Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 524 "A New Body"

The curtain was gently lifted a crack, revealing a wrist as white as jade.

The Empress picked up the bowl of medicine but did not drink it; she simply placed it on the table.

She stood silently for a long time, then took a slender silver needle and pierced the tip of her left index finger. A drop of bright red blood welled up and fell into the medicine bowl, causing ripples to spread across the dark soup before returning to stillness.

Then, she took four or five steps forward, stopped in the center of the bedchamber, bent down and lifted the thick velvet blanket, her fingertips groping between the bricks for a moment. A very slight click of a mechanism sounded, and a square bluestone brick, about a foot in size, bulged out about an inch high.

She carefully moved the stone brick aside, revealing a deep, dark compartment underneath.

The Empress took out a porcelain jar from a hidden compartment. The jar was pure white, and its glaze shimmered with a warm yet eerie luster in the dim light. It was not large, but it was placed with great care.

She gazed at the porcelain jar, a deep and poignant sadness and longing appearing on her face.

After a moment of silence, she got up and took back the bowl of medicine that had gone cold and was mixed with the blood from her fingertips. She tilted her wrist and slowly poured the medicine into the porcelain jar.

The sound of flowing water could be heard.

The bitter smell of medicine and the stench of blood intertwined and permeated the air.

She held the porcelain jar tightly to her chest, as if embracing a sleeping infant. Her slightly pale lips trembled slightly, and she murmured, "The pact endures, my child... immortal... the spirit embers will never perish, and will follow the blood sacrifice... to be reborn in a new body."

.......

Outside the warm pavilion, Zhixue and Xingyu stood silently, guarding the palace gate.

About half an hour passed, and there was still no movement inside.

Zhixue couldn't help but turn her head slightly with worry, looking at the tightly closed carved door. Xingyu shook her head very gently, reminding her in a whisper, "Her Majesty has ordered that no one is allowed to disturb us."

Zhixue frowned and said in a low voice, "I'll stay here and watch over things. Go to the pharmacy and see how Luwei's medicine is being prepared. In a little while, it will be time for Her Majesty to take her medicine."

Xingyu nodded and was about to turn and leave when she heard a soft creak, and the Empress walked out alone. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes were so calm that it was unsettling.

"From now on, there is no need to prepare medicine for me anymore."

She paused, a faint hint of mockery in her voice, whether directed at others or herself, it was unclear.

"The physician He and several other imperial physicians have been keeping this from me. I have tried even the most potent blood-activating prescriptions from Doctor Chu, but to no avail... Since it is all in vain, why should I continue to deceive myself?"

Xingyu opened her mouth to persuade her, but Zhixue stopped her with her hand.

"It's good that Your Highness doesn't want to drink it. All medicine has some toxicity. Besides, it's almost finished, so we don't need to hide the smell anymore."

The Empress remained noncommittal, only coldly instructing, "Have someone carefully guard the warm pavilion. Tell the steward of the manor that once everything is ready with Doctor Chu, my stepmother should immediately bring her into the palace."

"Yes, I've got it."

......

Lingcui Palace, Small Kitchen.

Donggua and Ruizhu went to the imperial kitchen today and brought back a full basket of hawthorns, which were bright red and very festive.

While rubbing her sore arms, Ruizhu couldn't help but complain, "Donggua, you're too indulgent with Mingyue! She just mumbled that she wanted to eat candied hawthorns, and you actually went to the imperial kitchen and got this whole basketful."

Donggua picked up a cup of cold tea that was sitting on the table, gulped it down in one go, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and grinned, "How could it all be for her? Actually, I've been craving it too, hehe."

She changed her tone, becoming a little more serious: "Besides, hawthorn is the best appetizer. Her Majesty has had a poor appetite lately, so I'll make some hawthorn cakes and candied fruits. When you go back, you can also bring some for the Imperial Concubine."

Ruizhu responded and directed Dou'er to fetch a basin of water. She squatted down and washed the hawthorns together. She looked up and examined the winter melon. "I noticed you seemed to have lost some weight a few days ago. How come you've become round again in just a few days? It's strange, all the imperial chefs I saw in the imperial kitchen just now were also quite plump."

Dou'er, listening from the side, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle: "Sister Ruizhu, what you're saying is true. Chefs are responsible for the flavors of the world; which of them would be willing to mistreat themselves?"

Ruizhu chuckled, pointing at Dou'er and saying, "You little rascal, you're so young, yet you've got a whole repertoire of twisted logic. Your sister Donggua hasn't treated you badly at all..."

Ignoring their laughter, Donggua took out icing sugar from the cupboard and found a clean, fine cotton handkerchief to keep by her side. She had just rubbed her back and was about to sit down to rest when she looked up and saw Lvliu walking over.

Green Willow stepped into the small kitchen with a smile, exchanged a few casual words with Ruizhu and Dou'er, and then beckoned Winter Melon to the porch outside the door.

After listening carefully to Green Willow's words, a hint of embarrassment and shyness immediately appeared on Winter Melon's round face.

However, she was always a straightforward and decisive person. After only a moment's hesitation, she nodded heavily and strode towards the back hall. "...Shushu has sacrificed her pride for me, so what do I have to be coy about!"

When they arrived at the flower hall, Jian Zhi was still not there. Meng Shu pointed to the carved sandalwood screen in the hall and said to Dong Gua, "Go wait in the back. No matter what noise you hear later, don't come out."

Donggua scratched his head and replied honestly, "Hey, Shushu, I...I'll do whatever you say."

Green Willow hurriedly pushed her to walk quickly behind the screen, and then whispered worriedly, "Remember, don't make a sound."

Just as they finished, they heard footsteps approaching outside the door. Xia'er had already led Imperial Physician Jian to the outside of the flower hall.

Green Willow dismissed Xia'er and personally welcomed Jianzhi into the flower hall.

Jian Zhi bowed and reported to Meng Shu, "Your Majesty, the Madam has investigated. Two years ago, the Yun family became acquainted with the wife of an official under General Shen through a private banquet. It was through that wife's introduction that the Yun family sincerely requested the Guanyin statue, which is said to be extremely efficacious, from a trading company called 'Ruifeng'."

“General Shen?” Meng Shu’s eyes narrowed slightly. “He is Consort Shen’s father… So, it’s indeed the Empress’s doing behind this.”

Jian Zhi nodded and replied in a low voice, "Madam also thinks so. Whether the Guanyin statue falls into the hands of Consort Yun and she presents it to the Imperial Concubine to show her closeness, or she worships it herself, it is tantamount to planting a hidden danger that is difficult to detect for the person who orchestrated it."

Green Willow couldn't help but say, "What a vicious thought! If Consort Yun had really offered her to the Imperial Concubine, I'm afraid... I'm afraid she would have truly fallen into their trap. Fortunately, she stayed by my side..."

Meng Shu pondered for a moment, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes, and suddenly said, "That Ruifeng Trading Company, isn't it an enterprise under the name of the Li family of Zhao County?"

Jian Zhiwei was slightly shocked. "That's right. After the entire Li family was wiped out, Ruifeng Trading Company has already changed hands."

The Empress's mind was quite deep.

When Consort Rong brought the Guanyin statue back from Lin'an, the Empress probably already knew about it and was making plans accordingly. If the matter was exposed, she could implicate Consort Rong.

"Is there anything else that Madam Yun wants you to bring from the Zhenbei Marquis's residence?"

Jian Zhi composed himself and said, "Your Majesty, the Madam said that the female doctor surnamed Chu has been staying at home for the past few days, but someone has been sending things to her estate every few days. After investigation, it turns out to be some rare medicinal herbs and special local products from the malaria-ridden southwestern region."

Upon hearing this, Meng Shu felt a vague unease.

She lowered her eyes and pondered for a while before instructing Green Willow to fetch brush and ink from the study.

After returning from Renming Hall, she wrote a secret letter to Madam Yun. At this moment, she unfolded the plain paper again, her gaze falling directly on the three words "Female Physician Chu".

Previously, she and Madam Yun had agreed that they needed to obtain irrefutable evidence before they could kill him with one blow... But now they couldn't wait that long. A strong, almost instinctive sense of crisis gripped Meng Shu. Without hesitation, she picked up her pen and drew a circle on it. The ink flowed across the paper, and finally she wrote the character "kill".

"Make sure to hand this secret letter to a reliable person in the Marquis's residence, and have the lady act accordingly."

Jian Zhi looked solemn. He took the document from Green Willow's hands and tucked it deep into his sleeve before replying in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will personally return to the Marquis's residence to present this to you after my shift."

Knowing that he had a way to avoid being seen, Meng Shu felt slightly relieved.

Having finished her business, Meng Shu glanced at the screen out of the corner of her eye and said gently, "I haven't had much of an appetite lately, so I'll trouble Imperial Physician Jian to take my pulse."

Jian Zhi took out a pulse pillow from his medicine box. After a moment, he withdrew his hand, bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty's pulse is generally stable, but slightly thin and weak, indicating a slight imbalance in your spleen and stomach. I will prescribe a formula to soothe the liver and harmonize the stomach. The medicine is mild and mainly aims to regulate Your Majesty's qi and improve your appetite. If you are concerned about the bitterness of the decoction, it can be made into pills, or you can have Miss Donggua prepare some snacks with fruits such as kumquats and hawthorns to gradually alleviate the discomfort."

"What a coincidence," Meng Shu said with a smile.

Green Willow echoed, "It's quite a coincidence. I just went to the small kitchen and happened to see Winter Melon bringing back a basket of hawthorns from the Imperial Kitchen, saying he was going to make some desserts."

Jian Zhi nodded and said, "Miss Donggua is in tune with the times and shows her thoughtfulness in the smallest details."

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This chapter is a bit long~ This book doesn't contain any fantasy or supernatural elements. The porcelain jar belonging to the Empress and the subsequent plot will be gradually revealed in the following chapters~ Goodnight, it's time for Peach to go to bed early tonight.