RPAGF Chapter 543 Slaughtering Pastry Enthusiasts
Chapter 543 Slaughtering Pastry Enthusiasts
Consort Hui looked at the unfamiliar face in the mirror, and her eyes burned with fierce hatred.
She had planned for so long, carefully protecting her belly, yet she still managed to be outmaneuvered.
As luck would have it, less than half a month after she lost her child, the Empress became pregnant.
"Ha." Consort Hui slammed the comb down on the dressing table with a sharp crack. "She's just a lowly country bumpkin, but she's quite cunning. I underestimated her."
The palace maid knelt on the ground trembling, not daring to breathe.
"Go." Consort Hui suddenly turned around, a sinister glint in her eyes. "Find out exactly when the Empress conceived this child."
"Your Majesty, this..." The palace maid looked troubled.
"What? You dare not investigate?" Consort Hui looked at her coldly. "Or do you also think that I, a disgraced consort, am not worthy to know these things?"
"This servant wouldn't dare! This servant will go and investigate right away!"
Meanwhile, the scene inside Kunning Palace was quite different.
Su Wan was leaning against the soft couch, gently stroking her still flat stomach, a faint smile on her face.
Her complexion was much better than a few days ago, and the melancholy look between her brows was gone.
"Your Majesty, the Lady of the Duke of Zhenguo requests an audience," a palace maid announced as she entered.
Su Wan's eyes lit up, and she quickly sat up straight. "Please invite Sister Ruohan in."
Before long, Chu Ruohan entered, led by a palace maid.
Today she wore a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a light blue shawl over it, looking dignified and elegant.
"This humble woman pays her respects to Your Majesty the Empress." Chu Ruohan bowed respectfully.
"Oh dear, Sister Ruohan, please get up. There's no need to be so formal between us sisters." Su Wan quickly stood up and helped her up herself. "Please sit down and let's talk."
"Your Majesty is unwell, but we must not disregard the proper etiquette!" Chu Ruohan said this, but she also took the opportunity to sit down next to the Empress.
Su Wan held her hand, her eyes full of affection. "Sister Ruohan, you've come at the perfect time. Of all the people I know, you're the closest to me."
"Your Majesty, what's wrong? Is something troubling you?" Chu Ruohan asked her with concern.
Su Wan gently stroked her lower abdomen, a complex smile playing on her lips.
"I wouldn't say I'm upset, it's just that all of this came too suddenly."
“A few days ago, Consort Hui lost her child, and I was still grieving for her. Who knew that in the blink of an eye, I would become pregnant myself.”
Chu Ruohan listened quietly without responding.
"The imperial physician said that my child is more than a month old, but I didn't even realize it myself."
Su Wan gave a wry smile. "Sister Ruohan, don't you think this is too strange?"
Chu Ruohan's heart stirred, but she showed no sign of it on her face.
"Your Majesty is overthinking it. Pregnancy is not easily detected in the first three months, especially since you have been preoccupied with other things lately, it is common for you to overlook it."
"Really?" Su Wan seemed comforted. "Now that Sister Ruohan has said that, I feel a little more at ease."
Chu Ruohan held her hand and said gently, "Your Majesty, the most important thing right now is to take good care of your pregnancy. Nothing else matters."
"Hmm." Su Wan nodded, then suddenly remembered something, "By the way, Sister Ruohan, I heard that something has happened in your household recently?"
Chu Ruohan briefly recounted the robbery of the caravan, and the Empress frowned upon hearing it.
"How could such a thing happen! Those bandits are incredibly audacious!" Su Wan said indignantly. "Brother, have you caught the culprit?"
"They've been caught. They're Zhang Xian's private soldiers, the Vice Minister of War," Chu Ruohan said calmly. "He has already committed suicide out of fear of punishment."
Su Wan frowned. She knew nothing about court affairs, so she simply stopped thinking about it.
The two chatted for a while longer, and then Chu Ruohan, seeing that the Empress was a little tired, got up to take her leave.
"Are you leaving already?" Su Wan was a little reluctant. "It's rare for Sister Ruohan to come to the palace. Apart from the Emperor, I don't even have anyone to talk to in this palace."
"Your Majesty is feeling unwell and needs to rest more," Chu Ruohan said gently. "I will visit you in the palace again in a few days."
Su Wan nodded, "Alright then. Sister Ruohan, thank you for coming to see me today. I feel much more at ease knowing that you said that."
Just as Chu Ruohan was about to get up and take her leave, footsteps sounded outside the hall.
"Your Majesty, Consort Hui has sent me some pastries."
A young eunuch entered carrying an exquisite white porcelain plate, on which were placed several brightly colored flower cakes.
Su Wan looked surprised: "Consort Hui? Why did she suddenly decide to send me pastries?"
The young eunuch bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, Consort Hui said that these pastries are freshly made and taste excellent."
"But Consort Hui is not feeling well and is still in her postpartum confinement period, so she asked this servant to bring it to Her Majesty the Empress to try."
Su Wan adopted a haughty demeanor, her voice calm yet carrying a hint of authority: "Since it is Consort Hui's kind intention, I appreciate it."
"Go back and thank Consort Hui for me, and tell her that I will visit her when I have time."
"Yes, this servant takes his leave." The little eunuch respectfully withdrew.
Looking at the plate of exquisite pastries, Chu Ruohan felt a strange sense of unease rising within her.
Consort Hui has just lost her child and is still resentful of Su Wan, so why would she suddenly be so kind?
Once only the two of them were left in the hall, Su Wan's expression changed instantly.
She looked at the plate of pastries, her brows furrowed, and her voice was very low.
"Sister Ruohan, there's something wrong with this plate of pastries."
Chu Ruohan's heart tightened, and she quickly went to her side: "Why does Your Majesty say that?"
Su Wan pointed to the pastries on the plate, "These pastries look exquisite, but if you look closely, the red decorations are not red bean paste, but vermilion powder."
Chu Ruohan gasped.
Cinnabar is extremely poisonous to pregnant women; it can cause miscarriage or even death to both mother and child.
Su Wan sneered: "She doesn't know that I used to make a living by collecting herbs."
"In her eyes, I was just a stupid country woman who wouldn't know anything about these things. She just assumed I would eat it without understanding why."
Chu Ruohan looked at Su Wan's face, which had instantly turned icy, and her heart sank as well.
She stepped forward and lowered her voice: "Your Majesty, this matter is of utmost importance. What do you intend to do?"
Su Wan shifted her gaze from the plate of exquisite pastries, her eyes showing no panic, only a chill.
She sat back on the soft couch, her fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, a gesture that bore a striking resemblance to Gu Junze's.
"Sister Ruohan, tell me, if I were to report this to the Emperor right now, would he believe me, or would he believe Consort Hui, who has ulterior motives?" Su Wan's voice was frighteningly calm.
Chu Ruohan immediately understood her concerns: "If Consort Hui dares to do this, she must have planned a foolproof escape route. If we launch a direct attack, we might fall into her trap."
“That’s right.” Su Wan sneered.