Chapter 30 The Empress's Ruthless Schemes
The Empress sat up abruptly, her fingernails digging into the brocade quilt beneath her.
“When it comes to paying respects to the emperor morning and evening, she always just goes through the motions. Her bows are nothing more than a formality. She gets up on her own before I can even call her, and then leaves under some pretext. All the concubines in the palace are watching. She has completely trampled on my dignity as the empress.”
She grew angrier as she spoke, her chest heaving slightly.
"Father always tells me to endure, but when will it end? Now that I am pregnant with the legitimate son, what is Jiang Nan? Just because the Emperor is still infatuated with her, she has some seductive skills and has luckily acquired that strange constitution that makes her immune to poisons. Does she really think she is someone important? In my opinion, Father is just too cautious."
The old woman knelt on the ground, her head bowed even lower, her voice hoarse as she offered words of comfort.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger and take care of your health. You are now pregnant with two children and cannot afford to be agitated. The Master has his reasons for forbidding you from arguing, and now the court..."
"The previous dynasty, the previous dynasty, do you think I, the empress, am supposed to stand here in the harem and allow a lowly servant to humiliate me like this?"
The Empress interrupted her sharply, a ruthless glint in her eyes.
"Isn't she immune to poison? Fine! I refuse to believe that there's no other way to cure her in this harem besides poison."
The old woman raised her head, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her dim old eyes, and lowered her voice.
"Does Your Majesty mean...?"
The Empress took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her anger, a calculating glint flashing in her eyes.
"How is Ma Jia's sickly son doing now?"
The old woman's lips curled into a cold, mocking smile.
"Your Majesty, our people have been taking good care of him, adding warming and nourishing ingredients to his medicine and diet from time to time, but these are not the right ones for his condition, or even incompatible ones. They keep him on his feet, but he is far from fully recovered. The child is born with a deficiency, and this kind of treatment is just prolonging his life; he will never grow up properly."
Upon hearing this, the Empress revealed a hint of almost cruel satisfaction on her face.
"Hmm...that's good. My legitimate son is coming soon. His elder brother is suffering from illness, so it's better for him to go sooner and suffer less. That would be his good fortune."
She paused, then her tone suddenly turned fierce, carrying a desperate madness.
"Perfect, let's make a story out of his death."
The old woman understood immediately and moved closer.
"What does Your Majesty intend to do?"
The Empress's gaze was sinister as she lowered her voice and spoke slowly and deliberately.
“That bitch Jiang Nan isn’t afraid of poison. If we can’t fight her head-on, then let’s get her involved with something else, like witchcraft and sorcery. That’s the most taboo and most inexplicable crime in the palace.”
"Granny, go and find someone with clean hands and a tight mouth to secretly make a witchcraft doll for me. It doesn't need to be too delicate; the rougher it is, the more convincing it will seem. Also, find a way to get that bitch Jiang Nan's handwriting. She is now a concubine, and she must be reviewing some palace affairs books or writing something to the Emperor. We can always find an opportunity, even if it's just a few words."
"Then forge that handwriting again, and write words cursing Chengrui to die young, the more vicious the better. After you've finished writing, either stick it on the doll or stuff it inside the doll's belly..."
An excited yet fearful glint flashed in the old woman's eyes as she nodded repeatedly.
"This old servant understands and will do it flawlessly."
The Queen continued her deployment, her mind frighteningly clear.
"Once this doll is complete, find a way to place it in Ma Jia's Zhongcui Palace beforehand, in a secluded spot where it can be discovered by chance, so that it can be found as soon as that short-lived Cheng Rui breathes his last..."
A pleased smile appeared on her face.
"I will personally go and comfort Lady Ma Jia, and then I will discover this doll unexpectedly in front of the Emperor. At that time, I will see how Jiang Nan will try to deny it when she is caught red-handed."
"Once discovered, make a big fuss about it immediately. If the Emperor wants to protect that vile woman, I will go directly to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager values rules the most and hates these curses the most. With her in charge, even the Emperor will have to think twice."
"As long as the Empress Dowager orders a search of the palace..."
The ruthlessness in the Empress's eyes intensified.
"Granny, prepare the leftover scraps from making that doll, or similar strips of cloth or paper, and have someone bring them in during the chaos of the palace search. Then, secretly stuff them into some corner of Yongshou Palace for the search to find again. At that time, the evidence will be irrefutable, and let's see how she can turn the tables then?"
The old woman was terrified yet thrilled, and she prostrated herself on the ground.
"Your Majesty's plan is brilliant. This old servant will carry it out immediately and do it cleanly and efficiently, leaving no trace whatsoever."
The Empress slowly leaned back against the pillow, a sinister look of pleasure on her face. She gently stroked her lower abdomen and murmured to herself.
"Jiang Nan... I want to see if your immune body can withstand the Empress Dowager's wrath and the immense pressure of this curse this time."
————————
A few days later, in the East Warm Pavilion of Yongshou Palace, the window was half open, but almost no breeze could get in.
Several young palace maids remained kneeling beside the huge gilded bronze basin, gazing at the ice blocks inside, which emitted wisps of cold air.
He vigorously fanned himself with a round fan, sending wisps of cool air towards Jiang Nan, who was lounging lazily on the couch.
She was only wearing a light blue gauze summer dress, chatting idly with Wang, who was also holding her belly and cooling off beside her.
The conversation ranged from complaining about the hot weather to the new pastry chef in the imperial kitchen, and they were bored out of their minds.
Jiang Nan's voice was weak and feeble, as if steamed by the heat.
"Sister Wang, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could dig a pool inside the house and bring in water from Yuquan Mountain to soak in?"
Wang smiled, amused by her whimsical idea, and gently comforted her.
"Sister, you're joking again. How can you just start construction under the Forbidden City? But if we could go to the West Garden to escape the summer heat, that would be wonderful."
"West Garden?" Jiang Nan's eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again.
She only knew about Changchun Garden and Yuanmingyuan Garden, but neither of those gardens had been built yet; she was dressed too early.
Xiyuan? Where is that?
She was pondering whether she should go to the Qianqing Palace again to ask the emperor if she could go to the West Garden to avoid the storm.
Footsteps could be heard outside the hall.
The head eunuch, Zhao Deyi, strode in, a hint of barely perceptible joy on his face, and bowed to report.
"Your Majesty, Lord Gualjia has sent a message that the person you requested... has been delivered and is currently waiting outside the palace gates."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Nan sat up abruptly.
The languor on his face vanished, replaced by bright anticipation and joy.
"Oh? We've finally arrived. Quick, bring her in!"
They've finally arrived. Tu Hai has done a decent job. Male doctors are easy to find, but female doctors are not so easy to find.
Wang also sat up straight out of curiosity and looked towards the palace gate.
A short while later, Zhao Deyi led a woman in with her head bowed.
The woman was wearing a clean and tidy blue cotton dress, with a slender figure and a steady gait.
Her hair was styled in the simplest bun, without any extra ornaments.
She walked into the hall, knelt down respectfully to pay her respects, and spoke in a clear and gentle voice with a slight Jiangnan accent.
"This servant Chunlan greets Consort Jiang. May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
