Chu Shaoling received the letter just as he left the court, even earlier than the Emperor. Chu Shaoling directly skipped over the various details about Consort Zhen and asked in a low voice, "Where is Wei Ji?"

Wang Muhan knew what Chu Shaoling was anxious about and quickly said, "Lord Wei is fine, he just got his clothes wet. This servant was afraid Your Highness would be worried, so I already had Lord Wei change out of his wet clothes and lie down to rest. I also had someone prepare ginger soup. Your Highness can rest assured."

Chu Shaoling closed his eyes and said, "Go inform the Empress Dowager that I'm not feeling well today and won't be going to pay my respects. I'm returning to Bitao Palace first."

Wei Ji was also feeling a bit apprehensive as he lay on the couch. When he saw someone fall into the water today, he reacted without much thought. The half year he spent in the Imperial Guards wasn't for nothing - when the master falls into the water, the first instinct is naturally to jump in and save them. Wei Ji was an excellent swimmer, so he wasn't afraid even though the lake was deep. Rescuing a frail palace lady was extremely easy. But after pulling the person out of the water, when he heard the palace maids anxiously calling out "Consort Zhen", Wei Ji knew he had caused trouble.

Wei Ji naturally knew about the situation between Chu Shaoling and the Zhen family. The Zhen family was his master's mortal enemy, yet he had saved someone from that family. Chu Shaoling would be so angry when he found out! Wei Ji silently cursed himself for being so stupid. How could he not have thought of that?

Wei Ji had pure intentions. If it were anyone else, seeing someone fall into the water, he would naturally go to save them. But as long as it involved Chu Shaoling, then naturally Chu Shaoling had to come first. After dragging the person ashore and realizing it was Consort Zhen who had entered the palace, Wei Ji became frightened. But since he had already saved her, it wouldn't be right to push her back into the water. Wei Ji was afraid someone would ask about him and implicate Chu Shaoling, so while everyone was in chaos and no one was paying attention to him, Wei Ji took the guards and ran back to Bitao Palace.

Wei Ji's hair was still wet when he heard Chu Shaoling had returned. He hurriedly got up from the couch. Wei Ji knew he had done wrong and didn't try to explain. He knelt down and said, "This subject is guilty, Your Highness."

Seeing that Wei Ji was indeed safe and sound, Chu Shaoling finally relaxed. He waved his hand to dismiss the palace servants and personally went forward to help Wei Ji up.

Wei Ji hung his head and said softly, "This subject didn't know the palace lady who fell into the water was Consort Zhen. This subject saved her. She was rescued in time and from the looks of it, Consort Zhen didn't seem seriously harmed. This subject..."

Chu Shaoling took a deep breath and said, "Last time, why did I slap you?"

Wei Ji was stunned for a moment before saying softly, "Because this subject didn't listen to Your Highness and went to chase the assassin." Wei Ji suddenly realized that Chu Shaoling was angry at him for risking his life again. Wei Ji felt both distressed and comforted.

He raised his hand to slap himself, but Chu Shaoling grabbed his hand and said angrily, "You dare to jump into the water alone to save someone, and now you want to harm yourself? Are you trying to anger me to death?!"

"This subject wanted to vent Your Highness' anger."

Wei Ji inexplicably felt a bit upset. He had angered Chu Shaoling again.

Chu Shaoling sighed. He was angry that Wei Ji didn't cherish his own life, but also distressed that he was so loyal to him. This silly thing, he was born to vex him.

Chu Shaoling pulled Wei Ji to sit down and carefully asked about what happened. Wei Ji recalled the situation at the time and slowly said, "After this subject jumped into the water, I also felt something was strange. There were fewer guards than usual around Taiye Pool. Although it was right at the time of the morning and evening shift change, there still shouldn't have been so few people. And after Consort Zhen fell into the water, those guards didn't move at all. It was only after this subject dragged Consort Zhen ashore that the guards surrounded us."

"This subject only found out it was Consort Zhen after getting ashore and knew things had gone wrong. Your Highness..." Wei Ji hesitated for a moment. "Did this subject ruin Your Highness' plans?"

Chu Shaoling shook his head. "What happened with Consort Zhen wasn't my doing. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let you go out today. I also just found out about this matter."

Actually, Wei Ji's unintentional actions had helped Chu Shaoling. Chu Shaoling wanted the Zhen family to experience internal strife. If Zhen Si had died so early, it obviously wouldn't have been beneficial to Chu Shaoling's plans. He also didn't expect the Zhen family to be so ruthless as to want to kill both the mother and child.

Chu Shaoling didn't praise Wei Ji. He was afraid that if this silly thing knew he had helped, next time he would become even bolder. This time he dared to jump into a lake, next time if there was an ice cave, would he also dare to jump in?

Chu Shaoling knew Wei Ji was afraid of him giving him the cold shoulder, so from the moment he entered, he didn't show him a good face. Chu Shaoling couldn't bear to hit him, but he still had to teach him a lesson. He had to make Wei Ji have some fear and know what he should and shouldn't do.

Wei Ji lowered his head and said, "This subject knew he couldn't delay after realizing the person he saved was Consort Zhen, so I took advantage of the chaos and came back. I don't know what the situation is like over there now."

Wei Ji raised his head to look at Chu Shaoling and said softly, "This subject was thinking, should I go to the army for a few days first? If they really find out it was me, at least it won't implicate Your Highness."

Chu Shaoling could see that Wei Ji had learned his lesson from the way he looked apprehensive and afraid of causing trouble for him. Chu Shaoling's heart also ached for him. He rubbed Wei Ji's head and said, "It's fine. Even if they find out, nothing will happen to you. Do you know where you went wrong?"

From the moment he rescued the person, Wei Ji had been feeling anxious. Now seeing Chu Shaoling finally speaking to him in a soft voice, his heart seemed to instantly relax. Wei Ji nodded. "This subject will be careful to avoid incidents in the future and not make Your Highness worry."

Chu Shaoling had already scared him and now seeing Wei Ji's obedient and apologetic appearance, his heart had long softened. He pulled him into his arms and asked him properly - was the lake water cold? Did he get chilled coming back in wet clothes? Did he drink the ginger soup? Did he know his mistake? Would he dare to disobey again next time?

There was a round of gentle pampering and doting.

In Yongfu Palace, the imperial physicians were busy. The Emperor had lost his temper several times. The Empress Dowager persuaded him with kind words, "Your Majesty, Consort Zhen has a strong body and will surely be fine. Anger harms the body. Your Majesty, calm your anger first."

The Empress Dowager gestured for them to serve tea to the Emperor. The Emperor took a sip of tea and set it aside, anxiously looking towards the inner palace. Before long, the head of the Imperial Physician Institute walked out trembling and bowed. "Your Majesty, Consort Zhen fell into the water for a short time and was rescued in a timely manner. She is now out of danger."

"What about the child?!" The Emperor stood up. "How is the child?"

The old imperial physician hesitated for a moment before saying, "Reporting to Your Majesty, although Consort Zhen's body is healthy and the child was protected, it's just that..."

The Empress Dowager anxiously said, "Just what? Tell us!"

The old imperial physician bowed and said, "Consort Zhen just experienced a miscarriage scare. From the current fetal signs, the pregnancy seems unstable. This child may not be kept for long. If we want to protect the fetus, I will need to use some potent medicines. Even so, I don't dare guarantee the fetus will be completely safe. This old subject boldly suggests, for the sake of the concubine's precious health, it would be better to..."

"The imperial physician will do his best." The Emperor interrupted the old imperial physician's words and said lightly, "Consort Zhen values this child very much and certainly hopes the imperial physician will do everything to save the fetus."

The old imperial physician's hands trembled slightly, understanding the Emperor's meaning, and nodded: "This subject understands."

The Empress Dowager sighed slightly in her heart, what a pity, it's all because Consort Zhen has no luck.

The imperial physicians busied themselves with acupuncture and herbal fumigation for an hour. By evening, Zhen Si finally woke up. Upon receiving the news, the Emperor immediately went to Yongfu Palace and consoled Zhen Si properly, bestowing treasures and promising to thoroughly investigate the Taiye Pool incident.

Zhen Si was frightened and caught a chill, her face pale at this moment, looking even more moving than usual. The Emperor held Zhen Si's hand and assured: "The eunuch department has already summoned all the palace servants around Taiye Pool for interrogation today. Rest assured, I will certainly give you justice."

Zhen Si sneered in her heart. Since the Zhen family dared to make a move, they must have already laid out a perfect retreat. Interrogating those palace servants would probably only make them falsely accuse others of trying to harm her.

Thinking of this, Zhen Si trembled slightly in her heart. This calamity was aimed at her, but it was probably not just to kill her, but also to drag Chu Shaoling down with her.

Zhen Si bit her lip and said softly: "Does Your Majesty really want to give this concubine justice?"

The Emperor smiled: "What kind of talk is this, am I still teasing you?"

Zhen Si smiled weakly and said: "This concubine actually doesn't remember the morning's events very clearly, only remembering that this concubine was originally by the bridge, and somehow, slipped and fell into the pool. This concubine doesn't even know who did it, I'm afraid the eunuch department won't be able to find out either."

"Don't worry about this." The Emperor comforted softly, "The eunuch department naturally has their methods. Besides, this isn't just about finding out who did it, but also who instigated it, who pulled the strings. Everyone on this vine must be pulled out, not a single one can be let go."

"This concubine doesn't understand these things." Zhen Si shook her head, her soft body leaning against the Emperor, "This concubine only wants Your Majesty to immediately execute all the slave servants, to vent anger for this concubine. This concubine gets scared thinking that there are slave servants wanting to harm her by her side, and can't sleep. Your Majesty, do you think those slave servants will run out from the eunuch department and come to Yongfu Palace to kill this concubine?"

Zhen Si's eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at the Emperor pitifully: "This concubine doesn't dare to sleep, Your Majesty."

The Emperor laughed: "Look at you, what are you saying? How could they run out, I will stay here tonight, no one can hurt you."

"Your Majesty won't agree to this concubine's request?" Zhen Si shed tears, "Does Your Majesty not dote on this concubine anymore? This concubine has never suffered such a big fright since being born. Now in this palace this concubine can only rely on Your Majesty, yet Your Majesty is unwilling to vent anger for this concubine."

"How am I not venting anger for you?" The Emperor didn't know whether to laugh or cry, secretly thinking that Zhen Si was indeed still young and didn't understand anything. He could only comfort: "Wait until everything is investigated clearly, and all the people behind it are pulled out and killed, that would be truly venting anger for you!"

Zhen Si sat up and wanted to put on her clothes, crying: "If Your Majesty is unwilling to kill those slave servants, this concubine will leave the palace and return to her maiden home right now. Who knows if those slave servants will run out and kill this concubine."

The Emperor couldn't help laughing at Zhen Si's angry and resentful teasing. Afraid that she would hurt herself by making a fuss, he could only say: "Alright alright, I'm also afraid of you. Someone-"

The eunuch behind the Emperor's screen responded, and the Emperor said: "Pass on the decree, the palace servants involved in the Taiye Pool incident sent to the eunuch department today shall be executed immediately. Proclaim to the rear palace to show these slave servants the consequences of betraying their masters for glory!"

The Emperor embraced Zhen Si and laughed: "Are you happy now? Satisfied now?"

Zhen Si smiled through her tears and softly leaned into the Emperor's embrace, gently saying: "That's more like it, this concubine knew Your Majesty doted on this concubine."

The Emperor smiled. Zhen Si turned her face away, the gentleness gradually fading from her face. Zhen Si sneered coldly, wanting to use her hand to harm Chu Shaoling, so they could reap the benefits as the third party? In your dreams!

Zhen Si recalled that face she saw before fainting today and was slightly dazed. It was Chu Shaoling's guard, she vaguely remembered.

In the cold lake water, when she thought her short life was coming to an end, it was that person who pushed her ashore in one move. Between life and death, even the palace maids by her side were unreliable.

Zhen Si closed her eyes. This time, just consider it a thank you gift to that guard.