Chapter 32 Jin Ling 32
That same day, Concubine Xian was released from her confinement, and Madam Wan quietly entered the palace. Apart from Jin Ling, who had someone secretly monitoring her, few people had ever seen Madam Wan enter the Xianju Palace.
Jin Ling sat upright on a huanghuali bat-patterned armchair, her left hand resting on the table, letting him paint her nails with a smile.
"What did you find?"
Her tone was calm and emotionless. Jin Ling asked without thinking, but the smile on her face as she sat on the footstool immediately understood: "The other day, I went to the main palace bedroom and found a glass bottle half the size of a palm. There was only a thin layer of potion left inside. I didn't want Concubine Xian to find out, so I didn't take it away."
When Jin Ling opened her eyes and looked at her, her smile returned to a shy one: "But a few days ago, I asked someone to make a similar one and replaced the bottle of Xianfei's."
As he spoke, he took out the small glass bottle from his pocket.
Jin Ling took a look at the bottle, and found that the liquid in it was almost gone, with only a small amount left at the bottom. She opened it and smelled it, and an indescribable strange smell made her feel very uncomfortable and her mind was in turmoil.
"This medicine is truly effective," Jin Ling exclaimed. Thinking of its addictive properties, it was no wonder Concubine Xian had been able to lure Li Yi away from her. Such a good thing must be hard to come by. I wonder how much Concubine Xian still has? Can it last until the next big gift package I'll give her?
The virtuous concubine now has not a drop left.
This stuff was originally the secret recipe of that Hu merchant. Ever since she tasted the sweetness, Concubine Xian has been like an addict. The more the emperor pampers her because of the drug, the deeper she falls. Until this time, His Majesty actually argued with the Queen Mother to protect her.
Wan Baoxian can no longer escape the quagmire of Li Yi.
She was like drinking poison to quench her thirst, immersed in the false love created by drugs, unwilling to understand that the emperor's desire for her was just carnal greed.
The emperor's protection this time made her delusional: Your Majesty, do you really love me too?
It just so happened that the medicine had almost run out, so Concubine Xian stopped taking it for a few days. Li Yi had lost interest in her, visibly.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Wan Baoxian beckoned, and Wanhua placed the snacks in the food box on the table. "These are the seasonal fruits that I have specially ordered the kitchen to make. Your Majesty, would you like to try some?"
When Li Yi saw her placing the fruit over to him, he felt annoyed. Although he defended Consort Xian in front of his mother, it was only out of his own moral standards, not because he loved Consort Xian that much.
Besides... he always couldn't help but lose control of himself with her. Although he felt good when he was aroused, when he regained his composure, Li Yi hated this state of being out of control. So much so that as greedy as he was towards Concubine Xian in bed, he was as cold to her outside of bed.
In the past, Concubine Xian had been quite self-aware and would not disturb him during the day unless he went to her place to stay. But now that he was released from house arrest, he was even more ungrateful.
"No need. I don't like these sweets. You can enjoy them by yourself, Concubine Xian." The man picked up the scriptures coldly, waved his hand and ordered people to remove the fruits, without giving her any face at all.
Wan Baoxian stood there feeling extremely embarrassed. She felt as if everyone in the hall was secretly laughing at her. She tried to save her dignity, "Your Majesty is right. I forgot that women always have a sweet tooth. I was inconsiderate."
Li Yi, holding the sutra in his hand, seemed to recall something and called Eunuch Bao. "Go tell the kitchen to pass on my order. Do not indulge Concubine Zhao by letting her eat spicy food. If Concubine Zhao becomes ill from overeating, I will hold the kitchen responsible."
Concubine Xian walked out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in a state of despair, and she never dared to stop taking the medicine again. But the medicine would eventually run out.
The virtuous concubine was panicked.
She asked her mother to search for the Hu merchant, or find a substitute. However, that was Hu merchant's secret medicine, and now the elusive Hu merchant was nowhere to be found. As for other medicines, most of them were strong, harmful, and easy to detect.
After searching for a month, she saw that His Majesty was gradually returning to his former self and rarely stepped into her Fairy Palace. The Concubine, who had tasted love, was almost driven crazy by the torture of love. Her arrogance remained, but her innocence and kindness were gradually worn away.
"Daughter, daughter, I found it!" Today, Madam Wan swept away the gloom of the past few days and entered the palace happily. She pulled Concubine Xian into the bedroom and carefully took out a box of perfume powder.
"Mother, I said I want the same medicine as before, not these crudely made inferior products." When Concubine Xian saw that it was not a glass bottle, she thought her mother had found those inferior imitations again, and her originally happy expression instantly fell.
Madam Wan was confident: "This thing is as good as the Warm Love Water, maybe even better."
Seeing her daughter's suspicion, she leaned over and whispered in her daughter's ear, "This was given to me by a wandering Taoist priest from Feisheng Temple. I've used it myself..."
Before she could finish her words, Concubine Xian saw her mother's smug look on her face. When she understood what was going on, her face first turned red, and then she was ecstatic.
Sure enough, after getting the perfume powder, Li Yi came to her again as often as before.
One day, she was about to make some utensils for her parents when she found a note from Ruan Cuiyun, which said she had arranged a secret meeting with her father. Her mother was furious and stormed into the Shanggong Bureau, striking Ruan Cuiyun in the face.
"Bitch, you dare to seduce the master!"
Mrs. Wan was so angry that her eyes turned red and she almost wanted to eat Ruan Cuiyun alive.
"I don't know what Madam Wan means." Ruan Cuiyun was shocked and angry, covering her flushed cheeks. Being humiliated and trampled underfoot made this strong-willed woman suffer doubly.
Wan Baoxian threw the note in her face, also with an angry look on his face: "This note is hidden in the artifact you made. Didn't you write it?"
The mother and daughter made a big fuss in the Shanggong Bureau, but fortunately they were persuaded by Shanggong Cai with a few words, and with the help of other people, the matter was finally settled. However, they still had a feud with Madam Wan and Concubine Xian.
Before long, the news spread and reached the ears of the Queen Mother.
Empress Dowager Zheng, who had always disliked Concubine Xian, was disgusted by this and became even more disgusted with Concubine Xian and her daughter. She was too lazy to even give Concubine Xian a good look when she paid her respects every day, and only chatted and laughed with Jin Ling.
"By the way, I specially sent a court painter to paint you and the emperor. Today is a good day, so why not do it today?"
The Queen Mother smiled as she discussed matters with Consort Zhao. Seeing Jin Ling's silence, she sighed softly, "Why did you two, young husband and wife, quarrel over this for me? I've noticed that both you and the Emperor have lost a lot of weight these days. Why should you continue like this?"
Jin Ling was silent for a while before she nodded slightly: "Only for the Queen Mother's sake..."
"Good child." The Queen Mother was so happy that she held her hand and then directly ordered Zi Lan to see the guest off.
The virtuous concubine was sitting at the bottom. She saw the two of them arm in arm and go into the inner room. However, Zi Lan politely escorted her to the door, where she ran into the emperor who was rushing over.
"...What did Concubine Zhao say?" Li Yi stood at the door, feeling a little nervous.
"Your Majesty, please go in quickly. The Queen Mother and Concubine Zhao are waiting for you." Zi Lan smiled and winked at him. Li Yi, who understood the hint, breathed a sigh of relief and hurried in with an imperceptible gentle smile on his face.
From beginning to end, he didn't even glance at the virtuous concubine standing next to him.
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