Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 86: Visiting the Sick [Part 1]

   Noble Consort Hui’s death was bad news for some, but for others, it was the greatest piece of good fortune imaginable.

Inside the warehouse of the Cleansing Division, Yuan Chunwang was feeding medicine to Wei Yingluo while saying, “His Majesty ordered a strict investigation, but all the craftsmen stubbornly insisted they knew nothing. The ‘Myriad Purples and Reds’ was prepared for the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration. Moreover, with Noble Consort Hui’s death, neither event could tolerate any bloodshed. In the end, the matter will simply be dropped, and they’ll be released back to civilian life. They’ll be safe… and so will you.”

“Noble Consort Hui actually died?” Wei Yingluo hadn’t expected that arrogant and domineering woman to pass away from a single injury. Truly, the affairs of the world are unpredictable. She couldn’t help frowning, full of worry. “I wonder how the Empress is doing…”

Yuan Chunwang stuffed another spoonful of medicine into her mouth. “Instead of worrying about others, you’d be better off worrying about yourself. Just focus on recovering!”

Wei Yingluo choked, then said irritably, “I’m not going to die!”

“Of course you’re not going to die.” Yuan Chunwang fed her another spoonful. “I’m a very practical person. Every single mouthful of congee you eat, I expect repayment for. Until you’ve paid me back in full, you absolutely cannot die!”

Wei Yingluo was both annoyed and amused. “You’ve already been promoted to head steward—do you still need repayment from me?”

Yuan Chunwang scoffed with icy disdain while stirring the spoon. “There are eight major and minor stewards in the Cleansing Division. Do you think I’ll stop here?”

Wei Yingluo rolled her eyes. “Brother, your ambition is truly boundless.”

Yuan Chunwang: “Of course—wait, what did you just call me?”

Wei Yingluo immediately changed the subject. “What kind of congee is this? It tastes bitter!”

Yuan Chunwang stared at her, stubbornly insisting on an answer. “What did you just call me?”

He kept asking the same question over and over, clearly determined not to let it go. Finally, Wei Yingluo had no choice but to sigh and say, “You risked your life to cover for me. This ‘older brother’—I call you that with all my heart. From now on, I am your sworn younger sister. We’ll share blessings together and face hardships together!”

Yuan Chunwang narrowed his eyes and tsked twice. “Other people swear brotherhood with a formal ceremony facing heaven and earth, and you’re just going to dismiss me like this?”

Wei Yingluo glared at him. “Facing heaven and earth is for husband and wife. Sworn brotherhood is done by burning incense and kowtowing!”

Yuan Chunwang laughed. “In any case, we need to exchange pledge papers first. I need your birth chart and eight characters, and we have to set up the tablets for heaven and earth!”

Wei Yingluo: “We’ve already fallen to this miserable state—keep it simple, keep it simple.”

“Simple what?” Yuan Chunwang flicked her forehead with his finger. “In this lifetime I’m only taking one younger sister—I can’t do it half-heartedly. Later you’re going to write out your birth pledge!”

Wei Yingluo clutched her forehead. “Brother, that’s not called a ‘birth pledge’—it’s called a ‘golden orchid pledge’!”

Yuan Chunwang smiled nonchalantly, unhurriedly feeding her another spoonful of medicine. “I said it’s a gengtie, so it’s a gengtie. Finish eating, then write it!”

For some reason, he was unusually insistent on this matter. That very afternoon, he somehow procured brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and—treating it like an official document—forced Wei Yingluo to write him a gengtie… no, a jinlan tie (a sworn-sisterhood pact).

With no choice, Wei Yingluo wrote it. While writing, she casually asked about the Empress’s condition. Yuan Chunwang only replied that it was “passable.”

Passable—what did that even mean? Was the Empress getting better or not? That night, Wei Yingluo tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Finally, gritting her teeth, she threw on her outer robe, got up, and cautiously slipped out of the Yong Lane, heading toward Changchun Palace.

Having come from Changchun Palace herself, she was intimately familiar with everything inside.

For example, tonight the person on night duty was Zhenzhu.

“You…” Wei Yingluo passed by her and sighed helplessly. “Always falling asleep before the second watch!”

After avoiding Zhenzhu, Wei Yingluo reached the window outside the sleeping chamber. With a flip, she vaulted over the sill—but then found herself stuck, one foot dangling in midair, unable to find the floor.

Until a pair of strong hands reached out from behind her, catching her as gently as one might catch falling petals from the sky. They steadied her waist and lowered her safely to the ground.

Wei Yingluo turned in surprise. “…Ah, Young Master.”

Fuheng’s smile shone brightly under the moonlight. “You were once the Empress’s senior palace maid. Coming to visit your former mistress shows you haven’t forgotten your roots—you could have walked in through the main gate openly and uprightly. Why sneak around climbing through windows like a thief?”

Wei Yingluo hesitated. “I…”

A warm finger gently pressed against her lips. Fuheng spoke with perfect understanding: “Enough. No matter what, since I’ve already caught you, there’s no need to keep sneaking about. Come openly and honestly from now on!”

Wei Yingluo turned her face away in a fit of pique. “Then I won’t come at all.”

She truly didn’t want to get entangled with him anymore. She turned to leave, had just climbed back onto the windowsill—when he pulled her back down into his arms. Furious and embarrassed, she gritted her teeth. “Fucha Fuheng, what exactly do you want?!”

Fuheng suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered, “In the future, on nights when Ming Yu is on duty, the sleeping chamber will be empty at the hour of zi (11 p.m.–1 a.m.). You can come visit the Empress then.”

Wei Yingluo froze.

Fuheng continued, “Remember—only at the hour of zi. Alright, climb back out now!”

Wei Yingluo choked with anger. Like a little monkey she scrambled back onto the windowsill—then regretted it. She turned her head and huffed, “Hmph! I finally came all this way to see Her Ladyship. At least let me take one look before I go!”

A hand reached out behind her, as though he had already anticipated she would say exactly that, already anticipated she would turn back.

Wei Yingluo stared hesitantly at that hand.

“How much longer do I have to wait?” Fuheng said gently. “You don’t want to face His Majesty—I won’t force you. You want to stay in the Cleansing Department—I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait until you can let go of old grudges, put down your burdens. No matter how long it takes—even if it takes my whole life—I will wait until the end.”

If he hadn’t said those words, Wei Yingluo might have taken his hand. But after hearing such a confession, her whole body suddenly felt hot. The hand in her vision seemed scalding hot; just looking at it made her cheeks burn. If she actually held it, wouldn’t her entire body catch fire?

“…Wh-what are you saying? I’m leaving.” She turned her face away awkwardly, scrambled over the windowsill in a panic, and fled.

Fuheng watched her retreating figure and shook his head with a rueful smile.

The bead curtain swayed. Ming Yu stepped out from behind it. “Guard Fucha…”

Fuheng turned around. “Ming Yu, thank you.”

Ming Yu bit her lip. “You don’t need to thank me. But… about Noble Consort… was it really her…?”

“Ming Yu!” Fuheng suddenly interrupted her and gave a small shake of his head.

Ming Yu: “Fine, fine, fine—I won’t ask! She still comes to visit the Empress, so she has some conscience after all. In the future, when I’m on duty, I’ll quietly let her in. You don’t need to worry.”

The two chatted for a few more sentences, then Ming Yu returned to the room to continue tending to the Empress, leaving Fuheng alone by the bedside. He gazed at the window through which Wei Yingluo had departed, his expression filled with worry.

The moon sank past the window; the sun rose beyond it. Another new day had arrived.

Just as Noble Consort Hui’s death brought joy to some and sorrow to others, the Empress’s prolonged illness likewise caused delight in some hearts and grief in others.

In the inner courtyard of Chengqian Palace, a crowd knelt on the ground. The decree-delivering eunuch unrolled the imperial scroll and intoned:

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Consort Xian, of the Nala clan—gentle by nature, endowed with grace and virtue—is hereby elevated to Noble Consort, in manifestation of imperial favor. So it is decreed.”

Consort Xian prostrated herself deeply, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

“Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for this great grace.”

The eunuch rolled up the scroll and, with an ingratiating expression, said:

“Noble Consort Xian Niangniang, congratulations!”

Noble Consort Xian nodded slightly. Zhener immediately stepped forward with the reward. Several ingots of pure silver slipped into the eunuch’s sleeve; his smile grew even wider.

“Thank you for the generous reward, Noble Consort Xian Niangniang. Oh yes—His Majesty has specially instructed the Imperial Medical Bureau to prepare a jar of Amber Jade Face Ointment. I hear it is made by grinding amber powder and mixing it with cinnabar and the spinal marrow of the white badger. Applied daily, it promotes rapid healing of wounds and has an excellent scar-removing effect. It should be delivered very soon. His Majesty truly cares deeply for Niangniang.”

Sure enough, before long another group of eunuchs arrived at Chengqian Palace, bearing His Majesty’s gift—the Amber Jade Face Ointment.

After seeing the eunuchs off, Zhener spoke to Noble Consort Xian with great excitement:

“This servant heard that it was the Empress Dowager herself who personally requested this promotion for you.”

“Is that so?” Noble Consort Xian smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.

“Yes—and His Majesty agreed without a moment’s hesitation! It shows just how special your position is in the hearts of both of them—different from anyone else! Now that Noble Consort is gone and the Empress remains unconscious, the affairs of the inner palace will all fall under your authority. You must take very good care of your health.”

As she spoke, Zhener unscrewed the lid of the Amber Jade Face Ointment jar.

“Niangniang, let me apply the medicine for you.”

Unexpectedly, Noble Consort Xian suddenly reached out, snatched the jar from her hand, and casually poured its contents into a nearby potted plant.

Zhener cried out in alarm:

“Niangniang! This Amber Jade Face Ointment is extremely precious—how can you just throw it away like that? If scars really form, you’ll regret it too late!”

The soil in the pot seemed like a greedy mouth, greedily absorbing the medicinal liquid drop by drop. Noble Consort Xian lowered her head to watch the scene and murmured with a faint, eerie smile:

“This palace wants to keep the scars—deeply etched into His Majesty’s heart—so that he will never be able to forget that this palace was injured for his sake.”

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