Chapter Six

  It was very windy at night, and when I got up early, the sun was not visible. The weather was not as hot as it had been in previous days, so people could finally take a breath. Quan Pei, with her long hair half covering her face, wearing a light green long dress, knelt on the couch, burning incense and reading Buddhist scriptures. She stopped only when the incense stick had burned out.

  The Li family's door creaked open, and Xiaoyue saw through the pink gauze window that Li was sending Yongzheng out neatly dressed. After a moment, Song also came out of her own room to see off Yongzheng together with Li at the gate, and after standing for a while, the two returned together.

  Song said in a low voice: "Sister can be considered as having no equal, and is not afraid that Madame Fu will not be happy?"

  Li's cheeks were flushed with a peach-like pink color as she smiled and looked at Song: "Sister, you're already pregnant, why are you asking me this?"

  Song Shi slightly curled up the corners of her mouth and, together with Li Shi, arrived at the entrance to Fu Jin's room. The maids lifted the bamboo curtain and the two women entered the house. Fu Jin loved fragrances, and every day there was a different scent in the house. Song Shi touched her own belly and entered the inner chamber, where she saw Fu Jin again blending incense. The two of them quietly stood by with their hands hanging down, waiting for Quan Pei to finish before they paid their respects.

  Song's wife was pregnant and could sit on a round stool, Li's wife served as the attendant of Quan Piao to wash her hands, changed her clothes, and the dishes from the kitchen were also sent over.

  Song gave Quan Pei a few dishes, and Quan Pei told her to go down and rest, leaving only Li. Song insisted on staying for a while before retreating.

  The sweltering heat of summer is gradually dissipating, and autumn is just around the corner. The early chrysanthemums sent by the Crown Princess a few days ago are in full bloom under the corridor, while the five-colored parrot given by Empress De is perched on its stand, turning its dark eyes to look at Song Shi. Suddenly, it flapped its wings and cried out towards the door: "The master has returned!"

  Song was startled, but when she heard the laughter coming from inside the house, she knew it was that beast teasing people again. She pinched her handkerchief and returned to her own room, sitting on the kang and losing herself in thought for half a moment.

  The sun shone on the top of their heads, and the maids had already moved the parrot to a cooler place and added water. A faint cry came from Song's house, and Yi Zan, who was fanning himself, collided with Shang Cao, a maid from Song's house, as soon as he entered the door.

  Yin Zhen frowned and said: "What's the hurry?"

  Senbei almost in tears: "Our stomachs hurt!"

  Someone had gone to invite the imperial physician, and Yongzheng stood in Song's house looking at Song who was lying down, Quan Pei sat on a chair beside him, her fingers lightly touching the table.

  Yongzheng asked Qiancao: "Why does your stomach hurt? What have you done?"

  Nothing much, got up early to see grandfather off and then went to Fuhua's place. When I arrived, Fuhua was adjusting the incense, waited for a moment, served Fuhua a few dishes, and then let Gege take a rest. Gege came back and ate some herself, didn't do anything else, lay down for a bit, got up and that's it.

  The tree shade in the courtyard shaded half of the west wing's sunlight, so on summer days this house always had a few degrees of coolness, and when the weather cooled down it would reveal a chill. On the bed lay Songshi, whose eyelashes kept trembling, occasionally letting out stifled groans.

  The imperial physician knelt on one side to feel the pulse of Song's family, and after a while, he only said: "It is due to musk." He didn't say anything else, wrote a prescription and left.

  The imperial physician has the principle of survival, and it's a crime to talk too much about private matters in the harem. Yongzheng knew that even if he asked, he wouldn't get an answer. Suddenly, he felt a surge of anger: "Where did this musk come from?!"

  Li stood behind Quan Pei, still somewhat uncertain about who this matter was aimed at, and felt a little uneasy, weakening her sense of existence.

  "Please don't be angry, we can't afford this."

  No matter what, the ugly things that happened in his own courtyard were not something that Yongzheng could bear now. He clenched his fists and coldly smiled as he looked around at the people in the house: "Whoever did it will remember today!" Even in anger, he had to endure this much.

  The Song family on the kang seemed unable to bear it, and their voices grew louder.

  After all, some things still have subtle changes. Quan Pei and Yin Zhen sat at both ends of the kang, Quan Pei lowered her head to flip through "Ben Cao Gang Mu", and Yin Zhen's gaze fell on her slender fingers moving with his own gaze: "Did you blend perfume again today?"

  Ruan Wan raised her head, with a vague smile and some unknown thing in her eyes: "Is there something you want to ask? In this harem, I rely on the master for survival. If one day the master has something to say but doesn't speak directly, then our relationship will probably come to an end."

  She seemed to see through Yongzheng's heart at this moment, making Yongzheng feel a little flustered. He looked away and asked, "Have you made a move on Songshi?"

  Wei Ting unknowingly let out a soft sigh: "Is that how Grandfather sees me? She just casually mentioned a few words in Grandfather's ear, and he really remembered them. She's not bad, she just thinks too badly of others. But I'm still glad Grandfather is willing to ask me directly."

  Quan Pei beckoned Xiaoyue to come over: "You tell Grandpa about it."

  Xiao Yue spoke clearly and forcefully: "On the ninth day of July, I saw Zhang Taiping at the Imperial Hospital in Shallow Grass and got a small package of musk. Today, Furen was not burning incense in the house, but the fragrance came from the newly opened Yuzi flower. What she prepared this morning was not incense either, it was medicine for treating dysentery. Furen said that autumn is approaching, and it's easy to get a stomachache, so it's always good to have some extra medicine on hand..."

  Yin Zhen clenched his fists and interrupted Xiao Yue: "Enough!" He turned to Quan Pei and said, "If you knew she was wrong, why didn't you say so earlier?"

  Wei Xiang smiled: "She didn't do anything, what can I say?"

  "So you set her up and let her fall into the trap?"

  She lowered her eyes and stopped looking at Yongzheng: "I don't harm people, do I not even have the right to defend myself? The path she chose was hers alone, did I force her?" She said as she got up and walked towards the inner room: "When Master doubted me, why didn't he ask himself more questions."

  The soft curtain that scattered flowers was probably shaken with some force, and the silver hooks hanging on both sides were swaying non-stop. The air was filled with the strong fragrance of Yu Zhui flowers. Suddenly, Yin Zhen hated these flowers, holding the not-so-thick "Ben Cao Gang Mu" in his hand, wanting to throw it to the ground, but he finally restrained himself and quickly walked out of the house.

  The medicine prepared by the Song family was already ready, but Yongzheng saw it for no reason and knocked it to the ground with a slap. He couldn't even utter a loud curse, and could only quicken his pace and walk out of the courtyard towards the Ministry of Revenue.

  The Song family in the house suddenly sat up, looking anxiously out of the window. Shallow grass came in with a pale face and said, "Master knocked over the medicine bowl."

  Song's eyes widened in horror and he couldn't stop trembling.

  Song Shi was born as a palace maid, and there were also several good people in the palace. She didn't think of doing anything to Quan Pei, she just wanted to use some small tricks to make Master Ye wary of Quan Pei and be on guard, so that she could be safe. However, it seemed that things weren't going as she had expected.

  Li's nest was in her own house, she didn't dare say a word more, the commotion outside seemed very big, but fortunately it didn't affect her.

  Quan Pei has never been a good-tempered person, but after being reborn and seeing through many things, she is no longer easily angered. She pinches the snow-white jade hairpin flower into pieces, and her hands are filled with its fragrance. As pure as it is, it will eventually have to carry things that are not bright. She sighs for no reason.

  The fallen flowers covered the ground, and Xiaoyue softly advised: "Why are you also angry with Master? Just apologize and admit your fault..."

  Her cold and stern master, she sometimes didn't even dare to look at him more than once. But Fu Jin was someone who would turn her face if she wanted to, and she herself had some admiration for that. Quan Pei got up: "Help me change my clothes, I want to copy Buddhist scriptures."

  Xiao Yue hastily responded with a "yes" and didn't dare say more.

  At night, Su Peisheng returned with a message: "There are many things, the prince has asked Master Zizhu to stay overnight."

  Quan Ai waved her hand, and Xiao Yue chimed in from the side: "Sorry to trouble you, Sir Su."

  When Su Peisheng rushed to Yin Zhen's side, Yin Zhen was reading a letter and looked up: "What did the lady say?"

  Su Peisheng measured his words and said, "The mistress told me to be careful in serving." He carefully considered that what he had just said was not wrong, so he quietly lowered his hands and stood by.

  Yongzheng's face was stern, and after a brief moment of silence, he said, "Just this one sentence." Su Peisheng only vaguely heard Yongzheng muttering to himself: "...Forget it...I won't bother with you..." and knew that his words had not been wrong.

  He thought to himself, Fu Jin's temper was indeed not small.

  When I got up early, there was still a bit of fog. Walking through the garden, my clothes were covered in dew. Guan Pian finished her prayers and turned around to see a bottle of azaleas with morning dew on the windowsill: "Who picked these?"

  "The master had sent it over early in the morning, and was told that Madame Fu was busy and didn't want to be disturbed, so he said he had official business and left."

  Quan Pei lightly touched the dewdrop on the green leaf with her finger, and it rolled down, refracting the colorful light of the newly risen sun. Quan Pei smiled, lost in thought for half a moment as she leaned against the windowsill.

  Quan Pei sent someone to ask about Song Shi, and in a moment, Song Shi followed Xiao Yue into the house. Song Shi made a nervous bow, Quan Pei pointed to the stool and asked her to sit down: "You're weak."

  Song Shi listened and sat down, but after half a while, he still couldn't wait for Quan Pei to speak, and a layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

  Quan Ai finished reading the page in her hand before speaking: "What you want to do, both Grandfather and I already know."

  Song's family was so frightened that they almost jumped up from their chairs: "What are you talking about? I don't understand!"

  "I didn't call you here to say anything, I just want you to listen. If neither I nor your grandfather wants to deal with you, this palace can crush you into dust. You should have some self-awareness, your enemy is not from within, but from outside. Although you are not likable, at least there's a child in your belly, and for the sake of that child, I will take care of you until you give birth. As for what happens afterwards, it depends on your own luck. You'd better not harm the child in your belly, if because of your negligence something happens to the child, then you'll be truly unforgivable. Do you understand?"

  It's hard to describe Song Shi's feelings at this moment, Fu Jin didn't want her to speak because she had already acknowledged her actions, and when the child became the only reason for Fu Jin to forgive her, she really didn't know whether to laugh or cry, is this what they call being too clever for one's own good?

  Li still didn't know what had happened, but it was clear that Song had shot herself in the foot. She saw Song coming out of Fugui's house like a lost soul and wanted to say a few words, but she ended up keeping her mouth shut, thinking it was better to be safe than sorry.

  At night, Ye returned to the courtyard, and surprisingly, neither Li's nor Song's house made a sound. He hesitated for a moment, looking at Quan Pei's house which was lit up, and finally walked in.

  Yuanyuan was reading a book again. Just after she finished, the maids were waiting on her to wash her hands. Seeing Yongzheng come in, she smiled slightly and said: "Master is back."

  It was as if yesterday's events had never occurred, which made Yongzheng feel a slight sense of relief, and he nodded slightly, sitting down across from Quan Pei.

  Ruan Yu came down from the kang, and Ya Tou helped her loosen her hair. Under the dim lamp light, that long hair was shiny like a satin ribbon, and the woman in the mirror looked gentle and beautiful. Yin Zhen thought, if she had such a gentle temperament, how could she be so disobedient?

  Yongzheng said to Quan Pei: "I called Song Shi over and told her a few words. She's pregnant, I don't want to make things difficult for her, but she also needs to have some self-awareness." For the time being, it seemed like this was all that could be done, but Yongzheng felt a bit guilty. He got up and walked behind Quan Pei: "Let me braid your hair."

  Wei Yan smiled with pursed lips, looking at the somewhat awkward young man behind her, and occasionally wondered what kind of person he would grow up to be one day.