Chapter 41: Requesting Fragrance

Chapter 41: Requesting Fragrance

Envoys from vassal states gradually left the capital, and the debate over establishing trade relations with the Huns and reopening the border market concluded in the court.

The Left Prime Minister, along with other senior officials from two dynasties, didn't trust the Huns' sincerity. But for the sake of national stability, they agreed to temporarily open a border market outside Zhenbei Pass.

However, the Emperor did not rush to recall the Marquis of Ningyuan back to the capital or send someone else to guard Zhenbei Pass. Instead, he assigned General Xuanwei, Qi Huaiyuan, as the deputy.

After the Hun envoys left, Princess Aiyiguli entered Yufu Palace's Pi Xiang Hall, having been carried through the Empress Conferment Ceremony, officially becoming a consort of the harem.

Consequently, the seating order during the visit to Fengyi Palace changed again. The Empress sat on the left, with Jiang Hui still occupying the first seat on her left, but the first seat on her right was no longer occupied by Xu Xiuyuan, but by He Fei, with Min Jieyu sitting next to her, directly opposite Xu Xiuyuan.

The Empress, dressed in a grand red Yunyan Niqiang skirt, spoke to Aiyiguli with dignity, "He Fei, being new to the Great Zhou, you might find some inconveniences. If you're uncomfortable with anything in Yufu Palace, feel free to send someone to Fengyi Palace for me."

Aiyiguli, now in a dark blue palace dress instead of Hun attire, responded awkwardly, "Thank you, Empress. I have no discomforts," still struggling with humble and respectful language.

The Empress, unconcerned, smiled slightly and then turned to Min Jieyu, "Is Beauty Liu well in Changchun Palace? She's still in early pregnancy; take good care of her."

"Beauty Liu and the royal heir in her womb are doing well," Min Jieyu replied with a smile. "It's just that recently, due to the heat, she wanted to add more ice basins, but Aunt An stopped her."

Aunt An is a lady-in-waiting selected by the Empress from the Inner Service Bureau, experienced in caring for pregnant women.

"Her Furong Pavilion, located in the rear of Changchun Palace and facing west, does indeed get quite hot in summer," the Empress pondered for a moment before making a decision. "The Xianyu Pavilion in the side hall of Changchun Palace is still vacant. In a couple of days, let's move Beauty Liu there. It's closer to you too."

"Understood," Min Jieyu replied obediently.

"Considering the royal heir in Beauty Liu's womb, the Dowager Empress has already decided to visit Proluo Temple to offer incense and pray to Buddha, likely within the next few days."

The Empress brought up another matter, glancing around at everyone in the hall, and continued, "The Dowager Empress wishes that all of us consorts join her in praying to the Buddha for offspring."

Everyone in the hall was momentarily startled, not expecting an opportunity to leave the palace, even if it was just to visit the royal Proluo Temple and not to roam freely.

Jiang Hui was also surprised. She thought to herself that Proluo Temple, located in the suburbs of the capital on Proluo Mountain, wasn't far from the royal summer retreat, Qingning Villa. However, as the journey involved carriage rides and temple visits, it would require at least two to three days.

If that's the case, the information she expected from outside the palace about Bi Yue's family might not reach her in the next few days.

The Empress, seated at the head, began discussing who to bring, saying, "Sun Cairen's rash is better now, but the injury on her leg won't heal quickly, so she'll need to rest in bed at Zhuoxia Pavilion. As for Wanxuan Shi... she's still confined, and with Beauty Liu in early pregnancy needing rest, we won't take these three to Proluo Temple this time."

……

After finishing her greetings, Jiang Hui was about to return to Yaohua Palace in her palanquin when she was called.

"Noble Consort—"

Jiang Hui turned around and saw that it was He Fei, Aiyiguli, calling her.

"Noble Consort, may I invite you to visit me?" He Fei asked with a radiant smile, stepping forward.

"I apologize, I need to return to Yaohua Palace to take care of the Crown Prince," Jiang Hui responded with a smile, "Let's talk another time."

He Fei looked somewhat disappointed and said regretfully, "Alright then."

As the figures escorting the noble consort gradually disappeared around the corner, Qiu Kui stepped forward and asked through the curtain, "My lady, about He Fei?"

"It's nothing, we don't need to bother with that for now," Jiang Hui said in a detached tone.

Was the young princess of the Xiongnu royal court such an innocent and frank character? Jiang Hui didn't know, but she was aware of one thing: her father, Marquis Ningyuan, had slain countless Xiongnu warriors, including the eldest son of the old Chanyu.

The jade palanquin stopped in front of Qionghua Hall. As Jiang Hui alighted and was about to step into the hall, she suddenly caught sight of the Qiyun Platform built nearby.

The Qiyun Platform, built alongside trees with bells hanging at its four corners, was an ideal place for burning incense, playing the zither, and enjoying the moon and stars.

Jiang Hui's gaze lingered on the eaves bells swaying in the breeze. In both the imperial palace and large households, these bells were common, serving both as decoration and a means to deter nesting birds.

Moreover, they were often associated with temple bells and Taoist Sanqing bells, imbued with legendary properties of exorcising spirits and suppressing evil in folk tales.

"My lady...?" Qiu Kui followed Jiang Hui's gaze, "Is there something wrong with those eaves bells?"

"Qiu Kui, have you and Hong Ying checked underground? Some things might be buried in the soil," Jiang Hui spoke softly.

"Ah?" Qiu Kui was startled, then shook her head, her expression turning grim.

*

In the summer of the first year of Jianzhao, on the twenty-eighth day of the sixth month, the Empress Dowager, along with the Empress and other consorts, embarked on a journey to Proluo Temple.

They left the imperial city through Chaoyang Gate, passed through Cheng'an Gate on the west side of Shangjing, and took the official road straight to Proluo Mountain. The road was cleared with water sprinkling, creating quite a spectacle.

Inside a carriage drawn by four red-maned horses, Wan Song hung a newly-made mint-infused aromatic ball by the window, drew the curtains, pushed the ice basin a bit further in, and then leaned over to take a purple clay teapot with plum pattern from a low cabinet, pouring a cup of cool five-spice drink for Jiang Hui.

"My lady, it's hot. Please have some water."

Jiang Hui, looking weary, took a sip and asked, "What time is it now?"

Shan Zha, fanning beside her, replied, "It's just past the hour of Si (9-11 AM). We should arrive in about half an hour."

Hearing this, Jiang Hui breathed a sigh of relief.

Wan Song still seemed worried and suggested, "My lady, given your delicate health, why don’t we ask a master to take your pulse when we arrive at Proluo Temple?"

"That sounds good." Although they had an imperial physician accompanying them, he wasn't Liu Taiyi, whom Jiang Hui usually preferred. However, as Proluo Temple was a renowned royal monastery, the monks there possessed some medical expertise.

"I wonder what Autumn Okra and the others are doing now," Shan Zha, initially excited about leaving the palace, lost her enthusiasm after the long carriage ride and started to miss those left behind in Yaohua Palace.

For this trip, Jiang Hui brought only Wan Song, Shan Zha, and a second-rank eunuch named Feng Shi, leaving the rest to take care of her son and the palace.

"Focus on fanning properly. If you're bored, get busy arranging my lady's chamber once we arrive," Wan Song chided her.

Reaching the foot of Proluo Mountain, they couldn’t proceed further by carriage due to the steep stairs. Jiang Hui alighted and was carried onward in a sedan chair by the eunuchs.

Once they reached their destination, all the consorts looked exhausted. Even the Dowager Empress, well-preserved for her age, seemed strained. She dismissed everyone to rest in their chambers, postponing the joint temple visit to the next day.

After Wan Song and Shan Zha meticulously inspected the chamber and deemed it safe, Jiang Hui finally lay down to rest, skipping her lunch. When she woke up again, she heard Feng Shi knocking softly at the door.

Shan Zha opened the door to let him in and asked on Jiang Hui's behalf, "What happened?"

Feng Shi, an apprentice of Qing Feng and notably composed for his age, spoke softly, "My lady, a certain Jing'an laywoman requests to see you."

"Jing'an laywoman?"

"It's Prince Jin's birth mother, Ning Taifei."

Jiang Hui remembered. Jing'an laywoman was Ning Chongyi, the previous mistress of Yaohua Palace and the mother of the late emperor, who had been sent to Proluo Temple by the Dowager Empress during the late emperor's illness.