Chapter 155: A Nighttime Visit to the Stables to Uncover the Mystery, Secret Words Under the Moon to Express Heartfelt Feelings
Dusk, like a piece of ink-soaked velvet, slowly enveloped the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City. Lanterns in Shufangzhai lit up one after another, a warm yellow glow filtering through the window lattices, casting delicate patterns on the blue brick floor. Little Swallow lay on a porch pillar, watching as a small table and stool were used to place a freshly made saddle pad onto the horse's back, her fingers unconsciously twisting the red jade pendant around her waist.
"Princess, you've been staring for half an hour, your eyes are almost glued to the saddle." Mingyue came over with a cup of hot tea and pressed the cup into her hand. "It's cold out here, drink some hot tea to warm yourself up."
The warmth of the hot tea radiated through the porcelain cup into Xiaoyanzi's palm, but she had no desire to drink. She stared at the crabapple blossoms embroidered on the saddle pad, her brow furrowed in a knot. "Mingyue, do you think Nanny Li has any tricks up her sleeve?"
"Don't worry, Princess," Caixia ran out of the room, holding a plain cloak in her hand and gently placed it on Xiaoyanzi's shoulders. "Fifth Prince had the horse bit replaced with a new one, and it didn't react even after testing with poison powder. Besides, there are people arranged by Brother Xiao Jian to guard the Imperial Stables."
Xiaoyanzi tightened her cloak around herself, her fingertips touching the embroidered swallow pattern on the inside—the one Ziwei had embroidered for her last night. Her heart warmed, but she kept muttering, "Be safe! Last time in Jiangnan, someone drugged my old hen's feed..."
Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by the noisy voice of Little Swallow: "Wow, boom! Princess, you are finally here! Little Stool is checking big news!" He ran with his face red, holding a ball of paper in his hand, and rushed to Little Swallow like a gust of wind, almost knocking over the flowerpot next to him.
Little Bug followed behind, holding a half-eaten candied haws in his hand, and said incoherently: "Chirp chirp - Xiao Dengzi heard Nanny Li talking to Eunuch E in the Imperial Garden, saying that they wanted to tamper with the incense for ancestor worship!" As he spoke, he imitated Nanny Li's shrill voice, which made Mingyue Caixia laugh.
Xiaoyanzi stood up straight immediately, the sleepiness in her eyes instantly disappearing: "Something was done to the incense? What kind of incense?"
Xiaodeng walked in from the Moon Gate, holding a copy of the Book of Rites, a flower petal still stained his forehead. He walked over to Xiaoyanzi, rolled the book into a tube, and held it in his arms, clearing his throat like a storyteller. "My dear Princess, this is the 'Spirit-Concentrating Incense' used in ancestral worship at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Madam Li asked Eunuch E to find a way to replace the incense, saying they're going to add 'Ecstasy Powder' to make Princess Ziwei and Princess Ziwei lose their manners in front of the ancestors!"
"Love-control powder?" Xiaoyanzi slammed the porch pillar, shaking the lantern above. "These people are too cruel! Ancestor worship is a big deal, aren't they afraid of retribution?" She turned around and ran out, but was grabbed by the small table.
"Princess, where are you going?" Xiao Zhuo was still holding the sword he had just polished, the red tassels on the sword swaying back and forth. "If you go to see Concubine Gao now, they will definitely not recognize you!"
Little Swallow was so anxious that she was spinning around in circles, the pearl hairpins in her bun jingling. "What should we do? We can't just stand by and watch them do something, can we?" She looked at the little stool, her eyes sparkling. "Little stool, didn't you say that Sun Wukong has the Fiery Eyes? Think of a way!"
The little stool tensed under her gaze, and the "Book of Rites" in his hand fell to the ground with a "clack." He quickly picked it up and dusted it off, his eyes lighting up. "Got it! We can 'make the fake look real'! When Sun Wukong defeated the White Bone Demon three times, didn't he use a trick to make the demon reveal its true form?"
"How can you make it look so real?" Yongqi's voice came from the doorway. Behind him was Fu Erkang. Both of them were wearing casual clothes, as if they had just returned from outside the palace. Yongqi was holding a food box in his hand. Seeing Xiaoyanzi's anxious look, he walked over quickly and held her hand. "Don't be impatient. Talk slowly."
The warm touch instantly calmed Xiaoyanzi. She recounted the news Xiaodeng had heard, and Yongqi's frown deepened. Fuerkang stood nearby, his fingers unconsciously stroking the jade pendant at his waist—a token of love Ziwei had given him. Upon hearing that Ziwei might be in danger, his expression darkened.
"The Ministry of Rites is responsible for the custody of the Concentrating Incense. Eunuch E is a distant relative of the Minister of Rites, so he certainly had the opportunity to tamper with it," Falcon said in a deep voice. "I'm afraid we don't have enough evidence to tell the Emperor now."
"What should I do?" Xiaoyanzi stamped her feet anxiously, and the pearl hairpin in her hair fell to the ground and rolled to Yongqi's feet. Yongqi bent down to pick up the pearl hairpin and gently put it back into her bun. His fingertips accidentally touched her earlobe, and they both blushed.
"I have an idea." Yong Qi cleared his throat and pretended to straighten his sleeves. "Tomorrow the Ministry of Rites will send the spices used for ancestral worship to the Imperial Ancestral Temple for inspection. We can replace the spices then. We can use 'Soul-Calming Incense' instead of 'Soul-Concentrating Incense'. It looks exactly the same on the outside, but it contains Qingxin Grass, which can counteract the medicinal properties of the Ecstasy Powder."
"Calming incense?" Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands. "I know! This kind of spice was in the brocade bag that big brother gave me last time. It is said that it can help people stay awake!" She turned and ran into the inner room, and soon came out with a brocade bag embroidered with orchids. The spices inside exuded a faint fragrance.
Falcon took the sachet, sniffed it, and nodded, saying, "It is indeed a tranquilizing incense. However, replacing the incense requires the cooperation of someone from the Ministry of Rites. My father is the Minister of Rites, so perhaps he can help." He looked at Xiaoyanzi's anxious expression and couldn't help but add, "I'll keep an eye on Ziwei, don't worry."
"Great!" Xiaoyanzi smiled so much that her eyes curved into crescents. She patted Yongqi's shoulder and then punched Fu Erkang's arm. "You guys still have a plan! Tonight, let's split into three groups: Yongqi, you go prepare the calming incense, Erkang, you contact Lord Fu, and I'll tell Ziwei to be careful!"
In Ziwei's bedroom, candlelight flickered. She sat by the window, embroidering a purse. On the frame was a lifelike mandarin duck, her stitches meticulous and even. Jinsuo entered with a bowl of lotus seed soup and whispered, "Princess, take a break. Your eyes are red from staying up all night."
Ziwei put down the embroidery frame, rubbed her sore eyes, and smiled, "It will be done soon. This is embroidered for the emperor. I want to give it to him during the ancestor worship." She picked up the purse and looked at it in the candlelight, her eyes full of anticipation.
"Gege is truly attentive to His Majesty." Jinsuo placed the lotus seed soup on the table and suddenly lowered her voice. "Just now, when I went to the kitchen, I heard the maid from Concubine Gao's palace say that Nanny Li was looking for someone from the Imperial Hospital. She seemed to be looking for some medicine."
Ziwei's hand paused slightly, and she nearly pricked her finger with the embroidery needle. She put down her purse and whispered, "Medicine? What medicine?"
Just then, Xiaoyanzi's voice came from outside the door: "Ziwei! Are you asleep?" She pushed the door open and ran in, the pearl hairpin in her bun tilted to one side, and her cloak was still stained with grass debris. "Oh no, Concubine Gao and the others are trying to tamper with the incense for ancestor worship!"
Ziwei quickly stood up, helped Xiaoyanzi sit down, and poured her a cup of hot tea: "Don't be impatient, tell me slowly. What kind of fragrance is it?"
Xiaoyanzi took the teacup and drank it all, then told Ziwei exactly what Xiaodeng had heard. She held Ziwei's hand, her eyes filled with worry. "They're going to add Ecstasy Powder to make us lose our composure in front of our ancestors. This is a ruthless trick. If something goes wrong, not only will we be in trouble, but even the Emperor will be gossiped about."
Ziwei's face turned pale instantly, but she quickly regained her composure. She gently patted the back of Xiaoyanzi's hand and said softly, "Don't worry, we will definitely find a way to resolve this. What do Yongqi and Erkang say?"
"Yongqi is preparing to replace the spices, and Erkang is contacting Lord Fu for help." Xiaoyanzi's anxiety eased a little when she saw Ziwei's calm demeanor. "I knew I'd go with you. You're always calmer than me."
Ziwei smiled and shook her head. "It's not that I'm calm, it's that I know we have a lot of people to help us." She picked up the purse on the table, her eyes becoming firm. "And I believe in the Emperor. He won't let us suffer any injustice."
As they were talking, Falcon's voice came from outside the door: "Ziwei, Xiaoyanzi, can I come in?" He pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing Xiaoyanzi there, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Father said he can help change the spices, but he needs our cooperation in the performance."
"A play?" Little Swallow leaned forward curiously, like a little rabbit with its ears pricked up. "What kind of play? Is it like what Little Stool said about Sun Wukong's magic tricks?"
Falcon was amused by her, and the worry in his eyes faded a little. "Almost. Father will pretend to find a problem when inspecting the spices and catch the person who changed the spices on the spot, so that Madam Li and the others' plan will fail." He looked at Ziwei, his eyes so gentle that tears could drip from his eyes. "Don't worry, I will always be by your side."
Ziwei's cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded gently. Xiaoyanzi saw it clearly from the side and deliberately coughed twice: "Ahem! Master Fu, now is not the time to talk about love! We need to discuss how to cooperate tomorrow."
In the warm room of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Qianlong, draped in his dragon robe, was reviewing memorials. The flickering candlelight on the table highlighted the silver strands of hair at his temples. Eunuch Su entered, carrying a bowl of ginseng soup, and whispered, "Your Majesty, it's late. Please rest."
Qianlong put down his red brush, rubbed his swollen solar plexus, picked up the ginseng soup and took a sip: "Is there any news from Xiaoyanzi?"
Eunuch Su bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince has sent word that they've discovered Concubine Gao is tampering with the incense used for ancestral worship, using 'Ecstasy Powder' to cause Princess Huanzhu and Princess Mingzhu to misbehave."
Qianlong's face darkened instantly, and he nearly spilled the ginseng soup in his hand. He slammed the bowl down on the table, and the celadon bowl made a crisp sound. "How audacious! They dare to tamper with the ancestral worship ceremony. Do they still respect their ancestors?"
Eunuch Su knelt down quickly and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. The Fifth Prince and Lord Fu are already working on a solution. They said they want to replace the spices."
Qianlong took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger. He walked to the window and looked out in the distance toward Shufangzhai, where lights were still on, like a warm star. He whispered, "Pass on my decree. Have Fulun assign additional guards to guard the Imperial Ancestral Temple tonight. All spices must be personally inspected. Also..." He paused, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes, "Have the Imperial Kitchen send some lotus seed soup to Shufangzhai. Tell Xiaoyanzi and Ziwei to prepare them with peace of mind. I will make all the arrangements."
Eunuch Su quickly agreed and turned to leave, but Qianlong stopped him: "Wait." He picked up the jade pendant on the table - it was the one Xiaoyanzi had left in the imperial study last time, with the red string still hanging from it. "Return this to Huanzhu Gege and tell her... I believe she can handle it."
In the Imperial Horse Administration's stables, Yongqi and Xiao Jian were inspecting the saddles. Xiao Jian wore a nightgown, his face covered with a black cloth, revealing only his bright eyes. He patted Taxue's neck and whispered, "The bit has been replaced with a new one. It's coated with Qingxincao juice, so it won't be a problem even if there's a drug."
Yongqi nodded, placed the calming incense in the saddle bag, and said softly, "Brother, on the day of the ancestor worship, please pay close attention to Eunuch E. He will definitely find an opportunity to replace the spices."
Xiao Jian hummed, his gaze fixed on the distant palace wall, where the guards were changing shifts, the glow of torches flickering across the walls. He whispered, "Don't worry, I've arranged for someone to keep an eye on the Ministry of Rites. They won't succeed." He paused, then looked at Yongqi with a smile in his eyes. "You and Xiaoyanzi... when will you tell the Emperor?"
Yongqi's face flushed instantly, and he scratched his head. "Now isn't the time to talk about this! After the ancestor worship, I'll find a chance to tell Father Huang." He saw Xiao Jian's mischievous look and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, what are you going to do about Princess Qing'er?"
When Xiao Jian mentioned Qing'er, his eyes softened instantly. He pulled out a handkerchief embroidered with a plum blossom from his bosom. It was the one Qing'er had dropped last time. He gently stroked the handkerchief and whispered, "Once this matter is settled, I will ask the Emperor to grant us a marriage."
Yongqi smiled and patted his shoulder: "Then congratulations in advance, big brother! You must treat me to the wedding banquet when the time comes!"
As they were talking, they heard the footsteps of patrolling guards in the distance. Xiao Jian quickly mounted his horse and clasped his fists to Yong Qi. "I'm going to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. If you need anything, use the code." With that, he spurred his horse and disappeared into the night like a streak of black lightning.
Yongqi watched his back disappear around the corner, then turned and walked towards Shufangzhai. The moonlight cast a long shadow on him. He touched the sachet in his arms—it was embroidered for him by Xiaoyanzi, with the word "Qi" embroidered crookedly on it. Although the stitching was uneven, it was more precious than any treasure.
He looked up toward Shufangzhai. The lights there were still on, warm and bright. He knew that no matter how many storms lay ahead, as long as they were together, there would be no hurdle they couldn't overcome. Tomorrow's ancestral ceremony would be their first battle to protect each other, and he would ensure that everyone was safe.
As the night deepened, moonlight streamed across the Forbidden City walls like flowing water. The lights in Shufangzhai finally went out, but the warmth of love, like a seed, quietly sprouted in everyone's heart, waiting for the arrival of dawn.
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