That night, Qu Linglong gave birth to the First Prince’s eldest daughter, naming her Nan Xing.
Nan Xing, a medicinal herb, poisonous yet capable of relieving pain.
Having given birth to a daughter, she was rewarded with a separate courtyard, adorned with fine silks and delicacies, guarded by escorts. Her status rose with her daughter, inciting envy in the eyes of many women in the harem.
Lu Yanmo, having been severely reprimanded by Grand Tutor Lu, returned to his courtyard only to hear this news, and impatiently waved his hand.
“Quickly, investigate if the First Prince has any other secret villas!”
The First Prince’s Mansion, Tingyu Courtyard.
“The little girl is rather weak, like a tiny kitten. She needs to be well-nurtured.”
Ling Yao held the infant, utterly fond of her. Though the little one hadn’t even opened her eyes yet, her skin was red and wrinkled, showing no hint of beauty. Yet, her smallness evoked deep affection.
Qu Linglong managed a weak smile. She had slept for two full days and only just woken, her body completely devoid of strength.
She had thought she would die then!
Su Mian remained silent, her face solemn as she slowly fed Qu Linglong porridge.
“Miss, don’t hold her for too long, be mindful of your health,” Yu Shan reminded. “Let me hold her!”
“What harm is there in holding her for a while? When my miss was pregnant, she would be busy at the medical clinic all day!” Su Mian interjected unexpectedly.
“Su Mian! Do not speak nonsense!” Qu Linglong weakly reprimanded.
Su Mian fell silent again, quietly wiping her face.
“Linglong, rest well. I’ll return later.”
Ling Yao left the room, her smiling pretty face hardening. “Yu Liu, go investigate.”
Yu Liu accepted the task but returned with nothing, finding no anomalies.
“Miss, I suspect Concubine Qu might have used an induction agent, causing the child to be born early,” Yu Shan recalled. “When she was giving birth that day, I entered the delivery room and smelled the scent of an induction agent.”
It must have been the First Prince. She knew the reason, but was he not afraid of the consequences, given it was his child?
Ling Yao’s hands trembled with anger.
Following the Noble Consort’s instructions, the First Prince had someone investigate the matter of the Gu poison. Based on the account of a Gu master from Southern Xinjiang, they identified the Soul Devouring Gu and rushed to Tingyu Courtyard to discuss it with Ling Yao.
To her surprise, she first berated him.
He retorted, “Was it not for your sake? That Lu fellow is persistent, and we couldn’t let him become suspicious.”
“Yes, I shouldn’t have come to your mansion. If I had known…” She had almost cost Linglong her life!
“Alright, alright. The First Prince will treat her better in the future!”
“What do you take Linglong for, a cat or a dog? Who cares about your cheap affection, you brute!”
The First Prince: “……”
He too became angry. It was such a small matter, yet she was escalating it. He was swamped with work every day, did he have the leisure to coax women?
“Hmph! You don’t need to concern yourself with matters in the First Prince’s courtyard. Just manage your own man. Men are all the same. You think he’s truly good just because he’s nice on the surface? What will happen when he goes to the frontier? I heard that after every victory, many dancers are brought in to serve the soldiers at the celebratory banquets! You’d best pray that the hot-blooded General Xiao can control himself!”
“You! How dare you say that!”
When it concerned Xiao Shan, Ling Yao was truly angered, her chest feeling tight, making it difficult to breathe.
The door was kicked open. Yu Shan quickly went to her side to help her breathe, while Yu Liu pointed her sword at the First Prince’s neck, fiercely saying, “How dare you insult my mistress! Have you lived long enough!”
Fine, fine! Even a mere servant dared to point a sword at him. He truly was the most pathetic prince!
“Hmph! It is truly strange, a younger sister meddling in her elder brother’s private affairs. Even in common households, such absurdity is unheard of.”
“Who wants to meddle in your affairs? Linglong is such a good girl, truly wasted on a dog.”
“Alright, alright. I am the dog.”
He admitted that to quickly win people over, he had been somewhat promiscuous, bringing many women into his harem. But that was all consensual. Only Qu Linglong had thrown herself at him. He had never intended to provoke her, especially since her father, Judge Qu, was an old stubborn fool, useless for anything but his medical skills.
He had been drugged. Who knew she would come? He had thought she was one of his concubines!
Afterward, she had actually run away. What did she take him for!
That was the first time he hadn’t taken precautions. What if she became pregnant?
As it turned out, she had indeed become pregnant.
If his men hadn’t found her in Lin’an, she really would have given birth outside!
A daring woman, not at all likable.
“First Prince, Linglong is a good girl. You must treat her well. Missing someone who truly loves you will lead to regret later.”
Ha, sincerity. He didn’t need it. People’s hearts were fickle, only adding to his troubles. He didn’t have the energy to maintain such ephemeral things.
“It is young girls like you who yearn for such things. The First Prince does not need it.”
Then wait for regret!
Ling Yao truly couldn’t be bothered to speak to him anymore.
Hatingly, she pushed Yu Liu’s sword away. “Get out! I need to discuss important matters with your lady!”
Really, not even a shred of respect for hierarchy. General Xiao’s people had the same stubborn temper as him.
According to Noble Consort, it began when she received a spice called “Bone-Eroding Incense” from her subordinates. Always concerned with beauty and demeanor, she enjoyed collecting such items.
Later, she discovered that the Emperor greatly favored the scent on her, visiting her more and more frequently. During that period, he even stopped visiting the Empress’s palace, staying in Yuxi Palace every night.
Everyone in the palace knew that the Noble Consort loved the Emperor, but the Emperor’s heart had always been set on the Empress, leaving her to sigh in melancholy.
Receiving unprecedented favor brought her joy, but it also made her lose her reason.
Later, the palace attendant who offered the spice also presented a medicinal soup called “Soul-Soothing Soup,” claiming it could bring comfort to a man’s soul and make him inseparable from Yuxi Palace.
Thus, she served it to the Emperor.
After drinking it a few times, the Emperor slept exceptionally soundly at night. Previously, he would still consider palace rules and wake up in the middle of the night to return to Taiji Palace. Later, he would sleep until dawn and no longer think of leaving.
At first, she was happy, but then she began to sense something was wrong.
The Emperor often seemed dazed. When asked what he was thinking, he appeared oblivious. A physician was called, but could find nothing. Following that, he abruptly announced that Ling Yao was a false divine maiden and took Lingxi away.
Lingxi then became the divine maiden.
Afterward, everything descended into chaos. One day, the Emperor stopped visiting Yuxi Palace altogether. Lingxi moved into Fengque Tower, Ling Yao was sent away for marriage, and Taiji Palace was heavily guarded by troops from Runan, citing the Emperor’s indisposition.
Yuxi Palace was also brought under control.
After regaining her composure, the Noble Consort gradually realized from various signs that she had personally harmed the Emperor.
The incense and the soup must have been problematic. When she went to search for them again, there were no traces left, including the palace attendant who had given her the items.
She tried many methods, contacting the Empress, the Prime Minister, and the Great Shaman, but she could find no one.
Regret and helplessness consumed her as she sat in Yuxi Palace, night after night.
Until Ling Yao arrived.