Chapter 33 Reconciliation and Yang Guifei Taking the Blame
The physical conditioning period ended, and all data reached their preset peak. Little Lizhi, one and a half years old, was healthy and intelligent, with a solid early education framework, and was cared for by a near-perfect professional team. Wang Yi conducted a final check of the trust documents and security system, and issued a new "long-term closed-door research and development" order to the core management team.
In the quiet of a late night, just like in a modern apartment, she initiated her return. Her consciousness sank into a familiar vortex, and after a slight dizziness from the shift in time and space, she once again felt the unique air of Qixia Garden, a mixture of sandalwood, herbs, and old wood.
She didn't "wake up" immediately. Instead, like the most skilled infiltrator, she first allowed her consciousness to completely merge with her body, sensing her surroundings. The mute maid stood guard outside the door, her breathing steady. The garden was silent.
Next, the first step in implementing the plan is to create a reasonable and compelling reason for "returning" to break the stalemate of alienation that Li Shimin has deliberately maintained, while not appearing to be the one who has voluntarily bowed down.
Several days later, one morning, the mute maid went to check on Wang Yi in the inner room as usual, but was horrified to find that Wang Yi's face was abnormally flushed, his breathing was rapid and weak, his forehead was hot, and his lips were dry and cracked. She frantically tried to feed him water, but found that Wang Yi's jaw was clenched and he could not drink the water at all, and his body was intermittently twitching slightly.
"Real person! Real person, what's wrong with you!" After gesturing for a long time, he finally remembered that Wang Yi was unconscious and couldn't see his sign language at all.
The mute maid was terrified and rushed out of the room, gesturing wildly and making noises, startling the entire Qixia Garden.
The imperial physician was quickly summoned. The results of his pulse diagnosis caused him to frown deeply: "The pulse is floating, rapid, and disordered, indicating reversed qi and blood flow and internal accumulation of pathogenic heat... This is an acute illness! It seems to be an old ailment that has not healed, coupled with external pathogenic factors, and the sudden onset of anxiety and depression! The illness is progressing rapidly, and if the fever is not reduced and the mind calmed in time, there is a risk of convulsions, or even... damage to the mind!"
The news spread like wildfire, reaching the Liangyi Hall.
Li Shimin was reviewing a memorial about the military settlements in Hexi when he heard Wang De's urgent report in a low voice. His vermilion pen suddenly stopped, and a drop of thick vermilion dripped onto the memorial with a "plop," quickly spreading like blood suddenly blooming in his heart.
Is she ill? Is it an acute illness? Is it developing rapidly? Is it potentially affecting her mental state?
A barrage of words crashed into his ears, instantly shattering the psychological defenses he had painstakingly built up in a fit of pique and distance. The phrases "waiting for her to bow her head" and "testing her feelings" seemed utterly ridiculous and insignificant in the face of the fear of "damaging his mind."
He almost immediately threw down his pen and stood up abruptly: "Prepare the carriage for Qixia Garden!" His voice trembled slightly with sudden panic.
He hurried along, the autumn wind chilling his face, but it couldn't quell the anxiety churning within him. He kept telling himself: I'm just going to check on her; after all, she's the "Guardian of the Nation," of potential value to the country, and I can't let anything happen to her. But deep down, the fear of loss, like icy seawater, quickly overwhelmed him.
Stepping into the inner chamber of Qixia Garden, a strong smell of medicine filled the air. On the bed, Wang Yi lay with her eyes closed, her cheeks flushed an unnatural red, a damp towel covering her forehead, from which fine beads of sweat still seeped. Her brows were furrowed, her lips moved as if she were silently murmuring, and she appeared so fragile that she seemed ready to break at any moment. This sight was a far cry from the calm, wise, and even somewhat aloof figure he remembered.
"What happened? Why did you suddenly become so ill?" Li Shimin's voice was cold and deep, his gaze sweeping over the kneeling imperial physicians and palace servants.
The imperial physician nervously repeated the diagnosis and added, "Your Majesty, this illness of the True Man is very strange. It seems to be a long-standing, pent-up condition that has suddenly flared up. The high fever persists, medicine is difficult to take, and acupuncture is not effective... We have done our utmost."
"Do everything in your power?" Li Shimin gritted his teeth. "If you can't cure her, you'll all come back with your heads!" He walked to the bedside, instinctively reaching out to touch her burning forehead, but stopped mid-air. Looking at her pained expression, all the entanglement, resentment, and testing he had experienced these past few days now transformed into deep self-reproach and stinging pain.
Was it...was it because of his neglect, his deliberate distancing, that she became "melancholy and depressed," causing her old illness to relapse and leading to this state? Li Yuan's curse and the pressure of ethics were shattered at this moment by the fragility of this life-or-death situation before him. He wasn't afraid of some vague "retribution," but rather that she would fall seriously ill and never recover, or even...die young.
"Wang Yi..." he whispered, his voice hoarse, "I'm here, wake up."
As if hearing his voice, the person on the bed trembled violently a few times, and with great difficulty, slowly opened their eyes. At first, their gaze was unfocused and blank, but it gradually focused and landed on Li Shimin's face. There was no calm or coldness in their eyes, only a chaotic look scorched by the intense heat and... a trace of extremely faint, yet clearly discernible, dependence and grievance like a drowning person seeing a piece of driftwood.
Her lips moved, her voice barely audible, "Cold...so cold...Shimin...I'm scared..."
That one word, "Shimin," and that one, "I'm afraid," were like the sharpest arrows, instantly piercing through all of Li Shimin's remaining hesitation and defenses. Imperial dignity, paternal duty, and any act of testing him out of spite—all were cast to the winds. He abruptly grasped her burning yet weak hand, holding it tightly in his own palm, as if trying to transfer his strength to her.
"Don't worry, I'm here. I won't leave you alone again." He turned to the imperial physician and said sternly, "Use the best medicine! Do everything you can! You must bring down the fever! If you need any rare or precious medicinal herbs, just take them from my private treasury! If they're not available in Chang'an, send them to various places by express courier!"
He stayed at Qixia Garden, personally overseeing her medication. Even disregarding his imperial status, he would occasionally take a damp towel from a palace maid and wipe the sweat from her brow. He stopped thinking about those complicated thoughts; his eyes were only on her frail appearance and the solemn expression of the imperial physician. The fear of possibly losing her overwhelmed everything.
Wang Yi was delirious with high fever, occasionally unconsciously gripping his hand or uttering incoherent, tearful murmurs. The content was indistinct, but her completely dependent demeanor contrasted sharply with the "calmness" he had previously sensed, causing him immense heartache and guilt.
This "sudden illness" lasted for three days and three nights. With the imperial physicians doing their best and Wang Yi's own conscious guidance (subtly slowing down the effects of the medicine), the high fever finally began to subside slowly on the evening of the third day.
When Wang Yi regained consciousness, although she was still pale and weak, her eyes had regained some clarity. She looked at Li Shimin, who was standing guard by her bedside with sunken eyes and a messy stubble, and seemed to be stunned for a moment. Then her eyes quickly filled with tears, but she stubbornly turned her face away, her voice weak and hoarse: "Your Majesty... why are you here? You have offended your holy eyes... I am terrified."
This coy, hesitant demeanor, this forced strength masking underlying vulnerability, was far more damaging than any direct complaint or lament. The slight resentment Li Shimin harbored due to her "composure" had vanished, leaving only a deep sense of heartache and the relief of regaining what he had lost.
"Don't talk nonsense." He took her hand again, his grip gentle yet firm. "It was my negligence. From now on... I won't let you suffer alone again." He paused, looking at her pale, thin face, and said softly, "Before... it was my fault."
He didn't explicitly say what was wrong, but they both knew it.
Wang Yi lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting shadows on her pale face. She didn't speak, but simply let him hold her hand, as if she acquiesced to his apology and accepted his return.
A carefully planned "sudden illness" successfully broke the deadlock. Li Shimin returned to her side, and because of the "fright" and "guilt," their emotional bond deepened even more than before. He no longer mentioned any estrangement, nor did he deliberately seek a substitute. Qixia Garden once again became his most frequented place besides Liangyi Hall, and he even showed her more care and caution because of her "illness."
Wang Yi, meanwhile, focused on recuperating, playing the role of a frail woman gradually recovering. Simultaneously, she subtly re-established a closer relationship with Li Shimin by taking advantage of his increased attention and desire to compensate him. She even "inadvertently" mentioned that during her illness, she was delirious and seemed to have dreamt of bizarre and fantastical scenes, concerning overseas magical arts and methods for strengthening the body, foreshadowing her later possible use of modern supplements (such as nutritional supplements and monitoring tools).
The first step was perfectly achieved. Her body was now in optimal condition for conception, and the target had returned to her side with an even stronger emotional connection. Next, under the cover of "recovering from illness" and "discussing health preservation," she would precisely calculate the opportune moment to complete the core task of the next "gene acquisition." While it seemed that the Zhenguan harem had regained the Emperor's favor due to the real person's serious illness, only Wang Yi herself knew that everything was progressing steadily according to her plan.
The news that Master Wang of Qixia Garden had just recovered from a "sudden illness" and that the Emperor had frequently visited him and even personally served him medicine spread like the last gust of autumn wind, quickly reaching every corner of the inner palace.
Inside the Lizheng Hall, Empress Zhangsun paused for a long time after listening to the lady-in-waiting's report, her hand hovering over the Buddhist scriptures she was copying. Finally, she let out a barely audible, faint, bitter laugh. She had long known that His Majesty's heart had never truly left that place. His previous estrangement was merely a fragile shell, easily melted by the slightest warmth. Now, Wang Yi's sudden illness had shattered all of His Majesty's reservations and concerns, even filling him with more pity and guilt than before. This affection was so deep and unwavering that even she, the Empress, felt a chilling helplessness. What could she do? Stop him? Advise him? At a time when His Majesty was filled with heartache and a desire to make amends, any words of disapproval would only backfire. She could only continue to play the role of the virtuous and magnanimous Empress, instructing the Shanggong Bureau to ensure the Qixia Garden received all its supplies, and even personally selecting several nourishing medicinal herbs to send there. But when no one saw her, a lingering sadness and weariness remained in her eyes.
In stark contrast to the bitter tranquility of the Lizheng Hall, Consort Yang was driven to madness and fury in the Chengqing Hall.
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!!" The exquisite teacup was slammed to the ground, shards and tea splattering everywhere. Consort Yang's chest heaved violently, her face, slightly fuller after childbirth but still beautiful, twisted with jealousy and rage. "I told you to find an opportunity to strike! Not to let her feign illness to gain sympathy! Now look what's happened, His Majesty not only goes there every day, but he's even more attentive than before! I've become a laughingstock!"
She trembled with rage. Since giving birth to the prince, she felt her position was secure, and seeing Wang Yi "fall out of favor," her ambition swelled once more. She secretly bribed a low-ranking eunuch with connections in the Imperial Kitchen and access to ingredients and medicines for the various palaces, promising him a large sum of money and ordering him to find an opportunity to add something to the food or medicine in Qixia Garden to "slowly weaken" Wang Yi. She didn't dare kill Wang Yi immediately; she only wanted to make her sickly and unable to attract the Emperor's attention.
The eunuch, initially dazzled by the money, agreed with trepidation. But the more he thought about it after returning home, the more frightened he became. Although the "Guardian of the Nation" at Qixia Garden seemed to have fallen out of favor, he had, after all, saved the emperor's life (rumored), and even though the emperor didn't visit, his rewards and provisions had never been lacking, clearly indicating he hadn't truly abandoned him. Moreover, poisoning the emperor's most beloved person—if discovered, it would be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his family! Could that little bit of money buy the lives of his entire family?
Thus, the eunuch fell into immense fear and hesitation. He dared not act, yet feared that Consort Yang would interrogate him or implicate others. He could only live in constant fear, feigning compliance with Consort Yang's urging while desperately searching for a way to save his life without offending either side. He was so worried that his hair almost turned white.
Just as the eunuch was living a life of misery and dared not make any move, news suddenly came from Qixia Garden that Master Wang was critically ill!
The eunuch was terrified. His first thought was: Had someone else done this? Or had Consort Yang been impatient and sent someone else? But after careful inquiry, he learned that the imperial physician's diagnosis was "a recurrence of an old illness, caused by worry and depression," not signs of poisoning. He breathed a slight sigh of relief, but then an even greater fear gripped him—His Majesty was furious, personally overseeing the investigation at Qixia Garden, and had ordered a thorough investigation!
Li Shimin simply did not believe that Wang Yi had fallen so ill "suddenly." Considering the previous incident where she was suspected of being poisoned during her "miscarriage" (the incense incident), he almost immediately concluded that this was another case of someone deliberately trying to harm her! After ensuring that Wang Yi's condition was stable, he immediately ordered his trusted guards to thoroughly investigate all recent personnel movements and the entry and exit of goods in Qixia Garden, especially the source of food and medicine.
The secret guards' investigation was swift and decisive. Soon, they identified the eunuch working in the Imperial Kitchen, whose recent behavior had been unusual, and who had secretly contacted a palace maid serving Consort Yang in the Chengqing Palace. After secretly apprehending him and conducting a thorough interrogation (not necessarily involving torture, but the Emperor's wrath was enough to intimidate), the eunuch was terrified. To save his life, he dared not conceal anything. He immediately confessed everything about how Consort Yang had bribed him and ordered him to find opportunities to harm Qixia Garden, swearing that he had only been blinded by money and had never actually done anything, and that Wang Zhenren's illness had nothing to do with him.
"Your Majesty, please understand! Even if I had the greatest courage in the world, I wouldn't dare to actually poison someone! I just... I just took the money and was afraid, so I kept putting it off! The person's illness really has nothing to do with me! I'm innocent!" The eunuch cried and pleaded repeatedly.
However, in Li Shimin's view, the eunuch's testimony was only partially true. The evidence of receiving money and being ordered to harm Wang Yi was irrefutable. As for "not daring to act"? Who would believe that? Perhaps he hadn't had the chance yet, or perhaps he used a more covert method, one that the imperial physicians couldn't detect? Or perhaps, while this sudden illness wasn't directly caused by poison, it was due to long-term, clandestine medication damaging his body's foundation, leading to a violent flare-up of an old ailment? In short, Consort Yang's malice was undeniable, and the eunuch's role as her henchman was also undeniable. As for the specific cause of Wang Yi's illness, in Li Shimin's furious mind, he had already equated it with Consort Yang's poisonous plot.
"Yang! You wicked woman!" Upon receiving the secret report, Li Shimin's eyes flashed with murderous intent. First, she provoked the Empress and slandered Wang Yi; now she dared to directly bribe palace servants to plot against him! If it weren't for Wang Yi's good fortune (in his view), he would likely be in grave danger. Moreover, she dared to strike when he had regained favor with Wang Yi; it was a blatant provocation against his imperial authority.
Inside Qixia Garden, Wang Yi's "illness" was gradually improving. He was leaning against the couch listening to the mute maid "tell" him about the changing events outside through gestures and eye contact. When he learned that Consort Yang was being investigated because of this matter, and that the bribed eunuch claimed that he hadn't dared to do anything, Wang Yi was first slightly taken aback, and then almost couldn't help but facepalm.
What... what kind of situation is this? Her meticulously planned "bitter trick" was intended to break Li Shimin's psychological deadlock, but unexpectedly, it turned out to make the hesitant eunuch who had not actually caused any harm and Consort Yang behind him the perfect "scapegoats"? Consort Yang's luck is truly "good" to the point of being speechless.
She truly had no intention of clashing with Consort Yang. In her eyes, Consort Yang was limited in vision and crude in methods; at best, she was a relatively active fish in the murky waters of the harem, occasionally splashing water and causing disgust. With a prince by her side, as long as Consort Yang didn't do anything drastic, Wang Yi wouldn't even bother to waste her energy on her. Unexpectedly, this woman didn't settle down even after giving birth, still jumping around, and ended up walking right into the line of fire.
However, the current situation... can be used to our advantage.
Soon, Li Shimin arrived at Qixia Garden with suppressed anger, told her the general results of the investigation, and made it clear that he would severely punish Consort Yang.
Upon hearing this, Wang Yi's face showed a timely expression of astonishment and lingering fear, which quickly transformed into a helpless pity. She remained silent for a moment, and before Li Shimin could state his proposed solution, she spoke softly, her voice still weak but filled with earnestness:
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger... Consort Yang... perhaps she was merely momentarily confused, blinded by jealousy. Now that the investigation has been completed, that person... did not truly succeed. My recent illness may indeed be due to an old ailment; this calamity is my fate." She raised her pale face, her eyes glistening with tears, and looked at Li Shimin. "Besides, she did bear Your Majesty a prince. The child is innocent; if he loses his birth mother's protection because of her transgression, it would be detrimental to his development, and it is not Your Majesty's wish."
She paused, her breathing slightly unsteady, before continuing, "Your Majesty, perhaps... a small punishment would serve as a warning, a mild reprimand, to observe her future behavior. Stripping her of her rank and ordering her to reflect on her actions would also serve as a warning to the harem. If this can bring her to her senses and motivate her to raise the princes with peace of mind, it would be a meritorious deed. If she still does not repent... then it is not too late to punish her severely."
These words, seemingly pleading for Consort Yang, were in fact crafted from the perspectives of "imperial heir," "peace in the harem," and "His Majesty's benevolence," portraying the speaker as someone who prioritizes the greater good, is kind-hearted, and even repays evil with good. This catered to Li Shimin's current perception of her as "gentle and kind," while subtly handing back the power of judgment to him, leaving room for maneuver—this "minor punishment" would leave no room for argument should Consort Yang offend again.
Seeing her frail body yet still pleading for others (even those who had harmed her), Li Shimin felt both pity and admiration. Compared to Consort Yang's wickedness, Wang Yi's kindness and magnanimity seemed so precious.
"My dear minister, you are always so kind-hearted." He sighed, taking her hand. "Very well, it will be as you say. The death penalty can be waived, but punishment is unavoidable. Yang is stripped of her title as a concubine and demoted to a commoner, still residing in the side courtyard of Chengqing Palace, forbidden to leave without an imperial edict. All her expenses... shall be provided according to the regulations for a lowly concubine. The prince shall be temporarily entrusted to the wet nurse for careful care, and she shall be allowed to visit him for one hour each day." This punishment stripped her of her title, restricted her freedom, and lowered her treatment. If it weren't for the prince's sake, in his own mind, even if he wasn't sentenced to death, he should have been banished to the Cold Palace.
"Your Majesty is wise." Wang Yi lowered his eyes, concealing the cold glint that flashed within them. This was for the best. After this incident, Consort Yang should be able to remain completely quiet (or rather, suppressed to the point of being unable to move) for a while. With one less buzzing fly around, she could focus more on her "core mission."
A turmoil triggered by Wang Yi's "sudden illness" ended with Consort Yang unexpectedly becoming a "scapegoat" and being severely suppressed. The women of the harem witnessed the Emperor's undisguised protection and attention towards the woman in Qixia Garden, and also the "kindness" and "influence" of the "sickly" woman. Wang Yi not only successfully won back Li Shimin's heart but also eliminated a potential problem, further solidifying his aloof and "harmless" image. The true mastermind, however, remained safely behind the scenes, awaiting his complete recovery and the next opportune moment. In the Zhenguan harem, seemingly calmed by an illness, the undercurrents beneath the surface never ceased to surge.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com