The Beloved Concubine of the Eastern Palace (book 2)

Chapter 273 - Awakening

When Fang Yun woke up, it was already the following afternoon.

She felt a bit disoriented upon opening her eyes, but her first instinct was to reach for her abdomen.

At five and a half months, her belly was quite prominent. Feeling its presence was like waking from a dream, leaving her mind in a whirl.

"Cefei, you're awake?" Qingrong, who had been watching over her, quickly came to her side, delighted to see Fang Yun awake. "Yanwei, Yuanhe, fetch the physician and inform His Highness that Fang Cefei is awake!"

Yanwei and Yuanhe, who were just outside the door, rushed in, their faces lit with joy, and quickly went to carry out Qingrong's orders.

Fang Yun lay still for a moment, fully regaining her senses.

"How long did I sleep? Is the baby alright?"

"Rest assured, Cefei. The baby is safe. You were unconscious from last night until now, a full night and most of a day."

Qingrong wiped away tears of relief.

Fang Yun nodded lightly and extended her hand, "Help me up."

"Of course," Qingrong moved closer, "Be careful, Cefei. The physician said you need to stay in bed and rest to protect the pregnancy."

Propped up on soft cushions, Fang Yun's thoughts gradually became clearer.

Hearing Qingrong's words, worry etched across her face.

"What happened since yesterday? Tell me everything, especially about the baby."

Without hesitation, Qingrong recounted all the events in detail.

When discussing Fang Yun's health, she watched Fang Yun's expression anxiously, fearing too much sadness might affect her health.

Fortunately, Fang Yun remained composed, though her face darkened briefly. She took a deep breath, calming herself.

"So, His Highness is still investigating the poisoning, and only Xu Shuren has been identified publicly. Xu Shuren's maid also implicated the Crown Princess, right?"

"Exactly," Qingrong nodded. "But I believe His Highness trusts the Crown Princess."

Fang Yun's face grew somber, "It was my negligence. I've been pregnant for so long, and all four palace physicians have checked my pulse. I assumed they were trustworthy."

Since avenging her family's disgrace and becoming pregnant, Fang Yun had relaxed her vigilance.

In the smooth and favorable environment, it was easy to become complacent.

Previously, she wouldn't have touched anything from the main kitchen, relying instead on Biluo Pavilion's private kitchen.

Her newfound complacency, despite precautions, allowed someone to exploit a gap.

This lesson, she vowed, she would never forget.

Fortunately, Pei Yao had disregarded royal protocol, summoning palace physicians at night and forcibly bringing the chief physician from his home. Without that, saving the baby would have been uncertain.

Fang Yun bowed her head, realizing she owed Pei Yao a great debt.

"Cefei, I believe someone else is behind this. The maid, Xiudie, was clearly instructed to incite Xu Shuren against you," Qingrong said indignantly.

Fang Yun's eyes grew colder.

"Xu Xin'er isn't smart enough for such a complex scheme. Even a capable maid couldn't infiltrate the kitchen, bribe a physician, and think of using aloe as poison alone."

Qingrong nodded firmly, but Fang Yun continued, frowning.

"Aloe poisoning has a long incubation period, four to six hours. This covers a whole day, during which I ate multiple things. Investigating would be difficult, giving the perpetrator time to cover their tracks. But with our private kitchen, the rice cakes, the only external item, are the most suspicious. This contradiction is too obvious."

Hearing this, Fang Yun and Qingrong exchanged a glance, their thoughts converging. They spoke simultaneously.

"The real culprit intended to kill Xu Shuren too!"

Leaving such an obvious clue, it was clear the intention was to implicate Xu Xin'er.

Fang Yun clenched her blanket, taking a deep breath to quell her rising anger.

"In the harem, besides Hu Liangdi and Yang Cefei, who else sees me as an obstacle? Hu Liangdi hasn't been here long enough to orchestrate such a plot. It must be Yang Lan!"

"But we lack evidence. Do we have to swallow this silently?" Qingrong gritted her teeth.

If successful, this scheme would achieve multiple objectives at once.

If Fang Yun had lost the child, her life might have been in grave danger too. Xu Xin'er certainly wouldn't escape a death sentence. And the Crown Princess, having been implicated, would indeed appear to have a motive. If Pei Yao doubted the Crown Princess, the favor shown to his beloved consort over his wife could strain their relationship, weakening her position in the future.

Two aspects of this plan likely deviated from Yang Cefei's expectations.

Firstly, Pei Yao's extraordinary attention to Fang Yun, going so far as to break protocol by summoning palace physicians in the middle of the night.

Secondly, the Crown Princess. If she hadn't noticed Xu Xin'er's odd behavior or dispatched Min Si to apprehend the maid, Xiudie's later accusation would have seemed even more credible.

Freshly awakened, Fang Yun's mind was racing, causing a tightness in her chest and a headache.

Seeing her distress, Qingrong urged, "Cefei, you've just woken up. Let's discuss these matters later. The physician is on their way; your health is most important."

Fang Yun nodded, realizing she shouldn't overthink.

Understanding her own body, she could feel her vital energy depleted, and the baby unsettled.

Before long, Physician Zeng arrived. He had previously treated Fang Yun and was known as one of the palace's top gynecology specialists. Pei Yao had specifically arranged for him to stay in the Eastern Palace to care for Fang Yun's pregnancy.

Just as Physician Zeng finished checking her pulse, Pei Yao arrived.

Seeing Fang Yun awake, his eyes showed a hint of relief as he quickly approached the bedside, gently taking her hand.

"How are you feeling? Is there any discomfort? I'm here with the physician. Tell me anything you need."

Meeting Pei Yao's concerned gaze, Fang Yun could no longer hold back. Her eyes welled up, and she threw herself into Pei Yao's arms, sobbing.

"Your Highness, I thought I'd never see you again. I feared for our child's life. I was so scared!"

The last time she had cried like this, filled with terror and grievance, was her first time killing a man—an assassin who had attacked Pei Yao.

Now, her tears were due to nearly losing her own life and their child.

Pei Yao's heart ached as he held her, gently stroking her back, softly comforting her.

"Don't be afraid. The child is safe. I will find out who is behind this and give you an explanation."