There was a knock from outside the door. Tong Xiyang’s gaze shifted as she asked, "What is it?"
The maid replied through the door, "Madam, there is soone... soone outside asking for you." The door was opened. Tong Xiyang stood in the doorway and asked, "Who is it?"
"It... it seems to be Boss Qian from East Street. He... he says he’s willing to put up one thousand taels as a betrothal gift, to ask for Third Miss’s hand." The maid glanced fearfully at Tong Xiyang and said in a low voice, "He’s standing in the courtyard waiting for you right now." Just thinking of that Boss Qian’s face full of coarse, hanging flesh made her legs go weak. If Third Miss really married over there, how would she live her days in the future?
Tong Xiyang smiled in satisfaction and said, "Co, let’s go have a look."
Everyone harbored their own thoughts. Tong Mansion and the Xuanning Marquis Mansion were both displeased that Xiqiu had been kept in the palace for no reason under the pretext of convalescing. Not only they, but even many ministers in the court were talking about it, and there were already so who didn’t know the inside story and had written morials, requesting the Empress to step forward and explain this move. For a ti, voices of discussion rose and fell incessantly in court...
"A bunch of useless trash." The Empress’s face was full of anger. "It’s nothing but a wind-cold with high fever. You’ve been treating her four days and there’s still no improvent, and it even grows more severe by the day." She looked at the Imperial Physicians kneeling before her and said, "I’ll give you half a day. If she still can’t wake up, all of you can take off your black gauze hats and go ho."
The Imperial Physicians were aggrieved but could not speak. Over these four days they had used every thod they could think of, yet saw no improvent. Even if given another half day, they still might not have any solution.
But despite that, none of them dared talk back. They all bowed their heads in acknowledgnt and withdrew.
"You’ll be the death of ." The Empress finished speaking and clutched her chest as she began to cough, the cough not stopping once it started. Hearing the commotion, Nanny Mao lifted the curtain and entered, patting the Empress on the back to help her breathe. "My Lady, this servant will fetch you a cup of water."
The Empress had no ti to speak before Nanny Mao supported her and brought the cup to her lips. Before she could swallow, the water was spit out again.
Nanny Mao’s expression changed, and she quickly shouted for soone to summon the Imperial Physician.
"My Lady." Nanny Mao did not dare feed her more water and could only wait for the Imperial Physician to arrive. Before he returned, however, a female official reported from outside the door, "Empress, Consort Wen has co to pay her respects."
As the words fell, Consort Wen’s figure had already appeared in the hall. Hearing the Empress’s incessant coughing, she showed a look of anxious concern, lifted the curtain herself, and entered. "My Lady, what has happened to you?" She joined Nanny Mao in soothing the Empress’s back. The Empress forcibly suppressed her coughing and glanced at Consort Wen. "This palace isn’t going to drop dead yet." She then pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her mouth, coughed twice more, and pointed to the low stool in the distance. "Sit."
Consort Wen’s gaze flickered. She loosened the hand supporting the Empress, saluted her, then walked lightly over to sit down.
The Empress leaned back against the pillow, took the tea and sipped, then coughed a few more tis and asked, "What is it?" Since she had fallen ill, the Concubines of the harem had been excused from paying morning and evening respects, and Consort Wen generally did not co if there was nothing urgent.
"It’s like this." Consort Wen received the tea offered by the female official, held it in her hands, and replied, "These past two days there has been a great deal of criticism in the court about the inner palace. They say that you keeping Fourth Madam here is clearly interfering in governnt affairs, and ask that you send Fourth Madam out of the palace." As she finished, she indeed saw the Empress’s face change, so she shifted her tone. "I also know that Your Majesty and Fourth Madam have always been on good personal terms. By coincidence, Fourth Madam is suffering the grief of losing a child and has fallen ill in bed. You keep her in the palace to look after her—that is both your personal affection for her and also Fourth Madam’s blessing."
The Empress’s expression eased as she looked at Consort Wen. "You ca just to say these things?"
"No." Consort Wen smiled and said, "I ca to ask the Empress whether, if it is inconvenient for you, I might act in your stead." After speaking she covered her mouth with a laugh, then added, "After all, I am entrusted by the Emperor to temporarily manage the harem. If anything goes wrong during this period, when the Emperor returns he will certainly bla ."
"You!" The Empress’s face changed abruptly. "How dare you. Are you using the Emperor and the Phoenix Seal to press ?"
"I wouldn’t dare." Though she said that, there was not a trace of panic on her face. "I wouldn’t dare show disrespect to Your Majesty, but I also ask that you take pity on . If sothing truly happens to Fourth Madam in the harem, when the Emperor asks, I really won’t know how to explain myself to him."
"You needn’t concern yourself with Fourth Madam’s affairs. Just be sure to hold on tight to your Phoenix Seal and don’t drop it." After speaking, she looked to Nanny Mao. "See Consort Wen out."
Nanny Mao lowered her head and answered, but from the corner of her eye she swept a look over Consort Wen. Today was already the fourth day for Fourth Madam... she hadn’t co earlier or later, yet chose to co precisely at this ti... What was she planning?
"My Lady, you must think carefully. Fourth Madam’s health has always been poor. I heard that after last year’s miscarriage she never fully recovered, and I fear she can’t withstand such tornt. I beg you to reconsider." She paused, then added, "Besides, there are so many eyes in the court watching. You, as Mother of the Nation, must not drag down our reputation." These words had already overstepped her bounds.
"You!" The Empress pointed at Consort Wen. "Very good! You rember what you said today." With that, she snatched up the teacup on the stool by the bed and hurled it at Consort Wen. "Get out."
One would have thought Consort Wen would dodge, yet she did not move at all, letting the cup fly straight at her. A cupful of hot tea and tea leaves, mixed with bright red blood, ran down from her forehead. A gleam of delight flashed in Consort Wen’s eyes; she imdiately let out a sharp cry and knelt on the floor. "My Lady, My Lady, this concubine misspoke for a mont and angered the Empress. I beg you to calm your anger; I will never dare again."
Nanny Mao stared in shock at Consort Wen’s actions, the feeling in her heart growing ever more certain.
The Empress had not expected Consort Wen to actually be hit. She was stunned for an instant, then, seeing that face of hers, felt only more disgust. She roared, "Get out!"
"My Lady, this concubine knows she was wrong. I beg you to forgive . If you do not calm your anger, I will kneel here until you do." Consort Wen still did not rise. She knelt-walked to the doorsill of the hall and, in front of all the female officials, nannies, and eunuchs in the courtyard, knelt there with her face and hair covered in tea stains and blood.
Everyone was too shocked to speak. Their first reaction was naturally that Consort Wen must have said sothing to offend the Empress, and the Empress, in a fury, had hurled a teacup at her forehead... Since falling ill, the Empress’s temper had grown more and more unpredictable. Consort Wen was, after all, a noble concubine; even in anger, such a heavy hand should not have been used.
The Empress was burning with fury, clutching her chest as she coughed without cease. The Imperial Physician rushed in, applied needles and administered dicine, and busied himself for two full hours before he just barely managed to stop the coughing. After he left, Nanny Mao ca to report, "...The Imperial Concubine is still kneeling at the door."
The Empress’s brows knit. "Let her kneel." With the Emperor away, who was she putting on this show for!
Nanny Mao’s eyes moved slightly as she glanced at the Empress. The words on her lips were swallowed back down. In silence, she carried the dicine bowl out the door.
The rumors in the palace grew ever worse.
Consort Wen knelt for a full three hours, and at last could not withstand the injury on her head and fainted. Fengwu Palace was thrown into chaos; wails filled the air as they carried Consort Wen away...
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