Empress Liu became pregnant again after more than a decade, and with her typically good relations, it seemed like everyone in the Imperial Palace had gone to Chaohua Palace to pay their respects.

Those who went to congratulate her, those who went to express their concern, not to mention the Empress Dowager and Emperor Xia who visited every few days to comfort her, in contrast, Noble Princess Consort Luo's palace could be described as a world of ice and fire.

From high favor to disfavor, everyone who used to curry favor with her in the days gone by all flocked to Empress Liu's Chaohua Palace, a scene reflecting the warmth of people.

In the sleeping quarters, palace maids and eunuchs shrunk back, standing at the door, not daring to take a step closer.

Only the sounds of thumping and smashing could be heard.

Every ornament within sight, from vases to paperweights to jade pillows, had been smashed into pieces by Noble Princess Consort Luo.

She cursed Empress Liu loudly, dragging even Emperor Xia through the mud.

"That slut Empress Liu, she's actually pregnant!"

"It's just a pregnancy, what's so precious about that? If you have the ability, give birth to a Crown Prince as well."

Crown Prince Hong and Chou Alchemist stood aside, Chou Alchemist's expression extremely tense, while Crown Prince Hong was also anxious and agitated.

During this period, one did not know what kind of bad luck they had encountered.

During the journey to the Taiyi Secret Realm, they did not find the Taiyi Sect's divine artifact, and Duke An even lost his hand; after returning to Xia Capital, Crown Prince Hong was severely reprimanded by Emperor Xia.

Ever since his mother and the Emperor grew distant, his mother's temperament became increasingly volatile.

Looking at the disheveled woman in front of him, Crown Prince Hong found it difficult to associate her with the elegantly dignified mother he remembered.

"Mother, getting angry now won't help, at this rate, it's just a matter of time before I'm deposed and mother is demoted." Recently, Crown Prince Hong had heard rampant rumors about Emperor Xia planning to depose him and establish Sixth Prince as the new Crown Prince.

"Son, what do you mean by that?" Noble Princess Consort Luo had run out of ideas.

"The plan needs to change, the bastard in Empress Liu's womb cannot be born, and Sixth Prince must also be dealt with." Originally, Crown Prince Hong planned to make a move during next year's Imperial Examination, but with Empress Liu's pregnancy, he had to rearrange his entire plan.

Originally, he had just intended to persuade Sixth Prince to participate in the triennial Imperial Examination and then instruct someone to secretly take action, and during the examination, eliminate Sixth Prince in the form of an accident.

But now, there was another in Empress Liu's womb, and if that were another Little Prince, even if Sixth Prince were dead, his position on the throne would still be unstable.

Might as well kill two birds with one stone and eradicate both Sixth Prince and the bastard in Empress Liu's womb.

Upon hearing this, Chou Alchemist beside him couldn't stop his knees from trembling; he had known that Crown Prince Hong and Noble Princess Consort Luo had sinister intentions, but he had not expected this mother and son to openly harbor the intention to kill.

"Regarding Sixth Prince, I will get rid of him sooner or later. Right now, more importantly, are Empress Liu and the one in her belly. Chou Alchemist, this matter is entrusted to you." Crown Prince Hong looked at Chou Alchemist with a dark gaze.

"Your Highness Crown Prince, I am incapable of handling this significant task concerning Empress Liu," Chou Alchemist stammered, hesitant to make a decision for a long time.

To poison the current Empress and the royal heir, if the act were to be exposed, it would be a capital offense.

"Chou Alchemist, don't forget who released you from the Heavenly Prison and who allows you to stay comfortably in the Imperial Hospital. If you don't follow our mother and son's commands, you'll spend your life confined to the Middle Courtyard, under the thumb of Alchemist Mei and that little wench from the Lan Residence," Noble Princess Consort Luo glared at Chou Alchemist.

"Chou Alchemist, consider your options carefully," Crown Prince Hong chuckled.

Chou Alchemist recalled his glorious days of the past, then considering his current position, where even an old nanny from Chaohua Palace dared to scorn him.

He had offended Ye Lingyue, which meant crossing Sixth Prince Li and Empress Liu; if Sixth Prince ascended to become Emperor in the future, he could forget about having a day to turn his fortunes around.

But if the Crown Prince were to inherit the throne, everything would change.

Wealth and nobility are often sought through peril. Upon these thoughts, greed still triumphed over conscience, Chief Chou

"I am willing to swear death-defying loyalty to the Crown Prince and Noble Princess Consort."

"Chou Alchemist, here is an abortion pill, you just need to find a way to mix it into Empress Liu's daily diet." Noble Princess Consort Luo laughed sinisterly.

Empress Liu was most on guard against Noble Princess Consort Luo while pregnant.

Aside from Ye Lingyue and Alchemist Mei and a few other trusted alchemists, she hardly let anyone else diagnose and treat her.

People of Noble Princess Consort Luo's could not touch Empress Liu's diet and daily routine, but Chou Alchemist was a different case.

Although he had lost influence, he still had many informants in the Imperial Hospital, and with a large sum of money, they would surely be able to secretly administer the medication into Empress Liu's meals.

After Empress Liu became pregnant for the second time, Emperor Xia became much colder toward the other concubines, and unconsciously, another half month went by, in the Imperial Palace, everything was as usual.

Empress Liu's belly was growing day by day.

"Disaster has struck, Emperor, the Empress has miscarried."

Early in the morning, just after the morning court session began, an old nanny from Chaohua Palace reported to Emperor Xia in a panic.

Emperor Xia's expression changed dramatically, and he immediately left for Chaohua Palace, not even caring about the morning court.

"Early in the morning, the Empress felt unwell, and I have urgently summoned Alchemist Mei and Princess Ye to the palace, but it was still impossible to save the unborn child." Inside Chaohua Palace, palace maids were kneeling everywhere, all in a state of frantic unease.

Emperor Xia wore a grim expression as he visited Empress Liu, who merely wept and was unwilling to say much.

"You scoundrels, a bunch of useless trash, how do you serve the Empress." Emperor Xia interrogated those around, but all said that Empress Liu's daily diet and routine had no issues, this miscarriage was too sudden.

After consoling her for a while, Emperor Xia left feeling downcast.

Hardly had Emperor Xia left when Noble Princess Consort Luo followed right after.

"Noble Princess Consort Luo has arrived."

Upon learning of Empress Liu's miscarriage, Noble Princess Consort Luo was overjoyed and quickly dressed up meticulously to "visit."

"Sister Empress, I heard the news early this morning, and you must not be too saddened," Noble Princess Consort Luo said with a face full of sorrow, crying as she arrived at Chaohua Palace.

The people in Chaohua Palace didn't have a good expression at the sight of Noble Princess Consort Luo.

The relationship between Noble Princess Consort Luo and Empress Liu was well known throughout the Xia Palace. Her visit today was nothing but crocodile tears.

"Noble Princess Consort, the Empress is still weak and not suitable to receive visitors. Please come again another day," said the old nanny from the palace with an icy face, blocking Noble Princess Consort Luo.

The Empress had just miscarried, and Noble Princess Consort Luo came to revel in the catastrophe. Anyone with clear eyesight could see what was really going on.

"Get out of the way, you dog servants, not taking good care of the Empress on normal days, it's precisely because Sister Empress is weak that I specially brought some nourishing gifts for her," Noble Princess Consort Luo was intent on provoking Empress Liu and disregarded the old nanny's obstruction, forcing her way into the Empress's bedroom.

"Princess Consort Luo, you are here deliberately to relish in my misfortune!" On the bed, Empress Liu, with loose hair dressed in a wide plain white robe, her face without makeup, looking frail postpartum.