Shen Nian thought he was overthinking at first, but when they stepped out of Quanhua Hall and ran into a palace attendant from the Empress's Weiyang Palace, that feeling grew even stronger.
The maid from Weiyang Palace was trembling with fear, her face full of dread, as she reported that the Empress was ill—very seriously ill, burning with fever and delirious.
Upon hearing this, Ruan Jiqing showed not the slightest hint of hesitation and said directly: "The Empress is ill. Quickly go invite Imperial Physician Bai to take her pulse, and also inform the Empress Dowager. You dared to delay such a major matter—if anything happens to the Empress, you'll pay with your life."
Hearing this, the maid hurried away without even thinking to inform the Emperor.
Shen Nian naturally did not recognize this maid, but Ruan Jiqing knew her—she was the one the Emperor had left for the Empress last time.
Now that the Empress had sent her out, she not only wanted to test the maid's loyalty, but also to see how the Emperor would treat such people, and more importantly, to gauge whether the Emperor truly held a grudge against her.
If he did not, then the earlier reprimand was just a one-off thing, and the Empress's sending someone to report her grave illness now was a gesture of submission.
If the Emperor did bear a grudge against the Empress, then things would be difficult. Given the Empress's temperament, she would surely find out the reason and prepare accordingly. She was the Empress, but she also had family and kin.
Even if she did not care for herself, she had to think of her family.
The front court and the rear palace were interconnected.
Ruan Jiqing understood the Emperor's mind perfectly, so by dismissing the maid outright, he was signaling to the Empress the Emperor's stance. That was how he handled matters on the outside, but of course, the Emperor still needed to be informed.
Ruan Jiqing summoned someone to report the matter to the Emperor, then turned with a smile to look at Shen Nian.
The news of the Empress's reprimand had not spread beyond the rear palace, but Shen Nian sensed something amiss from Ruan Jiqing's attitude. He narrowed his eyes, feeling that the rumors of the Emperor doting on the Empress were not entirely trustworthy.
But soon he let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh—he had more than enough of his own tangled messes to deal with; he had no spare energy to meddle in other people's affairs.
---
Meanwhile, Qi Junmu had sent Shen Nian away and was mulling over recent affairs in the court. Just as he remembered something urgent, a messenger arrived from the Empress Dowager's palace, summoning him for a visit.
The relationship between Qi Junmu and the Empress Dowager was somewhat delicate, but they were still mother and son. Since the Empress Dowager had sent for him, he naturally had to go.
When he arrived, Qi Junmu found the Empress Dowager's palace quite lively.
Fuhua was there, his aunt Yue shi was there, and Lin En—wearing a silver mask—was also present.
Everyone was chatting and laughing merrily, but the moment Qi Junmu arrived, the scene fell utterly silent.
It was as if an invisible hand had seized everyone by the throat, leaving them speechless.
For a moment, the atmosphere was awkward. The smile on the Empress Dowager's face slowly faded. Yue shi and Lin En hurriedly rose to bow, and Qi Junmu gently bade them rise.
Seeing the situation, Fuhua also performed a bow, then said, half-seriously and half-complaining, "Your Majesty, it's been so long since I last saw you—have you forgotten all about me?"
Qi Junmu raised an eyebrow at her, paused for a moment, and said, "With state affairs keeping me busy lately, I truly have forgotten about you."
"Imperial Mother, did you hear that? How can His Majesty say something so heartless?" Fuhua pouted and tattled to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager knew Fuhua was doing this on purpose. She smiled indulgently and said, "His Majesty is busy with state affairs; it's only natural he couldn't attend to you for a while. Now that you've seen him, isn't that enough?"
"Imperial Mother, you're teasing me too!" Fuhua made a playful face.
Yue shi also laughed: "How could His Majesty forget the princess? He must miss her dearly."
Lin En smiled as well, though his smile was a little strained. With his silver mask covering his face, only his eyes and the clean, refined line of his jaw were visible. One could tell that if his face hadn't been scarred by burns, he would have been quite good-looking.
The awkward tension was broken, and everyone resumed their chatter and laughter. Though the atmosphere was not as lively as before Qi Junmu's arrival, it was still cordial.
When the conversation turned to family matters, the Empress Dowager brought up the Empress. She glanced at Qi Junmu and sighed: "I heard from Bai Feng just now that the Empress's illness was caused by excessive worry. She has a brooding nature and tends to overthink. Her constitution has always been weak, and now she's grown even thinner. It's heartbreaking to hear. Your Majesty should find time to visit her."
In response to the Empress Dowager's words, Qi Junmu merely smiled and did not reply.
At that moment, Yue shi stood up and said with a smile: "Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, I have heard that the imperial garden is exceptionally beautiful at this time. Since Lin En and I are here today by chance, we would like to go and see the scenery, if Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager would permit it."
The Empress Dowager pointed at Fuhua and said: "She knows the imperial garden best—let her accompany you."
"Rest assured, Imperial Mother, I will make sure to show Aunt and Cousin the finest views in the garden," Fuhua said, knowing full well that the atmosphere in the hall was tense.
Just as Yue shi, Lin En, and Fuhua were about to take their leave after bowing, Ruan Jiqing hurried in from outside the hall.
Seeing the hall full of people, Ruan Jiqing froze for a moment.
The expression on his face had been one of anxiety and alarm, but now, caught off guard, he looked dazed and clumsy.
"What's the matter? Why all the panic?" the Empress Dowager asked, frowning.
Ruan Jiqing snapped back to his senses and quickly bowed. He first glanced at Qi Junmu, and seeing no particular expression on the Emperor's face, he said: "Forgive me, Empress Dowager. This servant lost his composure over a matter concerning Marquis Zhenbei. I beg your pardon."
The Empress Dowager's interest was piqued. "Marquis Zhenbei—the same one who turned the tide in the great hall today with his sharp tongue? What has he done now?"
"It's him," Qi Junmu said, then turned to Ruan Jiqing. "Did I not just order him out of the palace to investigate a case? What did he do to make you so flustered?"
Ruan Jiqing swallowed hard. He closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and steeled himself before saying: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Marquis Zhenbei has beaten Prince Ying and the heir of Prince Ying at the palace gates."
[國舅爺 (guó jiù yé): Imperial Uncle (the emperor's maternal uncle or brother of the empress/empress dowager)]
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