It's Better to be the Empress Dowager

Chapter 101

The sound of the rain was getting lighter, the subtle fragrance in the inner room was swirling, and even a needle dropped could be heard. After a while, Zhao Chengjun asked, “Imperial Physician, how’s Shizifei?”

The imperial physician took back his hand, sighed, and shook his head, “Wangye, the child is about more than one month old, but strange cold entered the body. I’m afraid the child can’t be kept.”

When Zhang Momo heard this, she covered her mouth in grief and begged, “Imperial Physician, is there really no other way? Shizifei has been trying for a child everywhere and ate so much bitterness to get pregnant. Now she is finally pregnant, and this child cannot be kept?”

“It can’t be kept.” The imperial physician stroked his beard and shook his head slowly, “It’s no wonder that Shizifei has a cold as it turns out that she took medicine randomly. The medicine for conceiving a child should not be taken randomly, especially those outside folk remedies for conceiving, many of which are quacks swindlers. Shizifei is having a cold because she took those medicines. On top of that, she knelt down in the rain today and then fell on the steps later which cause the chill to enter her body and this child cannot be kept at all. Even if the child is reluctantly stabilized using acupuncture, this child will still be a stillbirth, and the stillbirth can no longer be kept after four or five months. If the child continues to stay in the mother’s body, it will only breed fetal poison. At that time, you can only use medicines to induce labor, but it will cause more physical damage to Shizifei, and it may make Shizifei unable to get pregnant again.”

When Zhang Momo heard this, she fell to the ground and was completely dumbfounded. Tang Shishi sighed and asked, “Imperial Physician, then according to your opinion, what is the best thing to do now?”

“Abortion with medicines while the unborn child is still small, and completely drain the dirty things. Shizifei is still young and after recuperating for a few years, there is still a chance of getting pregnant.”

Tang Shishi sighed when she heard it. Today, it was supposed to be two concubines faking their pregnancy. After arguing for a long time, the actual pregnant person had a miscarriage. Now, all was lost, not only a child was lost, but also implicated the legitimate wife could not get pregnant for several years.

Tang Shishi doubted who was the mastermind. In her opinion, Zhao Zixun was the one who really did not want his child to be born.

Zhao Chengjun was obviously also truly angry. At this moment, in front of many people, Zhao Chengjun did not flare up and was still calm and decent. He told to the imperial physician, “The adult is more important. Since the child cannot be kept, please ask Imperial Physician to prescribe medicine.”

The imperial physician took the order and went out with the eunuch to write prescriptions. Zhang Momo let out a painful cry at the back. Zhao Chengjun glanced at them coldly, and said indifferently, “Shizifei needs to recuperate. You all come out with me.”

Zhang Momo’s weeping came to an end abruptly. Everyone dared not go out but moved to the outer room after Zhao Chengjun. Zhao Chengjun sat at the top main seat and Tang Shishi lifted her skirt to sit beside Zhao Chengjun.

Zhao Chengjun remained calm and collected. First, he called a eunuch and motioned, “Go inform the Lu family. Shizifei accidentally lost her baby. If Madam Lu has time, can come over to ease her anxiety.”

The eunuch took the order, exited the main hall while bowing, and disappeared into the rain and mist instantly. After all the outside affairs were arranged, Zhao Chengjun took his time and slowly glanced across the people in the hall, “You all have done a good job.”

All the people who were glanced before bowed their heads down and kept silent out of fear. Zhao Zixun came forward against Zhao Chengjun’s anger and saluted, “Father, I’m wrong.”

Zhao Chengjun was too lazy to ask Zhao Zixun where he was wrong. He repeatedly taught him, but he did not change. Zhao Chengjun has long been disappointed with Zhao Zixun. Zhao Chengjun spoke directly and commanded, “Go search Lizhi and Shiliu’s room. If there is anything fishy, bring it all out.”

Seeing that Zhao Chengjun was really angry, Liu Ji did not dare to be careless, and personally stepped forward to accept the order, “I obey.”

After Liu Ji left, the room fell into endless silence. The atmosphere was so heavy that everyone could hardly breathe. Upon seeing this, Tang Shishi personally poured a cup of tea for Zhao Chengjun, “Wangye, please calm down and slowly investigate the truth. Don’t be angry with your body.”

Seeing that it was Tang Shishi, Zhao Chengjun’s expression looked better. He took the tea from Tang Shishi’s hand and asked, “Where’s Zhao Zigao?”

“Sleeping in the main courtyard.” Tang Shishi said, “I have two wet nurses and four momos watching him together. Everything will be fine.”

Zhao Chengjun was a little relieved. None of the people below could give him peace of mind, but just mentioning Zhao Zigao could make Zhao Chengjun relaxed.

Liu Ji came back with people rapidly. The little eunuch behind him carried a lacquer box and an incense wood box. Liu Ji opened one of them, picked up the pills inside, and presented them to Zhao Chengjun, “Wangye, this was found in Lizhi and Shiliu’s room.”

Zhao Chengjun took a quick look and knew what it was. He looked at Lizhi and Shiliu kneeling at the side, and asked in a deep voice, “What is this?”

Lizhi and Shiliu knew they had caused great trouble. At first, it was just Shizi and Shizifei. No matter how big the trouble was big, it was just a disturbance in the inner courtyard. Who knew that it turned into Shizifei’s miscarriage later which completely alarmed Wangye? Once Wangye was involved, it was no longer a simple matter of inner courtyard.

Shiliu spoke first and said, “Wangye, this is a warm fragrant pill given to me by Yinger.”

Lizhi seemed to be startled and looked at Shiliu in surprise, ” Yinger also give it to you?”

When Shiliu heard it, she was also surprised. Tang Shishi understood and asked, “Both of these medicines were given to you by Yinger in private, but you don’t know that the other party has them, correct?”

“Yes.” Lizhi stammered, “A few days ago, Yinger came to me and said that this was their ancestral secret recipe. After eating it, she would definitely give birth to a son. I was eager to get pregnant… so I ate it right away.”

Shiliu opened her mouth in shock, “She also said the same to me, but she also said she only gave it to me alone.”

“What?” Lizhi murmured blankly, “She clearly said that this is their family secret medicine and cannot be passed on. She just gave it to me one person.”

“Both concubines, this is not a secret recipe for having children.” Liu Ji put the pills in the box, wiped his fingers with a kerchief, and said, “Warm fragrant pills are forbidden drugs. After taking it, it can cause nausea, drowsiness, vomiting, and other symptoms in a short time. If taken for a long time, it will also lead to the absence of menstrual periods, and even the pulse will show the sign of pregnancy. This drug is enough to confuse the truth with the false. Many experienced imperial physicians were misdiagnosed because of this. The imperial physician who first diagnosed the pulse of the two concubines should have been deceived.”

Tang Shishi looked at the small white pill in surprise. She was just guessing earlier and did not expect there was such medicine in the world.

Tang Shishi’s back suddenly became cold, and she could not help feeling one kind of fear. A woman’s menstruation stopped and at the same time was nauseous and drowsiness. Anyone would think that she was pregnant. Who would guard against being drugged by others like this? With this pill in hand, was not it easy to scheme anyone?

Tang Shishi became serious and asked, “How did this medicine come from?”

Liu Ji replied, “There is a thing which Wangfei did not know. This kind of medicine first appeared in the imperial palace. Warm fragrant pills can make women show signs of pregnancy in the short term but taking them for a long time will damage the women’s foundation and even lead to lifelong infertility. Once stopped, the sign of pregnancy will disappear. Back then, many imperial concubines seek temporary relief regardless of the consequences and schemed others for a moment of favor. Warm fragrant pills were very popular in the imperial palace courtyard. Later, when the matter was exposed, Jing Zong was furious and vigorously rectified the imperial court, and all the people involved were beaten to death. Then, this kind of medicine gradually disappeared. Later, to protect the imperial bloodline, the imperial palace was not allowed to mention warm fragrant pills. I did not expect that after thirty years, this medicine would appear in our mansion.”

Jing Zong was Zhao Chengjun’s grandfather, a dynasty earlier than Empress Dowager Yao. No wonder Tang Shishi did not know. Tang Shishi figured out the key point and asked Lizhi, “Before you eat it, do you know what it is?”

“I don’t know,” cried Lizhi and said sorrowfully, “How dare I deceive Shizi? I only thought it was medicine for having a child. I ate it for a month. Later, I thought I was pregnant and stopped taking the medicine.”

Lizhi’s explanation was entirely reasonable. After taking warm fragrant pills, it would show symptoms of pregnancy. Lizhi mistakenly thought that she was pregnant, so she happily stopped the medicine and waited for the child to arrive. She did not expect that after the drug was stopped, the pregnancy symptoms disappeared, and was having menstruation again. This time Lizhi was panicked, and she was stabbed out by others before she could figure out what to do.

Then it became the current situation.

Tang Shishi raised her eyebrows, and asked musingly, “Do you really know nothing? Yingtao ran over to intercede with me, saying that you grew up with her and love you like sisters. If you really believe that this is medicine for having a child, then why don’t you share such an effective medicine with your good sister?”

Lizhi froze while kneeling on the ground, and could not utter a word, “I… I…”

Seeing Lizhi’s expression, there was no need to wait for her to answer and Tang Shishi already understood. Tang Shishi glanced at Yingtao lightly and smiled vaguely, “What a good sister.”

Yingtao looked at Lizhi in shock, her eyes were full of disbelief. Lizhi collapsed, crawled to Yingtao’s side while crying, and firmly grasped on Yingtao’s hand, “I’m sorry. Yingtao, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just thought that Yingtao, you are smarter than me and prettier than me. You can live very well even without children. But I can’t, I only have this way…”

Yingtao was pale. She did not push away Lizhi’s hand, but also did not respond. Tang Shishi sighed that she broke up another pair of beautiful sisters.

Two peaches kill three scholars. The position of two Cefei seemed to be far more powerful than she expected. After Lizhi got the medicine for having a child, out of selfishness, she secretly did not tell anyone. She and Shiliu both think alike. It so happened that they were perfectly caught in the trap of others.

In fact, if Lizhi informed Yingtao who was smarter, she might not fall into the trap. Even if Lizhi was found pregnant and was honest with Shiliu who was also diagnosed with pregnancy, they could find out that Yinger was lying to them.

Unfortunately, none of them did. This was the law of the jungle. Whoever was exposed first would give the authority to choose to the other, so no one was willing to take the first step.

Tang Shishi sighed for a moment, immediately recovered her ruthlessness, and asked, “Where is Yinger?”

The maids were embarrassed when they heard this. A maid ran out to ask, and when she came back, she muttered, “Wangfei, Yinger caught a cold a few days ago and died of illness.”

Tang Shishi raised her eyebrows unexpectedly. Did she die? After being mentioned by the maids, Tang Shishi also had an impression. She thought for a while and asked, “Is it the maid who died of illness two days ago? I remember giving twenty taels as compensation silver, and her brother and sister-in-law came to bring her home. Is that her?”

The maid replied, “It was her. Because she died of illness, the steward was afraid that she would infect the master to be sick, so she burned all her things. The rest of the clothes and private savings were handed over to her family, and let her brother and sister-in-law took them away.”

In this way, dead people tell no tales. Tang Shishi thought to herself that she was really worthy of the female lead and was truly good at it. Now the plot has completely deviated, and the content in the book has no reference value. Tang Shishi could not use the book spoiler. She could only look at Zhao Chengjun for help, “Wangye, the clue is broken. What do you think of this?”

Zhao Chengjun sat at the side listening to Tang Shishi’s questioning just now. After all, this was a matter of inner courtyard. It would be handed over to Tang Shishi sooner or later. As a result, Zhao Chengjun did not feel relieved for long when he heard Tang Shishi roped him in.

Zhao Chengjun sighed and resigned to his fate to help her clean up the mess. Zhao Chengjun put down the teacup and said, “Warm fragrant pills are a thing from the capital, and it has been out of sight for 30 years. People who did not grow up in the capital may not be able to come in contact with them.”

Tang Shishi thought the same too. Yinger clue was broken here, then continued to investigate in another direction. Apart from Zhao Chengjun, Liu Ji, Tongxiu, and others who came from the capital, there were only imperial court beauties like Tang Shishi in the mansion. Zhao Chengjun was absolutely impossible to prescribe medicine, and the target could basically lock to the imperial court beauties. Feng Qian was dead. Both Tang Shishi and Ji Xinxian were out-of-town young ladies. Shentai has been drafted for two years. As soon as she arrived in Jinling, she was sent to the imperial palace and had no chance to contact with warm fragrant pills. There were only two imperial court officials’ young ladies, Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun, who grew up in the capital, knew many secrets of the imperial palace, and had enough identity to contact banned drugs such as warm fragrant pills.

If Tang Shishi could figure it out, so could others. Everyone all of a sudden focused on Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun.

Ren Yujun stepped forward and saluted, “I’m innocent. I’m willing to let Wangfei search my room to prove my innocence.”

Zhou Shunhua’s expression was without any fluctuation too, and said calmly, “I have a clear conscience. If Wangfei is suspicious, you can search for it. I have no objection.”

Both of them were righteous and awe-inspiring, but on the contrary, Tang Shishi hesitated. The female lead of the imperial palace fight has not been defeated in thirty years which could be seen that she has done everything thoroughly. If Zhou Shunhua dared to stand up and say this, it was most likely that this proved she has cleaned up the traces. No matter how Tang Shishi investigated, no flaws could be found.

Tang Shishi did not dare to give an order rashly. If nothing was found, how could she step down? Tang Shishi hesitated indefinitely. At this time, a voice suddenly came from the inner room, as if Lu Yufei was awake.

Tang Shishi heaved a sigh of relief and went to see Lu Yufei as an excuse to drag the matter on.

She has to think again.

In the inner room, Lu Yufei sat up from the bed and immediately mourned when she learned that her child was gone. Tang Shishi felt sad by just looking at her. No matter how much she and Lu Yufei had grievances, as a mother at this moment, she could not hate Lu Yufei at all. The maid moved a round stool for Tang Shishi. Tang Shishi sat on the bedside and persuaded, “Don’t cry. Miscarriage hurts your body. If you don’t take care of it now, you will be sick all over later on. Think about your own body.”

How could Lu Yufei not know that it hurts her body, but if the pain in the world could be endured, how could it be called pain? Lu Yufei did not care who the person in front of her was and wailed while holding Tang Shishi’s hand, “He’s gone. I’ve been looking forward to so long. I don’t know whether he is male or female and he’s gone so soon! It’s all my fault. I should have called the imperial physician quickly…”

Lu Yufei was so emotional that she clutched Tang Shishi’s hand until it hurt. Tang Shishi could not pull out her hand, so she had no choice but to endure it. Tang Shishi said in her heart that the child was already gone. Why did she blame herself? Even if she wanted to scold, she should have scolded Zhao Zixun.

Shizifei has just had a miscarriage. Tang Shishi could go in to comfort her while others were not very appropriate. Zhao Chengjun stopped outside the screen. He saw Lu Yufei pulling Tang Shishi’s hand while crying and did not let go for a long time. Zhao Chengjun narrowed his eyes slightly and said to Zhao Zixun with a cold face, “Shizifei has just lost her child. You as her husband don’t go in to comfort her one or two. What are you doing standing here for?”

Zhao Zixun did not want to face Lu Yufei no matter what, but he could not disobey Zhao Chengjun’s order. Zhao Zixun slowly entered the room. After Lu Yufei saw Zhao Zixun, she cried and made trouble again, and finally, let go of Tang Shishi.

Tang Shishi took the opportunity to free herself, walk outside the screen, and quietly asked Zhao Chengjun, “Wangye, what should I do next? Should I go search?”

Zhao Chengjun glanced at Tang Shishi and said, “The interrogator was so majestic just now. I thought you knew it in your heart, but you didn’t know?”

“I know, but I don’t dare.” Tang Shishi was wronged. “It’s easy for me to send someone to search their room, but if nothing is found, how can I step down?”

Zhao Chengjun lightly tapped the tip of Tang Shishi’s nose, “Look at your courage. You are so fierce towards me, but you become terrified like this in front of outsiders?”

Tang Shishi was still wronged. Zhao Chengjun sighed helplessly and said, “That’s all right. There’s nothing I can do about you. Wait for a while, Liu Ji should be back soon.”

Tang Shishi was surprised. He looked around under the cover of Zhao Chengjun and found that there was no Liu Ji’s shadow. After learning this, Tang Shishi was surprised and said, “You sent him out to get things while people weren’t paying attention? But didn’t you just say that the clue was broken?”

“To say it one thing and to do it another.” Zhao Chengjun held up Tang Shishi’s hand, saw that her wrist was clutched until red, and massaged distraughtly. “This is called creating a diversion. It’s all the tricks I played when I was a child. Someone still dares to fool people using this trick. Ignorant people are really fearless.”

Tang Shishi slowly recalled that Zhao Chengjun grew up in the imperial palace. Zhou Shunhua studied in the imperial palace for three years, but Zhao Chengjun began to engage in imperial palace fighting when he was still in his mother’s womb. Over the years, as well as the earlier imperial palace fighting winner Imperial Concubine Guo Gonglie’s teachings and examples, Zhao Chengjun was the only person with the highest level of imperial palace fighting on the scene.

Even Empress Dowager Yao could not win Zhao Chengjun. What were Zhou Shunhua’s tricks be regarded as in front of Zhao Chengjun?

Tang Shishi sighed silently that fortunately, she did not have the brain to engage in imperial palace fighting. Otherwise, she would be sold by Zhao Chengjun and probably would be counting money for him. Tang Shishi was about to ask what Zhao Chengjun asked Liu Ji to find, and Liu Ji came back.

“Wangye,” said Liu Ji, who came in and stood behind Zhao Chengjun with his hands down, “I found something over Yinger place.”

Liu Ji’s voice was not loud, but the whole room was inexplicably quiet down. Even Lu Yufei stopped crying and looked over. Zhao Chengjun took his time and asked, “What is it?”

Liu Ji took out a cloth bag from his sleeve, and after unfolding it, it was a golden hairpin.

Many people’s faces changed when they saw the hairpin. Ren Yujun looked at the hairpin and then looked at Zhou Shunhua. She said suspiciously, “Isn’t this Sister Zhou’s hairpin? I haven’t seen Sister Zhou wear it for a long time. I thought my sister had lost it. Why did my sister’s hairpin appear at Yinger’s place?”

Tang Shishi thought to herself that she was really a good sister ah. This knife stabbed was indeed powerful. Ren Yujun even snared her crime well. Tang Shishi took advantage of the situation and asked, “Zhou Shunhua, is this your thing?”

Zhou Shunhua’s complexion was pale, but she did not look panicked. However, when she opened her mouth, her slightly trembling voice exposed her, “It’s mine.”

“It turned out to be you,” said Tang Shishi with a solemn face and said righteously. “Did you secretly bribe Yinger to prescribe medicines to Lizhi and Shiliu and plot against Shizifei?”

Zhou Shunhua knelt down at once with five fingers pointing to the sky, “I swear by my life that I absolutely did not plot against Shizifei!”

Zhou Shunhua did not expect Lu Yufei to have a miscarriage. Lu Yufei did not even know that she was pregnant, so what else was there to talk about? At first, Zhou Shunhua only wanted to harm the two most stupid maids just to sow discord between Zhao Zixun and Lu Yufei’s relationship and let Lu Yufei be labeled as a person who sought profits and self-righteous in Zhao Zixun’s heart. How could she know that Lu Yufei was pregnant, and happened to fall and miscarry?

As a result, Zhao Chengjun was alarmed, and everything was unable to end well. Zhou Shunhua watched everything get out of control helplessly as everything went beyond Zhou Shunhua’s expectations in the end. Zhou Shunhua thought at first that there would be no evidence after Yinger’s death and perhaps Jing Wang could not find out anything. However, she had underestimated Jing Wang too much.

He could not be deceived by the conspiracy in the political situation, let alone the scheming of the inner courtyard woman? The situation in the Northwest was complicated as Zhao Chengjun had to face the struggle between countries and spies every day.

Zhou Shunhua swore to Heaven and made a solemn vow, but Zhao Chengjun did not take this trick. He said, “The trace of warm fragrant pill can be concealed, but the medicine for typhoid fever can’t. The maid died of typhoid fever. Everything will come to light as long as we carefully investigate who took the medicine during this period and whoever she came in contact with before her death.”

Zhou Shunhua’s face turned deathly pale instantly and could not speak. Obviously, Yinger did not die naturally, and many things simply could not stand a chance for a thorough investigation. When Lu Yufei heard this part from behind the screen, she struggled to sit up from the bed and shouted like a wild person, “She killed my child! It’s her! Drag her out and beat her to death. I want her to pay with her blood!”

Zhao Zixun’s face changed drastically, and quickly walked out of the screen as if he wanted to plead for leniency, “Father…”

However, Zhao Chengjun was too lazy to listen. He just raised his hand and stopped Zhao Zixun’s unfinished words. Zhao Chengjun’s face was unenthusiastic like he was dealing with an ant crawling into the room and said unfeelingly, “Flog with a stick to death.”

“Father!” Zhao Zixun shouted loudly, but Zhao Chengjun did not give him a chance to hesitate this time. Liu Ji quickly waved and let the eunuch pull Zhou Shunhua out.

When the eunuch touched Zhou Shunhua’s arm, unknown where did Zhou Shunhua got the strength from and suddenly broke free from the restraints. She threw herself on the ground, raised her head, and said miserably, “Wangye, please spare my life. I’m pregnant with Shizi’s flesh and blood. It’s not a pity that Wangye beat me to death, but can Wangye ignore Shizi’s flesh and blood?”

Everyone was shocked by this development. Tang Shishi was stunned for a moment and raised her eyebrows suspiciously, “You are pregnant too?”

Tang Shishi looked at Zhou Shunhua and then at Zhao Zixun with suspicious eyes. Zhao Zixun’s heirs were too coincidental. Lizhi and Shiliu were pregnant, and Lu Yufei was pregnant. Now, these three children were gone but Zhou Shunhua was pregnant in a blink of an eye?

Did Zhao Zixun have intimacy with them on the same day? Was it such a coincidence?

Obviously, not only Tang Shishi felt suspicious, but also Zhao Chengjun and Lu Yufei felt this was impossible. But after all, this was Shizi’s woman. Liu Ji did not dare to pull too hard. He looked at Zhao Chengjun and asked, “Wangye, what do you think?”

Zhao Chengjun looked at this woman coldly and said, “Summon the imperial physician.”

The imperial physician had just left and was being dragged back again. He hurriedly wiped off the rain on his face and after saluting, he carefully checked Zhou Shunhua’s pulse.

The imperial physician has plenty of experience in practicing medicine. However, this time, after checking for a long time, his brows became tighter and tighter. Zhao Chengjun already knew it, and asked, “Imperial Physician, how is it?”

The imperial physician withdrew his hand and said with a troubled expression, “I have little ability and shallow knowledge, so I can’t diagnose. Wangye, please find another expert.”

Zhang Momo asked anxiously, “Is it a happy pulse?”

“This…” The imperial physician frowned, and finally cupped his hands together, “I do not know and can’t be certain. Now the month is too short, and I dare not talk nonsense. After the baby is stabilized in three months, then only can diagnose the exact news.”

Tang Shishi immediately thought of the warm fragrant pill. The warm fragrant pill was enough to confuse the truth with the false, even the experienced imperial physician could not diagnose it. Tang Shishi looked at Zhou Shunhua and sighed.

Regardless of her position, Zhou Shunhua was really smart with ruthless capabilities. Zhou Shunhua has planned the whole thing in such a detailed manner. However, in order to guard against the unexpected, she could ruthlessly make herself eat the warm fragrant pills, even knowing that eating too many warm fragrant pills would lead to infertility.

Facts have proved that Zhou Shunhua’s decision was right. If she had left this step, she would have been beaten to death by now. After all, the imperial physician was just to treat and was not a deity, and this was related to the prince’s mansion’s descendants. Even if the imperial physician was eight points sure, he did not dare to say that Zhou Shunhua was not pregnant for sure. In case Zhou Shunhua bled as soon as the board went down one by one, the imperial doctor would also have to be buried with her.

Mother Zhang was dumb. Lu Yufei shouted excitedly from behind the screen, “She’s not pregnant! She’s not at all! How could there be such a coincidence that she became pregnant as soon as she’s going to be punished? Wangye, Wangfei, please make the decision for my child!”

Lu Yufei was wailing until she almost collapsed, but Zhao Zixun said with a long face, “Father, it’s not easy to diagnose in the first month of pregnancy. She should be punished for her dealings with Yinger, but Shunhua is already pregnant. If father insisted on punishing her, I’m afraid the child can’t be kept. I ask father to spare her this time for the sake of my unborn child.”

Zhao Chengjun looked at Zhao Zixun calmly. Everyone could see that Zhou Shunhua was lying about her pregnancy. Zhao Zixun was being ruthless to the other women but tried his best to protect Zhou Shunhua. He could not even figure out his family matters clearly, so how could Zhao Zixun handle justly the disputes between imperial family relatives and political parties in the future?

Zhao Chengjun was quite disappointed as in comparison, Zhou Shunhua’s trivial matter was really insignificant. Tang Shishi saw that Zhao Chengjun was in a bad mood. She spoke on her behalf and said, “A woman’s abdomen is delicate and can’t be beaten easily. Since beauty Zhou said she was pregnant, we’ll keep the board for the time being and we’ll settle it slowly after the child is born.”

Tang Shishi especially emphasized, “born”. She wanted to see if Zhou Shunhua could deceive them for a short while or she could deceive them for a lifetime. It did not need to take ten months as the belly would start to show after three months. Tang Shishi would wait and see how Zhou Shunhua was going to get herself a big belly.

Zhou Shunhua’s expression remained unchanged, kowtowed to the ground, and said calmly, “Thank Wangfei for your kindness.”

Tang Shishi snorted and said, “Let’s be frank. Your life is spare all due to the credit of the child in your belly. It’s best that the child is born safely nine months later. If anything goes wrong with the child… You know the consequences.”

Zhou Shunhua’s forehead was on the ground, and the coolness on the floor seemed to pass through her body, paralyzing her heart and seeping into her voice, “I know.”

Zhao Zixun felt distressed watching Zhou Shunhua kneeling and quickly let someone help Zhou Shunhua up. Lu Yufei saw this scene from behind the screen, her heart was so wretched that she fainted with her eyes rolled over.

“Shizifei…” Zhang Momo shouted in panic, and there was another round of turmoil in the inner room. Zhao Chengjun flung his sleeves and left with a cold face. Tang Shishi sighed and said to Zhou Shunhua and Zhao Zixun, “You take care of yourself.”

After that, she put on her cloak and quickly chased after Zhao Chengjun.