Chapter 64

Faking Illness to Enter the Palace, Rescuing in the Chaos.

When Shi Mei regained consciousness, her head throbbed severely, and she felt nauseous. Struggling to open her eyes, she realized she was lying on a large, soft bed with familiar silk covers.

"You're awake?"

Someone asked her at that moment.

Shi Mei looked up to see a figure approaching with a bowl of tea, sitting down beside her. "You finally woke up. The Prince has already executed three physicians."

It took a moment for Shi Mei to recognize the person before her — it was Ming Fu.

Ming Fu, dressed in plain white, appeared much thinner but still maintained a healthy complexion.

Shi Mei immediately remembered; this was the separate residence she used to live in at the Prince's estate. It was now far more luxu

Once Shi Mei's head cleared, her first question was, "Where's Bai She?" only to realize her voice was hoarse.

"Ah," Ming Fu laughed, "Do you know why the Prince left? You kept calling out for Bai She in your delirium, and since his body wasn't found, the Prince couldn't bear it and left."

Shi Mei felt a surge of relief — Bai She was safe! The plan he had devised with Qin Dai must be in action; Bai She wouldn't fall to the likes of Qin Xianglian and Fu Si.

Ming Fu glanced outside and whispered to Shi Mei, "I overheard this, don't tell anyone, or I'll be in trouble." Handing her the tea, he added, "Drink this."

Shi Mei, without suspicion, drank the sweet tea, feeling much more comfortable and soothing her sore throat.

Shi Mei noticed Ming Fu still dressed in plain white and was somewhat puzzled.

"I'm in mourning for my brother," Ming Fu explained quietly. "The Prince dislikes the presence of mourners, so I've been staying in the annex. I'm borrowing your room to understand what you must have felt."

Shi Mei frowned slightly, noting how much more mature Ming Fu seemed.

"Luan Jing'er is pregnant," Ming Fu said softly. "The Prince has arranged for her to stay at the front, guarded day and night, and visits her daily."

Shi Mei could tell from Ming Fu's tone that he harbored no jealousy, a significant change from his past self.

"Ah," Ming Fu sighed, "Luan Jing'er is probably not happy. The Prince's heart is no longer with her; he's just ensuring his lineage. If she has a son, it's fine, but a daughter would be disastrous. She's cautiously hoping to gain favor through her child."

Shi Mei pursed her lips, pondering the futility of such desires.

Knowing Bai She was safe, Shi Mei lay back to think. Bai She's next steps were to mobilize troops and visit the Emperor's trusted generals with the Empress Dowager's letter. Bai She also knew where Qin Xianglian's forces were stationed, offering a chance for a preemptive strike. But everything hinged on curing the Emperor.

Shi Mei needed to find a way to heal the Emperor. Xu Xian was waiting outside the palace, ready for the right moment to locate the Emperor's prison. She would join Xu Xian to assess the Emperor's condition.

Lost in thought, she heard Ming Fu call from the door, "My Lord."

Shi Mei's heart raced — was it Qin Xianglian? She reminded herself to stay calm and feign indifference.

Qin Xianglian entered and saw Shi Mei awake, lying in bed with swollen eyes and a pale face. She had been feverish and delirious since her return, crying and calling for Bai She.

Her vulnerable appearance evoked pity.

Qin Xianglian felt a sense of satisfaction, believing Shi Mei was now under his control.

Sitting beside the bed, he gently arranged her hair strewn across the pillow and asked in a low voice, "Are you hungry?"

Shi Mei, appearing to ignore the question, remained lost in thought, calculating her next move. Her best option would be to gain entry to the palace.

"Fetch some food," Qin Xianglian ordered Ming Fu as if commanding a servant. Ming Fu, seemingly unperturbed, instructed the servants to do so, leaving Shi Mei secretly astonished. Why was Ming Fu so calm and composed under such circumstances?

The food arrived, consisting of steaming bird's nest porridge and a selection of delicate pastries. Shi Mei, dizzy from hunger, struggled with the paradox of her appetite — how could one with a broken heart eat? She silently prayed her stomach wouldn’t betray her with its growls.

When Shi Mei refused to eat, Qin Xianglian attempted to feed her, but she resisted even as hunger pained her. Internally, she sulked — Bai She, I'm so hungry!

Faced with her steadfast refusal, Qin Xianglian had no choice but to have the food removed.

Two days passed in this manner, with Shi Mei steadfastly refusing food, growing increasingly weak from hunger.

Sensing her desperation, Qin Xianglian finally lost his patience and asked her, "Do you want to see the Empress Dowager?"

A genuine spark of hope flickered in Shi Mei's eyes at the mention of the Empress Dowager, giving Qin Xianglian a glimpse of her desire.

"Eat first, and then I'll take you to see the Empress Dowager?"

Shi Mei remained motionless, her guard still up, showing no trust in his words.

Sighing, Qin Xianglian conceded to her stubbornness, "Fine, I'll take you to see the Empress Dowager now!"

Relieved, Shi Mei thought, I can finally eat. I'm starving!

Soon, two maids helped Shi Mei change her clothes and escorted her to the carriage, where Qin Xianglian personally drove her to the palace.

The moment the Empress Dowager saw Shi Mei, her heart ached. Shocked by her emaciated appearance after just a few days, she hugged her and cried bitterly, cursing Qin Xianglian.

Shi Mei also wept in the Empress Dowager's embrace.

Unable to bear the sight, Qin Xianglian said, "Take your time to talk. I'll come back for you later." He ordered the imperial kitchen to serve some food and left to attend to his duties.

Qin Xianglian was still uneasy because Bai She’s body had not been found, meaning he might still be alive. Bai She's potential survival posed a significant threat to Qin Xianglian, who found himself unable to rest easy.

The Empress Dowager settled Shi Mei on a soft couch, and a young maid brought her favorite foods and some porridge. The Empress Dowager fed her bit by bit, careful not to let her eat too much after being starved for so long, as it could cause discomfort. The idea was to have her eat more meals, but in smaller quantities.

After eating, Shi Mei felt rejuvenated, her complexion noticeably improved.

The Empress Dowager held Shi Mei gently, patting her back. "You’ve endured so much, risking your life like this."

Shi Mei produced three medicinal pills from her bosom and gave them to the Empress Dowager and the two maids, instructing them to take them. Without questioning, they complied. Shi Mei then presented a fragrant orb, instructing them to place it in an incense burner. The Empress Dowager ensured it was done accordingly.

After the meal, Shi Mei remained lying beside the Empress Dowager.

In the evening, Qin Xianglian arrived, visibly frustrated by his failure to capture Bai She, and reprimanded his subordinates.

Upon entering, he saw Shi Mei had obediently eaten her meal and was sleeping quietly.

Seeing her sleeping face, Qin Xianglian's mood lightened considerably, and he decided to take Shi Mei with him. However, Shi Mei tightly clutched the Empress Dowager's hand, refusing to let go.

In reality, Shi Mei was not asleep; she simply didn’t want to leave!

Qin Xianglian, unable to forcibly separate them, left them be.

The Empress Dowager said, "Her health is still fragile, she can't be disturbed. Let her stay with me; I’ll take good care of her."

Qin Xianglian hesitated, weighing his options, but eventually nodded, "I’ll come to see her tomorrow."

The Empress Dowager agreed and had the two maids escort Qin Xianglian out.

Once Qin Xianglian had left and the door was closed, the Empress Dowager gently patted Shi Mei's shoulder, signaling — it's safe now!

Shi Mei awoke and breathed a sigh of relief.

Throughout the afternoon, Shi Mei focused on eating and sleeping in quick succession, aiming to recover from the physical toll of the past few days. She speculated that Bai She might already have some leads, and she couldn't afford to fall ill.

That night, they waited, but no one came during the first half of the evening.

Impatience began to set in for Shi Mei, her thoughts wandering anxiously. The Empress Dowager, however, remained composed, watching Shi Mei pace around the room before shaking her head with a smile, "You're restless too, just like him. You need to have faith in that man."

Shi Mei nodded, acknowledging that trust was one thing, but worry was another.

While she was contemplating, a soft knock came from the rear window.

Overjoyed, Shi Mei rushed to open it, only to be met with a somewhat awkwardly smiling Xu Xian, not Bai She.

"You..." Shi Mei squinted her eyes in disappointment, pouting her disapproval.

Xu Xian quickly reassured her, "Bai She is fine. He's diverting Qin Xianglian's attention. We're going to rescue the Emperor!"

The Empress Dowager gasped, "You've found the Emperor?"

Xu Xian nodded, "He's under house arrest in the inner palace, heavily guarded. But the incense you provided is already burning."

Shi Mei nodded, instructed to extinguish the lights to feign that the Empress Dowager had retired, and then left with Xu Xian.

"Bai She is okay, right?" Shi Mei asked.

"He's fine. He even knows about your hunger," Xu Xian joked with a smile. "He's really worried about you. Qin Xianglian is in for it this time. Bai She won't rest until he's dealt with him."

The two stealthily bypassed patrolling soldiers, making their way to the entrance of a dilapidated palace in the west.

This palace was heavily guarded, but the soldiers stood rigidly in place, as if in a daze. At a glance, they seemed like any other day, unless one looked closely.

Xu Xian, intrigued, asked Shi Mei, “What incense did you have us light?”

“It’s a paralyzing incense,” Shi Mei explained. “Anyone who inhales its scent becomes immobilized, as if under a paralysis spell.”

“There’s such a rare thing? It saves the trouble of acupuncture point blocking,” Xu Xian marveled, as he helped Shi Mei climb over the wall into the courtyard and found a bedroom locked with a heavy padlock.

Exchanging glances, Shi Mei deftly used her hairpins to pick the lock, and they both entered the room.

Inside, the room was in disarray, with furniture overturned. Seated listlessly on the bed was a figure — none other than the reigning Emperor, evidently affected by the paralyzing incense.

Shi Mei frowned at the sight. She had met the Emperor once before, finding him amiable and devoid of Qin Xianglian’s malevolence, with a genial demeanor and intelligence. Now, he looked haggard, with an unkempt beard and dark circles under his eyes, clearly suffering from illness.

Xu Xian, skilled in medicine, checked the Emperor’s pulse and furrowed his brows. “Alas, the Emperor has been poisoned with a strange toxin, and his condition is quite dire.”

Shi Mei examined the incense burner and detected a peculiar fragrance — it was indeed made from naphthalene incense.

Shi Mei had read about naphthalene incense in Chen Shiming’s notes. It was a highly damaging incense that caused the victim’s mind to become as rigid as stone, leading to madness and idiocy.

She produced a red medicinal pill, dull in color but resembling a coral bead, given to her by an herbalist. This precious pill was said to cure bizarre poisons and was effective against various ailments. The herbalist had assured Shi Mei that it could counteract most toxins.

Taking a chance, Shi Mei administered the pill to the Emperor.

Indeed, his vacant gaze slowly regained clarity.