Chapter 28 Good News
Narcissus sat regally in the main hall, with a pair of jade unicorn ornaments on a table beside her, gleaming in the sunlight.
Granny Yan, along with palace servants, was using the excuse of cleaning to search through Narcissus's room from the inside out.
It was less a cleaning and more a search.
The trunk was opened, the clothes were shaken out for a closer look, and the jewelry in the dressing case was picked up and examined one by one.
Narcissus watched all of this with a blank expression.
She knew that this was not only Yi Guichun's informant doing his job, but also Yan Mama's undisguised hostility and harassment towards her.
Shui Xian knew the root of this hostility when Yin Zhu quietly told her that Granny Yan was related to Li San, the bully of the inner pharmacy.
As Granny Yan directed a young palace maid to wipe the corners of the room, she swept her sinister gaze over the narcissus.
Li San was her distant cousin. Although he was a good-for-nothing, he was her only blood relative in the deep palace.
It was precisely because of her seniority in the palace that she managed to get Li San into the inner pharmacy. But unexpectedly, this Narcissus used some unknown means to make Li San fall and be beaten to death!
In Granny Yan's opinion, Li San was indeed a bit arrogant, but his crime did not warrant death!
It's all because of that wretched Narcissus who made a fuss over nothing!
And that Xiao Chuanzi, he's the root of all evil!
She also developed a deep hatred for Ogawako.
At that moment, she saw Ogawa walking past under the corridor outside the hall.
A cold glint flashed in Granny Yan's eyes, and she immediately raised her voice, "Xiao Chuanzi! Stop right there!"
Xiao Chuanzi paused, stepped forward, and bowed his head, asking, "What are your orders, Granny Yan?"
Granny Yan strode over, her voice icy and chilling: "Xiao Chuanzi, do you know your crime?"
Xiao Chuanzi was taken aback, then looked up blankly: "This servant...does not understand what you mean, Granny?"
"Hmph!" Granny Yan sneered, "Li San! Do you still remember him?"
Xiao Chuanzi frowned, recalling the wicked eunuch who deserved to die.
“Li San is my cousin!” Granny Yan deliberately made things difficult.
“He may have made some minor mistakes, but they don’t warrant death! You worked at the same pharmacy as him, so you were old acquaintances! After his death, did you ever go to his coffin to offer incense or kowtow?”
"Where is your conscience? Allowing such a heartless, ungrateful wretch to serve the noble is an insult to the Chengming Palace!"
Her words were not only directed at Xiao Chuanzi, but also indirectly insulted Shui Xian.
"Guards!" Granny Yan shouted sternly, "This kind of heartless servant deserves to be taught a lesson!"
"Guards! Drag him to the courtyard and make him kneel! Kneel until he learns what conscience is! This freezing weather is perfect for waking him up!"
Although the snow in the courtyard outside the palace had been cleared, the cold was still biting, and the blue brick ground was as cold as iron.
Although Xiao Chuanzi has recovered somewhat, if he kneels on this for a long time, he will suffer from frostbite at best, and may even develop chronic illnesses at worst!
Shui Xian abruptly stood up, defending him, "Granny Yan! Xiao Chuanzi is someone I personally chose! Whether he has done anything wrong and how he should be dealt with is for me to decide! It is not for you, Granny, to overstep your bounds!"
Granny Yan turned around, her face showing no fear: "Your Excellency is mistaken! This servant is here on the orders of Consort Qi to assist Your Excellency in managing Chengming Palace and instructing the palace servants in etiquette."
She sneered, "This servant is morally corrupt and ungrateful. If he is not disciplined strictly, he might offend the Emperor one day and cause a great disaster. How can I explain this to Consort Qi? And how can Your Highness bear the consequences?!"
Narcissus's breathing deepened, and she seemed slightly agitated.
She knew all too well that in this deep palace, when facing a cunning servant like Granny Yan, if you retreated one step, she would advance ten!
Once she feels that you are easy to manipulate, she will become even more domineering and arrogant towards you!
"Take responsibility?" Narcissus retorted without backing down.
"I'm telling you right now, I can take responsibility! Xiao Chuanzi is a member of Chengming Palace, and I will take care of everything concerning him! It's not your place, a mere old woman, to interfere!"
Her imposing manner startled Granny Yan, who instinctively took a half-step back, but quickly retorted, "Your Excellency! Consort Qi..."
"Consort Qi sent you to assist me, not to make you the mistress of Chengming Palace!"
Shui Xian interrupted her directly: "You keep saying it's for Consort Qi's sake, for the sake of propriety and order, but is what you're doing now propriety and order? It's insubordination! It's usurpation!"
She took a step closer, staring into Granny Yan's eyes, which showed a hint of panic, and lowered her voice to a whisper:
"Granny Yan, I advise you to stop while you're ahead! If this matter really gets to the Emperor's ears... how Consort Qi will punish me is another story."
"But guess where your head will be hanging then!"
"You...!" At this moment, Granny Yan had no doubt that if things really came to a head, Shui Xian would definitely dare to complain to the Emperor!
Narcissus looked at her coldly and said nothing more.
After a long while, Granny Yan finally gave in to that cold gaze, and she lowered her head with extreme resentment: "Your Excellency...you are right."
"Good to know." Narcissus withdrew her gaze and said to Xiao Chuanzi, "Xiao Chuanzi, get up and go do what you need to do."
"Thank you, young master!" Xiao Chuanzi felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly got up to leave.
Narcissus temporarily suppressed the storm with swift and decisive measures.
But Granny Yan's hostility did not dissipate. If open methods didn't work, she would resort to covert ones, using all sorts of ways to annoy people.
She would use the excuse of back pain to ask Yinzhu to massage and pound her back, which would last for half an hour until Yinzhu's arms were sore and numb.
She might suddenly remember something important and instruct Ogawa to run all over the palace to retrieve something trivial.
......
Granny Yan had been in Chengming Hall for some time and had already figured out the situation.
She knew that the only people Shui Xian truly trusted were Yin Zhu and Xiao Chuanzi, those two lowly slaves.
So she focused her efforts on tormenting these two.
Towards the other palace servants, she adopted a magnanimous demeanor, occasionally bestowing small favors and subtly winning them over, attempting to plant spies for Yi Guichun within the Chengming Hall.
This old woman, Granny Yan, was extremely annoying, like an ever-present insect, constantly disturbing Narcissus's life.
Even though Narcissus was reborn and had an iron will, she was sometimes annoyed by Narcissus's endless tricks, which made her temples throb and gave her a headache.
Narcissus found that her emotions had been fluctuating abnormally lately, and even the smallest things could easily stir up her inner turmoil.
This was extremely rare in the past.
She attributed it to the tension from her days of wits and battles with Granny Yan, and didn't think much of it. She simply tried harder to suppress her emotions and continue to deal with this old shrew.
That evening, after finishing some trivial matters, Shui Xian asked Yin Zhu to send a message to Xiao Chuanzi, summoning him to the inner study for a talk.
As soon as Yinzhu left to receive her orders, the beaded curtain of the inner room was suddenly flung open with a whoosh!
Granny Yan's stern and rigid face appeared at the door.
Her sharp gaze swept over the inner room, where only Shui Xian was present, and she questioned, "My lord! It is late. Why have you summoned Xiao Chuanzi, a mere eunuch, into this inner room? What is your purpose?"
A surge of anger rose within Narcissus!
That Granny Yan is like a persistent ghost!
She raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "I have something to ask Xiao Chuanzi. What advice do you have, Granny?"
"I dare not presume to offer guidance!" Granny Yan stepped into the inner room.
"This is just a reminder to you, sir! In this deep palace, one must be extremely careful not to act suspiciously! Although eunuchs are castrated, they are still men after all!"
Granny Yan snorted coldly: "The inner room is a private place for noble ladies. How can an outsider be allowed to enter? If word gets out that a man and a woman are alone in a room, it will damage the noble lady's reputation and bring shame upon the Emperor!"
"Her Highness Consort Qi ordered me to come and look after Your Excellency. How could I possibly stand by and watch Your Excellency make a mistake?!"
A surge of anger welled up in Narcissus, and she abruptly stood up: "Granny Yan! How dare you! It's none of your business to do what I say..."
Before he finished speaking, Xiao Chuanzi and Yin Zhu arrived at the door. Hearing what Granny Yan said, he was afraid of implicating Shui Xian.
He quickly bowed deeply to Granny Yan: "Granny, please calm down! It was my fault! I will take my leave now! I would never dare to disturb Your Highness's peace and quiet!"
"Hmph!" Granny Yan watched Xiao Chuanzi's departing figure, then glanced at the angry Narcissus, a smug smirk playing on her lips. She turned and lifted the curtain to leave.
Narcissus stood there, feeling a surge of anger raging in her chest, making her fingertips tremble with rage!
wrong.
The emotional fluctuations were too intense, far exceeding the level of disgust towards Granny Yan.
A strange feeling welled up inside me.
She recalled a certain feeling from her past life, her eyes trembled slightly, and she subconsciously looked at her abdomen.
It can't be...
The following day, in the afternoon.
Shuixian sat on the soft couch by the window, her gaze seemingly fixed on Granny Yan in the courtyard.
Every day at this time, Granny Yan would go to Changxin Palace to report on the situation in Chengming Hall.
She waited and waited, until finally Yan Mama's figure disappeared at the entrance of Chengming Palace. Shui Xian stood up and gave Yin Zhu a wink.
Yinzhu understood and quickly walked to the palace entrance, looking out warily.
Now, the only people she trusts in Chengming Hall are Shuixian and Xiaochuanzi. As for the other palace servants, Shuixian doesn't know which ones have been won over by Granny Yan.
Seeing that there was no one else in the inner room, Shui Xian lowered her voice and said to Xiao Chuanzi, "Can you take my pulse now? Be careful."
Upon hearing this, Ogawako did not hesitate at all.
He strode to the narcissus bedside, took out a clean silk handkerchief from his sleeve and placed it on the narcissus's outstretched wrist, then put three fingers together and precisely placed them on the narcissus's wrist.
His expression instantly became incredibly focused; he held his breath, his fingertips sensing the subtle differences.
Suddenly, Xiaochuanzi bent his knees and knelt down, his voice trembling uncontrollably with excitement.
"Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations! You...are pregnant!"
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