Chapter 199 It has been a long time since I... received Xian'er's favor.
The fainting spell earlier was faked, but Narcissus's body was actually extremely weak.
Pei Jichuan spent his days poring over medical books, searching for ways to treat Shui Xian. He even went to ask Ana, who had just entered the Imperial Hospital.
Ana said that she was only responsible for saving people and poisoning people. In her tribe, people only had two states: alive or dead. If you wanted to replenish your body... where would you find so many rare and precious herbs to replenish your body?
Pei Jichuan thought it was too outrageous, and even suspected that Ana was not familiar with Mandarin and that he might have misunderstood something.
He asked several times and received the same answer each time, which made him believe that Ana was telling the truth.
Ana, who was being questioned for no reason, didn't even realize that Pei Jichuan was questioning her. She just assumed that her Mandarin was not standard, which was why Pei Jichuan kept asking her questions.
In the days that followed, under Pei Jichuan's careful care, Shuixian's health had gradually improved. Although she was still weak and often felt short of energy, her face had finally regained some color.
On this day, Emperor Zhaoheng had just finished court and went straight to Lihe Palace without even changing out of his court robes.
This scene has been frequently observed since the narcissus was moved back to the Reiwa Palace.
Even now that the names of Lihe Palace and Qianqing Palace have been changed, no one in the harem finds it strange.
Upon entering the inner hall, one sees Narcissus leaning against a soft couch by the window, smiling as she watches two babbling babies in the arms of several wet nurses beside her.
Those were the twins Qingyan and Qinghe, born from the narcissus risking her life.
Yongning, who could already walk unsteadily, lay by the bed. After the wet nurses put the twins down, she curiously touched her younger brothers' faces with her chubby fingers, which made Shuixian chuckle.
This warm and joyful scene instantly soothed the slight weariness that Emperor Zhaoheng had felt from his time in court.
He walked over quietly, first bending down to pick up Yongning and kiss her, which made his daughter giggle. Then he sat down next to Shuixian and let the wet nurse and maid take the twins and Yongning away.
Then, he had Yinzhu bring over the tonic.
How are you feeling today?
He gently stirred the medicine with a jade spoon while bowing his head and asking softly.
Narcissus nodded slightly, drank the medicine from the spoon he offered to her lips, and then said softly, "I'm much better now. I'm sorry to have worried Your Majesty."
Her gaze swept over the children crawling and playing in the outer room, and she said with emotion, "Looking at them, I feel that everything is worthwhile."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Zhaoheng softened his movements even more as he fed the medicine, promising, "It will be soon; the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet is just around the corner. I have already given the order that the Jiang family will be richly rewarded for raising Xian'er."
"Also, let your mother and sister enter the palace a few days earlier to keep you company and stay for a while, so you can have a proper chat."
Allowing outsiders to enter the palace repeatedly is already an exceptional favor.
Narcissus's eyes lit up, and the gratitude she showed was not an act, but a genuine thank you.
Her family was her deepest concern, but once she entered the palace, it was like entering a deep sea, and she would have very few opportunities to see her family for the rest of her life.
The thought of seeing her mother and sister again made Shui Xian happily throw herself into Emperor Zhaoheng's arms and hug his neck.
"Your Majesty, you are so good to me..."
Emperor Zhaoheng gave her a light kiss, and his hand, which had been resting lightly on her slender waist, unconsciously became more unrestrained with the kiss.
"If you truly wish to repay me, Xian'er, take good care of yourself. It has been a long time since I... received your kindness and care."
It's only when concubines serve the emperor that they receive his favors, so why...?
Narcissus understood after a moment's thought.
She simply didn't want to understand, but she did try to understand when she saw Emperor Zhaoheng's slight smile.
"emperor……"
Shui Xian lightly tapped Emperor Zhaoheng's shoulder. The more favor Emperor Zhaoheng bestowed upon her, the more unrestrained Shui Xian became in her actions.
She knew men's thoughts well; they didn't want absolute obedience.
Sometimes, the slap they deliver actually gives them a secret sense of satisfaction.
As expected, Emperor Zhaoheng grabbed her hand and kissed it.
...
The days seemed to pass peacefully in the Lihe Palace.
However, just as the emperor and empress were enjoying the warm days surrounded by their children...
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, news suddenly spread from Cining Palace that the Empress Dowager had issued an imperial edict, the contents of which were—
Empress Liu was virtuous and kind, beautiful and intelligent, respectful to the elderly and compassionate to the young, a model for women and children throughout the land, and her praise is known throughout the land.
When the news reached Lihe Palace, Emperor Zhaoheng was reviewing memorials. Upon hearing the news, he abruptly raised his head, his face turning ashen.
"Empress Dowager...she's trying to use the people's voices to force me to never depose her!"
Emperor Zhaoheng's voice was icy, filled with barely suppressed rage.
How could he not know that once this imperial edict was issued, it would transform the Empress into a model of virtue!
In the short term, if he insists on deposing the empress, he will face enormous public pressure and may even be accused of "favoring his concubine over his wife" and "not being able to distinguish between the wise and the foolish."
The Empress Dowager's decree spread throughout the palace in an instant.
Emperor Zhaoheng was reviewing memorials at Lihe Palace when he learned of the decree. He instructed the palace servants to suppress the news and personally conveyed the Empress Dowager's edict to Shuixian during dinner.
He took her hand, his voice filled with apology.
"Xian'er, I...I know you've been wronged. But if I were to take action against her in the short term after this imperial decree is issued, it would likely attract more criticism and be detrimental to you as well."
After hearing this, Narcissus remained silent for a moment, her long eyelashes drooping to conceal the cold glint that flashed in her eyes.
When she looked up again, her eyes were filled with tenderness. She gently squeezed his hand back and comforted him.
"Your Majesty need not trouble yourself with this... As I have said, I would be content as long as I can stay by Your Majesty's side and watch Yongning, Qingyan, and Qinghe grow up peacefully. As for the Empress's position... I have never dared to ask for it."
"Your Majesty must not cause any conflict with the Empress Dowager because of me, lest you bring trouble upon yourself."
The more sensible she was, the more guilty Emperor Zhaoheng felt. He couldn't help but hold her tightly in his arms and said in a deep voice:
"I'm sorry to have troubled you... but I promise you, this is only a temporary measure."
However, from an angle he couldn't see, the narcissus resting on his shoulder had a clear look in her eyes.
The Empress Dowager's move, bypassing the Emperor and directly supporting the Empress in the name of setting an example for the nation, was indeed unexpected and caught her off guard.
This old woman, in order to balance the emperor and herself, has truly abandoned all sense of shame.
——
Although she was under house arrest in Kunning Palace, the Empress was still well-informed.
As the Empress sipped her tea and listened to her trusted nanny's report, a smug smile slowly crept onto her lips.
She dismissed the other palace servants, leaving only the trusted matron, her voice cold and menacing: "With the Emperor's protection, Consort Jin is like an iron barrel in Lihe Palace. I cannot touch her."
"But her younger sister, Shuixiu... is quite beautiful. I've heard that Prince Duan is still very fond of her..."
She slightly raised her eyelids, a shadow passing through her eyes.
"Go and find a way to let Prince Duan know that if he is interested in Shui Xiu, I... would be happy to see it happen. At the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet, there will be many people and many eyes. Wouldn't it be perfectly reasonable for something 'accident' to happen?"
——
Inside the Prince Duan's residence, the Prince Duan was drinking and making merry with several advisors, one of whom was a secret agent planted by the Empress.
The advisor smiled obsequiously, leaned closer, and lowered his voice, saying, "Your Highness, I've heard that the second young lady of the Jiang family, Shui Xiu, has become even more beautiful lately. I've also heard that she will be attending the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet."
Prince Duan had always coveted Shui Xiu, much like a dog eyeing a piece of fat meat.
He stroked his wine glass, his smile a mix of suave charm and greed.
"She's just a woman from a merchant family. It's a blessing that the Jiang family has accumulated over generations that I've taken a liking to her. The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet... is a good opportunity to get close to a beauty."
A glint of shrewdness flashed in the advisor's eyes, and he seized the opportunity to say, "Your Highness, I have a plan that may help you achieve your wish..."
He whispered a few words in Prince Duan's ear, but after listening, Prince Duan revealed a lewd smile of smug satisfaction and nodded repeatedly...
——
Outside the palace, the Jiang family residence, bestowed with the surname Jiang by the emperor, now hangs in the sky.
Upon receiving the imperial decree for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Shui Xian's parents and Shui Xiu were both excited and uneasy.
Glory is indeed glory, but the palace is a deep and dangerous place, and they know that every step they take is fraught with danger.
Shui Xiu, being young, still harbored some girlish longing and curiosity about the grand palace banquet, and excitedly returned to her room to choose her dress.
I searched through my wardrobe, but couldn't find a single item that would be suitable for the occasion, which made me a little discouraged.
Just as she was fretting over a few rather plain dresses, she suddenly heard a very slight creak in the window.
She turned around warily, only to see a figure nimbly leap into the window—it was Yuan Chiyu's personal guard who always followed him.
The guard didn't say anything, but silently placed a long object wrapped in plain brocade on the table, clasped his hands in a salute to Shui Xiu, and then turned to leave.
"stop!"
Shui Xiu was both surprised and suspicious. She lowered her voice and asked, "What is this? Who told you to send it?"
She already had a rough idea of what was going on, but she couldn't believe it.
The guard stopped, still with his head down, his voice flat and emotionless, clearly reciting a prepared speech:
“Reporting to Miss, this was sent by my young master. He said that when he and Miss went to the Southern Frontier, he happened to see this dress and immediately felt that the fabric was elegant and graceful, and only Miss was worthy of it. The young master also specifically instructed that if Miss does not like it, she can simply discard it and there is no need to make things difficult for her.”
After saying that, before Shui Xiu could ask any more questions, the guard flashed out of the window as he had come, disappearing into the night.
Shui Xiu stood there, stunned, staring at the package on the table, her heart inexplicably racing.
She hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't suppress her curiosity and carefully opened it.
Within the plain brocade was a crimson cloud-patterned ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) that reached the chest. The hem of the skirt was embroidered with orchids and flowers in extremely fine silver thread. The fabric shimmered softly in the candlelight, like flowing moonlight.
It's just right for her age; it won't be too flamboyant, yet she'll never lose her dignity at a palace banquet.
"Who knows how your young master ended up with women's clothes out of nowhere? And... and he even secretly sent them over!"
Shui Xiu stomped her foot in frustration at the empty window, but two blushes involuntarily rose on her cheeks.
She complained, but her hand involuntarily caressed the soft fabric, and a clear look of fondness flashed in her eyes.
After struggling for a moment, she couldn't help but pick up her dress and start practicing in front of the bronze mirror.
The girl in the mirror has lively eyes and brows, which complement her elegant dress perfectly.
She couldn't help but twirl slightly, her skirt swaying in a graceful arc.
The girl under the moon is more captivating than any magnificent dress...
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