Chapter 12 She kept drinking
The morning after she had been summoned to the emperor's bedchamber, the steward of the Imperial Household Department personally led Yinzhu across the threshold of the West Annex Hall.
Yinzhu was taller than the average palace maid. She stood silently in the hall, her rough hands tightly clutching a small, pitiful cloth bundle, which was all the belongings she had barely managed to accumulate in the three years since she entered the palace.
After giving the steward a reward, Narcissus saw him off. She didn't even need breakfast, dismissed the other palace servants, and left only Silver Pearl in the hall.
"Long time no see... Silver Pearl!"
Narcissus opened her arms and embraced the slightly thin Silver Pearl tightly.
Having witnessed Yinzhu's death, holding her in her arms now felt like a reunion, as if she had snatched someone back from the clutches of the Black and White Impermanence.
Shui Xian loosened her grip slightly, but still held Yin Zhu's arm tightly with both hands, looking directly at her: "Why didn't you come to find me later? When we were in the Imperial Household Department, we were clearly... clearly able to talk to each other."
Yinzhu instinctively wanted to lower her head again.
She was silent for a moment, her voice dry: "Narcissus... Your kindness is too much for this servant to accept. This servant... This servant is clumsy with words in the palace and often offends people without even realizing it."
"I was afraid... afraid of implicating Changzai. So... I didn't dare to get close to her as usual."
Although Shui Xian did not know what had happened to Yin Zhu after she left the Imperial Household Department, she could tell from Yin Zhu's reserved appearance that she had suffered.
“Nonsense!” Narcissus said decisively.
"From now on, you will follow me! As long as I, Shui Xian, have a bowl of rice to eat, I will never let you, Yin Zhu, go hungry! As long as I am here, no one will ever make you do those hardest and most tiring jobs again!"
In her previous life, Yinzhu sacrificed her life to protect her!
This time, Narcissus was able to trust her enough to entrust his back to her!
Yinzhu suddenly raised her head, her calm eyes surging violently.
A moment later, a thin layer of moisture rose up, her lips moved a few times, and in the end she just nodded heavily: "Mmm!"
Shui Xian wanted to ask Yin Zhu in detail what kind of suffering she had endured in the palace over the years.
Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the hall. Consort Song called her name and came over aggressively to settle scores with her.
"Narcissus!" Consort Song's voice was shrill and piercing. She rushed into the hall in a few steps. "How arrogant you are! How capable you are!"
"It's one thing to fawn over superiors and curry favor, but you even snatch away one of my lowly servants!"
As Song Changzai spoke, she grew angrier and angrier. Without warning, she raised her hand and slapped Shuixian's face, which she hated so much!
"Smack!"
A crisp sound of flesh hitting flesh rang out.
But it didn't fall on the narcissus's face.
The instant Song Changzai's palm fell, a silent figure swiftly appeared in front of Shui Xian.
Yinzhu used her left arm to block the palm strike that was accompanied by the sound of wind!
Song Changzai felt as if her hand had struck a hard iron plate, and her wrist was throbbing with pain.
She looked up in surprise and met Yinzhu's eyes.
Those eyes held no emotion, only a bottomless stillness.
Song Changzai's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively took half a step back. Then, realizing she had shown weakness, she became even more furious and said:
"You...you wretched servant! How dare you stop me? Get out of my way!"
The silver bead remained motionless, firmly blocking the narcissus.
As a servant, she could not retaliate, but she could take the beatings for Narcissus.
"Great! Excellent!"
Consort Song was so angry that she trembled all over:
"Narcissus! You just wait! I'll remember this humiliation! I'll see how long you, this lowly servant, can be so smug, relying on the Emperor's favor!"
She uttered those harsh words, then abruptly flung her sleeves and rushed out of the West Annex Hall in a disheveled state.
Watching Song Changzai's vicious departing figure, Yinzhu slowly lowered her arm, turned around, and said worriedly:
"My lady...would Consort Song...be a threat to you?"
Shui Xian looked at the faint red marks on Yin Zhu's left arm caused by fingernails, got up and took out some ointment for bruises and sprains from the makeup box. She dabbed a little with her fingertip and gently applied it to Yin Zhu's wound.
“Her?” Narcissus slowly shook her head. “She won’t be arrogant for long. She’s nothing to worry about.”
In my previous life, the Song family's fortunes collapsed around this very time.
At that time, she was diligently resting and preparing for childbirth in the west wing, when she overheard the young palace maids gossiping:
It is said that during the sacrificial ceremony, a pure gold ritual vessel supervised by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was accidentally dropped and broke into two pieces. The exposed interior was not pure gold, but rather mixed with a large amount of inferior iron!
This incident enraged the emperor, and a thorough investigation revealed the numerous crimes of Song Qingfeng, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, including embezzlement, dereliction of duty, and personal enrichment.
Judging by the timing, right now... it should be the period when Song Changzai's father, Song Qingfeng, committed a crime and the news was suppressed for a thorough investigation.
It will probably not be long before news of Song's father's crime reaches the palace.
After her rebirth, Shui Xian kept a close eye on the movements in the East Annex Hall.
Not long after Consort Song entered the palace, Consort Yi's finances visibly improved.
On several occasions, Shui Xian personally witnessed Song Changzai's trusted maidservant, trying to conceal her presence, carrying a brocade box and sneaking into the main hall.
By piecing together the clues from the two lifetimes, Shui Xian vaguely guessed that the Yi family and the Song family must have some kind of secret connection!
The gold, silver and valuables that Consort Song kept sending into the main hall were probably part of the embezzled funds that Song Qingfeng had obtained!
In her previous life, when the Song family's affair came to light, Consort Yi, in order to protect herself and fearing that Consort Song would implicate her, swiftly and decisively poisoned this now worthless pawn.
Now, seeing Consort Song running towards the main hall of Changxin Palace after being wronged, a cold glint flashed in Shui Xian's eyes.
To seek help from a tiger?
Consort Song probably won't live much longer!
Not long after, Consort Yi summoned Narcissus to the main hall.
A warm fragrance filled the air inside the hall. Consort Yi sat upright in the main seat, looking down at the narcissus kneeling before her.
“Narcissus,” Consort Yi admonished in a low voice, “Now that you are a Lady-in-Waiting, you should act with the decorum and propriety of a mistress.”
Narcissus knelt with her head bowed, her posture respectful: "Your Majesty's teachings are correct, I will remember them."
"Remember?" Consort Yi's voice was slightly cold: "I ask you, why didn't you inform me, the Lady Consort, before you got the silver pearl back to your side? Instead, you went directly to the Emperor to ask for his favor?"
Shui Xian overstepped her authority and completely offended Consort Yi.
Song Changzai sat at the lower end, her eyes filled with schadenfreude, waiting to see Shuixian's downfall.
Shui Xian said in a panic, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! This humble servant would never dare to have any intention of disrespecting Your Majesty!"
"That day...that day after I served the Emperor, I...I just casually mentioned it, I never expected that His Majesty would directly issue an edict to assign someone to me!"
She raised her tear-filled eyes, looked at Consort Yi, and said sincerely:
"Your Majesty treats me like a younger sister, caring for me in every way. Every time I return from serving Your Majesty, I am always moved to tears by the medicine Your Majesty bestows upon me to help with my pregnancy, and I drink it all without leaving a drop."
"Your Majesty has been so kind to me, always thinking of my needs. How could I possibly disregard Your Majesty's dignity and act beyond your authority? This was truly an unintentional mistake. I beg Your Majesty to understand!"
Consort Yi's surging anger paused.
Yes, that medicine... she's been drinking it.
If they really had any ulterior motives, why would they be so obedient?
Perhaps it really is a misunderstanding?
This girl is still the same foolish slave she controls, who only knows how to be grateful.
Consort Song, who was standing to the side, couldn't hold back any longer. She complained, "Your Majesty! Don't be fooled by her pitiful appearance!"
"An unintentional mistake? I think she did it on purpose! Just because she has some beauty that bewitched the Emperor, she doesn't respect you, her sovereign! Today she dares to ask you for a servant, tomorrow she'll dare to climb over your head and act like a tyrant!"
Narcissus bowed deeply to Consort Yi:
"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong and am willing to accept punishment. Consort Song is right. Although I did not mean it, it was indeed improper and made Your Majesty lose face. I... I accept the punishment."
She adopted an extremely humble posture and sincerely admitted her mistakes, which made Song Changzai seem aggressive.
"Never mind." Consort Yi waved her hand.
"Since it was an unintentional mistake, and considering you are a newly appointed Attendant and not yet fully familiar with the rules, I will punish you slightly as a warning. I will deduct three months' salary from your pay to reflect on your mistake. Do you accept this?"
"I thank Your Majesty for your forgiveness! I am completely convinced!"
Narcissus immediately agreed, her attitude extremely respectful.
She slowly straightened up and looked at Consort Song, who still looked indignant: "Sister Song, please calm down. I know that you and Her Majesty have a deep and close relationship, and you are the one who will always protect Her Majesty's dignity."
"What happened today was due to my lack of consideration, which upset you. I apologize to you and hope you will be magnanimous and not hold it against me."
Although she was speaking to Consort Song, she was actually saying this to Consort Yi.
Close relationship...
Consort Yi's gaze darkened slightly. Did everyone think she was getting close to Consort Song?
She remembered the letter her father had written in secret code a few days ago.
The letter stated that the evidence against Song Qingfeng, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, was conclusive, and he had been secretly detained by the Court of Judicial Review. The Emperor was furious and would take action once the investigation was completed.
In his letter, her father sternly warned her to immediately sever ties with Song Changzai to avoid getting into trouble!
Consort Yi pondered carefully, and felt secretly alarmed.
Yes, she and Song Changzai have been getting too close lately!
Song Changzai runs to her main hall every day... In the eyes of others, wouldn't they assume that she, Yi Guichun, is in cahoots with the Song family?
Consort Yi's gaze towards Consort Song instantly became distant.
"Consort Shui Xian is too kind," Consort Yi said matter-of-factly.
"As the mistress of Changxin Palace, I only respect palace rules and principles, not personal feelings or favoritism. I am punishing you today because of your improper conduct, not because I am angry with anyone. Go back and reflect on your mistakes."
These words were addressed less to Narcissus and more to all the palace servants present:
She, Yi Guichun, was impartial and had no special personal relationship with Song Changzai!
Consort Song hadn't yet grasped the underlying meaning of Consort Yi's words; she only felt that Consort Yi's punishment of Shui Xian was too lenient. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, "Your Highness, she..."
"Alright!" Consort Yi said coldly, "I'm tired. You may all leave."
She waved her hand, effectively telling them to leave.
Song Changzai was filled with anger, her face flushed red. She could only glare at Shuixian fiercely before angrily turning away.
In the following days, Narcissus listened to the sounds outside through the window.
It seems that Consort Song has finally received the news. She tried to see Consort Yi many times, but Xue Mei always blocked her at the door with various excuses.
Occasionally, when I managed to get inside, I would always hear suppressed arguments coming from within.
Narcissus sat by the window in the west wing, her gaze fixed on the dying begonia on the windowsill.
She stretched out her finger and gently brushed across the withered leaves of the crabapple tree.
In this deep palace, life and death, rise and fall, are always just a matter of moments.
She knew better than anyone how ruthless Consort Yi was.
That night, a heavy snow fell in the palace.
The north wind, carrying snowflakes, howled and raged above the palace, pounding against the tightly closed doors and windows, emitting a mournful wail.
In addition, the entire palace was immersed in the stillness of a deep winter night.
Suddenly, a woman's scream shattered the tranquility of the long night, emanating from the east wing of Changxin Palace.
"Changzai! Changzai!! What's wrong with you...? Someone help me...!!!"
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