CH 35

“Drink this bowl of ginger soup.”

“Thanking Master for the bestowment.” Wei Yingluo received the bowl of ginger soup the other party had personally brought to her. She took a small sip. The warmth made her cold body shiver.

“Thankfully, you were around. The flowers in the flowerbed were saved.” The empress looked at her, curious. “But why were you there?”

“Last night, there was a lunar halo. And early in the morning, there were dark clouds in the eastern horizon. Fearing that there would be a storm today and that the flowers would be harmed, I rushed over once I finished sweeping inside and outside the palace,” replied Wei Yingluo in a deferential manner.

Once the empress had heard her words, she sent a sideways glance at Mingyu.

Sweeping both the inside and outside of the palace wasn’t a job for merely one person. At least seven to eight palace maids were needed to do so. Furthermore, if it was like how Wei Yingluo had said, and she finished sweeping these areas early in the morning, then it meant Wei Yingluo had woken up before dawn had broken through the skies… Mingyu, this is different from what you said before.

“Since you knew it would rain today, why didn’t you let others know in advance?” When it was all said and done, Erqing had worked with Mingyu at Changchun Palace for a long time, and wanted to help Mingyu. She asked Wei Yingluo, “If you told everyone earlier, and we were prepared, there wouldn’t have been as many flowers harmed due to the storm.”

There was a limit to the abilities of one person. Although Wei Yingluo had tried her best, in the end, she could not save all of the jasmines. Once the rain fell, so did the petals. As such, the flowerbed was littered with fallen petals.

“I have mentioned it…” Who would have thought Wei Yingluo would respond? Then she glanced at Mingyu, intentionally or otherwise.

Although she did not specifically say who was bullying her, the people in the palace were more observant than others.

Immediately, the empress understood who Wei Yingluo was talking about. Then she glanced at the Erqing who was silent and hanging her head. The empress shook her head lightly. In a gentle tone, she said to Wei Yingluo. “Alright, you can stop working for today. After you finish drinking this ginger soup, take a hot bath and head to bed early. Don’t catch a cold.”

“Many thanks, Your Majesty.” Sure enough, once Wei Yingluo had finished drinking the soup, she walked backwards toward the door before leaving. From start to finish, she never complained about Erqing.

But the empress’ disappointment could not be concealed from her eyes.

“Master, I…” Erqing wracked her brains to attempt to make an excuse for her earlier conduct.

The empress raised her hand, stopping her from explaining. Or perhaps, it was to stop Erqing from treating her like a fool.

“I have eyes. I can see for myself,” said the empress, half warning and half advising. “Remember this: if you talk too much, you are bound to slip up at some point!”

Erqing pretended to be ashamed and lowered her head. But the moment the empress turned around to leave, Erqing looked up, her eyes full of resentment and indignation.

The next day, Wei Yingluo did not catch a cold. However, the empress did, fever and headache and all.

From the muslin curtain came a hand. Head Physician Zhang pressed his fingers onto the underside of the empress’ wrist, examining her pulse. A good while later, he gave his diagnosis by saying, “Your Majesty’s headache and body aches are the result of excessive heat in the lungs. Furthermore, your honored self caught a cold outside. However, it is not serious. In a little while, this official will prescribe a dose of liquid medicine that will dissipate the excessive heat and halt phlegm formation. Fresh ginger and pear will be the main ingredients. The medicine must be taken for at least half a month for Your Majesty to recover.”

The empress leaned on her side behind the curtain. Her voice sounded a bit nasally as she said, “Head Physician Zhang is an impeccable physician, one that cares not about reward, but the good of the people. This palace naturally has no worries. Otherwise, this palace would not have let you treat Noble Lady Yu. Speaking of which, how has her health been?”

“This…” Head Physician Zhang hesitated for a long time before saying, “Your Majesty the empress, Noble Lady Yu often feels dizzy. This official tries hard to nurse her to health. Unfortunately, there are not much results to speak of. The most important thing is that Noble Lady Yu has too heavy a load on her mind, and as such her emotions are imbalanced. If this continues, one would… one would fear…”

“That it would affect her fetus, right?”

Head Physician Zhang sighed. “Yes.”

After having someone escort Head Physician Zhang outside, the empress struggled to get off the bed. “Erqing, help this palace dress.” She coughed twice. “This palace wants to pay a visit to Noble Lady Yu.” More coughs escaped her lips.

“Master absolutely mustn’t. Your honored self just caught a cold and ought to properly recover. How could you go outside in the cold at this time?” said Erqing, rushing to pat her back.

A trace of doubt flashed in the empress’ eyes. She didn’t care about her light illness; rather, she feared infecting Noble Lady Yu with it and affecting her fetus. The empress’ eyes shifted. And her gaze fell upon Mingyu, who was standing in a corner. Following that, the empress said all of a sudden, “Mingyu, take a trip for me.”

Such words startled her. “Me?”

The empress nodded. “Bring the case of tributary ginseng that was just sent to my storehouse. Deliver it to Yonghe Palace. Tell Noble Lady Yu to take care of her fetus. This palace will pay her a visit very soon.”

“…Yes,” replied Mingyu, full of reluctance.

Leaving the storeroom, Mingyu felt completely aggrieved. Such a trivial errand had previously been given to low-ranking palace maids…

At that moment, she stopped in her tracks. Mingyu shouted in front of her, “Come here!”

Wei Yingluo was right in the middle of sweeping the main hall, her hand stopping at the sound of Mingyu’s voice. She made her way toward the other party.

Mingyu lifted her hand with the case of ginseng and threw it. The case made an arc in the air before Wei Yingluo barely caught it.

“Go to Yonghe Palace. Tell Noble Lady Yu that Her Majesty the empress has always been thinking about her, and wants her to take care of her fetus with this. Can you remember this?” Then Mingyu spun on her heel and left at once, not giving Wei Yingluo the chance to even refuse.

However, refusing had never crossed Wei Yingluo’s mind.

It’s been a long time since she had last seen Noble Lady Yu. How this pitiful woman was faring was anyone’s guess.

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Wei Yingluo carried the case of ginseng outside of Changchun Palace, passing by forests on her way to Yonghe Palace. Once she arrived, she noticed that the red front doors were tightly shut. She lifted her hand and knocked on one of the doors. “Her Majesty the empress has instructed me to pay Noble Lady Yu a visit. Please open the doors.”

But no one opened the door even after a long time had passed.

“Noble Lady Yu? Noble Lady Yu?” said Wei Yingluo, knocking on the door again. “Is anyone there?”

Like before, no one responded.

Wei Yingluo felt something was off. The imperial palace wasn’t the same as outside the palace. Even if the master left to pay someone a visit, there would still be a few servants remaining.

As she hesitated at the front doors for a while, yet to decide whether she should continue waiting or whether she should leave, she suddenly heard a clatter on the other side of the door.

A feeling that was anything but reassuring entered her heart. At that moment, Wei Yingluo gritted her teeth and yelled, “Noble Lady Yu, this slave has offended!”

Then she took a step back. Bent her body low. And she used all her strength to bash open the doors. A bang, and the doors swung open. She staggered a few steps, and following that, stood there stunned by the scene before her.

The interior of Yonghe Palace was decorated like a mourning hall.

Joss sticks and candles, tributes to the gods, and plain white cloth. Everything needed for a mourning hall was present. Lying on the ground was even a copper brazier. The fire within had yet to burn out, bit by bit burning ritual money for the dead.

There was even a memorial tablet rolling on the floor. Only the heavens knew whether someone had knocked it down or if it had jumped off by itself. But because of the sound of it hitting the ground, Wei Yingluo had rushed inside in the first place, and then saw…

…Noble Lady Yu lying on the ground, a white cloth coiling around her neck and being pulled up.

A court eunuch straddled on her back as he held the ends of that white cloth. He used a lot of strength; the green veins at the back of his hands bulged.

“What are you doing?!” shouted Wei Yingluo in a stern manner.

It was at this moment that the eunuch realized one other person was present in this room. A terrifying light flashed in his eyes. He abandoned Noble Lady Yu and threw himself over at Wei Yingluo, gripping her neck, actually daring to murder someone!

A blood-curdling screech left the eunuch’s mouth.

He staggered backward, grasping his neck with his right hand. There, a hairpin had pierced through.

Wei Yingluo had never been one to suffer losses. The moment she saw the other party rush her way, she removed her hairpin without a word and stabbed him with it. If he hadn’t avoided in time, that hairpin would have stabbed through his eye.

He pulled out the hairpin. Held it in his hand.

Little by little, Wei Yingluo backed up. She did not have another hairpin in her hair.

All of a sudden, she turned around and ran. As she did, she shouted, “Somebody come, somebody come! There’s an assassin!”

She ran until she left the inner courtyard of the palace. In front was the sound of numerous and disorderly footsteps in approach. Just when Wei Yingluo’s expression grew happy, it froze.

For she had caught sight of a crowd of palace maids and eunuchs before her, escorting a consort who was as beautiful as a Moutan peony. And they were threatening as they neared.

“Noble Consort Hui.” Wei Yingluo’s heart thrashed against her chest. “Why is she here?”

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Although Yonghe Palace was unfrequented, Noble Lady Yu was still a master. Was still a pregnant master. It was unlikely that she would not even have one person waiting on her.

Where did those people go? Who moved them away? Were they being held up, or did someone kill them to silence them?

And there were also these uninvited guests before her eyes…

As they approached, Noble Consort Hui and her entourage saw Wei Yingluo. Noticing Noble Consort Hui frown, Zhilan raised her hand at once and pointed at Wei Yingluo. “Capture her!”

Run!

Wei Yingluo flipped around and sprinted toward the main hall, shutting and locking the doors in a flash. Afterward, she pushed tables and chairs to barricade the doors.

“Men! Bash the doors down!”

“Aye!”

A burst of smashes and rams, one after the other. Like waves crashing faster and faster onto the sea shore.

The situation inside the room wasn’t looking very good either. Seeing Wei Yingluo leave and return to the room, the eunuch from earlier laughed evilly as he threw himself at her direction. The two wrestled for a moment. Fortunately, his neck was injured, blood flowing without end. Wei Yingluo observed this point, and kept pinching his wound.

At the end, the eunuch couldn’t hold on any longer, fainting.

Wei Yingluo gasped for breath. She was in just as bad of a state, hardly better. Her clothes and hair were in extreme disarray, and the eunuch had even stabbed her a few times with the hairpin. Every step she took, her clothes grew more stained in blood. She endured the pain, stumbling to Noble Lady Yu’s side. Supported her up. “Noble Lady, wake up. Wake up.”

But Noble Lady Yu remained unconscious.

“What should I do?” muttered Wei Yingluo. She scanned her surroundings. Finally, her gaze fell upon the brazier that was still burning ritual money for the dead. She hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth. “There’s no other choice. I can only borrow an external force…”

Five minutes later, the entire Forbidden City fell into chaos.

“Hurry, this way! This way!”

“How is that enough water? Get a bigger bucket.”

“Coming, coming!”

Fucha Fuheng, who was just about to visit his sister because of her illness, stopped in his tracks. He grabbed a little eunuch who was in a hurry and asked, “What happened?”

The little eunuch was carrying a wooden bucket full of water. Gasping for breath, he replied, “There… Yonghe Palace is on fire.”

Fucha Fuheng was startled. He turned his head at Yonghe Palace’s direction. Before his eyes, pillars of smoke heading toward the skies.