Chapter 34: Secret Remedy

Don’t keep?

Suddenly understanding the meaning behind those words, Fu Ling’s facial expression slightly change. She quickly got up and followed Wu Zhi Qiu into the room.

“Get out!”

When Wu Zhi Qiu walk pass the screen into the inner chamber, there was a growl heard from the bed. The sound was not loud but that hoarse angry and repressed growl indeed scared Wu Zhi Qiu and his footsteps also stopped.

Fu Ling who was following closely stood forward and bowed to Wu Zhi Qiu before she quickly open the layers of curtains. Approaching the edge of the bed, Fu Ling was shock at the sight. The wide embroidered bed is in a mess, the white silk sheets are knitted together and one can see stains of red on top of it.

Qing Feng curled her body up and tightly wrapped herself up, leaving her head outside. Qing Feng did not cry and only remained so tightly curled. That jet black hair with the white silk sheets stain with blood chilled Fu Ling’s heart.

Fu Ling went in for a long time but there was no sound. When Wu Zhi Qiu ran out of patience, he broke out, “Your Ladyship, the medication should be taken when it is hot.”

Yes, there is still medicine to take. Only then, Fu Ling recovered and just as she was about to explain to Qing Feng, she have already sat up slowly and coldly ask, “What kind of medicine?” It would be best to give her a poison.

The voice was dull and made one feel uncomfortable. Qing Feng originally bright and clear eyes was now bloodshot and bleak, that sharp gaze was no longer there. Fu Ling bend forward and softly spoke by Qing Feng’s ear, “It is a secret remedy. Only upon the Emperor’s consent, the concubines then could… Be pregnant and produce heirs.”

“Bring it here!” Qing Feng wanted to laugh out but unfortunately she could not do so. She hated Yan Hong Tian and it is impossible for her to give birth to his child. This bowl of medicine is something she wish for.

Qing Feng took the bowl of medicine and drank the concoction in one breathe. The thick black concoction was bitter but Qing Feng did not think so.

As Qing Feng tilted her head upwards to drink the medication, Fu Ling was shocked to find that there was red marks all over her neck. Fu Ling’s face turn red, she have seen the red imprints left behind after such night but this was her first time seeing it that scary.

After seeing Qing Feng drinking the medicine through the veil, Wu Zhi Qiu bowed and brought the eunuch out the hall.

Returning the medicine bowl to Fu Ling, Qing Feng curled up her body and lay down silently. In a light tired voice she said, “You can also leave.”

“This servant will prepare hot water for your bath.” Fu Ling quickly withdrew. The Qing Feng now make her feel very uncomfortable.

Outside the window, the birds were singing but in the inner chambers, all was quiet.

Yan Hong Tian has reached his goal and will not come again in the future. As for her, what should be lost has been lost, there is nothing else.

Qing Feng slowly close her eyes.

*****

The day just broke, the morning sun has yet to be wrapped in the clouds and the day just barely started. In the exquisite and glamorous palace, a female wearing a deep plum coloured long dress with her hair not yet tied up as she sat on the soft chair and with half squinting eyes frequently looking outside the hall.

A female clad in blue walked over from afar, once she entered the hall, Xin Yue Ning immediately sat up and asked, “Did the Emperor allow the dragon seeds (used to refer to the Emperor’s swimmers *wink*) be left behind?”

“No.”

Hearing Shui Xin’s reply, Xin Yue Ning gave a satisfactory hint of a smile and said, “Inform Wu Zhi Qiu that in the future if the Emperor flip the name plates, let him put Qing Feng’s name plate right in front.” As long as she does not bear the dragon’s seed, it is all right to let Qing Feng be proud. The most important thing is to suppress that bitch, Chen Zhen!

“Mistress, even though Qing Feng features are damaged, she is still a beauty and have a famous reputation, thus she would think that she is superior than other. If you help her this much, it would only make her grow faster and may be decremental to you in the future.” The last time she saw Qing Feng, Shui Xin felt that Qing Feng is impatient this time and showed of her ability which will be difficult to amount up to anything. However if there was a day when she calm down, she will be indeed a tough character to handle. At the moment the Mistress only wanted to blow Imperial Concubine Hui’s prestige away but did not see the future difficulties.

Xin Yue Ning disagree and laughed, “Only a non-local female without any backing in the official court. Basing on just that little looks and small smarts, even if she is favoured, what can she do? In contrary, that Chen Zhen who has the favour of the Emperor for so many years and also with the support from her brother and maternal uncle, did not put bengong in her eyes. If she were to be pregnant, this mistress position of the Inner Palace will be changed!” Once she is done settling Chen Zhen, settling Qing Feng is just an easy thing.

Shui Xin face look calm but her eyes could not conceal her worried look as she persuaded softly, “But this servant heard this morning that Prime Minister Lou has requested a decree from the Emperor yesterday, to marry Qing Ling as his official wife.” Lou Xi Yan is harder to deal with than Imperial Concubine Hui’s maternal uncle. The Lou family is also much more powerful than the Chen family.

“What? How is this possible?” Is Lou Xi Yan crazy? That person called Qing Ling, what is so good about her? That news made Xin Yue Ning spun into disarray but after thinking for a while, she seemed to calm down and replied, “Princess Chao Yun has love and admire Lou Xi Yan for so many years, the Emperor will not agree to let him marry Qing Ling. Even if the Emperor agree, the Empress Dowager will not agree. This matter has many variables, you can just carry out Bengong wishes first.”

“Yes.” Xin Yue Ning has lost her patience thus Shui Xin did not continue to persuade. She slightly bowed and quietly retreated.

*****

Shenshi (modern time: 3 pm – 5 pm) has long passed and under the layers of embroidered bed drapes, the person lay quietly there after bathing for the entire day.

Opening the curtains at the window, Fu Ling lowly advised, “Mistress, you have not eaten for a day, please have some bird’s nest porridge.”

Qing Feng’s back faced her while she was lying down and turned a deaf ear to what she had said. Fu Ling walked closer and set down on the edge of the bed whispering, “This servant heard a news today.”

The person on the bed still ignored her, Fu Ling deliberately said loudly, “It is about Miss Qing Ling.”

After speaking, Fu Ling no longer talk and the inner chambers is filled with silence. A moment later, the previously person with no reaction suddenly turned around and anxiously spoke, “What news?”

Fu Ling took the advantage to hand over the bird’s nest porridge over.

Staring at her, Qing Feng sat up and took the bowl. While scooping the porridge into her mouth, she asked, “What exactly is the news?”

She eventually ate something. Fu Ling secretly gave a sigh of relief before replying, “Prime Minster Lou have requested a decree from the Emperor yesterday, to marry Miss Qing Ling as his official wife.”

The spoon in Qing Feng hands paused and she asked unbelievably, “Really?” Official wife! Even though in her heart, this position is what her Eldest Sister truely deserved, but… Lou Xi Yan wanted to marry a non-local female as his official wife. Is that possible?

“Yes.” Fu Ling’s affirmative answer made Qing Feng surprise turn into a form of disturbance and she asked, “Where did you hear this from?”

“This news was spread in the Palace since morning. Heard that when Princess Chao Yun heard this news, she almost fainted. Both the East and West Empress Dowager rushed over to comfort her. This thing will not pass like this. Only afraid that you will be implicated into the matter…” Miss Qing Ling is located outside the palace and have Prime Minister Lou’s protection thus naturally nothing will befall on her, but there will be impact on her.

“What is there to be afraid of?” Qing Feng softly snorted, “Lou Xi Yan is not afraid, I also do not have anything to fear.” She is only carelessly living in the palace. “I don’t want to eat already.” She handed the bowl back to Fu Ling and Qing Ling asked curiously, “There are two Empress Dowager in the Palace?”

“En.” Fu Ling look at that the half eaten bird’s nest porridge in her hands and secretly shook her head but did not comment anything on it. She stood up and place the bowl on the low table at the side before replying softly, “The West Empress Dowager is originally the favourite concubine of the Late Emperor and she borne two sons and a daughter, of whom is the Emperor. The East Empress Dowager is the Late Emperor’s official wife and the Empress. She did not have any children all these while and the Late Emperor place the Emperor under the care of the East Empress Dowager to adopt. After the Emperor ascended to the throne, then there was the title of East and West Empress Dowager. In addition… The East Empress Dowager is the paternal aunt of Prime Minister Lou.”

Paternal aunt? So it was like that. No wonder Yan Hong Tian treated Lou Xi Yan with significantly higher tolerance. With Lou Xi Yan’s type of identity, for Eldest Sister to marry into the Lou family, it would be even more difficult. However Qing Feng was not very worried about Eldest sister because Lou Xi Yan had already requested a decree from the Emperor, so he must have a plan in place. ‘Prime Minister Lou marrying a non-local female as his official wife’ kind of news, if it wasn’t spread by someone with hidden intentions, will anyone in the palace will dare to do it? Qing Feng’s lips slightly raised, it would seems that Lou Xi Yan is sincerely treating Eldest Sister. If he really manage to be her husband, it would be Eldest Sister’s good fortune.

“Your Ladyship.” Outside the screen, Lan-er carefully called out softly.

She scolded her yesterday because of the suppressed anger in her chest, even though Qing Feng need not apologise to Lan-er, her tone of voice was obviously much milder, “What is it about?”

Lan-er sighed secretly and replied softly, “Someone from Xi Xia Palace came to reply Empress Dowager’s imperial decree, requesting you to head to Xi Xia Palace for a banquet at Youshi (modern timing: 5 pm – 7 pm).”

Trouble indeed came so fast! Qing Feng expression was slightly heavy as she impatiently replied, “Say that I am not feeling well and will not go.”

The Empress Dowager conferred a feast, even the Empress don’t dare to not go. If she were to return the message as such, a calamity will indeed befall on them. Lan-er hesitated for a moment but didn’t dare to say anything, thus she only cried back a “Yes”. Just when she was about to withdraw, Qing Feng suddenly exclaim, “Come back.”

Lan-er waiting outside the screen for a while but there was no response from inside. She raise gradually to look over and saw Qing Feng sitting on the bed with her head slightly down. She was unable to tell what sort of expression it was. Suddenly Qing Feng raise her head and replied, “Answer back indicating… I will be attending the banquet on time.”

“Yes.” Lan-er quickly straighten her body to avoid Qing Feng’s gaze and quietly withdrew.

Qing Feng barely propped her body up using the bed curtains, unsure if it is the effect of the bowl of medicine, there were waves of throbbing at her abdominal. Qing Feng clenched her teeth and forced herself out of the bed before saying lowly, “Fu Ling, help me to dress up.”

“Yes.” Fu Ling quickly approach to support Qing Feng to sit down before the bronze mirror. The sunlight from outside the window shone on her face. Fu Ling could clearly see that her face was so pale that it scared others and the red marks on her necks and faint bruises on her wrist were clearly visible.

Fu Ling was worried, her looking like this, how would she attend this obvious ill-bearing banquet?