The news that Consort Wan was making insecticide tools quickly reached Consort Xuan's ears. Her brow furrowed, and she hurriedly led her people to the backyard to stop her. Insecticides, while effective against insects, are naturally toxic to humans, especially since Consort Wan was pregnant. Thinking of this, her steps became even more hurried.
The backyard was noisy.
Not only Consort Wan and her palace maids, but even Consort Nara joined in the fun.
Xuan Bin:......
I even thought Consort Nara was a sensible person!
Consort Xuan was so angry she nearly fainted and quickly ordered her men to stop them. Consort Wan, pulled away, still looked aggrieved. Considering her pregnancy, Consort Xuan turned her anger towards Consort Nara: "Consort Nara, how could you indulge Consort Wan's whims? Insecticides are not something you can make yourself! If you want to use them, have the Imperial Household Department prepare them, understand?"
Turning her head, Consort Xuan looked at Noble Lady Wan: "And you! The imperial heir in your womb is of utmost importance! If anything happens to the imperial heir, not only you, but also the palace servants around you, and even Noble Lady Nara and I, will suffer. Neither of you will be able to get away with it."
Consort Xuan's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.
It's all my fault. I actually thought that with Consort Nara around, I could keep Consort Wan in check. Now look, no wonder their relationship improved; they're birds of a feather!
Consort Xuan's expression was serious.
In order to keep a close eye on the unruly Consort Wan, she decided that she had to join in as well.
Noble Lady Nara smiled.
She took Xuan Pin's arm and laughed, "Sister Xuan, do you really think I have no credibility at all? You'll know once you come and see for yourself."
Consort Xuan approached with some skepticism.
They claimed to be making insecticide, but there were only three things on the table in front of them: brown sugar, dough, and a large bucket covered with a black cloth.
Can this thing catch mosquitoes?
Consort Xuan was a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand people who didn't believe it. Clearly, Noble Lady Nara felt the same way. They exchanged a glance, and Consort Xuan understood—anyway, let Noble Lady Wan play with these things.
Wan Anran pouted.
Reluctantly, she ordered the palace servants to make several more vats, and to add more dough in the evening, striving to show Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara the results by tomorrow.
After finishing that, she turned her attention to mosquito repellent and itch relief products. Besides killing mosquitoes, protecting herself was also a very important step.
It wasn't that the mosquito repellent in the palace was useless, but rather that while it worked reasonably well indoors, it was practically ineffective outdoors. More importantly, the backyard of Jingyang Palace was overgrown with weeds, and the mosquito repellent could easily cause a fire if not handled carefully.
However, when Wan Anran brought back the medicinal herbs, she was stopped by the crowd. After Lady Nara explained in detail, Wan Anran learned that there were also mosquito repellent sachets in the palace. The problem was that because the mosquito repellent sachets contained ingredients such as mint and patchouli, pregnant women were prohibited from using them.
Out of caution, no sachets were used in Xianfu Palace, which made it a hotspot for mosquito bites in the summer.
Scented sachets are unusable, and of course, similar medicinal herbs are also off-limits. Wan Anran's original idea of making floral water and herbal ointment to relieve the itching was immediately interrupted.
She dejectedly revealed the recipe, eliciting helpless smiles from Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara. The former, being fragrant, was not suitable for use in Xianfu Palace, while the latter, supposedly colorless and odorless, could be tried in the palace—as long as Noble Lady Wan did not use it.
Of course, just to be on the safe side, Wan Guiren was moved back to the east wing while everyone was making it. Wan Anran watched helplessly as she could only watch from afar, even though it was clearly her good idea. Her face was flushed with anger.
Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara, however, were in high spirits.
The reason, of course, is that they have indeed been unable to sleep due to mosquito harassment lately... More importantly, this remedy looks very simple.
After washing and rinsing the herbs, mash them into a paste. Add high-quality tea oil and stir thoroughly. Steam the paste again to extract the oil. Place the paste in a small container and let it cool and solidify. The herbal paste will be ready by dusk.
Those who happened to be in the courtyard already had bumps all over their heads, making it the perfect time to try it. Consort Xuan picked up one of the boxes, and first gently sniffed the aroma. A faint fragrance wafted up, instantly making one feel refreshed.
The odor is acceptable.
The effects were immediate. Consort Xuan dipped her fingertip into a tiny bit of ointment and gently rubbed it onto the mosquito bite. The itching quickly subsided, replaced by a refreshing coolness. Consort Xuan's eyes lit up, and she quickly nudged Noble Lady Nara: "You should try it too!"
"Good, good, good." Noble Lady Nara naturally wouldn't miss out. The feeling of using it as well surprised her, and the two of them stood there praising it, when suddenly they felt a faint gaze coming from behind them.
Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara's hearts skipped a beat.
The two turned around and saw a dark figure not far away. A candle flame flickered lightly, illuminating a pale face and a pair of clear black and white eyes staring at them.
A cool night breeze swept by.
A chilling voice echoed in the ears of Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara, saying, "I hate it so much..."
Both of them were sweating profusely, and even felt their calves trembling.
Hai Tao, her face darkening, snatched the small candle from Wan Anran's hand: "Master! What are you doing?"
Wan Anran: "Hmph!"
Hai Tao was speechless: "Master Xuan and Master Nara are doing this for your own good..."
Wan Anran was angry: "They were having so much fun behind my back."
Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara looked dazed.
The two, regaining their senses, simultaneously roared at Wan Anran: "Wan, the Noble Lady!!!"
They actually pretended to be ghosts to scare them!
Wan Anran stuck out her tongue: "I'm doing this for your own good, sisters. Doesn't it feel much cooler this way?"
Indeed! Sweating profusely did make her feel much cooler, but why did the thought of punching someone suddenly pop into her mind? Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara stared at Wan Anran with forced smiles, then rolled up their sleeves and strode towards her.
Wan Anran would naturally not surrender on the spot.
The problem was that she was pregnant. Seeing that her master was about to run away, Hai Tao and Zi Su, the two 'traitors,' immediately reached out and grabbed Wan Anran. As a result, she was caught red-handed in less than three breaths and received two heavy blows to the forehead.
Consort Xuan was both amused and annoyed: "She's at the age where she'd be a mother, but she's only getting more mischievous."
Her gaze shifted downwards and landed on her stomach.
Consort Xuan seemed to be deep in thought, her brows furrowed: "If the child looks like you... I'm afraid there will be no peaceful days in this palace."
Consort Nara covered her mouth and chuckled, "If you ask me, it would be the most fun if Consort Wan could give birth to a very proper child!"
Wan Anran's face was scrunched up.
She shook her head repeatedly: "Please spare me! Children should be cute, lively, active, and mischievous, that's the best!"
Noble Lady Nara chuckled: "Wan Fu is indeed lively, active, and mischievous enough, but he can hardly be called cute! He's a complete devil."
Wan Fu, the Mischievous Demon King: ...?
He had just entered the backyard when he heard his mother scolding him. Wan Fu pouted and angrily shouted, "How could I be a troublemaker? Mother, you're bullying me and talking badly about me behind my back!"
Wan Fu ran up to Wan Anran and patted his chest, loudly promising, "Mother Wan, don't worry, I will definitely be a good older brother after my younger brother and sister are born, and play with them every day!"
Wan Anran couldn't help but laugh.
She reached out and ruffled Wan Fu's hair: "That's right, that's right, our Wan Fu is such a good brother."
"uh-huh!"
"Brother Wan Fu, I'll have to rely on you from now on!" Wan Anran clasped her hands together and flattered him with a grin.
Wan Fu's chin was practically raised to the sky.
Lady Nara was speechless with grief. Who told her to be caught red-handed speaking ill of Wan Fu in secret? As the guilty party, Lady Nara could only apologize and rack her brains to come up with a series of ways to make amends in order to barely get by with the matter.
Wan Fu's gaze also turned to the table.
The boxes of plasters aroused his suspicion: "What is this? I thought you were hiding in the backyard, secretly eating... but it turns out you're making such strange things."
“This isn’t some strange or unusual thing; it’s a good thing.” Noble Lady Nara had a keen eye and, after noticing that her son also had a mosquito bite on his neck, quickly pulled him over to try it out as well.
"Is this for stopping itching?"
"Pretty good, right? I heard it can even repel mosquitoes!"
"Really? Can I take it to my brother, the Crown Prince? He got bitten so many times while he was studying today!" Wan Fu asked excitedly.
There were dozens of boxes made.
Just moments ago, he was worrying about how to use it all up, but his suggestion immediately brightened Wan Anran's eyes: "Wan Fu is right. We can't forget about the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. We should also send a portion to the Empress and the eldest princess."
Noble Lady Nara nodded.
She thought for a moment, "We probably won't use the rest of the concubines' supplies if we send them directly. I suggest we send a few more to Her Majesty the Empress; if anyone mentions it, we can ask her to bestow a reward."
Thinking about it that way, it actually makes a lot of sense.
Wan Anran readily agreed and quickly dispatched palace servants to deliver the gifts everywhere.
Consort Xuan, standing to one side, remained silent.
Seeing that Consort Wan and Consort Nara were all done and ready to pack up, she couldn't help but sigh and rub her forehead: "Where is the last person?"
One more person? Who else?
Wan Anran looked bewildered, but under Consort Xuan's increasingly narrowed gaze, she quickly gave a forced laugh: "Of course I haven't forgotten His Majesty's share; I've already included it in Her Majesty the Empress's account!"
Consort Xuan continued to stare at her.
Wan Anran chuckled and said, "Anyway, the Emperor will always go to the Empress, and the Empress will surely pass it on to the Emperor."
A fleeting look of guilt crossed Noble Lady Nara's face.
She was too embarrassed to admit that she had also forgotten about the Emperor, so she nodded earnestly in agreement: "That's right, that's right, Sister Wan is right. Don't worry, Your Highness, the Empress will surely know our intentions."
Don't think I haven't noticed that you've forgotten too!
Consort Xuan hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back, and finally could only sigh: "The people in Xianfu Palace are becoming more and more difficult to manage."
The Empress shared the same thoughts as Consort Xuan.
As the representative, Granny Xia could no longer maintain her stern expression. After delivering the gifts, she still tried to be tactful... She attempted to subtly mention something. Not only did the Empress burst out laughing, but Granny Xia and the others also shrugged.
Granny Xia's face turned bright red.
As I walked out of Kunning Palace and heard the bursts of laughter behind me, I felt utterly ashamed.
Granny Zhou was overjoyed.
She wiped away the tears that welled up in her eyes: "This Consort Wan, no, this Consort Nara, no... Consort Xuan... Oh dear, this servant doesn't even know what to say anymore?"
Granny Zhou felt that something was wrong with the entire Xianfu Palace.
Thinking about it carefully, Xianfu Palace used to have a very low profile. The impression that Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara gave people was that of two steady, dignified, reserved, and honest people who did not like to compete for favor.
And honest people are still honest people.
This style of dress felt somewhat out of place in the rest of the harem, and after much thought, Granny Zhou concluded that the root of the problem was Consort Wan. She couldn't help but sigh, "Consort Wan is truly a peculiar person. If I may be so bold... why does Consort Wan sound like she dislikes the Emperor?"
Empress Niohuru coughed.
She glanced at Granny Zhou, then looked up and surveyed everyone in the palace: "Who in the palace would dislike the Emperor? It's because Consort Xuan taught him well, and Noble Lady Wan is sensible and knows how to behave, so she didn't want to bother the Emperor by going to the Qianqing Palace herself and specially sent her here to me."
Granny Zhou's expression turned solemn.
She replied respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty is right! Consort Wan is strict and proper, a first-rate person of good manners."
It just sounds a bit like a monotonous reading.
The Empress chuckled and said with a smile, "We'll present it to the Emperor when he arrives tonight, which will satisfy their wishes."
Before the Empress could even send him off, Kangxi was already being flaunted by the Empress Dowager in Cining Palace.
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