Chapter 18 You'll Never Escape My Palm
Since deciding to kill Shui Xian, Consort Yi's attitude towards Shui Xian has gradually changed.
She seemed to have given up on even pretending.
The term "sister" never came from her lips again. Instead, she adopted an air of superior authority.
In the past few days, Consort Yi has frequently visited the Cining Palace, where the Empress Dowager resides, and has been extremely attentive to her.
Now that the Empress is ill, Consort Li is in charge of managing the six palaces to share the Empress's burdens. However, the Empress Dowager suddenly bypassed Consort Li and handed over the preparations for the New Year's banquet to Consort Yi.
Rumors began to circulate in the palace, with many saying that a new imperial concubine was about to be added.
Inside the west wing, the fragrance of medicine had not yet dissipated.
Narcissus sat upright on the soft couch, a warm hot water bottle pressed against her lower abdomen.
She looked at Xiaochuanzi standing to the side, and couldn't help but admire him: "These past few days, thanks to the medicine you secretly prepared, I have been able to recover so quickly. Your medical skills are truly remarkable."
Xiao Chuanzi quickly bowed, his eyes much firmer than usual: "Your Highness flatters me! This servant...this servant was merely doing his duty. Without Your Highness's protection, how...how would this servant have had the opportunity to study these things..."
He was no longer the skinny eunuch he once was. The days of recuperation and dedicated study of medical books had diminished much of his timidity.
Although Ogawa was still thin, there was a greater sense of calm in his eyes.
The encouragement from Narcissus recently has been like spring rain, silently nourishing him.
“Studying is a good thing,” Narcissus smiled slightly, winning people over: “I will always give you this opportunity. The more capable you are, the better it will be for both me and you.”
She knew Ogawa's passion for medicine, and that as long as he was given the freedom to pursue his research, he would be loyal to her.
Xiao Chuanzi felt a surge of warmth in his heart and was about to kowtow in gratitude again when Yin Zhu nervously announced from outside the hall: "Your Highness, Xue Mei, Consort Yi's attendant, has arrived."
Xuemei walked in with her head held high and announced haughtily, "This servant greets Consort Shuixian. Her Majesty has decreed that preparations for the New Year's banquet are in full swing and manpower is scarce everywhere. Consort Shuixian is requested to go to the side hall of Baohua Palace immediately to help arrange and count the utensils."
Narcissus sighed, "I'm not fully recovered yet, and this stomachache..."
"Her Majesty said," Xue Mei interrupted coldly before she could finish:
"When you were a servant in the Yi household, you were quick and efficient, working tirelessly all day long. How come you've become so precious now that you're a mistress?"
"These are just some easy tasks. If Your Highness makes excuses, others will think that the people of Changxin Palace are spoiled and arrogant, and dare to disobey even Her Majesty's orders!"
Her words were barbed and pointed, both a reminder of Narcissus's background and a blatant insult.
Shui Xian's hands, hidden under the brocade quilt, clenched slightly, and a gentle expression appeared on her face: "Miss Xue Mei, you are too kind... I will go right away."
Xuemei snorted coldly and turned to leave.
"My lady!" Yinzhu exclaimed with concern, "Your health..."
Narcissus waved her hand, "It's alright."
She whispered to Yinzhu, "I'm not afraid of Consort Yi openly tormenting me, but I'm afraid of her using underhanded tricks. Today won't be easy. You don't need to come with me; I'll go by myself."
Yinzhu tried to persuade her again, but Shuixian firmly waved her hand.
Not long after, Shui Xian arrived at the side hall of Baohua Palace, where she saw Consort Yi dressed in gorgeous clothes, sitting in the temporary main seat, looking down at the other people in the hall who were busy.
She caught a glimpse of Narcissus walking in unsteadily from afar, and a satisfied smile curved her lips.
"Is Consort Shui Xian here?" Consort Yi's voice was neither loud nor soft, but it was enough for all the busy palace servants in the hall to hear.
“Perfect timing. The new gold dishes that have just been delivered to the Imperial Kitchen are arranged in a way that I find inappropriate. Go and ask the head eunuch carefully to make sure they are in accordance with regulations and that the royal family is not disgraced.”
The Imperial Kitchen is separated from Baohua Hall by most of the Imperial Garden.
Shuixian paused, the pain in her lower abdomen seeming to have intensified from her earlier walk.
She lowered her eyes and said softly, "Yes, I will go right away."
After all that trouble, I finally returned from the imperial kitchen, barely catching my breath, when Consort Yi assigned me a new task:
“Since you’re here, and you have good eyesight, go and carefully check all the bowls, plates, cups, and chopsticks prepared on those dozens of tables over there.”
"We must ensure that every set is complete and properly placed. If there is even the slightest flaw, we must report it immediately and replace it."
Dozens of tables and hundreds of sets of tableware—this is clearly a mentally and physically exhausting task.
Narcissus did not refute, but silently walked to the table and began to carefully examine each item.
Bending over, straightening up, bending over again... The pain in her abdomen worsened slightly, and Shui Xian could only rely on her willpower to keep going.
For the entire afternoon, Shui Xian was kept on her toes by Consort Yi under various pretexts.
From checking the gift list to counting the flowers, from inspecting the lights and candles to running errands and relaying messages, there was not a moment's rest.
Her face grew paler and paler, and cold sweat kept appearing on her forehead as she wiped it away.
As the sun set, candles were lit inside the palace.
Consort Yi finally spoke up as if she had taken pity on everyone: "Alright, let's stop here for today."
Narcissus could barely stand, and felt extremely dizzy and lightheaded.
Consort Yi picked up the hot tea offered by the palace maid, slowly blew on it, and glanced at the swaying figure of the narcissus, her tone laced with admonition:
"You've had a hard day, Consort. But it seems to me that your health isn't as robust as it was when you were a servant in the Yi household, now that you're a mistress."
"Back then, he could kneel under the sun for hours without uttering a sound... He still needs more experience."
The nearby palace servants chuckled, and Consort Yi's expression grew even more smug.
She watched the pale-faced narcissus walk away, and thought to herself:
No matter how much she is favored, she is still my servant, Consort Yi's servant!
Narcissus, narcissus, you will never escape my grasp in this lifetime!
——
Around the same time, inside the Qianqing Palace.
The candlelight illuminated Emperor Zhaoheng's handsome profile, and most of the memorials piled up on his desk had already been processed.
Feng Shunxiang entered silently, carrying a vermilion tray supporting the green-headed plaque. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, it's getting late, you see..."
Emperor Zhaoheng put down his vermilion brush and glanced at the neatly arranged plaques on the tray.
Consort Wan, Noble Consort Li, Consort Tuoba... His fingers slowly swept over the names, but he didn't see the nameplate he wanted to see.
“Narcissus is still here,” he asked, “is she still not fully recovered?”
It has been some time since she last served the emperor, and normally her period should have ended by now.
Feng Shunxiang lowered his head even further and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the palace servants from Changxin Palace reported that Consort Shuixian... is still not cleansed."
He carefully chose his words, not daring to be too direct, but the meaning was clear.
Emperor Zhaoheng frowned, and the image of Consort Yi making such a solemn vow in front of him involuntarily appeared before his eyes.
"That girl, Narcissus, was specially chosen by my family; she possesses a constitution conducive to pregnancy and will surely bear children for Your Majesty..."
Despite being favored by the emperor so many times, she has still not conceived.
He picked up the green plaque bearing the name of Consort Yi from the tray, thinking it better to ask Consort Yi himself.
"Summon Consort Yi."
Feng Shunxiang immediately responded and went out to inform them.
Not long after.
The meticulously dressed Consort Yi entered the bedchamber with impeccable poise.
Compared to once every two weeks before, she has not been favored by the emperor for a long time.
Consort Yi gracefully walked behind Emperor Zhaoheng, her slender fingers gently resting on his broad shoulders, kneading them with just the right amount of pressure.
"Your Majesty, how was my strength?"
Yi Fei chuckled softly, her fingertips slowly sliding down the firm muscles, a deliberate teasing motion.
Just as her fingers were about to slip into the neckline of her nightgown, a large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist!
Consort Yi's heart skipped a beat, and the charming smile on her face froze for a moment.
Emperor Zhaoheng asked her to sit down and called her in a low voice, "Consort Yi."
"Your Majesty?" Consort Yi said coquettishly, "Did I... not serve you well?"
"I ask you," Emperor Zhaoheng released her hand, his gaze scrutinizing her, "it has been quite some time since Shuixian first gained the Emperor's favor. You were so certain back then that she was destined for pregnancy... why is there still no sign of it?"
It's daffodils again!
Even when she was serving the emperor in bed, he still couldn't stop thinking about that lowly maid!
The charming look on Consort Yi's face vanished instantly, replaced by barely concealed jealousy and hatred.
She took a deep breath, suppressing her annoyance, and tried her best to make her voice sound gentle:
"Your Majesty is wise..." she lowered her eyes and uttered the excuse she had prepared long ago.
"My mother did mention that Narcissus has a special constitution. However... how can such good fortune be guaranteed? As the saying goes, fate is unpredictable... perhaps Narcissus's fortune is ultimately too shallow..."
She sighed, as if she felt sorry for Narcissus.
Emperor Zhaoheng's eyes betrayed his disappointment.
Although he was captivated by Narcissus's beauty, he also loved her.
But his initial expectations were too high, which left him feeling empty inside.
Consort Yi noticed the Emperor's disappointment and sneered inwardly.
Narcissus, you're finished! The Emperor's greatest expectations for you have been dashed!
She seized the opportunity to step forward, her voice softening further: "Your Majesty... offspring are the foundation of the nation and the lifeline of all people. I am deeply worried day and night, and cannot eat or sleep in peace."
"In my humble opinion, rather than pinning our hopes on... a slim chance, it would be better to establish a solid foundation for the nation as soon as possible to reassure the people."
Emperor Zhaoheng looked at her coldly: "Oh? What brilliant idea do you have?"
Consort Yi was overjoyed, thinking she had persuaded the Emperor: "What about the Prince Duan's heir? Your Majesty, Prince Duan is your brother, born of the same mother, and you are connected by blood! His Highness is intelligent, kind, and filial, and although he is young, he already has the bearing of a dragon and phoenix!"
"If we could adopt the heir apparent into the Emperor's household and make him the crown prince, firstly, it would preserve the brotherly bond; secondly, the heir apparent would come from a prestigious family, making his succession to the throne legitimate; and thirdly..."
She recounted all her recent plans, as if she could already see the supreme glory of being the adoptive mother of the future crown prince, or even the empress dowager!
Consort Yi even overlooked the icy chill that was rapidly gathering in Emperor Zhaoheng's eyes!
"Adopt the heir of Prince Duan?" Emperor Zhaoheng interrupted her, emanating a terrifying imperial aura!
"Yi Guichun!"
He addressed him by name, his voice icy: "Who gave you the audacity to speak ill of my succession?! And who gave you the delusion that the Prince Duan's heir... is worthy to inherit my throne?!"
Consort Yi immediately knelt down, her expression filled with fear and unease: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! I was merely... merely concerned about the fate of the nation, with utmost sincerity..."
Emperor Zhaoheng, enraged, laughed and pointed at the palace entrance: "Stop with your filthy thoughts! My empire and my offspring are none of your business! Get out!"
Consort Yi scrambled out of the Qianqing Palace, with Xue Mei following closely behind. Only when they reached a quiet place did a smile appear on her face.
The news of her being expelled from the Qianqing Palace today will surely reach the ears of the Empress Dowager.
This was her way of showing loyalty to the Empress Dowager, so that she could greatly increase the chances of personally raising the heir of Prince Duan after his adoption.
When the time comes, the position of queen will be within her grasp!
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