Chapter 51: Accusation

Chapter 51: Accusation

That night, in Chonghua Palace.

Chonghua Palace, once counted among the most exquisite in the harem and not far from the Emperor's Jianzhang Palace, now had a foreboding air. With one of its young residents confined and the other bedridden, the palace staff viewed it as an unlucky place.

The downpour showed no signs of stopping. Hua Mei, soaked to the skin, quietly returned to Xiu Xia Xuan, hugging the wall and using the cover of night and the trees.

She gently opened the door to the main room, didn't light any candles, and stood behind the door removing her eunuch disguise. After wringing out the rainwater from her undergarment's sleeves and hem, she was about to head to the inner chamber when she heard Sun Cairén's voice.

"Hua Mei?"

"My lady, it's me," Huamei responded in a low voice, moving past the screen into the inner room where Lady Sun could be vaguely seen leaning against the bed in the dim light.

"How did it go? Were you seen by anyone?" Lady Sun's voice was tinged with urgency, lacking her usual lively charm.

"Rest assured, my lady, it's pouring outside. The night-shift palace staff are all hiding indoors, and the paths were deserted."

In the darkness, Huamei cautiously approached the bed and handed a slender-necked, porcelain-white vial to Lady Sun. The vial's cork was tightly sealed, emitting only a faint sweet fragrance.

"Moreover, this was obtained by the master from a prisoner in the Dali Temple dungeon and secretly brought here by you. With this, everyone in Xianyu Pavilion will be in a deep sleep, so no one would notice me."

Lady Sun clenched the vial, laughing softly, then took Huamei's cold and slightly damp hand, asking, "Is Dujuan still sleeping in the ear room?"

Huamei clasped her hand in return, nodding, "I'm on duty tonight. Dujuan is sleeping alone in the ear room. I just checked on her, and she's still sleeping soundly."

"Good."

Lady Sun continued, "Go and change into clean clothes, and secretly burn that eunuch's attire."

Huamei hesitated, voicing her concern, "My lady, are you sure you want to do this?"

After a moment of silence, Lady Sun spoke in a hushed, resentful tone, "In my current state, what hope do I have left? Instead of living a prolonged and miserable life, I'd rather take someone down with me. I won't die a clean death like my mother, leaving my father and that wretched woman to enjoy their lives."

"Miss..." Huamei changed her address, her voice choked with tears as she steadied Lady Sun's frail shoulders, "No matter what, I will always be with you."

Lady Sun smiled in the darkness, not minding Huamei's wet clothes, and embraced the maid who had been by her side since childhood.

"Don't worry, your miss won't die. I will stay in this deep palace and watch how Zhao Ruyun meets her end."

After embracing for a while, Huamei still expressed worry, "Miss, but if that thing is found in Xianyu Pavilion, what if His Majesty decides to punish Lady Liu?"

"That won't happen," Lady Sun's voice suddenly regained its usual playfulness, "Lady Liu despises Sister Yun to the bone. If there's any trouble, she'll think of Sister Yun first. Besides, after moving from Furong Pavilion to Xianyu Pavilion, the people from Hanzhang Hall have been helping in every way. It wouldn't be strange to sneak something in."

"Moreover..." Her eyes shone as she spoke slowly, "Most of the people around Sister Yun are from the Empress Dowager. If it were placed directly in Hanzhang Hall, it might be discovered. But if it's in Xianyu Pavilion, His Majesty might think it's her contingency plan."

The torrential rain continued throughout the night, finally abating around the hour of Mao the next day.

Dujuan got up early, quickly tidying herself and silently entering the main room of Zhuixia Pavilion with a copper basin.

The candlesticks on the desk were already lit. She ignored the carpet underfoot, different from the day before, and without glancing elsewhere, she placed the basin on a corner stand, wrung out a cloth, and then walked around the screen to Lady Sun's bed to clean her face.

Lady Sun's usually delicate and beautiful face was now covered in red and white welts, appearing grotesque and eerie in the candlelight.

But Dujuan was used to it, her expression unchanged as she took back the cloth and brought salt water and willow twigs for Lady Sun to clean her teeth.

Huamei brought bottles and jars from the vanity, carefully dabbing their contents onto Lady Sun's face and hands with a silk cloth.

After about a quarter of an hour of busying themselves, the two finally finished preparing Lady Sun.

Dujuan then took a comb and hairpin, preparing to arrange Lady Sun's hair in a simple bun as usual – Lady Sun couldn’t walk and spent most of her time on the bed, not requiring an elaborate hairstyle.

But Lady Sun stopped her.

"Dujuan, style my hair in a Repentance bun, and then open the makeup box and bring me the coral beaded butterfly hairpin," Lady Sun instructed.

"Yes, my lady," Dujuan replied, surprised but obediently following the orders, combing Lady Sun's hair while asking, "Are we going out today, my lady?"

Lady Sun smiled faintly, speaking softly, "It's been long since I went out, and it's rather idle staying in. The weather is cool after the rain last night, so let’s visit the Empress at Fengyi Palace."

Fengyi Palace was somewhat quiet today.

The Consort was still ill, Min Jieyu was confined, leaving only He Fei, Xu Xiuyuan, and Consort Li to sit on the redwood carved chairs in Mingluan Hall. Those below the rank of noble ladies had to respectfully sit on embroidered stools.

Yesterday's commotion outside Yaohua Palace was quite significant, and the Emperor spent a long time in Cining Palace. Even without knowing the details, most consorts were cautious and had no interest in idle chatter.

Especially the lower-ranked and less favored ladies, who kept their mouths tightly shut, daring not to speak more than necessary for greeting and paying respects.

The Empress, seated at the head, glanced around at everyone, set down her plum blossom teacup, and said indifferently, "The Empress Dowager is ill and needs peace for recovery. She has instructed that we need not visit Cining Palace to attend to her illness anymore. Remember this, sisters."

A chorus of "Yes" responses followed.

At this moment, a young palace maid entered from behind the curtain, quietly approached the Empress's throne, first performed a courtesy, then whispered a few words to Chunyan, who was attending at the side, before hastily leaving.

After listening to the report, Chunyan turned to whisper in the Empress's ear. The Empress appeared slightly surprised and then instructed, "Let them come in."

"Yes," Chunyan bowed and retreated. Soon after, she returned, accompanying Huamei, who was assisting Lady Sun into the room.

"Lady Sun has difficulty walking; help her to sit in the armchair," the Empress instructed from her seat.

The sudden appearance of Lady Sun took the assembled consorts by surprise. They couldn't help but whisper among themselves, curiously eyeing Lady Sun who was rumored to have broken her leg and developed an addiction to rash medicine.

Dressed in a peach-pink moonlight skirt and a matching veil over her face, Lady Sun, with the help of her maids, barely managed a curtsey to the Empress. She didn’t sit in the designated armchair but knelt directly on the ground and declared loudly:

"Your Highness, I wish to accuse Min Jieyu!"