The Empress's pregnancy was taking a heavy toll, with severe symptoms of nausea and dizziness.
Qi Daiyu and others from the Empress's faction naturally went to express their concern and pay a visit.
On this day, Qi Daiyu arrived at the Empress's residence, Anlan Garden.
Nie Zhiyu was also there. The two of them kept the Empress company for a while, expressing their care, and were just about to leave when Zhuyi hurried in.
Not avoiding the two visitors, Zhuyi reported, "Your Majesty, Concubine Mei and Consort Wei had an argument by the Wanfu Lake. Consort Wei accidentally fell into the lake."
Qi Daiyu and Nie Zhiyu exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and suspicion in each other's eyes.
"Accidentally"? It probably wasn't that simple.
The Empress asked urgently, "What about Consort Wei? Was someone there to rescue her?"
Zhuyi replied, "When it happened, palace servants from the Summer Palace gardens were weeding nearby. One of the aunties knows how to swim and pulled Consort Wei out immediately. However, Consort Wei is badly shaken and is insisting that Concubine Mei pushed her into the lake, trying to kill her."
"Concubine Shu's residence, 'Xuanhu Mirror', is close to Wanfu Lake. Upon hearing the news, she rushed over immediately. After hearing Consort Wei's account, Concubine Shu has already detained Concubine Mei."
The Summer Palace had two large lakes: Bibo Lake and the slightly smaller Wanfu Lake.
Anlan Garden was located in the area between the two lakes, while Xuanhu Mirror was on the west side of Wanfu Lake, where Concubine Shu resided in the Ruizhu Palace.
The dispute between Concubine Mei and Consort Wei occurred on the west side of Wanfu Lake, so Concubine Shu received the news faster than the Empress.
Consort Wei was under Concubine Shu's wing. Concubine Mei had essentially handed a weapon to Concubine Shu, who certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity. Although she held the rank of Concubine without the authority to co-manage the harem, disciplining an errant consort was not against the rules.
Zhuyi looked at the Empress with concern.
Given Concubine Mei's temperament, an impulsive act was not impossible. For Concubine Shu to detain her so decisively, she must have obtained solid evidence on the spot. Even if the Empress went there personally, she wouldn't be able to save Concubine Mei and would instead appear weaker than Concubine Shu.
Attempting to harm another consort in broad daylight—once this charge was confirmed, no one could save Concubine Mei.
But if she didn't go, everyone knew Concubine Mei was the Empress's person. Appearing indifferent would seem heartless.
What should the Empress do?
"This is utterly outrageous!" The Empress, furious, slammed the table. "Even if Concubine Mei harbors resentment, she should not act so recklessly. Zhuyi, come, let's go see..." Before she could finish, her body swayed.
It was the look of someone about to faint from extreme anger.
"Your Majesty!" Zhuyi rushed forward to support her.
Qi Daiyu immediately stepped up. "Your Majesty, you must not let yourself get so agitated." She helped the Empress sit down.
Nie Zhiyu also said, "Your Majesty, you are with child now. Preserving your health is paramount. If anything were to happen to you because of this, Concubine Mei would deserve a thousand deaths."
But the Empress shook her head. "I cannot simply abandon Concubine Mei..."
"Your Majesty!" Zhuyi knelt directly. "You have been suffering terribly with the young master. The imperial physician said you must rest well and avoid worry and strain. If His Majesty found out, he certainly would not agree to you going either."
The Empress looked torn, hesitantly glancing at Qi Daiyu. "In that case, Consort Hui, Consort Nie, you two take the Kunning Palace waist token and go to Wanfu Lake to see what the situation truly is. If Concubine Mei has been wronged, you must protect her. If... you must not allow Concubine Shu to administer punishment privately. I will report the full situation to His Majesty."
She then instructed Zhuyi to fetch the waist token—a yellow phoenix plaque. The bearer of this plaque acted with the Empress's authority and could issue orders in her name.
Qi Daiyu looked at the phoenix plaque Zhuyi handed her, feeling troubled. She never expected the Empress would send her and Nie Zhiyu. Since her rank was higher than Nie Zhiyu's, she had to be the one to hold the plaque.
Refusal was out of the question, and she couldn't think of a reason to decline on the spot.
She had no choice but to accept it. "This consort understands."
After the two left, the unwell Empress gradually regained her composure. Zhuyi, standing beside her, wasn't surprised. As the person who attended to the Empress day and night, she had already discerned that the Empress was feigning the furious faint and had deliberately played along.
Yet Zhuyi was still somewhat worried. "Your Majesty, sending Consort Hui and Consort Nie... will they be able to handle the situation?"
The Empress replied calmly, "They will grasp my intention. I am with child now, my energy is limited, and I also need someone to assist me."
She felt affection for Qi Daiyu and appreciation for Nie Zhiyu, and had long considered nurturing them.
However, the Empress had been troubled by Qi Daiyu's contentment with her current situation, her lack of ambition or contention.
"But, Consort Hui..." Zhuyi also thought of Qi Daiyu's usual demeanor. She didn't seem like someone who could take charge.
The Empress gently patted her chest. "When Concubine Mei miscarried and she was implicated, I was worried she wouldn't be able to handle it, but in the end, she emerged unscathed, didn't she? This shows she is not incapable, merely of a lazy disposition."
"I still wish to give her another chance."
Compared to Nie Zhiyu, she still trusted Qi Daiyu a bit more.
Zhuyi pondered this. "Let us hope Consort Hui lives up to your efforts. And what about Concubine Mei..."
The Empress stated firmly, "Whether she acted on impulse or was provoked, her fate is already sealed."
Going there personally wouldn't change Concubine Mei's outcome and would only give Concubine Shu a chance to gloat. The Empress didn't want to see such a scene, so sending Qi Daiyu and Nie Zhiyu in her stead served as a buffer.
It also signaled to everyone that even though her health prevented her from being there, she was still doing her utmost to protect Concubine Mei. This way, her reputation remained intact.
Frowning slightly, she thought of how, over the years, Concubine Mei, relying on favor, had caused quite a few incidents but had remained loyal to her. The Empress sighed.
"Enough. Zhuyi, accompany me to see His Majesty."
In the end, her heart had softened.
Leaving Anlan Garden, Qi Daiyu and Nie Zhiyu took small sedans towards Wanfu Lake.
Along the way, Qi Daiyu pondered silently: What was the Empress's true attitude towards Concubine Mei now?
Did she intend to protect her? Or was she ready to abandon her?
This would determine whether they were merely going through the motions or fighting to save Concubine Mei.
"Sister, are you thinking about how to face Concubine Shu later?" Nie Zhiyu suddenly spoke up. Having bonded over games, their relationship was quite good.
Qi Daiyu didn't deny it. "Concubine Shu is assertive, but she doesn't target people without cause. She must have already secured evidence of Concubine Mei's wrongdoing—either physical proof or witnesses. Concubine Mei is most likely... finished."
Qi Daiyu couldn't understand why Concubine Mei would stir up such trouble. Even if she believed Consort Wei caused her miscarriage and wanted revenge, choosing a method as simple and crude as pushing someone into the water...
In broad daylight, by the bustling Wanfu Lake.
This method wasn't necessarily unfeasible, but if she truly intended to trade one life for another, Concubine Mei should have held onto Zhaorong and jumped into the water together, never letting go, leaving no chance for anyone to save them.
But now, Zhaorong was rescued safe and sound, while Concubine Mei herself was facing imminent disaster. What was the point of that?
"However, I am still uncertain about what attitude to adopt." The yellow phoenix token was in her hand.
When the phoenix token is presented, it is as if the Empress herself is present. If she did not wish to engage in a prolonged confrontation with Concubine Shu, Qi Daiyu could forcefully take Concubine Mei away. This would buy more time, allowing the Empress to devise a way to save her.
Nie Zhiyu said softly, "Sister, hasn't Her Majesty the Empress already chosen to send the two of us?"
Qi Daiyu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly understood the meaning behind Nie Zhiyu's words.
The Empress not coming in person had already made her stance clear.
The Empress had given up on Concubine Mei, yet still needed to uphold the dignity of her position as Empress.
By the Lake of Ten Thousand Fortunes, within the Breeze Pavilion, Concubine Mei, soaked to the bone, knelt in the center. Across from her, Concubine Shu sat gracefully, seemingly appreciating Concubine Mei's current state of disarray.
Zhaorong, now changed into dry clothes, sat beside Concubine Shu, glaring at Concubine Mei with hatred.
This was the scene that greeted Qi Daiyu and Nie Zhiyu when they arrived.
Qi Daiyu instinctively frowned. Summer garments were already light and thin; with Concubine Mei completely drenched, her clothes clung tightly to her body, revealing her curves. Concubine Shu had not dismissed the attendants, and to be subjected to such humiliation before so many eyes was nothing short of torment for Concubine Mei.
She turned her head and gave Shiliu a meaningful look. Shiliu understood and walked outside.
After paying her respects to Concubine Shu and stating that she was here on the Empress's behalf to inquire about the matter, Qi Daiyu said, "This concubine heard it was Consort Wei who fell into the water. How is it that Concubine Mei is also soaked through?"
Concubine Shu didn't even bother to rise, remaining half-reclined in her chair. She replied with a mocking smile, "Concubine Mei is audacious and dared to push Consort Wei into the lake. Faced with such a venomous heart, how could this palace tolerate it? Naturally, she must also taste the feeling of being cold and wet. What, does Consort Hui have an objection?"
Concubine Shu felt it was a pity the Empress hadn't come personally. Otherwise, seeing Concubine Mei in this state might have agitated her pregnancy.
Qi Daiyu pressed her lips together. "The matter of whether Concubine Mei pushed Consort Wei into the water still requires investigation. How can Your Ladyship humiliate Concubine Mei like this?"
After Zhaorong was rescued, she was immediately covered with a garment to conceal her body and then escorted to Rui Zhu Palace to change.
But Concubine Mei, drenched from head to toe, had been forced to kneel in front of so many people all this time. This wasn't just humiliation; it was outright cruelty.
"Investigation?" Concubine Shu scoffed. "Ming Cui, bring the person forward."
Ming Cui led someone forward—it was Zhi Zi, the maid who served Concubine Mei.
"Consort Wei said it was Concubine Mei who pushed her. This palace initially didn't believe it either, but this very maid from Concubine Mei's side stepped forward as a witness, claiming she saw Concubine Mei push Consort Wei with her own eyes. Could it be that this maid is deliberately framing her mistress?"
"Or perhaps, Consort Wei conspired with Concubine Mei's maid, jumped into the lake herself, to falsely accuse Concubine Mei?"
No one would believe such a thing, as no one could guarantee that falling into the lake wouldn't lead to real danger. The risk was too great.
Qi Daiyu was speechless.
She hadn't expected Concubine Shu's key witness to be Concubine Mei's own maid.
She looked at Concubine Mei, who remained silent. "Concubine Mei, do you have anything to say?"
Concubine Mei's face was ashen, her eyes unfocused, lost in thought. She did not answer Qi Daiyu's question.
Qi Daiyu had a sudden intuition that something was wrong. Concubine Mei's state seemed off.
Just then, Shiliu walked over holding an outer garment she had just borrowed from a nearby palace.
Qi Daiyu took the garment and moved to drape it over Concubine Mei, but was blocked by Ming Cui.
"Consort Hui, Concubine Mei has violated palace rules and attempted to harm another consort. She is a condemned criminal. Do you intend to collude with her?" Concubine Shu said coolly.
"Concubine Shu, the matter of Concubine Mei will be handled by His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress. Until a conclusion is reached, Concubine Mei remains one of the Emperor's consorts. By humiliating her like this, do you hold His Majesty in any regard?" Qi Daiyu retorted sharply.
With Shiliu as her hidden card, she wasn't as afraid of Concubine Shu as before.
More importantly, she couldn't bear to see Concubine Mei in this state.
Concubine Shu hadn't expected Qi Daiyu to dare argue with her, and felt her face losing composure. "And what if this palace forbids it?"
She was deliberately humiliating Concubine Mei.
In the past, the Emperor's favorites were her and Concubine Mei. Because both had similarly striking, radiant looks, some palace attendants even secretly referred to Concubine Mei as "the little Concubine Shu." Concubine Shu, who cared deeply about her own beauty, found this utterly distasteful.
The more wretched Concubine Mei looked, the happier she was. Only then would everyone understand that compared to her, Concubine Mei wasn't even worth the mud on her shoes.
As the highest-ranking consort present, when Concubine Shu grew angry, attendants closed in, ready to apprehend Qi Daiyu should she defy her superior.
Nie Zhiyu, standing nearby, parted her lips slightly, about to speak, when she saw Qi Daiyu produce an object.
It was the phoenix token bestowed by the Empress.
Where the phoenix token goes, it is as if the Empress herself is present.
"Concubine Shu, this concubine has come under the Empress's orders. I am here to drape a garment over Concubine Mei."
