Chapter 28: Falling into Water

Chapter 28: Falling into Water

After leaving the small Buddha hall in Ci Ning Palace, Wan Cairen continued to enjoy the emperor's favor, though she no longer had the honor of being summoned for several days in a row. However, while the favor shown to Jiang Xue Xuan couldn't compare with Yao Hua Palace, it was still enviable compared to other concubines.

During this time, the more prominent new ladies had already served in the emperor's chamber; those less noticeable had been quietly forgotten by His Majesty, experiencing for the first time the fickleness of royal favor.

All except for Min Jieyu and Xie Meiren.

Xie Meiren's foot had healed, but perhaps due to bad luck, just as she was about to be summoned again, she fell ill with a cold, leading to whispers among the palace staff about her ill-fated destiny.

However, Xie Meiren's beauty was undeniable, and the palace staff were careful not to offend her prematurely. Her allowances and treatment remained fair and proper, neither more nor less.

As for Min Jieyu, her situation was even more peculiar.

The emperor didn’t seem to favor this cousin of his. Apart from the day she entered the palace, he had never summoned her to serve again; but to say he disliked her wasn't accurate either, as he often visited her at Han Zhang Hall and frequently summoned Min Jieyu to accompany him on garden strolls or to add grace to his evenings.

Xue Meiren, dressed in a willow-green flower-embroidered silk dress, sat in the small hall of Yao Hua Palace, chatting casually with Jiang Hui.

Xue Meiren, previously Xue Bao Lin or Xue Bi Ling, had gained some favor due to her father being the Jinyiwei Captain. She had been promoted to a sixth-rank beauty, surpassing Wan Cairen and becoming the first among the new ladies to advance in rank.

She said with a smile, "In Chang Xin Palace, only Luo Meiren and I reside, but Luo Meiren usually stays indoors at Jin Lan Yuan, painting and writing. I’ve heard the emperor praise her, saying her writing and demeanor bear some resemblance to you, Noble Consort."

This implied that Luo Meiren was intentionally imitating Jiang Hui’s style and manner.

Jiang Hui smiled slightly and responded with her clear voice, "His Majesty has mentioned to me that Luo Meiren wrote beautifully even during the selection process. She must have developed her own style long ago."

"I never liked reading from a young age, so I don’t understand much about these things. No wonder Luo Meiren doesn’t come to Qing Xin Ge to relieve my boredom," Xue Meiren laughed, probing further, "She often visits Han Zhang Hall. Could it be that Min Jieyu is also a talented lady?"

"Min Jieyu, from the Marquis of Changping's household and capable of serving the emperor with writing, is naturally a woman of both beauty and talent," Jiang Hui replied with a faint smile, her expression unchanged.

After a short while, Jiang Hui's son, who had been napping, woke up and was brought over by his nursemaid, seeking to play with Jiang Hui. Behind them followed two senior maids, Hong Ying and Shi Liu, always attentive and watchful.

"The Noble Consort must be busy, so I won't disturb you any longer," Xue Meiren said, her eyes flashing with envy as she tactfully took her leave.

*

Soon it was the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Empress held a family banquet in the Qian Nian Hall.

Though called a family banquet, due to the increasingly hot weather, most of the dishes served from the Imperial Kitchen were cold snacks and desserts, with fewer hot dishes and soups. The most abundant item was zongzi, a traditional festival food.

The Empress Dowager, despite being well-preserved, couldn't eat much glutinous rice zongzi. After picking at her food, she watched a few performances with the emperor, then decided to return to Ci Ning Palace.

The Empress Dowager’s departure naturally meant the emperor would escort her back, bringing the family banquet to an end.

Jiang Hui, still physically weak after childbirth, felt a headache coming on after sitting in the breeze during the banquet. She left shortly after it ended, heading straight back to Yao Hua Palace in her palanquin, but passing by Tai Ye Pool, she heard a heavy "thud" of something falling into water.

"Help! Hel—mmp—" A brief cry for help was muffled by the water, jolting Jiang Hui awake from her doze.

"Qing Feng, go see what happened."

The palanquin stopped by the palace path. Despite it being May, Jiang Hui, wrapped in a thick brocade cloak, still felt a chill in the night air by the lake.

After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Qing Feng hadn't returned, only sending a junior eunuch to report that a panicked Wan Cairen was found on the shore.

"My lady, let's go back. Qing Feng can tell us what happened when he returns," Wan Song, concerned, tightened Jiang Hui's cloak and suggested.

Feeling unwell, Jiang Hui nodded and instructed Hong Yu, "Take a junior eunuch and inform the Empress in Feng Yi Palace." She then got into her palanquin.

Back at Yao Hua Palace, Jiang Hui was so weak and dizzy she could hardly stand. Shan Zha hurried with a lantern-bearing junior eunuch to the Imperial Medical Bureau, while Qiu Kui and Wan Song half-supported, half-carried Jiang Hui to the step bed in her inner chamber.

When she awoke again, her mouth was filled with the taste of medicine, and Wan Song was wiping her sweat.

"You're awake, my lady? The fever has broken, thank goodness!"

Qiu Kui brought warm water for Jiang Hui to drink and, without waiting for her to ask, reported, "My lady, the incident at Tai Ye Pool involved Min Jieyu falling into the water."

"Min Jieyu?" Jiang Hui expressed mild surprise.

"Yes," Qiu Kui helped Jiang Hui to sit up, relaying to her every detail of the news brought by Qing Feng.

"Min Jieyu was unconscious when she was rescued and hasn’t woken up yet. The emperor, Empress Dowager, and Empress are all at Han Zhang Hall, keeping watch."

"When Qing Feng went to Tai Ye Pool to investigate, he only saw a flustered Wan Cairen and a few palace maids and eunuchs who had jumped into the lake to save her. They have all been taken to Han Zhang Hall now."

"What about Qing Feng?"

"He's still waiting at Han Zhang Hall for the emperor’s inquiry."

Jiang Hui coughed softly, her head still feeling foggy, so she closed her eyes to think.

At this moment, Qiu Kui spoke softly, "My lady, before we returned to the palace, I vaguely saw Min Jieyu walking with Wan Cairen and Sun Cairen."

Wan Song stepped forward, glaring at Qiu Kui, and began to gently massage Jiang Hui's temples, murmuring, "Doctor Liu said you're suffering from an external invasion of wind-heat and a deficiency in qi and blood. You should rest and recuperate. It's already late at night; you should get some sleep and think about these things tomorrow."

Jiang Hui nodded at Wan Song, reluctantly agreeing to lie down, but suddenly asked, "Has the emperor not visited Yao Hua Palace?"

Although she hadn’t sent anyone to inform the emperor, Doctor Liu had visited her, so the emperor must be aware of her condition.

Qiu Kui and Wan Song exchanged glances and lowered their heads, "When Shan Zha went to the Imperial Medical Bureau to fetch Doctor Liu, she saw Eunuch An Jing taking several doctors to Han Zhang Hall. The emperor is probably preoccupied with Min Jieyu's situation."