Chapter 169: The Murder of a Child

Chapter 169

On the way back to the study room of the Minister of State,

Jiang Deshun followed beside the imperial carriage, smiling obsequiously at Xiao Jingheng and saying:

"The Noble Consort Yi likes sour food. I'm thinking that this pregnancy will likely be another little prince. No wonder the smile hasn't left His Majesty's face during this entire journey. Just listening to this makes me share in the joy."

"Hahaha!" Xiao Jingheng laughed out loud. "Nonsense. Whether it's a prince or princess, I like them both."

He then instructed Jiang Deshun, "For the Noble Consort Yi's pregnancy this time, have Chu Imperial Physician personally take care of her. Order him later to check her pulse to ensure the safety of the pregnancy."

Jiang Deshun naturally understood Xiao Jingheng's meaning.

Chu Imperial Physician was the chief judge of the Imperial Medical Bureau and was usually only responsible for the health of the Emperor, Empress and Grand Empress Dowager.

By having him take care of Song Zhao's pregnancy,

Xiao Jingheng wanted to protect the safety of Song Zhao and her child, and also intended to find out the gender early.

After Xiao Jingheng finished meeting with his ministers in the study room, thinking that he should accompany Song Zhao for dinner as promised, he was originally planning to go to Changle Palace. But before leaving, he casually asked:

"How is it? Did Chu Imperial Physician go take a look at the Noble Consort Yi? What did he say?"

"Well..." Jiang Deshun stammered, "Chu Chief Judge is...in Her Majesty the Empress's palace, and has no time."

"The Empress?" Xiao Jingheng asked in puzzlement. "Didn't Chu Imperial Physician just check her pulse a few days ago and say that she and the child were safe and sound?"

"Her Majesty the Empress had a recurrence of heart problems, so I summoned Chu Imperial Physician to diagnose and treat her."

"Foolish! Why was I just told about this now?"

Xiao Jingheng was clearly displeased. He hurriedly went with the imperial carriage to the Empress's palace first.

After entering Kunning Palace, he happened to run into Chu Chief Judge coming out of the Empress's bedroom. So he asked:

"How is the Empress?"

Chu Chief Judge saluted with folded hands, "This lowly one has just performed acupuncture on Her Majesty the Empress. Her Majesty is now much better. At this late stage of pregnancy, it is very taxing on her body. And Her Majesty also had a history of heart problems. It should have been well regulated during pregnancy and rarely flare up, but I'm afraid due to her many worries recently, it has relapsed."

He paused, and advised with some worry:

"I beg Your Majesty to advise Her Majesty not to worry too much about trivial matters, otherwise if her heart problems flare up again during childbirth, it could be fatal..."

Xiao Jingheng knew what the Empress was worrying about.

She felt that Xiao Jingheng asking her to rest was marginalizing her. That was why she was mentally disturbed.

This matter was not difficult to resolve.

The Empress recalled that after her grandmother passed away some time ago, she had shared drinks with Consort Shu several times. That was when Consort Shu was pregnant without realizing it.

So she asked Imperial Physician Zhang, "Consort Shu's pregnancy was nearly two months along when you diagnosed it. Both her and I were unaware then, and I drank excessively with her several times. Does that have no impact on the imperial heir? "

"Your Ladyship need not worry, there is no impact."

"Then make it have an impact."

The Empress' murmured words with gloomy eyes frightened Imperial Physician Zhang so much that his forehead was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

"What does Your Majesty the Empress mean by this?"

"Go tell Consort Shu that because she drank while pregnant early on, the fetus is weak and can be sustained at most seven months. And even if it's born prematurely, it will be a stillbirth that cannot survive."

Hearing this, Imperial Physician Zhang was so frightened that he knelt on the floor and kowtowed repeatedly to the Empress.

"If... if Consort Shu has other imperial physicians diagnose her, they will definitely see through this. Then I..."

The Empress raised her hand to cut him off and asserted firmly: "She won't. Do as I told you, and I will protect you. After this is done, the vacant position of Deputy Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau will be yours."

The Empress knew that if Imperial Physician Zhang really said those words to Consort Shu, then Consort Shu would definitely not let other physicians examine her. After all, one cannot be careless with the imperial heir, any mishap had to be reported to Xiao Jingheng.

Consort Shu would know the child could not be saved. She must be flustered first, trying every means to have Imperial Physician Zhang keep this secret. How would she go stir up more trouble?

Being pregnant, even if unable to give birth, could still be used to gain favor from Xiao Jingheng. Therefore, Consort Shu hid the matter the entire time.

When it was nearing the due date, Imperial Physician Zhang urged her repeatedly that the child would soon be unsavable, and carrying a dead fetus could very likely end with two lives lost.

Only then did Consort Shu painfully and reluctantly drink the aborted medicine, personally killing her originally safe and sound flesh and blood...

Afterwards, Consort Shu was afraid this matter would be uncovered, so she privately sent someone to silence Imperial Physician Zhang permanently. (Chapter 162)

That saves the Empress from having to get her hands dirty.

At this time, the Empress had finished breakfast. After rinsing her mouth, she was dabbing her lips with a handkerchief.

"For a mother to kill her unborn child with her own hands. Tsk tsk..."

She shook her head bitterly and sighed. Putting down the handkerchief, she took up a prayer bead and turned it while chanting "Amitabha".

"Amitabha, the heavy sins Zhao committed have led to her current tragic state, it is wholly her retribution."

Shuang Ruo agreed: "She's crazy now. The Cold Palace guards said she doesn't eat or drink, I estimate she doesn't have many days left."

The Empress' expression flickered. After silently pondering for a while, she suddenly sinisterly laughed.

"Before she dies, if she can accomplish something important for me, it will accumulate blessings for her in the afterlife."

Having said that, she beckoned Shuang Ruo over and whispered into her ear...