Chapter 101

Chapter 101: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“No, you’re lying!” The Empress shrieked. “What I’m carrying is Hong Hui! Hong Hui reincarnated into my womb. How is that not a fetus? I won’t let you insult Hong Hui!”

“Impudent!” The Empress Dowager was so angry she nearly died on the spot. She raised her hand and slapped the Empress again. “I think you’ve lost your mind. Say another word of nonsense, and I’ll have your mouth sealed.”

“You-you…” After two slaps in a row, humiliation and rage snapped the Empress’s reason. She screamed, “Wu Ya Cheng Bi, you dare hit me! You dare harm my Hong Hui! Go die!”

Before anyone could react, the Empress threw her whole body at the Empress Dowager, slamming into her viciously. Caught off guard, the Empress Dowager was knocked flying. The Empress hit too hard and could not stop herself. She charged forward, and with her huge belly, she crashed down like stacked bodies, slamming onto the Empress Dowager.

“Ah!” “Ah!” Their miserable screams rang out one after the other. Only then did everyone snap out of their shock.

“Empress Dowager!” “Your Majesty the Empress!” One shout after another, people rushed forward to save them. “Ah, my stomach hurts-my stomach hurts so much!”

“Someone, hurry-save me!”

… Yuan Ming Garden. Water and sky blended into one. “Master, something happened in the palace.” Xiao Hu Zi’s excited voice suddenly sounded out.

Just awake, Li Si Qi drawled lazily, “What could happen? Could people really die?” “Not dead yet, but someone might really die.” Xiao Hu Zi sounded certain.

“Really?” Li Si Qi finally perked up and asked curiously, “Who? Don’t tell me it’s Her Majesty the Empress?”

“Yes.” Xiao Hu Zi immediately recounted everything that had happened in the palace.

“No way.” Li Si Qi was shocked. “The Empress turned into a fat woman? And she rammed the Empress Dowager until she was paralyzed?”

“Yes. The Empress right now…” Xiao Hu Zi explained, “Her weight should be around 130 to 150. When she slammed into the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager nearly died on the spot. Even now, she’s not doing much better.”

“I never expected the Empress Dowager’s executioner would be the Empress.” Li Si Qi added, “And now the Empress was forced to drink two bowls of labor-inducing medicine. Looks like her little life probably won’t be saved.”

“Yes, Master.” Xiao Hu Zi said bluntly, “For the past two months, the Empress ate and drank nonstop. Not only did she grow fat herself, the meat ball in her belly also sucked up plenty of nourishment. There’s no way she can deliver it.”

“The midwives know they could cut open the birth passage to help with delivery, but they would never dare touch Her Majesty the Empress’s body with a blade. So this time, the Empress probably can’t escape death.” “Master, do you want to save the Empress’s life?” Xiao Hu Zi asked.

“I’m not insane.” Li Si Qi let out a scornful laugh. “Why would I save her? Not stabbing her and sending her on her way is already generous enough.”

“Don’t forget who An Ling Rong hates most: the Empress. Now the Empress ends up like this-dying in agony and unwillingness. I’m sure An Ling Rong would be satisfied.”

“Master, if the Empress goes down that early, will the plot change afterward?” Xiao Hu Zi asked again.

“Then it changes.” Li Si Qi did not care. “We’ll push An Ling Rong onto the Empress Dowager’s seat. Her son becomes Emperor, and then we make Zhen Huan suffer a little more. Our mission is complete.”

“As for whether anyone else’s plot happens or not, what does it have to do with us?”

“Master is right.” Xiao Hu Zi stopped dwelling on it. Then he added, “Master, if the Empress Dowager is paralyzed, she’ll probably come after you. You might end up as her target for blame.”

“Keep an eye on her,” Li Si Qi ordered. “If the Empress Dowager really dares to set her sights on me, then cripple the Fourteenth Prince for me and anger that old thing to death.” “No problem!”

… The news in the palace had not reached the garden yet. If Li Si Qi was the first to know, then the Emperor was the second. When he heard what had happened in the palace, he was completely stunned. He even thought he had heard wrong.

“Is all of this true?” After a long while, the Emperor finally found his voice. “If there’s a single lie, I’ll have your head.”

“Replying to Your Majesty, this servant wouldn’t dare.” The little eunuch kowtowed frantically as he spoke. “Empress Dowager has already sent someone to summon Your Majesty back to the palace. They should arrive soon.”

“You may go.” The Emperor’s voice was heavy.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The little eunuch had recovered his life by a hair. He scrambled away, rolling and crawling out of Qin Zhen Hall. With a dark face, the Emperor called out, “Su Pei Sheng!”

“This servant is here!” “Prepare to return to the palace!” “Yes, Your Majesty!” Su Pei Sheng answered, hesitated, then said, “Your Majesty, the consorts and the young ladies…”

“Them…” The Emperor frowned. “Send down the order in a moment. Tell the consorts to pack their things themselves. Three days from now, they will return to the palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Su Pei Sheng bowed and withdrew to arrange it. Sure enough, an hour later, the Emperor hurried back to the palace with his people.

The consorts who received the decree were astonished. After all, the palace news had not spread to the garden, and they did not know what was happening. The weather was still stifling and hot. Under normal circumstances, they would not plan to return for at least another month.

Now they were returning at once. The consorts could guess that something had happened in the palace. When everyone learned the palace news, they were all so shocked their mouths fell open. Clearly, they had been stunned by the Empress’s destructive power.

The next day, the newest news arrived. Her Majesty the Empress still had not delivered the dragon fetus. After struggling in agony, she was already hanging by a thread. Whether it was the midwives or the imperial physicians, they were all helpless, and they were already preparing to die as scapegoats.

They still did not dare to take a blade to the Empress’s body. Everything could only be left to fate, and the Empress herself had to endure it. As for the Empress Dowager- Paralyzed. She truly lay paralyzed on the bed, unable to get down.

Her spine had cracked, and her tailbone was shattered to pieces. With the current level of medicine, there was no way to restore her to health, much less have her stand up and move freely again. The furious, vicious Empress Dowager was like a darkened Fourth Prince. She hated everyone.

Even knowing the Empress was now waiting to die, she no longer spoke for her, and she made no attempt to save her life. Because the Empress Dowager’s heart had gone completely cold. She never imagined that the niece she had raised onto the Empress’s throne would actually try to kill her. It was something she could not accept, no matter what.

In her eyes, the Empress was rebellious and unforgivable, and she deserved death.

“Is she dead yet?” The Empress Dowager’s eyes leaked hatred. “Why isn’t she dead? Shouldn’t she have died already, taking that vile spawn with her?”

“Replying to Empress Dowager.” Zhu Xi answered softly, “Her Majesty the Empress is already at death’s door. She could stop breathing at any moment.”

“Good. Serves her right!” The Empress Dowager shouted, but tugged at her spine injury, and her face twisted in pain.

Even while she hurt all over, she still kept talking. “Have the consorts in the garden returned yet?” “Empress Dowager, the Emperor left a decree for the consorts in the garden. They will return in three days.”

“Only tomorrow?” the Empress Dowager asked. “Yes, Empress Dowager!”

“Send people to deliver my decree…” The Empress Dowager clenched her teeth against the pain as she continued, “Have the consorts return to the palace immediately. Especially Consort Xian-bring the dragon-phoenix twins back at once.”

“Zhu Xi, you go to the garden yourself. You must bring Consort Xian and her children back. Consort Xian and the three of them must return today. Do you understand?”

“Yes!” Zhu Xi bowed. “This maidservant will definitely bring Consort Xian and the three of them back to the palace.”