Chapter 50 (None)

Consort Li was buried according to the rank of a talented woman, but the rear garden was too cramped to handle the funeral arrangements. The Xiefang Pavilion remains empty to this day. After Consort Lin reported to Emperor Yuanming, she set up Consort Li's mourning hall in the Xiefang Pavilion.

Palace etiquette is strict. After the death of Consort Gao, she was buried according to the standards for a Beauty, and her body was laid to rest in the main house. Consort Li, being of lower rank, had her mourning hall set up in the west wing.

Two days later, after having breakfast, Jiang Ling went to Xiefang Pavilion to pay his respects.

Upon reaching the front of the main house, Jiang Ling stopped and looked around.

In springtime, the plants in Xiefang Pavilion are bursting with life. The osmanthus tree in the main courtyard, which has not been pruned for a long time, grows lush and unrestrained.

He returned shortly after, still because of a funeral.

"Would you like to go in and take a look, my beauty?" Wenjuan saw the loneliness on Jiang Ling's face and thought she was reluctant to leave, so she stepped forward and asked with concern.

Jiang Ling shook her head. "I'm not going."

She can't go back.

In the imperial harem, everyone was vying to climb the ranks.

Jiang Ling was no exception; he had long since abandoned his unrealistic idea of ​​living a low-key life without competing or fighting for anything.

She has gone to a better place and hopes never to return.

Jiang Ling walked towards the west courtyard without turning his head. Although the palace buildings were regularly swept and cleaned, they had been uninhabited for some time, and the gray tiles and red walls always seemed to be covered with a layer of dust. Amidst the strong smell of incense and paper money, a rotten smell would occasionally waft out.

As the weather warmed up, an ice chest was placed in the mourning hall, and a chill immediately penetrated upon entering. The coffin was still made of cypress wood, its specifications slightly inferior to those of a high-ranking official. After the noblewoman finished mourning, she went to the reed shed to rest, where several eunuchs and maids tended the incense burner.

Jiang Ling lit incense and went to pay her respects at Consort Lin's reed hut. When Xiu Yun saw her arrive, she quickly lifted the curtain.

When Consort Lin saw Jiang Ling, she got up and came out, saying, "The smell of cooking is so strong that I feel dizzy. I was planning to go out for some fresh air. If you're not in a hurry, Consort Jiang, would you like to come with me for a walk?"

"Your Majesty, you've worked hard. Please take care of yourself." Jiang Ling said politely as she walked out with Consort Lin.

Consort Lin walked towards the main house. The old palace maid guarding the gate hurriedly stepped forward to pay her respects, but she waved her hand and said, "There's no need for you to come forward to serve me."

Xiuyun, who was accompanying them, stopped in her tracks, and Jiang Ling also gestured to Wenjuan, asking her to wait at the door.

"It's being said in the palace that Xiefang Pavilion is unlucky." Consort Lin walked to the osmanthus tree, looked up at the lush green leaves, and said, "This osmanthus tree is growing so well, so full of life. Even the weeds are growing more luxuriantly than elsewhere. Consort Jiang used to live here. People can nurture houses and flowers and plants. I'm afraid the unlucky thing is the people."

Jiang Ling looked at the osmanthus tree carefully, gestured, and said, "It really grows well. When I was here, the tree was only a head taller than me. After the osmanthus blossoms in autumn, I harvested a lot of osmanthus flowers, and there are still quite a few left."

"Consort Jiang has such a dignified bearing," Consort Lin said sincerely, looking at Jiang Ling.

Jiang Ling didn't understand why Consort Lin was praising her, and politely replied, "Compared to Your Highness, I am far inferior."

Consort Lin smiled, turned and walked towards the main house. After climbing the steps, she did not go inside, but sat down on the railing, patted the spot next to her, and said, "Consort Jiang, please sit down as well."

Jiang Ling used to sit on the railing in a daze. She went up and sat down. For a moment, she felt a complex mix of emotions.

Consort Lin said softly, "The abbess Jingyi from the Imperial Temple sent someone to the palace to report that Su Yue of the Su family caught a cold last winter and has been ill ever since. As the weather warmed up, her cough persisted, and there was even blood in her phlegm. The imperial physician went to examine her and estimated that she did not have long to live."

"Su Yue?" Jiang Ling was taken aback, and the details of his confrontation with Su Yue flashed before his eyes.

Consort Lin sighed, “Even a concubine who makes a mistake is still a concubine. I went to report to the Emperor, but he is so busy with state affairs that it is inevitable that he will not remember some people clearly. When the Emperor remembered, he was very sad and ordered the Imperial Temple to chant more sutras and pray for Su Yue.”

Emperor Yuanming had already forgotten Su Yue; her life or death was of no importance to him.

"Alas, Consort Li is still not blessed. Although she was demoted from Jieyu to Consort, she still lives in the inner palace and has people to serve her."

Consort Lin sighed, turned her head to look at Jiang Ling, and asked with a puzzled expression, "How could such a healthy person suddenly be poisoned?"

“I also find it strange.” Jiang Ling echoed, then frowned and said, “These days I keep thinking about it. The back garden is planted with wolfberry. Doctor Wu said that wolfberry sap will cause itching and swelling if it gets on your hands, and if you eat it, you will definitely be poisoned.”

Consort Lin paused, staring intently at Jiang Ling. "Does Consort Jiang suspect that she took poison herself?"

"I'm not a royal physician, nor can I solve cases; I'm just idly thinking." Jiang Ling is no longer the same as before; while they can speak in eighteen roundabout ways, she can speak in three.

"Physician Wu said that the goji berries could be used as medicine, and that it wouldn't kill her immediately after ingesting them. Consort Li isn't a three-year-old child; she sensed something was wrong and started making a fuss long ago. Alas, why didn't she say a word? And Han Dan, who serves by her side, also became mute. I heard that the Emperor plans to catch the parasites in the imperial gardens. Did Consort Li hear the news and worry that her husband might be distracted and ingest the goji berries without even realizing it?"

Consort Lin looked at Jiang Ling expressionlessly, then slowly smiled and said, "Handan went to the Palace Administration Office, and after only a few questions, she was so frightened that she killed herself by banging her head against a wall."

Consort Li and Handan spent every day together in the same room; there was absolutely no way she wouldn't have known. Oleander has an onset process: first vomiting and diarrhea, then the toxins enter the bloodstream, causing damage to the heart or nerves.

Neither Han Dan nor Consort Li showed any abnormalities in their exposed skin, ruling out the possibility that they had ingested juice. Therefore, oleander leaves or roots might have been found in their vomit. Neither Han Dan nor Consort Li mentioned Gou Na from beginning to end; she ultimately sacrificed herself to gain the Emperor's mercy, hoping he would spare the Li family.

It is alleged that Consort Zhao was the one who poisoned the woman, because Consort Li had a personal grudge against her, and because she was advised by someone else.

Consort Li didn't include Jiang Ling in the list. Later, Jiang Ling thought about it and realized that if she pointed to too many people, it would be a waste of her efforts.

After all, Consort Zhao had given birth to a prince, and Jiang Ling was at the height of her power. Emperor Yuanming would certainly not sacrifice two important consorts for a disfavored concubine.

Moreover, Jiang Ling rarely left the house, and only A Ruo Fang He served her. Consort Li accused her of poisoning him, but this backfired.

Consort Lin reacted quickly, saying, "The fact that Consort Li was able to find out about the Emperor catching the garden insects so quickly means that the harem is completely sieve-like. Consort Jiang is truly clever, able to think of such a thing."

Jiang Ling dared not be presumptuous. She only had more medical knowledge than Consort Lin. With Consort Lin's intelligence, she probably already suspected that Consort Li's death was suspicious.

Judging from Consort Lin's implied meaning, the mastermind behind Consort Li's death was the same person.

The Jiang family is about to arrive in the capital. Jiang Wenxiu, being an official, will eventually have to accept the imperial decree to take up his post. Jiang Ling thinks it would be best for him to go to the imperial gardens, where she can barely keep an eye on things while he is in the palace.

If Emperor Yuanming were to soften his heart and let the Li family go, Jiang Wenxiu would lose his job.

The death of Consort Li was entirely based on her speculation and deduction, without any concrete evidence. She also lacked the ability to investigate, couldn't afford to offend the mastermind behind it all, and wouldn't dare to step forward.

Jiang Ling came to offer incense and pay respects, also to see Consort Lin and have this conversation with her.

As for what Consort Lin thought, whether she felt she was being used or was there to discuss matters, Jiang Ling didn't care.

They suffered greater losses than she did, and she had been pushed forward several times; it was their turn eventually.

"I must return to the west wing. It's cool by the railing. Consort Jiang has been sitting for too long. Let's go." As she spoke, Consort Lin stood up and walked outside.

Jiang Ling also got up and left. The two said goodbye at the door and went their separate ways.

Leaving Xiefang Pavilion, Jiang Ling walked into the alleyway, where Consort Duan approached, surrounded by palace maids. She stopped, curtsied, and said, "Oh, what a coincidence to meet Consort Jiang here."

Jiang Ling ignored Consort Duan and nodded to her, "Consort Duan."

"Did Consort Jiang go to Xiefang Pavilion to pay respects to Consort Li?" Consort Duan seemed quite interested, looking towards the opposite side of the alley, and said, "I heard before that Consort Jiang suffered a lot of humiliation at Consort Li's hands. I never expected that Consort Jiang is so kind-hearted and forgiving, and went to pay respects to Consort Li in person."

"Yes, Lady Duan is right. I have always been kind-hearted." Jiang Ling readily admitted, seeing the sarcasm in Lady Duan's words.

Duan Cairen had probably never encountered such a situation before, and she froze on the spot. Her face, as tender as a budding branch, flushed red and then white.

Jiang Ling smiled and walked forward. When she passed Consort Duan, she paused slightly and said with a half-smile, "Consort Li used to live in Cuiwei Pavilion. I wonder if she has ever returned to leave her mark."

Duan Cai's face turned deathly pale instantly, his bright eyes widened in terror, and he screamed in a fit of rage, "You!"

It turns out that in the Great Yin Dynasty, after someone died, their ghost would collect all the footprints left in all the places they had been in their lifetime before they could be reincarnated in peace.

"You little brat!" Jiang Ling was overjoyed to have frightened Consort Duan. Without even glancing at her, he leisurely walked away.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Fanying Pavilion, A'Ruo was rushing out when she saw Jiang Ling return. She hurriedly said, "My lady, I was just about to look for you. The Emperor has sent someone to say that your father has entered the palace and requests that you go to Chuigong Hall."

Jiang Ling said "Okay," and turned to walk towards the Chuigong Hall.

Although I was mentally prepared for the Jiang family to come to Beijing, I was still uneasy.

The Jiang family and she were now in the same boat, sharing weal and woe. It was because of her that they were summoned to the capital by Emperor Yuanming to be caught in this vortex.

Fearing they would be implicated, she carried their fate on her shoulders from that moment on.

She was afraid that she would be implicated by them and end up like Su Yue, Consort Li, and Consort Gao.

The main thing is that Jiang Ling knows nothing about them. Now only Jiang Xiuwen has entered the palace, and she will have to face her mother, Xue, and her sister-in-law, Tao.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ling's breathing became uncontrollable and difficult, and she felt uncomfortable all over.

Emperor Yuanming was in his study, with Huang Liang standing guard at the door. When he saw Jiang Ling arrive, he greeted her with a smile and stepped forward to lift the curtain: "Consort Jiang has arrived. His Majesty is waiting for Consort Jiang."

Jiang Ling forced a smile and entered the imperial study.

Emperor Yuanming sat behind his desk, and below it sat a middle-aged man in a worn, pea-green official robe. His hands rested awkwardly on his knees, and he sat stiffly in the chair like a piece of wood.

After Jiang Ling entered the room, he kept his head still and tried hard to turn his eyes to look at her, his eyes slowly following her movements.

After Jiang Ling curtsied to Emperor Yuanming, he stood up abruptly, raised his hand in a deep bow, and said in a hurried, loud voice, "Your subject Jiang Xiuwen greets Consort Jiang."

Emperor Yuanming was startled by his movement and leaned back. Jiang Ling was also startled, and his lips twitched involuntarily as he secretly began to worry.

Jiang Xiuwen seemed to be just as unintelligent as she was.