Lanfang stole a glance at Feng Hui, thinking that even if Consort Shu didn't intend to let her go, she still cared about her reputation and would never give anyone cause for gossip. This was the opportunity she could most likely seize at the moment.
After waiting for Lanxiang to finish her long speech, before she could kowtow and get up, Lanfang spoke up before Feng Hui could ask for the reason and convict her, trying her best to fight for a way out.
"Your Highness, I swear I did not steal anything from Lanxiang! I was on my way to the Imperial Wardrobe on the orders of the Empress Dowager and was on my way back to Changning Palace to report when I unexpectedly ran into Lanxiang here. Then I was accused of theft. I have no idea what happened."
Since Lanfang was defending herself, Feng Hui pretended to ask, "You say you didn't do it, can you prove your innocence?" Asking an innocent person to prove their innocence is not a very reasonable logic, and Lanfang's answer was not what she expected.
"Your Highness, I can attest to my innocence," Lanfang said to Feng Hui after kowtowing. In truth, she hadn't yet devised a good way to exonerate herself, but she needed to make her point out the truth first to confuse the public.
As expected, Lanfang's reply surprised both Feng Hui and Lanxiang. Feng Hui glanced impatiently at Lanxiang. Lanxiang reacted and scolded, "You're talking nonsense! The evidence is conclusive, how do you think you can deny it?!" Then she turned to Feng Hui and said angrily, "Your Highness, please don't listen to her nonsense! The item is on her person, if it wasn't her, then who else could it be?"
Lanxiang seemed furious at her casual remark, and seeing the lack of patience on Feng Hui's face... it was clear she wasn't wrong; Consort Shu was indeed not very willing to get involved in these matters. Lanfang observed Feng Hui and Lanxiang, growing increasingly calm.
"Your Highness, I can certainly attest to my innocence; there is absolutely no falsehood in my words." Lanfang repeated her words, then turned to Lanxiang and asked, "Since you say that I secretly took the jade pendant from your box yesterday, it's clear that you are very familiar with it. Then tell me, what words and flowers are engraved on this jade pendant?"
When she bowed to Consort Shu, Lanfang put the jade pendant back into her hand. She touched it secretly; the jade was warm and smooth, of excellent quality. Servants of their status rarely received very good rewards, especially special ones.
It wasn't that the white jade pendant was particularly rare, but as she touched the carved pattern on it, she wasn't entirely sure without a close look, though she could vaguely make out that it was a large flower design. If she wasn't mistaken, it was most likely not the peony commonly seen in the palace, but a hibiscus.
Lanxiang had carefully examined the jade pendant beforehand, so her answer came easily. "There's no inscription. It's carved with a hibiscus flower. Of course, I know what's rightfully mine!" She assumed Lanfang was desperate and deliberately stalling for time, which was why she asked such a question.
Seeing that Lanfang showed no fear or panic, and even smiled, Lanxiang became puzzled. Before she could figure it out, she heard Lanfang show off the jade pendant, saying, "It is indeed a hibiscus pattern. I remember this jade pendant. The Empress Dowager likes hibiscus flowers, and every year she would order someone to make a set of jewelry with hibiscus flowers. Usually, in addition to necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and hairpins, there would also be a jade pendant. If I remember correctly, this mutton-fat white jade hibiscus flower pendant should have been made the year before last."
Such items are rare for some, but not for others. Having seen many fine things before and possessing decent items themselves, even choosing a less outstanding piece might still be quite tasteful. Moreover, after several years, comparing it to more valuable items, choosing this one isn't so incomprehensible. After all, she has plenty of things she could have, so there's no need for her to find it rare.
Lanfang thought to herself for a moment, and seeing Lanxiang's surprise, she knew she had made the right bet. So she spoke again, asking, "But I don't know how such a rare item ended up in your hands?"
After hearing Lanfang's words, Lanxiang realized that she had overlooked such an important point. The item was a gift from Aunt Xue some time ago. She hadn't looked into the details of the jade pendant; she simply thought it was suitable and took it out. She never expected that Lanfang would make a fuss about it.
The panicked one became Lanxiang. Unable to reveal the origin of the item, she couldn't implicate Xue Liangyue. She became stammering, finally only managing to say, "In short, it's mine. Stealing my things is theft! You should be thrown out of the palace!"
Feng Hui sensed something was amiss, and it seemed there was something wrong with the object as well. Before she could say anything, she spotted Shen Wanru being helped towards them by Hong Ling. "Clearly unwell, yet still daring to run around like this..." Feng Hui chuckled. She hadn't been keen on it from the start, but now she didn't want to get involved in this trivial matter.
"I see you all still don't understand what's going on. Fine... There are others who are happy to take care of things in the palace. If someone really steals something, I don't need to worry about it. If it's necessary to investigate thoroughly, reporting it to the Censorate will work just fine. I'm tired, I'm going back to Yuquan Palace."
Feng Hui suddenly abandoned the matter, leaving Lanxiang dumbfounded, but she couldn't stop her. Looking further into the distance, she saw the Empress approaching, and her heart sank even further. She was anxious and didn't know what to do.
Shen Wanru walked up to them, and Feng Hui bowed to her before taking her leave. Shen Wanru glanced at the situation, expecting Feng Hui to confront her, but instead left without saying a word to stop her. She only looked at Lan Fang, and couldn't help but have some thoughts in her mind.
Feng Hui said nothing and walked away. Lan Fang knew she had escaped a calamity, so she didn't look at Lan Xiang, but said to Shen Wanru, "Please, Your Majesty, do justice for this servant!" Lan Xiang knelt beside her, dumbfounded, staring at her, unable to understand... how the situation had suddenly reversed?
·
When Xue Liangyue heard the news of Lanxiang's accident, Lü Yuan was in the inner room explaining Zhang Yu's condition to Empress Dowager Feng. Having endured several days of suffering without seeing the imperial physician and insisting on attending court to discuss state affairs, Zhang Yu finally collapsed from illness. Hearing that Lanxiang had been punished, Xue Liangyue initially thought she had misheard. After repeatedly confirming, she realized it was indeed true, and her resentment grew even stronger.
Seeing Song Shuhao escort Lü Yuan out, Xue Liangyue tried to calm her expression and was about to walk over when she heard Lü Yuan say to Ahao, "Aunt Song, since the Empress Dowager has said so, Aunt should also go to Xuanzhi Hall to confirm His Majesty's condition so that she can report back to the Empress Dowager." Her face immediately turned pale.
Chapter 46 Testing
After the imperial physician examined his pulse and left, Zhang Yu took a nap. When he woke up, he struggled to get up. He put on his clothes and sat behind the dragon desk. Zhang Yu glanced at the pile of memorials when Lü Chuan came in to report that Song Shuhao had been sent by Empress Dowager Feng to visit him at Xuanzhi Hall.
Zhang Yu didn't say anything else, only letting people in. Perhaps his throat wasn't feeling well, as his voice sounded very low and hoarse. Lu Chuan, who thought he was resting in bed, was already surprised to see him get up, yet he was still forcing himself to stay awake. At this moment, Lu Chuan didn't immediately leave, but instead offered a rare word of advice, "Your Majesty should take better care of your health."
Lu Chuan offered a word of advice, but Zhang Yu gave him a disapproving look. Knowing he had said too much, Lu Chuan remained silent and went out to inform Song Shuhao to enter the palace. Just then, he saw a palace maid bringing in the prepared medicine outside the palace. Song Shuhao was taking the tray from the maid's hands, preparing to deliver it in herself.
Lu Chuan walked up to Ahao, nodded, and said, "Aunt, please persuade His Majesty." Lu Yuan had spoken to her on the way, mostly about His Majesty's recent health, and Lu Yuan seemed quite worried. Unexpectedly, Lu Chuan also spoke up.
Ah Hao believed that His Majesty the Emperor was twenty-three years old, not a three-year-old child, so he must know his own health best. There was no reason for him to be so stubborn and refuse to seek proper treatment when his condition was so serious. If that were the case, there must be a reason for it, and it wouldn't be without cause.
Lu Chuan's words made A Hao re-examine Zhang Yu's physical discomfort in her mind. She didn't say anything special to him, but she felt... as if she was convinced that her words would be effective.
Carrying steaming hot medicine and candied fruit into the hall, Ahao bowed to Zhang Yu, who was seated behind the dragon table at the head of the hall. After he removed his formalities, Ahao placed the lacquered gilded tray in the corner of the dragon table and then retreated to the foot of the steps before explaining.
"The Empress Dowager sent me to check on His Majesty's condition. This medicine was just brewed and brought to the palace gates. I happened to see it and brought it in. Your Majesty, please drink it while it's hot."
Feeling dizzy and listless, and knowing that Song Shuhao was just doing her job and there was nothing else to it, and that he wouldn't look good while he was sick, Zhang Yu simply intended to say a few perfunctory words and let her leave. But when he looked up, Song Shuhao was staring at him with bright, moist eyes, and Zhang Yu was puzzled.
"Is there anything else?" Zhang Yu asked casually, but Song Shuhao hesitated and tentatively asked him, "Should I wait until His Majesty finishes his medicine before I leave?" Zhang Yu glanced at the medicine bowl but did not move.
Like Lü Chuan, Ahao thought Zhang Yu should be resting in bed at this time, but she didn't expect him to want to work despite his illness. If she didn't quite understand why Lü Yuan was worried before, she now completely understood.
She wondered why he was working so hard; he looked really unwell, and yet he seemed determined to make things difficult for her. Ah Hao thought to herself that she was now half-dependent on this man, and there were still so many things she needed to rely on him for. Both Eunuch Yuan and Eunuch Chuan thought her words were effective, and she wanted to know if they truly mattered. Trying to gauge the Emperor's temperament further would make it easier to please him in the future, which wouldn't be a bad thing for her.
Therefore, even though Zhang Yu only said "No need," Ahao did not back down. While pondering, Ahao still looked at him and asked, seemingly out of context, "Is His Majesty in a bad mood?"
At this moment, Song Shuhao's initiative to show concern for him was undoubtedly abnormal in Zhang Yu's eyes. It wouldn't have been difficult for him to directly refute Ahao's words and order her to leave, but Zhang Yu seemed to be deliberately indulging her, saying, "No."
"This morning, when His Highness Prince Ning went to Changning Palace to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager, he seemed to be in a very good mood. In the past few days, His Majesty and His Highness Prince Ning have not had time to visit the Empress Dowager at Changning Palace, presumably because they have been busy."
"I saw that His Highness Prince Ning was in a good mood and had been talking with the Empress Dowager for a long time. I thought that His Majesty had finally found some free time after all the busy work. I was thinking that His Majesty should also be able to rest well. I did not expect to learn that His Majesty was ill. Now that I see His Majesty with a stern face, I thought that His Majesty was in a bad mood."
Ah Hao launched into a long speech, but Zhang Yu remained unmoved and expressionless, only watching her. She wasn't about to give up; since Zhang Yu remained silent, Ah Hao hesitated and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, could it be... that you're afraid of the bitterness and refuse to drink the medicine?" She quickly lowered her eyes, seemingly unable to bear looking at Zhang Yu's expression.
Although he had never liked taking medicine since childhood, and in his previous life he was tired of having to drink herbal decoctions like tea from time to time, Zhang Yu was ultimately speechless at Song Shuhao's words. No matter what, he wouldn't refuse to take medicine because he was afraid of the bitterness... Wasn't that just a child's way of being unreasonable?
"You're overthinking it," Zhang Yu said irritably, then reached for the medicine bowl and drank the soup in one gulp without even flinching, looking incredibly pleased. Seeing this, Song Shuhao laughed, as if her scheme had succeeded, her tone cheerful, "Your Majesty has finally drunk your medicine." She added, "Isn't it bitter? Would Your Majesty like some candied fruit to get rid of the bitterness?"
The more he felt she was teasing him, the more, before he could even speak, his throat suddenly itched, and Zhang Yu couldn't help but cough. Once he started, it seemed he couldn't stop, and the coughing became more and more severe. Seeing that he was in pain, A-Hao took the liberty of going over and pouring Zhang Yu a cup of hot tea, which she handed to him.
Zhang Yu didn't take it, but pushed it away. Ah Hao had no choice but to put down his teacup, but he coughed even more violently. Perhaps because he had choked on his own words, Ah Hao couldn't remain indifferent, so he reached out and gently patted Zhang Yu's back to help him catch his breath, just like he would care for Empress Dowager Feng.
After a while, his cough gradually subsided. Once Zhang Yu stopped coughing, Ahao directly brought the teacup to his lips. Zhang Yu didn't push it away again, and drank half a cup of tea as Ahao did, feeling much better. Reaching out to grab Ahao's wrist to stop her, Zhang Yu said, "You can go back and report now."
Zhang Yu's palms were burning hot from his illness, and A-Hao could feel it even with the slightest skin-to-skin contact. She put aside her earlier somewhat frivolous thoughts and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, are you really not going to rest? You still have a fever; how can you possibly push yourself like this?"
Song Shuhao reached out to test the temperature of his forehead, and Zhang Yu tried to avoid it but didn't. Her soft, slightly cool hand landed on his forehead, and in the next instant, Zhang Yu reached out and restrained Song Shuhao's free hand as well. For a moment, the two were quite close and in an awkward position, but even then, Zhang Yu's strength was undoubtedly much greater than Shuhao's, and her struggle ended in failure.
"Don't meddle in things that don't concern you," Zhang Yu said, frowning. It was both a warning and an admonition.