Gan Qiongying felt nauseous and wanted to vomit.
The strong, bitter smell of medicine mingled with the Empress Dowager's perfume, filling her nostrils with an indescribable aroma.
She stared at the jade bowl in front of her, slowly reaching out her hand. The jade bowl felt warm to the touch, but Gan Qiongying felt it was icy cold.
The Empress Dowager smiled without saying a word, no longer looking at the two people beside her. The dishes were served for a long time before she finally put them into her mouth. She nodded slightly and praised them, as if today's dishes were very much to her liking.
Beads of sweat formed on the back of Gan Qiongying's neck. She didn't know what the consequences of drinking this soup would be, but she remembered the emperor's instructions that she couldn't drink it. She had to find some excuse to get out of it.
Since refusing outright wasn't an option, in desperation she came up with a half-baked solution: she'd just pretend to have accidentally spilled the liquid.
Gan Qiongying slowly lifted the jade bowl and muttered softly, "It's so hot."
Just as I was about to tilt my hand and tip it over, I heard a loud crash!
She suddenly looked up, large beads of sweat sliding down her neck and into her collar.
The jade bowl wobbled on the table; the medicine was gone. Brown marks remained on the emperor's lips, and his eyes were bloodshot, as if blood was about to gush out at any moment.
Before Gan Qiongying could recover from the shock of the shout, the emperor suddenly stood up and rushed towards her. His wide, heavy robes stirred up a gust of wind, and the jade bowl in her hand was snatched away!
The movement was so sudden that some of the medicinal soup spilled out, splashing onto the delicacies on the table.
However, what shocked Gan Qiongying even more was that the emperor actually wanted to drink the medicine all at once again.
Gan Qiongying's hands suddenly felt empty. She tried to get up to stop them, but her shoulder was forcefully pressed down.
The large hand on her shoulder trembled violently, its knuckles turning white, and the force was so strong that Gan Qiongying felt a dull pain.
Gan Qiongying was caught off guard, her breath hitched, and the sound of swallowing medicine above her head felt like huge stones hitting her heart.
But what should she do now?
The Empress Dowager, who was the instigator, was still leisurely picking at her food. When she saw the medicinal soup splashed on her sleeve, she couldn't help but frown. Her fingers loosened their grip, and the food fell back into the plate, with a few drops of soup splashing onto the table.
The Empress Dowager remained expressionless, even smiling as she put down her chopsticks. The dishes that had been delicious just moments before now tasted bland to her.
After the emperor finished drinking, he grabbed the jade bowl and smashed it on the table. The bowl shattered, and the sharp edges pierced his palm, causing blood to gush out.
This was the only time he had shown any strength since stepping into the Yinian Palace.
He stood between Gan Qiongying and the Empress Dowager, both as a barrier and a protector. The veins on his hands bulged as he stared intently at the Empress Dowager's face.
"Mother," the Emperor's voice no longer trembled, but instead carried the deep and resolute tone befitting an emperor, "the soup is finished."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager smiled slightly, lowered her eyes, calmly adjusted her cuffs, rubbed her nail guards against the damp, deep red water rings, and said in a gentle voice, "The Emperor was rash; my sleeves are all wet."
Seeing that the emperor did not show any fear as she had expected, the Empress Dowager sighed regretfully and said, "This outfit was only worn once today."
She looked up and met the emperor's gaze, then smiled gently, her tone seemingly coaxing, but looking past the emperor at Gan Qiongying, she said, "Never mind, it's just a piece of clothing, not worth mentioning."
The dishes on the table had long since cooled, and their aroma had faded, leaving only a strong medicinal smell that lingered for a long time.
The two stared at each other silently. One was pale and unsteady on his feet, as if he had used up all his strength just to stand. The other was calm and composed, with a smile in his eyes, as if he were watching a good show.
The emperor leaned slightly forward, his voice hoarse as a crow, "Your subject and the princess will now take our leave."
Without waiting for the Empress Dowager's permission, he grabbed Gan Qiongying's wrist and walked out without a second thought.
Aunt Hu seemed to have anticipated this, and she blocked the way at the door. She didn't say a word, but she was not afraid of the emperor's power and looked directly into his eyes.
Gan Qiongying felt the hand on her wrist tighten its grip a little more. Looking at Aunt Hu blocking her way, she guessed that the emperor wanted to force his way out with her. Just as she was about to rush out, the Empress Dowager's voice slowly rang out behind her.
"I am tired," the Empress Dowager said in a clear voice, accompanied by a lazy yawn. "Let His Majesty go back and rest. The princess is unwell; please have Physician Fu come to the residence to examine her and prescribe medicine."
She was like a considerate elder, with every word she uttered showing consideration for the younger generation.
Aunt Hu stared straight into the emperor's eyes without glancing to the side, and said, "Yes."
After she finished speaking, she bowed her head and stepped aside. At this moment, the people in the hall seemed to come back to life and knelt down to pay their respects, saying, "Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty and Princess."
After the Emperor pulled Gan Qiongying out of the palace gate, the Empress Dowager walked out slowly, casually lifting the beaded curtain. The beads jingled as they clattered. At that moment, the smile on her face vanished, and even the heavy makeup could not conceal her anger.
The palace servants dared not breathe, trembling like leaves. Before they could even rise from their grand ceremony, they were once again reduced to lifeless figures, lying prostrate on the ground.
Aunt Hu immediately stepped forward to help the Empress Dowager up and ordered, "Someone, take away the lunch and help the Empress Dowager change her clothes again."
At this command, everyone seemed to be released from their restraints and quickly got up. Several people tidied the table with their hands and feet, two people went to get clean clothes, and one person lit incense.
A moment later, the table was clean, the smell of medicine was diluted, and the hall was refreshed. They moved quickly, but there was no sound of porcelain clashing, or even footsteps.
Outside the Yinian Hall, it was less that the emperor was pulling Gan Qiongying along and more that he was dragging her. He was tall and had long legs, so he walked quickly and Gan Qiongying could barely keep up.
"His Majesty!"
Eunuch Li and his entourage were waiting at the foot of the steps in front of the palace. When the emperor came out, they rushed forward. One of the eunuchs ran too fast and stumbled, almost falling. Everyone's faces were full of worry.
Eunuch Li stepped forward to help him up, but when he saw the soup stains on the dragon robe, his eyes suddenly reddened, and his voice trembled with tears, "Your Majesty."
The emperor did not respond, but only dragged Gan Qiongying away from Yinian Palace, as if afraid that if they were a step too slow, they would be summoned back to that hell.
The palace servants followed closely behind, and they successfully boarded the palanquin. After taking their seats, the emperor released Gan Qiongying's wrist.
Gan Qiongying's shoulders ached, and she felt a sticky feeling on her wrists. Looking down, she was shocked to find red and purple marks on her wrists, along with the emperor's blood.
The emperor's robe was stained with a lot of medicinal soup, and the carriage smelled strongly of medicine. His forehead and neck were damp with sweat, and he was trembling uncontrollably. His profile was taut and sharp as he gritted his teeth and endured the pain.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong?" Gan Qiongying's question went unanswered.
"His Majesty!"
The emperor still did not respond, but suddenly he seemed unable to bear the pain and closed his eyes tightly, tucking his injured hand into his sleeve, and repeatedly banging his head against the inside of the palanquin.
Gan Qiongying tried to grab him but was dodged, so she asked, "What's the deal with that nourishing soup?"
She didn't want to confirm her suspicions, but it was all too strange. "Does His Majesty drink every time he meets the Empress Dowager?"
Suddenly, the emperor turned to look at her, his eyes already bloodshot. "Stop!"
He was weak and his voice was barely audible; the palace servants did not hear him, and the palanquin continued to move forward.
After walking a few steps, the emperor reached out and lifted the curtain, his other hand clenched into a fist, his voice still weak and hoarse, "Stop!"
The palanquin was stopped. The palace servants, though suspicious, dared not utter a sound. Eunuch Li paced anxiously, listening intently for a message from inside. After a while, he heard a loud crack, and he was greatly alarmed.
"Get out," the emperor said, staring at Gan Qiongying, his tone icy. "Get out immediately."
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