The palace maid named Huifen trembled and immediately wiped away her tears, saying, "Reporting to Consort Huifen, our Noble Lady has been suffering from a cold and has taken countless medicines, but she has not recovered. A few days ago, for some reason, her health deteriorated further. Yesterday morning, when I was preparing to help her get up, I found that she had already passed away."
Lanqin and Xinyi exchanged a glance, feeling that Holland's death was rather suspicious. How could a simple cold take someone's life?
"What have the imperial physicians who have been treating the Dutch said all along?" Lanqin asked again.
“It was Physician Lin from the Imperial Hospital. He said that our Lady has caught a cold and is too weak, so she hasn’t recovered. Although it’s summer now, the Lady is afraid of the heat, so she specially asked Consort Yi to bring over an ice basin. The Lady is greedy for coolness, and since she’s not well to begin with, this greed for coolness has caused the cold to enter her body,” Huifen said.
"Can a cold really kill someone?" Xin Yi said, still incredulous.
Lanqin walked to Holland's coffin and carefully examined his hands and tongue, but found no signs of poisoning. She only knew that poisoned people would have pale green fingertips and tongues.
"Reporting to Consort Hui, the mistress's health has always been weak. Alas, the weather is so hot now, we can't delay any longer. The funeral procession will return tonight to carry the mistress's body out," Huifen said evasively.
Lanqin felt that there was something strange in the palace maid's eyes, but she couldn't figure out what it was.
"Has Lord Lingzhu come?" Lanqin asked.
"Reporting to Consort Hui, Lord Ling has already come and gone. It seems that the noble lady spoke a few words to him and then left," Huifen said.
Lanqin spent a long time looking around Holland's coffin, then went to her bedroom, asked some questions to the palace maids who served Holland, and then took her leave.
She originally wanted to ask the Fourth Prince to have Consort De thoroughly investigate Holland's death, but when she actually went to Consort De's palace to pay her respects, she found Consort Cheng there as well, and they were also talking about Holland's death.
After Xinyi and Lanqin greeted their mothers-in-law, they sat with Consort De in her palace and chatted.
"With such a big belly, you really didn't need to come," Consort De said, looking at Lanqin's belly, and then instructed Aunt An to immediately offer Lanqin a seat.
"I am like a sister to Consort Lan, and I really couldn't bear not to come and see her off," Lanqin said humbly, her eyes lowered.
"I heard you're pregnant too?" Consort Cheng asked Xin Yi, seizing the opportunity.
“Yes, it has been more than two months. Like my third sister, my second sister has suddenly died. I really can’t bear not to come and see her one last time,” Xin Yi said, her eyes lowered.
Consort De sighed and said, "At first, Consort Lan was quite favored by the Emperor, but later she gradually lost favor to Consort Wang, Consort Zheng and others. In addition, her health was not good, and I didn't expect her to pass away like this. It's really a pity that she was not even seventeen years old."
Consort Cheng also sighed, "Yes, how could this happen so suddenly, in the middle of summer, when she was perfectly healthy? They say she caught a cold and just died like that."
Lanqin stared intently at Consort De, who then glanced at Consort Cheng. The latter quickly realized she might have said too much and added, "However, according to the former imperial concubines, many people have died in this harem. The yin energy is very heavy. If a woman is not strong enough or has a weak body, she is very likely to be infected by this yin energy and lose her life if she gets sick and doesn't recover for a long time."
Upon hearing this, Consort De nodded and said, "I have already ordered people to burn more paper money for Consort Lan, so that she will not be bullied over there because of a lack of money."
Lanqin keenly sensed that Consort De seemed unwilling to discuss Holland's cause of death, expressing only a slight sympathy and nothing more.
After chatting for a while longer, Lanqin and Xinyi bid farewell and prepared to leave the palace.
"Go find Seventh Prince. I'm going to see someone. Could you tell Fourth Prince to wait for me a little longer?" Lanqin said to Xinyi.
“Alright, then I’ll go and have Seventh Master speak to Fourth Master. You’d better come out quickly, because the palace gates won’t open after the appointed time,” Xin Yi said.
"Okay, I understand. Fifth sister, hurry up and go. I'll go see her and then come find you." Lanqin pushed Xinyi away, while she herself walked in another direction.
"Master, are you going to see Consort Zheng?" Cui Niang asked as she watched Lan Qin walk towards Shufangzhai, supporting her hand.
“Yes. I want to ask. As you saw, Consort De is unwilling to talk much about the cause of my second sister’s death. I’m afraid even the Fourth Consort wouldn’t care about the death of a minor noblewoman. I always feel that there might be more to Holland’s death than meets the eye,” Lanqin said. She knew from Consort De’s attitude that she didn’t want to meddle, so she didn’t ask any further questions.
The two walked to the entrance of Shufangzhai, gave their names to the gatekeeper, and waited at the entrance.
A moment later, a young palace maid walked to the entrance of the study, curtsied to Lanqin, and said, "Please come, Consort. Your Highness is overjoyed to hear that Consort is visiting."
Lanqin smiled at the young palace maid, then took Cui Niang's hand and walked into Shufangzhai.
"Sister Zheng, it's been a long time! Lanqin greets you!" As soon as Lanqin entered the room, she saw Zheng Chunhua in a light pink qipao, looking very energetic and smiling, much like she did when she was favored by the emperor.
"I'm so happy you're here. Are you pregnant again?" Zheng Chunhua quickly pulled Lanqin up and looked at her belly.
"Yes, it's been more than five months. Sister, you're still as beautiful as ever!" Lanqin exclaimed sincerely.
"I'm getting old, but unfortunately my belly just won't cooperate; I haven't been able to bear the Emperor a son or daughter," Zheng Chunhua said.
“No matter what, my elder sister is still blessed, unlike my second elder sister, who just died like that,” Lanqin said tentatively. She came to see Zheng Chunhua because she wanted to ask her about things in the Netherlands.
Sure enough, as soon as Lan Qin mentioned Holland's death, Zheng Chunhua's face changed instantly, and she said in a low voice, "Alas, Consort Lan just couldn't see things clearly, and lost her life for no reason."
Lanqin quickly seized on her words and asked, "Does Sister Zheng know about my second sister's situation?"
Zheng Chunhua glanced at Lanqin, pulled her to sit down, and then ordered Huanyi to serve tea. She herself wrung out her handkerchief and said, "I'm afraid Consort Lan was mistreated to death. Alas, those of us who have never given birth, if the Emperor forgets us, we live worse than palace maids."
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