Chapter 69 The Sky Collapses and the Earth Shatters "You...you always know how to tease me!"...
Three days later, Du Chuirong stepped into the Phoenix Perch Palace with a gilded food box slung over her arm. Walking among the magnificent palace, she felt less envious and more at ease.
In the future, if she were to take charge of this palace garden, she would first order the palace servants to cut down that Xiangfei bamboo grove. Although the green bamboo covered with purple spots is elegant, it is not as precious and rare as the dragon cypress. Then she would have people add a hundred koi to the pond. There are too few koi in the pond now. How can it match the grandeur of this carved railing and jade steps? It must be filled with red koi to show the nobility of the imperial family.
Lost in thought as she walked, Du Chuirong followed the palace attendants slowly, passing through corridors and gardens, the path growing increasingly secluded. Suddenly, a doubt flashed through her mind, and she stopped, her tone wary:
"Esteemed gentleman, may I ask where we are headed? Doesn't Her Majesty the Empress Dowager usually summon noblewomen in the main hall?"
The young eunuch turned slightly to the side and replied, "His Majesty has fallen ill, and the Empress Dowager has decreed that His Majesty be placed in the most tranquil Youju Palace in the palace, to avoid causing a commotion like last time..." He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, hurriedly forcing a smile, "It's not far, Madam, just a few more steps, and it's just past the corridor ahead."
Du Chuirong then put aside his doubts and followed.
The secluded palace is nestled among ancient cypress trees, their verdant shadows completely enveloping the hall. The only sound is the chirping of cicadas. Two rows of burly and skilled guards stand solemnly under the corridor, their black armor gleaming coldly, even their shadows cast on the floor tiles appearing more sinister than those of ordinary guards.
As Du Chuirong passed by the group of guards, he couldn't help but shiver.
Inside the hall, the young Empress Dowager sat gracefully on a rosewood chair with openwork carvings, sipping tea. She wore a lake-colored silk brocade top with a pipa-shaped opening and a phoenix-tail skirt with butterflies and flowers. Her hair was styled into a snake bun, adorned with pearls from the South China Sea and ruby necklaces. Each gemstone shimmered with a warm glow, showcasing the noble and dignified demeanor of the woman.
Du Chuirong lowered her eyelids slightly, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I, Du, respectfully wish Your Majesty good health."
First came the crisp sound of a teacup hitting the table, followed by a woman's steady voice: "Commander Jing, seize the Du family!"
Before Du Chuirong could even raise her eyes, a sharp pain shot through her shoulders. Captain Jing's iron-like hands had already twisted her arms behind her back and forced her to kneel on the ground. The gilded food box crashed to the ground, spilling several carefully prepared golden milk pastries all over the floor.
Du Chuirong struggled to lift her head, meeting the woman's icy gaze. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly shouted:
"What does the Empress Dowager mean by this? Could it be that she intends to kill the noblewomen in this deep palace? Guards! Guards! Someone is trying to kill the Emperor's maternal grandmother!"
Chu Yueyuan slowly fanned herself with a peacock-patterned round fan, her crimson lips curving slightly: "If you have a clear conscience during the day, you have nothing to fear at night. Madam Du, what wrong have you done that makes you think I want to kill you?"
Du Chuirong's tongue tightened, but she forced herself to say, "The Empress Dowager ordered the arrest of the noblewoman without any reason. Can't I even ask the Emperor for help?"
"Then I advise you, Madam, to save your energy. His Majesty is currently taking medicine in the Phoenix Perch Palace..."
Chu Yueyuan glanced at Madam Du, her gaze suddenly darkening: "Does Madam know what illness the Emperor has contracted?"
"The Empress Dowager announced that the Emperor was suffering from a lung abscess. No wonder I noticed that His Majesty looked strange when I entered the palace that day."
Du Chuirong burst into tears as she spoke: "Your Highness is so busy with state affairs that you have no time to take care of the Emperor. The servants in the palace are lazy and negligent, and the Emperor's illness has been delayed again and again, eventually leading to a serious problem. If I could stay by His Majesty's side, I would never let him suffer like this..."
She cried her heart out, looking every bit the loving grandmother who adored her young grandson.
Chu Yueyuan lightly tapped the gilded armrest with the fan handle and said in a calm voice, "If the Madam were to accompany His Majesty all the time, I'm afraid His Majesty would have long since become a monster that is neither human nor ghost."
Du Chuirong immediately stopped crying, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, her eyes darting around, but she still feigned ignorance and said, "This lady... truly doesn't understand what the Empress Dowager means by these words..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Jin Tong walked forward expressionlessly, carrying a vermilion tray, and tossed the embroidered gold pheasant-patterned robe onto her lap.
Upon seeing the hole in the sleeve of the robe, Du Chuirong's eyes twitched violently, as if he had been slapped. His carefully maintained mask finally shattered, and an unconcealable look of panic flashed in his eyes.
Looking at the terrified Du Shi, Chu Yueyuan delivered another fatal blow: "The spy who tampered with the incense burner in Zichen Palace has also been caught by me. He is currently being interrogated in the Shenxing Division. Would you like to confront him face to face, Madam?"
Du Chuirong realized that her plan had been exposed. She suddenly raised her head and stared fiercely at the composed woman on the rose chair, wishing she could turn her gaze into a blade and slash at her.
Chu Yueyuan paid no heed to the hatred in Du's eyes. She rose and walked gracefully, her skirt trailing on the ground, the phoenix pattern embroidered with gold thread shimmering in the sunlight.
She stopped in front of Madam Du, her gaze looking down at her, her tone indifferent:
"You bribe the eunuchs in the Zichen Palace to put some addictive incense pills into the incense burner in the emperor's bedroom every day. Then, calculate the days and stop the incense burning the day before the Deer Cry Banquet, causing the emperor to go crazy and lose control in front of all the officials. At that time, you will wear this imperial robe and step forward to appease him, so that all the civil and military officials will think that I, the foster mother, have mistreated the young emperor. Then you can rightfully replace me and become the Empress who raised the emperor."
Chu Yueyuan narrowed her bright eyes slightly: "However, despite all your calculations, you overlooked the fact that one day the emperor would sleep in the Phoenix Palace, causing his addiction to incense to flare up prematurely and expose your insane scheme."
Du Chuirong's face turned from deathly pale to ashen. She freed herself and pointed a finger at Chu Yueyuan, hysterically cursing:
"You...you're twisting the truth! It's clearly your negligence that caused the Emperor to contract a serious illness. Now, facing the censure of the officials, you're trying to find a scapegoat to cover for yourself. Don't even think about it! I am the Emperor's maternal grandmother, and my daughter's blood flows in his veins. What are you? Just a hypocritical foster mother, how dare you compare yourself to the Emperor's biological maternal grandmother!"
"Yes, in terms of blood ties, I am naturally inferior to you, Madam. And that is precisely why I never imagined that you would poison your own grandson, and with a poison that can corrupt the mind!"
Chu Yueyuan looked at Du Shi with disdain: "You are hopelessly stupid and insanely wicked. Do you really think that by making the emperor lose his composure in front of all the officials, you can take away my right to raise him? You have become someone else's pawn without even realizing it. All they care about is your title as the emperor's 'maternal grandmother' so that they can use your greed and selfishness to disrupt the court and manipulate the emperor and the regent to fight each other."
Du Chuirong's outstretched hand was restrained by Captain Jing, and with a crisp "crack," her right arm was dislocated. In excruciating pain, she let out a shrill scream.
She was sweating profusely from the pain, but she still cursed viciously: "You hypocritical little slut, didn't you take advantage of the emperor to curry favor with the regent? What makes you the empress dowager, and what makes you live in this magnificent Phoenix Palace? It's all thanks to my daughter, my own grandson!"
Chu Yueyuan lowered her eyes slightly and said calmly, "No matter how I live in the palace, I will not involve Yun'er in the struggles of the court."
"Pah, you little bitch, you have such nice words. If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have been so lenient with you and your impoverished mother back in the Chu family..."
Chu Yueyuan's eyes were calm and unwavering. She turned and sat down on the phoenix chair, picked up the white jade teacup on the table, and coldly uttered two words: "Slap me!"
"Ah—ah!"
The piercing screams echoed in the room, one after another, growing from sharp to hoarse.
Du Chuirong curled up on the gold brick floor, her carefully combed hair now a mess. The bloody taste between her teeth and the burning pain on her cheeks reminded her that the woman under that embroidered gold phoenix robe was no longer the orphan girl in the Chu family's backyard whom she could manipulate at will.
She was filled with regret, so much so that she felt like her guts were turning green with remorse. She should never have trusted her husband's words and sent this ungrateful wretch into the palace. Now that the little bitch had gained power, she dared to humiliate her like this!
Du's eyes flashed with resentment and venom as she gritted her teeth and said, "If you hadn't monopolized the Emperor's upbringing and repeatedly prevented me from entering the palace to pay my respects, why would I have resorted to such a risky move? The Emperor's current state is all your doing, you little slut!"
She sneered, then threatened, "So what if I poisoned the Emperor with the Soul-Dispelling Incense? Do you dare to imprison the Chu family's matriarch for interrogation? Although you are now the Empress Dowager, you are still from the Chu family, and the phoenix crown on your head is always adorned with the Chu family's glory! If the entire court finds out the truth about the Emperor's poisoning, I don't believe you can escape unscathed!"
Chu Yueyuan looked at the unrepentant Du Shi with icy eyes, as if she were looking at a walking corpse. Her tone was calm:
"Madam Du, I summoned you to the palace today with no intention of letting you leave alive. As long as you are gone, the Emperor and the Chu family's reputation will be preserved."
Du Chuirong was struck dumb, her eyes widening in terror, her lips trembling:
"You...how dare you! I am...the Emperor's maternal grandmother! And...your father will never stand idly by! If you dare to lay a finger on me...he will surely expel you, this unfilial daughter, from the family register! At that time...let's see how you, a rootless duckweed, will stand firm in the court!"
Chu Yueyuan's eyes curved slightly, as if she were smiling, and her gaze towards Madam Du revealed a hint of pity.
"It seems that Madam Du still doesn't understand her husband. If my father, a hypocrite who is so eager to make a fuss, knew that you had committed the crime of poisoning the emperor, he would probably be the first to jump out and sever ties with you. As your confidante, you should know better than I how he treated his first wife in the past."
Du Chuirong's expression gradually shifted from terror to despair. She struggled forward with all her might, her hoarse voice pleading, "I...I can tell you who gave me the Soul-Scattering Incense. I have another secret. If you spare my life, I'll...tell you everything..."
"Don't you want to know... back then... when Mrs. Hu insisted on leaving, what methods did your father use to keep that hypocritical woman here..."
When Chu Yueyuan heard the first part of Du's words, her expression remained calm. However, upon hearing her mother's name, her gaze suddenly sharpened, and she instinctively leaned forward, trying to hear the indistinct words in Du's throat. But she was stopped by Captain Jing.
"Your Highness, beware of a trap!"
In the blink of an eye, Du Chuirong's face suddenly turned ferocious. She reached out and pinched her abdomen tightly, as if there were poisonous insects inside her gnawing at her internal organs.
Seeing that Du Shi's painful struggle didn't seem fake, Chu Yueyuan's eyes flashed with doubt, and she asked urgently, "What's wrong?"
Captain Jing was quick and agile, and swiftly restrained Madam Du. Her lips were bluish-black, and a winding line of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
Captain Jing frowned deeply and replied, "Your Highness, she has been poisoned!"
Du Chuirong raised her head, her unfocused pupils fixed on Chu Yueyuan, a hysterical hatred burning in her eyes. A broken, hoarse voice escaped her throat: "I truly regret... I regret persuading her to keep you... It was you... who stole Shihua's... Phoenix Life..."
She reached out, her fingertips trembling as she desperately reached for the magnificent phoenix robe, but just as she was about to touch it, she fell to the ground like the last withered leaf on an autumn branch.
Du Chuirong died, unable to reveal the secret she held in her heart before her death.
Afterwards, Chu Yueyuan ordered the news to be spread that Du had unfortunately contracted tuberculosis due to serving the emperor day and night, and despite the best efforts of several imperial physicians, she could not be saved. To commend Du's loyalty and diligence, the Chu family was bestowed with a thousand taels of gold and a hundred bolts of Shu brocade, but Du was not given a posthumous title.
She also asked Eunuch Wang to pass on a message to Lord Chu: Now that His Majesty is unwell and the court is in turmoil, Du's funeral should be kept simple, and all funeral arrangements should not exceed the prescribed limits.
Just as she expected, after learning of Du's death, Chu Shuheng neither questioned the fact that his deceased wife's body was bleeding from all seven orifices, nor did he go to the palace to ask Chu Yueyuan for the reason.
He silently accepted Du's body and prepared to put it in its coffin, as if he were not burying his wife of twenty years, who had borne him children, but rather disposing of an insignificant object.
Despite the Du family members' repeated visits and disturbances, Chu Shuheng insisted on keeping the funeral simple. On the day of the funeral, even the soul-guiding banner was made of plain white coarse cloth. The dozen or so servants who carried the coffin hurriedly began the burial before the appointed time, shoveling up the yellow earth at lightning speed, as if they were in a hurry to bury some unspeakable secret.
Du's death, on the surface, calmed the storm surrounding Xiao Yun's illness, but in Chu Yueyuan's heart, it was more like a pebble thrown into a lake, merely the beginning of ripples.
Especially Du Shi's incoherent words before her death left Chu Yueyuan completely baffled. She knew that Du Shi resented her for taking Chu Wanxi's position as Empress, but what did she mean by "I regret not advising her... to keep you..."?
Who was the person Du was persuading? Could it have been her mother, Hu?
Back then, my mother didn't stay at the Chu residence to drink the tea offered by Madam Du because she felt ashamed to return to her hometown. From then on, she became the laughing stock of the noble ladies in the capital. She was the first wife who was never taken out by her husband, and even the lowest-ranking old woman in the mansion dared to point fingers at her behind her back.
Chu Yueyuan pondered Du's words all day long, and grew increasingly haggard.
Jin Tong couldn't stand it any longer and cursed Du Shi, saying she was a heartless and vicious woman. Others say that people speak kindly when they are about to die, but Du Shi was rotten inside and out, and even on her deathbed she still spouted nonsense to disgust others.
She insisted on setting up offerings and incense on the statue of Zhong Kui, so that Lord Zhong Kui could slap Du a few more times on his way to the underworld!
Did Du say those things just to disgust her?
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
Chu Yueyuan snapped out of her daze, sat up straight, and looked at the Minister of Rites holding a memorial behind the beaded curtain and jade ornaments.
"Lord Kong...is there something you need?"
Kong Shangshu's expression stiffened slightly. He secretly glanced at the man behind the rosewood dragon-patterned desk, whose expression remained unchanged. Seeing that the impartial regent showed no intention of reprimanding the young empress dowager, he had no choice but to repeat what he had just said:
"Your Majesty, I have completed the 'Banquet Etiquette Guidelines,' which outlines the ceremony for the Deer Cry Banquet, the participating officials, the specifications of the food, the arrangement of the ceremonial utensils, and the reimbursement of expenses. I request Your Highness to review them."
Chu Yueyuan nodded slightly: "Bring it here."
Eunuch Wang bowed and presented the memorial. Chu Yueyuan unfolded the memorial and saw densely packed, tiny characters in regular script. It detailed the food menu of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the procedures and rituals of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the expense ledgers of the Inner Palace Attendants' Department. She was dizzy from looking at it, and before she could finish half a cup of tea, her mind was already racing.
Only when the man's long, well-defined fingers withdrew the memorial from her hand did Chu Yueyuan's eyes finally light up.
Seeing the empty front hall behind the jade curtain, she realized that the court assembly had ended.
Chu Yueyuan coughed lightly, looking at the man guiltily: "Have all the ministers left?"
Pei Muwei gazed at the little empress dowager's upturned face. The scars at the corners of her eyes had completely disappeared, and her porcelain-white skin was bathed in the spring light outside the window. Her dark eyes were sparkling, and her red lips were like petals, adding to her charm and springtime allure.
He gave a faint "hmm": "When Minister Kong left, his beard was brimming with anger."
Chu Yueyuan couldn't help but picture Minister Kong's white beard bristling with anger. Her cheeks flushed, and she weakly explained, "I didn't sleep well last night..."
Pei Muwei lifted the woman's pointed chin, his fingertips tracing her noticeably thinner features. His voice was slightly deep:
"Your Highness has lost weight recently."
The man's fingertips still carried a faint scent of ink, which mingled with the crisp sandalwood fragrance emanating from his body, creating an enticing aroma.
Chu Yueyuan caught a glimpse of the palace servants standing respectfully with their heads bowed outside the curtain, and her cheeks flushed even more. The warmth of the man's fingertips made her heart flutter. She was still not used to being so intimate with him in broad daylight.
Using the act of adjusting her hairpins to avoid his burning palm, she said calmly, "Now that the political discussion is over, I will return to Fengqi Palace to rest. By the way, I will trouble Minister Pei to review the memorial submitted by Minister Kong."
Chu Yueyuan rose and circled the desk. Just as she was about to call Jin Tong to prepare the carriage, her waist was suddenly tightened. The Regent had lifted her up by the waist, and the pair of phoenix shoes with upturned toes adorned with pearls on her feet kicked the jade curtain. Hundreds of jade beads floated like green waves, making a clattering sound.
The palace servants standing guard outside the lattice door kept their eyes lowered, as if they hadn't heard anything.
Chu Yueyuan's heart trembled. Afraid of disturbing the officials who had not yet gone far, she had no choice but to swallow her rebuke. She gripped the man's shoulders tightly with both hands, her watery eyes wide open, and reminded him, "Has Minister Pei forgotten the three rules we agreed upon?"
Pei Muwei narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly, the swaying beaded curtain reflected in his dark eyes, a hint of unrestrainedness shimmering in the dim light: "Does Your Highness wish to discuss with this humble subject once more what constitutes frivolity and indulgence?"
Chu Yueyuan:...
She still vividly remembered the last time the two of them discussed this. Now that the weather was getting warmer, the Imperial Clothing Bureau had just sent over a few bolts of breathable Xiangyun yarn, and she didn't want to wrap herself up tightly.
Pei Muwei carried the little empress dowager around the sandalwood Suzhou embroidery landscape screen. Behind the screen was a huanghuali chaise longue, with delicate incense balls for calming the mind hanging at the four corners of the chaise longue.
He placed the woman on the couch, reached out and pulled the soft silk quilt at the foot of the couch over her shoulders. His gaze swept over the dark circles under her eyes, his brows furrowed slightly, and his tone left no room for argument:
"His Majesty is making a ruckus in the Phoenix Perch Palace. How can the Empress Dowager sleep peacefully? Why don't you rest here for a while? I'll be outside reviewing memorials. If Your Highness feels thirsty..."
The man raised his hand and pointed to the golden bell placed on the table.
Seeing that the high and mighty Regent had lowered himself to serve tea and water as a lowly eunuch just to save her face, Chu Yueyuan felt too embarrassed to complain any longer. She blinked her bright eyes and asked, "Is there any progress on the search for the Hero Flower in the night market?"
During the interrogation of Madam Du that day, before Chu Yueyuan could find out who was behind it all, Madam Du died from poisoning. This eagerness to silence her only made Chu Yueyuan more certain that the person who handed over the Hero Flower to Madam Du and the person who silenced her were the mastermind behind it all.
Pei Muwei gently removed the hairpin from the woman's hair, his fingertips pinching the soft ends of her hair, his voice steady: "These matters can be discussed after Your Highness wakes up."
Upon hearing the Regent's tone, Chu Yueyuan knew that things were looking promising. She nodded obediently and said softly:
"Then I'll take a nap first. Minister Pei, go and review the memorials."
Ever since discovering that there was a problem with the incense used in Xiao Yun's bedroom, Chu Yueyuan ordered all the incense burners in Fengqi Palace to be removed. Now, smelling the calming sandalwood incense in the study, and looking at the man's broad shoulders and narrow waist through the screen, she felt inexplicably at ease and soon drifted off to sleep.
When I opened my eyes again, the sky outside the window was ablaze with crimson clouds, like an overturned rouge box, casting a layer of golden and red light onto the glazed tiles of the palace.
She lazily moved her fingers, her body bathed in the warm sunset, even the jade bracelet on her wrist felt warm.
She instinctively reached for the golden bell on the table, but her fingers hovered in mid-air.
Looking out to the side, the man behind the screen remained seated, seemingly unchanged except for the mountain of memorials piled on his desk.
Chu Yueyuan quietly slipped on her upturned phoenix shoes, tiptoed around the screen, and saw the Regent resting his hand on his brow bone, his palm half-covering his lightly closed phoenix eyes, his thick eyelashes fluttering gently with his long breaths.
She gets so sleepy just reading one memorial that her eyelids droop. The regent has to review hundreds of memorials every day; even a body of iron couldn't handle that!
Chu Yueyuan carefully picked up the white jade teacup on the table, took two sips of tea to moisten her throat, and was about to lift her skirt and leave without saying goodbye when she took a step back.
She returned to the chaise lounge, picked up the soft silk quilt that was still warm from her body, and gently walked to the man's side, carefully draping the quilt over his shoulders.
After doing all this, Chu Yueyuan lifted her skirt and left.
However, the regent, who hadn't even opened his eyes, suddenly stretched out a long leg, catching her off guard and causing her to stumble and fall solidly into his lap.
Chu Yueyuan let out a soft gasp, her arm instinctively hooking around the man's neck. When she looked up, she met his sleepy phoenix eyes. His usually sharp, piercing eyes were now like obsidian washed by spring water, revealing a rare tenderness.
She raised her eyebrows and scolded, "You...you always know how to tease me!"
In her extreme anger, she momentarily forgot the proper forms of address between a ruler and his subject.
Pei Muwei also forgot the proper etiquette between the emperor and his subjects. The newly awakened Empress Dowager exuded an aura that bewitched him, even more addictive than the Hero Flower.
He lifted the back of her head with his large hand, his gaze fixed on her luscious red lips that had just been sipped from the tea. He swallowed hard, too lazy to restrain himself any longer. With his other hand, he gripped her slender waist and lowered his head to kiss those lips that he so coveted.
The kiss was so sudden that Chu Yueyuan was caught off guard and her lips and tongue were captured almost instantly.
Through repeated practice, the man's kissing skills became increasingly proficient, leaving Chu Yueyuan almost powerless to resist.
Perhaps it was the intoxicating glow of the sunset outside the window, or the captivating allure of the man's obsidian-like eyes, or perhaps it was the hazy clarity of her mind after just waking up, but Chu Yueyuan's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she finally let herself sink into this enchanting absurdity. When the kiss reached its climax, she involuntarily stretched out her soft, lotus-like arms to encircle his neck.
Upon tasting the fragrance of tea on the woman's tongue, Pei Muwei found it even harder to control himself and couldn't help but chase after her fragrant tongue, kissing her more and more passionately.
Chu Yueyuan was dizzy from his kisses. In her daze, she even felt the whole room shaking. In addition to the man's disordered breathing, there was a buzzing roar in her ears, as intense as if the mountains were collapsing and the earth was splitting.
Just as she thought she was being kissed so hard by the man that she was losing her senses, a chubby figure rolled into the study.
Wang Gonggong scrambled to his feet and, seeing the two behaving so improperly, turned around in shock. He raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face, so hard that even the cigarette butt on his forehead tilted. Only then did he remember why he had rushed into the study in such a hurry.
他撲通跪在地磚上，慌聲道：“啟稟太後，攝政王....京..京郊外的皇陵塌陷了！”
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