Chapter 428: Chapter 431: Testify
Wen Zhaorong lay on the bed, the hem of her skirt already dyed red with blood. Her face was terrifyingly pale as tears streamed from the corners of her eyes. She was sobbing inconsolably, a heartbreaking sight.
The Emperor sent for an Imperial Physician.
However, Wen Zhaorong refused to let any other Imperial Physician touch her. She insisted that only Doctor Liu could treat her.
The reason was that Doctor Liu had always been the one to treat her, and he was the only one she trusted.
Even though the Emperor repeatedly assured her that the other Imperial Physicians were trustworthy, Wen Zhaorong refused to lower her guard.
She was like a startled bird—anxious, terrified, and utterly helpless.
A miscarriage was no small matter. It couldn’t be delayed, or it could cause severe, lasting damage to her body.
The Emperor had no choice but to concede to Wen Zhaorong’s wishes and ordered someone to fetch Doctor Liu.
The man who was sent out returned quickly.
But he returned empty-handed.
"Your Majesty, Doctor Liu is not at the Imperial Hospital. I heard he was summoned away by one of the other Concubines."
Hearing this, Wen Zhaorong’s heart skipped a beat. A powerful sense of dread washed over her.
The Emperor frowned. "Do you know who summoned him?"
"Doctor Liu left in a hurry and didn’t have time to report to anyone, so no one knows where he went."
There wasn’t enough time to search for Doctor Liu now. The Emperor had no choice but to summon Doctor Wang, the Imperial Hospital’s leading expert in women’s health.
Wen Zhaorong tearfully refused. "I don’t want any other Imperial Physician! I only trust Doctor Liu! Please, send someone to find him and bring him back, won’t you?"
’Once another physician arrives, he’ll definitely see that there was something wrong with this pregnancy.’
’Only Doctor Liu would help me keep this secret.’
The Emperor soothed her in a gentle voice.
"I have already sent men to find Doctor Liu, but there’s no telling when they’ll find him. Before they do, let Doctor Wang take a look at you."
Soon, Doctor Wang hurried over, carrying his medical case.
He took out a pulse pillow, preparing to take Wen Zhaorong’s pulse.
Wen Zhaorong refused to cooperate, adamantly refusing to offer her hand.
At first, the Emperor was patient and tried to coax her, but his patience soon ran out. He directly ordered his men to hold Wen Zhaorong down and forcibly press her wrist onto the pulse pillow.
Doctor Wang extended his fingers and placed them on Wen Zhaorong’s wrist.
The inner and outer chambers were separated by only a small door.
The voices of Wen Zhaorong and the Emperor passed clearly through the thin door to Hua Qingqing’s ears.
Hua Qingqing whispered a few words of instruction to Xi Xiang.
Xi Xiang nodded to show she understood, then she hurried out of Agarwood Pavilion.
Meanwhile, Doctor Liu was sitting in the reception hall of the Moon Viewing Pavilion.
The teacup beside him was already empty.
A palace maid lifted the teapot to refill his cup.
Doctor Liu couldn’t help but ask.
"I’ve already finished three cups of tea. Why isn’t Hua Zhaorong ready yet?"
The palace maid replied politely, "Zhaorong is feeling unwell, so getting ready is taking a bit more effort. We ask for your patience, Doctor."
’It’s just a house call,’ Doctor Liu thought. ’Does she really need to get so dressed up? Couldn’t she just tidy herself up a bit and be done with it?’
But he only dared to grumble about it in his head. Outwardly, he could only nod and agree.
Xi Xiang ran all the way back to the Moon Viewing Pavilion.
Without even pausing to catch her breath, she found Doctor Liu.
"It’s terrible! Wen Zhaorong has had a miscarriage!"
Doctor Liu shot to his feet.
His movement was so abrupt that he knocked over the teacup at his side.
Tea soaked the hem of his robe.
But he had no time to worry about that. He demanded urgently.
"What happened?"
Xi Xiang spoke in a rush.
"Just now, Wen Zhaorong suddenly collapsed and started bleeding.
The Saint summoned an Imperial Physician for her, who said she had a miscarriage.
She refuses to accept it and keeps insisting it’s impossible.
She also said that you’ve been overseeing her health this whole time.
She says you promised her she would deliver the baby safely, and that you couldn’t possibly have deceived her."
Hearing this, Doctor Liu’s vision went black, and he nearly fainted.
’When did I ever promise such a thing?!’
’I made it perfectly clear to Wen Zhaorong that there was a ninety-percent chance she would lose this pregnancy.’
’Why would she say something like that?’
’She’s throwing me into the fire!’
Xi Xiang watched his expression change and continued to fan the flames.
"Wen Zhaorong’s condition is very serious. The Saint suspects something is amiss and has people searching for you everywhere.
You can’t stay here. You should hurry back before you implicate our Hua Zhaorong."
With that, she began to usher him out.
Doctor Liu was frantic and pleaded desperately.
"No, don’t send me away! Wen Zhaorong’s miscarriage has nothing to do with me! I’m innocent!"
"Telling us is useless. You need to go explain yourself to the Saint. You’ll only be safe if the Saint believes you."
Done talking, Xi Xiang refused to get entangled with Doctor Liu any further. She had him pushed out the door and slammed the courtyard gate shut.
Doctor Liu’s heart pounded with anxiety.
He didn’t dare return to the Imperial Hospital, but he didn’t know where else to go.
While he was hesitating, he was seized by guards and taken directly to Agarwood Pavilion.
「Inside Agarwood Pavilion.」
Doctor Wang had already completed his initial diagnosis.
He reported his findings truthfully.
"Your Majesty, Wen Zhaorong has a constitution that makes it difficult for her to conceive.
Even if she does manage to conceive, carrying a child to term is very difficult for her.
Now that the child is lost, I must perform acupuncture to help her expel the remaining impure blood from her body."
The Emperor frowned, clearly dissatisfied with this diagnosis.
But what was done was done. The child was gone, and he had no heart to investigate further. He ordered Doctor Wang to treat Wen Zhaorong with the utmost care.
Wen Zhaorong was still weeping.
"My baby... SOB... The baby I tried so hard to have..."
The Emperor comforted her, "Even without this child, I will not treat you poorly. Rest easy."
Wen Zhaorong’s face was awash with tears as she cried.
"If I hadn’t fallen, maybe I could have saved the baby.
It’s all my fault. I’m so useless.
If only I had stood my ground more firmly when Ms. Hua reached out and pushed me.
I wouldn’t have fallen, and my baby wouldn’t be gone.
SOB... it’s all my fault. Please, Your Majesty, punish me!"
The Emperor held her, comforting her in a soft, gentle voice.
"Don’t say such things in anger. You didn’t want this to happen. Just focus on your treatment, and I will give you a proper account for this miscarriage."
Wen Zhaorong collapsed into his arms, crying her heart out.
A moment later, the small door to the inner chamber opened and the Emperor walked out.
He looked at Hua Qingqing and asked in a somber voice.
"Did you really push Wen Zhaorong?"
His words were like a dagger to Hua Qingqing’s heart. Her eyes instantly welled up.
She looked as if she might burst into tears at any moment, but she fought them back, desperately trying to maintain her last shred of dignity.
"I did not."
Her voice trembled, thick with unshed tears.
The Emperor’s heart ached for her, and his tone softened involuntarily.
"Can anyone vouch for you?"
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