Chapter 16: How Precious the Second Miss of the General’s Mansion Is

Chapter 16: How Precious the Second Miss of the General's Mansion Is

Bei Jing took one look: "Goodness, redder than a slapped face! There must be a lethal dose of cinnabar and heavy metals in there!"

"Indeed, the prettier something is, the more dangerous it is."

The Emperor: ...Alright.

"I thought, Brother, as the true Son of Heaven, such an elixir should naturally be for Your Majesty to enjoy.

So I went to persuade the Daoist to serve my brother.

But the Daoist is a man beyond the mundane world; he said he would only come out of seclusion if the heart was sincere, unless the Emperor personally invited him."

This was also the idea of his advisors.

An enlightened immortal must be sufficiently proud to maintain a sense of mystery.

Only if the Emperor personally visited him three times would he be convinced.

King Lu waited for the Emperor to ask where the Daoist was, then he mentioned a mountain name.

There was no specific location, and the Emperor had to find it himself.

After finding it, there would be a young Daoist blocking the way, saying the Master had gone on a journey with an uncertain return date.

This would make the Emperor anxious, increasing his anticipation for the Daoist’s arrival, and he would later follow the Daoist’s words without question.

King Lu’s plan was well-conceived, almost envisioning the scene of the Emperor dying from the elixir and himself ascending the throne.

But then he heard the Emperor say indifferently, "If he won’t come out of seclusion, let it be. I won’t force anyone."

King Lu: "Huh?"

"It’s not that, Brother. If the person is around, you can take the elixir every day, but if they’re not, we only have this one pill I obtained."

The Emperor didn’t even lift an eyelid, continuing to read his documents as he replied, "One pill is enough. It proves that I am not destined for immortality."

The Emperor on the high seat was so indifferent, like a true recluse.

"Amazing! He actually resisted the temptation of the elixir. Indeed, my Father is no ordinary emperor."

Bei Jing began to doubt whether she had entered a fanfiction, otherwise how could the plot become so absurd?

Now King Lu was no longer calm.

How could one pill be enough? At most, it could poison the infant by the Emperor’s side.

And even that was uncertain.

King Lu stood there, wanting to say more, but the Emperor finally looked up at him: "Go think of a way to bring him here."

If all the paths were blocked, how could his good younger brother continue his act?

"Sigh~ Indeed, alchemy is a fate that no emperor can escape."

The Emperor pinched the soft, tender cheeks of the frowning little one.

He was so smart during court, why couldn’t he see that the Emperor was playing along?

King Lu sighed in relief, though it deviated from his expectations, at least the person was planted.

In the original story, Daoist Qianqing was a major villain who gained the Emperor’s respect and trust through his elixirs, becoming arrogant and overbearing in the palace, even overshadowing everyone else.

The Emperor valued him so much that he wouldn’t listen even to the Grand Preceptor’s advice.

The young protagonist was bullied by him, and it wasn’t until after the Emperor’s death and the protagonist’s ascension to the throne that the evil Daoist was executed in public.

But this time, he entered the palace not personally welcomed by the Emperor, but led in through a side gate by someone.

Then he was arranged to stay in the servants’ quarters.

Daoist Qianqing: How is this different from what was agreed upon?

Didn’t King Lu say he would be heavily favored by His Majesty and get whatever he wanted?

He slipped some silver to the eunuch leading him, asking, "Eunuch, when will His Majesty summon me?"

The eunuch weighed the silver, found it too light, and disdainfully threw it back.

"His Majesty has many important matters to attend to. How can someone of your insignificance just demand an audience?

Wait. Just deliver the elixir every day.

If His Majesty is pleased with it, he might summon you."

But several days passed without any sign of the Emperor’s attention.

The Daoist began to doubt the effectiveness of his elixir.

That’s not right. The elixir he refined should make normal people feel invigorated and joyful, as if they had entered paradise.

The Emperor, having taken it for several days, should definitely want to meet him.

"Your Majesty, today’s elixir is here."

Eunuch Jiang brought it in, and the Emperor said, "From now on, don’t bring it to me. Send it directly to Doctor Shen."

Bei Jing blinked her big eyes in the cradle: "The plot is collapsing so badly. Isn’t the Emperor supposed to be addicted to the elixir, unable to live without it?"

"How could you not fall for it? You actually saw through it right away."

The emperor was rather pleased, wanting to show his little rascal how wise and perceptive their Father was as an emperor who could see through everything.

Doctor Shen heard of a pill that could temporarily invigorate one’s spirit but gradually drain the body.

The medical genius immediately got hooked and spent several days analyzing the components of the pill sent by the Taoist, finally deciphering it.

Then he reported to the emperor: "Indeed, most of the ingredients are harmful to the human body. I have recorded all the herbs used."

Very good, this added another piece of evidence against King Lu.

The emperor sighed slightly, still harboring a glimmer of hope—what if it really was a miraculous elixir?

The final result proved that the little one's prediction would never be wrong.

Days passed quietly, with Bei Jing eating, pooping, sleeping, waking up, and playing with the other two children.

Bei Jing was approaching her first month.

The emperor even issued an edict for a general amnesty to celebrate.

For a child’s first-month celebration, this was indeed too grand, and the level of favor bestowed upon the princess was astonishing.

But the court officials thought about it and understood; the emperor only had one child who survived past the first month, so it was understandable that he was overjoyed.

Because Bei Jing kept insisting on seeing the female lead, the emperor instructed Leining to bring his eldest daughter to attend the princess’s first-month banquet.

After returning home, Leining informed Lei Nian'er’s aunt, Aunt Gui, of this news, who was overjoyed.

"I’ll dig out some better fabric from the bottom of my chest and make her a nicer dress so she can look beautiful at the banquet."

"What’s wrong with what she’s wearing now?" General Lei didn’t understand fabrics; he wore his official robe when meeting the emperor and found anything wearable in daily life.

Aunt Gui explained softly, "The fabric Lei Nian'er is wearing isn’t bright enough, it doesn’t suit her age.

Moreover, the quality is inferior. If others see it, they might think the general can’t afford to clothe his daughter properly."

General Lei was displeased: "Why didn’t you give her better clothes then?"

Aunt Gui was speechless: "I need to have better fabric to give her, don’t I?"

Finally, General Lei understood. He clasped his hands together on the table and asked sincerely:

"Are you saying that when the lady managed the household, she withheld your fabric?"

He looked somewhat dim-witted.

Even Lei Nian'er, who was trying to blend into the background and eat her meal, couldn’t help but choke.

Father is so stupid; she knew what Mother meant, but Father didn’t understand.

Aunt Gui: Must you ask so directly?

How am I supposed to answer?

If I say yes, it will seem like I’m maliciously accusing the lady. If I say no, what if this fool believes it and does nothing?

Shouldn’t you have realized it yourself, gotten furious, punished those corrupt servants, questioned Lady Lei, and then compensated us for the withheld supplies?

Why aren’t you following the script?

Aunt Gui gritted her teeth and agreed.

"Tsk! Why didn’t you say so earlier, being so roundabout. The general has plenty of good fabric, I’ll send some over later."

After saying this, he looked at Aunt Gui expectantly, as if waiting for praise.

After a while, hearing no response and seeing Aunt Gui looking at him as if he were a fool,

Leining was puzzled: "Is there something else?"

Of course there was!

Fabric was important, but she wanted to use this issue to expose the servants’ favoritism and their mistreatment of her and her daughter.

With the general here, he could help them establish authority.

But this straightforward fool, when told about the fabric, only cared about the fabric.

Lately, with the general visiting his daughter more often, Aunt Gui had more interactions with him.

She realized that speaking indirectly with this man wouldn’t work.

She had to speak directly and clearly, or he wouldn’t understand.

But she hesitated to say it outright, and Lei Nian'er couldn’t bear it anymore.

"Mother means that the servants always bully Mother and me. Since Father is here today, she wants Father to punish them."

Aunt Gui covered Lei Nian'er’s small, oily mouth with a handkerchief after she finished eating.

Finally, General Lei understood. He slapped his thigh:

"Oh, you’re driving me crazy! Just say it directly! Do I have to guess your thoughts?"

Aunt Gui smiled in response, placing Lei Nian'er on her lap.

Soon, the steward arrived.

General Lei came straight to the point: "How much of Aunt Gui’s and Miss’s things have you withheld?"

The steward, upon hearing this, immediately knew it was bad and cursed his foolish son in his heart a thousand times over.

It was all because of that good-for-nothing’s rotten idea, saying they shouldn’t offend the lady for Miss’s sake.

Now look, the general was actually holding him accountable.

......

An hour later, in the main courtyard.

A young maid reported to Lady Lei the news she had gathered. "My lady, the steward has been punished for withholding Miss’s fabric."

Lady Lei was puzzled. "Why didn’t he pursue this earlier or later, but now?"

"It seems it’s because of the Crown Princess’s full moon banquet, where they found Miss’s fabric to be unsuitable."

The Crown Princess’s full moon banquet?

This was a great opportunity to meet influential people!

Lady Lei summoned Lei Naner and had someone take her measurements to make a new dress for her.

Holding Lei Naner’s hand, she instructed, "Your father, that scoundrel, has locked your mother away. This time, he’s the one taking you.

At the princess’s full moon banquet, everyone attending will be high-ranking officials and royal relatives.

Our Naner must wear the finest clothes so they can all see how precious the second miss of our General’s household is."

She never once considered the possibility that her daughter might not be able to attend.