Chapter 205 I Will Never Let You Get Hurt
The next morning, Tai Guo went to inspect the Heritage Hall. When the officials learned of this, they also rushed to the Heritage Hall, hoping to take the opportunity to persuade the Empress Dowager.
Ten palace maid apprentices are diligently learning how to identify and prepare medicinal herbs, their attitude is very serious.
The Empress Dowager said, “You have all seen how diligently these palace maids are learning. Medicine is a profession that transcends social status. By learning medical principles, palace maids can not only take care of themselves but also take care of the harem in the future, reducing illnesses. Why not do it?”
She then looked at the group of guards, her tone clearly angry: "All you officials know is to stick to the rules and be timid! Palace maids also have the right to pursue a happy life. What Ye Wanning did was a virtuous act, and I support it!"
Those who had been defended were rendered speechless by the Empress Dowager's words and dared not object again.
When the Emperor learned of this, he breathed a sigh of relief and ordered support for Ye Wanning's palace maid troupe, also bestowing upon them a considerable amount of medicinal herbs and silver.
Consort Li's scheme failed once again, and she hated Ye Wanning to the core, but there was nothing she could do.
Knowing they had the support of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, the palace maids and apprentices studied even more diligently and were even more grateful to Ye Wanning. They were willing to serve Ye Wanning, becoming her invisible support in the harem and providing her with more intelligence about the inner palace.
Ye Wanning felt gratified watching the palace maids study so diligently. Her efforts hadn't been in vain; she had not only helped the maids but also gained more support for herself in the harem.
Little did she know that Pei Zhi, because of the Emperor's wariness of her, had already begun to distance himself from her.
Knowing that the Emperor was wary of Ye Wanning's "interference in the harem," Pei Zhi refrained from being affectionate with her in public to avoid causing trouble in court. At the palace banquet, their seats were separated by an empty seat, but Pei Zhi did not approach her to greet her.
Ye Wanning showed Pei Zhi the revised draft of the medical classic. Pei Zhi didn't even look at the book carefully, and said in a very indifferent tone: "There are many things to do in the court. You can handle it yourself."
Pei Zhi's cold attitude felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over Ye Wanning's head, chilling her to the bone. She thought that after everything they had been through, Pei Zhi would surely believe her and stand by her side, but he still chose to distance himself from her, choosing to protect himself. The humiliation of being betrayed in her past life surged back into her heart, filling Ye Wanning with disappointment and resentment.
From then on, Ye Wanning began to consciously or unconsciously avoid Pei Zhi. When the Heritage Hall needed Pei Zhi's coordination, Ye Wanning wouldn't speak up. Their relationship entered a cold war; when they met, they only discussed business, creating an extremely awkward atmosphere.
Ye Wanning was unaware that Pei Zhi didn't distrust her. Pei Zhi had noticed the Emperor's growing suspicion of Ye Wanning, and he feared that getting too close to her would fuel the Emperor's distrust and ultimately implicate her. However, Pei Zhi didn't explain this to Ye Wanning, assuming she would understand his intentions. Unexpectedly, this only deepened the misunderstanding between them.
Seeing that Pei Zhi was distancing himself from Ye Wanning, Consort Li was secretly pleased: it was time to put Ye Wanning in check. Unwilling to let her previous schemes all fail, she devised another wicked plan.
That night, around midnight, Ye Wanning was proofreading medical texts in the study of the Heritage Hall when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside, mixed with shouts from palace servants: "Madam Ye, something terrible has happened! Consort Li is experiencing chest pain and difficulty breathing. Please come to the palace quickly to treat her!"
Ye Wanning was puzzled. It was the third watch of the night, when people are most tired, yet Consort Li suddenly fell ill and specifically summoned her to the palace. Something was definitely amiss! Moreover, according to palace rules, treatment was not provided at night unless it was an emergency. Consort Li's summons to the palace at night was either intended to cause trouble or to find fault with her.
"Your Highness Consort Li can have the Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Hospital treat you, so why are you asking me?" Ye Wanning asked the palace servant.
"The imperial physicians have examined her, but they can't find the cause of her illness. Consort Li is in great pain and only trusts Madam Ye's medical skills. Please hurry!" the palace maid pleaded anxiously.
Ye Wanning knew perfectly well that Consort Li was definitely trying to trick her. By visiting the palace at night, she could naturally create rumors of a "lonely man and woman alone in a room" to ruin her reputation; even if that didn't work, she could be accused of abandoning someone in distress, which would also ruin her reputation.
"I want to see how Consort Li plans to play me," Ye Wanning thought for a moment and then agreed.
Following the palace attendants into the palace, they arrived at Chang Le Palace. Inside, Consort Li lay on a couch, clutching her chest, her face deathly pale, clearly in great pain.
"Madam Ye, you've finally arrived!" Consort Li said weakly upon seeing her, "Please help me, I'm in so much pain!"
Ye Wanning stepped forward and took her pulse. The pulse was steady, and there were no signs of severe chest pain, so it seemed she was faking it.
Ye Wanning understood, and although she was slightly angry, she smiled instead: "Your Highness, I have a way to relieve your pain right now!"
As she spoke, she took out a silver needle: "Just stimulate the Tanzhong acupoint with the silver needle, and your pain will be gone immediately!"
After saying that, she was about to plunge in.
Ye Wanning's words startled Consort Li, who quickly backed away: "No! I'm terrified of needles! Does Madam Ye have any other options?"
"No!" Ye Wanning said calmly, "Besides acupuncture, I know no other way to treat chest pain. If Your Majesty is truly in pain, you should cooperate with me; if you refuse acupuncture, it proves that you are not ill!"
Consort Li was so angry she seemed to choke, unable to speak for a long time. She only wanted to feign illness to get Ye Wanning to enter the palace against the rules; how could she really dare to administer acupuncture?
At the palace banquet, the lights were dazzling, and there was singing and dancing.
Ye Wanning sat in front of the Empress Dowager, her face calm and composed. She occasionally spoke a few words to the Empress Dowager, but rarely spoke to anyone else.
Pei Zhi sat among the ministers, glancing at Ye Wanning from time to time, his eyes filled with anger, pleading, and a desire to get closer. He considered rushing over to explain, but he was even more afraid of getting caught up in the storm and deepening the emperor's suspicions about her.
Ye Wanning sensed his gaze and deliberately avoided it, pretending not to see it.
Halfway through the palace banquet, several masked men suddenly rushed in, brandishing steel knives and heading straight for the emperor: "You dog emperor, prepare to die!"
The concubines screamed in terror and scattered in all directions. Ye Wanning also instinctively tried to hide in front of the Empress Dowager.
But the assassin at the front suddenly turned around, grabbed her, and pushed her toward the emperor: "Let Ye Wanning be buried with the emperor!"
Caught off guard, Ye Wanning was about to bump into the emperor when another assassin behind her raised his knife to strike.
She closed her eyes in shock, and at the critical moment, a pair of familiar arms flew over to protect her, holding her tightly behind her.
With a "thud," the knife missed Ye Wanning but instead pierced deep into Pei Zhi's back. The flying porcelain shards also cut his arm, and blood instantly soaked through his court robes.
"Pei Zhi!" Ye Wanning opened her eyes and saw the blood flowing continuously from his back. Her heart tightened, and she cried out in alarm.
Pei Zhi leaned down to look at her, his voice trembling slightly, yet incredibly firm: "Don't be afraid, I'm here, I will never let you get hurt."
Pei Zhi's breath, carrying the scent of blood and a faint sandalwood fragrance, brushed past her ear.
The two fell to the ground side by side, and Ye Wanning could clearly feel his heartbeat, his body temperature, and his body trembling slightly from the pain.
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