In the Yuhe Garden of the Prince of Yan’s mansion, the lights were still bright.
Er’niu, having received an extra meal, lay lazily in his den by the wall with his round belly. Occasionally, he stretched his neck to look at the moving shadows on the window screen, flicking his tail in boredom.
Inside, Jiang Si, wearing a snow-white undergarment, was playing chess with Yu Jin.
Yu Jin casually placed a chess piece and said, “That Wumiao grandmother and grandchild pair have been taken away by the Jinlin Guard.”
Jiang Si held a chess piece and replied, “That old woman is a first-generation elder of the Wumiao. With her skills, I doubt the Jinlin Guard’s prison can hold her.”
The Wumiao were few, yet how could they dominate among various clans and remain steadfast between the two great nations of Da Zhou and South Lan? It was due to the extraordinary arts of a very small number of Wumiao women.
In Wumiao, one could say that the capable ruled.
If a family produced a candidate for Holy Maiden, they immediately became respected. If the candidate eventually became an elder, that family, regardless of their previous status, would become new nobility.
Personal ability mattered more than class itself. Even the descendants of elders, if mediocre and incompetent, would be disregarded.
As one of the few first-generation elders, Elder Hua’s abilities needed no elaboration.
Yu Jin lowered his gaze to the chessboard and sighed softly, “Indeed, they can’t hold her.”
Jiang Si looked at him. “Ajin, you seem to know a lot about the Wumiao tribe.”
“Just a coincidence.” Yu Jin’s eyes deepened as if recalling something.
As Jiang Si was about to inquire further, A’qiao reported, “Your Highness, My Lady, someone has come from the palace.”
The couple exchanged a glance.
A visitor at this hour?
It must be an urgent matter.
Yu Jin stood up. “Asi, you should rest. I’ll go to the front to see what’s happening.”
A’qiao hurriedly said, “Your Highness, the eunuch from the palace says he needs to see the Princess Consort.”
Yu Jin paused briefly, then quickly ordered, “Then invite him to the flower hall of Yuhe Garden.”
In the cold, night, he naturally didn’t want Jiang Si to make the trip to the front.
They didn’t wait long before meeting the hurriedly arrived eunuch—Pan Hai—in the flower hall.
Yu Jin’s heart sank slightly.
For Pan Hai to come personally, the matter must be even more serious than he had imagined.
Knowing time was of the essence, Pan Hai got straight to the point: “Your Highness, Princess Consort, something has happened in the palace. The Princess Consort is needed there immediately.”
Yu Jin frowned and said, “Eunuch Pan, please explain what exactly has happened.”
Pan Hai hurriedly explained the situation: “Unexpectedly, Elderly Maid Duo is using the Empress Dowager to threaten His Majesty. The Emperor has no choice but to ask the Princess Consort to come to the palace and try.”
“It’s dark and the roads are slippery. The Princess Consort is also with the child. I understand Father Emperor is anxious, but I’m very concerned about the Princess Consort going to the palace alone… Eunuch Pan, may I accompany the Princess Consort to the palace?”
Pan Hai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Your Highness, that’s not possible. At this hour, you absolutely cannot enter the palace. Even if His Majesty agreed, the gate guards wouldn’t allow it.”
Only the Prince of Yan would dare to make such a request for an adult prince to enter the palace at midnight.
“Your Highness, I’ll be fine going with Eunuch Pan. You needn’t worry about me,” Jiang Si smiled slightly at Yu Jin, giving him a meaningful look.
Though extremely reluctant, Yu Jin could only nod outwardly. “Please take good care of the Princess Consort for me, Eunuch Pan.”
“Rest assured, Your Highness. This servant will certainly bring the Princess Consort back to you safely.”
Jiang Si quietly boarded the small sedan chair waiting at the second gate. The bearers ran swiftly through the night, and it was unclear how long it took before they slowed down.
Jiang Si lifted a corner of the sedan curtain to look outside.
The imperial city at night was like a sleeping beast, with dots of starlight on the thick city walls.
These were used to illuminate the way for patrolling guards.
The sedan chair didn’t stop at the palace gate. Pan Hai went forward and said something quietly to the gate guard, then they were carried directly inside.
Jiang Si lowered the curtain corner, her face hidden in the darkness, pondering what she was about to face.
“Princess Consort, we’ve arrived.”
Jiang Si was helped down from the sedan by a eunuch. Looking around, she couldn’t immediately recognize which palace hall this was.
Pan Hai walked slightly ahead to the side, his steps neither hurried nor slow, leading Jiang Si to a hall.
Jiang Si immediately saw the Emperor and Empress sitting side by side.
Between them was a small tea table with two cups of tea steaming gently.
“Daughter-in-law pays respects to Father Emperor and Mother Empress.”
To her surprise, the Empress rose and helped Jiang Si up directly. “No need for formalities, Princess Consort. It’s our fault for calling you here at this hour.”
Jiang Si always followed the principle of returning kindness tenfold. Seeing the Empress’s courtesy, she said softly, “Please don’t say that, Mother Empress. It’s my honor to be able to help Father Emperor and Mother Empress.”
Emperor Jingming was quite pleased to hear Jiang Si’s words. Not bothering with pleasantries, he asked directly, “Seventh son’s wife, do you know how to remove the Mother-Child Heart Worm?”
Jiang Si pursed her lips.
She had to admit, the imperial couple’s ability to accept new ideas was strong. Just because she had cured Princess Fuqing’s eyes, they thought of her when the Empress Dowager was afflicted with the Mother-Child Heart Worm.
“It’s impossible to remove the Mother-Child Heart Worm.” Jiang Si’s words immediately caused disappointment to show on the imperial couple’s faces.
Emperor Jingming, unwilling to give up, pressed, “It can’t be removed?”
Jiang Si explained, “Mother and child are connected. If any external force attempts to kill the child worm, the mother worm will quickly sense it, and the person who placed the worm will naturally know. In that instant, Elderly Maid Duo would have enough time to do many things to make the Empress Dowager suffer unbearably, even endangering her life.”
The more Emperor Jingming heard the grimmer his expression became. “Is there no way to deal with her?”
No wonder the late Emperor’s secret edict had warned him to avoid conflicts with the Wumiao tribe as much as possible. The Wumiao people with extraordinary skills were indeed too troublesome to handle.
Jiang Si remained silent for a long while before speaking, “There is one way.”
“Speak quickly!”
“Using a special method to transfer the child worm to another person before the mother worm notices,” Jiang Si said slowly.
Emperor Jingming and the Empress were shocked, their expressions very complex.
After a long while, Emperor Jingming spoke with difficulty, “For that person… are there any requirements?”
As an emperor, no matter how benevolent, the Empress Dowager’s life and an ordinary person’s life were different in his heart.
Jiang Si bit her lip, hesitated for a moment as if making a decision, and said, “Daughter-in-law can be that person.”
“Impossible!” Emperor Jingming’s objection burst out.
The Empress followed, “Princess Consort, you are the wife of the Prince of Yan and carrying a royal grandchild. How can you take such a risk? Now is not the time for sentimentality. Tell us the requirements, and His Majesty and I will find someone. Even if we must bear the sin, let me bear it.”
Jiang Si smiled helplessly, “Daughter-in-law is also unwilling to take risks, but others don’t understand the transfer method. If the transfer can’t be completed immediately, it won’t escape the mother worm’s notice…”
This kind of danger didn’t amount to much for her, but if she didn’t make it seem difficult, how could she increase the emperor’s gratitude?
This was a good opportunity to achieve her small goal.
Emperor Jingming understood and shook his head repeatedly, “This won’t do. Saving the Empress Dowager but harming you and the child, even the Empress Dowager would be uneasy if she knew…”