The capital city.
Since that torrential rain, autumn has gradually deepened in Beijing.
News of the devastating floods kept reaching the palace.
The Emperor waved his hand and said, "It's like rain after a long drought, and not many people have died. What's the panic? Issue my decree to have local officials find ways to dredge the waterways and let the floodwaters drain away."
The ministers were in a state of great distress; drought followed by floods meant that this year's tax revenue could not be collected again.
The flood was like a ferocious beast, but the emperor casually dismissed the disaster with a simple phrase: "a long drought has finally been relieved by rain."
A vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue mustered his courage and advised, “Your Majesty, even dredging the waterways cannot save the farmland that has been destroyed, and this year’s tax revenue will be difficult to collect.”
One minister echoed, "That makes sense. Discharging floodwaters will also cause disasters downstream, and tax revenue downstream will likely be difficult to collect."
When the Prime Minister saw that the Emperor didn't mention disaster relief at all, he simply lowered his eyes, looked down at his nose, and pretended not to hear or ask anything.
With the national treasury empty, if disaster relief is mentioned, the emperor will surely order his ministers to deduct donations from their salaries again; this is not the first time.
When the topic of taxes came up, the Emperor was filled with righteous indignation. He said, "Let the Prime Minister handle this matter entirely," and stormed off.
Inside the main hall, a group of ministers were left looking at each other in bewilderment.
The Prime Minister shook his head, "Even a clever housewife can't cook without rice; this humble subject is also powerless to help."
The Emperor couldn't hear these words. Facing the questioning gazes of his ministers, the Prime Minister shrugged and said, "Don't look at me. Everyone is doing their job."
The continuous heavy rain has scattered the petals of the Imperial Garden.
The temperature dropped sharply.
In the Jiaofang Palace, the Empress, who was originally able to get out of bed, fell ill again.
A group of imperial physicians rushed to the inner palace.
"Quickly report to the Emperor, the Empress is dying!" After taking her pulse, the imperial physician could barely feel it. Seeing the Empress barely breathing, he shouted to the palace maid beside him.
"Your Majesty, please take a closer look. The Empress ate a bowl of bird's nest soup at noon, so why is she so ill?" The head maid of Jiaofang Palace couldn't believe it. The Empress seemed to be getting better, so how could she be so ill after just a short rest?
The imperial physicians in front withdrew, and the imperial physicians behind them knelt before the bed to take the patient's pulse.
Every imperial physician looked ashen-faced.
When the last imperial physician stepped forward to take the empress's pulse, a sound was heard coming from her throat. The physician was so frightened that he trembled and picked up a feather and placed it under the empress's nose. The feather did not move at all.
"The Empress has passed away."
In an instant, chaos erupted in the Jiaofang Palace.
When the emperor heard the news, he was only slightly stunned, and there was no trace of sorrow on his face.
According to the rules of Wanling Kingdom, those who die young in the harem do not need to have their funeral bells tolled.
The Prime Minister's residence only learned of the Empress's passing the following day.
When Madam Wei learned of her daughter's death, she fainted several times from grief.
"If His Majesty had shown more pity for our Ziyu, how could she have died so young?" Madam Wei cried out in anguish, clutching Prime Minister Wei's sleeve.
"Madam, please accept my condolences. Yu'er is gone, and the Wei family has lost its support. I still have to preside over the funeral. Madam, please restrain your family members and do not be arrogant in public. Things are about to change."
Madam Wei dismissed the matter, saying, "The Wei family is deeply rooted and powerful. Does the Emperor intend to remove you from your post so soon?"
Prime Minister Wei shook his head. The woman was short-sighted, and he had nowhere to express his bitterness.
The court officials were talking privately about the various things the Prince of Yannan had done, and Prime Minister Wei had long heard about it. He had also seen the Emperor's inaction.
With the national treasury empty and the emperor indulging in a life of pleasure and neglecting state affairs, Wanling Kingdom was in turmoil. The empress's funeral was kept simple, and the monks of Qinglian Temple hurriedly sent her to the imperial mausoleum after performing seven days of Buddhist rites in the palace.
"Madam, there's a lot of talk outside saying that the Empress was murdered by the Emperor."
The old woman in Madam Wei's room was steady and didn't talk much. Today, she went out of the mansion and returned to report to Madam Wei what she had heard outside.
No one knows where the rumor started, but it quietly spread throughout the capital that the emperor had harmed the empress for the sake of his new favorite.
Madam Wei felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this.
She knew the Emperor all too well; with countless wronged souls in the harem, one more empress wouldn't be surprising.
There was nothing she could do but cry her heart out again.
At the Jiang residence, Jiang Shuyue heard the news of the Empress's death and thought that Lin Miaoshou would leave the palace soon. However, seven or eight days passed in the blink of an eye and he still hadn't left the palace.
"Miss, there are rumors circulating outside that the Empress's death was suspicious." Qiu Ju entered, carrying a bowl of lotus seed soup, lifting the curtain to enter.
Jiang Shuyue's expression faltered slightly. "What do you mean by that?"
Has Lin Miaoshou been discovered?
"I heard from Mei'er that it's all over the capital. They're saying that the Emperor is clearing obstacles for the newly arrived concubines."
Jiang Shuyue took the lotus seed soup and said, "Go and see what Young Master Nangong is busy with. If he has time, please invite him over for a visit."
The clinic had already gained some fame in the capital, and Jiang Shuyue was busy every day like a spinning top, while also carrying a lot of unspeakable things on her mind.
The autumn air was dry, and a pimple appeared on the corner of her mouth. After drinking lotus seed soup for two days in a row, it finally improved.
Qiuju was secretly delighted; her mistress had finally seen the good qualities in Young Master Nangong.
Nangong Zeyue left early and returned late every day. After finishing his own business, he would take Sui Sui to the private school without fail every day.
Qiu Ju smiled and quickly went out. A moment later, Nangong Zeyue followed Qiu Ju in.
Jiang Shuyue asked, "Would you like some lotus seed soup?"
Before Nangong Zeyue could answer, she said to Qiuju, "Bring a bowl for Young Master Nangong as well, and bring in a few side dishes as well."
"Yes, I'll go right away." Qiuju smiled and withdrew.
Nangong Zeyue walked straight to Jiang Shuyue and sat down. She heard the beaded curtain rustle and Qiuju's footsteps fade into the distance.
Nangong Zeyue stared intently at Jiang Shuyue, "You came to see me because of your martial uncle's matter?"
Nangong Zeyue went straight to the point.
He and Jiang Shuyue had been living under the same roof for some time, and they knew each other's character very well.
Nangong Zeyue even knew Jiang Shuyue's preferences, and he understood her concern for her uncle's safety.
"Ask your senior brothers tomorrow if Uncle Lin has left the palace."
"I've already been to the pharmacy on Huanhua Street twice. My senior brother said he'd let me know if there was any news about my uncle." Nangong Zeyue said, picking up a teacup and pouring herself a cup of tea.
Seeing Jiang Shuyue's delicate brows furrow slightly, Nangong Zeyue teased, "My martial uncle is the reincarnation of a nine-tailed fox. He has nine lives, so don't worry about him."
"You should worry more about yourself. When I went to Huanhua Street yesterday, my senior brother mentioned that people in the flooded areas are already vomiting and having diarrhea. You come into contact with so many patients every day, so don't catch their illness."
Jiang Shuyue was shocked. "You mean there's an epidemic?"
"My senior brother said that all the medicinal herbs he needed had been bought up, and they couldn't even get into the capital. It must be because of an epidemic."
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