Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 55: Attending the Sick

Weeds had sprung up in the courtyard, competing with the jasmine for nutrients.

A woman’s hand reached into the cluster, ruthlessly yanking out the weeds around the jasmine one by one, her movements rough, as though she bore them a deep grudge.

“Who wronged you so badly that you have to take it out on a bunch of weeds?” A man’s voice suddenly rang out.

Wei Yingluo turned her head and saw Fuheng standing behind her with a faint smile. He reached out as though to brush away a fallen leaf stuck to her temple, but she tilted her head to avoid his touch.

“Don’t talk to me,” she muttered sullenly. “Right now, just seeing a man makes me angry.”

Fuheng thought for a moment. “Is it because of Noble Consort Hui?”

“…Noble Lady Yu and the Fifth Prince nearly lost their lives before she received even the slightest retribution.” The mere mention of the name ignited fresh anger in Wei Yingluo’s heart. “Who would have thought that in just two months, she would rise again! Hah, of course—she is the unrivaled beauty of the harem. What are one or two human lives compared to that?”

Fuheng actually laughed. “She is indeed the unrivaled beauty of the harem…”

Seeing that he could still laugh, Wei Yingluo felt even more irritated—and faintly sour. She flung the handful of weeds at him and said coldly:

“Do you know that last night the Empress waited in the freezing night wind for an entire hour, only to learn that he had gone to Chuxiu Palace instead? You are Her Ladyship’s own brother—shouldn’t you feel indignant on her behalf? How can you still laugh?”

“Before I answer that, you have to answer one question for me first.” Covered in grass, Fuheng didn’t mind at all; he simply patted his chest lightly. “That blood-written letter—was it you who framed Noble Consort Hui?”

Wei Yingluo raised an eyebrow. He actually suspected her? She scoffed with icy disdain. “No!”

“That’s good. That matter was done too hastily and too deliberately. His Majesty is extremely intelligent—he knew at once that someone was framing her. But Noble Consort’s behavior has been far too arrogant; she did need a lesson.” Fuheng sighed helplessly. “It’s just that… her father, Gao Bin, opened rivers and built dams, tamed the Yellow River, and brought lasting benefit to the people. His achievements will endure for a thousand years. Even for his sake, His Majesty must show leniency toward Noble Consort Hui. Do you understand now?”

Wei Yingluo fell silent.

“What’s wrong?” Fuheng felt that she was acting unusually today. He unconsciously took a step closer, his voice carrying genuine concern.

Wei Yingluo took a step back, muttering under her breath: “Out of nowhere, you actually started suspecting me…”

When Fuheng heard this, he couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. So she had let go of her grudge against the Emperor, yet she still harbored resentment toward him. He quickly took her hand and explained:

“I wasn’t suspecting you. Like His Majesty, I suspect someone else…”

Wei Yingluo didn’t press him to say who it was. The matter was already a settled fact—dwelling on it further would be useless. Better to focus on the present, and on what came next.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore.” Fuheng gently squeezed her hand and continued, “The thing you asked me to investigate—I’ve already looked into it. On the night your sister met with disaster, no member of the imperial clan left the Qianqing Palace banquet!”

“Is that true?” Wei Yingluo was stunned.

“I personally confirmed it with the chief eunuch on duty at Qianqing Palace.” Fuheng nodded. “It’s true!”

Wei Yingluo stared at him for a long time before letting out a soft sigh: “I believe you… Since we can’t get answers from the Qianqing Palace eunuchs, then we’ll have to start with those closest to His Majesty.”

But how exactly could she get close to the Emperor? How could she approach the people he trusted most?

Wei Yingluo thought of many possible ways, but she rejected each one herself. Some were too deliberate and would inevitably arouse suspicion of ulterior motives; others were too slow and passive—she might have to wait eight or ten years before achieving anything.

What should she do?

The more mental energy she poured into this problem, the less she had left for other matters. As a result, Wei Yingluo was almost the last person in Changchun Palace to hear the news…

“His Majesty is ill?” Wei Yingluo blinked in surprise. “What illness?”

“How is it that such huge news only just reached you now?” Ming Yu shot her a glare. “It’s scabies!”

Wei Yingluo had heard of the disease before. Those afflicted suffered unbearable itching; most patients couldn’t resist scratching, which often led to secondary infections, making the condition even harder to treat.

“The Empress is deeply worried about His Majesty and plans to bring one person with her to move to Yangxin Hall to care for him.” Ming Yu spoke in a brisk, businesslike tone. “She has chosen you. Hurry back and pack your belongings.”

Erqing, who had been watching coldly from the side, could no longer stay silent. She said evenly:

“Ming Yu, Her Majesty already gave instructions: I am to remain behind and guard Changchun Palace, while you are the one who should pack and move to Yangxin Hall. How can you push this burden onto Yingluo?”

Wei Yingluo glanced at Ming Yu. She knew exactly what the other woman was thinking—most likely terrified that the Emperor’s scabies might be contagious and trying every possible way to shove this unpleasant duty onto someone else.

But in Wei Yingluo’s eyes, this was hardly a hardship.

On the contrary, it was a rare and precious opportunity: a chance to get close to the Emperor, and to the trusted confidants around him.

“Very well.” Wei Yingluo smiled. “I’ll go back and pack right now.”

Ming Yu and Erqing had both assumed that once she learned the truth, she would certainly refuse and find an excuse not to go. They were stunned when she agreed so readily. Only after she had left did Erqing turn to Ming Yu with a complicated expression and say:

“Are you satisfied now?”

Ming Yu turned her face away. “She volunteered—it’s not as if I forced her!”

“Ming Yu, you always complain that Her Majesty no longer favors you, that she has grown distant. But have you ever reflected on what you yourself have done?” Erqing stared at her with an unfamiliar coldness. “When Her Majesty was away from the Forbidden City, you pushed Consort Yu and the Fifth Prince forward to take the fall! And now, when it’s your turn to go to Yangxin Hall, you make excuse after excuse! The mistress sees everything clearly—do you really think she can’t tell? Forget Her Majesty the Empress—even among everyone in Changchun Palace, who still trusts you?”

Ming Yu was left speechless. She watched Erqing flick her sleeve and walk away, and for the first time, she murmured to herself:

“Have I… really done something wrong?”

Trust is like water: it accumulates drop by drop into a river, or leaks away drop by drop until only desert remains.

   When the Empress heard that Ming Yu was unwilling to go, she merely said calmly, “I understand,” without any reproach. But the look in her eyes toward Ming Yu grew increasingly indifferent—eerily similar to the gaze Erqing had given her earlier. Ming Yu’s heart pounded with unease. She vaguely sensed that she had made a terrible mistake, yet there was no chance left to take it back…

The group soon moved into Yangxin Hall.

When the Emperor suffered an attack, the Empress would be by his side to comfort him, talking to him softly to ease his pain somewhat. As for the dirty and laborious tasks, those fell to palace servants like Wei Yingluo.

“Before applying the medicine, His Majesty’s body must first be cleansed with alum tea.” The imperial physician placed a box of ointment in Wei Yingluo’s palm. “After His Majesty has bathed, spread the sulfur ointment over his entire body, applying an extra layer to the affected areas.”

“Yes.” Wei Yingluo received the ointment with both hands.

She had never seen a man’s body before—let alone a naked one.

After taking several deep breaths to steady her racing heart, Wei Yingluo gathered her composure and stepped into the sleeping chamber of Yangxin Hall.

The temperature inside the chamber was slightly elevated. The wooden bathtub had just been removed, but lingering warmth still hung in the air, carrying a faint scent of alum tea.

In the vast palace hall, only one person sat there. From a distance, he looked solitary and forlorn—truly a lonely ruler.

“…It’s you?” The Hongli Emperor slowly opened his eyes and said coldly, “Get out!”

Wei Yingluo had been worrying exactly how she was supposed to attend to a naked man. Hearing him say this, she immediately felt relieved. She placed the ointment on a nearby table and replied, “Yes.”

The door closed—only to open again almost immediately. This time it was Li Yu who entered.

“Your Majesty, allow this servant to attend to you.” Li Yu steeled himself and stepped forward. Though his movements were careful, he still caused pain to the broken skin.

The Hongli Emperor drew in a sharp breath, then kicked out in anger. “Get lost! Call someone else!”

Wei Yingluo’s voice came through the door:

“Your Majesty, most of the people in Yangxin Hall have been cleared out. Those who remain are mostly eunuchs. The Empress was worried they might be too rough and clumsy and hurt your body, which is why she instructed this servant to come. If you call for someone else now, they won’t be much better than Chief Steward Li.”

To the Hongli; Emperor’s ears, these words sounded almost like a self-recommendation—an attempt to get closer to him. He couldn’t quite identify the strange feeling in his heart. With a half-smile that wasn’t quite a smile, he said, “So you’re not rough and clumsy?”

Wei Yingluo had no desire to get close to this ill-tempered man. But upon careful reflection, she realized her goal was to approach the people closest to him—and one of the most crucial figures was none other than the chief eunuch by his side, Li Yu. Even if she couldn’t win his favor, she absolutely could not afford to make him resent her. Pushing her own unpleasant duties onto him was something she could never do. If she did, though Li Yu might say nothing now, the seed of grievance would be planted in his heart—who knew when it might sprout and bear fruit?

“This servant was formerly a palace maid in the embroidery workshop. The fabrics we worked with were all top-grade silks and satins. To avoid scratching the brocade, I developed the habit of meticulously caring for my hands every day.”

And so Wei Yingluo patiently explained, “Your Majesty, if you refuse Chief Steward Li and also refuse this servant, the Empress will come personally to apply the medicine.”

The Hongli Emperor fell silent for a moment. In the end, he could not bear to let the Empress come near him in such a state. Talking with her was one thing—but applying medicine would inevitably involve touching his wounds. What if the infection spread to her?

“Come in!” he said with faint irritation. “Apply the medicine for me!”

“Yes.”

With a creak, Wei Yingluo pushed the door open once more. She took the ointment from Li Yu’s hands, dipped her already thoroughly washed fingers into a small amount, and gently applied it to the Emperor’s afflicted areas.

The Hongli Emperor felt a cool sensation on his wounds—he couldn’t tell whether it came from the ointment or from her fingertips.

As the Son of Heaven, he had never lacked for women by his side. He had thought himself long accustomed to a woman’s touch—yet somehow, her touch felt strangely unfamiliar.

This sensation was entirely new to him. In an instant he felt both embarrassed and annoyed, and the urge to lash out rose again. But when his gaze met her calm, steady eyes, it was as though a prairie fire met a downpour, or blazing snow encountered a thread of spring breeze—the flames died, the grass revived, the ice and snow melted away.

When Wei Yingluo looked up, she caught him staring at her in such a dazed manner.

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