Chapter 46: Who will share the coldness of the six quilts?

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Yongjia Lane.

The four women were still having dinner. Steam rose from the divided copper pots, and the thinly sliced ​​mutton, as thin as cicada wings, curled up after a quick dip in the boiling water. Dipped in sauce, it was incredibly delicious. There was also frozen tofu and fresh bamboo shoots on the side. Wang Yuying's stomach was bulging without her realizing it. She rubbed it a couple of times. Chu Ying ate even more and stood up, pacing back and forth, muttering, "I'm so full. I need to digest a bit."

"We have chicken gizzard lining and hawthorn pills at home, do you want some?" Shuangtian asked with a smile. Juanxue also said, "That's right, you can take the medicine to aid digestion and then continue with the hot pot."

"Are you trying to kill me?!" Chu Ying said, then suddenly paused, and Wang Yuying also composed herself. Juan Xue and Shuang Tian, ​​hearing this last, asked, "Was someone knocking on the door?"

"Such heavy rain..."

"Chu Ying," Wang Yuying said, lowering her eyes, "go out and take a look in the rain. Don't open the door yet. Come back and tell me before we make a decision. Also, be careful not to get wet."

Chu Ying accepted the order and returned promptly, reporting truthfully: "Immortal Master, an unfamiliar lady has arrived at the gate."

woman?

Don't you recognize me yet?

Wang Yuying sat up straight, thought for a moment, and then opened her umbrella: "I'll go with you to take a look."

Wang Yuying never expected to see her former concubine Zhang Zhen'e at her own doorstep.

She still remembered the first time she saw her in Qingyin Palace. Although she was heavily pregnant, she looked like a young girl, especially her frightened, doe-like eyes.

Later, during festivals and banquets, Zhang Zhen'e always kept her head down, so I never saw her clearly again. I only remembered that her attire became more and more luxurious as her status rose.

Logically speaking, a woman who lives a life of luxury should become more beautiful, or at least age more slowly than a working woman in the countryside. But when Wang Yuying met Zhang Zhen'e's eyes this time, she was shocked – Zhang Zhen'e had aged far too quickly, especially her eyes, which looked particularly dull and lifeless.

Wang Yuying glanced at the heavy rain and cold night behind Zhang Zhen'e and said, "Let's go inside and talk."

As Juanxue Shuangtian was cleaning up the dishes, Wang Yuying asked Shuangtian to make Zhang Zhen'e a pot of hot tea. Seeing Zhang Zhen'e glancing at the hot pot, she asked, "Have you had dinner yet?"

Zhang Zhen'e bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for your concern, Immortal Master. I have already prepared food at home before coming."

The Zhang family lived in the outskirts of the capital, a journey of an hour or two from the city, but since she was lying, Wang Yuying was too lazy to expose her. She sat down in the central chair, and was about to invite Zhang Zhen'e to sit as well, when Zhang Zhen'e suddenly knelt down with a thud: "This humble woman once presumptuously received your favor, causing the Immortal Master and His Majesty to become estranged. This sin is unforgivable even by death!"

She kowtowed three times heavily, her voice trembling as she continued, "As for the matter of my abortion back then, the palace was deserted at the time, with only the Immortal Master and I by the Emperor's side. Rumors, like arrows, all pointed to the Empress. I suddenly lost my child, my internal organs collapsed, and I believed the rumors, convinced that it was the Immortal Master's doing. Later, as time passed and circumstances changed, I pondered it repeatedly..." Zhang Zhen'e knelt down, her forehead and the back of her hands touching the ground, her tone filled with apology, "The Immortal Master is upright and honorable, how could he stoop to such a despicable act? I sensed the truth, but I feared the deep confines of the palace, the unpredictable wrath of the Emperor, and the retaliation of the one who truly poisoned me. I hesitated and remained silent, never daring to speak to His Majesty. Now, I lay bare my heart, not seeking forgiveness, but only wishing that the Immortal Master would know my remorse."

After a long silence, Wang Yuying suddenly asked, "Before you were chosen, did you know His Majesty?"

Zhang Zhen'e dared not conceal the truth and prostrated herself, replying, "I entered the palace at the age of ten and have been working in the Imperial Wardrobe ever since. How could I presume to look upon His Majesty's face? One day, a nanny came to see us and said that she was selected by imperial decree. She said that I have the appearance of a son. I only saw His Majesty for the first time after entering the Qingyin Palace."

Hearing the past again, Wang Yuying couldn't help but grip the armrest tightly with her right hand. Xu Heng was truly a scoundrel!

He's a troublemaker! He's allowed to leave the palace and marry on his own? That sounds nice, but has he ever considered how difficult it is for a woman who's been banished from the palace by the emperor?

Just one word from someone is enough to make a thin-skinned person contemplate suicide.

"Are you having some trouble?" Wang Yuying asked Zhang Zhen'e, looking down at her.

Zhang Zhen'e burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. Wang Yuying was taken aback for a moment, then quickly ordered Shuangtian to hand her a handkerchief and some tea. She then told Zhang Zhen'e to get up, saying, "Get up first, have some tea and calm down. Don't cry, don't be afraid, tell me slowly."

Zhang Zhen'e refused to get up, wiped away her tears, and continued to kowtow: "I have come to seek help from the Immortal Master because I am in dire straits. I have heard that Your Majesty is unwell and I am extremely worried, but I have no way to enter the palace again. I would like to ask the Immortal Master to help me plead before His Majesty. I am willing to serve as a lowly palace maid forever, only asking to be able to personally serve medicine to His Majesty and serve him. I will die without regret."

This was completely opposite to what Wang Yuying had guessed, and she was stunned. It took her a while to recover before she asked, "But after you returned home, your father and brothers didn't accept you?"

The abandoned woman, with nowhere else to go, had no choice but to return to the palace.

Zhang Zhen'e shook her head: "It's not that I can't stay at home. My parents are loving, and my brother and sister-in-law are willing to support me for life. It's just that I want to go back. His Majesty is magnanimous and his grace is boundless. He has not only blessed me but also brought honor to my family. My father and brother often talk about His Majesty's kindness and benevolence. I often think back to the time when His Majesty came to my palace and saw a palace maid dozing off while lighting a lamp. He then relieved her of the trouble of lighting the lamp, saying that the candlestick could be placed on the table to provide light. Such benevolence makes me admire him."

Zhang Zhen'e always had two memories etched in her heart. One was the emperor stepping into Qingyin Palace at dusk. He was tall and upright like a pine tree, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. He was handsome and dashing. The sunlight shone on him, and his dragon robe seemed to shimmer.

Zhang Zhen'e immediately understood what true elegance and dignified bearing were.

How could I not give my heart?

There's another scene where, after she lost her child, she choked on the bitter medicine. The emperor heard this and approached her bedside. Worried that her illness might affect him, she hurriedly bowed and asked him to leave. But the emperor smiled and said it was alright. He took the medicine from the palace maid, sat on the edge of the bed, and personally fed her.

Before feeding her each spoonful, he would carefully blow on it to cool it down, and gently tell her not to be afraid of the bitterness, that he was there for her. How could she not be moved by such a man and fall deeply in love!

“At that time, I was emaciated after my confinement period, and I was afraid that my illness would taint Your Majesty’s countenance. However, Your Majesty did not mind and personally fed me medicine. He would lower his eyes and gently blow on each spoonful. How could I forget such kindness?” Zhang Zhen’e was worried that Wang Yuying would be sarcastic, so she kowtowed again. “I am not saying this to show off Your Majesty’s favor in front of you, Immortal Master. Your Majesty treats everyone with the same kindness and gentle care, but in your heart, you are the one I value most.”

Wang Yuying was far from jealous, and reminded him, "But even without His Majesty, you wouldn't have miscarried."

How come the instigator has become the benefactor?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhen'e looked up at Wang Yuying. It seemed that the Immortal Master was still bothered by the matter of using a surrogate mother and had not yet gotten rid of her prejudice against His Majesty.

“His Majesty is benevolent and loves his people like his own children; this has nothing to do with personal feelings. He clearly has no interest in me and knows that our chess skills are far inferior, yet he plays a game with me every time he comes to Qingyin Palace. This is because it allows him to prolong the time; otherwise, if he comes and goes in a hurry, people will speculate that I am being neglected. His Majesty goes to great lengths to prevent me from being ridiculed.”

And every time they played chess, the emperor would let her go first.

Zhang Zhen'e felt that Wang Yuying might never have noticed these little details, which was why she was unable to forgive His Majesty and reconcile with him.

Zhang Zhen'e's eyes were blurry with tears, but her gaze was resolute. She still firmly admired His Majesty: "Immortal Master, you have shown me great kindness and virtue. Please, I beg you, let me go and serve His Majesty!"

Wang Yuying frowned deeply, not understanding how a bowl of bitter medicine could become a bewitching potion.

Zhang Zhen'e also looked bitter. If people could control their emotions, how could there be so many infatuated people in the world?

"Go back now," Wang Yuying ordered. "Show your guest out."

Zhang Zhen'e was asked to leave and the door was locked. Wang Yuying slept relatively well that night.

The next day, as usual, he went to the Ministry of War for roll call and drills at the drill ground. When he was dismissed, he bumped into Qingfu at the entrance of the drill ground.

Qingfu suddenly knelt down at her feet: "This servant has dared to take the liberty of requesting the Immortal Master to visit His Majesty—"

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Yuying took a detour, and Qingfu immediately knelt down to block her way: "His Majesty is seriously ill and unable to recover, but he deeply misses the Immortal Master and often looks towards the palace gate."

Wang Yuying looked up to circle around again, but Qingfu suddenly hugged her boots tightly as if they were pillars: "His Majesty just doesn't say it, but he really wants the Immortal Master to visit him. If the Immortal Master goes, His Majesty will surely recover sooner..."

Wang Yuying tried to pull her leg away and kick it into the air, but Qingfu held on tightly and wouldn't let go, kicking her in the chest. Qingfu cried, "Even if you kick me to death today, Immortal Master, I won't let go! Unless Immortal Master goes to visit His Majesty!"

At the entrance to the drill ground, there were colleagues from the Ministry of War, junior officers, and passersby, all casting their gazes at Wang Yuying. She blushed and said, "Let go of my hand, I'll go, okay?"

Qingfu smiled and let go, tears still streaming down his face. Wang Yuying watched, wondering what merit or virtue Xu Heng possessed to earn the loyalty of so many people.

Upon entering Fu Ning Palace, she was surprised to find that the side halls had all been demolished, leaving a large open space to the left of the sleeping quarters. Qingfu went in to report, and she went to the construction site to see what was going on. The foundation had been rebuilt, the column bases had been reinstalled, and the craftsmen were erecting pillars and carving beams. Qingfu searched around and caught up with her: "Oh dear, Immortal Master, what are you doing here? Please come in with me!"

Wang Yuying withdrew her gaze and asked as she walked, "What are you planning to build here?"

"How would I know?" Qingfu bent down and invited Wang Yuying into the hall. "His Majesty seemed to be in much better spirits when he heard you were coming."

Wang Yuying lifted her leg and stepped into the hall, immediately choked by the strong smell of medicine. The windows were all closed, and the whole palace was deathly still, making one instinctively uncomfortable.

She forced herself to glance around, her gaze first falling on the memorials brought to the bedchamber, then shifting to Chu Xiong standing in the corner, before finally meeting Xu Heng's eyes as he leaned against the headboard—his hair looked as if he had just freshly combed it, all his black locks neatly bound in a crown, not a single strand out of place. Although seated on the bed, his outer robes were impeccably dressed. His face was pale, his lips purple, yet he remained calm, showing no sign of pain.

On the way here, Qingfu had already told Wang Yuying that Xu Heng was truly suffering from illness, but she was still worried that the illness might affect her. Standing three steps away from the foot of the bed, she nodded slightly and said, "I heard that Your Majesty is unwell, so I came to inquire after your well-being."

That's all.

Xu Heng glanced at where she was standing, a smile playing on his lips, and said gently, "I am delirious from illness, and these servants have also lost their minds. Someone, bring a seat for the Immortal Master."

A eunuch brought over a round-backed chair and placed it where Wang Yuying was standing. She slowly sat down, and Xu Heng watched her with a kind and gentle expression. Just then, Qingfu brought a bowl of medicinal soup to Wang Yuying's side: "Immortal Master, look, this medicinal soup is just warming up..."

Wang Yuying raised her eyebrows slightly. Was she being asked to serve the medicine?

She had her left hand on her knee and her right hand on the armrest of the chair, but upon hearing this, she put her hands together, her fingers interlaced, and locked them tightly.

Xu Heng saw her behavior and couldn't help but recall his lonely figure on the ground that day. His heart ached again, but he scolded Qingfu: "You shameless servant, get out of here! I'm not at the point where I need to be coaxed to take my medicine!"

Qingfu quickly placed the medicine on the tea table next to Xu Heng and retreated from the hall with small, quick steps.

Wang Yuying watched Qingfu leave, overwhelmed with mixed feelings. Xu Heng, however, kept glancing at Wang Yuying. Only when she turned around did he pick up the medicine bowl and slowly raise it.

Wang Yuying sat upright in the armchair, her eyes lowered.

Xu Heng had no more expectations. He didn't even use a spoon, but sipped the medicine from the rim of the bowl, one mouthful after another. The bitterness of the medicine seeped into his throat and flowed into his heart.

He finished drinking and put down his bowl, forcing a smile: "It is I who have spoiled them. They dare to dance in front of you without permission, each of them thinking that I am weak and sick and want to find a confidant who understands my feelings."

His words reminded Wang Yuying, who calmly and sincerely suggested, "Isn't this like a godsend? Zhang Zhen'e just told me that she is worried about His Majesty's health and is extremely anxious. She is willing to become a palace maid just to serve the Emperor. You should quickly summon her back. She is considerate and attentive to your needs, and she will take care of you every time you need her."

After a long pause, Xu Heng turned his head and slightly raised his chin: "I've been ill for so long, and you wouldn't come unless I invited you. And when you did come, you didn't even offer a word of concern, and then you pushed me onto another woman." His face was deathly pale. "All that I've done lately, don't you... understand... my feelings?"

Wang Yuying racked her brains. What had he done? He couldn't possibly say that he was dying because of her, could he?

What else has been posted recently?

The only certainty is that the Queen was confined to her quarters.

Wang Yuying's heart skipped a beat, and she shut her mouth.

Seeing this, Xu Heng remained silent for a moment, then managed a weak smile: "What I really wanted was for you to talk to me more, even if it was just to reminisce. Seeing you like this, I can't help but feel uncomfortable..." He unconsciously raised his hand to his chest again, "...it's hard not to feel uncomfortable."

Wang Yuying frowned, her raised eyebrows furrowing. These words were strange. When they were husband and wife, he used to criticize her every day for being too aggressive and told her not to reminisce about the past all the time and to be tolerant and not jealous. Now that they were husband and wife, she did all of that, but his demands were reversed.

As a monarch, he constantly changed his orders.

Wang Yuying stood up: "Since Your Majesty finds me displeasing, then I shall take my leave, lest I stand here and cause Your Majesty distress and worsen your condition."

He bowed and then lifted his leg toward the door.

Xu Heng pursed his lips and sighed, "There's nothing wrong with me, you can sit for a while longer."

Wang Yuying sat back down in her chair, but didn't want to talk about romance anymore, so she changed the subject: "When I came in, I saw that there was construction going on in the palace. May I ask what they plan to build?"

Could it be that Xu Heng, like those emperors of previous dynasties, started building Buddhist pagodas out of superstition because he was seriously ill?

Xu Heng smiled and said, "I plan to build another general's mansion exactly the same as yours, and I guarantee it will be more like your two-courtyard house. It will be built next to the sleeping quarters, so you can come and stay here whenever you miss home."

Wang Yuying was taken aback, then slammed her hand on the armrest and shouted angrily, "You're simply insane!"

She left Funing Palace without hesitation. Xu Heng watched her retreating figure, which never turned back, and coughed violently, his fingers clutching his chest. Qingfu, who was at the door, heard the commotion and rushed in, supporting Xu Heng as he struggled to get up: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you cannot experience such extreme joy and sorrow again!"

Xu Heng knew that his meridians were now severely blocked, and he said breathlessly, "Bring me the needles."

With frequent acupuncture treatments, he had learned to grit his teeth and forcefully insert the long needles Qingfu had brought into his fingers, even if it meant sacrificing his own blood. Once all ten fingers were released and he felt better, he would go after Wang Yuying.

Wang Yuying walked briskly, her chest heaving: "He's a madman! A madman!"

Firstly, it was already dark, and secondly, she was in a fit of anger. She walked all the way to the palace gate before she found Zheng Yangzhi standing not far away. She immediately turned her anger on him and glared at him fiercely. Zheng Yangzhi immediately smiled.