Chapter 397

Surprised by Shen Ninghua’s question, Baili Junyi came to his senses and pulled her into his arms. “Ninghua, are you afraid that the upcoming challenge will affect you and the baby?”

Shen Ninghua nodded. “It has always been the most tragic when princes are competing for power. If news of my pregnancy goes out, I’m sure that many people will target us, especially knowing how much you value children…”

Baili Junyi gently stroked the back of her head, letting her tense emotion relax a little bit. “The reason why I participate in the inheritance war is to be able to protect you and the children. Although I have not ascended to the throne, we don’t need to be afraid of anyone. Ninghua, don’t worry. I’ll go against whoever wants to hurt you and our children.”

Shen Ninghua leaned in his arms, and a sense of relief surged inside her. She felt at ease and comforted.

Baili Junyi talked for a while. When he felt that Shen Ninghua’s breathing was becoming gentler, he was taken aback and looked down, only to find that she had fallen asleep. Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, Baili Junyi smiled and kissed her forehead gently. A trace of decisiveness flashed in his eyes as he mumbled under his breath, “Ninghua, don’t worry. I will protect you and our children. What’s the point of fighting for the throne if I can’t even protect my most precious treasures?”

They had to report the news of Shen Ninghua’s pregnancy to the palace. Before long, the news spread across the Imperial City like wildfire. Noble Consort Li was talking to Lin Feiran when she received the news. Lin Feiran’s wedding was around the corner, and Noble Consort Li wanted to teach her some methods she could use in the harem in order to win Bu Jinglan’s heart.

When a palace maid reported this news, the smile on Noble Consort Li’s face instantly disappeared. She waved her hand to dismiss the palace maid, and a trace of rage flashed across her eyes. “Shen Ninghua is damn lucky.” Shen Ninghua went through her scheme in Changqiu Palace and Qi Ying’s murder, but the series of torments had not caused her to have a miscarriage.

Lin Feiran grumbled in annoyance, “Speaking of which, Shen Ninghua is really lucky. Her firstborn was the auspicious twins, and now, she’s pregnant again.”

Noble Consort Li took a sip of tea and felt a taste of bitterness. “Not only her, but Baili Junyi is also very lucky. See, the Crown Prince insisted on marrying the sick Crown Princess in order to rope in her family, but she had never been pregnant. The Crown Prince does have a son from his concubine who is spoiled rotten. Before the Second Princess Consort died, several of the Second Prince’s bedroom concubines were pregnant too, but all of them had miscarriages. After the Second Princess Consort died, I’ve never heard of anyone being pregnant in his mansion. The Third Prince only has one ill son from Bu Tinghe, and I don’t know how long he can live. The Fourth Prince has five daughters; the Sixth Prince died at such a young age; the other princes are still young…”

Lin Feiran frowned. “In other words, among the adult princes, only the Fifth Prince has legitimate children, and now, Shen Ninghua is pregnant again…”

Noble Consort Li snorted, “Yes, that’s right. She’s so damn lucky.”

Lin Feiran’s eyes darted around and said, “Yes. Also, the Fifth Prince doesn’t even have a bedroom concubine other than Shen Ninghua, his Princess Consort. I heard that the servants serving him are all men, while all the female servants serve Shen Ninghua. Women are really envious of her being able to be favored solely by the Fifth Prince.”

“Oh?” Noble Consort Li was intrigued. “You are right. We haven’t paid much attention to this when Shen Ninghua gave birth to the twins, and now, she’s pregnant again. How can she own the Fifth Prince all to herself? Even if she is jealous, she can’t be so domineering, right?”

Lin Feiran quickly nodded. “You are right. Second Prince’s Side Concubine Yang couldn’t stand her, which was why she went berserk and attacked her, right? Oh my goodness, the princes’ mansions will be in chaos if all the consorts and concubines do as she does!”

Noble Consort Li grinned. “It’s true. This matter must be taken seriously!”

Lin Feiran lowered her head and smiled, her face full of malice. “Shen Ninghua, I must find a way to avenge my humiliation!”

Not long after the news that Shen Ninghua was pregnant spread, a rumor quietly spread in the capital.

Hong Ling was so infuriated when she received the message from her subordinates that her face turned red. She bellowed indignantly, “Miss, have you heard the rumors? They are too outrageous!”

Shen Ninghua sat at the side and watched Baby Girl and Big Boy play. She seemed to be a little absent-minded. “Yes, it’s about my jealousy and whatnot. Just let them be. Rumors about me have been everywhere for such a long time. They say something nice about me today, and then something bad tomorrow. It’s just gossip at the end of the day. Don’t worry about it.”

Hong Ling hurriedly said, “But Miss, it’s different this time. They sympathized with Side Concubine Yang and claimed that it was you who forced her to go berserk and kill Qi Ying. They even said that you’re the most jealous woman in the capital because you still own His Highness to yourself even though you’re pregnant!”

“What? His Majesty had imposed the gag order on Yang Yingxue’s matter, but such a rumor still goes out. I think it must start from the palace.”

“Yes, I asked someone to investigate. The first gossip broke out from a eunuch who came out of the palace for a purchasing task. Later, some people manipulated the development, and the rumors spread like wildfire.”

Shen Ninghua smiled. “It seems that it has something to do with Noble Consort Li.”

Baili Junyi strode in, his face full of displeasure. “Ninghua, don’t listen to the rumors outside. Leave this matter to me. I will handle it.”

Hong Ling bowed and left. Shen Ninghua stood up to help Baili Junyi change into his regular clothes. The smile on her face did not change at all. “If I were to care about rumors, I would have died long ago. It wasn’t as if there hadn’t been such rumors in the past, but we managed to suppress them when we gave birth to the twins. Now, someone is deliberately adding fuel to the fire. It is only a matter of time before it gets out of control.”

Baili Junyi held her in his embrace and sat on the soft couch. His deep eyes carried an unfathomable coldness. “I have already sent people to investigate. Noble Consort Li in the palace and the Lin Family outside the palace have interfered. Hmph, how dare they upset my future daughter’s Mommy! I must make them pay!”

A few days later, the rumors in the capital suddenly changed to a different version. In the beginning, some people claimed that Shen Ninghua was jealous. Later, someone defended her, saying that Shen Ninghua was pregnant again, so she didn’t do anything wrong by keeping the Fifth Prince to herself. All the other princes had no descendants, and the only one, who was a concubine-born son, was spoiled rotten. At this point, the rumors had so many different versions. In the end, it became a gossip about the Emperor, saying that the Emperor was incapable, and his princes were the collateral damage in his retribution. His princes had no offspring and their generation seemed to halt.

The news spread all the way to the palace. After hearing the report, Baili Qingcang was furious and ordered to investigate the rumors and their sources.

Inside Changqiu Palace, Noble Consort Li listened to the report of the palace people and reached out to massage her forehead. “Alright, I got it. Tell them not to spread the news anymore. Also, clean up the mess.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Noble Consort Li held the porcelain teacup in her hand. The coldness in her eyes was obvious and terrifying as she cursed under her breath, “Lin Feiran, you fool! I told you to spread the rumor that Shen Ninghua is jealous and wants to keep the Fifth Prince all to herself, but you dragged Yang Yingxue into this and went overboard with it! I can’t even stop it even if I want to! No way, this silly girl is too immature and gullible, so it’s impossible for her to win Bu Jinglan’s heart. It seems that the Lin Family has to come up with another plan.”

The next day, when Noble Consort Li was sleeping, she was awakened by the noise outside. She immediately barked unhappily, “What’s going on?”

The palace maid hurriedly ran in. “Your Grace, Noble Consort Qi brings her people over, saying that they want to search the palace.”

“Search the palace?” Noble Consort Li frowned in dismay. “Search my palace?! Who gave the order? His Majesty?”

Noble Consort Qi pushed open the door and came in, followed by a few palace maids and nurses. “Yes, you’re right, Sister Li. It’s His Majesty’s oral edict.”

“Sister Qi, since it’s His Majesty’s oral edict, I will not disobey it. Please wait outside for a moment. I’ll let you search my palace after I get dressed.”

Noble Consort Qi turned around and gestured to the palace servants behind her. “Don’t worry, Sister. Yes, I came to search your palace, but I know you like the back of my hand. You’ve always been so kind, so I’m sure your palace is clean. Please, you don’t have to get up. I’ll let my people look around for a bit. Alright, you guys go ahead and take a look.”

The palace maids and nurses behind her hurriedly walked around. After a brief glance, they respectfully retreated behind Noble Consort Qi. “Your Grace, there is nothing wrong with Noble Consort Li’s palace.”

Noble Consort Qi nodded. “Got it. See, I already said that Noble Consort Li has nothing to do with this matter, but I can’t skip the necessary procedure. Sister, please have some rest. I have to take my people to other places to take a look.”

When Noble Consort Qi left with her people, Noble Consort Li frowned and looked at the palace maid. “What’s going on? What happened in the palace?”

The palace maid knelt down with a thump. “Your Grace, yesterday, you asked me to clean up the mess, so I asked the guards to secretly execute the eunuch who spread the rumors. But for some reason, a lot of palace servants suddenly died in the harem last night. The news has already reached His Majesty. Also, most of the palace servants who died were our spies.”

“What?!” Noble Consort Li’s whole body stiffened, and she felt a chill down her spine. “What did His Majesty say?”

“His Majesty said that since the matter happened in the palace harem, he gave full authority to Noble Consort Qi. He even asked the guards to gather up the dead palace servants and investigate their identities one by one. He wanted to know what they had done before they died and why they were murdered.”

Taken aback, Noble Consort Li grabbed the bed sheet tightly. “This is a trap. Someone is plotting this trap specifically for me.”

The Emperor had even ordered them to investigate the deceased palace servants, who were all the spies she had planted in the palace. She had no idea how many things would be revealed by then. What should she do if they found out that the eunuch who spread rumors about Shen Ninghua acted under her orders? What should she do once it was exposed?

Baili Junyi! It must be him. He was taking drastic measures by doing so. Because of this, the Emperor had to pay attention to it and investigate it. Once it was investigated, what awaited her was the Emperor’s wrath, because the rumors had threatened the imperial power. She couldn’t bear the Emperor’s wrath!