Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 88: Misfortunes Never Come Singly

   Outside the Cleansing Department, Yuan Chunwang blocked Wei Yingluo’s path. “Where are you going?”

Wei Yingluo: “I’m going to Changchun Palace!”

Yuan Chunwang: “You’re not allowed!”

Wei Yingluo: “Brother!”

Yuan Chunwang’s expression was extremely impatient. “Haven’t you repaid what you owe the Empress yet?”

Wei Yingluo lowered her head. “The Empress is gravely ill. If she remains bedridden like this, in the future she may lose the ability to walk, or even to speak. I have to do something for her so I can have peace of mind!”

Yuan Chunwang scoffed, then pointed at the dark circles under her eyes. “Working in the Cleansing Department all day and sneaking to Changchun Palace at night—do you not want to live anymore?”

Wei Yingluo swatted his hand away. “The Empress is my mistress, my mentor, and more like an elder sister. She protected me many times, even at the risk of angering His Majesty! Without her, there would be no Wei Yingluo in this world long ago! Brother, just let me go fulfill my duty to her, please?”

Yuan Chunwang jabbed her forehead hard. “You really are a big fool!”

Wei Yingluo looked at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “If it were you who fell ill, I would do the same—I’d take care of you just like this!”

Yuan Chunwang froze, then asked seriously, “Would you really?”

Wei Yingluo: “Just as you carefully took care of me, I would pour the medicine straight into your mouth!”

Yuan Chunwang was never good at taking care of people. When he had fed her medicine earlier, he had stubbornly shoved spoonful after spoonful into her mouth—resulting in hardly any going in, while her clothes ended up soaked.

Hearing the teasing in her words, Yuan Chunwang was both annoyed and amused. He reached out and tugged her cheeks hard. Wei Yingluo yelped in pain, then couldn’t help laughing. “I’m leaving now!”

He watched her go, shook his head, and turned back toward the warehouse entrance—only to unexpectedly run into an unwelcome visitor. His face grimed. “Momo Liu, what are you doing here?”

Momo Liu: “This is a warehouse—what else would I be doing? Just looking for some old things from before. I’m leaving now.”

She rummaged around the warehouse, touching this and that, and finally picked up an old candlestick before departing. Behind her, Yuan Chunwang stood with arms folded, watching her retreating figure with a thoughtful gaze.

In the rear courtyard of Changchun Palace, Wei Yingluo was struggling to carry a basin of water when a hand suddenly reached out and took it from her.

Wei Yingluo: “Young Master!”

Fuheng raised a finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.

Wei Yingluo glanced around, then lowered her voice. “It’s so late—you’re supposed to be on night duty at Qianqing Palace. What are you doing here?”

Fuheng: “I was sent by His Majesty to deliver an edict to the Grand Council and slipped out quietly. And you—what are you doing here!”

Wei Yingluo: “Ming Yu is going to help wipe down the Empress’s body—I’ll assist her!”

No—don’t come!

Inside the sleeping chamber of Changchun Palace, Ming Yu stood rigidly to one side, her face stiff. From time to time she stole furtive glances toward the door outside; a layer of anxious sweat had already broken out on her forehead.

At the edge of the bed sat an uninvited guest.

Hongli gazed at the Empress’s closed, sleeping eyes and spoke in a low voice: “Empress, I have decided to pardon Wei Yingluo and allow her to return to serve you. Would that make you happy?”

The Empress lay quietly, yet her eyelashes trembled ever so slightly.

Erqing, who was attending nearby, suddenly spoke up: “Your Majesty, this is such wonderful news. This servant would like to personally tell Wei Yingluo—she will surely be overjoyed!”

A spark lit in Hongli’s eyes: “She came here tonight as well?”

Ming Yu looked at Erqing in disbelief, her eyes questioning: How do you know Yingluo is here? What are you planning to do?

How did she know?

Erqing sneered inwardly. She wasn’t a fool—she could sense when an extra person had slipped into the palace. Moreover, Ming Yu had never been good at keeping secrets. Fuheng, oh Fuheng—you really chose the wrong person to entrust with this.

As for what she intended to do—wasn’t it obvious? Erqing rose and said: “She’s in the rear courtyard. This servant will take you there.”

“No need.” Hongli stood up, looking eager and excited. “I’ll go by myself.”

Watching his retreating figure, the corners of Erqing’s mouth curved upward in an involuntary, icy smile.

When Hongli reached the rear courtyard, he caught sight of Fuheng holding a basin of water while Wei Yingluo helped roll up his sleeves. The two stood close together, chatting and laughing, their manner intimate—like a perfect pair of jade figures.

Hongli’s footsteps halted abruptly. His expression changed in an instant.

Erqing feigned surprise: “It’s so late—why is Imperial Guard Fucha here?! Your Majesty, this… this servant had no idea…”

Hongli’s gaze swept coldly over the two of them. His face grimed. Without a word or backward glance, he turned and walked away.

Li Yu was waiting outside to greet him, holding a bright yellow scroll in both hands. He said cautiously: “Your Majesty, this is the decree pardoning Wei Yingluo—”

Hongli snatched the imperial edict from his hands and hurled it heavily to the ground: “Get out!”

Misfortunes never come singly.

The very next day after Hongli discarded the decree, Momo Liu stormed into the warehouse of the Cleansing Department with a group of eunuchs, shouting fiercely: “Search!”

Wei Yingluo had only just returned from Changchun Palace; she hadn’t even had time to change out of her clothes before this happened. She frowned, staring at the eunuchs rummaging wildly everywhere.

“Search carefully!” Momo Liu’s gaze fixed on her with icy coldness. “Don’t miss a single corner!”

It didn’t take long before a eunuch returned from a corner of the warehouse, holding a wooden mannequin. Around its neck hung a rope stained with dark, mottled blood.

Momo Liu barked sharply: “Wei Yingluo—what is this?!”

Wei Yingluo was stunned.

In the study of Yangxin Hall.

   Noble Consort Xian had heard that Hongli was in a bad mood today, but she hadn’t expected it to be this bad. The pastries she had sent lay untouched to one side, already cold and devoid of steam. The entire Yangxin Hall was deathly quiet—no one dared speak loudly, no one even dared breathe too heavily.

“Greetings to Your Majesty, greetings to Niangniang.” Zhener suddenly entered from outside. After paying respects to both of them, she hurried to Noble Consort Xian’s side and whispered a few words into her ear. Noble Consort Xian furrowed her brows: “It really happened?”

Zhener nodded.

Noble Consort Xian: “Your Majesty, something has happened in the Cleansing Department. I must go and handle it. I beg leave first.”

Hongli suddenly looked up: “What could possibly happen in the Cleansing Department?”

Noble Consort Xian was surprised that Hongli showed interest: “A palace maid from the Cleansing Department was discovered practicing a curse ritual attempting to hex Your Ladyship Noble Consort.”

Hongli: “Who?”

Noble Consort Xian: “The former first-rank palace maid who once served Empress Niangniang of Changchun Palace—Wei Yingluo.”

Hongli’s expression changed dramatically: “Bring everyone here. I will interrogate them personally!”

The small wooden figure was quickly delivered into his hands.

It was an extremely crude wooden doll made of miscellaneous wood, still bearing rough splinters. Around its neck was tied a blood-stained cord. Upon closer inspection, the cord had been braided from human hair—soft, fine, and long, unmistakably a woman’s tresses.

Hongli toyed with the little wooden figure, his expression shifting unpredictably between light and shadow.

Not only was the physical evidence brought forward—the witnesses arrived as well.

Momo Liu knelt on the ground, trembling with fear and reverence: “Reporting to Your Majesty and to Niangniang: a few days ago, this servant received an anonymous letter claiming that someone was secretly cursing Noble Consort to death, and that evidence was hidden in the Cleansing Department. This servant did not believe it at first, but considering the gravity of the matter, I ordered a strict search. As a result, this doll was discovered inside the storeroom temporarily occupied by Wei Yingluo. The doll bears Noble Consort’s birth date and eight characters of fate written on it; its back is covered in bloodstains, and a hemp rope is tied around its neck. It is abundantly clear that Wei Yingluo has been secretly cursing Noble Consort all along—which is why Noble Consort suffered such a life-threatening calamity!”

Noble Consort Xian: “Wei Yingluo, what do you have to say?”

Facing this sudden disaster, how could Wei Yingluo admit to it? She immediately denied: “Someone deliberately planted this doll in the storeroom to frame this servant!”

Hongli, Noble Consort Xian Niangniang. Momo Liu cast her a sidelong glance and said darkly, “That storeroom was occupied solely by Wei Yingluo. Apart from her, who else could have buried this doll there?”

Wei Yingluo said firmly: “This servant has never done such a thing!”

“Moreover,” Momo Liu continued harshly, “after Your Ladyship Noble Consort passed away, the entire palace was filled with grief—yet she alone remained unchanged in expression, laughing and jesting as usual. Only someone who deeply hated Your Ladyship Noble Consort could behave in such a manner! Wei Yingluo, search your conscience and tell me—aren’t you exactly that kind of person?”

Before Wei Yingluo could even speak, Hongli already knew that what Momo Liu said was true.

Even if not for her own sake, then for the sake of the unconscious Empress of Changchun Palace, Wei Yingluo would hate Noble Consort Hui from the depths of her bones. And unlike others who merely harbored hatred, she would repay injury with injury—she would take revenge. For example, Dowager Consort Yu in the imperial mausoleum had offended her and ended up reduced to a pile of dry bones.

“Hmph!”

The wooden figure traced an arc through the air and landed at Wei Yingluo’s feet.

Hongli stood tall, staring down at her coldly: “The evidence is as solid as iron. You still refuse to confess?”

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