Chapter 314

Chapter 314 Xie Run found this quite remarkable upon hearing it. Since when had the Emperor become such a magnanimous person who held no grudges? Xie Run: "Go have the Imperial Kitchen prepare several of the Emperor's favorite breakfast dishes. He'll likely come to our palace shortly." Although Eunuch Chunjuan was somewhat puzzled, he still followed his mistress's orders. The Imperial Kitchen staff were quite confused and specifically asked Chunjuan about it. "Eunuch Chunjuan, the duck-waist mushrooms, cherry pork with yam, and lotus seed eight-treasure duck aren't dishes Her Ladyship favors. Could you have made a mistake, Eunuch?" "This servant remembers that Her Ladyship prefers light fare in the morning and has never cared for this type of food. Please instruct this servant, Eunuch." "If this servant errs and displeases Her Ladyship, that would be a minor matter. But if Her Ladyship cannot enjoy her breakfast properly, that would be a grave offense." Chunjuan tapped the eunuch's hat with his horsetail whisk. "No mistake. These very dishes, plus a fresh soup." "Her Ladyship woke up today feeling her palate was bland and specifically wanted something with stronger flavors." He cast a sidelong glance at the fox-like old eunuch. "Don't worry, you won't take the blame. In fact, you'll likely receive rewards aplenty." Hearing these words, the old eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen was overjoyed, repeatedly calling out to Eunuch Chunjuan and stuffing quite a few snacks into his mouth and sleeves. Eunuchs always had to wait until their masters finished eating before they could eat themselves. But they were human too—coming to work at the crack of dawn, they were bound to have cravings and empty stomachs. These experienced old eunuchs knew to seize opportunities to curry favor with food; it was all about social grace and worldly wisdom. By the time Chunjuan led the servants carrying the meal back to Zhaohua Palace, he saw the Emperor seated at the head of the hall drinking tea, dressed in a bright yellow long robe. Chunjuan hurriedly led the servants in a bow. Xie Run was dressed simply today, her delicate brows lightly traced, exuding gentleness and grace. She wore a pear-blossom-colored gown trimmed with gold—the gold not conveying wealth, but rather making the gown appear even more elegant and ethereal. Her hair was adorned with a jade hairpin, carrying a bone-deep warmth and tenderness. She gently raised her hand: "Set the meal first." Chunjuan stole a glance at the Emperor's expression from the corner of his eye, and only when he saw no anger did he rise and lead the servants in setting the table. He hadn't understood before, but now looking at the dishes on the table, Chunjuan had to silently marvel at his mistress's uncanny foresight. The Emperor had gone to Cining Palace for breakfast early in the morning—who could have imagined he would still come to Zhaohua Palace to eat? If the meal hadn't been prepared in advance and they had to fetch it then, who knew how much time would be wasted going back and forth, and it would easily spoil the Emperor's mood. Seeing the dishes laid out on the table, the Emperor gave Xie Run a meaningful look. Xie Run pretended not to notice, picking up her chopsticks to place a bite of food on the Emperor's plate. "Your Majesty is busy with state affairs, but you must not forget to take care of your own health." "My mother often told me that if one eats well and sleeps well, then nothing under heaven is truly a problem." The Emperor smiled faintly. "If those old fellows in the Imperial Study heard that, they'd stop bothering me altogether. They could just eat and drink all day with nothing to worry about." Xie Run cast him a sidelong glance. "Your Majesty doesn't believe it?" The Emperor: "I believe it. You and Taotao are both the same—eat well, drink well, lie down, and even if the sky fell, you probably couldn't be roused." Xie Run's face flushed slightly. When Chunjuan had led the servants to fetch the meal, Xie Run had grown drowsy while doing her hair. Thinking she didn't need to pay her respects today, she had her hair ornaments removed and went straight back to the bed for a return nap. Who would have known the Emperor would arrive even earlier than she'd expected? He entered the bedchamber, calling to her and pinching her nose, and it took a good while before he managed to wake Xie Run. Xie Run was dazed for a long moment before Dantao informed her that she had been sleeping so soundly that the Emperor's arrival hadn't startled her in the slightest. Xie Run gave a soft, reproachful pout: "Your Majesty, do hurry and eat!" "You're trying to shut me up with food?" Xie Run: "Then will Your Majesty eat or not?" The Emperor smiled and picked up a bite to eat. Seeing that he seemed to be in a fairly good mood, she guessed that things at Cining Palace were likely quite unpleasant. That mother and son pair never seemed to have truly harmonious moments. Sure enough, it wasn't until the Emperor finished his breakfast and left for the Imperial Study that Xie Run received word. The Emperor hadn't just gone to Cining Palace for breakfast that morning—he had also given the Empress Dowager a good dose of anger. Xiaoshu's intelligence was delivered with considerable excitement: "His Majesty asked the Empress Dowager about the Gut-Rending Powder matter at Chonghua Palace in Cining Palace." "The Empress Dowager said she knew nothing of it, so His Majesty said that since this was trouble stirred up by people in the Retired Emperor's harem, it wouldn't be proper for him to investigate it himself, and he instructed the Empress Dowager to look into it." "His Majesty also said in front of the Empress Dowager that the person who planted the Gu parasites on Lady Hua and the Fifth Prince took Gut-Rending Powder to commit suicide, and that this was likely connected to the matter as well—so he might as well have the Empress Dowager investigate that too." A mischievous idea suddenly popped into Xie Run's head. She parted her lips and said softly: "His Majesty certainly cannot be unfilial to the Empress Dowager. But if he were perfectly filial, he himself would be uncomfortable." The Emperor could never hand over authority to the Empress Dowager to manage the Six Palaces—he wouldn't even allow her to get her hands on it. Xie Run: "Since one can neither be unfilial nor overly filial, the best solution is to keep the Empress Dowager busy so she has no time to scheme for power." "Having the Empress Dowager investigate the sordid affairs of the Retired Emperor's harem..." Xie Run couldn't help but smile. "That truly is a wonderful idea." Whenever anything unfavorable was investigated, it would be laid at the Retired Emperor's feet, leaving the Empress Dowager with no face to show anyone. If nothing came of the investigation, then the Emperor had even more reason to keep the Empress Dowager out of Six Palaces affairs. Most importantly! Xie Run had led the Six Palaces in cleaning out the palaces, unearthing no telling how many unsavory things. If the Emperor handed all of that to the Empress Dowager to handle, having her investigate piece by piece, she could well be at it from age fifty to eighty. The Emperor didn't believe his own mother would still have the energy to contend with the Empress for power at eighty. If she did, he could simply find more evidence of wrongdoing for the Empress Dowager to investigate! Thinking it over, he had Lady Hua to thank for making a fuss over the discovery of the Gut-Rending Powder—otherwise, where would the Emperor find such a convenient excuse? Xie Run's guess hit the Emperor's intentions right on the mark. In the days that followed, not only did the Emperor assign the Empress Dowager tasks on a set schedule, he also dropped by Cining Palace every few days to ask about her progress. He was just like a stingy landlord who checked daily whether his hired hand had shown up for work on time. He pushed the Empress Dowager so hard that she could only feign illness and show weakness. Of course, that came later. After seeing off the Emperor, Xie Run changed into a pink gauze dress, added a few pieces of jewelry, and, once she looked suitably presentable, took her attendants to Chanyun Pavilion to visit Lady Hua. With Lady Hua gravely ill, Xie Run, as a sister of the palace, naturally had to make some show of concern. At the main gate of Fanghua Palace, Xie Run ran straight into Fang Yuan'er. Xie Run wore a gentle smile. "It's been a while, Sister Fang. You've finally put on some flesh—you look much more spirited now." The Emperor had placed Fang Yuan'er under house arrest back when he was still in the prince's mansion. But after entering the palace, he hadn't paid her much mind. And since there was no explicit decree, Fang Yuan'er continued to come and go as usual. Fang Yuan'er's dark, sunken eyes fixed on Xie Run. After a long pause, she said, "It's been a while. You don't seem to have changed much?" Xie Run: "Is that so? I'll take that as a compliment from Sister Fang." Fang Yuan'er had never been one for idle talk. She asked Xie Run directly, "Do you believe me now?" Even without Fang Yuan'er spelling it out, Xie Run knew she was referring to Wan Linlang still being alive. Seeing Xie Run stay silent, Fang Yuan'er let out a faint laugh. "She knows how to craft Gu, but she's not skilled at it, because the old witch she learned poison and Gu from died long ago." "Originally, that Gu was meant to poison you and your son. But I was lucky—the milk custard sent over was snatched up by Lady Hua, and I escaped that calamity. Otherwise, the one lying in there today would be me." "In all the world, the only person who has offended both you and me at once, and hates us enough to want us dead by stealth, is her—there is no second!" Xie Run looked at her calmly. "I naturally believe Sister Fang's words. It's just that one thing still puzzles me." Fang Yuan'er: "Speak!" "How did Concubine Wan have such extraordinary means to reach into the imperial kitchen? If she'd only tampered with the tribute porcelain, that might be possible." "But without someone inside the imperial kitchen working in collusion with her, how could she know which porcelain held the Gu parasite and which didn't? And how did she happen to have milk custard prepared for both Zhaohua Palace and Fanghua Palace?" Fang Yuan'er fell silent. She too had wondered about this, and to this day still hadn't figured it out, so she had no explanation to offer. Before leaving, Xie Run asked one more question: "Sister Fang, were you heading out to meet someone?" Fang Yuan'er gave a cold laugh. "Who in the palace doesn't keep their distance from me these days? Who would I go out to meet?" "I'm merely idle with nothing to do and don't want to catch any bad luck lingering in Fanghua Palace." From the sound of it, she'd had another falling out with Lady Hua? Xie Run smiled. She was a bit curious inwardly, but didn't let it show on her face. She was about to lead her attendants inside when a thought suddenly struck her. "Sister Fang." Fang Yuan'er paused at the address and stopped in her tracks. Xie Run said slowly, "Lady Hua is bedridden and unconscious—she'll likely need to rest in Chanyun Pavilion for some time and won't be moving back to Chonghua Palace anytime soon." "With two Nine Concubines living in Fanghua Palace, it's truly inconvenient and not conducive to harmony across the Six Palaces." "Per the Empress's arrangements, someone will have to move out. I wonder if Sister Fang has made any early plans?" Given Hua Yu's current condition, if anyone was to move, it would have to be Fang Yuan'er. If Fang Yuan'er seized the opportunity to take the initiative in the relocation, her days ahead would be somewhat easier. Fang Yuan'er was taken aback, then gave a faint smile. "Thank you for the reminder." Xie Run smiled lightly and led her attendants through the gates of Fanghua Palace. Fang Yuan'er didn't hurry off. Instead, she stood in place, staring at Xie Run's retreating figure for a long while, until the Zhaohua Palace party disappeared from view. After a long moment, Fang Yuan'er suddenly asked, "Qiuxiang, would you say Xie Run is still the same as when she first entered the mansion?" Aside from finer silks and a few more hairpins, Fang Yuan'er felt Xie Run looked much the same as when she'd first arrived. Only after asking did she realize Qiuxiang was gone. Ever since Qiuxiang had carried the Third Prince out through the side gate of the prince's mansion, and the Third Prince had been seized as a hostage by Prince An's faction, there had been no word of Qiuxiang. Or perhaps there had been word, but the Emperor had dealt with it. Either way, from the moment Qiuxiang stepped out of the mansion's gate, there was no turning back. Fang Yuan'er gave a self-deprecating smile. "She really hasn't changed at all." It was she herself who had become unrecognizable. Sometimes, looking at the person in the mirror, Fang Yuan'er would wonder—was that really her? When Xie Run arrived at Chan Yun Xuan, she was led by Lady Hua's maidservant into the main hall to sit and drink tea. Hua Yu wasn't clever, and she always had her own little schemes, never heeding others' advice. That was why the palace attendants around her changed frequently, and those who stayed weren't particularly bright either—though the upside was that they harbored no ill intentions. Everyone in Chan Yun Xuan, following their foolish mistress, threw all their efforts into pleasing the Emperor. This poisoning and collapse was truly a bolt from the blue. Xie Run sat in Chan Yun Xuan drinking tea while Lianqiao, Lady Hua's senior maidservant, tearfully lamented to her: "Everyone outside says my mistress was being arrogant, relying on the Emperor's favor to disregard rank and snatch Xiurong Gong's milk custard, and that she brought this poisoning upon herself. But my mistress is truly wronged and aggrieved." "When this servant went to the imperial kitchen to fetch the meal, I saw the milk custard and asked about it. The young eunuch on duty said it was for Fanghua Palace." "Coincidentally, my mistress had ordered milk custard, so this servant assumed it was for Chan Yun Xuan. Who could have imagined it was Xiurong Gong's?" Lianqiao said indignantly. "It's clearly the imperial kitchen staff who failed to explain things properly." They only said Fanghua Palace, but two of the Nine Concubines resided there—how was anyone to know who the food was for? "My mistress had only taken one sip when her expression suddenly changed, and she spat out a mouthful of blood. This servant was scared out of her wits and immediately called for the imperial physician." "She only drank that tiny sip, yet even today my mistress remains unconscious. The physician said the Gu parasite is extremely venomous, and the poison has damaged her stomach and intestines. She'll likely have trouble eating and drinking from now on and will need to recuperate slowly." Injuries to the stomach and intestines could not be fully cured—only slowly nursed back to health. It was a long and difficult process. Lianqiao's tearful account had the surrounding attendants wiping their eyes as well. Lianqiao continued: "The physician also said my mistress was relatively fortunate, having only taken a small sip of the milk custard. Had she been stung by that poisonous creature, she might have died on the spot." Xie Run listened with a composed expression, but inwardly her emotions churned violently. After all, if anything had gone wrong back then, everything Lianqiao described would have happened to Taotao instead. Even now, just thinking about it filled her with lingering terror. Xie Run asked, "Has your mistress woken at all?" Lianqiao replied, "She's woken twice. When this servant tried to feed her, she vomited everything back up, sometimes with blood." Xie Run was slightly taken aback. "Has it become this severe?" "If she continues without eating or drinking, how can her body endure it?" Lianqiao's eyes were red-rimmed. "For now, following the physician's instructions, we use a reed tube to feed my mistress some rice gruel. At least it's a little something." "Speaking of which, this method was passed down from your ladyship's elder sister." Xie Run smiled. "Let me go take a look at Sister Hua." Lianqiao immediately lifted the curtain and invited Xie Run inside. Xie Run took one look and came back out. Before leaving, she gave a few words of instruction and departed with her attendants. She and Hua Yu had no particular bond; everything she did now was merely going through the motions. Over at Xie Run's side, everything proceeded as usual, but the imperial kitchen received two waves of rewards at noon. One was from Xie Run at Zhaohua Palace, and the other was from the Emperor. From Zhaohua Palace, Chunjuan led attendants bearing reward silver. The eunuch in charge that morning accepted the reward, grinning from ear to ear. "Would you care to sit down for a cup of tea before you go, Master? The sun is getting strong now—a cup of tea would help ward off the heat." Chunjuan waved a hand. "No tea for me."