met free Chapter 189 The Empress is Ill
Chapter 189 The Empress is Ill
After a series of tedious ceremonies were completed, Chu Qingyin took Xianglan to the Empress's palace to pay her respects.
As soon as she stepped into Fengyi Palace, she saw that Consort Qin, Consort De, and other concubines were already seated.
When she entered, everyone had different thoughts, but they all wore smiles, stood up, and bowed to congratulate her.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Empress and all my sisters."
Chu Qingyin bowed gracefully, her posture elegant.
Empress Wang sat upright in the main seat, a faint smile on her face: "Consort Liang, please get up. Now that you have been promoted, I am happy for you."
Chu Qingyin stood up and said with a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am so fortunate to have achieved what I have today because of the kindness of His Majesty and Your Majesty."
Consort Qin chuckled softly from the side, "Sister Liangfei is too modest. With your merit in saving the Emperor, it is only natural that you should be promoted to the rank of Consort. It's just that the speed of your promotion is truly enviable to your elder sisters."
Chu Qingyin sensed the hidden meaning in her words, but still smiled and said, "Sister Qinfei is too kind. It is my blessing to be able to stand up for His Majesty and the Empress today. I am filled with gratitude."
Because of her promotion, Chu Qingyin now has her own chair in the Phoenix Palace, and her position is relatively close to the front.
Sitting opposite her was Consort De, who was a devout Buddhist. Today, she was dressed in plain clothes once again.
When everyone stood up to congratulate her, she was the only one who remained unmoved.
It was as if the affairs of the palace had nothing to do with her.
Empress Wang said some polite words and bestowed many gifts upon Chu Qingyin, then dismissed the concubines to rest, citing feeling unwell.
After a busy day, Chu Qingyin was finally able to return to the palace and take off her imperial concubine dress.
She was already exhausted. As soon as she sat down on the couch, Xianglan thoughtfully brought her a cup of ginseng tea.
"Your Majesty, please moisten your throat. You must be exhausted after such a long day."
Xianglan said with heartache, "My lady has just recovered, she can't afford to fall ill again."
Chu Qingyin took the ginseng tea, took a small sip, and felt the warmth slowly flow down her throat, slightly dispelling some of her fatigue.
She rubbed her temples, but her mind was still replaying everything that had happened at Fengyi Palace that day.
"I noticed today that the Empress doesn't look too well. Has something gone wrong recently?"
Xianglan paused for a moment, then lowered her voice and said, "I've heard some rumors that Her Majesty the Empress has been having trouble sleeping lately, often waking up in the middle of the night, and sometimes even shouting, which has made the Fengyi Palace very tense and on edge."
Chu Qingyin's heart stirred: "Do you know why?"
Xianglan shook her head: "I tried to inquire carefully, but the palace servants in Fengyi Palace kept their mouths shut. I still haven't found out anything."
How could they have kept it so well hidden?
Chu Qingyin gently put down her teacup, leaned back on the couch, and a thoughtful look flashed in her eyes.
After a long silence, she said, "In the future, you should pay close attention to the movements in the Empress's palace. If there is any news, inform me in time."
When a concubine is promoted, a grand banquet is naturally held in the palace. Because Chu Qingyin saved the emperor, the banquet is even more lavish.
Pei Yuanling had not visited the inner palace for a long time due to matters of the previous dynasty, so the Empress was in charge of organizing the banquet, and Chu Qingyin had no objection to this.
The Empress, on the other hand, had been working hard for many days and had not been sleeping well at night, so she fell ill before the banquet even started.
When Chu Qingyin learned that the Empress had fallen ill, she felt that there might be more to the story.
In any case, appearances still need to be carefully maintained.
On this day, she still took Xianglan with her and brought carefully prepared tonics to visit Fengyi Palace.
Stepping into Fengyi Palace, its usual solemnity and magnificence remain, but now there is a sense of oppressive tranquility.
The palace maids hurried along, their expressions showing some worry. At this time, many concubines were already sitting in the reception room, each with a sorrowful face.
After exchanging greetings with them, Chu Qingyin, led by a palace maid, tiptoed into the inner hall.
Empress Wang lay on the couch, her face as pale as paper, her eyes tightly closed, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she could not find peace even in her sleep.
Sensing someone enter, she slowly opened her eyes and managed a weak smile: "My dear sisters have arrived. It's kind of you to still think of me."
"This humble concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress."
The crowd bowed, looking at the haggard-looking Empress with deep concern.
Chu Qingyin stepped forward first and said with concern, "Your Majesty the Empress has worked so hard for my promotion banquet that she has fallen ill. I feel really bad about it, so I came to see Your Majesty."
As he spoke, he gestured for Xianglan to present the tonic.
These were all tributes bestowed by Pei Yuanling: thousand-year-old ginseng and bird's nest. However, the Empress never lacked such things. She merely glanced at them and then instructed the palace maids serving her to store them away in the storeroom.
Empress Wang nodded slightly: "You're very kind, sister."
Consort Qin was filled with doubt as she looked at Empress Wang's sickly appearance.
I thought the Empress's illness was just a pretense of virtue.
But now that I've seen it with my own eyes, he does indeed look sickly, and it's not an act.
Thinking of this, Consort Qin couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with Your Highness? Has the imperial physician examined you?"
Empress Wang sighed softly: "The imperial physician said it was caused by overwork and prescribed some medicine, but it didn't help. I still have nightmares every night and can't sleep well."
Upon hearing this, Chu Qingyin lowered her eyes, secretly took out a handkerchief soaked in ginger water from her sleeve to wipe away her tears, and choked out, "This is all my fault. If it weren't for preparing the banquet, Your Majesty wouldn't have fallen ill from overwork."
"Please don't say that, Consort Liang."
Consort Qin feigned friendliness and said, "This is not your fault. Blame the servants for their incompetence and failure to share Your Highness's burdens."
Upon hearing this explanation, the concubines all nodded in agreement.
Upon hearing this, Chu Qingyin still put on a guilty look, making it hard for anyone to criticize her.
Empress Wang stared at the face before her that bore an uncanny resemblance to the late Consort Gui, a face that overlapped with the grim countenance of the person in her dream, and cold sweat broke out on her back once more.
Finally, she could only close her eyes, turn her head and cough lightly, saying, "It's my poor health that's preventing my sister from holding the banquet."
"Your Majesty is too kind to me."
Chu Qingyin dared not blame the Empress, and quickly said some words of understanding, her face full of sorrow.
Empress Wang shook her head and stopped talking, then had her maid help her lie down.
The group then inquired about the Empress's well-being at her bedside, and seeing that she was not in good spirits, they all took their leave.
After leaving Fengyi Palace, Chu Qingyin did not return directly to her own palace, but instead took Xianglan to the Imperial Garden.
In her past life, she often strolled around the Imperial Garden when she had nothing to do.
It was already midday, the sun was high in the sky, and few concubines were seen around; only the maids tending the flowers and plants were busy at work.
Chu Qingyin sat listlessly in the pavilion. Because of the dense flower wall, the palace maids did not see her and Xianglan.
Xianglan was fanning Chu Qingyin intermittently, and was about to bring up the Empress's sickly condition when she heard a hushed murmur coming from behind the flower wall.
"Hey, have you heard? Her Majesty the Empress has fallen ill."
"Who doesn't know that? Didn't they say that they fell ill from exhaustion while preparing for Consort Liang's promotion banquet?"
"Tch, you actually believe that kind of talk?"
"If it's not because of this, then what else could it be?"
"You don't know this, do you? I heard that Her Majesty the Empress suddenly fell ill because she went to the Lizheng Palace where the former Consort once lived!"