Chapter 156: Chen Lu's sudden change of tactics and hidden poisonous plan, clever countermeasures to protect the whole
At dawn, the Forbidden City's corner towers still shrouded in mist, the chickens in Shufangzhai began to cluck. Little Swallow, dressed in a lake-blue dress with arrow sleeves, squatted in the courtyard, feeding the reed chicken, her fingertips stained with golden millet. She hadn't slept well the previous night, and her eyes were a faint dark blue, yet she remained energetic, occasionally glancing up toward the palace gate.
"Princess, you've already fed the chicken its third handful of rice. If you keep feeding it, the chicken will get bloated!" Mingyue came out of the room carrying a copper basin. Seeing the millet scattered all over the floor, she shook her head helplessly. "Fifth Prince said he would come at the hour of the morning, but it's only three quarters past the hour of the yin."
Xiaoyanzi stood up and brushed the dust off her hands, the red tassels on her braids swaying. "I'm just worried! What if something goes wrong with Master Fu?" She turned and walked back into the house, her steps as light as the wind. As she passed the crabapple tree, she plucked a dewy leaf. "By the way, is Ziwei awake?"
"Princess Ziwei has woken up a long time ago and is copying the 'Book of Filial Piety.'" Caixia followed behind, holding a lilac-colored cloak in her hands. "The Empress said that we should wear something simple when offering sacrifices to our ancestors, so she specially sent this cloak, saying it's a newly made brocade woven in Suzhou."
Xiaoyanzi took the cloak and touched it. The material was as delicate as clouds in the sky, and it was embroidered with lotus flowers. Her heart warmed, but she muttered, "The Queen is so polite! It makes me feel embarrassed." As she spoke, she heard the creaking of a small stool coming from outside the door.
"Princess! The Fifth Prince is here! He's carrying a huge trunk!" Xiaodengzi's hair was plastered to his forehead from running, and he was clutching a copy of Journey to the West, clearly having just come from his study. Behind him came Yongqi, dressed in a dark blue uniform with a dark-black cape draped over his shoulders. He was carrying a rosewood trunk with a brass lock on it.
"You're here!" Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up. She ran to Yongqi and stood on tiptoe to peek inside the box. "Is this the tranquilizing incense?"
Yongqi smiled and raised the box higher, teasing her deliberately: "Guess? I'll show you if you guess right." He looked at Xiaoyanzi's anxious look, and the smile in his eyes could not be hidden - her braid was tilted to one side, and there was a little dust on the tip of her nose, just like a little squirrel that had just stolen rice.
"Stop it!" Xiaoyanzi reached out to grab it, but her fingertips accidentally touched the back of Yongqi's hand. They both pulled their hands back as if they were burned. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she turned to Mingyue and winked, "Hurry and take the box into the inner room!"
In Ziwei's bedroom, the scent of sandalwood lingered. She sat by the window, copying calligraphy. The handwriting on the rice paper was elegant and neat, exuding a gentle charm. Hearing the noise outside, she put down her wolf-hair brush, pressed the rice paper with a paperweight, and whispered to Jinsuo, "Go see if it's Xiaoyanzi and the others."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiaoyanzi rushed in, holding a freshly picked crabapple blossom in her hand. "Ziwei! Look what goodies we brought!" She placed the flowers in a celadon vase on the table, turned around and waved to Yongqi who had followed in, "Hurry and open the box!"
Yongqi placed the box on the table, took out the key, and unlocked the brass lock. Inside, paved with bright yellow silk, were ten neatly stacked agarwood sticks, each as thick as a finger and intricately carved with cloud patterns. He picked one up and handed it to Ziwei, "This is a special calming incense made with Qingxin grass and agarwood. When lit, the aroma will clear your mind and invigorate your brain, just the right amount to counteract the effects of the Ecstasy Powder."
Ziwei leaned in to smell it; the fragrance was elegant and lingering, with a hint of grassy aroma. She nodded, "It smells very pleasant, much better than the tranquilizing incense used in the Imperial Hospital." She looked at Yongqi, her eyes filled with gratitude, "Thank you and Master Fu for your hard work."
"It's just a piece of cake." Yongqi's eyes fell on Ziwei's calligraphy. On the rice paper were written the four characters "Filial Piety Moves Heaven." Though the brushstrokes were light, each word was sincere. He couldn't help but praise her, "Princess Ziwei's handwriting is truly beautiful. It's even more beautiful than the imperial scholars in the palace."
Ziwei's cheeks flushed slightly. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Falcon's voice outside: "Ziwei, Xiaoyanzi, can I come in?" He pushed the door open and walked in, still damp with morning dew, holding an oil-paper bag. "Father has already arranged it. The Ministry of Rites will send someone to deliver the spices to the Imperial Ancestral Temple at 3:30 AM. We'll take the opportunity to replace them then."
"Great!" Little Swallow clapped her hands, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake from the table and stuffed it into her mouth, mumbling, "Shall we go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple now?"
"Don't worry," Falcon opened the oil-paper package, revealing four steaming hot meat buns. "Eat something first. The ancestor worship doesn't start until the hour of Si. Father told us to pretend we were going to offer flowers to our ancestors and check the spices." He handed a bun to Ziwei, his eyes so gentle they could bring tears to his eyes. "This is your favorite shepherd's purse filling."
Ziwei took the bun, and her fingertips touched Fu Erkang's hand, and both of them blushed. Xiaoyanzi saw it clearly from the side and deliberately coughed twice: "Ahem! Uncle Fu, now is not the time to fall in love!" She snatched the oil paper bag from Fu Erkang's hand and shared the bun with Mingyue Caixia, "Everyone try it, this is Uncle Fu's special loving breakfast!"
The red walls of the Imperial Ancestral Temple loomed in the morning mist, the copper rings on the vermilion-lacquered gates gleaming coldly. Xiaoyanzi and Ziwei, dressed in plain palace attire, their hair pinned only with pearl hairpins, followed Fulun inside. Fulun, wearing a navy blue court robe and a jade belt around his waist, whispered as they walked, "The Ministry of Rites will place the spices in the East Side Hall later. You can pretend to check their quality and take the opportunity to replace them."
"Understood, Master Fu!" Little Swallow nodded, but her eyes darted around—the pines and cypresses in the Taimiao grew straight, red prayer ribbons draped from their trunks. The air was filled with the scent of sandalwood and pine needles. She felt a little apprehensive. In her previous life, she had been most terrified of these solemn and awe-inspiring places; they always felt like they were suffocating.
Ziwei sensed her nervousness and quietly held her hand, her fingertips warm. Xiaoyanzi looked back at her, and seeing the encouragement in her eyes, her heart instantly settled. The two smiled at each other and followed Fulun into the east side hall.
In the east side hall, rows of black lacquer altar tables covered with bright yellow tablecloths stood. An official from the Ministry of Rites was directing eunuchs to arrange the offerings. Upon seeing Fu Lun enter, he quickly bowed. "Master Fu is here! The spices have just arrived, and we're waiting for your inspection."
Fu Lun nodded, walked over to the altar, picked up a stick of incense, and sniffed it. The incense was dark brown, with the words "Concentrating Incense" engraved on it. The aroma was so strong it was a bit pungent. He calmly winked at Xiaoyanzi, "Princess Huanzhu, come and take a look too? This is premium agarwood imported from Jiangnan."
Xiaoyanzi understood immediately and walked forward to pick up the incense, pretending not to understand. "Why does this incense smell a bit strong? It's not as good as the calming incense we brought." She waved outside, "Little table, bring in the incense we prepared!"
A small table came in, carrying a bamboo basket covered with red cloth and containing the calming incense Yongqi had prepared. Xiaoyanzi picked up a stick and handed it to the official from the Ministry of Rites: "Smell this, isn't it better than the calming incense? I think it's better to use a more elegant incense for ancestor worship, as it will comfort our ancestors."
Just as the official from the Ministry of Rites was about to speak, he heard the shrill voice of Eunuch E coming from outside: "Lord E is here!" Everyone turned around and saw E Min walking in in official uniform, followed by a little eunuch who was also holding a spice box in his hand.
When E Min saw the calming incense in Xiaoyanzi's hand, his eyes narrowed immediately. "What is Princess Huanzhu doing? The spices used for ancestor worship are all designated by the emperor. How can they be changed at will?" He walked to the altar, picked up the calming incense, smelled it, and a sneer curled his lips. "This calming incense was personally selected by the emperor. Does Princess Huanzhu think that the emperor has poor taste?"
Xiaoyanzi cursed the old fox in her heart, but smiled innocently on her face: "Don't be angry, Master E, I just think this incense is too strong and I'm afraid it will choke our ancestors." She secretly winked at Ziwei and saw Ziwei quietly hide the calming incense in her sleeve. "Besides, I didn't say I wanted to change it, I just wanted everyone to smell it."
At this moment, the voice of Eunuch Su came from outside: "The Emperor has arrived——"
Qianlong, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, walked into the East Side Hall with the support of Eunuch Su. He had specially dressed in a court robe embroidered with the Twelve Chapters pattern and a pearl crown on his head, appearing particularly majestic. Seeing the scene in the hall, he frowned slightly: "Why is it so lively?"
E Min bowed quickly and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Huanzhu wants to replace the Ningshen incense with the incense she brought with her, and I am trying to persuade her." As he spoke, he secretly glared at Xiaoyanzi, his eyes full of pride.
Xiaoyanzi's heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to explain, she heard Qianlong laugh, "Oh? What kind of incense did Princess Huanzhu bring? Let me see it."
Xiaoyanzi quickly handed over the calming incense, her heart in turmoil. Qianlong took it and sniffed it, a subtle smile flickering in his eyes—he recognized the incense; it was specially made by Yongqi, with the Qingxin grass added in it, just as he had hinted to Yongqi to prepare it.
"This incense is good, elegant and pleasant." Qianlong handed the incense to Eunuch Su, "Let's use this one. It's time for our ancestors to change their taste." He looked at E Min with a faint look, "What do you think, Lord E?"
E Min's face turned ugly in an instant, but he had to bow and say: "Your Majesty is right, I was worrying too much." He looked at the calming incense in Xiaoyanzi's hand, his nails dug deeply into his palm, and he cursed Li Ma a thousand times in his heart.
Xiaoyanzi was so happy that she secretly made a face at Qianlong. Qianlong saw the cunning in her eyes and couldn't help but smile, but he deliberately put on a stern face: "Why are you still standing there? Quickly change the incense, the auspicious time is almost here."
The sun was already high in the sky when the ancestral worship ceremony began. Golden sunlight filtered through the latticed windows of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, illuminating the incense burner on the altar. Curls of green smoke slowly rose in the column of light. Little Swallow and Ziwei knelt on their cushions, watching Emperor Qianlong burn incense and perform his rituals, and they both breathed a sigh of relief.
The aroma of the tranquilizing incense was elegant and long-lasting, refreshing. Xiaoyanzi stole a glance at Emin, who was standing not far away. Seeing his face livid, he was staring fiercely at the incense burner, she couldn't help but smile. She quietly touched Ziwei's arm, and seeing the smile in her eyes, she knew that the crisis was finally resolved.
After the ceremony, Qianlong deliberately kept Xiaoyanzi and Ziwei and took them for a stroll beneath the pine and cypress trees in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Looking at his two graceful daughters, Qianlong felt a warm warmth in his heart: "Thanks to your attentiveness today, otherwise there would have been trouble."
Xiaoyanzi scratched her head and said embarrassedly, "It's really our Emperor who is wise. He can tell at a glance that there is something wrong with the incense." She knew that Qianlong must have noticed something strange as well, otherwise he would not have agreed to change the incense so readily.
Ziwei also bowed and said, "Thank you, Father Emperor, for protecting us." She looked at the silver hair on Qianlong's temples and felt a little sad. This majestic emperor actually had a gentle side.
Qianlong smiled and waved his hand, then pulled out two jade pendants from his sleeve and handed them to them. The little swallow pendant was made of warm white mutton-fat jade, engraved with a swallow with outstretched wings; the crape myrtle pendant was made of emerald green jadeite, engraved with a blooming crape myrtle flower.
"Take it," Qianlong looked at their surprised expressions, his eyes full of love, "This is the amulet I gave you. Take good care of yourselves in the palace from now on."
Xiaoyanzi took the jade pendant. The cool jade pressed against her palm, but her heart warmed. She looked at Qianlong's back and suddenly felt that the Forbidden City wasn't so scary after all—because here they had family, friends, and people who protected them.
Atop the distant palace, glazed tiles gleamed in the sunlight, like a dusting of crushed gold. Little Swallow clenched her jade pendant tightly, and she and Ziwei exchanged a smile. Their shadows nestled together on the stone pavement, stretched ever so long by the sunlight. They had won this war without the smoke of gunpowder, and their journey to glory had only just begun.
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