Chapter 66 Seeking the Cause of the Illness: Pei Qing's magical powers are boundless; I must obtain you...
Under the blazing sun and sweltering heat, the cabinet ministers who had been waiting outside the Hall of Diligent Governance were drenched in sweat.
Grand Secretary Zhang fanned himself vigorously with the memorial in his hand, wondering, "Is today's court session still going to be held? It's already this late, why haven't the Regent and the Empress Dowager summoned us in yet?"
"This shouldn't be... The imperial examinations have just ended, and it's a busy time for government affairs. The Regent and the Empress Dowager haven't shown up yet, leaving us waiting here for half a day. Could it be... that something has happened in the palace?"
The other ministers also began to whisper among themselves.
Some impatient ministers urged Eunuch Wang to go in and announce the news again.
Eunuch Wang stood under the eaves with a whisk in hand, a smile plastered on his face, but in reality, he was even more anxious than the ministers who were sweating profusely.
There wasn't a single master in the study; what was he supposed to do by going in to announce his arrival?
But he couldn't say that, because if he did, his ministers would ask: Where are the Regent and the Empress Dowager now?
With a smile, Eunuch Wang instructed his apprentice to refill everyone's teacups. He then pretended to walk into the hall and make another round.
Having drunk too much tea, several officials couldn't hold their urination and ran towards the washroom.
A moment later, a courtier who had gone to change his clothes rushed back in a panic, shouting to the crowd, "I just heard a palace servant say in the washroom that the Emperor has gone hysterical and is killing people everywhere in the Phoenix Perch Palace. Even the Empress Dowager has been injured by the Emperor! The Regent has ordered the Imperial Guards to surround the Phoenix Perch Palace and intends to depose the Emperor..."
"Good heavens! This...this is a palace coup!"
"Good heavens! Another palace coup is brewing!"
"Good heavens! Why do I always have to be in this situation?!"
Dozens of cabinet ministers were immediately in an uproar, and the scene descended into chaos. Some tried to force their way into the Hall of Diligent Governance to find out what was going on, while others called for a quick trip to the Hall of Phoenixes to save the emperor. Some were so frightened that they turned pale and just wanted to find a crack in the ground to hide in and escape this catastrophic disaster.
"The emperor is not even six years old yet, how could he possibly lift a sword?"
Shen Zizhan's voice was clear and his thinking was sharp. He immediately grasped the flaw in the situation and said solemnly, "My lords, with the Empress Dowager in charge of Fengqi Palace, even if His Majesty is unwell, the Empress Dowager will definitely handle it properly."
"Lord Shen, you are mistaken. If even the Regent has gone, then the Empress Dowager must be helpless. Now that even the Imperial Guards have been mobilized, tsk, this matter is definitely not simple!"
Shen Zizhan frowned slightly, about to retort, when Xie Yu chuckled and took over the conversation:
"Hey, Lord Fang, could your grandson have wielded a sword and killed someone when he was five? My son can't even draw a seven-dou bow, he struggles to chase a pheasant. Let's not follow the crowd and panic. If it turns out to be a false alarm and we rush to the inner palace, that's treason. Who among you is willing to take that blame?"
"In April, many people are prone to illness. Perhaps His Majesty has fallen slightly ill. The Empress Dowager is unsure of the cause and has asked the Regent to go and take a look."
Prince Chun's words were reasonable and persuasive, which calmed down the hot-headed ministers.
Just then, Eunuch Wang walked up to the group of ministers, holding a red lacquered dragon-patterned box in his hands, and said in a high-pitched voice: "His Majesty is unwell, and the Empress Dowager is busy taking care of him and has no time to spare. Today's court session will be adjourned. Please put your memorials into the box."
"If the Empress Dowager is to take care of the Emperor, then what about the Regent? Why doesn't the Prince preside over the court assemblies?"
Eunuch Wang glanced sideways at the minister who had spoken, and snorted a light laugh: "Oh dear, the court assembly is only temporarily postponed, not that it will never be held again. Minister Fang, you might as well save those words for the Regent Prince at the next court assembly!"
The ministers remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
Xie Yu was the first to express his opinion. He strode forward and was the first to put his memorial into the box. Shen Zizhan followed closely behind, and the other ministers looked at each other and then threw their memorials into the box one by one.
————
Phoenix Perch Hall, East Warm Pavilion
Holding a red lacquered box with dragon patterns, Eunuch Wang repeated the conversation between the officials half an hour earlier, word for word.
Pei Muwei nodded slightly, his tone calm: "I understand. Leave the memorial behind."
Eunuch Wang smiled and responded, carefully placing the memorial on the rosewood table. He glanced discreetly at the emperor and his minister on the golden nanmu chaise longue, then quickly lowered his eyes and retreated from the warm pavilion.
"Your Highness, please bear with it for a moment."
Pei Muwei held the young empress dowager's slender neck in his palm, and gently touched the wound under her eye with his fingertips, which were covered with transparent ointment. He controlled the force very lightly, but tears still welled up in her eyes, like hibiscus flowers touched by rain and dew, beautiful and alluring.
"Ugh...this ointment is making my eyes sting..."
As soon as Chu Yueyuan closed her eyes, her eyelashes got stained with the ointment, which made her feel even more uncomfortable. She had to widen her eyes to let the tears slide down her cheeks without getting them on the wound under her eyelids.
She hadn't had time to change her clothes yet; a milky-white gauze blouse was loosely draped over her moonlit nightgown, and her loose black hair fell softly down her shoulders and neck, forming a proud arc at the front.
Pei Muwei cradled the back of her head. The woman gazed at him with teary eyes, her eyebrows like willow leaves, her nose delicate, and her lips a touch of cherries, as if she had just been severely bullied by him.
His eyes darkened.
Chu Yueyuan's vision was blurred by tears. Although she couldn't see the man's face clearly, she could feel his burning gaze on her face, so she started a conversation:
"By the way, how did Pei Qing know that something happened at Phoenix Perch Palace?"
"Today is the fifteenth. Your Highness did not attend the court assembly, nor did you send anyone to explain the reason. I was worried, so I came to check on you."
In the past, the young empress dowager would always find various excuses to skip court meetings, which Pei Muwei had long been used to.
But today, when he looked at the empty peony-patterned desk by the window, a sense of unease inexplicably swept over him. As he picked up his teacup to drink, the string of prayer beads on his wrist broke without warning.
He immediately went to the Phoenix Palace, where he encountered several terrified palace servants. He seized them and interrogated them, only to learn that the young emperor had suffered a hysterical attack and was indiscriminately slashing people in his bedchamber.
Fortunately, he arrived in time.
Pei Muwei stared at the bloodstains under the woman's eyes, his brows furrowing slightly: "The Emperor is not Your Highness's child. Is it worth it for Your Highness to risk your life like this?"
"Although Yoon-ah is not my biological daughter, she is my only family in the palace."
Chu Yueyuan gradually adapted to the irritation of the ointment, stopped crying, silently sat up straight, her fingers tightening around her open collar, and sighed with a worried expression:
"I failed to properly supervise the palace servants of Fengqi Palace. These people reported today's events to the imperial court. If it weren't for the proper handling by Prince Chun and Lord Shen, the consequences would have been unimaginable..."
From the attentive attitude of the women at the flower arrangement banquet towards Princess Anxian, Chu Yueyuan had already gleaned some clues. She feared that in the previous dynasty, there were already quite a few officials who had sided with Prince Anxian.
Xiao Yun is a direct descendant of the late emperor. If any member of the Xiao clan dares to be unruly, Pei Muwei can rightfully eliminate him.
However, if Xiao Yun were to suffer from hysteria, he would become an unqualified monarch. Even if he were of legitimate blood, he would be unable to overcome the fact that he was "unworthy of his position." At that time, Prince Anxian and his allies would surely use the pretext of "the eternal stability of the empire" to select another virtuous and capable person from the imperial clan, and Pei Muwei would lose his power to assist in governing the country.
Chu Yueyuan failed to keep an eye on the palace servants, allowing the ministers outside the Hall of Diligent Governance to hear the news. Now, all she can do is try to quell the rumors as quickly as possible.
There are a total of 270 palace servants in Fengqi Palace. At least half of them saw Xiao Yun's madness today. If so many palace servants are punished at once, wouldn't that confirm the rumors outside?
Chu Yueyuan expressed her concerns.
Pei Muwei picked up a plain white handkerchief and slowly wiped the remaining ointment off her fingers. Her voice was cold and clear: "Have Jing Wu select the palace servants who ran the fastest when the incident occurred, close the palace gates, and deal with them in front of everyone as a warning to others."
Chu Yueyuan used to fear men's ruthless methods, but now she truly understands that a compassionate heart cannot change a person with ill intentions.
After discussing these matters, Chu Yueyuan still needed to see Imperial Physician Zhao. So she went into her bedroom and changed into a purple-brown robe with gold thread and dark phoenix patterns. Jin Tong combed her hair and put on a phoenix crown. Because she had a wound under her eyes, she did not apply powder, but only lightly brushed her eyebrows and applied a layer of lip rouge.
"Your Highness has fair skin, which usually looks a bit dull after applying powder, but without powder, your skin looks even more radiant."
Jin Tong tried to make a few witty remarks to cheer Chu Yueyuan up.
The woman's beautiful face was reflected in the peony-carved bronze mirror. After crying, her peach blossom eyes, with their natural redness at the corners, became even more vibrant, like the shimmering color of a flower in full bloom.
"How is Granny Xu?"
"The imperial physician has already examined it. Fortunately, it's just a superficial wound, and it's been treated with medicine and bandaged."
Chu Yueyuan felt slightly relieved. Granny Xu was already in her fifties, and her leg injury had just healed some time ago, but now she had a new injury. Those who followed her, this puppet empress dowager, lived more anxiously than the soldiers beside a general on the battlefield.
After redoing her makeup, Chu Yueyuan returned to the East Warm Pavilion, and Pei Muwei stared at her for a long time.
She sat down on the huanghuali wood openwork phoenix chair, picked up a celadon teacup with ice-patterned decorations and took a few sips. After putting down the teacup, she noticed the man was still staring at her, so she turned her head and asked:
"Is something the matter, Minister Pei?"
"Nothing?"
Pei Muwei also picked up the teacup on the tea table, calmly drank the tea, and then said, "Your Highness, please don't shed tears anymore in the future."
The young empress dowager's eyes after crying were so captivating.
When Zhao Qiming entered the East Warm Pavilion, his official hat was askew, and there were several scratches on his face.
He bowed and said, “Your Majesty, I have carefully examined Your Majesty’s meal today and found nothing unusual.”
After speaking, he took out a box of silver needles from his sleeve: "I also used silver needles to examine Your Majesty's meridians, and found no signs of poisoning. During the process, Your Majesty cried and made a fuss, so I dared to... insert needles into Your Majesty's Shenmen and Baihui acupoints to temporarily stabilize Your Majesty's health."
Chu Yueyuan leaned forward slightly: "Based on Lord Zhao's experience, could His Majesty's unusual behavior today be a sign of hysteria?"
Zhao Qiming shook his head, his tone resolute: "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic states that hysteria arises from three causes. First, a major upheaval in childhood damages the mind and spirit. Second, prolonged physical trauma causes stagnation of qi in the five internal organs. Third, bloodline inheritance and ancestral calamities."
He paused, then said, “Your Majesty is childlike and sincere, and usually laughs as usual. Your pulse is also strong and powerful. As for the late Emperor and Consort Chun... the records of the Imperial Medical Academy are detailed. None of the three generations of imperial relatives have this disease. Therefore, I dare to guarantee with my own head that Your Majesty is definitely not suffering from hysteria.”
Chu Yueyuan frowned slightly, then pressed on, "If it's neither poisoning nor hysteria, then why did His Majesty suddenly... become like this?"
Zhao Qiming looked ashamed and lowered his head: "This...this humble official's medical skills are not good enough, and I have not yet found the cause of His Majesty's illness."
Chu Yueyuan leaned weakly against the phoenix chair, looking dejected.
Unable to find the cause of his illness, Xiao Yun remained imprisoned. However, the imperial examination results would be released next month, and according to custom, a banquet would be held. As the ruler of the Great Qi Kingdom, Xiao Yun was required to attend the banquet in person. If he were to act so out of control and act so wildly at the banquet as he had today, it would practically give Prince Anxian and his faction grounds to depose him.
In the silence, Pei Muwei spoke calmly: "When I first arrived in Beiting, I encountered an extremely troublesome Canglang Army..."
His voice was cold and clear as his long, slender fingers fiddled with the repaired sandalwood prayer beads on his wrist: "Those wolves are incredibly strong, capable of fighting for seven days straight without sleep or rest. Even with an arrow in their heart, they can still wield their swords and continue charging, like walking corpses crawling out of purgatory. Only by cutting off their heads can their attack be stopped..."
Chu Yueyuan rarely heard the Regent mention the Northern Court, so she guessed that the man must have his reasons for speaking now, and listened patiently.
"I later discovered that these Canglang people were so fierce because they drank a secret medicinal wine before going to war. This wine could make people lose all sense of pain and go insane; even if they lost an arm or were pierced through the heart, they would not retreat. However..."
His voice suddenly turned serious: "After the effects of the medicine wear off, these people will be depleted of their essence and blood, their internal organs will collapse, and they will die suddenly within three days. The Canglang people who belong to this team usually do not live more than three months."
Chu Yueyuan's pupils contracted. She thought of Xiao Yun's bloodshot eyes when he fell ill, and how his small body could wield a short sword forged from refined iron. These behaviors were very similar to those of the Canglang Army that Pei Muwei had described.
Zhao Qiming suddenly raised his head and exclaimed, "It's Hero Flower! The medicinal wine those Canglang people drink must have been infused with Hero Flower! This flower only grows in the bitter cold of the northern border. After taking it, people's strength will increase dramatically, and they will become mentally deranged. What's even more terrifying is that... once you get hooked on this stuff, it's like a maggot clinging to your bone, impossible to quit!"
His voice trembled: "But I've examined all the leftovers from the imperial kitchen, and I haven't found any hero flowers..."
Chu Yueyuan already understood. Her hands clenched into fists, and her chest heaved violently.
Because the poison wasn't in the palace, but was brought in from outside.
Just then, a palace attendant announced from outside the vermilion palace gate: "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, Lady Du, a consort of imperial rank, has come to pay her respects to the Emperor."
Chu Yueyuan's eyes suddenly turned cold, and a murderous intent surged in her chest. She wished she could immediately order someone to bind Du Shi outside the palace and bring her in, subject her to severe torture, and force her to reveal what she had done to Xiao Yun.
However, she currently has no evidence. If she were to launch the attack prematurely, given Du's cunning nature, she would likely destroy all the evidence in secret. Not only would she be unable to uncover the truth, but she might also lose Xiao Yun's last chance of survival.
As she felt lost and helpless, the man's warm hand covered her cold hand.
Chu Yueyuan raised her eyes and met the man's calm, dark eyes. The panic in her heart gradually subsided under his gaze.
His voice was as cool as ever, yet it held a tender warmth: "With this humble subject here, Your Highness need not be afraid."
Chu Yueyuan's eyes flickered slightly. After thinking for a long time, she finally made up her mind: "Pei Qing's magic power is boundless. I need to save you for the most crucial moment."
She withdrew her hand from the man's palm, the turmoil in her eyes subsiding into stillness, her voice calm:
"Summon Lady Du to the palace."
————
Whenever Du Chuirong stepped into the Phoenix Perch Palace, he would be dazzled by the magnificent palace, as if he had fallen into a celestial palace in the heavens.
The vermilion pillars are adorned with gilded dragons, and the glazed tiles reflect the sunlight streaming down.
On both sides of the wide platform in front of the hall, several large blue-and-white porcelain jars with lotus scroll patterns are neatly arranged. The jars are filled with clear water, which is used to nourish the lotus flowers picked in the morning. Koi fish swim at the bottom of the water, symbolizing good fortune. You can smell the refreshing fragrance of flowers with every step you take.
The road surface underfoot is mainly made of polished, rounded, colored pebbles, interspersed with fragments of celadon and black tiles, forming an intricate pattern, like a brocade carpet.
The magnificent palace made her eyes burn, and when she thought of the woman who owned it, the burning desire in her eyes turned into jealousy and hatred.
On what grounds?
Her daughter never lived in such a palace while she was alive.
The daughter exhausted her life to give birth to the late emperor's only imperial offspring, and was only posthumously granted the title of Imperial Concubine. Yet, the woman born to a merchant of low social standing ascended the throne over the corpse of her daughter.
What's even more hateful is that after this little bitch gained power, she even snatched away her own grandson, cutting off the Chu family's path to prosperity.
How could there be such a heartless and ungrateful wretch in the world?
As Du Chuirong was feeling indignant, she saw a young eunuch with an unfamiliar face walking quickly toward her with a smile on his face: "It's a hot day, and the Empress Dowager summoned you urgently. Madam Du must have had a long journey. This food box looks quite heavy. Why don't you let me carry it for you?"
Du Chuirong shifted the arm holding the gilded food box behind her and said with a smile, "No need to trouble you, young eunuch. There are only a few pieces of golden milk pastry inside, not much. By the way, why haven't I seen Eunuch Yan today?"
"Eunuch Yan went out of the palace to the book market to buy storybooks. The Emperor has recently grown tired of 'The Classic of Mountains and Seas' and has become fascinated with 'Journey to the South'."
"Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, sir. This golden milk pastry was made by the cooks in the manor before dawn, and it's still warm. It's His Majesty's favorite."
The young eunuch did not move immediately, but respectfully replied, "His Majesty is taking a midday rest, and Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is currently reviewing memorials in her study. Madam, why don't you move to the study and wait there for a while? When His Majesty wakes up and pays his respects to the Empress Dowager, you will then be able to meet with him."
Du Chuirong lowered her eyelids slightly, glancing discreetly at the gilded food box in her arm. After a moment, she looked up and smiled, "Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, Eunuch."
The study is located in the east warm pavilion of the main hall.
Du Chuirong entered the main hall, and the palace maids on both sides lifted the lotus-blue silk gauze curtains. She walked a dozen steps further in, and through the crystal bead curtain hanging in front of the study, she could vaguely see two figures sitting behind a large sandalwood desk with cloud and dragon patterns.
The man wore a pale white, round-necked, narrow-sleeved python robe and a crimson-gold dragon crown. He was tall and imposing, with a face as cold as jade. The woman wore a purple-brown robe with gold thread patterns and a pearl-encrusted phoenix crown. She was graceful and had a face as beautiful as a lotus.
Du Chuirong's eyelids twitched twice. She thought to herself that the eunuch outside the palace was not speaking clearly and had not mentioned to her that the Regent was also in the study.
She put down the food box, knelt down and bowed: "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and the Regent."
Chu Yueyuan seemed not to hear Du Shi outside the curtain. She opened the memorial and scanned it quickly, then picked up the phoenix seal beside her, dipped it in red clay, and left her mark at the end of the memorial.
After the imperial seal of the third memorial was steadily placed down, she slightly raised her eyes and said indifferently, "Madam, there is no need for such formalities. Someone, please bring Madam a seat."
"Your Highness, I thank you."
Du Chuirong saw that the woman was deliberately neglecting him, and although he felt resentful, he did not show it on his face.
"Madam has brought food for the Emperor again? No wonder the Emperor has been complaining that the palace food is bland lately; it turns out that Madam has spoiled his palate."
Chu Yueyuan slammed a memorial back into the red lacquered dragon-patterned box, her tone displeased:
“The Imperial Medical Academy has been reminding His Majesty to eat a light diet every day. If you indulge His Majesty’s gluttony like this, and the Censorate finds out that His Majesty has neglected his studies because of his appetite, then the charge of ‘harming His Majesty’ will fall on my head.”
Faced with the Empress Dowager's harsh accusations, Du Chuirong's expression froze for a moment, then she secretly rejoiced.
When had this woman ever lost her composure like this before? Now that she's suddenly attacking me, it seems the emperor has... developed a rift with her!
Du Chuirong concealed the glint of shrewdness in his eyes, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Your Highness, the ghee used in this Golden Milk Pastry is not ordinary lard, but camellia oil, a local specialty of Huizhou. It is light and non-greasy and will certainly not harm Your Majesty's health."
The fine lines around her eyes smoothed out, revealing a perfectly appropriate look of kindness: "As the Emperor's maternal grandmother, how could I dare to be negligent in matters of food? Not only this ghee, but also the sifted flour and the control of the heat, I personally supervised the cooks in the manor to handle everything."
Pei Muwei put down his wolf-hair brush, seemingly too lazy to listen to the Empress Dowager and Lady Du arguing over food any longer. He instructed the palace servant beside him, "Go and summon the Emperor."
"This servant obeys."
Before long, palace servants helped the sleepy-eyed young emperor into the study.
Xiao Yun rubbed his eyelids, and when he saw the person standing in front of him clearly, a happy smile immediately appeared on his face. He pounced on Du Shi like a happy little deer.
"Grandmother!"
With a clear, bright voice, Xiao Yun couldn't hide his joy. He buried himself in Du Shi's arms, his little hands tightly gripping her hem. He looked up and said, "Last night I dreamt that my maternal grandmother came to the palace and brought me my favorite golden milk pastry."
When Chu Yueyuan saw Xiao Yun acting coquettishly in front of Madam Du, as if they were the only close family members, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. The ointment under her eyelids seemed to make her eyes feel hot again.
Du Chuirong smiled like a spring breeze: "Grandmother also thinks about His Majesty every day!" She cupped Xiao Yun's small face and examined it carefully, then suddenly exclaimed: "It's only been a few days, but His Majesty looks so thin!"
Having said that, she glanced casually at the direction of the crystal curtain, then said loudly, "Whatever Your Majesty wishes to eat in the future, just ask the Empress Dowager for permission to enter the palace. The Empress Dowager loves Your Majesty the most and will certainly not refuse..."
Chu Yueyuan unfolded a memorial and said in a calm tone, "How come I don't recall having a cook in the Chu household who is skilled at making pastries?"
Du Chuirong's expression stiffened slightly, then he quickly put on a smile: "This person was only recruited into the manor this year, so Your Highness naturally doesn't remember him."
Xiao Yun was preoccupied with the pastries in the gilded food box. He couldn't wait any longer, so he lifted the lid, grabbed the golden milk pastry from the plate, and began to devour it.
"Your Majesty, please slow down..."
Du Chuirong smiled and picked up another pastry, handing it over with a loving expression.
Chu Yueyuan's knuckles tightened suddenly, turning slightly white as she stared at Xiao Yun's ravenous eating. It was as if every bite he took was like swallowing poison that would rot her insides, causing her internal organs to ache. She almost couldn't help but rush over and overturn the plate of pastries.
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