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Translator's note: Finally there are advance chapters availaible on Kofi
Chapter 74
Rain poured down torrentially. Wind blew through the bamboo grove with a whimpering sound. The weather seemed particularly oppressive and stifling. At Changchun Pavilion, palace servants carried water basins, going in and out along the covered corridor, so busy their feet barely touched the ground, yet without half a sound of commotion.
When the Empress and her party arrived at Changchun Pavilion, this was the scene they witnessed. Some people's eyes couldn't help but flicker slightly.
The moment she lifted the curtain and stepped inside, the Empress's footsteps paused almost imperceptibly. Different from what she'd imagined, there were no pained groans from Noble Lady Zhao in the chamber, nor was His Majesty waiting inside with a cold, stern face.
There was only a soft couch placed in the outer hall. Zhou Měirén reclined on it while a medical woman examined her leg. She was soaked through. Palace servants from Changchun Pavilion were using silk cloths to dry her hair, and a brazier had been set up nearby.
The messenger hadn't mentioned Zhou Měirén at all. The Empress froze briefly, then immediately asked:
"What happened here?"
Hearing the commotion, Zhou Měirén looked up. Relying on her injury, she was too lazy to rise and bow. Moreover, she harbored suspicions about this group of arrivals, so naturally her attitude couldn't be warm.
It was Ayu who explained the whole sequence of events, finally making these people understand what had occurred.
Learning that Noble Lady Zhao hadn't been struck at all, disappointment flashed through quite a few eyes. Before others could notice, they quickly lowered their heads to conceal these emotions.
The Empress glanced at Zhou Měirén, roughly knowing she wasn't seriously injured. She focused all her attention on the inner chamber. She imperceptibly twisted her handkerchief, suppressing her thoughts. She didn't choose to enter, instead waiting quietly.
In the inner chamber, Imperial Physician Zhuo took Gu Han's pulse. He frowned extremely briefly, lifting his head to glance at Noble Lady Zhao. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. She trembled continuously all over from pain. This made Imperial Physician Zhuo sigh inwardly.
Her pulse was stable, only showing slight signs of fright, not even enough to count as a pregnancy scare.
Yet Noble Lady Zhao's appearance didn't seem feigned at all. Perhaps because he had been checking her pulse for too long, His Majesty by the bed grew impatient, obvious anger floating in his brows and eyes:
"What exactly is wrong with the Noble Consort?"
The woman on the bed wanted to curl her body into a ball. She closed her eyes, cold sweat streaming as she murmured continuously. Lu Yu knew she was calling for him. Precisely because of this, it made his heart increasingly uneasy, and he inevitably found the physician somewhat too slow.
Imperial Physician Zhuo released her wrist and knelt on the floor, not daring to look at His Majesty. He said:
"Noble Lady Zhao was frightened. Her emotional fluctuations were too extreme, causing a pregnancy scare, which is why she feels continuous abdominal pain."
When Jiu nian had explained the situation to His Majesty, Imperial Physician Zhuo had been present. He had to admit he rather admired Noble Lady Zhao's composure. In such a dangerous situation, she had suffered no harm at all and had even managed to react in time.
But Imperial Physician Zhuo couldn't speak the truth. With Noble Lady Zhao in such pain, who dared say she was pretending?
If he upset Noble Lady Zhao and truly caused harm to the imperial heir, who could bear the responsibility?
His Majesty obviously valued Noble Lady Zhao extraordinarily. In this rear palace, self-preservation was real, and reading the situation was also real. Imperial Physician Zhuo could only go with the flow. He was the Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau, His Majesty's confidant, no one would doubt his conclusion.
The physician administered acupuncture, prescribed medicine, and only after confirming the imperial heir was safe did he dare stand aside.
Before long, the woman's soft weeping after surviving the ordeal came from the bed. Lu Yu stepped forward. Palace maids had changed her into clean garments. All color had drained from her cheeks. Her face was turned away from Lu Yu. When Lu Yu turned her toward him, tears had long since soaked her dark hair.
Lu Yu's eyes lowered as he wiped the sweat from her forehead, hearing her say with difficulty through bitten lips:
"...That person... wanted to harm me... Zhou Měirén suffered an undeserved calamity in my place..."
She suddenly gripped Lu Yu tightly. Her body was clearly still trembling, yet the force in her hands was so strong Lu Yu found it somewhat painful. This woman with such a delicate face couldn't even care that the physician was still present. Her tears fell urgently and fiercely, dropping in panicked confusion:
"If I hadn't instructed them not to use the palanquin, if Zhou Měirén hadn't come over, I... this concubine..."
She spoke without choosing her words, her speech completely incoherent. Lu Yu could hear she was still frightened. He couldn't help reaching out to press on her shoulder, holding her against himself, continuously comforting her in a heavy voice:
"It's all right now."
The woman leaned in his arms and suddenly cried aloud. The fragmented, suppressed sobbing struck his heart with a stifling feeling. She suppressed her emotions, her throat seeming choked and unable to speak:
"This concubine is afraid... Your Majesty, I'm afraid..."
One phrase after another made the emotions in Lu Yu's eyes grow increasingly cold.
Only after the woman had cried herself out and somehow fallen asleep in his arms did Lu Yu lay her down, tucking in the corners of her blanket. His fingertip traced the tear stains at the corners of her eyes as he commanded heavily:
"Take good care of her."
Jiu nian wiped away tears and silently bowed in acknowledgment.
Lu Yu turned and left the inner chamber.
*
Hearing movement from inside the chamber, everyone quickly turned around. The double curtain was lifted from within. His Majesty's emotionless face appeared. Seeing Zhou Měirén, he ordered:
"Her emotions are unstable. Go in first. If she wakes, keep her company and talk with her."
Before Zhou Měirén could react, Ayu beside her breathed a sigh of relief. This meant His Majesty didn't suspect her mistress. She quickly tugged at her mistress. Zhou Měirén frowned slightly but said nothing more, allowing palace servants to move her along with the soft couch into the inner chamber.
Quite a few people cast envious gazes at her. Zhou Měirén felt irritable inside. Adding to her worry for Gu Han, she was too lazy to pay attention to these people.
Throughout the entire moving process, one person stared at her retreating figure for a long time.
Zhou didn't notice at all. After she left, the outer hall remained silent for a long while, until the Empress spoke to break the silence:
"Your Majesty, I wonder how Noble Lady Zhao is now?"
She frowned with a worried expression. Lu Yu only glanced at her without answering at all. Instead, he calmly asked Liu An:
"Where are the palace servants who cleaned that path today?"
Ignored by His Majesty, the Empress only paused briefly before her expression returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
Liu An signaled with his eyes. Soon palace servants brought a palace maid in. The maid trembled as she entered, immediately kneeling and saying:
"This servant greets His Majesty and all the mistresses. This servant cleaned that path this evening and then left. This servant guarantees she cleaned carefully. When this servant left, there absolutely could not have been any oil on that path."
It was now deep in the night. Apart from patrolling guards, palace servants had all gone off duty. For the little palace maid, today's incident truly counted as an undeserved calamity.
Liu An said quietly: "The rain fell at the third quarter of the hour of Xu. By then palace servants had all gone off duty. If oil had been poured before that, it would have long since been washed away by the heavy rain."
In other words, whoever poured the oil must have acted not long ago.
Lu Yu's fingers drummed slowly on the table, the dull sound making everyone in the hall anxious. With lowered eyes, he said calmly:
"Everyone who passed through that path today, whether mistress or servant, take them all for questioning."
As his words fell, several consorts in the hall immediately changed expression. The palace had people on patrol and duty. No one could guarantee they had passed through that path without being discovered. Moreover, if they weren't guilty, why deliberately conceal their movements?
Liu An personally led people to investigate and quickly identified everyone who had passed through that path today.
Consort Shu's Yi'an Palace was quite far from Changchun Pavilion. This matter didn't involve her at all. She was quite happy to watch the show. She lifted her eyes for a sweep and saw three people standing in that group. Consort Shu's gaze only lingered on one of them.
Not only her, Lu Yu also narrowed his eyes at that person.
Rong Bǎolín knelt on the ground. Her face showed some panic and helplessness as she grasped her garment hem with lowered head, kneeling there.
Song Bǎolín had long found Rong Bǎolín distasteful. She immediately said:
"From our Chaoyang Palace to Rongcui Hall, the nearest route is definitely not that path. Why would Rong Bǎolín go there?"
She seemed merely curious, but everyone could hear her targeting of Rong Bǎolín.
Rong Bǎolín's body trembled. Somewhat nervous and frightened, she defended herself: "It was too dark at night, and the rain made the road slippery. That path is wider and safer."
What she said was indeed a reason. In this weather, taking a safer route, no one could criticize her for it. Song Bǎolín was left speechless and immediately pursed her lips.
The others also had their reasons. Lu Yu's gaze fell on Rong Bǎolín. Just as Rong Bǎolín grew increasingly uneasy, Liu An suddenly walked to Lu Yu's side and whispered:
"Your Majesty, this servant has discovered someone else passed through that path before Noble Lady Zhao."
Lu Yu's brows and eyes moved. He asked: "Who?"
Liu An hesitated briefly, lowering his voice:
Translator's note: guys please i am looking for a volunteer editor, chat me up on dis cord if you are interested. Discord: d_ladypresident
Author's Note:
Kunning Palace: Empress
Yi'an Palace: Consort Shu
Xianleng Palace: Imperial Consort De
Zhaoyang Palace → Main Hall: Xiuyi He
Zhaoyang Palace → Side Hall: Rong Baolin
Yihe Palace → Changchun Pavilion: Female Lead
Rongcui Hall: Beauty Miao
Cuizhu Pavilion: Beauty Lin
Changning Courtyard: Zhou Meiren
Hanleng Palace → (Main Hall transferred to Side Hall): Talented Lady Yuan
Also appearing: Noble Lady Lin, Liu Baolin
Here are the ranks of imperial consorts:
- Empress (皇后 Huánghoù) — Head of the Imperial Harem
- Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃 Huáng Guìfēi) — Rank 1
- Noble Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort, Worthy Consort (贵妃、淑妃、德妃、贤妃 Guìfēi, Shūfēi, Défēi, Xiánfēi)** — Senior Rank 1 (The Four Consorts, with Noble Consort as the highest)
- Consort (妃 Fēi) — Junior Rank 2
- Bright Deportment, Bright Countenance (昭仪、昭容 Zhāoyí, Zhāoróng) — Senior Rank 3
- Cultivated Deportment, Cultivated Countenance (修仪、修容 Xiūyí, Xiūróng) — Junior Rank 3
- Noble Lady (贵嫔 Guìpín) — Senior Rank 4
- Imperial Concubine (嫔 Pín) — Junior Rank 4
- Beauty (美人 Měirén) — Senior Rank 5
- Talented Lady (才人 Cáirén) — Junior Rank 5
- Precious Grove (宝林 Bǎolín) — Senior Rank 6
- Imperial Woman (御女 Yùnǚ) — Junior Rank 6
- Palace Maid (宫女子 Gōngnǚzǐ) — Senior Rank 7
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