Chapter 226: Pulling Strings in the Dark
Before long, Qing’er returned, handing two medicinal herbs to Wen Mingqian.
“Madam Wen, the Imperial Hospital heard it was for the Empress, so they gave us the best. You truly have good connections, even the people at the Imperial Hospital praise you!” Qing’er said with a giggle.
Wen Mingqian could help the Empress sleep soundly, so naturally, the Imperial Physicians were reprimanded less. However, she never took these things to heart, which made her seem even more humble and low-key.
Wen Mingqian asked Qing’er, “Do you know the Empress’s dietary preferences? For example, whether she prefers savory or bland, light or rich flavors.”
“Usually, Aunt Bai manages the Empress’s meals, and I’ve watched and remembered while by her side,” Qing’er quickly replied. “Auntie isn’t here right now, so you can ask me. If you’re still unsure, you can ask Auntie again when she returns.”
Qing’er chattered away like a cheerful magpie. Wen Mingqian found that not only were her legs fast, but her mouth was too.
People like her were best kept close, as they could help one know more things.
So, she smiled and said to her, “If you’re not busy, why don’t you stay and help me out! I’m not familiar with everything here and I’m afraid I might make a mistake.”
Qing’er was naturally delighted. Wen Mingqian was beautiful and gentle in disposition, and only serving the Empress’s medicinal cuisine wouldn’t be too much trouble.
Wen Mingqian prepared the medicinal cuisine here while paying attention to the people coming and going.
Aunt Bai was very senior and was primarily responsible for the Empress’s meals.
In addition, the Imperial Kitchen had a number of supervising eunuchs, pastry chefs, main course chefs, and those who prepared vegetables and stoked fires.
Wen Mingqian, as if chatting about everyday matters, managed to elicit a lot of information from Qing’er.
She learned that Aunt Bai and her people selected the seasonal offerings of fruits for the Empress’s Palace. These fruits in autumn and winter could not be washed with water, for fear of damaging their fragrance. Even when handling them, one could not touch them directly with bare hands; a handkerchief had to be used. This was to prevent the fruits from absorbing the scent of hand sweat.
After selection, usually four to six Palace Maids were responsible for delivering them, and then they were handed over to the people in the Empress’s Palace.
Any of these steps could be used for poisoning.
Of course, with so many people and hands involved, it wasn’t entirely impossible to poison someone when they weren’t paying attention.
Wen Mingqian then asked Qing’er, “Do the Imperial Physicians also need to review these seasonal fruits?”
“There’s no need for that, after all, the Empress doesn’t eat them,” Qing’er laughed. “Isn’t it unnecessary to be so cautious?”
Wen Mingqian smiled upon hearing this and said nothing further.
Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent’s cat had gone missing.
At first, they thought it had run out to play, as this cat couldn’t be contained. However, after two days, there was still no sign of it, and Ying Tong couldn’t help but worry.
He had raised this cat since he was young, and his affection for it was unusually deep.
He sent the people serving him to search, but after a long time, they still hadn’t found it.
Just then, Prince Chu’s Heir Apparent fell ill, and the Princess Consort Chu came to the Palace to visit.
As she was leaving, she happened to encounter Gong Changan.
Gong Changan, this child, was naturally endearing, and moreover, his status was special. The Princess Consort Chu couldn’t help but show him kindness.
Seeing him approach to pay respects, the Princess Consort Chu smiled and said, “It’s been some time since I’ve seen you; you seem to have grown taller. Why don’t I see your mother?”
“I came from Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent’s place and don’t know where my mother is at the moment,” Gong Changan said with a smile. “I came to see the Heir Apparent; I wonder if he is feeling better?”
“He’s much better, but he still needs to rest for a few more days,” the Princess Consort Chu said. “He also told me that he’s grateful for the painting you sent, which helped pass the time. Otherwise, being sick and confined to bed would have been very boring.”
“Actually, I still feel a bit guilty. If I had known what would happen later, I wouldn’t have sent the painting,” Gong Changan lowered his head.
The Princess Consort was puzzled and smiled as she asked him, “Where did this come from?”
Gong Changan then said, “Because this painting caused displeasure between our Heir Apparent and Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent, Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent’s cat scratched the painting. Our Heir Apparent, in a moment of urgency, kicked the cat.”
“Alas, this child. He didn’t even tell me about this. He must have been afraid I would scold him if I knew,” the Princess Consort Chu sighed.
They all knew the cat that Ying Tong raised; he cherished it dearly.
“Actually, it’s not a big deal. Afterward, our Heir Apparent apologized to Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent. They usually get along well, so it didn’t cause any major issues between them.
The important thing is that the cat has been missing since then, and Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent has searched for many days without finding it,” Gong Changan said. “The palace servants there couldn’t find the cat, so they said the cat was so frightened by being kicked by our Heir Apparent that it hid somewhere. I’m a bit worried. I fear Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent might develop a rift with our Heir Apparent because of this.”
The Princess Consort Chu was a thoughtful person. She didn’t dismiss it as a minor issue. Instead, she took Gong Changan’s hand and said, “Good child, thank you for reminding me. It’s difficult for me to know everything that happens with my son in the Palace. Although this matter is small, people often drift apart over trivial things.”
The Princess Consort Chu naturally did not want her son to develop a rift with Ying Tong. After all, Ying Tong was very likely to be the future Emperor, and he could not afford to offend him.
When they sent their son into the Palace, their family was well aware that Ying Bai was essentially a Companion Reader for Ying Tong.
After all, their family’s influence was not as great as Prince Zhao’s family, and moreover, the Princess Consort Zhao was the Empress’s own younger sister.
Therefore, they had warned their son to always yield to Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent and never to make an enemy of him.
Ying Bai naturally knew this, but in a moment of urgency that day, he couldn’t hold back.
Afterward, he also sincerely apologized to Ying Tong, and Ying Tong didn’t dwell on it. The two had, in a sense, reconciled.
“Since Bai’er is ill, why don’t I find another cat to give to Prince Zhao’s Heir Apparent? If the original cat returns, it can have a companion, and if it can’t be found for a while, this one can serve as a replacement,” the Princess Consort Chu thought.
“That’s a good idea. The Heir Apparent likes to listen to the cat’s purr when he sleeps every day. He even told me that cats and dogs are best raised from a young age; if they are raised when they are older, they won’t be as affectionate. If Your Ladyship is looking for a cat, please be sure to find a small one,” Gong Changan reminded her.
“Yes, yes, I understand,” the Princess Consort Chu said, stroking his face. “Thank you for your kind reminder.”
The next day, indeed, someone was sent into the Palace with a small kitten. It had the same fur color as the cat Ying Tong had raised before.
“What is this for?” Ying Tong asked, looking at the cat.
“My Lord Heir Apparent, this was sent by the Princess Consort Chu. She heard our cat was gone and knew you were worried, so she found this one for you to raise for now,” the Follower said. “I suspect it’s because Prince Chu’s Heir Apparent kicked our cat, and the Princess Consort Chu felt guilty about it!”
“You useless lot, you can’t even find a cat. How many days has it been?” Ying Tong said displeasedly. “No matter how big the Palace is, it couldn’t have left.”
“Yes, yes, we’ve been looking. Perhaps the cat ran off somewhere and was caught by someone who didn’t recognize it to catch mice. The back areas, like the Eighth Bureau, have many storerooms and many mice.”
“Then you should go and ask in the back. If someone has caught it, tell them to release it immediately! Is that cat meant for catching mice?” Ying Tong said. “If it gets thin from hunger, I won’t stand for it.”
In truth, to him, this cat was not just a plaything. When he first entered the Palace, he couldn’t help but miss home, but his parents had repeatedly warned him not to act like a child.
It was this cat that accompanied him through countless long nights. He only felt at ease when he could hear the cat’s purr.
