After Zhuang Wanmei entered the palace, Xiao Qingyin never saw her again. The Chunxiang Pills were all traded with people arranged by Zhuang Wanmei.
Now that I see him, I find that his allure is even stronger.
Every gesture she makes exudes femininity.
"It seems that Her Majesty is having a good time in the palace."
Xiao Qingyin smiled.
"It's all thanks to you," Zhuang Wanmei said with a playful laugh. "You're now my lifeline."
Without the Chunxiang Pills supplied by Xiao Qingyin, how could she possibly have seduced His Majesty?
Xiao Qingyin understood her unspoken meaning perfectly and smiled, "Don't worry, I would never cooperate with the Imperial Concubine."
Zhuang Wanmei felt somewhat relieved.
But they still had someone bring out the prepared gifts.
"This is a small token of my appreciation," she said, pointing to the sandalwood box in the palace servant's hand. "Thank you for your help all this time."
Xiao Qingyin shook her head: "I didn't help Your Highness in any way, I just sold some medicine, and you've already paid for it."
Zhuang Wanmei immediately became anxious: "Take a look first, this is something I specially had someone collect."
As he spoke, he gave a wink to the palace maid.
The palace maid opened the box, revealing agate and jade stones of various colors.
"I heard you really like serpent beads. Serpent beads are rare, so I had someone find some agate instead."
Zhuang Wanmei explained.
Xiao Qingyin thought to herself that she had even found out that she liked Sezhu, which was indeed quite thoughtful.
She nodded: "Then I'll accept it without hesitation."
Zhuang Wanmei's smile broadened: "That's more like it."
The next moment, she suddenly frowned.
Upon seeing this, the palace servants immediately brought over a spittoon.
Zhuang Wanmei only gagged twice.
The palace maid then withdrew.
Xiao Qingyin smiled and asked, "Are you pregnant?"
Zhuang Wanmei was stunned.
"No way, the imperial physician checked my pulse just a few days ago and didn't say I was pregnant."
"Let me take a look for you."
"Thanks."
After Xiao Qingyin took her pulse, she asked, "There are two pieces of news, one good and one bad. Which would you like to hear first?"
Zhuang Wanmei replied, "Listen to the good stuff first."
"You're pregnant," Xiao Qingyin replied. "Exactly one month along."
Zhuang Wanmei was overjoyed: "Really?"
Xiao Qingyin nodded: "Absolutely true."
Zhuang Wanmei was happy for a while before she remembered there was bad news.
What's the bad news?
"This child's pulse is very weak, and there is a high probability of miscarriage."
"..."
Zhuang Wanmei found it hard to believe.
"How could this be? I'm perfectly healthy, I don't have any problems at all... Could someone be plotting against me?"
The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. She asked Xiao Qingyin, "Could you help me check the things in the hall?"
Xiao Qingyin agreed.
However, after a thorough inspection, nothing was found to be amiss.
"Could it be because of the fragrant pills?" Zhuang Wanmei frowned. "Shouldn't we not keep taking those fragrant pills?"
“The Chunxiang Pill will not affect your pregnancy and childbirth,” Xiao Qingyin replied. “The fetus’s constitution depends on both parents, not just you.”
Zhuang Wanmei suddenly thought of something, and her brows furrowed.
“You’re right. Maybe it’s because of His Majesty. He doesn’t seem to be in good health lately. He’s lost a lot of weight and always looks tired.”
Xiao Qingyin's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "Did you smell a sweet, cloying fragrance on him?"
"certainly!"
Zhuang Wanmei answered without hesitation.
"That's incense from Yikun Palace, and the Imperial Concubine also has a sweet fragrance on her."
At this point, she couldn't help but ask, "That fragrance seems to be even more attractive to him than the Spring Fragrance Pill. Can you recreate that fragrance?"
Xiao Qingyin smiled and said, "I can't get it to work."
That wasn't incense at all, it was opium paste. How could she possibly make it?
Zhuang Wanmei sighed.
Xiao Qingyin asked a few more questions about Emperor Chengtai's recent situation. After getting a general idea of the situation, she took her leave, saying, "It's getting late, I should go back."
Zhuang Wanmei looked conflicted: "Is it really impossible for me to keep this baby?"
Xiao Qingyin shook her head.
"I really can't do anything about it. Perhaps you could ask the imperial physician."
Zhuang Wanmei, looking melancholy, asked the palace servants to escort her away.
As soon as Xiao Qingyin returned to the Yun residence, Madam Han came to greet her.
"Did the Imperial Concubine make things difficult for you?"
"No," Xiao Qingyin reassured her. "She probably admires my medical skills and is trying to win me over."
Han was relieved.
"There's something I want to tell you."
After Xiao Qingyin finished speaking, she told Han about the fact that the Imperial Concubine and Emperor Chengtai were smoking opium.
"...This cigarette is very harmful. The longer you smoke it, the stronger the addiction becomes. In the end, you will become emaciated, listless, and look like a skeleton."
Han felt very satisfied after hearing this.
"Those who commit many evil deeds will surely perish! They deserve it!"
“I originally wanted to kill him to avenge my grandfather,” Xiao Qingyin replied. “Now that he’s like this, I don’t know whether I should still do it.”
"Don't dirty your hands," Han replied. "Let him live a little longer and suffer more."
Xiao Qingyin sighed.
No matter how much torture Emperor Chengtai endures, he can never repay the blood debt of the 20,000 lives lost by the Yun family army and the civilians slaughtered because of the Yun family army's annihilation.
She felt that letting Emperor Chengtai die like that was too easy for him.
Thinking of this, she asked Madam Han, "Grandmother, have you ever thought about overturning the case for the Yun family?"
Han was stunned.
How do I translate this?
If it was done by princes or ministers, there is still a possibility of overturning the verdict.
But who can overturn the verdict against the person sitting on the dragon throne who committed such a heinous act?
Emperor Chengtai could not possibly admit to the crimes he had committed. Even after his death, when his descendants succeeded him, out of respect for their superiors, they would never speak ill of him.
As long as the world belongs to the Situ family, Emperor Chengtai's crimes will never be exposed.
Even if the Situ family's throne is overthrown one day, who will remember the wronged souls of the Yun family army?
“Even if we can’t announce his crimes for the time being,” Xiao Qingyin replied, “we must overturn the case and not let the Yun family army continue to be wronged.”
They were clearly killed by those in power, and they sacrificed their lives to defend the border. Why should they be condemned by the world?
They are heroes, deserving of everyone's respect, and deserving to be remembered in history and remembered for generations to come.
The passion that had been dormant in Han's heart for many years was also stirred up.
“You’re right, we can’t let the Yun family army continue to be wronged.”
...
The tenth day of the twelfth lunar month is the anniversary of the death of the Yun family army.
Because of the guilt they bore, not a single member of the Yun family army, from generals to soldiers, had their remains collected and returned to their hometowns.
Everyone was buried on the spot.
Han only erected cenotaphs for her husband and son.
Every year on the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, he would take Yun Zhao and Yun Shu to the western suburbs to offer sacrifices.
This year, Xiao Qingyin, Yun Wanyin, and Fu Weiyun were among the more people who came to pay their respects.
The weather was gloomy when they went out, and after they finished sweeping the tombs, it started to snow heavily.
In the snow, a person walked towards the Yun family cemetery, kneeling as he went.
"Back then, I betrayed my country and caused the Yun family army to be wiped out, the Northwest army to be routed, and the people of ten border cities to be massacred. I deserve to die a thousand deaths and am guilty of ten heinous crimes..."
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