Moreover, the most despicable thing is that the emperor's affection for Xiang Fei is different from his affection for others and hers. It was a true heart of fondness, although only a little, which she once had but had long lost, and what others could never get. When considering things, even if it means compromising the overall situation, the emperor would still slightly favor Xiang Fei.

  The Empress Dowager Xiao endured the heartache and put on a worried expression, saying to the Emperor: "Your Majesty should wait quietly for a while. Concubine Shang's labor started at dawn, but until now, the child has not been born yet. The imperial physician said it was a difficult delivery..."

  "Difficult birth!" Tuoba Hong's anger surged up: "Where is that Lan Shi by her side? Normally serving so carefully, yet something goes wrong at the critical moment?"

  "Your Majesty, please calm down." The empress hastily consoled: "It's just that there are signs of a difficult birth, the imperial physicians are still diagnosing and treating, and it's not yet critical for Consort Xiang. Giving birth is originally a difficult thing for women, many people take several days and nights to give birth, Your Majesty can rest assured and wait a bit, perhaps good news will arrive immediately."

  Tuoba Hong sat down in the main seat vacated by the Empress, his face cold. He gave a chilly glance to the crowd and had them wait while he summoned an imperial physician from inside to ask questions.

  The concubines saw the emperor's anger and were all silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to make a sound. The situation in the inner palace was precarious, with Xiang Fei's life hanging in the balance, while the atmosphere outside was also extremely oppressive, making the entire Lin Zhi Palace shrouded in gloom.

  Xiang Fei gave birth to such a big thing, the entire imperial hospital's royal doctors except for those who went to Chang Le Palace to take the pulse, all came to Lin Zhi Palace. The royal doctor who came out to report was Liang Shouchang's disciple, named Zhang Ren, a very young medical officer, but it is said that he has some skills.

  Tuoba Hong was already very annoyed, and he immediately scolded Zhang Yiguan: "You are being supported in the palace to ensure the health of the masters, but you are idle and do not do practical things. Over the years, I have had many children, most of whom died in the womb. Every time, you did not fulfill your duties! A certain Shen family stirred up trouble and poisoned people, yet you doctors gave pulse diagnoses to the concubines every day, but your medical skills were mediocre and could not diagnose the condition. Now that Empress Xiang is pregnant again, are you going to repeat the same mistake?"

  Tuoba Hong was not worried about Xiang Fei's child, but rather that Xiang Fei would die in childbirth. He had just executed Shen Shi, and if Xiang Fei died a difficult death, what could he use to stabilize the harem?

  Dr. Zhang knew that the Emperor was upset about the Shen family's affair and was just looking for an excuse to vent his anger. He had always been calm and composed, and he wasn't too flustered at this moment either. First, he kowtowed and apologized, then spoke clearly: "Consort Sheng is clear-headed and her body isn't weak, Your Majesty shouldn't be too pessimistic." After thinking for a moment, he explained: "Consort Sheng was poisoned during pregnancy and hurt her body, this child doesn't look good either, so it's not unexpected that she's having a difficult labor. Also, Consort Sheng's belly is very big, according to past experience, it should be due to excessive nourishment during pregnancy, causing the fetus to grow too large, making childbirth more difficult. However, it's still far from being critical, and Consort Sheng is still trying her best to give birth, the midwives are all helping her relax, I estimate that there will be a turn for the better later."

  Dr. Zhang spoke calmly and objectively, which somewhat calmed down Tuoba Hong. He closed his eyes slightly, replayed the situation in his mind, and asked again: "Based on your judgment, if it's really critical, how confident are you that you can ensure the safety of both mother and child?"

  Dr. Zhang had been serving in the palace for three or four years, and he had seen many concubines giving birth. He also often listened to his master's teachings, so he naturally understood what was going on. When he heard the emperor ask such a question, he knew it was about protecting both the big and small ones.

  This is an imperial palace, not an ordinary home. The birth of a princess naturally ensures the continuation of the royal lineage. It's not uncommon for the child to be cut out of their mother's belly with scissors in order to save the baby.

  He replied in a measured tone, "If it really comes down to the last resort... Imperial Physician Wang is an expert in obstetrics and gynecology, especially skilled at handling difficult births. With medication to induce labor, there's an 80% chance of saving the imperial heir. If the situation is truly dire, there's still one final option: a cesarean section. In the previous emperor's time, Wu Zetian gave birth via C-section; now, Empress Liu is only slightly weaker than usual, but otherwise no different from any other woman."

  Doctor Zhang's words made more than half of the concubines in the house take a cold breath, and then they felt a sense of sorrow. However, such things are most common in the imperial family, if they become pregnant and have a difficult birth in the future, their fate will probably be the same.

  Tuoba Hong listened and couldn't help but laugh and cry. He didn't mean to keep the imperial heir, if he left the child alone, the Shangguan family had an emperor in their hands, who knows what they would do in the future.

  In front of so many people, he didn't dare to ask further. So he could only say: "Doctor Zhang, go back and guard, I want to see Queen Sheng and her child safe."

  Officer Zhang retreated at the sound. At this time, palace maid Lan Tui flashed out from the inner hall, her face covered in sweat, her hair disheveled, and she rushed forward to kowtow to the emperor. Emperor Tuoba Hong looked at her with a hint of anger: "I entrusted Sheng Fei to you, but you served your master like this? It's said that Lan's medical skills are unmatched, come tell me, can Sheng Fei have a safe delivery?"

  Xiang Fei had been in labor for a long time without giving birth, and Lan Tui was already exhausted in the palace. At this moment, she only cared about Xiang Fei's life and didn't care if the emperor would be angry with her. She knelt down in front of the emperor and anxiously said: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty... it's my fault, I'm useless. This pregnancy of Concubine Xiang is indeed a bit difficult..."

  Tuoba Hong's eyes narrowed slightly: "Speak clearly, why is your master having a difficult birth?" As he spoke, his expression was stern and he swept his gaze over the concubines present: "If Consort Yuansheng has been poisoned or something else, just speak out, I will take charge of it."

  This remark made the concubines tremble with fear, and it was clear that Empress Xiang's position in the emperor's heart was not ordinary, nor could they be compared to her. If today's investigation really uncovered a case, if Empress Xiang really had an accident... The emperor's anger would not know how many people would be implicated!

  Everyone's eyes were fixed on Palace Maid Lan Tui, staring at every word that came out of her mouth. For a moment, everyone in the grand hall was in danger.

  The kneeling blue peony's expression flickered, and after a long time, she stammered: "Your Highness...she...it was because of her physical condition that she had a difficult labor..."

  She couldn't continue speaking and was tongue-tied. Lan Tui's heart was already frightened to the extreme, and she didn't dare say the real reason why Master had a difficult childbirth.

  "This is even more absurd! Taohong scolded: "What nonsense! Xiangfei has always been in good health, and her first pregnancy was extremely smooth. How can she have a different physique today? Even if she had been poisoned by Yinsi's poison, you assured me at the time that after the toxin was removed, it would only make her body weaker and wouldn't affect the fetus!" He coldly snorted: "If anything happens to Xiangfei today, all of you incompetent doctors will be buried with her!"

  Lan Ru shed tears without speaking, and kept kowtowing incessantly.

  At this moment, a little palace maid holding hot towels and other things came out from the side hall corner door, her feet hurriedly and hastily, and she accidentally fell in front of everyone, with things scattered all over the floor. The whole room was filled with masters, and she was so frightened that she quickly knelt down to apologize.

  Tuoba Hong looked over with displeasure, and the eunuch in charge of the imperial guards had already stepped forward to suppress the palace maid. Lin Yuanyuan gazed from a distance, but felt that this palace maid seemed somewhat familiar. One of the consorts whispered: "Isn't this the medical woman Liu Shi from Changxin Palace?"

  The empress had not yet reacted, but as soon as she heard the three words "Changxin Palace", she also looked over and saw that it was indeed someone from her own palace. The Changxin Palace had always been strict in governing its subordinates, and now this little medical girl was so daring as to offend the emperor's dignity in front of so many people, and the emperor was still in a rage. The empress immediately became embarrassed and furious, pointing at her and saying: "Still not quickly dragging her away! What kind of appearance is this in front of the emperor, you have lost face for Changxin Palace!"

  Because of the crisis that Xiang Fei encountered, this female doctor was sent from Changxin Palace to help, so she appeared in Linzhi Palace at this time. She didn't dare to argue, and the attendants on the side came forward to hold her and drag her out. Wang Dehai, the head of Changxin Palace, stepped forward to clean up the mess.

  However, Wang Dehai had just picked up the things on the ground and suddenly handed a paper note to the empress, saying: "Your Majesty, this seems to be an important thing. Liu Yifu was originally going to serve Empress Sheng, these handkerchiefs and basins were broken, but this paper looks like a prescription..."

  Liu Yiniang suddenly remembered and hastily stepped forward to take the paper, saying: "Oh dear, I completely forgot! This is the medicine that Empress Sheng wants to take, I was just about to give it to the imperial physician."

  "What a muddle-headed person!" The empress was even more embarrassed: "Can't even remember the important things about her master, and looks so clumsy! Get out quickly, and don't come to Changxin Palace to serve again in the future!"

  Liu Yiniang's side was originally a small matter, but Tuoba Hong's heart was in a mess, and he didn't have the mood to deal with the palace maid's mistake, so he remained silent and waited for the empress to handle it.

  "Wow, this prescription looks like a good one, and it even has Snow Lotus on it." The empress hastily glanced at the prescription and handed it to Wang Dehai, instructing him in a deep voice: "Quickly, take it inside and present it to the imperial physician. Consort Sheng will be relying on it to decoct medicine later, if there's any delay, I won't forgive you lightly."

  Wang Dehai didn't dare to be slow, and hastily carried the things in. The empress behind him muttered to herself with a hint of doubt: "This prescription is good, but it doesn't seem like an inducing labor one..." As she spoke, her face changed in shock, and she hurriedly ordered those around her: "Quick! Call Little De back! This palace feels that the prescription isn't right, if it's used incorrectly it will be even more terrible!"

  At this time, Tuoba Hong also listened to the words and looked over. In just one moment, Wang Dehai was pulled back by another eunuch, still holding the prescription in his hand. Tuoba Hong said impatiently: "Nowadays, these servants are becoming more and more useless! The little doctor girl is clumsy, Lan Rui is self-satisfied with her medical skills but can't even protect the master and child, and the people in the inner hospital can't even get a prescription right! No wonder you can't serve Empress Xiang well!" He pointed at Zhang Yishan and said: "Since the empress thinks it's not right, come take a look at this thing and see if there's anything wrong with it!"