The empress is both charming and seductive, rising through the ranks of palace intrigue.

Back at Lanyue Pavilion, Ning Shuyan suddenly felt a sharp pain in her lower back.

After Qiu Le found out, she took Ning Shuyan's pulse. This time, Ning Shuyan noticed that Qiu Le took her pulse for a longer time, and even her expression was somewhat serious.

"What's wrong? Has the pregnancy pulse disappeared?" She had been feeling for the past few days that she shouldn't be pregnant, since she had taken pills every time she was favored by the emperor.

Qiu Le frowned slightly: "It is a pregnancy pulse, but why does this servant feel that your pulse is weaker than yesterday? Logically, it should be stronger."

Ning Shuyan said, "Then tell me, could it be that the pulse is off, and it's just that my period is late?"

Qiu Le shook her head: "But the young mistress's pulse does not indicate that her period is about to start."

Ning Shuyan touched her cheek, her hand resting on the table, seemingly deep in thought. Suddenly, she remembered something, her brow furrowed, and her expression turned extremely serious: "Could it be that I'm not pregnant at all, and someone is trying to frame me?"

Qiu Le's expression also changed abruptly: "If that's what you mean, then there is indeed a medicine that can make a woman who is not pregnant test positive for pregnancy."

Ning Shuyan's solemn face seemed to be covered with a layer of frost: "If someone really did this on purpose, what is their intention?"

Ning Shuyan suddenly clenched her fist tightly and said coldly, "Are you planning to frame me for faking a pregnancy to gain favor after the pulse disappears?"

Qiu Le was still in shock and hadn't reacted yet.

"Or perhaps not. I will examine your pulse again tomorrow. If it is weaker, then someone must have framed you."

Ning Shuyan nodded, but her unease grew stronger. Deep down, she felt that this pregnancy was a conspiracy meticulously planned by someone else.

She had to expose this conspiracy as soon as possible; how could she let that person's plan succeed!

That night, Ning Shuyan thought a lot. She wondered who was behind it all and when she had taken the supposed pregnancy-inducing drug. It was unlikely to be Green Bud, since she had never touched her food or entered the inner palace.

The next day, when Qiu Le placed her hand on Ning Shuyan's pulse, her heart skipped a beat, and she stared at Ning Shuyan with wide eyes.

Ning Shuyan knew it from her expression...

"Has the pregnancy pulse weakened?" she asked calmly and composedly.

Qiu Le nodded, stunned, and said, "Not only has she become weaker, but her pregnancy meridian has also disappeared. It seems that someone really is trying to frame you, young master."

Ning Shuyan narrowed her eyes slightly. When her period came, or if she was planning something behind the scenes, the imperial physician would diagnose it as a false pregnancy.

False pregnancy! That's a serious crime. Once confirmed, there's no chance of ever recovering, and it will also bring ruin to your family.

When Ning Shuyan opened her eyes, the icy coldness in them seemed to have melted away. She calmly said, "Go and invite Imperial Physician Ji over, and try to avoid attracting attention."

When Physician Ji arrived and took Ning Shuyan's pulse, he was startled. He looked at her suspiciously and felt that her pulse was not quite right.

Ning Shuyan glanced at him and said calmly, "Doctor Ji, please speak frankly. Do you find my pulse somewhat strange?"

Imperial Physician Ji then said, "This humble servant has discovered that Your Highness's pulse does not indicate pregnancy."

Physician Ji was also very surprised. He knew that Physician Lu had diagnosed Ning Shuyan with a pregnancy pulse before. Physician Lu was a highly skilled physician, so it was impossible for him to have misdiagnosed such a simple pulse.

Ning Shuyan showed no surprise or fear as Physician Ji had imagined; instead, her face remained calm.

"To be honest, I knew yesterday that the pulse was weak, but I didn't expect it to be gone today. I would like to ask Physician Ji if there is a medicine that, when taken, will make a woman's symptoms and pulse appear as if she is pregnant," Ning Shuyan said calmly and gently.

Physician Ji was slightly taken aback. He roughly understood what was going on, but his face remained expressionless: "Indeed, such a medicine exists. When I have nothing to do, I like to study such difficult and complicated diseases or special medicines. I have seen it in medical books before."

Ning Shuyan was quite certain in her heart that she herself had taken this medicine.

"Could Physician Ji estimate approximately how long ago I took the medication to induce a false pregnancy?"

Imperial Physician Ji pondered for a moment: "I recall that vomiting only started after taking this medicine for half a month, and the pregnancy pulse could also be diagnosed. Usually, the pregnancy pulse will gradually disappear after taking the medicine for about a month."

Imperial Physician Ji raised his eyelids and glanced at Ning Shuyan, wondering which concubine was using such vicious methods to try and kill Consort Ning.

Ning Shuyan remembered that she started vomiting about ten days ago, which means she took the medicine within the last month...

Ning Shuyan pondered, "Does Imperial Physician Ji have a way to make the pulse appear as a sign of miscarriage?"

Imperial Physician Ji was slightly taken aback: "This...may I ask Your Highness what you intend to do?"

Ning Shuyan's brows furrowed with a faint, undisguised sorrow: "You've seen it too. Now that my pregnancy pulse has disappeared, if someone were to plot against me, causing me to fall or do something else, a royal physician would be able to tell I'm not pregnant. Imperial Physician Ji, you understand the consequences of a false pregnancy..."

Imperial Physician Ji nodded slowly: "Your Highness, you have taken medicine to induce a false pregnancy. I only need to prescribe a formula to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. However, after taking it, your period will return, and you will experience abdominal pain."

Ning Shuyan's eyes flashed with coldness. What was there to be afraid of indigestion? It was precisely because of the indigestion that she could make the "miscarriage" look more convincing.

"Very well, then I'll have to trouble Physician Ji."

"There's one more thing. Could Physician Ji please continue to maintain my pregnancy, and only take the 'miscarriage' medicine when necessary? I want to see who is behind this scheme." Ning Shu's tone was pleading.

Ning Shuyan had expected Imperial Physician Ji to object, but this time he agreed without hesitation. After all, it wasn't about harming anyone, but simply about self-preservation.

"Your Majesty, I will send the medicine over later. However, this medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis... if I prescribe it, it will surely arouse suspicion."

Ning Shuyan pondered for a moment, then looked at Qiu Le and said, "When you go back to the Imperial Hospital to make a record, write Qiu Le's name and say that she has irregular menstruation. Also, if the medicine for miscarriage can be made into pills, please ask Imperial Physician Ji to make them into pills."

Imperial Physician Ji bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

After Physician Ji left, Ning Shuyan fell into deep thought, gently twisting the tea lid in her hand. The hall was completely silent, and the clear sound of the tea lid hitting the teacup was particularly pleasant to hear.

According to Physician Ji, she should have taken this medicine 25 days ago.

Ning Shuyan slowly sorted out her thoughts, twenty-five days ago...

A thought flashed in her eyes, and a cold glint appeared. She had only eaten outside food at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet that day. And coincidentally, the soup she drank that day tasted very strange! That must be the problem.

It is said that in addition to the Empress, Consort Zhuang also participated in the food preparation for that day.

Two weeks later, she didn't even know she was pregnant. When she was vomiting, Green Plum told herself anxiously that she might be pregnant.

Therefore, it is very likely that the person behind it is Green Bud's master.

That person must have calculated when her pulse would disappear, and then exposed her "false pregnancy" at that time.

The Empress's birthday is just around the corner, and that person might make his move then.

It's just unknown whether the person behind this is Consort Zhuang or the Empress...

No matter who it is, a single counter-espionage plot can expose the person behind it.

She had more important things to do before that!