May no one in this world grow old without turning gray (Part 3)
The aroma of various ingredients wafted from the heated imperial kitchen, and in the white steam, Afu was stirring a ladle, his forehead covered in sweat.
He looked up and saw Zhiwei come in. His hand trembled, and the spatula almost flew out of his hand.
The entire Imperial Kitchen knew that Zhiwei had regained the Emperor's favor. Over the years, several chefs had come and gone, but among them, Zhiwei was still the one most fondly remembered.
Having prepared himself for the possibility of never seeing his master again, Ah Fu was shocked to see him standing right in front of him. He hurriedly put down his tools, wiped his hands with his apron, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.
"Master, what brings you here?" Afu exclaimed excitedly.
Zhiwei pointed to the still-burning fire on Afu's stove, indicating that Afu should focus on his work. Afu nodded, and after watching his smooth and effortless movements, Zhiwei raised her hand and patted his arm lightly.
"Just came to see you. You really are a head chef now."
"It's all thanks to Master's excellent teaching." Afu's gaze fell on Zhiwei's unnaturally hanging right hand at her side, and the rest of the words caught in his throat.
Zhiwei smiled and reminded him that he was growing up and should avoid being impulsive. Afu pulled out a chair for Zhiwei to sit on, and Zhiwei didn't beat around the bush, getting straight to the important matters of the imperial kitchen.
This trip is for the Emperor's meals. Zhiwei's hand injury prevents her from cooking herself, but Zhu Liji is known for his picky eating habits. Pinghai had mentioned before that the Imperial Kitchen has been quite troubled by Zhu Liji's picky eating habits.
"I came here because I felt that there were some key points about the cooking time and seasoning of certain dishes that His Majesty had not mentioned, but I had some guesses about them and could discuss them with you."
If Zhu Liji eats well, his temper will also be good. There's not much Zhiwei can do. Right now, Zhu Liji's enthusiasm hasn't faded, so she doesn't need to do anything. But imperial favor is like water; who knows when it will dry up? Zhiwei thought she still needed to find something to make her presence felt.
Zhiwei taught Afu some innovative dishes and carefully reminded him of Zhu Liji's picky eating habits. Afu listened attentively and nodded frequently to take notes.
Even at the very end, he kept marveling at Zhiwei's profound understanding of the emperor's diet.
Zhiwei smiled slightly but didn't respond. She only said that from now on, she would instruct Afu to prepare two sets of identical tableware for every dish he made.
"Huh?" Afu was stunned, puzzled. "Why?"
Zhiwei gestured for silence: "To win the emperor's favor, you must first put him at ease."
Afu understood but not entirely, he just nodded repeatedly and solemnly agreed. He then asked Zhiwei to watch him cook a few more dishes, and his hands moved even more nimbly.
The master and apprentice rarely had time to exchange cooking skills, and they were quite happy. However, joy is fleeting. Shao Yang suddenly knocked on the door and came in. He walked quickly to Zhiwei's side, his voice very low, but he couldn't hide his urgency.
"Your Majesty, news just came from Chuxiu Palace... Consort Wan has had a miscarriage, and the imperial heir may not be able to be saved."
——
When Zhiwei arrived at the courtyard of Chuxiu Palace, a strong stench of blood hit her, and she instinctively covered her mouth and nose. On the bluestone bricks, faint traces of blood, not completely wiped clean, were visible, winding their way towards the side rooms.
The palace servants in the courtyard were silent with fear, hurrying along as they carried out basin after basin of water stained crimson. Wan Zhen'er's screams rose and fell, tearing at everyone's nerves.
Zhiwei dared not linger and quietly entered Wan Zhen'er's room. Upon entering, Zhiwei saw a strange scene.
Zhu Liji sat in the main seat, his face deathly pale, his fingers twirling a string of Buddhist prayer beads. Cheng Yuzhi sat beside him, her hands folded on her knees trembling slightly. Jiang Mama knelt between the two, bloodstains on the corner of her mouth from being slapped.
The palace maids held their breath and moved between the inner and outer halls, bringing out more bloody fluid.
"What exactly is going on?" Zhiwei casually found a palace maid and asked in a low voice, trying her best not to attract Zhu Liji's attention.
Before the palace maid could respond, Zhu Liji spoke up first.
"Speak!" Zhu Liji's voice was not loud, but it was full of authority. He stared at Granny Jiang, "I will ask you one more time, why did you push the Imperial Concubine?"
"So many eyes were watching in the Imperial Garden, and they all said that you pushed the Consort down, causing her to accidentally fall onto the boulder next to the artificial hill. Now that we have all the witnesses, you claim you were framed? Do you think I'm blind?"
Granny Jiang's cheeks were swollen and red, and blood seeped from the corners of her lips, which clung to her chin, but her mouth remained tightly closed.
Seeing that the people before him were as stubborn as stone, Zhu Liji's already raging anger intensified. He glanced at Cheng Yuzhi, noticing faint tear stains at the corners of the Empress's eyes.
Cheng Yuzhi and Granny Jiang looked at each other without saying a word, but Zhu Liji was no fool. His gaze swept back and forth between Cheng Yuzhi and Granny Jiang, and he had already pieced together part of the truth in his mind.
Zhu Liji never expected that his wife, the once gentle and virtuous woman, would become so vicious.
He stared at Cheng Yuzhi and said indifferently, "Empress, Granny Jiang is your person. Now that she is silent, I want to hear your explanation."
Upon hearing this, Granny Jiang stiffened. She secretly glanced at Cheng Yuzhi, where the Empress's tears were streaming down her cheeks, her mouth agape but she remained silent.
Granny Jiang's Adam's apple bobbed, and she suddenly kowtowed loudly: "It's all my fault! Your Majesty, this old servant slipped and fell. I didn't mean to bump into the Imperial Concubine. It's my fault. I beg Your Majesty to punish only this old servant. This matter has nothing to do with the Empress!"
In the end, he admitted it.
Zhu Liji shifted his gaze from Granny Jiang to Cheng Yuzhi's face. His expression was chillingly complex, containing scrutiny, disappointment, and a hint of barely perceptible weariness.
"Your Majesty," Zhu Liji spoke, his voice devoid of emotion, "what do you say? Granny Jiang is an old servant of your Kunning Palace; how should she be dealt with?"
“According to palace rules, anyone who plots to harm the imperial heir shall be executed immediately. I dare not show favoritism.” Cheng Yuzhi finally raised her eyes, her eyes glistening with tears reflected in the candlelight, her voice hoarse. “Please issue the decree, Your Majesty.”
Cheng Yuzhi knelt down: "Granny Jiang is innocent. Your Majesty, I beg you to issue an order to thoroughly investigate this matter and find out the truth after Consort Wan wakes up!"
So that's how it is.
Zhu Liji took a deep breath and sneered, "Innocence? You want me to discuss this later? Is it true innocence, or are you just trying to buy time so you can bribe witnesses and recant your testimony?"
"I didn't..."
"Empress!" Zhu Liji stood up, walked to Cheng Yuzhi, and looked down at her. "I remember you used to be the most well-mannered. How come you can't even tell right from wrong now?"
"That's just an appearance!" Cheng Yuzhi stood up excitedly, but staggered due to exhaustion. "Your Majesty, why won't you believe me? Is our years of marriage not even worth a little trust?"
"You still dare to talk to me about trust?" Zhu Liji's gaze was sharp as a blade. "Don't I trust you enough? Your family background is humble, and it's hard for you to have any future. There's been a lot of talk about it in the court, but I still went against the opinions of the crowd to protect your position as empress and safeguard the careers of your whole family."
"Yet this is how you repay me!"
Zhu Liji closed his eyes, as if recalling or pondering: "The you in my memory is gentle and virtuous, sensible and knows when to advance and retreat. You are definitely not a jealous woman who would harm the imperial heir out of jealousy and hatred."
He spoke the last two words very softly, yet they struck Cheng Yuzhi's heart like a heavy hammer.
"Cheng Yuzhi, I never expected you to turn out like this." A complex emotion flashed in Zhu Liji's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by indifference.
He seemed to have already made up his mind, and the only reason he was still here listening to Cheng Yuzhi's words was because he couldn't bear to part with the friendship he had shared for so many years.
Cheng Yuzhi gazed at him, at him as her husband, at him as the emperor, her Adam's apple bobbing.
Tears finally welled up in her eyes.
"It's turned out like this?" Cheng Yuzhi gave a bitter smile. She straightened up, and the grievances, loneliness, and pain of being misunderstood that had been building up for years overwhelmed her reason at this moment.
"Yes! Your Majesty has changed. Has Your Majesty ever considered why I have changed?"
“During those years in the Eastern Palace, Your Majesty and I lived in harmony, though not with deep affection, we were still very respectful to each other! When Sheng’er was born, you held him and smiled so happily… But since you ascended the throne, what has been left in your eyes?”
"You promised me power, but how long has it been since you last set foot in my Kunning Palace? That cold palace, I guard it alone, day after day, night after night!"
"Insolence!" Zhu Liji shouted sternly, "I am the emperor, is it wrong for me to be busy with state affairs? You are the empress, how can you say such things!"
“If Wan Zhen’er can say it, and others can say it, why can’t I say it?!” Cheng Yuzhi’s tears rolled down her face, but she stubbornly refused to wipe them away. “Yes, I am the Empress. I must be virtuous and magnanimous. I must manage the harem for you. So I watched with a heavy heart as you took in new concubines one after another, and watched as Consort Wan was favored by the Emperor and became pregnant.”
"Over the years, I have told myself that this is my duty, this is what I should do! But Your Majesty, what truly chills my heart is that you have concluded that I am so worthless based on the one-sided words of some palace servants."
Cheng Yuzhi's laughter was tinged with sadness: "If I am truly guilty today, it is not for jealousy, but for harboring those vain thoughts of our past marital affection for Your Majesty!"
Cheng Yuzhi disregarded all decorum and the bigger picture; her words were filled with anguish, questioning Zhu Liji and seemingly torturing herself for all her past sacrifices and forbearance.
The emperor and empress stood and sat down, glaring at each other like sworn enemies.
Just then, the door to the inner room was pushed open, and the imperial physician hurried out with a grave expression: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine's child... could not be saved. Fortunately, the child's life was saved, but the person is still unconscious."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed. Cheng Yuzhi trembled, and Zhu Liji's vision blurred. He tried to take a step, but stumbled.
Seeing this, Zhiwei quickly stepped forward to support him, her fingertips touching his cold arm.
"Your Majesty," Zhiwei called softly.
"Get out of my way." Zhu Liji shook off Zhiwei's hand and stood up.
He glanced at the kneeling imperial physician, then slowly shifted his gaze back to Cheng Yuzhi, who was pale and swaying precariously. The last bit of warmth in his eyes vanished, leaving only utter disgust and coldness.
Zhu Liji didn't want to say anything more, only uttering two poisonous words between his teeth.
"Jealous woman!"
Then, he abruptly flicked his sleeves and strode away without looking back. Zhiwei followed him, no longer glancing at Cheng Yuzhi, who lay collapsed on the ground.
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