Lin'an Palace was close to Yongxiang, and was not a geographically advantageous palace. When the emperor sent Wei Shuyi to a side hall, while compensating for her position, it didn't actually provide her with much convenience.
Today, something unexpected happened. Not only Song Wanyi, but even Wang Changzai was locked up in the palace. Coupled with the unexplained screams, she couldn't sleep well.
The sky is as cool as water at night.
Half asleep and half awake, the thunderstorm accompanied by intermittent shrill cries woke her up completely.
"Go! Forget everything here, forget the Duke's Mansion, and live well!"
"My poor child, from now on, you must find a way to survive! Reputation, status, everything can give way to life!"
"I don't know who burned this place down. After the heavy rain, the black water even made the long street dirty. It's really unlucky!"
…
The painful memories of the past made her want to scream uncontrollably.
A torrential downpour engulfed the heavens and earth, shrouding the entire Yonghua Palace. Conspiracies and schemes became a transparent veil, enveloping her as she fell, layer upon layer, leaving her with no escape.
“Stop!”
Wei Shuyi sat up suddenly, covered his ears with his hands, and tried to avoid the scene on the other side of the window.
There was no candlelight in the hall, only one lamp was still on, stretching her shadow, making it look eerie and enchanting.
"Don't be afraid."
The soft candlelight in the sky attracted her spirit, and also brushed against his flying black hair and eyelashes when he looked up at her.
She couldn't see clearly, as if in a dream: "Your Majesty? Is that you?"
"It's me."
"Why are you here... This place is unlucky, the emperor shouldn't be here."
Xie Yanci remained silent, hugging the trembling body tightly.
"Song Wanyi is ill, and so is Wang Changzai. Will it be my turn next?" Wei Shuyi leaned on his shoulder, her mind gradually becoming clearer. Her frightened tone began to smother with deliberate sobs. "I've been afraid of this kind of weather since I was a child. After a heavy rain, disaster always strikes."
"With me here, that won't happen." He coaxed her patiently and helped her lie down again. "If you are really scared, I can let you stay in Liufang Garden temporarily. You can come back after they recover."
The emperor's care gave her some illusions.
It seemed that he really cared about her joys and sorrows, so much so that he thought of her in such trivial matters and came to Lin'an Palace in the rain just to give her peace of mind.
The smoke formed a few wisps on the wall. She took a deep breath of the incense and said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to treat me so well..."
"I'm afraid Yao'er will get into trouble and become seriously ill." Xie Yanci patted her back gently. "Rather than saying I'm treating you well, it's better to say I'm selfish. I'm afraid I won't see you again in the future."
Would he also say similar sweet words to Concubine Jin?
Wei Shuyi thought of the golden hairpin, its tassels swaying before her very eyes. She shouldn't have been distracted by thoughts of love at this moment, but out of fear of the unknown, she felt a longing for him, followed by a sadness that she couldn't possess him alone.
"What kind of incense is that? It seems different from the ones you usually use."
She quickly got up from the bed, picked up the small incense burner and sniffed: "I am stupid. I only learned how to distinguish the smell of herbs in the Pharmacy. As for these spices, I really can't smell the difference..."
"It's okay. Perhaps the recipe has changed with the season. Come back and rest."
She did as she was told and snuggled back into his arms for warmth.
That night, the wind and rain outside the window were as fierce as swords, but the inner hall was peaceful.
Wei Shuyi hadn't slept so soundly in a long time.
She had originally stayed in the Changsheng Palace, always alert and not daring to act rashly. Now, lying in her Sangyu Pavilion, she felt free of any burden. When she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
Jing An wiped the furnishings in the room by himself, his movements neat and gentle, so as not to wake her. Jing Ning didn't know what he was mumbling outside, but he could vaguely hear a hearty laugh.
"The young master is awake?"
"Yes, I don't know why, but I feel a little dizzy." Wei Shuyi forced himself to sit up. "Is there any movement in the next yard?"
"No! It was raining at night, and everyone in the two halls was frightened. Didn't you hear any screams last night?"
She was stunned, and memories suddenly came flooding back.
Including the hug after the fright and the ambergris residue on the pillow.
"My lady, are you hungry? I'll serve you food right away." Jing'an called out to the courtyard, "Jingning! Come and help my lady wash and change clothes!"
A moment later, Wei Shuyi sat at the table with his head still swollen and painful, and his appetite was poor.
She turned her head to look at the incense burner in the inner hall, and suddenly remembered a casual remark of the emperor.
Is there really a difference?
Wei Shuyi picked it up and played with it in his palm, and was shocked to find that the original specially made Clivia pattern had been replaced!
"Jing'an!" "My lady, what's wrong?"
"Has anyone touched my incense burner?!" She began to feel uneasy. "They deliberately used very similar flowers to deceive everyone... It seems that this is not a coincidence."
The plant that is similar to Clivia is Amaryllis.
——
"Hiss...be gentle! It hurts so much!"
Wang Changzai lay on the couch, and the palace maids helped her apply medicine.
The people from the Imperial Hospital were extremely heavy-handed, and no one knew what kind of ingredients they had mixed in. As soon as it touched her skin, she started trembling with pain, and then she felt a chill, and the pain gradually subsided.
"My dear, you've already taken medicine for this rash, but why isn't it getting better?" Dean Jiang was standing outside, looking very annoyed. "Logically, the rash should gradually fade away, so why is it getting worse?"
"Are you the imperial physician, or am I the imperial physician? You're asking me something you don't understand?"
Whenever Wang Chang opened his mouth, it was bound to be another challenge.
Compared to the polite Song Wanyi in the main hall, Dean Jiang was most annoyed to come here to treat her.
"You, come here."
The palace maid walked over fearfully and waited for instructions.
"Before the rash appeared, what did your young master eat? What did he touch?"
Before the maid could reply, Concubine Wang sneered again, "Jiang Yuanzheng, let me test you too. What did you eat and touch in the afternoon of the middle of last month?"
"My lady, this is for your health!"
"Then don't make things difficult for the people around me! She's just a servant, why would she remember so many things?" Wang Changzai rolled her eyes and argued, "If she wrote down everything, I'd suspect she was sent by someone to keep an eye on me!"
The palace maids were caught in the middle and were in a dilemma.
Perhaps at this moment, she could recall something. The palace maid suddenly blurted out, "Before the rash appeared, the young lady was bedridden with vomiting and diarrhea, and it was Sang Yuxuan who brought her food boxes..."
"Bitch! Do you understand the principle of repaying a drop of kindness with a spring? People saw our small kitchen was burned down and kindly sent us food, and you're talking nonsense!"
Jiang Yuanzheng finally found a clue and quickly pulled the maid away.
"Do you remember what you gave me?"
"I forgot the details. My young mistress loves sweets, so she sent quite a few back then... Oh, and once, she even sent a hand-held incense burner, which she loved!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
