A fairy from various TV dramas and movies travels through time, starting with Consort Fucha.

Chapter 26: The Sequel to Consort Fucha (Part 26)

Nian Shilan's face was beaming with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling with the satisfaction of revenge.

Recalling that tragic scene from back then, Qi Yuebin actually used that abortifacient, causing her six-month-old son to die prematurely.

Every time she recalls it, her heart aches as if it's being torn apart, and endless hatred surges within her.

But the Emperor not only didn't punish Qi Yuebin, but also promoted her to the rank of Consort Duan, which made her even more furious.

Now that bitch has finally gotten her comeuppance, Nian Shishilan asked in confusion.

"What did that vile woman Qi Yuebin do to get the Emperor to demote her?"

Songyi replied, "This servant doesn't know either, but I suspect she might be behind these rumors about the Empress."

Nian Shilan thought to herself, "That bitch Qi Yuebin pretends to care about nothing every day."

They're just like rats in the gutter, stirring up trouble in the shadows.

Now the fox's tail is finally showing.

Immediately, a hint of doubt flashed in Nian Shishilan's eyes. She frowned slightly and asked softly:

"What exactly did that vile woman Qi Yuebin do to make the Emperor so heartless as to demote her? There must be something fishy going on here."

Songyi lowered her head and replied, "This servant does not know either. Perhaps she was behind those rumors about the Empress."

That vile woman Qi Yuebin always pretends to be indifferent to everything, seemingly dignified and virtuous.

In reality, she's like a rat in a dark corner, constantly stirring up trouble behind the scenes, and now she's finally showing her true colors.

Nian Shilan pondered inwardly, a cold smile appearing on her face:

"This Qi Yuebin is truly treacherous and cunning. On the surface, he appears to be indifferent to worldly affairs, but behind the scenes, who knows how many bad things he has done."

The Emperor's severe punishment of her this time must not be simply due to those rumors.

"Hmph, make sure Zhou Ninghai thoroughly investigates this matter."

Songzhi quickly replied, "Yes, this servant will have him investigate thoroughly as soon as possible."

Nian Shilan added, "Qi Yuebin still has the leisure to do these things, so his illness must not be too serious."

"Have someone take good care of her Yanqing Palace."

"Yes"

Songzhi deeply understood the uncontrollable hatred her family harbored towards Consort Duan.

From the time when the Empress was still a prince, she suffered from the vicious schemes of Consort Duan, who caused her to lose her unborn child.

From then on, she was never able to conceive again.

Whenever news of a pregnancy spread through the palace, the poor empress would force herself to eat pickled cucumbers.

She kept telling herself she was pregnant and took all sorts of medications.

All the heartache and suffering I've endured over the years is thanks to this Consort Duan.

It all stemmed from the bowl of soup she had specially prepared, which seemed to be for the sake of a healthy pregnancy but actually harbored malicious intent and could lead to miscarriage.

Back then, her mistress trusted Consort Duan so completely that she would act without any precautions.

Without hesitation, she drank the so-called pregnancy-preserving medicine sent by Consort Duan.

Consort Duan has caused such harm to her mistress; no matter how the mistress treats her, it's not too much.

Consort Jing, Consort Li, Noble Lady Cao, and Consort Xin all participated in this rumor.

When the Emperor began a thorough investigation into who was behind the rumors, they were all worried that the Emperor would find out about them.

Even Consort Jing, Feng Ruozhao, showed deep worry on her usually calm face.

She clearly understood that if the emperor discovered that she had even the slightest connection with these turbulent rumors, the consequences would be unimaginable.

For many years, she had walked on thin ice and painstakingly managed her position in the royal palace.

It was through hard work and perseverance that they gradually built up their current status.

If this incident were to expose her, then all the effort she had put in over the years would be wasted.

And that hard-won status might collapse in an instant like a fragile bubble.

She has always been a cautious person, and it is precisely because of this caution that...

That's how she was able to survive in this palace full of scheming and strife.

Now, after many twists and turns, she has finally been granted the title of Imperial Concubine, and her heart is filled with joy and gratitude.

Naturally, I don't want to lose everything I've worked so hard for because of a momentary impulse.

Given her typically cautious nature, she would never have easily gotten involved in these conflicts.

However, she harbored resentment towards the Empress, as she was already out of favor in the palace.

She has always longed for a child of her own to be by her side, to give her some warmth and comfort.

She hated both Consort Hua's arrogance and the Empress's hypocritical nature.

Recalling when she first entered the Prince's residence, the then-Prince Consort, now the Empress, deliberately assigned her to Nian Shilan's courtyard.

From then on, she suffered endless torment from Nian Shilan every day, leaving her physically and mentally exhausted.

This is why she has been unable to conceive for so many years.

Therefore, when rumors began to circulate in the palace that the Empress was harming the Emperor's children,

Her inner hatred could no longer be suppressed, and she eventually joined in.

Fortunately, the emperor only ordered her to be confined to her quarters and did not impose any more severe punishment on her.

This immediately relieved Consort Jing, as if a heavy stone had been lifted from her shoulders.

She knew that as long as she could save her life, there might still be a chance in the future.

Consort Li has been terrified these days. Her favor in the harem has waned considerably in the past two years; her former glory is long gone.

She now longs to have a child of her own, but no matter how hard she tries, fate just won't grant her that wish.

But at this very moment, both Fucha Peiyun and Zhen Huan, the two new concubines, unexpectedly became pregnant with the emperor's child.

Moreover, the Emperor granted her the honor of being promoted to the rank of Consort, which fueled the burning jealousy in Consort Li's heart.

However, she doesn't dare to make a move against Consort Shu or Consort Wan yet.

At this time, rumors were circulating in the palace that the Empress had secretly used underhanded methods to prevent them from conceiving.

This news was like a sharp dagger, deeply wounding Consort Li's heart.

Her hatred for the Empress had reached its peak; she wished she could tear the Empress to pieces.

So, she took action regardless of the consequences.

It wasn't until the Emperor investigated that she truly realized her fear; she was terrified that she would expose him and be banished to the Cold Palace.

That arrogant and domineering attitude of the past has now withered away like a flower struck by frost.

Fortunately, the final result was only that she was confined to her quarters to reflect on her actions, and she did not suffer more severe punishment.

Cao Qinmo remained calm. Although she was out of favor, she had given birth to a princess, so the emperor probably wouldn't punish her too severely.

Her master also sent someone to tell her that he would definitely protect her, which made Cao Qinmo even more reassured.

At this moment, Xin Chang's face was filled with terror, and her eyes reflected the panic in her heart.

She was just an insignificant concubine, a mere speck in the vastness of the harem, with no real presence whatsoever.

Now she is even more out of favor, and the feeling of being forgotten in a corner overwhelms her like a tide.

She knew that if the emperor were to discover anything about her, she might face utter destruction.

What worries her even more is that she fears it will implicate her innocent daughter, Shuhe.

But she had a compelling reason to do it; she wanted to tear off the queen's mask.

When the emperor had just ascended the throne, Consort Xin could occasionally receive some favor.

At that time, she seemed to see a glimmer of hope and felt that her life might be able to change.

Shortly afterward, she was overjoyed to discover that she was pregnant with her second child.

At that moment, she felt an overwhelming joy, her mind filled with thoughts of how wonderful it would be if this baby was a prince.

In that way, she and her daughter would have a solid support.

Even if they lose the emperor's favor in the future, they will not be left destitute.

Her wish truly came true; she was carrying a prince.

That was a tiny life she had carefully nurtured and cherished. She protected it with utmost care.

Every gesture was filled with tenderness and love, as if afraid of hurting him with the slightest carelessness.

However, fate always seems to enjoy playing tricks on people, and an unexpected incident still occurred.

Her child was lost silently, leaving her alone to bear immense grief.

She also lost favor because she failed to protect the emperor.

Meanwhile, Consort Fang and Consort Cao, who became pregnant around the same time as her,

They also frequently encounter some inexplicable things.

Consort Fang's child also failed to survive, which made Consort Xin even more convinced that there must be something fishy going on.

Only Consort Cao, thanks to Consort Hua's protection, managed to give birth to Princess Wenyi despite the difficulties.

However, she was unable to conceive again after that, and the cause and effect of this made Xin Changzai fall into deep thought.

Consort Xin had long suspected that the Empress was behind all of this.

At that time, she always felt that there was a pair of eyes watching her from the shadows.

When the night is quiet, she can't help but think of all the events that have happened.

Those seemingly accidental yet somehow connected events

Each item seemed to be silently telling a story, and the figure it pointed to was none other than the Empress.

Consort Xin gradually came to understand how ruthless and meticulous the Empress had been over the years.

She was like a hunter lurking in the darkness, always on guard, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

In this seemingly peaceful harem, she was like a lurking venomous snake, quietly coiled up, seemingly harmless, but in reality ready to launch a fatal attack at any moment.

Behind that elegant smile, perhaps lies endless conspiracy and scheming;

Beneath those gentle words may lie cruel methods in the making.

Surprisingly, in the eyes of the emperor and many others, the empress was a model of virtue, kindness, and magnanimity.

She always presented a kind face and treated those around her with utmost care.

It was as if all the beauty in the world was concentrated in her.

The emperor often praised her highly, commending her virtue and magnanimity.

She was praised for her ability to handle various affairs in the harem effectively.

Those concubines who had received the Empress's "favor" were even more grateful to her and regarded her as their own sister.

Just like Consort Wan and Noble Lady Hui now, they both thought the Empress was a good person and had no suspicion of her.