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

Consort Tang sniffed and said weakly, "Yes, Your Majesty, I believe that Your Majesty will handle this matter impartially."

The Empress said, "Then take out the dregs of the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine and let the imperial physician examine them. If there are no problems..." She glanced at Ning Shuyan, her voice suddenly turning icy, "Those who plot against the imperial heir will not be let off lightly by me."

Consort Tang turned to the palace maid and said, "Go and bring the dregs of the medicine over."

The palace maid curtsied and said, "Your Majesty, I have already thrown away today's medicine dregs."

Ning Shuyan's heart skipped a beat. Yes, if she could think of framing someone, she would definitely have disposed of all the evidence! How could she leave any leverage for others to use against her?

Consort Zhuang watched as if watching a good show, stroking the beads adorning her sleeve, her red lips curving slightly: "What a coincidence."

The Empress looked at Ning Shuyan and said, "Do you have any other evidence, or witnesses?"

Ning Shuyan lowered her eyes and said, "Aside from the palace maids beside me, there are no witnesses. But similarly, Consort Tang, do you have any evidence to prove that I caused your miscarriage today?"

She finally understood why Consort Tang insisted on letting her leave the garden; she probably wanted to find a place where palace maids and eunuchs frequented to stage a play, so that she would have a witness.

Upon hearing this, Consort Tang became extremely agitated. Her previously pale face now turned ashen. She angrily retorted, "I had no idea that Consort Ning was so adept at twisting the truth! Today, the victim is me and the imperial heir in my womb. Would I harm my own unborn child to harm you? What good would that do me?"

Ning Shuyan looked at her, her clear eyes now darkening: "What good would it do me to harm you? I have no children, I've never even seen the Emperor. Why would I so openly harm a royal heir? I'd surely die that way. I'm not that stupid."

"Yes, the purpose of doing this is too obvious." The Empress's eyes held a complex look, a glint of light flashing as she gazed at Ning Shuyan. She usually seemed quiet and reserved, but she hadn't expected Ning Shuyan to be so shrewd and to get right to the point with every word.

Seeing that Ning Shuyan had the upper hand, Consort Tang gritted her teeth and said angrily, "It's precisely because you've been in the palace for so long and have never been favored that you're jealous of my pregnancy with the imperial heir, and that's why you tripped me up."

Consort Rong raised her hand and played with the long, shimmering gold tassels on her face, and laughed, "If you're talking about jealousy, that's understandable. Seeing others pregnant while you have no imperial favor, how could you not feel bad? It's normal to do something irreversible in a fit of anger."

Consort Tang hurriedly sobbed, "Yes, Consort Rong, you have also had children, so you should know how sad and heartbroken a mother is when she loses her child. My poor child was killed like this." As she spoke, she choked back tears.

Ning Shuyan kept her eyes down, staring at the cool floor tiles. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, as if she had thought of something.

Looking up at the palace maid beside Consort Tang, she asked, "Just now you said that I tripped Consort Tang and made her fall to the ground?"

The palace maid looked at Ning Shuyan with certainty and said, "Yes, this servant saw it with my own eyes."

Ning Shuyan sneered, "You knew your mistress was pregnant, so why didn't you support her? If you had, why didn't you fall down with her?"

Before the palace maid could answer, she continued slowly, "Furthermore, if I had truly tripped, why did you fall to the ground, Consort Tang? Shouldn't you have fallen forward? And such a fall would inevitably result in scrapes and abrasions on your limbs, so why is Consort Tang unharmed except for abdominal pain?"

These words caused Tang Meiren's face to suddenly change, turning red and then pale. She was momentarily speechless and stammered, "You...you're talking nonsense."

The Empress's face was grim, and her eyes, which were usually as gentle as a spring breeze, now seemed to be covered by ice and snow.

A cry of "The Emperor has arrived!" brought everyone back to their senses.

Everyone quickly rose to greet him, and upon seeing Xiao Yu enter, they bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

Ning Shuyan was the only one kneeling. She only saw a pair of black boots with fierce and vivid golden dragon patterns on them. In just a moment, the foot passed by her eyes, and what remained was a breeze carrying a faint fragrance.

After taking his seat, Xiao Yu said, "No need for formalities." His tone was neither cold nor indifferent, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

After rising, the Empress stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty has come at the right time. I was just inquiring about Consort Ning's miscarriage with Consort Tang."

Xiao Yu glanced at Ning Shuyan indifferently, his eyes showing no unusual expression, and said calmly, "It's not her."

Ning Shuyan was immediately taken aback and couldn't help but raise her eyes to look at Xiao Yu, only to see him casually pick up his teacup and gently blow on it.

The Empress was also somewhat taken aback, a faint smile slowly appearing on her lips: "Yes, I also feel that what Consort Ning said just now has nothing to do with her."

Consort Zhuang said softly, "How does Your Majesty know it's not Consort Ning?"

Xiao Yu remained silent, his gaze fixed on the distracted Tang Meiren, his expression unfathomable and enigmatic.

Tang Meiren's red eyes welled up with tears, which slid down her pale cheeks, making her look quite pitiful. However, Xiao Yu's angular face remained expressionless.

Consort Tang dared not look directly at Xiao Yu, and said sadly, "Your Majesty, it is my fault that I failed to protect the imperial heir in my womb. Perhaps... Consort Ning did not mean it."

Xiao Yujun's face was somber, but his voice remained calm: "Is your only crime failing to protect the imperial heir in your womb?"

Tang Meiren's face visibly stiffened, as if she were in an ice cellar. Her body trembled slightly, and she slid down weakly, kneeling on the ground and saying sadly in a low voice, "The child is gone... Your Majesty, I am also very sad, but... Your Majesty's words are not quite understood by me."

Emperor Xiao Yu slowly turned the thumb ring on his thumb and hummed softly, "Bring in Imperial Physician Zhang."

Yang Hai hurriedly ran out, and then Imperial Physician Zhang stepped forward with his head down, looking uneasy. Seeing Consort Tang kneeling in the hall, he couldn't help but feel a little scared. He knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."

Xiao Yu glanced at Physician Zhang below the hall and said coldly, "I will spare your life. Confess the truth."

The Imperial Physician Zhang had only been in the hall for a short while when he was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am foolish and ignorant. Please instruct me on what I should do?"

Xiao Yu sneered, "Consort Tang has confessed everything. Tell me, what do you want me to confess?"

Consort Tang's eyes widened in disbelief as she exclaimed, "Your Majesty..."

However, before she could finish speaking, she was stopped by Xiao Yu's sharp, sword-like gaze, which sent chills down her spine.