Sun Miaoqing glanced at the spices on the table, then turned and said, "We don't have much hawthorn and white acacia honey left. Go to the Imperial Household Department and ask for some more."
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
Once again, only she and An Lingrong remained in the room. Sun Miaoqing put the clove powder into a jar and handed it to An Lingrong, who then added the dried tangerine peel and stirred it well.
Add the soaked almond oil and mix into a paste.
"His Majesty's headaches have become increasingly severe. The Imperial Medical Academy has presented him with a good medicine, and after several treatments, it has indeed shown immediate results."
"The Emperor's energy has improved considerably, his headaches have been significantly relieved, and he is handling state affairs with greater ease."
"Unfortunately, the greatest use of this medicine is not in treating illnesses and saving lives."
Sun Miaoqing spoke softly, just enough for An Lingrong to hear.
An Lingrong smiled and said, "Every gain has its loss. The Emperor himself doesn't care about the minor drawbacks, so why should you worry, sister?"
"Besides, the Emperor obtained this excellent medicine thanks to you, sister. I remember you saying that you shouldn't regret what you've done. It's better to harm others than to harm yourself."
Sun Miaoqing said, "It's not that I regret it, it's just that I'm afraid this thing will get out and be treasured by those who don't know about it."
"How could something used by the emperor be bad!"
An Lingrong said, "But didn't His Majesty keep it a secret and not tell anyone?"
"Not many people know the real consequences of this stuff, and it has to be transported from the Yunnan border. As long as someone guards the source of the goods, there's no need to worry about any problems."
Sun Miaoqing reviewed it again and confirmed that everything was arranged properly. If there were any problems, someone would burn everything down, so she stopped worrying about it.
With a smile on her face, she said softly, "His Majesty's health had been declining day by day, and he was becoming increasingly weak in handling state affairs. Now, however, his back is no longer sore and his head is no longer aching, and he has regained his energy."
An Lingrong said, "Yes, we can hold on for a few more years until the princes have all grown up."
She was referring to a prince, but actually only to Hongzhou. Although An Lingrong had adopted Hongli, she had never considered vying for the throne. Having kept him by her side for so many years, how could she not see through her intentions?
Because of the cold treatment he received in the previous years, Hongli appeared obedient and sensible on the surface, but in reality, he was deeply suspicious and cold-hearted.
Hongli hid his ambitions well, but how could he escape her notice? However, Hongli had neither favor nor support, and he was not the eldest son.
With no one available in the imperial court or the inner palace, as long as Hongzhou is still alive, he will never have a chance or anything to contend for.
With the Third Prince as their eldest son and a role model, they had no choice but to accept their fate, no matter how unwilling they were. Moreover, because they were the least favored by the emperor, they dared not reveal these things in the slightest.
Therefore, in the eyes of others, the Fourth Prince was a filial, brotherly, loyal and trustworthy person.
If the bond between mother and son is to continue, then this is just right. Otherwise, if Hongli were to actually ascend the throne, she would only be able to live out her remaining years as an empress dowager.
If one day she were to get in Hongli's way, he might end up like Kangxi did with the deposed crown prince. He would weep bitterly and grieve uncontrollably, yet simultaneously act ruthlessly and without mercy.
*
Yikun Palace
As soon as Zhou Ninghai returned, Consort Hua hurriedly summoned him. Closing the door, she anxiously asked, "Have you found out anything? Why did the Emperor's health suddenly improve? Could it be...?"
"Could something have gone wrong, and the Emperor have noticed something?"
Zhou Ninghai said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant has inquired about it. It's a miraculous medicine that's incredibly effective for headaches. Although it can't cure the root cause, as long as it's used regularly, it will make a big difference."
"His Majesty is no longer troubled by headaches. He is in high spirits because of this happy occasion, and he seems to be in much better health."
"However, this is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Although the methods we use are slow to take effect, they have already damaged the underlying condition over time. No matter how the imperial physician examines the pulse, he will not be able to diagnose the cause."
Consort Hua asked, "Really?"
Zhou Ninghai affirmed, "Of course it's true, Your Majesty, please rest assured. Forgive my rudeness, but if His Majesty really knew, would we still be able to stay here peacefully?"
Consort Hua nodded in relief, but then said, "When I first learned the truth, I didn't react immediately. Instead, I pretended to know nothing and did things behind the scenes."
"His Majesty, like me, is not exactly an upright person..."
"However, since my brother has been idle at home for so long, the Nian family's influence in the court is not what it used to be. They no longer hold military power. They are like a phoenix that has fallen from its pedestal, no better than a chicken. They are not worth the Emperor's fear."
Zhou Ninghai couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, only marveling at how the Empress could be so harsh on people that she didn't even spare him.
Left with no other option, Zhou Ninghai could only say,
"Now that things have come to this, worrying is useless. Although I am not clever, I know many things. No one knew when I did them, but in the end, the truth was still discovered."
"It's not because others are particularly clever, but because the people doing this are always uneasy. Some even go so far as to add unnecessary details and repeatedly cover things up, which arouses suspicion and eventually leads to the exposure of the matter."
"It's not that I'm being nosy, but you really should learn from Consort Cheng. No matter what you do, even in front of everyone."
"They can deny everything they've done, and even if they've done something wrong, they can still brazenly claim it was a good thing."
Consort Hua said, "When has she ever done anything wrong? Hasn't she always done good deeds?"
Zhou Ninghai was at a loss for words. Was that what he meant? The Empress's focus always seems to veer towards Consort Cheng's armpits!
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