Chapter 7: A Furyful Rescue Inside the front courtyard of Xian'an Palace, everyone knelt down…
In the front courtyard of Xian'an Palace, everyone knelt down. Wei Zhu read out the Emperor's edict from the steps of the main hall's porch: "The Emperor decrees that the Second Prince be rewarded with one sachima, one chestnut pastry, one lotus pastry, one milk cloud cake, one glutinous rice cake, and one lotus root starch hibiscus cake."
Yinreng knelt down below, expressionless, to express his gratitude.
After Wei Zhu finished reciting the imperial edict, he came down from above and said with a smile, "This morning, His Majesty thought of you when he was having his meal after personally plowing the fields. He said that the Spring Equinox is the time to eat cakes, so he bestowed these plates of cakes upon you."
Yinreng forced a smile. "Thank you for your concern, Father Emperor."
Wei Zhu gestured to the servants behind him to hand the food box to the eunuchs of Xian'an Palace, bowed to Yinreng, and went back to report. After Wei Zhu and the group of eunuchs who had been serving in Qianqing Palace left, Yinreng's expression slowly changed. He didn't even glance at the pastries that had been bestowed upon him, and turned back to the main hall.
Before Cheng Qianyue could even feel happy, she had to reluctantly follow them back. A short while after they stopped, Chen He directed a young eunuch to bring in plates and arrange them. Six plates of pastries filled the small kang table to the brim.
Looking at these things, Yinreng felt a mix of emotions, but in the end, resentment and anger prevailed. What did his father mean by this? Was it charity, a display of paternal benevolence, or perhaps both?
Ha, if the Emperor is a loving father, then what is this deposed crown prince? Is he a rebellious son?
Chen He's heart was pounding. He knew he had to use the Emperor's gift, otherwise it would be disrespectful. With that thought in mind, he took a deep breath and stepped forward, softly reminding him, "Second Master, the Emperor is thinking of you. Which item would you like to use? This servant will serve you."
Yinreng's sharp gaze fell upon him, and Chen He trembled in fright, promptly kneeling down. As soon as he knelt, several eunuchs who had just finished serving the refreshments and hadn't yet left followed suit. Cheng Qianyue was a beat slower, but quickly complied, lowering herself by half a head.
Then, in front of everyone, Yinreng overturned the table of snacks.
The plates crashed onto the kang (heated brick bed) and the floor with a clatter, sending shards flying. Because Yinreng was so strong, some pastries flew out and hit the eunuchs serving the meal squarely in the face. One of the familiar eunuchs, whether from the pain of the impact or from being startled, cried out in pain.
It turned out badly; this was like a signal. With bloodshot eyes, Yinreng got off the bed and kicked the man over.
Lin Quan'an couldn't get up immediately and hurriedly begged for mercy, "Second Master, spare my life! Second Master, spare my life!"
This shout of "Second Master" completely enraged Yinreng, who then straddled Lin Quan'an and began punching him repeatedly. The room was filled with cries of pleas for mercy and groans, but the noise quickly subsided.
Cheng Qianyue was stunned.
Although she was dazed, her mind was unusually clear. Judging from Yinreng's current state, he was definitely not a normal person; he must be mentally disturbed. She mechanically turned her head left and right, only to see that everyone else was kneeling far away, not one of them pleading for mercy. They knelt beside the pillars, in the shadows, lifeless like ghosts.
Didn't anyone stop them? Why did everyone act like it was nothing unusual?
Cheng Qianyue suddenly realized something. In the palace, the eunuchs were servants, and Yinreng was the master. Here, it was perfectly natural for the master to beat the servant, and even if the servant died, the master would not be punished in the slightest.
She shivered involuntarily. And what about her? She also referred to herself as a servant every day. If she committed a crime, would she also be beaten to death?
Cheng Qianyue looked over in horror. From her angle, she could see the little eunuch's miserable state. He was no longer recognizable as a human being. Dark red blood flowed down his forehead, nose, and mouth, trickling down the ground like a red snake, coiled up and flicking its tongue.
Cheng Qianyue seemed to see herself lying on the ground.
She couldn't let it go like this; she couldn't just hide away like the others. She was human, after all; she still had a shred of humanity. She couldn't just stand by and watch the little eunuch be beaten to death by Yinreng. How old was he? Was he even fourteen? Besides, she remembered this little eunuch. At the beginning of the month, she had slipped him some money, and he had left her a word of advice. Moreover, it was he who came to deliver the message this morning.
This is a human life! How could she just stand by and watch a life be lost right before her eyes?
Cheng Qianyue mustered all her courage and struggled to her feet. She rushed over, grabbed Yinreng's arm, and cried out, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please calm down, please stop being angry!"
Yinreng hadn't expected anyone to dare stop him at this moment, but he had already lost control of himself and flung the person away with a flick of his wrist. Cheng Qianyue tripped and fell, but quickly got up again, clinging to Yinreng's arm and refusing to let go, stammering, "Your Highness, take a deep breath, inhale and exhale, and the anger will subside in a moment."
But she was too weak to control him at all, so she looked at Chen He and said in a half-coercive, half-pleading tone, "Eunuch Chen, the master is having a nightmare. If he doesn't come to his senses, this whole room will be in trouble. Hurry up and help him up!"
The matter of a curse is absolutely taboo in the palace. Chen He was startled by Cheng Qianyue's shout. Seeing her clinging to a tree like a clod of wood, his mind was racing. Finally, he gritted his teeth and crawled over, saying, "Master, Master, please calm down."
He raised his hand, and several eunuchs hesitantly knelt over, some hugging his waist, others his legs, finally managing to pull Yinreng off Lin Quan'an. Two of the eunuchs were quick-witted and dragged Lin Quan'an away like a dead dog.
Yinreng flung his hand away, and the others knelt down again. He turned around, looking like an enraged lion. Cheng Qianyue slumped to the ground, staring straight at him, but quickly turned her head away, revealing a slender neck, unable to meet his gaze.
Yinreng reached out and grasped the neck, feeling the blood flowing beneath her skin, as if he held her life in his hands.
Cheng Qianyue didn't dare to breathe loudly; her mind was blank, and she was acting solely on instinct. Seeing that Yinreng didn't move, she slowly turned her head and saw that Yinreng was breathing heavily, with veins bulging on his neck. She slowly straightened up and tremblingly began to unbutton Yinreng's collar. After the buttons were undone, Yinreng's breathing seemed to ease considerably, and Cheng Qianyue could even see out of the corner of her eye that he slowly closed his eyes.
Cheng Qianyue tried her best to keep her voice from trembling and said in a gentle, low voice, "Would this servant like to help Master to rest?"
Yinreng did not reply, but the hand holding her neck slowly loosened.
Cheng Qianyue slowly got up from the ground and, together with Chen He, helped him to the bed in the inner room. She helped him take off his boots and covered him with a quilt.
Chen He retreated first. He was terrified today, and he needed to get someone to quickly fetch water to clean up the bloodstains on the ground, otherwise, there would be a lot of trouble when the Second Prince woke up!
Cheng Qianyue hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to follow him out. Then she heard Yinreng calling out softly from inside. Listening carefully, she realized it was "Mother..."
Cheng Qianyue dared not listen any longer. She tiptoed out of the door and curtsied to Chen He, saying, "Master is asleep." As she spoke, she took off a gold bracelet from her wrist. She hadn't brought any silver with her, so she could only give him this. "You are kind-hearted, sir. Please call a physician for that little eunuch. Don't let him die."
Chen He dodged her greeting and didn't say he was sure he wouldn't die, but he took the bracelet and said, "Princess, you should go back and rest first."
Cheng Qianyue sighed and led Ruoyun to the back. Her legs went weak as soon as she passed the side gate, and she only managed to stay upright because Ruoyun supported her.
Ruoyun, her voice trembling with tears, helped her all the way back into the house. As soon as they entered, Cheng Qianyue, still shaken, couldn't help but shed tears. It had been truly terrifying; now that her senses returned, she regretted almost getting herself into trouble.
Ruoyun wiped away her tears and said, "Princess, why are you doing this?" She had been standing at the door and could hear everything that was happening inside. "Every month, one or two eunuchs are dragged out of the front courtyard, and neither the Fujin nor Eunuch Chen cares. Why are you taking the lead?"
Cheng Qianyue felt a lingering fear. She pursed her lips and said with blurred vision, "I don't know either. I just... I just felt so sorry for him."
Ruoyun sobbed and said, "He's pitiful, but aren't we pitiful too? Look at your neck..." She pointed to Cheng Qianyue's neck and said, "It's all red."
Cheng Qianyue asked her to bring a small mirror. She looked at herself and saw that there was indeed a red patch on her neck, where the Second Prince had pinched her. She said, "It's alright, it should go away by tomorrow night." After saying that, she didn't dare to look in the mirror anymore. She turned it inside out, covered her chest with her hand, and silently waited for her heartbeat to calm down.
Inside the enclosed room in the front courtyard, Lin Quan'an lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), his head and face covered in incense and charcoal ash, making him look dusty. After Chen He entered, the eunuchs who were standing next to him in the same room with him all withdrew.
Lin Quan'an's face was bruised and swollen, and it took him a long time to recognize the person. He struggled a couple of times but couldn't get up. Chen He pressed him down and said in a low voice, "Alright, lie down." He sighed and said to Lin Quan'an, "Little Anzi, just hang in there. If you're still breathing by tonight, we'll go and call the imperial physician for you."
Lin Quan'an's expression was a mix of laughter and tears, and he let out two heavy breaths.
Chen He took Cheng Qianyue's bracelet out of his pocket and placed it on Lin Quan'an's pillow in front of him. "You've met a good person. If you live, you can keep this. If you die, I'll ask someone to inquire and send it to your relatives outside."
Lin Quan'an saw the design of the bracelet and immediately knew who had given it to him. Tears streamed down his face as he mumbled a few words, but they were all barely audible.
Chen He placed the bracelet under his pillow, then stood up and went outside. He told the eunuchs, "Keep an eye on it. If any blood comes out, apply several more layers of charcoal ash."
The eunuchs nodded hurriedly in agreement. After Chen He left, they ran back into the enclosure and saw Lin Quan'an with his eyes closed. One of the bolder ones ran over and reached out to check his breath. Lin Quan'an suddenly opened his eyes, startling the eunuch.
"Eunuch Chen told us to keep an eye on you," the little eunuch said.
Upon hearing this, Lin Quan'an closed his eyes again, thinking that he didn't want to die, he still wanted to live!
That evening, the young eunuch found a moment to deliver the news, and Chen He said, "He's really lucky. Alright, I'll go myself."
Before leaving, he gave the young eunuch a few more instructions, nothing more than that the Second Prince had regained his senses and he should serve him as usual. However, after leaving Xian'an Palace, he did not rush to the Imperial Hospital, but instead went to Qianqing Palace first.
Princess Cheng said that the Second Prince was possessed by a curse, and this matter had to be reported to His Majesty! He entered the room, sent someone in to deliver the message, and then waited to be summoned in the tea room.
Before long, Liang Jiugong, the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, came over. He was a favorite of the emperor, and Chen He was a generation younger than him. He immediately stood up and greeted him.
Liang Jiugong laughed and said, "Little Hezi, your master Zhao Chang was talking about you a few days ago."
Chen He quickly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Master."
Liang Jiugong hummed in agreement and asked, "What's wrong? Has something happened at Xian'an Palace?"
Chen He recounted the events of the morning without adding or subtracting a single detail, saying, "It concerns the Second Prince and also involves curses, so this servant dares not conceal anything."
Liang Jiugong's expression changed, and he hurriedly went into the hall. He returned shortly afterward and said in a deep voice, "His Majesty wants to see you. Come with me."
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