nycdaug Chapter 188 Poisoning
Chapter 188 Poisoning
The Emperor had previously celebrated his birthday with great fanfare, but he refused to do so no matter what, so Jiang Ruyin thought of the Cining Palace Garden.
The biting cold wind seemed to be intimidated by the majesty of the royal palace, and it only blew gently, carrying fine snowflakes that fell freely.
The pavilions and towers covered with white snow look like jade palaces. The icicles hanging on the eaves and corners reflect colorful light under the sunlight, competing with the glazed tiles on the palace.
Pines and cypresses, unafraid of the bitter cold, remain erect, their dark green needles adorned with flecks of white snow. Previously, when flowers bloomed and birds chirped, no one paid any attention. But in the winter, when everything is blanketed in white, the pines and cypresses' resilience is finally revealed. A few wintersweets quietly bloom in a corner, their tender yellow petals emitting a delicate fragrance, adding a unique touch of vitality and elegance.
The emperor arrived on time, a rare occasion. He sat upright on the main seat with a gentle smile on his face.
The Queen Mother still hadn't come, and Jiang Ruyin estimated in her heart that her time was running out.
Concubine Duan was beaming with joy. Hexi said, "Your Majesty, today's snowy scenery in the Cining Palace garden, coupled with the table full of delicious food and the company of everyone, is truly beautiful. Even I feel happy just looking at it."
The emperor laughed heartily, his eyes fixed on Concubine Duan. "The so-called Wanshou Festival is just an ordinary birthday. I am very happy to be able to gather with all the concubines and children."
Concubine Jing, standing by, echoed, "Indeed, the palace is full of royal heirs, full of laughter and joy. I am delighted to hear this. Concubine Hui and Ling Chang are still in my belly. Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune. I hope that in the future, you will be as happy and healthy as you are today."
The emperor smiled even more broadly after hearing this and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your kind words, Concubine Jing."
Meanwhile, the princes and princesses were having a great time. Hongshi, perhaps too pent up, stood out in the crowd of children in his royal blue brocade robe. He started playing Cuju in the open space, dribbling the ball left and right with a dashing demeanor. Hongxuan and Hongning, standing by, were stunned and applauded. The eunuchs who followed them were inconsolable, praising Hongshi against their will.
Hongli's face flushed red from the cold wind. He tried to join in the fun several times, but he only praised Hongxuan a few times, wondering if Hongshi heard him. Hongzhou, tall and slender, already had the demeanor of a young adult. He sat alone in the princes' seat in Yanshou Hall, sipping his tea with a calm expression.
Shuhe and Wenyi gathered beside two wintersweets standing side by side. Shuhe extended her slender fingers and gently touched the petals of the plum blossoms, her face filled with joy. "The wintersweets are so beautiful, so small and delicate, with petals as transparent as jade, and a subtle fragrance lingering in the air. No wonder all those literati and poets love to praise them."
Wen Yi beside him responded with a smile: "Yes, after we return to the palace, we will ask the palace maids to find some plum blossoms and put them in a vase. Put it in the house, it will surely smell fragrant for several days."
Shuhe's fingers lingered around the flower branches, as if she had some idea. After hearing this, she put down her hands and nodded in agreement.
The wet nurse was holding Xinhe, who was wrapped like a fat baby, by the side. Xinhe opened his little mouth slightly and reached for the wintersweet flowers on the branches.
Lou Yong'er, who was always paying attention to Xinhe, opened her red lips and said, "Ice and snow are falling, plum blossoms are white, and the cold wind is blowing. The fragrance of jade trees and white flowers fills the path, and the solitary silver branch smiles."
She stood up and toasted the emperor. "The wintersweet blossoms stand proudly against the snow and frost, with a unique fragrance. The three princesses all love it, which shows that the emperor's daughters are all as strong-willed and noble-minded as he is."
His strong character is real, but his noble moral character is unknown.
Jiang Ruyin finally took her eyes off Hongxuan and turned to look at the emperor who had emerged from the battle for the throne among nine princes.
The emperor nodded at her calmly and asked Su Peisheng to give the fried plums in front of him to Lou Yonger.
"Jong'er has always been outstanding in talent and learning."
Lou Yong'er thanked him happily, and Concubine Cheng rolled her eyes and stood up to toast the emperor, saying a lot of auspicious words.
Since Concubine Yu returned to the palace, the four concubines are complete, and only one of the six concubines remains.
The emperor rewarded the concubines with a bowl of Four Seasons Soup. Seeing that the other concubines were eager to eat, the emperor waved his hand and said, "Eat, eat, and tell the children to eat too."
An Lingrong picked up a tangerine and carefully removed the white peel from each one, then placed it in the boiling white fungus soup. "Hongning doesn't want to eat the snow pear and white fungus, but he does want the tangerine. Boil it for a while and then give it to Hongning to coax him into eating it."
Ling Chang was wearing bud-shaped orchid earrings today, and on her head were a gold-cut orchid bead hairpin and a hollow, carved crystal hairpin. Jiang Ruyin looked familiar and tilted her head, saying, "I noticed Ling Chang had orchid embroidery on her handkerchief. It's rare to see such embroidery on her clothes. You're quite attentive."
Shu Dong bent over and listened, and his originally peaceful and smiling face showed a lot of emotion.
"My Lady, Ling Chang knows what's going on. I'm afraid it won't be long."
Jiang Ruyin's heart was as clear as a mirror. She saw that Ling Changzai's originally plump and fair cheeks had become sunken, and the thick makeup could not cover up the sickly sallow color, as if all the vitality had been sucked out of her.
Her eyes were half-open, their former lively brilliance long gone, leaving only a dull and exhausted look. She was powerless to respond to what others said. If anyone asked, she would simply say, "It's just the hardship of pregnancy."
As the emperor turned a blind eye, no one dared to raise any objections.
In the midst of this joyful atmosphere, something unexpected happened suddenly.
Nian Shilan was originally chatting casually with Concubine Wen beside her. She was wearing a bright red palace dress today, and her exquisite makeup made her look even more radiant and charming. "The dishes for today's banquet are quite unique, and they even added this crab roe pastry. It's obvious that the imperial kitchen put a lot of effort into it."
But before she could finish her words, her face turned pale as paper, her body trembled violently, and then a mouthful of blood spurted out of her mouth. The glaring red color seemed particularly abrupt in this snowy world.
The people around were stunned at first, and then burst into exclamations.
Nian Shilan could no longer hold on. After swaying a few times, she fell straight to the ground. "Ah, my queen!"
Concubine Wen was so frightened that her face turned pale. She hurriedly reached out to support her, but she couldn't stop her from falling.
The emperor's face changed when he saw this. He immediately stood up and walked quickly towards Nian Shilan. His frown revealed his anger. "Quickly call the imperial physician!" The voice was a little anxious, breaking the original peace.
Concubine Jing also frowned, her eyes full of concern. Everyone gathered around her, and the Cining Palace Garden, which had just been full of laughter and joy, was instantly shrouded in a tense and panic atmosphere.
The princes and princesses were also frightened into silence by this scene. Hongxuan hurriedly ran to the front. Wen Yi shouted, "Empress Hua!" and ran towards his mother and Nian Shilan, throwing himself beside Nian Shilan with a nervous look on his face.
Shuhe hid behind the nanny, timidly poking her head out, her eyes full of fear.
The cheerful sounds of children playing seemed to still echo in my ears, but now there was only a heart-wrenching silence.