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Chapter 22
"Ah, someone's died!"
Yin Zhu screamed at exactly the right moment. This time, even Nanny Qin panicked. If something truly fatal happened, a mere managing nanny like her wouldn't be able to survive the consequences.
The rain poured down like pillars, sending splashes up from the ground like surging water-arrows. Nanny Qin, Yin Zhu, and several palace maids all rushed out. As Yi Xing lay in the puddle, she felt the circulation slowly returning to the meridians in her legs; the lower half of her body was finally regaining sensation.
However, her legs still wouldn't straighten, and the slightest movement brought a piercing pain. Yin Zhu was shouting in her ear, "What are we going to do... Guba... Guba... wake up! Please, answer me!"
Yin Zhu was truly frantic. In her heart, the Old Auntie was a person made of soft dough; if left in water, she would truly dissolve. The Shang family had provided for her with the finest food and drink for sixteen years—when had she ever suffered like this? Now, even an insignificant bondservant maid could torment her. At the thought of this, Yin Zhu's eyes brimmed with genuine tears.
As the rain lashed her face, Yin Zhu roared at Nanny Qin with a strained voice: "If anything happens to her, you just wait—I’ll go file an imperial complaint!"
She was truly driven mad by panic. At its root, this Old Auntie had made a fool of herself yesterday at the Wanshou Festival, and Nanny Qin was merely carrying out orders from Wu Shangyi to punish her. No one expected her to be so fragile that she would collapse the moment she went down.
Nanny Qin remained sharp-tongued, shouting sternly, "Go ahead and complain! I am acting on orders. If something goes wrong, it's her own fault!"
Despite her words, her hands weren't idle. Several of them scrambled to carry Yi Xing under the eaves. Seeing her eyes tightly shut and her face deathly pale, Nanny Qin finally felt fear. She hurriedly instructed a young palace maid, "Hurry, go to the southern outer duty station and ask a physician to come take a look."
Yin Zhu wiped the water from her face and kept shaking Yi Xing, saying, "Guba, please wake up! If something happens to you, how will I explain it to my god-father?"
Back when Fu Hai and Xiu became sworn brothers, Xiu had Yin Zhu recognize Fu Hai as her god-father as well. While there was a significant gap in their family status, Xiu held the position of the Banner Garrison Commander and was something of a "local snake," so Fu Hai had been gracious enough to treat him as an equal.
In the eyes of the Jiao family, the Shang family's willingness to humble themselves was practically a divine grace. Now that the Shang family had fallen, they still recognized this kinship. Therefore, Yin Zhu was terrified that if Yi Xing came to harm, her father would skin her alive for failing to take proper care of her when she eventually returned home.
Regardless, Yin Zhu’s loud, high-pitched voice was not something an ordinary person could endure. Yi Xing's ears were throbbing from the vibration, and she could no longer keep up the act. She let out a painful groan and whispered, "It hurts."
"She’s awake, she’s awake..." Yin Zhu said, "Amitabha! Where does it hurt? Your legs, or your chest?"
Yi Xing blinked with difficulty. To appear utterly weak, even the movement of her eyelids was several beats slower than usual. "Everything hurts."
Nanny Qin’s face wore a look of awkwardness. Seeing her like this and unable to tell if it was real or fake, she said gruffly, "The physician has been sent for. If you can stand, walk by yourself. Move into the room."
Hearing this, Yi Xing took several deep breaths and tried to struggle, but couldn't get up. Yin Zhu, having a more explosive temper, turned her head and said, "Nanny, you’ve gone too far. We are all palace servants; you’ve only been here two years longer than us, there’s no need to push us at every turn. The Old Auntie was originally different from us—she was once a 'golden branch and jade leaf.' In these times where a common cold can claim a life, if something truly happens from this drenching, I’m afraid you won't be able to bear the guilt." As she spoke, she exerted all her strength to hoist Yi Xing up, not forgetting to "give her a high hat" (flattery) as she continued, "It’s not even midsummer yet; wearing wet clothes is a serious matter. Guba, let me help you back to change. Nanny is the most considerate of people; she surely won't make things difficult for you."
And so, in the end, the kneeling punishment fizzled out into nothing.
As Nanny Qin watched them walk away supporting each other, her teeth itched with resentment again. A young palace maid nearby chimed in, "Why does it look like she’s faking? Shang Yi Xing must have feigned fainting on purpose to escape your punishment!"
"Just listen to Yin Zhu, calling her 'Guba' left and right as if she were her own father. If she wants to recognize that Shang girl as an Old Auntie, we certainly aren't going to accept being her juniors."
Nanny Qin became even more irritable at their comments, thinking to herself, What do you lot know? Even the Emperor is her junior! At least the girl hadn't died from the punishment; if things had truly gone south, she wouldn't have had a good time of it either.
As those young maids continued to chatter, Nanny Qin barked angrily, "Don't you have work to do? Has the rain ruined your hands and feet so that you can't even do needlework?"
With that, she drove everyone away.
On the other side, as Yin Zhu helped Yi Xing back to their quarters, Yi Xing said, "Next time you start screaming, can you keep the volume down? My ears still hurt."
Yin Zhu had actually noticed Yi Xing sticking her tongue out at her while they were moving her under the eaves. However, she had been so immersed in the performance that she couldn't control her pitch. Looking back, it was rather funny. She simply said, "The louder I shouted, the more I could intimidate Nanny Qin. Didn't you see? She didn't say a word afterward."
Thus, one couldn't be too honest in this palace. If Nanny Qin hadn't spoken up and she hadn't moved, she would still be kneeling in the rain right now.
What was the saying? The Way of Heaven is clear; those who adapt will prosper. After Yi Xing changed her clothes, she began chatting and laughing comfortably with Yin Zhu. Just then, the sound of raindrops hitting an umbrella came from outside. Knowing that someone from the Imperial Academy of Medicine had arrived, she hurriedly jumped onto the bed and lay down, half-closing her eyes to look listless.
The silhouette of someone wearing a red-tasseled summer hat passed across the window paper. For a moment, Yi Xing thought of that obstetric specialist, Physician Xia, and peeked toward the door. Unfortunately, it wasn't Physician Xia, but Yan Songyin, the doctor specializing in errands for the outer duty station.
"Eh?" Physician Yan recognized Yi Xing’s face and said in surprise, "Aren't you from the Hall of Peace and Happiness (Anle Tang)? It’s only been a few days, and you're already on duty at the Bureau of Ceremonies?"
Yi Xing gave a sheepish "aye." "I was promoted quickly."
Unfortunately, she was disciplined as soon as she arrived. Being a palace maid wasn't as simple as just serving tea and water.
Physician Yan covered her wrist with a handkerchief and asked with his head tilted, "Where do you feel unwell? Do you feel any chills? Is there hot air coming out of your nose?"
As soon as he finished, Yin Zhu let out a snicker. "Is someone without hot air coming out of their nose even a living person?"
Physician Yan felt Yin Zhu was being pedantic. "The hot air I'm talking about is the kind from a fever—like breathing fire. Do you understand?"
Yi Xing quickly said she had none of that. "However, I have an injury I'd like Physician Yan to look at."
As she spoke, she reached out her other hand and lifted her sleeve for Physician Yan to see. Noble Consort Yu had previously told her not to let it touch water, but then she had been caught in the rain. Because the wound was deep, the flesh on both sides had turned white from the soak. She said a cat had scratched her. "Please see about some medicine so it won't leave a scar, alright?"
Physician Yan licked his lips and thought, then turned to rummage through the chest carried by the little sula (servant). After a long search, he pulled out a small gourd-shaped porcelain bottle. "There's only Golden Wound Powder in the medicine chest right now. Why don't you make do with this for now? It’s better than nothing."
That was true enough. Yi Xing took it and said thank you, then asked persistently, "Is there any Skin-Regenerating Ointment or Jade-Face Powder?"
Physician Yan's expression clearly revealed a thought: What are you dreaming of? However, being a man of culture, he chose a tactful way to put it: "For those of us at the outer duty station treating palace servants, saving lives is the priority. As for whether it looks good after the treatment, most palace servants don't care. Those delicate medicines are generally not kept at the outer station; they're used more at the inner court duty stations. How about you wait? When I’m free, I’ll try to scrounge some up for you. If I manage to get some, I’ll send a sula to bring it to you."
Yi Xing wasn't a fool; she knew not to push her luck. She quickly said, "I was just asking. How could I trouble you to scrounge for me? For the hands of us palace maids who do labor, if it leaves a scar, so be it. It’s not important."
Physician Yan nodded, checked her pulse once more, and said the girl was full of vitality and had no problems at all. Since no prescription was needed, he packed up and headed back to the Southern Three Quarters.
After seeing Physician Yan off, Yin Zhu said, "This physician is quite unreliable. What's wrong with being a palace maid? Do palace maids not want to be beautiful?"
There was no way around it. Could the treatment for eunuchs and maids be the same as the treatment for the masters?
Yi Xing toyed with the Golden Wound Powder in her hand, pulled the cap, and sniffed. The brown powder made her cough. If this were sprinkled on the wound, the scar would likely be even more prominent once it healed. In the end, she didn't dare use it, capped it back up, and set it aside.
However, since she was fine, the diagnosis had to be reported to the Bureau of Ceremonies. Yi Xing couldn't slack off in the quarters; she re-braided her hair and returned to the courtyard to wait for orders.
Nanny Qin looked at her sideways, saying sourly, "This illness of yours comes and goes quickly. The physician came to see you, and suddenly there's nothing wrong at all?"
Yi Xing tucked her hands into her sleeves and lowered her head. "I’ve had a condition called 'blood not returning to the heart' since I was small; it truly comes and goes quickly. Nanny hadn't let me get up yet, so why don't I go back and keep kneeling? Nanny, please don't be angry with me."
When she said this, her tone was soft and submissive, as if she were trying to be conciliatory. But while she dared to kneel, Nanny Qin didn't dare let her get caught in the rain again. Yin Zhu was right—a pampered young lady's constitution wasn't like that of a little calf from the army barracks. If she got upset and died, the blame would fall on Nanny Qin, and years of hard-earned status would be ruined in an instant.
"Forget it, forget it. I don't want you collapsing again and then being framed for disregard for human life," Nanny Qin said irritably, turning her gaze away in disgust. "Since you're fine, once the rain stops, the few of you should head to the Hall of Supreme Splendor (Baohua Dian). In a couple of days, Great Lamas will be entering the palace to pray for blessings. The staff at Baohua Dian are overwhelmed, so they're borrowing people from us to help out."
The Bureau of Ceremonies was essentially a temporary dispatch center; whenever a place was short-staffed, this group of general workers would be sent to fill the gap.
Yi Xing, Yin Zhu, and several other young palace maids complied. They stood under the eaves waiting for the rain to stop, watching the water pour down the roof tiles and crash into the one-foot-wide drainage ditch below, the current rushing eagerly toward the west.
Waiting for the sun to shine and the rain to stop wasn't going to happen quickly. In the afternoon, there was another rumble of thunder—it was like the Heavens were sneezing under a blanket, looking entirely indecisive.
Yi Xing and Yin Zhu grew impatient. Since the work had been assigned to them, it was their responsibility. If they didn't finish during the day, they would have to stay at Baohua Dian through the night. Thinking it over, stalling wasn't worth it; it was better to finish early and return early.
So they didn't wait any longer. They went inside to find two umbrellas and huddled together to head toward Baohua Dian. Fortunately, Baohua Dian wasn't far from the Bureau of Ceremonies; they just had to cross the Second Western Long Street and enter through the Chunhua Gate. However, the rain splashed all the way; by the time they rounded the Yuhua Pavilion, their shoes were already soaked. When they ran into Baohua Dian, their robe hems were sticking to their trousers. The group had to stand under the eaves together to wring out their robes—from a distance, it was quite an amusing sight.
Once she had sorted her clothes, Yi Xing looked back into the hall. What a brilliant layout! In the center of the hall sat a golden Great Buddha; the Buddha’s light shone, making the entire hall look golden.
There were many places for Buddhist worship in the palace, such as the several prayer halls in the Cining Palace garden, as well as this large area of Baohua Dian and Zhongzheng Dian. These were the places where consorts usually made and fulfilled their vows. Especially here at Baohua Dian, there were year-end ceremonies and ritual dances. The prayer halls on both sides were filled with countless small Buddha statues; it was said that each one had a specific purpose and was adopted and maintained by a consort. Sometimes even the Emperor would come here to light an incense stick. Although Baohua Dian wasn't very large, it was highly regarded in the inner court.
The managing eunuch had already begun assigning tasks. Standing in the center, he pointed to the Eastern Prayer Hall: "The four of you go there." He pointed to the Western Prayer Hall: "The four of you go there..." Then he turned to the little eunuchs: "The ladies are inconvenienced; you few climb high... Watch yourselves, don't break anything. If you break something, you won't be paying with money—you'll be paying with your lives!"
The head eunuch issued a round of threats, and everyone bowed and answered "aye." Yi Xing, Yin Zhu, and two other palace maids were assigned the work in the Western Prayer Hall. The sutra banners and yellow curtains there were brand new, but the altar cloths were sprinkled with incense ash. One palace maid’s mouth acted before her brain; she let out a huff of air, instantly sending incense ash flying everywhere and even coating the little golden Buddhas behind her.
"Oh dear..." Yin Zhu sighed. "You’re afraid we're slacking off! Now look, how long will it take us to finish?"
"I didn't mean to! Besides, they were going to be wiped anyway, what does it matter..."
While they were talking, Yi Xing wrung out a wet cloth and stood in a corner of the hall, looking up at a statue of Yamantaka. My goodness—nine heads, thirty-four arms, sixteen feet, with four huge black bull heads in the center. At first glance, the aura was fierce and intimidating.
Just then, a small eunuch carrying a broom walked over, gave a call, and asked, "Are you Miss Yi Xing?" As he spoke, he handed a box to her. "Someone came by outside just now and asked for this to be given to you."
Yi Xing hesitated. "For me?" She took it while looking outside, but the doorway was empty—not a shadow to be seen.
The little eunuch didn't linger and turned back to his business. Yi Xing opened the box to find a white porcelain bottle inside. There were small characters on it that read: Tai Zhen Hong Yu Gao (Supreme True Red Jade Ointment).
Seeing her dazed, Yin Zhu came over to look. She took a glance and said, "Tai Zhen Hong Yu Gao? Can it treat the injury on your hand? Where did it come from?"
Yi Xing thought for a moment and said with certainty, "Physician Yan gave it."
Yin Zhu laughed. "I didn't expect that Physician Yan to be so thoughtful. When we asked him earlier, he didn't have any, yet in just this short time, he scrounged some up."
Yi Xing also remarked with genuine feeling, "Physician Yan is truly a good person."
Yin Zhu teased in a hushed voice, "This little physician is quite thoughtful. It's just a pity his rank is a bit low; he doesn't match you."
Yi Xing said "pish" and gave her a look, thinking to herself that her ambition to become the Imperial Noble Consort could not change—even if that little physician was interested in her, it would be for nothing. Men, after all, must have something for a woman to desire for a good marriage to form. She still carried the burden of revitalizing the Shang family on her shoulders; she could only disappoint Physician Yan’s kind intentions...
But truly, that hazy bit of affection was quite enchanting.
Yi Xing stroked the porcelain bottle, a foolishly sweet smile appearing on her face.
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