"Your Highness, don't be afraid, it's alright, nothing is wrong," Wan Rong held Jin Jiali tightly, but she herself was incredibly scared, trembling uncontrollably. The two huddled together on the couch, their eyes fixed on the main entrance.
There was no wind, yet the door opened and closed by itself. A wisp of light smoke began to rise from the doorway, growing thicker and thicker. Suddenly, a dishevelled woman with her hair loose, blood trickling from the corner of her lips, stood at the entrance. A hateful glint flashed in her ferocious pupils as she repeatedly opened her mouth.
"Give me back my life, give me back my life."
Jin Jiali could no longer bear the terror. She leaped up from the couch, her piercing scream echoing throughout the grand hall. She waved her hands repeatedly, "Don't come any closer, I confess, I shouldn't have harmed you, I know I was wrong, please spare me. Suo'er has already paid the price for you, please spare me."
"Spare you? Give me your life! Not only did you harm me, but you also drugged my master. I will not spare you," the ghostly figure vanished and reappeared in an instant, even her eyes dripping blood.
This time, Jin Jiali completely lost her mind. She clutched her head, screaming non-stop, "Ah, I won't dare again, spare me, spare me. I promise I won't harm anyone or your master again. You can rest assured."
Jin Jiali's screams grew higher and higher with each passing moment, until a cold, clear voice rang out, "Enough."
All the lights in the grand hall suddenly blazed to life. Standing at the entrance was the Emperor, handsome and radiating an oppressive aura. His incredibly beautiful features were now covered in frost, his dark eyes flashed with murderous intent as he stared at her grimly. Jin Jiali remained stunned for a long while before falling to her knees with a thud.
"Your concubine greets His Majesty," her voice trembled incessantly. Why had the Emperor come to Guangyang Palace? He must have heard everything she just said. The thought of it sent Jin Jiali into a state of utter panic. Her face, drained of colour, pleaded, "Your Majesty, have mercy, Your Majesty, have mercy."
Liu Liu emerged from behind Feng Xie. She removed the red tongue from her mouth, wiped away the traces of blood from the corners of her eyes and lips, and coldly stared at Jin Jiali on the ground. "Consort Shu has such a venomous heart, she wouldn't even spare a young maid. If you truly wanted to deal with this palace, you should have come at me directly. You shouldn't have laid a hand on those close to me."
Liu Liu crouched down, her icy breath hitting Jin Jiali's body. Jin Jiali then knew that the ghost had been the Empress. This woman was truly terrifying. She now truly regretted opposing her.
If only she had remained content as Consort Shu, but now she was close to losing her life. The Emperor had always disliked violent women; she was afraid he wouldn't spare her. Her face pale, she pleaded,
"I beg Your Majesty and Her Highness the Empress to spare this concubine this once. I promise I will never dare to do so again."
"A life for a life. You still dare to hope for another chance? Don't even think about it. Should those you killed have died in vain?" Liu Liu's voice was cold and stern.
Jin Jiali was stunned. The palace maid Wan Rong, kneeling behind her, quickly spoke up, "I beg Her Highness the Empress to spare Consort Shu's life. This servant is willing to die in her place."
Liu Liu raised her eyes, glancing at the palace maid behind Jin Jiali, and coldly reprimanded, "What are you? How dare you presume to die in her place? You need to see if you are even worthy."
Palace maid Wan Rong stood there, stunned, her head lowered. She dared not utter another sound, for the woman before her was radiating intense fury. If she said another word, she feared she would be sentenced to death, meeting the same fate as Consort Shu.
Seeing the Empress's demeanor, Jin Jiali realized the Empress intended for her own personal maid to die in her place. Tears streamed down her face.
She, the daughter of a great general, and the ruler of a palace, Consort Shu, was she truly going to die for a mere maid? In the harems of all dynasties,
Which consort's hands were not stained with blood? Why was she so unlucky? To die for killing one palace maid? Thus, she crawled several steps towards the Emperor, her face a mess of snot and tears as she pleaded.
"Your Majesty, spare my life. This concubine knows she was wrong. Please give this concubine a chance to correct her mistakes."
Liu Liu stood up, her imposing gaze fixed on Feng Xie. This man, who always considered himself a wise ruler, was met with a contemptuous sneer from the corner of his lips. Feng Xie's chest tightened, his eyes suddenly darkened, and his voice, cold and clear, rang out.
"Consort Shu, for your unlawful taking of life, you are to be immediately confined to the imperial prison of the inner palace."
As Feng Xie's words fell, Jin Jiali coughed and fainted. The woman had finally been tormented to the point of unconsciousness. The palace maid Wan Rong, kneeling beside her, quickly crawled to her side, calling out repeatedly, "Your Highness, Your Highness?"
After calling out several times, her mistress did not respond. Feng Xie snorted. This woman was quite adept at feigning. She actually dared to pretend to be unconscious.
Very well, I shall summon the imperial physician. Let's see if you are truly unconscious or merely faking it. If it's a pretense, then do not blame me for severe punishment. His face darkened as he turned, "Xiao Wanzi, immediately summon the imperial physician."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Xiao Wanzi, standing outside the palace doors, moved swiftly and darted out to summon the imperial physician.
The imperial physician arrived quickly, took Jin Jiali's pulse, and then stood up with a solemn expression to report to the Emperor. This Consort Shu was genuinely unconscious. Not only that, but Consort Shu was pregnant.
Jin Jiali was pregnant! A chill emanated from Liu Liu. She felt only rage. Because this woman was pregnant, would the Emperor still confine her to the dungeon? Clearly, she had escaped this punishment.
And the deaths of Qiao'er and Jiang Cheng had been in vain. Everyone was selfish, especially this Emperor who held absolute authority. He did not yet have any imperial bloodline, and at this moment, Jin Jiali was pregnant. Could he possibly kill her?
Indeed, Feng Xie was stunned for a moment. His expression softened. Although his eyes still held a murderous glint and extreme vexation, Jin Jiali's pregnancy was an undeniable fact. He could not confine a woman carrying his bloodline to the dungeon. He could only make further plans after Jin Jiali gave birth to the imperial bloodline.
"Help Consort Shu into her sleeping quarters. From now on, she is not permitted to step outside Guangyang Palace."
The Emperor had merely restricted Jin Jiali's freedom. And her efforts throughout the night had resulted in the discovery that this woman was pregnant. Liu Liu's expression turned cold and indifferent. She said nothing, leading the palace maids of Weiyang Palace away from Guangyang Palace.
Feng Xie's pair of deep eyes fixed on her retreating figure. A biting coldness flashed through his heart. He hadn't expected Jin Jiali to be pregnant. At this moment, he suddenly wished his child had been born from the belly of that woman. What an extraordinarily intelligent child that would be! The mere thought filled him with anticipation.
This thought inevitably brought back memories of that night with the aphrodisiac. The usually cold woman had become so passionate, demonic, and alluring. She had dominated him, igniting his desires. He had intended to cast aside his noble status, remove the barriers between them, and wholeheartedly stay by her side to bear the Crown Prince of Tianfeng.
But who knew that Jin Jiali would become pregnant? When he had favored Jin Jiali, he had only wanted an imperial bloodline, and had not yet considered who would bear the child. Now, he desperately wanted her to bear a child.
The news of Jin Jiali's pregnancy spread like wildfire throughout the vast imperial palace. Although she was confined to Guangyang Palace, she lived comfortably and prosperously. Early in the morning, the Empress Dowager's gifts arrived, everything as expected.
Jin Jiali looked at the piled-up items in the grand hall and smiled with satisfaction. She placed a hand on her belly. If the child she carried was a prince, she would be elevated by her son, and who would dare to offend her then?
A smile played on her lips. Wan Rong, standing beside her, personally fed a pastry into her mistress's mouth. Wan Rong had been willing to die for her the previous night, a fact that deeply moved Jin Jiali. Consequently, she placed immense trust in Wan Rong, considering her a confidante.