Chapter 184: Tea Fragrance Discusses Countermeasures, Shadow Urgently Plans
The sun was mid-height, its warm rays filtering through the carved window lattices of Shufangzhai, casting tiny specks of light on the ground. Ziwei sat at her embroidery frame by the window, a silver needle in hand, embroidering orchids on a moon-white silk handkerchief. Her stitches were so fine that the veins of the orchid leaves were clearly visible in the sunlight. From time to time, she looked up at the courtyard, a faint smile on her lips.
In the courtyard, Xiaoyanzi was gesturing with Yongqi, her steel sword leaning against the crabapple tree, its red silk tassel swaying gently in the breeze. "Do you think that herbal medicine merchant would betray Madam Li if he were apprehended by the Ministry of Justice?" Xiaoyanzi tiptoed toward the palace gate, her lake-blue skirt brushing the moss on the stone steps. "Xiao Jian's news arrived just in time, otherwise we'd still be in the dark."
Yongqi was holding a medical book he had just borrowed from the Imperial Hospital, flipping to the page titled "Wonderful Medicines of the Western Regions." He looked up and smiled, "The people at the Ministry of Justice are reliable. As long as they can arrest someone, there's no need to worry about them not getting the truth from the interrogation." He handed the book over and pointed to a paragraph. "Look, this Drunken Immortal Powder needs menthol to dissolve it. Imperial Physician Wang says that sucking on a mint candy beforehand can help protect your mind."
Xiaoyanzi leaned over to take a look, her brows furrowed. "The words are so small, it's blurry to my eyes." She casually stuffed the book back into Yongqi's arms. "At least there's a solution! At worst, I'll fill my pockets with mints on the day of the birthday party and give one to everyone I meet!" This made Ziwei burst out laughing, and the silver needle in her hand almost jabbed her finger. "Who gives candy to everyone they meet? I'll be laughed at."
"Who dares to laugh at our Princess Huan Zhu?" Erkang's voice came from outside the courtyard. He was dressed in navy blue uniform, holding an oil-paper bag in his hand, and followed by Guard Zhou. Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up: "Brother Erkang, what did you find out?" Erkang walked into the courtyard and handed the oil-paper bag to Mingyue: "This is the Poria cocos cake I brought you. It's freshly baked." He turned to Xiaoyanzi, his expression darkening. "Madame Li hasn't been in contact with the outside world these days, but the small kitchen in Chuxiu Palace bought some extra Western spices, saying they're going to make snacks for Concubine Gao."
"Spices?" Xiaoyanzi raised an eyebrow, her fingers unconsciously tapping the scabbard of her sword. "Drunken Immortal Powder is a powder. Could it be that they want to mix it with spices?" Yongqi flipped through the medical book and nodded. "The medical book says that Drunken Immortal Powder is easily volatile when heated. If mixed with burning incense, it can indeed spread silently." Ziwei put down her embroidery needle and clutched her handkerchief worriedly. "We need to burn calming incense at the birthday banquet. If they take advantage of this opportunity to replace the spices..."
"Don't worry," Erkang soothed her, "I've asked the people from the Fu family to keep an eye on the purchases for the Chuxiu Palace. I've had people replace the spices they bought with imitations, and they've really been confiscated." Xiaoyanzi clapped her hands, her eyes shining like stars: "Brother Erkang is still thoughtful!" She turned and ran into the house, "I'll write a list and list the mints and menthol, and ask the kitchen to stock up more!" Yongqi followed with a smile: "I'll write it for you, so you don't have to write 'mint' as 'Bo He' again." The laughter of the two floated out from the house, startling the sparrows on the branches.
Little Mosquito came out of the kitchen carrying a tea tray, muttering, "Wow, long, dong, this Poria cocos cake is so sweet! The snacks that Uncle Fu brought are just right!" Little Stool came over, still holding the copy of "Journey to the West" in his hand: "We were just talking about Sun Wukong's three fights against the White Bone Demon. Do you want to hear more?" Little Bug imitated the monkey's cry: "Zhizhi—beating the monster!" Mingyue and Caixia held tea bowls and smiled as they poured tea for Erkang and Guard Zhou: "Master Erkang, come and sit down. You've been running around all morning, you must be thirsty."
Guard Zhou had just sat down when Xiao Luzi came running in breathlessly, holding a small bamboo tube in her hand. "Princess! Guard Zhou! The Ministry of Justice has sent a message saying that the arrested herbal medicine merchant has confessed. He said that Nanny Li met him in the dilapidated temple in the south of the city three days ago and even paid a deposit of fifty taels!" Xiao Yanzi ran out of the room, holding a crooked bill in her hand. Upon hearing this, her eyes glared at her. "We have all the evidence, let's see how they can deny it!"
Inside Chuxiu Palace, however, the atmosphere was oppressive, as if it were about to rain. Concubine Gao sat on a soft couch covered in white fox fur, her fingers twisting a handkerchief so tightly that the gold thread was fraying. Nanny Li stood nearby, her face pale and her voice trembling, "Your Majesty, there's still no news from the herbal medicine merchant. I'm afraid... I'm afraid something's happened."
"Useless!" Concubine Gao slammed the teacup to the ground, sending shards of celadon flying everywhere. "You can't even keep an eye on a medicinal herb merchant, and you still want to accomplish something big?" She stood up and paced a few steps, the red gold and kingfisher hairpins jingling. "There are only ten days left for the birthday banquet. If I can't get the Drunken Immortal Powder, how am I going to embarrass those two little bitches?"
Nanny Li gritted her teeth and whispered, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I have another idea. Manager Liu from the Imperial Kitchen is my distant cousin. How about... have him tamper with the soup for the birthday banquet? Using some croton powder, while it won't make people lose consciousness, it will make them behave disrespectfully in front of the Empress Dowager, and they'll still be punished!" Concubine Gao stopped in her tracks, a fierce look flashing in her eyes: "Croton powder? Too cheap! I'll make them lose face and never be able to raise their heads again!"
She walked to the window, looking in the direction of Shufangzhai, digging her nails into the carved patterns on the window lattice. "Since there's no hope with Zuixian Powder, let's try another method. Go prepare some 'itching powder' and mix it in with the gifts for them. When they wear it at the birthday banquet, they'll be so itchy they'll roll around in front of the Empress Dowager!" Nanny Li's eyes lit up. "Your Majesty is wise! This method is covert, and we won't be traced back to it later!"
"Hurry and do it!" Concubine Gao waved her hand, her tone as cold as ice. "Don't make any more mistakes, or you'll be in trouble!" Nanny Li quickly retreated, her steps so hurried that she almost tripped over the threshold. Concubine Gao was the only one left in the palace. She looked out the window at the drifting crabapple petals, a sinister smile curling her lips. "Xiaoyanzi, Ziwei, we'll see what happens at the birthday banquet!"
The sun was shining brightly in Shufangzhai. Xiaoyanzi was handing Mingyue a list she had written: "Remember to buy some mints, the sweetest kind!" Yongqi tucked her stray hair behind her ear and whispered, "Don't be too nervous, we're here for you." Ziwei came over, holding a freshly embroidered orchid handkerchief, and said with a smile, "I'm taking this to Concubine Ling, and I'm also checking on the arrangements for the birthday banquet so we can be prepared."
The fragrance of tea, mixed with the sweet aroma of tuckahoe cake, filled the courtyard. Beneath the crabapple tree, the chirping of storytelling from a small stool, the murmurs of mosquitoes, and the laughter of swallows blended together, creating a warm atmosphere that seemed to dispel all shadows. But no one noticed as a carrier pigeon fluttered up from the corner of Chuxiu Palace, heading out—a signal from Nanny Li, who had sent someone to buy itching powder. A new plot was quietly brewing under the warm sun.
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