Путешествие безумки по династии Сун

Глава 78

"Where is the Second Prince? Did he go to see the Emperor tonight?"

"Your Majesty! The Second Prince visited His Majesty during the day. However, I don't know why he argued with His Majesty. After being scolded by His Majesty, he stormed off."

"What did you say? He's talking back to the Emperor at a time like this?" the Imperial Concubine asked incredulously.

"Yes, this servant would not dare to lie," the young palace maid replied in a trembling voice.

"This prince, I really don't know what he's thinking? Even at a time like this, he still angers the Emperor," the Imperial Concubine muttered helplessly to herself. After a moment, she said again, extremely impatiently:

"What excuse did you use to get out? Why aren't you getting back to work?"

"This servant is on His Majesty's orders to collect dewdrops from autumn chrysanthemums for the Empress in the Chrysanthemum Garden. If Your Majesty has no further instructions, this servant will take her leave!"

No sooner had the palace maid finished speaking than the Imperial Concubine's angry and sour scream rang out: "Empress, Empress! His heart is only for that old and ugly woman!"

Then, she heard the imperial concubine buzzing and instructing the palace maid. Even with her inner strength, Leng Jie couldn't make out what she was saying. But judging from her tone, it was most likely some kind of conspiracy.

Leng Jie suddenly changed her mind and decided to follow the palace maid to see if she could find an opportunity to see Qingfeng first. About ten minutes later, the palace maid finally emerged carrying a lantern. Leng Jie followed her to a garden filled with all sorts of precious chrysanthemums. She saw the palace maid stand dumbfounded before eight vibrantly blooming chrysanthemums, her brow furrowed.

Leng Jie couldn't help but chuckle. She thought to herself, "That old emperor really doesn't know the seasons! It's late autumn now, only frost, where's the dew?" Leng Jie once again experienced how difficult it was to serve an emperor. Fortunately, her husband was an exception.

Leng Jie seemed unaware that she had unknowingly come to regard Xuanyuan as her own family.

Seeing the palace maid standing there, unsure what to do, Leng Jie lost patience and decided to stop wasting time with her. She gracefully landed behind the maid and, before she could react, struck her pressure point, rendering her unconscious. She then dragged the maid to a shaded area, quickly stripped her of her clothes, and put them on herself. She then tossed the maid into a small tool shed by the garden. Next, she scooped a small bowl of water from a stone trough in front of the shed, intending it as flower dew, and went to report to the emperor.

Then, carrying a lantern and some dew, she swaggered into the palace, a place so impenetrable even a fly couldn't get in. But once inside, she was stumped. To her surprise, the palace was still heavily guarded. And now, as the emperor's personal maid, if they discovered she had gone to the wrong place, wouldn't that be suicide?

Leng Jie slowed her pace, her sharp, eagle-like eyes quickly scanning the palace layout. Without hesitation, she walked towards the room with the most guards standing at the entrance. She was immediately stopped by a long spear at the door. Then, a guard's emotionless voice rang out.

"Come out of the Wei Palace!"

Leng Jie's first thought was that the guards here were of good quality. Then she took out the palace maid's waist token from her person and handed it over. The guard carefully examined the token, then handed it back to her, saying:

"Go in!"

Leng Jie calmly entered the palace. To find Qingfeng, she first needed to find where they were brewing medicine; luckily, she was carrying a food box. Seeing a young eunuch also carrying a food box, she immediately chased after him and called out:

"Please wait, young master."

The young eunuch turned around abruptly and saw a senior palace maid calling him. He was startled and, trembling, bowed respectfully:

"Xiaomai greets elder sister! Elder sister, is there something you need from me?"

Leng Jie could already see fear in the eunuch's eyes. It seemed her status was quite high. She seized the opportunity, adopting an arrogant demeanor, and said haughtily, "Do you know where the First Prince is right now?"

Seeing that the palace maid wasn't there to cause him trouble, but rather to ask him something, the young eunuch immediately and cautiously replied:

"Reporting to Sister, the First Prince is currently in the Emperor's palace treating the Emperor's poison. I just came out from there."

There are three long corridors, each leading in one direction. How was she supposed to know which way to the emperor's bedchamber? Leng Jie suddenly blinked and asked emotionlessly:

"Really? Where are you going now?"

"I need to go back to the Imperial Kitchen!" Xiaomaizi replied honestly.

Leng Jie knew that the principle of "a higher rank can crush you" applied everywhere. Without room for argument, Leng Jie gave the order:

"Then you should take this flower dew to the First Prince first! He's been asking for it!"

As he spoke, he handed over the food box he was holding.

The young eunuch dared not resist and reached out to take it. He nodded and replied, "Yes, I'll go right away." Then he walked towards the corridor on the right.

Finally knowing the direction, Leng Jie couldn't help but smile. She quickly caught up and took the food box without a word.

"Never mind, it's safer for me to deliver it myself."

Chapter 110 Goodbye Qingfeng

Carrying the food box, Leng Jie walked with the small, delicate steps befitting a palace maid, along the right-hand corridor towards the emperor's bedchamber. After walking about a hundred or two meters, she finally saw a palace gate guarded by two eunuchs. Leng Jie lowered her head and walked past it.

"Sister Yanzhi, you're back so soon!" a eunuch greeted her.

Ah, so that palace maid's name was Yanzhi.

Leng Jie gave a curt "Mm!" and hurriedly entered the palace gates. Once inside, she began to confidently survey the Northern Feng Emperor's bedchamber. The furnishings were completely different from those of the Jinghe Palace, yet equally luxurious and grand—in fact, even more extravagant! The furniture was based on deep red sandalwood, complemented by transparent glass decorations. It seemed to have a very futuristic style. The bright jade floor shone brightly.

A golden curtain separated the room from the inner chamber. Through the curtain, a tall, familiar figure could be vaguely seen. Finally, her efforts had paid off! Leng Jie smiled gently, deciding to give Qingfeng a surprise! She imitated the palace maid's voice and announced to the inside:

"Your Majesty! I have brought the chrysanthemum dew that Her Majesty requested. Shall we give it to Her Majesty now?"

A rough, weak voice came from behind the bed:

"Is it tobacco? Take it to Her Majesty!"

"Yes! This servant obeys!" Leng Jie replied obsequiously.

As she expected, her voice had barely faded when a cold, emotionless questioning voice came from Qingfeng.

"Wait! What did you just say you stepped on?"

Leng Jie suppressed a laugh and replied:

"Your Highness, I was referring to chrysanthemum dew!"

"What an insolent girl! It's late autumn, and even the frost and mist don't appear until dawn. Now it's the dead of night, where did you get this dew from?" Qingfeng questioned sharply.

These words, seemingly a direct insult to the palace maid, were actually a veiled remark to the emperor, revealing the true meaning behind the situation. "Heh, after all these years, Qingfeng is still as amusing as ever." Leng Jie resumed her sweet voice, replying with a smile:

"Hehe! His Majesty has spoken with his golden words and decrees that the Chrysanthemum Fairy should be granted dew. How dare the Chrysanthemum Fairy disobey?" As soon as Leng Jie finished speaking, two excited voices came from inside at the same time.

"Who are you?" a rough, hoarse voice demanded sharply.

"Xiao Jie?" The clear voice trembled slightly with disbelief and excitement.

Leng Jie lifted the curtain, revealing a charming smile to Qingfeng, who stood stunned by the bedside. She jokingly said:

"Senior brother! It's really not easy to see you!"

Qingfeng was stunned into silence, speechless and frozen in place as if in a dream!

Leng Jie then curtsied to the middle-aged man on the bed, whose face was dark purple and whose cold eyes were wide open, filled with both surprise and anger. As she greeted him, she introduced herself:

"Greetings, Your Majesty! I am Qingfeng's junior sister. I have come to Beifeng to visit my senior brother on the orders of my master! I was just trying to play a harmless little joke on him earlier, please forgive me, Uncle!"

At this moment, Qingfeng, who had been in a daze, finally came to his senses. He jumped up and rushed towards Leng Jie with great joy, pulling her into his arms. He held her tightly, refusing to let go for a long time. Leng Jie tried to push him away, but found she couldn't. So she simply hugged him back, half-jokingly saying:

"Senior brother, it's been three years. You've gotten thinner instead of gaining weight! Are you having trouble adjusting to life in Beifeng?"

Only then did Qingfeng release her, carefully examining her from head to toe. Seeing his serious expression, Leng Jie suddenly spread her arms and spun around in a circle. She winked at him playfully and asked:

"How is it? Don't you think your junior sister has grown quite a bit taller?"

Qingfeng unconsciously raised his hand and gently stroked Lengjie's head, sincerely praising her:

"Yes! It's been three years, and Xiaojie has indeed grown taller and become even more beautiful! But why are you here?"

"Didn't I just say? It was Master who sent me to see you," Leng Jie replied with a smile.

"Cough! Cough!" Unwilling to be ignored, the emperor finally couldn't help but cough. After attracting the attention of the two men, he turned to Qingfeng and said in a fawning tone:

"My son! Your junior sister is so adorable!"

Then, his tone shifted abruptly, revealing an imposing and authoritative aura.

"But how did you get in here?"

Leng Jie couldn't help but think how different the treatment was! She looked up at Qingfeng, hoping he could help explain.

Qingfeng glanced coldly at his father, clearly ignoring his emperor father's expectant gaze. He then turned his burning gaze back to Leng Jie, asking with concern:

"When did you arrive in the capital? Why didn't you send me a letter first so I could come and pick you up?"

This was, after all, someone else's territory, and Leng Jie didn't want to be blacklisted by the emperor the moment she arrived. Leng Jie didn't answer Qingfeng's question, but tugged at his sleeve and shook it, then gestured with her eyes for him to answer the emperor's question. However, it seemed their father-son relationship hadn't improved in the past three years. Qingfeng seemed determined to completely ignore his father. Seeing this, Leng Jie could only helplessly turn to meet the emperor's slightly angry gaze, and said with an awkward smile:

"Hehe, I'm glad Uncle doesn't blame me for being rude. I couldn't get into the palace, so I had to sneak in at night. But the guards here are just too tight. I had no choice but to borrow the clothes of the palace maid you sent to collect chrysanthemum dew." As she spoke, she suddenly asked seriously:

"Judging from your uncle's complexion, there seem to be signs of poisoning?"

"You sneaked into the palace at night? And you even know medicine?" the emperor asked in surprise.

The emperor's overreaction was understandable, given that the women of Beifeng adhered to the principle that a woman's virtue lay in her lack of talent. Therefore, their primary roles, besides bearing children and warming men's beds, were to work like slaves.

He was astonished to learn that this beautiful girl could not only easily enter his palace through heavy guards, but also spot a poison that even his imperial physicians couldn't detect.

"Haha, Uncle, you're joking. How could the Divine Physician's junior sister not know medicine?" Leng Jie was unaware of these matters in Beifeng Kingdom, and she found the Emperor's surprise somewhat inexplicable. She replied with a smile. Only after speaking did she notice the Emperor's embarrassment and quickly changed the subject:

"Uncle, you wouldn't mind if Xiaojie performed a dragon vein test for you, would you?"

The emperor immediately appreciated the young girl's understanding and, with a smile on his face, magnanimously replied:

"How could I possibly refuse the personal pulse diagnosis of my junior sister, a renowned physician?"

Leng Jie was about to reach out to grab the emperor's wrist when Qingfeng suddenly blocked her way.

"Xiao Jie, you don't need to worry about things here. Come on, let's go to my Qingfeng Palace." With that, Qingfeng grabbed Leng Jie's hand and headed out without another word. Leng Jie helplessly turned back to look at the forlorn emperor on the dragon bed. She smiled apologetically at him and said:

"It seems that Senior Brother is still not confident in Xiao Jie's medical skills, but since Senior Brother is here, Uncle, please rest assured and recover! Xiao Jie will take her leave!"

The emperor smiled knowingly and replied weakly, "You must be tired from your journey! Go and rest!"

Leng Jie wanted to say something more, but Qing Feng had already pulled her out of the emperor's bedroom.

Like Qingfeng Residence, Qingfeng Hall is filled with the fragrant aroma of herbs and flowers as soon as one steps inside. Leng Jie couldn't help but blurt out:

"Senior brother, it seems your role as a prince is not much different from that of an imperial physician?"

Upon entering his place, the gentle breeze naturally slowed its pace. With a helpless tone, it replied dejectedly:

"I never wanted to be a prince."

Leng Jie sensed that he seemed even less happy here than he had been at Jinghe Palace. So she spoke up to comfort him:

"Senior brother! They are, after all, your biological parents. Don't hold a grudge anymore! Didn't Master say that he insisted on taking you away? You wouldn't blame Master too, would you?"

“No, Xiaojie, I don’t blame Master at all. On the contrary, I’m very grateful to Master for taking me away. You’re new here and there are some things you don’t understand. Let me take you to get something to eat first. Then you should rest well. We’ll talk again tomorrow.” After Qingfeng finished speaking, he asked, “Xiaojie, did you come alone?”

"Oh no! Ying is still waiting for me over there!" Reminded by Qingfeng, Leng Jie finally remembered Ying. She quickly said to Qingfeng:

"Senior brother, I'll go find Ying first. I'm relieved to know you're alright. I'll come find you again tomorrow." The voice still echoed in the air when the figure vanished into the night.

Without a second thought, Qingfeng flew off and chased after him.

Leng Jie quickly returned to the place where she had agreed to meet Ying, and saw Ying anxiously waiting there from afar. She flew to Ying's side and hurriedly apologized: