Chapter 67 The Empress Has a Pillar of Support
Kunning Palace, formerly the magnificent main hall of the central palace.
Although it remains magnificent and resplendent, it cannot conceal the desolation of a deserted place.
The palace servants inside the hall held their breath and moved as lightly as cats.
They were afraid of disturbing their master, who was confined to his bedchamber and whose mood was unpredictable.
Qin Huai'an, the head eunuch of Kunning Palace, was bowing deeply at this moment.
They led an old nanny dressed in a dark brown palace gown, her hair meticulously combed, her face serious and rigid.
They carefully passed through the many palace gates and headed towards the Empress's bedroom.
Qin Huai'an's face showed a hint of respect, but also a hint of unspeakable disappointment.
Ever since the Empress's trusted wet nurse was framed and executed.
He once thought his chance had come and put in all his effort to impress the Empress.
I hope to become their new right-hand man.
Unfortunately, Empress Hesheli, having experienced the betrayal of the Wanyan clan and the death of her wet nurse, was like a frightened bird.
He was filled with suspicion towards everyone around him.
Qin Huai'an's attentiveness seemed to her nothing more than opportunism and scheming, making him untrustworthy.
The new nanny, Jing, is standing before us.
She was the most trusted and senior maidservant who accompanied the Empress, Lady Hesheli.
He practically watched the Empress grow up.
Her arrival was ostensibly to serve, but in reality, she was sent by the Hesheli family to stabilize Kunning Palace.
Qin Huai'an knew in his heart that his newly ignited ambition had been instantly suppressed by this powerful figure.
From now on, he will probably only be able to retreat to the position of a mouthpiece.
Even Zhao Deyi, who gained power through his master in Yongshou Palace, is not as good as him.
Thinking of this, he felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.
Upon reaching the entrance to the sleeping quarters, Qin Huai'an stopped, bowed, and whispered.
"Granny Jing, Her Majesty the Empress is inside. Please come in."
Granny Jing nodded slightly, her gaze calm and unwavering, her voice deep yet carrying an air of authority.
"Thank you for your help, Steward Qin. From now on, the entire Kunning Palace will need your continued support. If there is anything inappropriate, please feel free to point it out."
Although the words were polite, the tone clearly indicated an order from someone in a superior position.
Qin Huai'an quickly forced a smile.
"You flatter me, Granny. I will do my best to assist you. Please come in, I will wait outside."
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Granny Jing said no more, gently pushed open the palace door, and stepped inside.
The aroma of medicine mixed with incense wafted through the hall, causing her to furrow her brow almost imperceptibly.
On the phoenix couch, Empress Hesheli was leaning listlessly against the pillow.
His face was pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He looked utterly dejected, as if all his energy had been drained.
Hearing footsteps, she lazily lifted her eyelids.
When they saw the person's face clearly, their eyes flashed with disbelief.
I was immediately overwhelmed by a huge mix of emotions, including surprise, grievance, and dependence.
"Granny Jing...is that you? What brings you here?"
The empress's voice was choked with sobs, and she was on the verge of crying.
For the past few months, I have been confined to the inner palace, with no one I can trust and no one I can rely on, living in constant fear.
Seeing Granny Jing, who was like an elder, she felt as if she had found her pillar of support.
Granny Jing walked quickly to the bedside without bowing.
Instead, he first carefully examined the Empress's complexion, a barely perceptible hint of heartache flashing in his eyes.
But it's more of a calm assessment.
She slowly sat down on the embroidered stool beside the couch and reached out to hold the Empress's cold hand.
The voice softened, carrying a calming and reassuring quality.
"Your Majesty, it's your old servant who's here. Your mother is worried about you day and night, and can't eat or drink. She specially sent this old servant to the palace to serve you."
Upon hearing this, the Empress finally shed tears and grasped Jing Mama's hand as if she were clutching a lifeline.
"It's all my fault... I've dragged my father and mother down with me, I've implicated the entire Hesheli family... I..."
"Your Majesty, please don't say that."
Granny Jing gently patted the back of her hand, interrupting her self-blame, her tone remaining calm.
“You are the Empress, the mother of the nation, and your status is incomparably noble. In the past, no one properly taught you the intricacies of this. The wet nurse by your side was also a muddle-headed and stupid woman who only came up with bad ideas.”
She made no attempt to be tactful in her assessment of the dead.
"Now that she has sacrificed herself to preserve the reputation of the Hesheli family, she has atoned for her sins. There is no need to dwell on the past; Your Majesty must look forward."
The Empress felt slightly displeased when she heard her so bluntly criticize the old servant she relied on.
But knowing the wisdom of Granny Jing and the trust her mother placed in her, she could only suppress her emotions and whisper.
"What you say is true. It's good that you're here. I feel at ease now."
——————
Granny Jing nodded, her calm gaze sweeping over the furnishings in the bedroom.
Finally, it landed on the sandalwood incense burner.
Her nostrils twitched slightly, and her brows gradually furrowed.
"Your Majesty, your most important task now is to calm your mind and give birth to a healthy son for His Majesty. This is the foundation of your position and the future hope of the Hesheli family. As for the rest, this old servant will take care of it for you."
As she spoke, she suddenly changed the subject, her tone becoming serious and solemn.
"However, before you can focus on your pregnancy, there are some things that are bothering you and need to be cleared away first."
She stood up, walked to the incense burner, bent down, and carefully smelled the fragrance emanating from it.
The Empress was puzzled.
"Granny, what's wrong? This sandalwood is top-grade, sent by the Imperial Household Department. Is there something wrong with it? Perhaps the medicine for preventing miscarriage that is often brewed in the palace has been mixed in and gone bad?"
Granny Jing did not answer immediately, but held her breath and pondered for a long time.
He straightened up, his face solemn, and walked back to the bedside, saying with certainty.
"No, Your Highness, this old servant cannot be mistaken. There is a very faint medicinal scent mixed in with this sandalwood. Although it is almost imperceptible due to the sandalwood aroma, this old servant has seen many spices and medicinal herbs with Madam, and this scent... is definitely not that of any pregnancy-stabilizing medicine."
The empress's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her voice trembled.
"Granny...you mean someone tampered with this incense?"
She suddenly remembered the inexplicable palpitations and shortness of breath she had been experiencing in recent months.
But the imperial physicians always said the pulse was stable, it was just that he was overthinking…
So it turns out she wasn't just overthinking things?
A cold glint flashed in Granny Jing's eyes as she spoke resolutely.
"Most likely, Your Majesty, you are carrying the dragon's offspring. You cannot be careless about anything in your bedchamber. From today onwards, no one other than this old servant shall be allowed to enter or leave your bedchamber at will. All incense, sachets, and even fresh flowers, anything with a scent, shall be removed. It is better to be overly cautious than to be careless."
The Empress, now completely trusting Jing Mama, was both shocked and furious, and immediately raised her voice to speak.
"Someone come here!"
The eunuchs and palace maids who were waiting outside the hall responded and entered.
The Empress pointed at Granny Jing inside the hall and gave a stern order.
"Listen up, everyone. This is Granny Jing, my mother's most capable nanny. From today onwards, all affairs in Kunning Palace, including my own bedchamber, will be managed by Granny Jing. You will treat her as if she were me. Now, immediately remove all incense, sachets, vases, and other items from my bedchamber, leaving nothing behind."
The palace servants were startled by the Empress's sudden sternness and quickly responded, beginning to clean up swiftly.
Seeing that the Empress had quickly adopted her suggestion, Granny Jing felt a sense of relief.
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When the hall was once again empty and only the necessary furniture remained.
She then sat down again, lowered her voice, and began to give the still-shaken Empress a more in-depth lecture.
"Your Majesty, after what happened with the sterilization drug, you should understand. Those underhanded and shady methods of the past should be avoided as much as possible."
Her voice was deep and powerful.
“You are the Empress, the head of the inner palace. Your path should not be one of hiding in the shadows and scheming against the concubines. That would only lower your status and give others a handle against you. The path you should take is the open road, the open strategy of using power to suppress others.”
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