Forcing me to become a concubine? Remarrying the Ninth Prince, she'll be pregnant all over the

"What's your plan?"

The Empress coldly cut off her words, her hand angrily tightening around the maid beside her: "It's nothing but a petty trick, a mere attempt to sophistry and escape punishment!"

"Your Majesty the Empress!"

Zhu Jin's panicked voice grew louder as she approached. She had just carried Lin Qinglian to the side hall, and now, with her hands covered in blood, she stumbled and ran over. Ignoring the angry rebuke, she knelt and cried, "Your Highness, the Crown Princess, something terrible has happened! The bleeding won't stop!"

"This servant swears on her life that it was Miss Lin who, in a fit of anger, not only disobeyed and contradicted the Crown Princess, but also pushed her, thus harming the Crown Princess and her unborn grandson!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

Chunhen couldn't help but speak up immediately, kneeling down to approach: "Your Majesty the Empress is wise. This servant has been serving Miss without leaving her side, and I did not see anything just now..."

"Shut up!" a palace maid beside the Empress snapped, bending down to slap Chunhen across the face. "You insolent wench! Who gave you the right to speak like that?!"

Chunhen covered her face, feeling wronged, but Lin Wantang blocked her behind her. She said, "Your Majesty, the most urgent matters are the life of the Crown Princess and the imperial heir in her womb. I have no intention of arguing. Once the Imperial Hospital has determined that the Crown Princess has been treated, Your Majesty will know the truth."

"What do you mean by that?" The Empress sensed the implication in the words and frowned suspiciously. She was about to lash out, but An Yang reminded her that she also had to consider the people in the hall. So she temporarily ordered, "Take her to the side hall first."

In the outer room of the side hall, as usual, Lin Wantang had to kneel down and wait quietly as a convict, while Lin Qinglian's painful screams came from the inner hall.

Like a feigned groan, Lin Qinglian continued to moan in pain, looking at the palace maids on both sides who had pulled up thin blankets to cover themselves. Each of them was from the Empress's palace. She looked anxiously towards the outer hall, waiting for Zhu Jin to quickly bring the people from the East Palace.

However, Zhu Jin was stopped and detained by Yong'an as soon as he led his men into the palace.

"Doesn't Her Majesty the Empress have servants in her palace? Why did she have to go back to the East Palace to summon someone? This is not a good thing to say. What if people mistakenly think that Her Majesty the Empress has been harsh on the Crown Princess? Aunt, don't you think so?"

Yong'an was unaware of the false pregnancy, but she could tell something was amiss. After exchanging a glance with Lin Wantang, the two almost instantly understood each other's feelings.

An Yang sat on the soft mat with his eyes closed, chanting scriptures. He was already annoyed by Lin Qinglian's shouts inside, so he said, "Yong An is right. Zhu Jin, is it? There's no need for anyone from the Eastern Palace here. All of you, leave."

Zhu Jin was startled and paused, wanting to say something, but the imperial physician had already arrived.

As the announcement was made, Bai Jun entered the hall and first bowed to the princess. Then, when he looked up slightly, he saw Lin Wantang and froze.

It's unclear what happened inside Chengqian Palace, but Lin Qinglian's fake pregnancy was all orchestrated by Bai Qu. He risked losing his head, having previously listened to Chen's persuasion, and wanted to repay the Lin family for their kindness and support.

But now, seeing Lin Wantang kneeling to one side as if apologizing, Bai Quren instantly understood, but felt annoyed and helpless. He could repay Lin Rucong's great kindness in any way, but he couldn't let it harm the eldest daughter of the Lin family!

While Bai Ji was weighing his options, the Empress had already calmed everyone in the main hall. Taking a moment to help a palace maid in, she said, "Imperial Physician Bai, you may rise. Please go in and check on Qinglian. The way she's crying out like that is probably not good!"

The Empress had longed to hold the Emperor's grandson for a long time and was extremely anxious.

Bai Ji dared not delay any longer, and bowed as he entered the inner hall.

Not long after, just as Lin Wantang moved to the side hall, Chunhen was instructed to take her name card to the Imperial Hospital to invite Judge Liu, who arrived just then.

As the eunuch announced the arrival, the Empress urged Liu Yuanpan to enter the inner palace without delay.

Lin Qinglian was already troubled by her inability to get rid of the palace maids around her. She had finally managed to see Bai Gui, but her smugness didn't last long before she saw Judge Liu. In an instant, she knew it was all over and that she was going to ruin everything!

What should I do?

She frantically grabbed Bai Ju's sleeve, her pleading eyes filled with both anxiety and anger, signaling Bai Ju to think of a way to get rid of Judge Liu. But Judge Liu was Bai Ju's master, and Bai Ju was too flustered to do so.

"Your Highness, I have offended you greatly..." Imperial Physician Liu noticed the exchange between the two men and spoke in a deep voice, glaring at Bai Qi with a hint of annoyance before reaching out to touch Lin Qinglian's wrist to take her pulse...

In an instant, Judge Liu understood everything.

"How is it? Is Her Majesty alright? Is it possible to save the pregnancy?" Yong'an, worried that Lin Qinglian might be up to something, rushed into the inner hall first. He immediately sensed something was wrong and angrily demanded, "What are Imperial Physician Liu and Physician Bai doing?"

"A glance exchanged—are master and disciple plotting something in secret? How dare you! How can you presume to deceive Her Majesty the Empress!"

Yong'an flew into a rage and ignored the kneeling Judge Liu and Bai Ji. Taking advantage of being her sister-in-law, she walked around to the bedside, leaned down and peeked under Lin Qinglian's body. Lin Qinglian panicked and tried to cover herself, but it was too late.

"Huh? How did it get like this?"

Yong'an was taken aback, then quickly went around to the outer hall, still puzzled: "Your Majesty, Aunt, I dare not lie to you, I also had a miscarriage in the Northern Frontier. The pain was excruciating, and the bleeding from my body was unstoppable..."

Thinking of the past suffering, Yong'an's face turned pale, but before An Yang could comfort her, she choked up and said, "But the Crown Princess's symptoms are very strange. Not only has the bleeding stopped, but it is also not flowing from her body."

After hearing this, it was too late for Lin Qinglian to struggle any further.

Ignoring Bai Ju's whispered words, Judge Liu angrily swept his sleeve aside, strode to the outer hall, knelt down, and apologized: "Your Majesty, Princess, Princess, this old minister has failed in his duties as a teacher and is unskilled in medicine. I have made a mistake in diagnosing the Crown Princess. She is not pregnant. This old minister knows that even death cannot atone for his sins..."

Bai Ju looked pale and helpless, then knelt down to beg for forgiveness.

The Empress was stunned upon hearing this, still incredulous: "What did Imperial Physician Liu say? The Crown Princess, she..."

Judge Liu sighed helplessly, shook his head, and then bowed again: "This old minister deserves to die a thousand deaths. Please, Your Majesty, take care of your health."

The Empress was so shocked that her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed if it weren't for the support of the palace maid beside her.

"Outrageous! This is utterly disgraceful!" An Yang slammed her hand on the table, her face dark with rage. "Did Imperial Physician Bai diagnose the problem incorrectly, or is he deliberately deceiving us? Where is the Crown Princess? It's been almost three months, and she's still not pregnant. How could she not know if she's had her period? I don't believe in this false pregnancy scare; this matter must be explained!"

"Guards! Immediately report this matter to the Emperor, and also inform the Crown Prince!"

The palace servants, not daring to delay, hurriedly accepted the order and withdrew.

Yong'an watched with amusement, thinking about how the Emperor would be furious when he arrived, and how Shen Huai'an and Lin Qinglian would be in deep trouble. She felt a sense of satisfaction and asked, "What about Wan Tang? Are we still going to say that she deliberately pushed and injured the Crown Princess?"