Chapter 410 Liu Qing's Opportunity
The next morning, Pineapple Palace was busy early.
As the sky began to light up and the mist had not yet dissipated, the palace servants moved quietly but efficiently, carrying out the boxes and carriages that the Empress and several young masters were going to take back to the Wen Mansion for a short stay, and loading them onto the luxurious carriages that had been waiting outside the palace gate.
Wen Li'er was in a good mood today. Thinking about meeting her parents, brothers, sisters-in-law and nephews, and personally preparing for her mother's birthday, a warm smile appeared on her face.
She was wearing a casual goose yellow brocade skirt, with a light apricot gauze half-sleeve over it. Her hair was tied up loosely in a bun and she wore a pearl hairpin, looking particularly gentle and amiable.
She personally watched the palace maids clean up in the palace, and gave them instructions from time to time:
"Take those boxes of medicinal cakes I asked Court Judge He to prepare for Mother...Keep Miaomiao's snacks handy; she's such a glutton...Zhaozhao's slingshot? Well, let's leave that in the palace for now. As for Mumu's books...forget it, just take whatever he packed himself."
Although the children were a little sleepy, they were very excited at the thought of leaving the palace and going to their grandparents' home.
He maintains a calm demeanor every day, helping to check the belongings of his younger brothers and sisters;
Miaomiao was holding a soft pillow and sitting obediently beside her, her little head nodding up and down. With her round little face and cute look, Wen Lier's heart was really melted by her.
She smiled and pulled the man up to straighten his clothes.
Just when everything was ready and Wen Li'er was about to call the children to prepare to set off, a muffled "clang" sound suddenly came from the corner of the hall, followed by a suppressed cry of pain.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that Liu Qing's face was pale and her forehead was covered with fine cold sweat.
She covered her abdomen tightly with one hand, curled up and squatted down, and a small bundle in her hand fell to the ground.
Wen Li'er was startled and walked over quickly to ask, "Liu Qing, what's wrong with you?"
Liu Qing raised her face, her lips were trembling slightly, and her voice was weak.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me... I don't know why, but my stomach... suddenly hurts so badly..."
As she spoke, her body convulsed violently again and she almost collapsed.
"Hurry! Help her up!"
Wen Li'er hurriedly instructed the palace maid beside her and checked with concern herself.
"Why is it so painful all of a sudden? Did you eat something bad?"
Dieyi and another palace maid hurried forward and carefully helped Liu Qing sit down on a low stool nearby.
Liu Qing was in so much pain that she could hardly utter complete words. She just shook her head in agony, beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down her pale cheeks.
"Wan'an!" Wen Li'er called out, "Go get a female doctor to take a look."
"Yes, your majesty!" Wan'an responded, turned around and walked away quickly.
Several children were also shocked by this sudden change and gathered around, their little faces full of worry.
Miaomiao even stretched out her little hand to wipe the sweat off Liu Qing's face, but was gently stopped by Wen Li'er.
"Miao Miao, be good and let Liu Qing rest for a while."
A female doctor was quickly called in, who carefully took Liu Qing's pulse and asked about her diet and daily life.
Liu Qing spoke in a weak and intermittent voice, saying that she had eaten a cucumber soaked in well water last night because she wanted to stay cool.
The female doctor pondered for a moment and replied to Wen Li'er.
"Your Majesty, Miss Liu Qing's pulse is tight, her abdominal qi is disordered, and she is in severe pain. This is likely due to an unhealthy diet that has damaged her spleen and stomach. Fortunately, she is not seriously ill. She only needs to rest in bed for a day or two, take some pain-relieving and stomach-tonifying decoctions, and apply warm compresses to her abdomen. This should alleviate the pain."
Wen Li'er heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but she was still a little worried when she saw Liu Qing curled up in pain, her face pale.
"But she's in so much pain... Is it really okay?"
The doctor replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, this disease is indeed extremely painful when it strikes, but as long as you take the medicine on time and rest well, you will soon feel better."
"That's good."
Wen Li'er nodded, and looking at Liu Qing's weak appearance, she knew that she would definitely not be able to go with them today.
After a brief thought, she ordered, "In that case, Liu Qing should rest well in the palace for two days. Diewu..."
She turned to Diewu, who was standing by her side. "Now that Liu Qing is ill, you will accompany me back to the Wen Mansion in her place. Leave the palace affairs to Jinse and Jinshu."
Die Wu immediately bowed and replied, "Yes, Madam."
Liu Qing struggled to stand up and thank him, but was stopped by Wen Li'er.
"Alright, it hurts so much, forget about being polite. Just lie down and recuperate."
"Thank you...thank you for your grace, Your Majesty..." Liu Qing's voice was full of gratitude. She weakly lowered her eyelashes, hiding the trace of relief and complexity that quickly flashed through the depths of her eyes.
Wan'an personally helped Liu Qing back to the lower room where she lived.
Seeing his sister's haggard and painful appearance, his face was full of heartache.
Wan'an squatted down, took out a small purse from his arms and put it into Liu Qing's hand.
"Xiaoqing, here are twenty taels of silver. Take this. If the pain is still severe after noon, or if it doesn't get better after taking the medicine, don't try to hold on. Remember to ask a palace maid to call a female doctor to take a look, okay?"
His tone was full of brotherly concern.
Liu Qing held the heavy purse, her fingertips cold.
She knew how much her second brother cared about her now, and how disappointed he would be in her after tomorrow.
A feeling of guilt and shame made her heart tighten, and she almost didn't dare to look up at Wan'an's worried eyes.
She could only nod her head randomly, her voice as thin as a mosquito's: "Second brother... I understand... I... I'm fine... You can rest assured and follow the queen."
She paused, as if remembering something, and added quickly:
"Remember to tell my brother for me... I will go out of the palace to see him next time..." There was a slight tremor in his voice that he tried hard to control.
Wan An just thought she was in great pain and didn't think much about it.
"Brother, I understand. You can rest in peace."
He patted the back of Liu Qing's hand, then stood up and quickly caught up with the Queen's procession who were already preparing to set off with the children.
Liu Qing leaned on a low stool, watching her second brother's back disappear at the palace gate, and listening to the sound of palace servants outside escorting the queen and the young masters away gradually fading away.
She clenched the purse in her hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
After a while, she slowly closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow on her cheek, covering up all the surging emotions.
The abdominal pain was real, but not as severe or lasting as she showed.
She had already "prepared" the doctor's prescription.
The opportunity she had been waiting for finally came.
When the carriage was about to leave the palace gate, Zhang Sicheng followed with more than a hundred guards.
Wen Li'er lifted the curtain and looked at him.
Zhang Sicheng clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has ordered me to accompany you to the Wen Residence to protect the safety of Your Majesty and the young princes."
Wen Li'er wanted to ask him to stay and protect the emperor.
But thinking of the emperor's stubborn nature, he finally nodded in agreement.
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