Chapter 16 I will personally verify whether what you say is true.
Shui Xian looked at Li San's face, which was twisted by arrogance, and her smile deepened.
The fact that Consort Yi's name came out of this wicked servant's mouth saved her a lot of trouble.
"Yinzhu," her voice was low, yet colder than ice and snow, "go find the head of the Imperial Pharmacy. I want to see how the head of the pharmacy will punish those who, under the guise of Consort Yi, framed and abused their power in the Imperial Garden!"
Li San wore an expression of disbelief.
In this palace today, apart from the sickly and rarely seen Empress, only the favored Consort Li and the rising Consort Yi, who has been in the palace for three years, can rival each other.
Consort Li was arrogant and domineering, unlike Consort Yi who was gentle and refined. She absolutely looked down on this low-ranking concubine in front of her.
Therefore, Li San was very confident that invoking Consort Yi's name would intimidate Narcissus.
This woman... how dare she?!
Not long after, the steward whom Shui Xian had met at the inner pharmacy arrived at the Imperial Garden, panting and following behind Yin Zhu, accompanied by two eunuchs.
He spotted Li San, who looked disheveled, from afar and knew something was wrong.
Li San, relying on his connections, usually acts arrogantly in the inner pharmacy, but with Consort Yi in the limelight, who dares to really interfere? But this Consort Shui Xian... is also a newly favored person in the Emperor's lap, enjoying great favor recently.
The steward's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He jogged to Narcissus and bowed deeply: "This servant greets Your Highness! Please calm down, Your Highness! I wonder which ignorant servant offended Your Highness?"
Narcissus's gaze swept over the terrified face of the head of the inner pharmacy, her voice tinged with anger:
"Sir, is this man from your inner pharmacy? In broad daylight, in this very Imperial Garden, he dares to openly frame a colleague, falsely accusing this eunuch Xiao Chuanzi of breaking medicine and even beating and kicking him, attempting to steal his treasured medical book!"
Shui Xian's tone hardened as she spoke: "What's even more hateful is that he actually used Consort Yi's name to commit crimes! I saw it with my own eyes, how can I allow him to slander Consort Yi's virtue and reputation like this?"
Upon hearing this, Li San immediately panicked: "Steward Wang! I'm innocent! This servant did not slander you!"
"Shut up!" Narcissus shouted.
She adopted the demeanor of a loyal servant defending Consort Yi: "What kind of status does Consort Yi have? What kind of gentle and virtuous woman is she? How could she tolerate a wicked servant like you by her side? I think you are clearly using Consort Yi's name to tarnish her reputation!"
She turned to the head of the Imperial Pharmacy and said coldly, "Sir, this kind of unruly servant is committing crimes outside under the guise of his master. If he is not severely punished, how can we cleanse the palace? How can we protect Consort Yi's reputation? According to the rules of the Imperial Pharmacy, how should he be dealt with?"
Manager Wang of the internal pharmacy was completely overwhelmed by the heavy accusations leveled against him by Shui Xian.
He knew perfectly well that Consort Shui Xian was determined to use this as an excuse to target Li San, and yet every word she uttered was perfectly reasonable, all under the guise of protecting Consort Yi, leaving him unable to even plead for Li San.
He could only stammer in reply, "In response to your question, Your Highness, according to palace rules, Li San's actions are indeed framing, abusing his power, and damaging Your Highness's reputation. He should be punished for all these crimes... he should be given thirty strokes of the cane!"
"Alright." Shui Xian nodded, her gaze sweeping over Li San's resentful face before finally settling on Xiao Chuanzi, who was struggling to sit up. Her voice softened.
“Eunuch Xiao Chuanzi, your injuries are quite severe. Can you still hold on and watch this punishment be carried out with your own eyes? I fear that my subordinates might outwardly comply but inwardly defy me and let this villain off lightly, thus tarnishing Consort Yi’s reputation and chilling your heart as the victim.”
Xiao Chuanzi was in pain all over, but his eyes shone even brighter. He nodded vigorously, his voice hoarse but firm: "This servant...this servant can hold on! Thank you for your grace, Your Highness! This servant will personally watch and ensure that such wicked people...have no further chance to slander Consort Yi!"
Manager Wang felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that although Narcissus was young, her methods were incredibly sophisticated.
He immediately bowed and said, "This servant dares not! He will be severely punished! Guards! Drag Li San back to the inner pharmacy courtyard and execute him!"
Two eunuchs stepped forward and roughly dragged the wailing Li San away.
Shui Xian stopped looking at the filthy scene and turned her gaze to Steward Wang: "This eunuch Xiao Chuanzi suffered an undeserved calamity today and is quite seriously injured. My Changxin Palace West Annex is in dire need of a reliable servant. Steward, please have him tidy up and come to work for me immediately."
How could Steward Wang dare to say no?
He nodded and bowed repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes! Your Highness is kind and considerate of your servants! This servant will arrange it immediately! Xiao Chuanzi, quickly thank Your Highness for your kindness!"
Xiao Chuanzi struggled to her feet, ignoring her injuries, and kowtowed heavily in the snow in front of Shui Xian. Her forehead touched the cold snow, and her voice choked with emotion:
"This humble servant, Xiao Chuanzi... thanks Your Highness for your kindness!"
Not long after.
Changxin Palace, main hall.
After returning from the Imperial Garden, Narcissus went to visit Consort Yi.
Upon entering the hall, Shui Xian gracefully curtsied to Consort Yi, saying, "Greetings to Consort Yi."
"Sister Narcissus, get up quickly. It's freezing cold. Why did you come here? Sit down and warm yourself up." Consort Yi smiled kindly, pointed to the embroidered stool next to her, and subtly looked at Narcissus, wondering why she had suddenly come.
Narcissus sat down as instructed, and said indignantly, "Your Majesty, Narcissus has done a great thing for you in the Imperial Garden today!"
"Oh? What has made Sister Narcissus so angry?" Consort Yi frowned, but her heart skipped a beat for no reason.
"Your Majesty, you have no idea!" Shui Xian said coldly, "While I was enjoying the scenery in the plum grove, I stumbled upon a wicked servant named Li San from the inner pharmacy, bullying and beating a junior eunuch! Not only did Li San frame me, but what's most hateful is that he kept shouting that he was one of Your Majesty's men, using your name to act arrogantly and lawlessly!"
Consort Yi's smile froze abruptly, and the fingers gripping the handkerchief slowly tightened.
Shui Xian seemed not to notice and continued indignantly, "I was furious! Your Highness, how could you be such a gentle and virtuous person? How could you allow such a wicked servant to tarnish your reputation? I immediately summoned the head of the inner pharmacy and exposed Li San's evil deeds in public! Head Steward Wang also said that according to palace rules, such a wicked servant should be punished with thirty strokes of the cane!"
Narcissus smiled slightly, as if seeking praise: "Your Majesty, do you think I did the right thing?"
Consort Yi felt a surge of anger rising in her chest, making her feel suffocated!
What a meddlesome, lowly servant girl!
However, she couldn't get angry yet. If she did, wouldn't that be admitting that Li San was a pawn she had planted in the inner pharmacy?
She suppressed her surging anger and forced a smile: "Thanks to Sister Narcissus's meticulousness and her protection of me! I, who usually stay at home, was completely unaware of such a wicked servant causing trouble! Sister Narcissus has helped me expose this cancer and punished it severely today, which has been a great help! I am so grateful!"
See, she even has to thank us.
Narcissus smiled sheepishly, "Your Majesty is too kind. This is all I should do. Your Majesty's kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain. How could I allow such a petty person to slander Your Majesty?"
"Sister Narcissus is right, absolutely right!" Consort Yi nodded with a smile, but her heart ached terribly!
Consort Yi released her hand, her tone still full of concern. "Sister Narcissus must be tired too, right? Go back and rest, have a bowl of hot soup to warm yourself up."
Having achieved her goal, Narcissus obediently stood up and said, "Yes, then I will take my leave. Your Majesty, please rest well."
As Narcissus's figure disappeared outside the door, the forced smile on Consort Yi's face instantly crumbled!
She suddenly swung her hand, sweeping the white porcelain teacup on the small table beside the couch to the ground, where it shattered into pieces!
A piercing cracking sound echoed throughout the interior! Dark tea spilled onto the luxurious carpet!
"You lowly servant!" Consort Yi's chest heaved violently. "How dare she! How dare she humiliate me like this!"
Xuemei was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground.
"That idiot Li San! A useless piece of trash who's good for nothing and good for nothing!" Yi Fei gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with murderous intent. "He knows too much! We absolutely cannot let him speak while he's alive!"
She abruptly turned to Xue Mei, her voice icy and chilling: "Xue Mei, go to the inner pharmacy yourself! Tell the steward that while I am lenient towards servants who make mistakes, palace rules are palace rules; not a single stroke of the cane will be spared! Make him give me a thorough beating!"
Xuemei understood immediately and bowed her head, replying, "Yes! This servant understands!"
Consort Yi took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the west wing with a sinister glint: "And also, find out for me! Did Narcissus go to the Imperial Garden today by chance, or was it for some other purpose!"
"Yes!" Xuemei accepted the order and hurriedly withdrew to make arrangements.
Only Yi Fei's furious panting could be heard in the inner room.
Narcissus... I will make you repay today's humiliation a hundredfold!
That night.
Before Xiao Chuanzi returned, Shui Xian was summoned to serve him in bed.
Before leaving, Shui Xian made sure to give Yin Zhu all the necessary instructions before boarding the imperial sedan chair.
The palanquin was not heading towards the Qianqing Palace, but rather towards the Wenlan Hall, a private hot spring in the palace that the late emperor had built at great expense.
This was the first time that Shui Xian had entered Wenlan Palace. Instead of the gold bricks paving the floor of ordinary palaces, the walls were inlaid with green jade. Hundreds of potted flowers were placed inside, their petals glistening with moisture and emitting a fragrant aroma.
In the very center is a hot spring pool about ten feet square, with walls made of white jade and dragon and phoenix patterns carved along the edges. The water is so clear that you can see the blue pebbles at the bottom of the pool, and wisps of white mist rise from the surface. This scene is enough to make one's eyes and mind swoon.
Narcissus had already been served by maids in the side hall and changed into a thin, sheer gauze dress. Although the dress was thin, it had many layers, so only a vague outline could be seen. As she walked, the gauze around her was like water, and every step she took was graceful.
After Emperor Zhaoheng ascended the throne, he disliked the extravagance of the place and therefore rarely used Wenlan Palace.
Unexpectedly, she was summoned to the bedchamber today, but it was in this very Wenlan Palace.
As Shui Xian pondered this, she stepped barefoot into the hot spring, the steam making her fair cheeks glow with a rosy hue.
About fifteen minutes later, Shui Xian faintly heard Emperor Zhaoheng's footsteps coming from outside the palace.
She was languid from soaking in the hot soup, pretending not to hear, and simply leaned against the edge of the pool, closing her eyes to rest.
Emperor Zhaoheng did not immediately enter the pool, but instead reached over one of her shoulders and gently stirred the water in front of her.
"Xian'er is getting bolder and bolder these days, she's even skipping her greetings to me..."
"emperor......"
Shui Xian turned around and met Emperor Zhao Heng's gaze by the pond. She used the buoyancy to rise slightly and hooked her slender arm around Emperor Zhao Heng's shoulder.
Her layers of gauze clothing, once washed clean, became as translucent as cicada wings, revealing every detail.
Narcissus gazed into the man's somber eyes, her voice tinged with grievance.
"I didn't mean it, I'm just too shy..."
Before she could finish speaking, Emperor Zhaoheng pulled her out of the pool and strode towards a low couch to the side.
Emperor Zhaoheng's voice was tense, and his steps were rapid.
"I've heard that hot springs are good for warming the body and promoting fertility. I've come to personally verify whether this is true."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com