Chapter 52:

Layue’s illness lasted for over ten days without any sign of improvement, which enraged Emperor Jing to the point of scolding the imperial physicians mercilessly.

There were plenty of spectators within the palace eager to watch the commotion unfold.

Everyone secretly wished that she would never recover.

However, all of this did not affect Layue’s daily life; she continued to remain secluded in her quarters for rest and recuperation.

Jinxin entered with a bowl of herbal medicine. Although Layue had not fully recovered, she was noticeably better than she had been a few days prior.

“It’s time to take your medicine, my lady.” Layue stared at the bowl, then looked up at Jinxin, who understood her meaning immediately. She walked over to a potted plant and tilted the bowl, pouring the medicine into the soil.

“Jinxin, get me some preserved fruits. The medicine tastes too bitter.” Layue wrinkled her face, seemingly having truly drunk the medicine, though her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Jinxin set the bowl down and watched Layue sit on the heated brick bed eating preserved fruits, as if nothing had happened.

After a while, Jinxin spoke in a hushed tone, “My lady, you really shouldn’t keep refusing to take the medicine. If you don’t, how can you recover?”

Layue smiled cheerfully, “If I don’t recover, the Emperor will investigate the Imperial Medical Bureau. We don’t need to do anything ourselves. Just wait for the Emperor to find out who doesn’t want me to get well.”

Jinxin looked worried, “But this can’t go on either. We don’t even know when the Emperor will figure it out.”

There was a hint of complaint in her tone.

Layue rearranged a few pieces of pastries into a decorative pattern, clearly enjoying herself, “It won’t be more than a day or two. Don’t you think, if I haven’t recovered despite taking medicine for so long, the Emperor will start to suspect something?”

“Do you think Imperial Physician Zhu is involved?”

Layue shook her head, “Not necessarily. If someone secretly added something to his medicine, he might not even know. We don’t need to think too much about it. Just leave everything to the Emperor. After all, I’m the patient, and I shouldn’t be overthinking things.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Go tell the palace kitchen to prepare some seafood porridge for me,” Layue ordered.

Qiaoning’s cooking was truly excellent, not only skillful but also perfectly to Layue’s taste.

Satisfied, Layue set down the empty bowl.

Qiaoning waited nearby, and seeing that her mistress enjoyed her cooking, a smile appeared on her face.

“Who taught you to cook like this?”

“Reporting to my lady, before I entered the palace, I was a chef at a restaurant.”

Upon hearing this, Layue showed no surprise, while Jinxin gave Qiaoning an extra glance, though even so, she did not show too much on her face.

“A chef from Fugui Lou, no wonder your cooking is so good,” Layue remarked with a faint smile.

At this, Qiaoning showed no surprise either, “The manager sent me to greet you.”

Layue took out a handkerchief and giggled, “How is my uncle?”

“He is doing well. The manager instructed me to deliver this to my lady.”

Qiaoning took off a hairpin from her head, unscrewed it, and pulled out several thin slips of paper. Then she reinserted the hairpin back into her hair.

Jinxin took the slips and handed them to Layue—it turned out to be banknotes.

“Does he have any message for me?” Layue asked with a smile.

Qiaoning replied, “The manager said that he will keep an eye on Master Shen and Miss Shen. He also told me to remind you to be cautious inside the palace and that I am at your service whenever needed.”

Layue nodded. This was indeed her uncle’s style—written letters were always unsafe. He wouldn’t have arranged for Qiaoning to enter the palace unless he trusted her completely. And indeed, what could be safer than verbal communication?

Besides, she knew that if there was anyone in the palace she could trust as much as Jinxin, it would be this Qiaoning.

Only now did Jinxin realize that her mistress had already seen through Qiaoning’s identity. Yet she was still puzzled—how had Layue figured out Qiaoning’s background?

“Tell my uncle I don’t need the money. He doesn’t need to send any more. In the palace, if I need anything, I can always ask my man for it. As for other matters, I won’t hesitate to ask for help.”

Layue said seriously.

“Yes, my lady.”

After a pause, Qiaoning spoke up, “My lady, since your illness has lingered for so long, I suspect someone might be scheming against you. I have some knowledge of medicine—may I examine you?”

Layue extended her arm, “How can I recover if I don’t take the medicine?”

Qiaoning stepped forward to check her pulse. After a while, she frowned.

“It seems you caught a chill, and although there has been some improvement, you haven’t fully recovered. If you keep refusing to take medicine, it will only harm your health further,” Qiaoning said with concern.

Layue naturally knew all this.

“It doesn’t matter. It won’t be more than a day or two,” Layue said, wearing a deep blue brocade robe, her face pale but her smile delicate.

Qiaoning hesitated, then remained silent.

After finishing her task, she slightly bowed and turned to leave, but paused at the door, unable to resist saying, “If the Emperor hasn’t discovered this matter within two days, please allow me to treat you. This cannot be postponed any longer.”

Although it was bold of her, Layue was not angry. She simply replied gently, “Go on.”

After Qiaoning left, Jinxin spoke, “My lady, what Qiaoning said makes sense. We shouldn’t risk our health for an unseen enemy. If this time doesn’t work out, there will be other opportunities. Why push yourself so hard?”

She truly cared about Layue’s well-being.

“I won’t make a mistake. Don’t worry,” Layue waved her off, unwilling to talk more. The Emperor must have noticed something by now. She just needed to wait patiently.

“My lady,” Jinxin stamped her foot.

“If tomorrow the Emperor still hasn’t thoroughly investigated the matter, even if it means charging me with disrespect, I will insist on calling Qiaoning to treat you.”

Layue thought for a moment, “Then bring me some dried mangoes again.”

Jinxin frowned, “My lady…”

“You said you were worried, right? Then let’s make the Emperor take a stand earlier.”

Jinxin disagreed, “I think this is unwise. Everyone knows you are allergic to certain flowers. If you suddenly develop a rash similar to before, people will suspect something. Besides, you are already ill—how can you afford to get worse? I absolutely disagree.”

“Who’s to say that if there’s something wrong with the medicine, I wouldn’t react? I can explain it myself.”

“This won’t happen, my lady. I won’t give you the dried mangoes. You must not risk your health for schemes,” Jinxin, unusually firm.

Seeing her pouting like a dumpling, Layue couldn’t help but laugh, “Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you. Look at your face, all wrinkled up.”

Though Jinxin was older than Layue, their relationship was not so formal inside. Layue treated Jinxin like a young lady, and Jinxin treated Layue the same.

“No matter how high you rise or how favored you become, you will always be the young lady I watched grow up. I’m older than you, and when we left the Shen household, the old lady specifically instructed me to watch over you and prevent you from acting recklessly.”

Jinxin spoke solemnly.

Layue was touched and nodded, “If the Emperor still hasn’t investigated the Imperial Physicians tomorrow, go fetch Imperial Physician Wan for me. No need to call Qiaoning.”

Seeing Layue’s compromise, Jinxin was delighted and nodded with a beaming smile.

Indeed, how could the Emperor not suspect something if Layue remained unwell for over ten days?

“Laixi, summon the secret agents from Tingyu Pavilion. I have something to ask.”

In no time, a maid silently entered the hall.

“What’s going on with Chunpin’s illness?” Without looking up, the Emperor asked while reviewing official documents.

“Chunpin has been taking her medicine on time every day, but she has shown no signs of improvement. Our agents inspected the medicine and found nothing major, though we are not physicians and may have missed some subtleties.”

The Emperor snorted, “You suspect someone tampered with the medicine?”

“Yes.”

“Leave.”

Watching the figure disappear, Emperor Jing turned to Laixi, “Go and find out the truth. Do they think that now that I’ve started favoring her, they can scheme against her one after another? Do they not respect her or me?”

Laixi’s heart trembled, realizing this had touched the Emperor’s sore spot. Recently, the Emperor had shown favor to Chunpin, yet she was constantly being targeted. This made the Emperor feel as if his authority was being undermined.

It seemed that Chunpin was indeed a woman of fortune—plot after plot was set against her, and though she might have luck on her side, she might not always escape unscathed.

Now that they were investigating, this matter would certainly not end quietly.

Perhaps Chunpin herself would never even know how this matter was resolved and disappeared into oblivion.

Sometimes, people really couldn’t escape their fate.

Laixi, the chief eunuch, could investigate anything within the palace efficiently. Soon, the results were placed on Emperor Jing’s desk. Looking at the densely written report, the Emperor sneered.

The Consort De was becoming increasingly audacious. Previously, Consort Xian had balanced her power, but with Consort Xian’s noble background and arrogant nature, Consort De had to appear gentle and kind. Now that she was the only one among the four consorts remaining, she must have felt superior and secretly started cultivating her own influence.

Thinking back to the recent incidents, many of them pointed toward her. The perfume given to Shen Layue had been drugged, and although the investigation had pointed to Consort Xian, Consort De could very well be involved. Also, regarding the foreign incense from the Western Regions, she had been in charge of the palace search, and whether the incense had fallen into her hands remained unknown.

The secret agents would not make accusations without evidence, but the report listed numerous instances of her scheming against others.

He could tolerate one or two transgressions, but not three or four.

With a sneer, he called out, “Laixi.”

“At your service, Your Majesty.”

“Replace the imperial physician at the Imperial Medical Bureau and have them properly treat Chunpin. I want to see her recover fully. As for Imperial Physician Zhu…” Emperor Jing paused.

“I have no need for physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau who serve others. What if one day I fall ill and they conspire with the concubines against me?”

Upon hearing this, Laixi immediately understood—the man could not only not be kept alive, but others must also know the reason for his death.

Putting down the report, Emperor Jing glanced at the weather outside, “Tonight, summon Concubine Qi to attend me in bed.”