CH 92.1

Count Cheng’an residence was currently in an uproar, although thankfully not to the point of panic. The resident doctor was good at treating fevers and megrim, but not so much at physical injuries. The residence steward asked for imperial doctors, but none came, so, cursing in anger, he sent people to call doctors from outside.

When Count Cheng’an was carried back home, everyone in the residence was shocked. Master Count’s waist area was full of blood, and the eunuchs sending him home did not say anything. They left in a hurry after a salute, not even taking the time to take a sip of water.

The steward was anxious, angry, and worried, but there was no-one else at the residence who could make decisions apart from the Master himself. He could only ask the few retainers staying at the residence to make arrangements in the residence.

When things were great, everyone was polite and attentive to them, but once they were down, even imperial doctors avoided them. If this was someone else, the steward could still understand, but this was their own master. Hate and resentment inevitably grew in his heart.

“Grandpa steward,” a pageboy ran over hurriedly, “The doctor is here!”

“Is it the doctor from Pinghe Hall?”

The pageboy shook his head while panting.

“Didn’t I tell you to go to Pinghe Hall?”

“Xiaode was halfway there when Xiaode met people from Jingting residence.” The pageboy busily explained, “They heard Master has a problem and they are bringing their doctor here.”

* Xiaode = This Little One

The steward was overjoyed. He told the pageboy to lead them to Master’s courtyard. The steward felt grateful to Jingting residence; in this critical time, it was Master’s future in-laws who he could rely on.

From the beginning of time, ‘adding flowers to the brocade‘ was often done, but ‘delivering coal during the snowy days’ was rare. At this juncture, Jingting residence was still sending help, openly and in public – this was already much more than others.

T/N – ‘adding flowers to the brocade’ = adding glory or goodness to something already good, while ‘delivering coal during the snowy days’ = helping in time of need.

The steward just turned his head and walked a few steps, when someone reported that Fule Junzhu and Shizi were there.

“Quick, quick, invite them in!” The steward recalled this was the first time Fule Junzhu paid a visit.

Thinking of this, he could not just stand. Turning to the caretaker behind him, he said, “Make a great reception, don’t let even the slightest problem happen!”

“Yes.”

Everyone was in high spirits. Whatever happened today should not be very serious. Master’s fiancee was very favoured by His Majesty; with her around, even if Master had somehow made His Majesty angry, His Majesty would not make things too difficult for Master.

As soon as Ban Hua and Ban Heng entered, they received a warm welcome from the people of the residence. Without a care for her hair that was slightly loose from riding, Ban Hua’s eyes swept over them, and finally chose a middle-aged man dressed like a steward, “How is your Master?”

“Replying to Junzhu, the doctor is currently treating Master’s injury.”

“Take me there.” Ban Hua started walking. She did not know exactly which courtyard Rong Xia lived in, but the houses of titled families followed a certain standard, so she still knew the general direction.

“Junzhu, please this way.” The steward was stunned to find Ban Hua, the guest, acting as if she had been living there. He trotted after her, leading her to Rong Xia’s courtyard.

In the inner courtyard, Rong Xia was lying face down on the bed, with his head to the side to face the two doctors who were standing respectfully in the room. He did not speak, the room was oddly quiet.

“Master,” Du Jiu, who was guarding next to the bed, said, “You… better let the doctors take a look.”

Rong Xia’s eyelids lowered. There was none of the panic or remorse normally shown by an official who was just chastised by the emperor. His face was as calm and emotionless as still water.

After a long time he said, “Please.”

“Dare not.” A doctor hastily saluted, “We are also under Junzhu’s and Shizi’s order.”

“Thanking Junzhu and Shizi for the concern.” Rong Xia’s lips were a bit pale. “Please Doctors come forward.”

The doctors approached. They found the blood on Rong Xia’s back had coagulated with the clothing. Looking at each other gravely, they took out pairs of silver scissors from the medicine box, “Master, the fabric is already stuck to the wound. We are going to cut off the clothing, it will hurt a little. Would you like to use a painkiller?”

“What is the side effect?” Rong Xia understood that if there was no side effect, the doctors wouldn’t have asked.

“Occasional use has no effect, but when the condition is not good, it may affect mental cognition. If used too much it can lead to addiction…”

“No need, please cut.” Rong Xia closed his eyes, “Just make it quick.”

The doctors took a deep breath and gritted their teeth, taking their scissors to the wound to remove the fabrics.

It was the beginning of summer, thus the clothing was thinner and easy to cut. The doctors were relieved to see the injury, as it was the kind that looked frightening, but did not actually hurt the bones or inside the skin. They were ordinary doctors, but they had seen their share of beating injuries. Some injuries might look fine but the victim inexplicably dropped dead after a few days, then after the case went to court and the coroners did their part, it was found the injuries had hurt the victim’s internal organs.

“Master Count, the skin is injured quite badly. We will remove the fabric bit by bit.” Each time a piece of fabric was lifted, blood would ooze out of the skin. The doctors used a cotton gauze to stop the bleeding. It was soon full.

In a short while a pile of bloodied gauze was formed on the floor, yet the wound was only half treated.

“Jun, Junzhu, please wait……”

The door was pushed open, a blast of wind blew into the room, the curtain waved in the wind. Rong Xia opened his eyes and saw the woman in the doorway.

She was dressed plainly. Her hair was in a crooked bun, cheeks slightly flushed. The sunlight behind her was as bright as gold, so bright that his eyes shut in a squint. When he opened his eyes again, the woman had lifted the curtain, approaching his bed.

He stared at her, and was actually dazed.

“Are you alright?”

She stood next to the bed looking at him. Her expression was somewhat intense, as if concerned, but as if there was also another emotion that he couldn’t read. His mind had never been as blank as it was now. He could only senselessly stare at her pair of eyes, as if trying to determine whether she was really there.

“Fule Junzhu.” Du Jiu performed a salute.

Ban Hua saw the muddled mess on Rong Xia’s back. Her eyelids slightly trembled. She turned to Du Jiu, “What happened?”

“I…” Rong Xia spoke up.

“You should stay in bed quietly recuperating,” Ban Hua’s grave eyes glared at Rong Xia. “Either tell your guard not to answer me, or you shut up!”

The elegant and undisputedly manly Rong Xia opened and shut his mouth, finally choosing to wisely shut up.

Du Jiu was dumbfounded to see Rong Xia closing his eyes again. So should he or should he not tell the truth? And even though Rong Xia’s back was full of messy wounds, he was still considered half-naked, with Junzhu barging in full fanfare, who was being improper here?

As Master Count chose to shut up under Junzhu’s imperiousness, Du Ji gritted his teeth, cupped his hands at Ban Hua, “Junzhu, today Master and Yao-daren went to the Palace to meet His Majesty. His Majesty suddenly became furious, saying that Master and Yao-daren failed in teaching the Crown Prince, leading the Crown Prince down a crooked path. In his anger, His Majesty ordered that Master and Yao-daren be beaten.”

“Failed to teach?” Ban Hua frowned, “The Crown Prince is his superior, and older than Rong Xia. Even if it is a failure, why is it Rong Xia’s mistake?”

Du Jiu was silent. A reasonable emperor would not be an emperor.

“What is wrong with the Crown Prince?” Ban Hua felt the Emperor could not have lost his temper without reason, Emperor Yunqing normally was not like that. Or could it be that a sick person could have personality change?

“This…” Du Jiu hesitated, turned to Rong Xia.

“I asked you to tell me, what are you doing looking at him?” Ban Hua flatly said. “If you can, say it. If you can’t, then don’t.”

Rong Xia opened his eyes and looked at Du Jiu.

“There is nothing shuxia can’t say in front of Junzhu.” Du Jiu looked a bit odd, “Last night the Crown Prince was found sleeping with one of His Majesty’s cairen. After it was discovered, the cairen hung herself last night.”

“Hung herself?” Ban Hua raised her eyebrows in surprise, “Which cairen?”

“Lin-cairen.”

* Cairen (lit. talented person) is one of lower-ranked concubine positions.

Ban Hua suddenly remembered, this Lin-cairen received several days of the Emperor’s favour when she first entered the Palace, but because of her troublesome origin, her status in the rear courtyard was never high.

The previous emperor had a Lin-fei who was bestowed a white silk after being accused of practising witchcraft, the current Lin-cairen was of the same clan as Lin-fei. More interestingly, the two Lin ladies came from Rong Xia’s maternal grandmother’s Lin clan.

* Fei (consort) = one of higher-ranked concubine positions. Bestowed a white silk = being ordered to suicide.

Same ancestor, same clan, different branches, different lineages.

Rong Xia’s maternal grandmother married into Lin family, but afterwards she was reduced to a commoner due to being implicated in a struggle for the throne. Lin family had also received the impact.

T/N – A very simplified and butchered rank of harem ladies: Huanghou (empress) > Fei (consorts) > Yi (ladies) > Meiren (beauties) > Cairen (talented ladies). If you’d like to read further, see this Wikipedia entry. This is just an additional note for a feel of how far Lin family had fallen, the daughters they tributed to the Palace used to be fei, and now they were only cairen.

Ban Hua had also wondered if the order for Lin-fei to suicide was really for witchcraft or if it was because she was part of Lin family, dragging her into a tragic end? Unfortunately the truth was known only by the previous emperor.

“So it was her.” Figuring out the cause and effect of the matter, Ban Hua sighed. Rong Xia did not deserve to be the victim of this misfortune, he had grown up all by himself without any association with Lin family. A woman of Lin family entered the Palace to be a concubine, having a dubious relationship with the Crown Prince, and the Emperor had shifted the anger on him.