Chapter 157 Healing and Saving Lives In the Chuxiu Palace, Lady Fan learned about Eunuch Zhong…
In Chuxiu Palace, after learning of Eunuch Zhong's message, Lady Fan immediately asked the palace maid beside her, "How is Lady Jin? I hope she hasn't died in the last few days."
The maid replied, "I asked the people over there yesterday, and they said that Madam Jin is seriously ill, but she will still be alive for a while."
Madam Fan said "Oh," and then said, "Send a royal physician to take a look first." After a while, she added, "If the royal physician says it's a life-threatening illness, then have someone wrap her up and carry her to Chuxiu Palace."
The palace maid couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Why did you move her here, Master? A sick palace maid is such an unlucky thing."
Lady Fan said in a deep voice, "Do as I say." The maid Biluo, who had served her, had left the palace, so she didn't bother arguing with the new maid. Since the Imperial Concubine wanted to save Jin, she had to handle the matter properly. There were too many eyes and ears outside; if anything happened to Jin, how would she explain it to the Imperial Concubine?
Since Lady Fan had given her word, Lady Jin was moved to Chuxiu Palace the next day. Naturally, Lady Jin was ill, so the servants didn't dare place her next to Lady Fan. Instead, they tidied up an unused side room in the west wing and settled her there.
Liu, who lived in the East Annex, naturally received the news and went to pay her respects to Fan. Fan said, "You've come at the right time." She then asked someone to fetch two boxes from her dressing table, "These are a gift from the Imperial Concubine." She paused and said, "You also deserve some credit for this matter."
Lady Liu said she dared not accept such a gift, and then said with emotion, "The fact that Her Highness the Imperial Concubine has bestowed these upon you shows how much she values you."
Lady Fan was happy to hear people speak well of the Imperial Concubine, and her expression immediately softened. She asked softly, "How do you know that the Imperial Concubine will definitely save that palace maid?"
When Lady Fan first learned that the Imperial Concubine had sent a palace maid from the garden, she had some suspicions. She wondered if the maid had been disobedient and thus sent back to the Forbidden City, to the Baohua Hall. Later, hearing that the maid bore a resemblance to the Imperial Concubine, her suspicions deepened. She even considered teaching Jin a lesson, but Lady Liu stopped her. Lady Liu said, "Wouldn't doing that ruin the Imperial Concubine's reputation?"
Lady Fan thought it made sense; since everyone was already at Baohua Hall, what trouble could they possibly cause? However, she was still worried, so she had someone keep an eye on Lady Jin. As it turned out, Lady Jin inexplicably fell ill. Lady Fan even thought Lady Jin deserved it; it must be because she had ulterior motives that Buddha had sent illness upon her.
But a few days later, Lady Liu came to persuade her again, saying she would tell the Imperial Concubine about Lady Jin's situation. Lady Fan was reluctant, but Lady Liu eventually convinced her. Unexpectedly, the Imperial Concubine was actually willing to act as a benefactor and save that person.
Liu looked at Fan with a faint smile and replied, "Because the Imperial Concubine is a good person."
Lady Fan immediately understood and said, "You're absolutely right." The Imperial Concubine is indeed kind-hearted; everyone, from top to bottom, should be grateful for her kindness.
After paying her respects, Lady Liu returned to her room. Only then did she open the two boxes to see what was inside. One box contained a pair of exquisitely green jade bracelets, and the other a jeweled necklace. She examined the bracelets closely and murmured, "Truly worthy of the Imperial Concubine." Bracelets of such quality were probably rare even in the palace. For Lady Fan to give her this, the Imperial Concubine must have bestowed upon her many fine gifts.
Liu sighed, feeling that her role as a behind-the-scenes strategist was a waste of her talent. But who could blame her for being blind and misjudging people back then? But it didn't matter; things could be done with effort. She then recalled Fan's question and couldn't help but chuckle. Fan had been in the palace for so many years, yet her mind was still mostly muddled.
Whether the Imperial Concubine was willing to save the person or not was irrelevant to her. What mattered was whether Lady Fan was useful to the Imperial Concubine. Since the Imperial Concubine was currently in Changchun Garden, she needed to let the Imperial Concubine know that even when the Imperial Concubine wasn't in the palace, Lady Fan was still working for her. The Jin incident was a perfect opportunity to report this to the Imperial Concubine. If the Imperial Concubine was willing to save the person, both the Imperial Concubine and their Chuxiu Palace would gain a good reputation. If the Imperial Concubine wasn't willing to save the person, it didn't matter; it wouldn't prevent Lady Fan from gaining favor with the Imperial Concubine. In short, the more skillfully Lady Fan acted, the happier the Imperial Concubine would be, and the better off Lady Fan, the one using the Imperial Concubine's influence, would be.
However, Liu would never explain this to Fan. Fan was content with just letting things slosh around in this half-full cup.
——
About half a month later, Madam Jin's illness had almost completely healed. Afterwards, a servant relayed a message that Madam Jin wished to come and pay her respects to her mistress. Madam Fan thought for a moment and said, "Then let her in."
Before long, Madam Jin came in from outside, knelt down with her head bowed and said, "Greetings to Consort He."
Madam Fan hummed in agreement and said, "Raise your head." Madam Jin agreed and slowly raised her face. Madam Fan's heart immediately skipped a beat, because Madam Jin did indeed look very much like the Imperial Concubine; if one didn't look closely, it would seem as if the Imperial Concubine was kneeling before her. Although she had heard the rumors that Madam Jin resembled the Imperial Concubine, she had never taken them seriously, but now she thought differently.
Lady Fan was stunned for a moment, but quickly coughed and said, "Alright, get up." She then gestured to a maid to bring her a low stool to sit on.
Jin sat down halfway and said gratefully, "This servant has come to thank Your Highness for your kindness." She slid off the stool and knelt down again, "This servant thanks Your Highness for saving my life."
Lady Fan had someone pull her up: "You don't need to thank me, thank the Imperial Concubine."
Jin raised her head in disbelief and said tremblingly, "Noble...Noble Consort?"
Lady Fan nodded and told her, "The news of your illness was reported to Changchun Garden. When the Imperial Concubine found out, she was afraid that the imperial physician who treated you was not good, so she instructed me to take care of you." She looked at her warmly and said, "I'm afraid you look somewhat like the Empress, which is why the Imperial Concubine couldn't bear to see you perish."
Is that so?
For a moment, Jin's mind went blank, and she felt extremely uneasy.
Lady Fan then asked her, "You don't need to do your work at Baohua Palace for now. Continue to recuperate here with me. When the Imperial Concubine returns, you can come with me to pay your respects to her."
Jin hadn't quite recovered from what had just been said, but her mouth moved before her brain could process it, and she said, "Yes."
"It's strange, really. How did you get this illness? I heard you were vomiting and had diarrhea for a while, you were almost completely vomited up. Did you catch a cold or something?" Madam Fan asked her.
“This servant…” Jin murmured, “This servant doesn’t know. After arriving at Baohua Palace, I’ve been doing sweeping and cleaning work. Perhaps… perhaps… I ate something bad.”
Madam Fan was taken aback by her reply, and after a long while, she sighed. These words reminded her of what happened in the Xiefang Palace years ago. After telling Madam Jin to go back, she lowered her eyes and instructed, "Give Madam Jin one tael of bird's nest from my rations, and stew a pot of it for her every day."
After returning to her room, Jin sat there blankly, her mind a complete mess. The news that the Imperial Concubine had ordered Consort He to save her life nearly knocked her unconscious. Her thoughts were different from what she expected, and different from what others had told her.
She couldn't help but recall the imperial concubine selection. She was from the Manchu bannerman's household, so she participated in the selection process held by the Imperial Household Department this spring. After being chosen, she studied palace etiquette in the maidservant's quarters outside the palace. The matron who taught her etiquette back then looked at her, sighed, and asked if she would be willing to work in a less demanding place.
Jin was willing. Because of the Emperor's leniency, palace maids who served in the palace could leave after a maximum of ten years. She thought it would be fine to just coast along and wait to leave. However, after a while, the nanny who taught her manners was transferred, and a new nanny was assigned to teach her. The new nanny looked at her like a treasure, speaking softly, "Miss, you are truly blessed with a beautiful face; it's a pity you don't rise to prominence with such looks."
Jin didn't understand what she meant, but since the nanny had said so, she couldn't refute it. Later, she was assigned to the Fourth Treasury, in charge of the Emperor's clothing. Jin was overjoyed, feeling that this job was not tiring and was quite respectable. However, the nanny's words kept echoing in her mind.
Can she really succeed with her looks? The nanny has said so, maybe it's possible?
But she soon changed her mind, because although the Emperor had inquired about her when she delivered the clothes, she was transferred not long afterward. It was then that she realized she bore a resemblance to the Imperial Concubine.
Kim was terrified.
Later, when she arrived at Baohua Palace, the head eunuch there treated her fairly well, and the head maid was also kind to her. But they all told her that the Consort had transferred her away because she was an eyesore. But it didn't matter; as long as the Emperor remembered her, she could still rise to prominence.
Jin listened silently, without saying a word. Later, she realized that working in the Baohua Palace was actually quite good; her daily tasks consisted mainly of wiping candlesticks and incense tables, an easy job. Unfortunately, her good days lasted only a little over a month before she fell ill.
The head maid immediately moved her to a low room outside Baohua Palace, where the palace maids rested. At first, she had diarrhea and vomiting, but later she couldn't vomit anything anymore. Although the head maid called the imperial physician for her, the medicine didn't work. Later, the head maid stopped visiting her often, and she would just stare blankly out the window every day, hoping for the head maid's visit. Only when the head maid came would she have hot water to drink. But the head maid would only come in the evening, and when she arrived, she would look at her and sigh, saying that she had bad luck and that she had offended someone to fall into misfortune.
Imperial Concubine...
Jin wondered if the Imperial Concubine wanted her dead, but she truly had no desire to compete with the Imperial Concubine for the Emperor's favor.
The aunt sighed deeply and said, "While I can still come, young lady, please say your last words. You've only lived once, don't leave so quietly."
Kim's lips moved twice, but she couldn't utter a single word.
Jin shuddered violently; the memory of the past made her stomach churn. She had always believed she had offended the Imperial Concubine, which was why she was in this predicament, but now she had her doubts. If the Imperial Concubine wanted her dead, why would she need to call for Consort He's help at this crucial moment?
Jin thought of the old nanny who taught her manners, and the aunt who was in charge of Baohua Palace, and her blood surged. She trembled all over and involuntarily curled up, hugging her knees. Even so, she felt terrified and could not calm down.
She dared not think about who wanted her dead!
Before they knew it, it was past July. Outside the window, the palace maids chattered about how the Emperor was about to return to the Forbidden City. Jin listened silently, thinking that if the Emperor returned, then the Consort would return too.
The concubine told her that she would take her to pay her respects to the Imperial Concubine. What would the Imperial Concubine say to her?
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