Indeed, he saw the letter, which Li Shengan handed to him.
"Emperor, Lady Ying Qiu from Xifu Palace has been kneeling outside since early in the morning!"
"Holding a letter in her hand, she says their Mistress acknowledges her mistake!"
"This servant..." Li Shengan was also conflicted.
He dared not guess the Emperor’s attitude. He felt he could neither push the matter forward nor ignore it. So, he was trembling with apprehension!
Zhao Junyao took the letter and glanced at it. It was indeed Noble Concubine Shih’s handwriting. Then... he set it aside.
"You may leave now!"
Having spoken, he pulled out a memorial and began reviewing it. Officials entered the Imperial Study Room from time to time, and the Emperor was bustling about. Everything was just as usual.
Outside, Li Shengan waited with a heavy heart, but in the end, the Emperor never looked at the letter.
He muttered to himself. In the past, things would have settled down after a while, but this time, I’m afraid... It seems Noble Concubine Shih has truly chilled the Emperor’s heart this time! Always being indulgent, when will it end...
Thinking this, he decided to let it be.
Little Zhuzi had poked his head around the corner in the corridor several times. Li Shengan glanced inside the Imperial Study Room to ensure the Emperor wouldn’t suddenly call for him. Then he turned and dragged Little Zhuzi out.
He scolded, feeling as if he were hating iron for not becoming steel, "You little rascal, what are you sneaking around for?!"
Little Zhuzi replied helplessly, "Master, this servant had no choice. Lady Ying Qiu outside keeps pressing this servant!"
Li Shengan scoffed. "You little rascal, your audacity is reaching the heavens, isn’t it?! Am I to believe that in this Zhaochen Palace, it’s Ying Qiu or Ying Chun, or whoever, whose words count now? Are you tired of living, boy?"
The Emperor hadn’t even glanced at it, yet these servants were still fussing over it? What about Noble Concubine Shih, anyway? She was merely an exalted concubine. The Empress was the true mistress of the palace!
Little Zhuzi’s ears were pinched painfully, and he repeatedly begged for mercy. "Master, this servant was blind for a moment! This servant acknowledges his mistake!"
Li Shengan scoffed, "That’s more like it! Off you go!"
Little Zhuzi acknowledged with an "Aye!" and scurried off.
Outside Zhaochen Palace, Ying Qiu was indeed waiting. When Little Zhuzi ran out from the back corner gate, she was still standing guard there. Seeing him emerge, Ying Qiu quickly grabbed him and asked, "Eunuch Little Zhuzi, how did it go?"
Little Zhuzi took a purse from his robes and stuffed it into Ying Qiu’s hands. "I’m just an errand boy; please don’t make things difficult for us! No one dares to say a word about what happens around the Emperor! My master said if this happens again, he’ll beat me to death!"
Ying Qiu looked at the purse in her hand for a long while before her senses returned. This means... even silver won’t work.
Thinking this, she gave an awkward smile. "You’ve been troubled, Eunuch Little Zhuzi! Regardless, the purse is our mistress’s token of appreciation; you must accept it!"
Little Zhuzi dared not accept and kept refusing. "There’s no need for this, Lady Ying Qiu! It’s just... AI, this servant dares not say more! Take care of yourself, my lady!"
Having said this, he ran off again.
Ying Qiu returned with the purse, her heart filled with panic the entire way. How am I to explain this to Her Ladyship? I used to be a Senior Palace Maid, as prominent as could be. Now, I have to trail behind a Little Eunuch, calling him ’Eunuch’ this and ’Eunuch’ that. This behavior is hardly different from that of the Little Palace Maids serving the Honored Ladies. Alas!
Ying Qiu clenched her teeth in resentment. How could what used to work no longer be effective? It matters little for myself, but for Noble Concubine Shih, what can I possibly say!
「」
She walked all the way back to Xifu Palace.
Noble Concubine Shih was also extremely anxious. She had little appetite for breakfast and, lacking peace of mind, anxiously waited at the door. As soon as she saw Ying Qiu return, she hurriedly asked, "How is it? Is there any news from Zhaochen Palace?"
Ying Qiu had been conflicted the entire journey and didn’t know what to say. Noble Concubine Shih saw the troubled look on her face and gradually understood.
"Forget it!" My cousin is truly angry with me this time! She knew her cousin’s temperament: if he didn’t care, then all was fine, but once he did, there was not the slightest chance of reconciliation. That meant... there was absolutely no way to make amends!
Ying Qiu remained silent, thinking to herself, Who could Noble Concubine Shih blame but herself? It was all her own doing! Would it have been so bad to just take care of the Little Princess properly? Instead, she had to frame Consort Xian Pin. Consort Xian Pin is the mother of the Crown Prince, always well-read and courteous, and deeply favored by the Emperor! A sigh escaped her.
「Meanwhile.」
Noble Concubine Shih swayed unsteadily into the inner chamber. Lying in bed, she felt a wave of dizziness. She neither ate nor spoke and seemed to be completely dazed, as if bewitched.
「That night.」
Noble Concubine Shih developed a high fever and was delirious by midnight. Ying Qiu was frightened out of her wits and rushed to the Imperial Medical Bureau to summon an Imperial Physician. Unfortunately, the Imperial Physician on night duty had already been summoned by the Empress, so the Imperial Medical Bureau was empty. Ying Qiu felt like crying but had no tears.