Chapter 30: The Fog

Chapter 30: The Fog

In the courtyard of Han Zhang Hall, Wan Cairen, Feng Pingping, and her maid Xiao Lian knelt, one after the other, their faces deathly pale.

Seeing the Empress come out, Feng Pingping crawled forward a few steps, crying, "Your Highness, Your Highness! I am truly innocent! I was pushed by Xiao Lian, which caused me to bump into Sister Zhao!"

"Your Highness, Empress, at Tai Ye Pool, the night dew was heavy, and the stone path was slippery. I... I accidentally twisted my ankle. It wasn’t intentional!" Xiao Lian, kneeling beside Wan Cairen, trembled and lay on the ground, stammering in fear.

"Twisted your ankle?" Hearing the same excuse as the night before, the Empress lost interest and said calmly, "Xiao Lian, if you refuse to tell the truth, then you will stay to be dealt with by the Punishment Department."

The Punishment Department?

Terrified, Xiao Lian reached out to clutch at Feng Pingping's skirt, breaking down, "My lady! Please save me, I don’t want to go to the Punishment Department!"

Feng Pingping instinctively recoiled, tears streaming down her face, she asked, "Xiao Lian, I treated you so well, why would you betray me?"

Hearing this, Xiao Lian paused, gave Feng Pingping a deep look, then suddenly turned ashen. She kowtowed three times to the Empress, her forehead swelling red.

She said to Feng Pingping, "I didn’t want to speak, but now, why do you still say such things, my lady? It was you who told me to pretend to twist my ankle and bump into you, then naturally push Min Jieyu into the water. You even said the emperor likes you so much he wouldn’t do anything to you."

Feng Pingping stared at Xiao Lian in disbelief, about to speak, but was silenced by the Empress.

"Enough!"

A quick-witted eunuch brought a chair, and the Empress sat down with Chun Yan's assistance, then continued, "By the emperor’s decree, Wan Cairen's behavior is unacceptable. She is demoted to a selected attendant and confined for three months. Wan Selected Attendant, express your gratitude."

Feng Pingping shook her head, tears streaming down, and suddenly yelled into the hall, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty— I am innocent! Your Maj—"

"Gag her."

The Empress, annoyed, thought, 'This fool, if His Majesty didn’t believe she was innocent, why would he only demote her to a selected attendant?'

She glanced at Xiao Lian meaningfully and asked, "Xiao Lian, you just did whatever Wan Selected Attendant told you to? Don’t you realize that by doing so, you’re also walking towards your own demise?"

Xiao Lian, in tears, remained silent, then suddenly said to Feng Pingping, "My lady, as long as you plead for me, I will never confess against you." After saying this, she violently threw herself against a pillar.

Feng Pingping, too shocked to struggle, instinctively stepped back and stared in horror at Xiao Lian's bloodied face.

"Qing Momo, go to the Punishment Department and call someone to clean this up," the Empress ordered, as if she had anticipated this outcome, remaining calm as usual.

The eunuchs and palace maids joined forces to take the stunned Wan Selected Attendant back to Jiang Xue Xuan. After sitting for a while, the Empress asked, "Chun Yan, how are the sweepers and maids from Tai Ye Pool?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, they all gave the same account as Qing Feng from Yao Hua Palace. They heard the splash and went to rescue. It doesn’t seem like they are lying," Chun Yan replied respectfully.

"Yao Hua Palace..." The Empress murmured, "Is the Noble Consort ill again?"

"Yes, she caught some summer heat and has asked for leave this morning," Chun Yan answered.

"I should visit her, but I can't leave here for now. Chun Yan, go to the storehouse, pick some medicinal herbs for me, and take them to her as my gesture," the Empress instructed.

"Yes," Chun Yan acknowledged.

Moments later, the Empress asked Xia Chan, "Is Sun Cairen still outside the hall?"

"Yes. Sun Cairen has been here since last night. She left Feng Yi Palace this morning and hasn’t even returned to Zhu Xia Xuan, coming directly to Han Zhang Hall to wait," Xia Chan replied.

"Go, let Qiu Yue tell her that Min Jieyu is awake and let her come in to visit," the Empress said, massaging her temples, then softly added, "Let’s go to Ci Ning Palace to visit the Empress Dowager and cheer her up."

Inside the chamber, a Duanwu sachet embroidered with five-colored silk threads hung near the bed, its pungent scent of mugwort and herbs faintly discernible amid the bitter medicinal smell.

Min Jieyu, Zhao Ru Yun, appeared pale and tearful, a stark contrast to her usual dignified and beautiful demeanor, showing a fragile and pitiable state.

She seemed terrified, clutching the emperor tightly, "Your Majesty, cousin, I thought I would never see you again..."

The emperor gently patted her back, comforting her, "It's all right now."

After a long embrace, Zhao Ru Yun's emotions calmed down. She let go of the emperor, her cheeks flushing with a hint of shyness, and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I... cough cough... I was out of line, please forgive me."

"My beloved concubine is still unwell, you were overwhelmed by the moment, no need for formalities," the emperor said empathetically to his cousin who had just experienced a brush with death.

At that moment, Zhao Ru Yun asked with concern, "How is the Empress Dowager, my aunt? It is my unfilial conduct that has worried her."

The emperor gently brushed Zhao Ru Yun's hair, saying, "I had someone escort Mother back to the palace to rest. You must take better care of yourself in the future and not worry Mother and me."

"Yes," Zhao Ru Yun replied, bowing her head slightly.

The emperor stayed a while longer, accompanying Zhao Ru Yun for breakfast, before preparing to leave Han Zhang Hall.

"Cousin!" Zhao Ru Yun held the emperor’s hand, seeing his puzzled look, hesitated to speak, then bowed her head and whispered softly, "Farewell, Your Majesty."

As the emperor's carriage gradually moved away from Han Zhang Hall, Du Ruo approached and quietly informed Zhao Ru Yun, "My lady, Sun Cairen has been waiting outside for a while."

"Man Yun?" Zhao Ru Yun asked, "Why didn’t you invite her in directly?"

"Sun Cairen said she did not wish to disturb His Majesty and instructed me to inform you after the emperor had left," Du Ruo replied.

Sun Manyun sat in the flower hall of Han Zhang Hall, pondering the message sent by the Empress.

"Xiao Lian is dead."

What does the Empress mean by this?

Does the Empress think that she orchestrated everything?

Sun Manyun sipped her tea, her face clouded with worry, seemingly still concerned about Min Jieyu.

She indeed had bribed Xiao Lian with silver and even intended to use Feng Pingping. Who would have thought that Jiang Hui, the Noble Consort, would not play by the rules, showing indifference to the favored Feng Pingping even after so long?

Apart from the Empress Dowager mildly chastising Feng Pingping because of Zhao Ru Yun, these days even Xu Xiu Yuan had ceased hostilities and stopped bothering Feng Pingping.

This forced Sun Manyun to take action.

However, Sun Manyun felt agitated. She would never be foolish enough to act in the situation that occurred last night.

The three of them were returning to the palace together. Why was it that she alone had to go back to find a dropped jade pendant and then, just after she left, Min Jieyu fell into the water?

Feng Pingping couldn’t escape suspicion, but was she not also suspect?

Perhaps in the eyes of the scheming, Sun Manyun was the one with deep cunning.

"Sun Cairen, Min Jieyu invites you in," Du Ruo approached Sun Manyun and said respectfully.

Sun Manyun's expression instantly changed to one of joy, "Truly, the gods and Buddhas have blessed us!"

Following Du Ruo through the warm chamber and around the large begonia screen, Sun Manyun sat beside Zhao Ru Yun's bed, taking her hand with joy, "Sister Yun, you're finally awake! You really scared me!"

"I'm alright," Zhao Ru Yun replied, clasping Sun Manyun’s hand, offering a faint smile.

"Had I known, I wouldn’t have gone back for the jade pendant last night! I would never have let that deceptively sweet Feng harm Sister Yun!" Sun Manyun expressed her lingering anger.

"That pendant was left to you by our aunt, how can you say such things?" Zhao Ru Yun chided her, then softened her tone, "Manyun, I don’t think Feng Meimei would do such a thing."

Seeing Sun Manyun’s puzzled face, Zhao Ru Yun explained softly, "Feng Meimei is naive by nature. You didn’t get along with her at first, but after living together, didn’t you start to like her? She doesn’t seem like someone who would push me into the water."

"Not her?" Sun Manyun looked half-convinced and, seeing Zhao Ru Yun's serious expression, asked curiously, "Sister Yun, if not her, then who deliberately harmed you?"

Zhao Ru Yun glanced at Sun Manyun, then lowered her eyes to hide the emotions within, her face growing solemn, "I don’t know."