Consort Hua's expression was stern, and she roughly understood Zhou Ninghai's meaning. "No, he cannot die now. With his current strength, we are not yet able to rest easy."
Although every day I think about tearing the fat orange cat apart, slicing it in two, cutting it in half, leaving six holes in its body, skinning it, dismembering it, and subjecting it to slow slicing...
But it's simply not worth dying for someone like that.
The officials hoped that the emperor sitting on the throne would be weak-willed, lacking in talent, and easy to manipulate.
In this way, they could realize the dream of countless ministers over thousands of years: a sage king who could rule by doing nothing.
And that emperor definitely won't be the Fifth Prince Hongzhou, but only the Third Prince Hongshi. How stupid could Nian Shilan be to become a pawn in the marriage of Consort Qi and her son!
Zhou Ninghai knew that Consort Hua had misunderstood, so he quickly explained, "That's not what I meant. I was referring to the one in Shou Kang Palace."
"She has been clinging to life for so long, and at her advanced age she still refuses to die. Your Majesty might as well help her. If she dies from the plague, I doubt anyone will investigate thoroughly."
Those who die from infectious diseases must have their bodies cremated. Even though the Empress Dowager is of high status and different from others, in times of emergency, she may not investigate many things in detail.
Consort Hua was indeed tempted; such an opportunity was truly rare and precious. Following the precedent set by Emperor Shunzhi, the Empress Dowager wouldn't even be able to have a complete corpse. (Emperor Shunzhi's will stipulated that his body be cremated after his death.)
"That's a good idea indeed. It saves us from having that old snake lurking in the shadows, ready to jump up and hurt us at any moment."
"Moreover, the Empress Dowager has never been fond of me, and only Consort Hui often goes to Shou Kang Palace to serve me. Even if the Emperor were to blame me, it wouldn't be me who would be the first to take the blame."
Songzhi said worriedly, "But there is no epidemic in the palace. If something poisonous is brought in from outside the palace, it is not impossible."
"But it shouldn't have been the Empress Dowager who got infected first, otherwise anyone would know there was something wrong with her."
“But if it spreads through other people, if one person gets sick, it will infect the whole room, and if the whole room gets sick, it will infect the whole uterus. If we are not careful, we don’t know how many people will die. No one can guarantee that they will not get infected.”
"This servant thinks it's best to be cautious. Your Highness is in the prime of your youth, and has many good days ahead of you. How can you afford to get angry with someone who's practically buried to the ground!"
Songzhi was truly afraid. Although she was not a good person, she didn't care at all about the deaths of one or two palace maids and eunuchs in front of her.
But if it were something trivial that endangered the lives of thousands of people and put Yikun Palace in danger, she wouldn't be so magnanimous.
Consort Hua was the same; she wanted the Empress Dowager's life to avenge the child she couldn't give birth to, and also to vent her own anger.
But if the cost is too high, Consort Hua can endure it a little longer. She just won't let her illness become too comfortable.
Finally, he sighed, and the gold and gemstone-inlaid armor made a soft sound as it scraped against the armrest of the rosewood chair.
"Then let's wait and see. If the palace is well-prepared and no epidemic has occurred from beginning to end, I am not the kind of person who would stop at nothing to achieve my goals. I would not let others be sacrificed for the sake of one person's life."
"If, unfortunately, the plague spreads into the inner palace, then it is the will of Heaven, and I cannot be blamed."
Songzhi said with a smile, "Your Majesty is compassionate. Look at how sickly the Empress Dowager looks, and how afraid she is of death. She might even scare herself to death without you having to lift a finger."
"Your Majesty, why don't you try the same trick again and have someone emphasize the severity of this disease to the people at Shou Kang Palace? Without a prescription, once you catch it, you can only wait to die. That should at least have some effect."
Consort Hua said, "Alright, I'll leave this matter to you. You must let the Empress Dowager know that this is no small matter."
*
Shou Kang Palace
The Empress Dowager has been bedridden for more than half a year, and judging from her current condition, she will have to continue to lie in bed.
"I drink these herbal medicines every day, but they have no effect. I'm really getting old and useless; my body just won't take it anymore."
Shen Meizhuang wiped the medicine from the corner of the Empress Dowager's mouth and comforted her, "Empress Dowager, please don't say such things. You are not old at all. You still have to watch the princes and princesses grow up and continue the royal line."
The Empress Dowager sighed and looked at Shen Meizhuang's belly, saying helplessly, "You are busy with palace affairs and come to serve me every day. How much attention can you spare for the Emperor?"
"You're still so young, you should prioritize having children. I know your filial piety, but Zhuxi is here to take care of you. Getting pregnant soon is more important than anything else."
Shen Meizhuang lowered her head. It wasn't that she didn't want to conceive, but she just couldn't!
"It is my fault for being useless and failing to live up to the Empress Dowager's favor. In fact, I have consulted the imperial physician in private and tried many medicines to regulate my body, but perhaps it is just that our time has not yet come."
The Empress Dowager said, "These things depend on the right time and place, but the most important thing is the right people. The Emperor visited you last month, but even if there was a chance, he missed it."
"You should learn from Consort Wan and Noble Lady Jing in this respect. For several months in a row, they have been the ones serving you the most."
Speaking of this, Shen Meizhuang had an even bigger headache, as neither of her two young ladies had been able to conceive. Thinking about it carefully, since Consort Xin's miscarriage, not a single concubine in the harem had become pregnant.
They were both healthy; if Consort Xin could get pregnant, then the Emperor's health should also be fine.
Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan pondered the matter privately for a long time but couldn't figure out the reason. They both suspected it might be due to bad luck in the past two years, or perhaps they were in conflict with the Grand Duke Jupiter!
Without offspring, there is no one to rely on, and the power in one's hands will vanish into thin air. She knew all too well the lives of the concubines in Shou Kang Palace.
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