: “This servant understands Miss’s feelings, but she wronged Miss first. No matter how Miss deals with her, it wouldn’t be excessive.”

Zhangsun Shi said with difficulty: “That may be so, but there’s currently no evidence proving she drugged me to cause miscarriage. How can I punish her at will, much less… execute her? And when His Highness returns, how would I explain to him?”

Xiuzhu pointed at the infant in the swaddling clothes and said through gritted teeth: “What about the young heir? Won’t Miss avenge him?”

Zhangsun Shi stared at the infant, biting her pale lips tightly. This was her six-month pregnancy child. Of course she didn’t want his death to be unclear, but Yunyi… could it really be her doing?

Seeing Zhangsun Shi’s continued silence, Xiuzhu pleaded earnestly: “Miss, listen to this servant once. For your future safety and so the young heir can rest in peace, Noble Consort Yang absolutely cannot be spared!”

“Miss…” Before Xiuzhu could continue, Zhangsun Shi raised her hand: “Go ask Noble Consort Yang to come here. Also send someone to the kitchen to summon the servants responsible for Laiyi Palace’s meals. I have questions for them.”

Her words brought a flash of joy to Xiuzhu’s eyes, and she immediately left to comply. As she headed to Qiluo Pavilion, Ruyi was telling Yunyi about the afternoon’s observations.

Jixiang was also there. After hearing Ruyi’s words, she frowned: “So Xiuzhu and Ding Yang really do have a private relationship?” After a pause, she continued: “You said Xiuzhu slapped Ding Yang twice upon seeing him. Do you know what they discussed?”

Ruyi shook her head and said to Yunyi: “Fearing discovery, this servant stood very far away and couldn’t hear their conversation clearly. However, on the way back to the residence, this servant discovered something.” With these words, she took out a thumb-sized, yellowish-brown object from her sleeve and handed it to Yunyi. The latter examined it carefully and sniffed it lightly before asking puzzledly: “Medicinal herb?”

Ruyi nodded: “This is called light bamboo leaves. It tastes sweet, has a cold nature, and is a medicinal herb with the effect of clearing the heart and relieving restlessness. Xiuzhu entered the medicine shop for this.”

Jixiang casually said: “Perhaps because of the recent heat, she got internal heat and wanted to buy this to reduce it?”

Ruyi’s expression became strange: “She didn’t buy light bamboo leaves. She only asked the shopkeeper whether light bamboo leaves could cause miscarriage.”

Yunyi was startled, then said: “She really asked this?”

“This is what this servant learned from the shopkeeper for half a string of coins. It shouldn’t be false. However, according to the shopkeeper, light bamboo leaves are merely unsuitable for pregnant women to take. There’s never been talk of causing miscarriage – at most it would only slightly disturb fetal qi.” As she spoke, she looked at Yunyi with words unspoken. Seeing her hesitation, Yunyi said: “Say whatever you want to say.”

Ruyi responded and said: “From Xiuzhu’s various behaviors, I’m afraid the Princess Consort’s premature birth is connected to both her and that Ding Yang.”

Jixiang frowned: “Speaking of Ding Yang, I can understand that. After all, he belongs to Consort Ji, and Consort Ji has always had grievances with the princess. Using harm to the Princess Consort’s unborn child to frame the princess isn’t surprising. But Xiuzhu… what’s her situation?”

Yunyi looked at the full moon that had risen above the treetops and said coldly: “Love can make a person brave and fearless, but it can also make a person selfish and cold-blooded!”

Jixiang’s eyelids twitched as she said urgently: “Princess, are you saying Ding Yang deliberately deceived Xiuzhu to achieve his goal of harming the Princess Consort through her?”

“Based on what we know so far, this is most likely. However…” Yunyi rose and walked to the long window, facing the warm evening breeze: “Light bamboo leaves have no miscarriage-inducing effects. Why would Xiuzhu ask about this?”

Ruyi and Jixiang couldn’t answer her question and could only stand silently with lowered hands. After a while, a maid entered and said: “Your Ladyship, Miss Xiuzhu has come and says she wants to see you.”

A flash of surprise crossed Yunyi’s eyes as she turned back: “Please have her come in.” Before she finished speaking, Xiuzhu had already walked straight in. Without performing any courtesies, she said coldly: “This servant comes on Miss’s orders to invite Noble Consort Yang to Laiyi Palace.”

Jixiang was angered by this sight and wanted to scold her, but was stopped by Yunyi’s gaze and could only silently fume. Meanwhile, Yunyi said: “I wonder what matter requires the Princess Consort to summon me in the middle of the night?”

“Your Ladyship will know once you go.” Saying this, she urged: “Your Ladyship, please!”

After giving Xiuzhu a deep look, Yunyi followed her to Laiyi Palace with Ruyi and the others. Passing through layers of gauze curtains, Yunyi saw Zhangsun Shi, whose complexion was paler than paper, and… the small swaddling bundle beside her.

Yunyi couldn’t bear to look and withdrew her gaze, curtsying: “Greetings to the Princess Consort!”

Her voice pulled Zhangsun Shi’s thoughts back from the void, and she said with a complex expression: “Rise!”

Yunyi straightened as instructed, then said with concern: “Does the Princess Consort feel somewhat better? Have you had dinner?”

Zhangsun Shi didn’t answer her questions, only stared steadily at Yunyi until Xiuzhu secretly urged her, then she spoke: “Noble Consort Yang, there’s one matter I hope you’ll answer truthfully without the slightest concealment.”

Yunyi vaguely guessed what this was about and lowered her eyes: “As long as it’s something this consort knows, I will certainly speak without reservation.”

“Good!” Zhangsun Shi slowly uttered this word. After a brief silence, she said word by word: “Does my premature birth today have anything to do with you?”

As expected, it’s about this matter…

Yunyi raised her eyes, glanced at Xiuzhu, then met Zhangsun Shi’s suspicious gaze: “Does the Princess Consort think this consort would harm you and the young heir?”