Chapter 107: The Register

Chapter 107: The Register

In Yaohua Palace, Jiang Hui leaned back on a daybed. The freshly bathed Princess Huayang was placed beside her, sleeping sweetly.

She gently stroked her daughter’s delicate cheek, whispering softly, "Huayang... mommy..."

The young prince, her son, lay at the head of the bed, curiously staring at his tiny sister wrapped in swaddling clothes.

"Mommy, sister is not pretty!"

His expression was sad, as if reluctant to accept that his sister looked this way.

Her son’s innocent words brought Jiang Hui back to the moment. Still in her confinement period, she suppressed her laughter and softly said, "Sister will look prettier as she grows, don’t worry."

Hearing this, the young prince nodded, declaring loudly, "I will wait for sister!"

Unable to hold back, Jiang Hui chuckled softly, but the laughter caused pain in her lower abdomen, turning her face pale with a thin layer of sweat forming on her nose.

Pomegranate and Shan Zha took the prince and the princess away, while Wan Song quickly pressed a few acupuncture points on Jiang Hui’s abdomen. After her complexion improved, she gently wiped the sweat from Jiang Hui’s face with a silk handkerchief.

Autumn Kui brought a bowl of specially cooked flowering rice porridge, helping Jiang Hui to sip it slowly. She then whispered, "Hongying is brewing some medicine. I'll have her bring it when it's cooled. Would you like to rest for a while, Mistress?"

Jiang Hui shook her head and instructed, "Take Huayang back to the eastern annex for the wet nurse to look after. As for the prince…"

Seeing Nian'er perched on Shi Liu's neck and looking at her, she softly said, "It's not about Nian'er. How about Nian'er and Shi Liu play together for a while?"

"Okay." Nian'er obediently nodded, allowing Shi Liu to carry her away.

Then she continued, "Doctor Liu advised that I should rest for at least half a year, with nothing to do all day. Qiukui, go to Langhuan Pavilion and pick out some books for me."

"Yes," Qiukui replied, then added, "My lady, just now, Eunuch Quan Xi from the Imperial Household Department visited and brought the roster of palace servants from the Eastern Six Palaces."

Jiang Hui nodded and instructed, "Bring it here for me to see."

The Emperor had assigned her to assist in managing the Imperial Household Department after childbirth. However, due to her postpartum weakness and the need for rest, she hadn't yet attended to its affairs. Quan Xi, understanding this, had thoughtfully delivered the roster.

Although Quan Xi wasn't the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, only overseeing the servants of the Eastern Six Palaces, his authority was nonetheless considerable.

"Once I'm out of confinement, I'll have Quan Xi come over for a meeting," Jiang Hui said, pausing halfway through the roster when she noticed that many listed had already passed away.

"Yes," Wan Song replied softly.

As winter approached, with the Minor Snow Festival just days away, the Qionghua Hall was filled with enough silver charcoal basins to ward off the cold. Still, Nian'er fell ill in the chilly weather, cared for daily by Shi Liu Hongying and taking medicine prescribed by Physician Lin.

Followed by two young eunuchs in pale grey, Quan Xi made his way from the Imperial Household Department to Yao Hua Palace, now standing solemnly in the courtyard, his black headcloth framing his stern face.

Hongyu approached from the gallery, bowing to him and saying, "Eunuch Quan, please follow me."

Quan Xi smiled upon hearing this. Without further words, he withdrew his hands from his sleeves, placing them properly by his sides, and followed Hongyu to the flower hall of Qionghua Palace.

Biyun, guarding the door, lifted both layers of curtains. Quan Xi straightened his sleeves, nodded slightly to Biyun, and entered the flower hall. After waiting for a moment to warm up by the charcoal fire, he followed Shan Zha from behind the screen into the inner room.

Kneeling on the newly replaced pale green grass-patterned velvet carpet, he bowed deeply and respectfully said, "Eunuch Quan Xi from the Imperial Household Department, at your service, Your Highness, Consort Zhao."

"Rise," came the familiar, calm, and pleasant voice. A small stool was placed next to Quan Xi by Shan Zha.

Quan Xi, with his typically stern and lean face, managed a smile as he sat, awaiting Consort Zhao's inquiries from her seat of honor.

Jiang Hui, dressed in a thick-bordered snow fox fur coat and skirt, sat in an armchair and glanced at Quan Xi. She set down the roster on the table, sipped tea from a celadon lotus-patterned cup, and then spoke indifferently, "Eunuch Quan, I've reviewed the roster you brought last time. Last year, the Empress Dowager ordered the release of many long-serving servants from each palace, and the Imperial Household Department was to replenish their ranks. Why then are so many deceased still listed?"

The roster of the Imperial Household Department is traditionally updated annually.

Quan Xi lowered his head, pondering for a moment before explaining, "Consort Zhao might not be aware, but most of these people were palace servants accompanying the Empress Dowager to Mount Wutai for a Buddhist pilgrimage. They didn’t leave the palace in time and... hence are still listed in the register."

Following the witchcraft incident, the servants in the Cining Palace, Changchun Palace, and Hanzhang Hall were all cleansed. The Internal Affairs Department allocated new servants to serve the Empress Dowager and accompany her to Mount Wutai. Some of them were sent from Quan Xi's side and naturally remained on his register.

The register didn't specify the cause of the servants' deaths, but Jiang Hui could guess. Hearing Quan Xi’s response, her tone became tinged with sorrow, "I see... the Empress Dowager..."

Jiang Hui picked up a silk handkerchief to dab her eyes and asked softly, "Have the affairs of these servants been properly handled after their passing?"

"Rest assured, Consort Zhao, everything has been taken care of," Quan Xi responded, still with his head bowed, his gaze fixed on the patterned carpet as he casually added, "Recently, Luo Gonggong from the Imperial Justice Bureau also reviewed the register. Any oversights have been addressed, as he can conveniently leave the palace."

Jiang Hui’s expression remained unchanged. After Shan Zha served tea to Quan Xi, she continued, "Although His Majesty has ordered me to assist with the Internal Affairs Department, the Empress is still in charge. I’m only holding the title. Just follow the Empress’s protocols, and if there's any uncertainty, you can come to me."

"Understood, I am clear on that," Quan Xi replied solemnly.

With the conversation concluded, Shan Zha escorted Quan Xi out. Jiang Hui then stood up from her chair, retreated to the warm pavilion, and reclined on the consort couch. After pondering for a moment, she said to Autumn Kui, "Go find Qing Feng and inquire about the gift registry from last year's Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration."

"Yes," Autumn Kui replied softly.

Jiang Hui added, "If it's too difficult to find out, let it be. Don’t make it widely known."

"I understand," Autumn Kui replied earnestly, exiting the warm pavilion quietly.

Wan Song peeled an orange for Jiang Hui, carefully removing the pith, and placed it beside her before saying, "Mistress, your birthday is approaching. Consort He’s servants came earlier to ask if you will be hosting a banquet."

Last year, Jiang Hui celebrated her birthday with a small banquet in Yaohua Palace, attended only by the Emperor and herself, without inviting other consorts. This year...

"No, don't organize it," Jiang Hui shook her head. "Imperial Physician Liu advised me to rest. Tell her at Yufu Palace that if she’s really bored, she can stroll around Taiye Pond."