As the New Year approached, the palace was adorned with colorful lights, and the jade pillars shimmered, presenting an atmosphere of tranquility. However, the atmosphere in the Empress Dowager’s sleeping chamber was starkly different. The air was filled with sobbing, occasionally interspersed with sighs. Palace maids, their faces filled with fear, knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly. The imperial physician sat outside the crimson canopy, his expression grave, examining the Empress Dowager’s pulse. Beside him stood the Emperor, his brow furrowed with concern. All eyes were focused on the figure lying inside the canopy, her face flushed but unconscious.
Moments ago, she had gazed at Yuánxī with smiles, but now her eyes were tightly shut, uncertain when they would open again. Yuánxī had no time to lament. Her greatest concern at the moment was the safety of herself and the princess.
They were the only outsiders to enter the palace early in the morning, just before the Empress Dowager fainted. At that time, only the princess remained in the hall. What had happened between the Empress Dowager and the princess when she fainted? What was the sound of the slap about? And why did the Empress Dowager suddenly collapse? These questions swirled in Yuánxī’s mind. If the Empress Dowager could wake up, it would be fine, but if not… Yuánxī’s heart raced, unable to entertain the thought.
The sobbing around her gave her a headache. She discreetly scanned the crowd and spotted the princess, who was as pale as a sheet, clutching the brocade handkerchief so tightly it seemed it might tear. After her departure, what had transpired between the Empress Dowager and the princess? And what was the sound of the slap? Yuánxī couldn’t recall ever hearing about the Empress Dowager’s allergy to orchids. This morning, she had entrusted Li Māmā and Ān Hé to take care of all her attire and makeup. Her mind was in chaos, unable to discern whether she had worn anything related to orchids. But she distinctly remembered the Empress Dowager touching her hair during their conversation, a sign of affection.
At this moment, the imperial physician finished examining the Empress Dowager’s pulse and carefully inspected the red rash on her wrist. He frowned and said, “Her symptoms appear to be indicative of orchid poisoning.”
The Emperor was taken aback, then erupted in anger, roaring at those around him, “Who brought orchids in here? Knowing that the Empress Dowager is allergic to orchids! Who dared to bring them in!”
The palace maids knelt on the ground, their tear-filled eyes meeting each other’s. At this moment, one of them stepped forward, crying, “The instructing nanny repeatedly reminded us that the Empress Dowager would fall seriously ill if she came into contact with orchids. So we have always been extremely careful and would never bring orchids in. But today, Princess Ruì’ān entered the palace with the Marchioness of Xuānyuán. Due to the princess’s noble status, we didn’t inquire further. It was our fault, and we deserve death.”
The Emperor’s anger had not subsided. His gaze shifted to Yuánxī and the princess. It was only now that the princess regained her composure and stepped forward, saying, “In the year of Xīnyǒu, the Empress Dowager suddenly fainted for several days without waking up. The imperial physicians searched through the medical records and tried many methods before discovering that it was caused by smelling the orchids in the room. Since then, the Empress Dowager has never allowed orchids near her. Although I am getting older, my memory is still sharp. How could I have worn accessories with orchids to the Chánglè Palace?”
Her words were articulate, but Yuánxī felt her body weaken. She had never heard about the Empress Dowager’s allergy to orchids. This morning, she had left all her attire and makeup to Li Māmā and Ān Hé. Her mind was in chaos, unable to discern whether she had worn anything related to orchids. But she distinctly remembered the Empress Dowager touching her hair during their conversation, a sign of affection.
At this point, the Emperor sighed heavily and turned to the imperial physician, saying, “How serious is Empress Dowager’s illness this time, and when will she wake up?”
The physician wore a troubled expression and said, “The illness is not too severe, but I dare not guarantee when she will wake up.”
With a loud bang, the Emperor slammed the writing materials off the table. He glared fiercely at the physician and snapped, “You, as the head of the Imperial Hospital, don’t even know when the patient will wake up. What use are you?” Then he cast a cold glance at the trembling crowd in the room and called out, “Liú Ān, investigate thoroughly. I want to know who brought the orchids in. I want to see who dares to harm the Empress Dowager under my nose.” After speaking, he sat back in his chair, his anger still palpable, determined to get to the bottom of things tonight.
Liú Ān had been the chief eunuch on the Emperor’s side for many years. He knew that although the Emperor was usually gentle and kind, he was extremely filial. The Empress Dowager’s collapse had truly touched a nerve. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly bowed to receive the order. Then he summoned several senior nannies, instructing them to search every corner of the room and everyone present. Because the Emperor had given the order, both the princess and Yuánxī were included in the investigation.
After a flurry of activity, one of the nannies approached Yuánxī, hesitated for a moment, then turned to kneel before Emperor Zhàoyǎn, saying, “Your Majesty, it seems that the Marchioness of Xuānyuán has applied orchid-scented oil to her hair…”
With this utterance, not only did Yuanxi step back in astonishment, but even the emperor furrowed his brow, fixing his suspicious gaze firmly on her. The kneeling palace maids breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, yet the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense. Finally, the emperor withdrew his skeptical gaze and instructed the royal physician, “Go and check whether the Marquis of Xuanyuan’s wife did indeed apply orchid oil to her hair. Determine if this caused the empress dowager to faint.”
The physician wiped his sweat and stood up, walking over to Yuanxi with a gentle tone, “Madam, please don’t blame me. For the empress dowager’s well-being, I had to take liberties. Please allow me to take a look.”
Yuanxi felt bewildered, pulling out a strand of hair and placing it in the physician’s hand. He sniffed it and then wiped a piece of cloth on the empress dowager’s hand, comparing the scents. Finally, he knelt before the emperor once more and said, “If I’m not mistaken, the Marquis of Xuanyuan’s wife did indeed apply orchid oil to her hair. The scent transferred to the empress dowager’s hand, possibly when she accidentally brought it close to her nose, causing this poisoning.”
At this moment, Yuanxi regained some clarity and hastily grasped her trembling hands, kneeling straight before the emperor, “Your Majesty, please forgive me for unknowingly offending the empress dowager by applying orchid oil. I beg for your forgiveness!”
The princess, with a terrified expression, quickly knelt beside her, pleading, “I also share the blame. I failed to remind her. If Your Majesty decides to punish, please punish me along with her!”
Emperor Zhaoyan gazed at the two of them, his face inscrutable. After a long pause, he spoke coldly, “Though it was an unintentional mistake, it concerns the empress dowager’s well-being. I cannot release you lightly. Therefore, I ask my aunt and the Marquis’s wife to remain in the palace temporarily until the empress dowager awakens, then we will decide.”
Yuanxi suddenly lifted her head, feeling a buzzing in her ears. She could never have imagined encountering such an incident upon entering the palace. With both her and the princess effectively confined within the palace, the future was unpredictable.
Outside the window, as night fell, the lanterns under the eaves of the Marquis’s Mansion swayed in the wind. A male servant dressed as a courtier was hurriedly led in through the main gate, weaving through several courtyards and entering the brightly lit flower hall.
Inside the flower hall, Xiaodu listened to the message, then stood up in shock, asking, “What? You mean the princess and the Marquis’s wife will have to stay in the palace for several days? Why? What happened in the palace?”
The servant wore a hesitant smile and said, “His Majesty only sent me to deliver the message to His Highness. I know nothing else.”
Xiaodu’s eyes flared with impatience, unable to contain his frustration. He stepped forward, intimidating the servant, who remembered the rumors about Xiaodu and paled in fear, stammering, “I’m only a messenger, I truly don’t know anything else. Please don’t trouble me, Your Highness!”
Though Xiaodu wanted to press further, he knew it would be futile. He sat back down, waving his hand irritably, “Leave!”
The servant departed hastily, relieved as if granted a reprieve. Xiaodu remained seated in the hall for a long time, his mind filled with countless thoughts, yet his heart remained turbulent. Eventually, he summoned a guard and whispered, “Go to the Hanlin Mansion and invite him to our usual meeting place.”
The guard obeyed and left. Xiaodu turned his gaze to the darkening sky, clenching his fists tightly, silently praying, “Mother, Xia’er, you must be safe!”
Meanwhile, under the glazed tiles of the imperial palace, Yuanxi and the princess were led into the Fuye Pavilion in the Yikun Palace to rest.
Yuanxi numbly followed the palace maids into the inner chamber, lifting her eyes to see a room adorned with exquisite jewels and brightly lit by lamps. Yet her gaze lingered on the vigilant guards at the door. As the door gradually closed, Yuanxi lowered her head, feeling a chill in her heart.
The emperor had specifically arranged for her and the princess to stay together, perhaps for the convenience of guard supervision. Yuanxi discreetly slipped some silver, dismissing the palace maids who attended to her, intending to inquire about the situation in the hall. However, the princess shot her a furious glare, saying, “You know that entering the palace requires utmost caution. Why didn’t you ask me?”
Yuanxi opened her mouth to speak but ultimately bowed her head in silence. At this point, assigning blame was futile. They needed to find a way to leave the palace as soon as possible.
After the princess’s anger subsided, Yuanxi spoke softly, “Could you please tell me what happened in the hall after I left?”
The princess’s face stiffened, and she suddenly glared at Yuanxi, “Why do you ask? Are you suspecting me?”
Yuanxi quickly shook her head, “I just feel that the empress dowager’s illness is suspicious. We are both at the mercy of His Majesty’s decision, and I just want to know all the details of the incident to prepare for any eventuality.”
The princess stared at her for a long moment before turning away slowly, saying, “After you left, the empress dowager and I had a private conversation. It’s not appropriate for me to tell you everything. Later, she became cheerful, covering her mouth and laughing for a while, then suddenly fainted.”
She didn’t mention the slap incident. Though Yuanxi understood the princess wouldn’t reveal everything, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed. According to the princess’s account, the empress dowager likely fainted due to accidentally smelling the orchid oil on her head. There was no escaping the accusation of harming the empress dowager.
The bright palace lamps swayed continuously, making Yuanxi feel dizzy. She pinched her nails to stay alert, but her heart began to fill with fear and helplessness. When she finally came to her senses, the princess had already called in palace servants to tidy up the bedding and extinguish the lights, preparing to rest.
Yuanxi stared blankly for a moment before sighing and stepping back into her room. Yet as darkness enveloped her surroundings, she keenly felt trapped within the palace walls. Perhaps she would never see Xiaodu again. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t fall asleep, only hearing the dripping of the water clock in the room, struggling to mask the sorrow in her heart.
As she lay in a daze, tossing and turning, she suddenly noticed a figure standing before the dim curtains. She rubbed her eyes to confirm she wasn’t dreaming, but before she could shout, the person reached out and tightly grasped her throat…