Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Because she had drunk the calming soup, Geng Shuning slept without dreams and didn’t wake up until nearly mid-morning.

The brilliant sunlight streamed through the window screens, casting a warm glow on the kang, which left Geng Shuning feeling as if she had woken up in a different world.

Though she had dared to scheme against the emperor, she wasn’t confident at all. She didn’t dare underestimate the Fourth Master’s pettiness; the lord of the Forbidden City could take the life of a young palace maid without it being any harder than slaughtering a pig or dog.

That unexpected slap still hung over her like a sharp sword at her throat.

Last night, before drinking the calming soup, Geng Shuning hesitated for a long time, unsure what to do—whether to face death awake or risk being killed in her sleep and dumped in a mass grave.

In the end, she drank it.

She had no choice but to take this huge gamble. Going to Qingyu Pavilion was out of the question.

Fortunately, she had won the gamble.

Waking up alive felt like a dream, except for the dull ache in her lower abdomen, which slowly brought her back to reality.

Geng Shuning propped herself up on the edge of the kang, her body still weak and her thoughts scattered.

She didn’t know if the emperor had simply forgotten, and that’s why no one came for her, or if the emperor had some reservations, allowing her to escape this time—

"Are you feeling any better?" A familiar and respectful voice interrupted Geng Shuning’s whirling thoughts, causing her to tense up and almost fall back onto the kang.

Geng Shuning inhaled sharply, her scalp tingling, and stiffly rose to her feet, looking at the smiling Nanny Chen.

"Nanny, what brings you here? Is it about the storeroom..."

Nanny Chen shook her head with a smile and instructed the young palace maid to put down the snacks and sweet soup brought from the kitchen. She then waved for the young palace maid to guard the door, before efficiently and tactfully attending to Geng Shuning.

"There’s been nothing much at the storeroom these past few days. Miss shouldn’t worry."

"Last night, Chief Su came to invite you, but it coincided with your discomfort. His Majesty was concerned and asked Chief Su to pass a message to you."

"Chief Su couldn’t make a big deal out of coming to Cining Palace, so he asked me to deliver the message."

The emperor had always had his people around the empress dowager, including Nanny Chen and others he had quietly placed after ascending the throne.

The young palace maid at the door was trained by the Imperial Guard.

With someone guarding the door, Nanny Chen didn’t have to be too cryptic and carefully conveyed the emperor’s words.

Because of Su Peisheng’s polite manner, even though the message wasn’t pleasant, Nanny Chen felt that the emperor was paying attention to Geng Shuning.

Since Geng Shuning had already served the emperor late at night, Nanny Chen thought that with her figure and beauty, she was destined to become a consort sooner or later.

Originally, she had been polite to Geng Shuning, but now she treated her even more like a future consort.

The more respectfully Nanny Chen treated her, the stiffer Geng Shuning’s expression became, her nails nearly digging into her palm. She managed to soften her voice and see Nanny Chen out the door.

As soon as the door was closed, Geng Shuning slumped on the kang table, her back drenched in sweat.

The emperor indeed remembered.

Whether it was Yanchun Pavilion or the Hall of Mental Cultivation... both paths led to the same fate, just a matter of when.

She bit her lip hard to keep herself alert.

If the emperor insisted on having her, the Empress Dowager wouldn't go against his wishes for an insignificant female official like her.

There were three days left until the Thousand Autumns Festival. She needed to stay close to the Empress Dowager and find a way to make herself indispensable.

As long as she got through the most dangerous time, performed her duties well during the festival, and used the opportunity of the emperor's rewards, she could ask the Empress Dowager to grant her a marriage and send her far away, ensuring her survival.

In her tension, Geng Shuning's thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

The fear and pressure of near-death spurred her quick thinking. She suddenly remembered what Nanny Chen had said... to think carefully about the task the emperor had assigned her.

There was something fishy about that.

She had already told Fourth Master that it wasn’t her responsibility.

So, when Nanny Chen mentioned it just now, she felt that "giving her a chance" meant "there's no escape."

At this moment, Geng Shuning recalled the first time she met the emperor in Qingyu Pavilion. After he tapped her shoulder with his toe, what did he say?

"…I want all ministers and ladies to know of my filial piety."

"…I want everyone to think that I am doing a better job with this Thousand Autumns Banquet than my royal father."

"…I am also willing to be filial to the Empress Dowager, but you need to think of a way to make me feel consumed by desire."

Filial piety, being filial... The more Geng Shuning thought about it, the more something felt off.

If the emperor wanted to show filial piety, why did he need a method that involved "being overwhelmed with desire"? Why not just summon a consort?

Unless... he didn’t want to or couldn’t summon anyone actively. He needed it to seem like he had no choice but to summon someone.

Geng Shuning didn’t understand. It was perfectly normal for the emperor to summon his imperial consorts, and too few visits could affect the stability of both the front and rear courts. Why would he need to make it look like he was being forced into it?

She knew nothing about the front court matters and couldn’t figure it out after much thought.

But she quickly regained her composure, patted her cheeks, and her eyes sparkled again.

For things she couldn’t understand, she wouldn’t dwell on them. She just needed to seize that sliver of a chance to live.

To make the emperor appear as a perfect victim, and ideally, solve the Empress Dowager’s concerns in the process.

Only by avoiding being forcibly taken to Yanchun Pavilion or the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and by winning the Empress Dowager’s favor, would she have a chance. If she succeeded, she could become indispensable.

Understanding the key point, Geng Shuning calmed down and rose leisurely, preparing to go to the main hall to give thanks.

Identifying and solving problems was a key skill for a planner.

The emperor hadn’t said a single unnecessary word. No matter how perfect the banquet, he wouldn’t act on his own.

There were many ways to make someone lose control during the event, but she couldn’t be involved. She needed to pass it to someone else and turn passivity into initiative.

On her way to the main hall to meet the Empress Dowager, Geng Shuning walked slowly, continuing to ponder. She needed to come up with a solution and a person.

Logically, the empresses in the inner palace were the most suitable, but she feared they were too afraid of the emperor to let go…

Niuheru Jingyi, who was eager to serve the emperor, would also be a good choice.

There was no telling whether the emperor might lose his temper after favoring a female official, using the victim as a pretext. This man was capable of such things. Geng Shuning didn’t want to push anyone into a dangerous situation...

Just as she was worried about the choice of person, after rounding the corridor of the front hall and turning onto the veranda, Geng Shuning looked up and saw Tong Siya talking with Yue Tong from the tea room.

She stopped in her tracks, a subtle thought crossing her mind. Ah, this is just who I was looking for.

*

Geng Shuning walked forward with a smile to greet Tong Siya. "What have you been busy with these past few days, Sister? I haven’t seen you in days."

Tong Siya had seen Geng Shuning from afar. Recalling the message Yue Tong had told her, she secretly resented Geng Shuning for fawning before the Empress Dowager, but still wore a gentle and graceful smile.

"Not much. Garudai and the others are attending to the emperor, and the Six Bureaus are short-handed, so I went to help."

Tong Siya wasn’t someone who would sit idly. If no one assigned her tasks, she would take the initiative to find them herself.

Keeping an eye on the activities of the Imperial Household Department and secretly informing the Tong family, Tong Siya knew they would reward her.

In any case, she couldn’t afford to lag behind in currying favor with the emperor.

With thoughts swirling in her mind, Tong Siya still wore a smiling face and asked Geng Shuning, "I heard you were sick again a few days ago and coincided with your monthly cycle. Is your health better now?"

Geng Shuning nodded as slowly as ever, her voice soft and gentle.

"Much better. It’s all thanks to the Empress Dowager’s grace, who had the Imperial Physician prepare a tonic prescription for me. I’m here to kowtow and express my gratitude to the Empress Dowager."

She tilted her head slightly. "Sister Siya, are you here to pay respects to the Empress Dowager as well?"

Tong Siya didn’t answer Geng Shuning directly. After the recent incident of being ostracized, they were now just maintaining a superficial relationship.

She only smiled faintly and blocked Geng Shuning’s path.

"The Empress Dowager has been unwell these past few days. Since you’re still recovering, it would be best to wait until you’re fully well before coming to offer your thanks. Don’t risk passing your illness to the Empress Dowager."

Geng Shuning paused, biting her lip in uncertainty, unsure of how to respond.

After a moment, she hesitantly stepped closer to Tong Siya, speaking in a low voice.

"I had the same thought. But I heard from nanny Chen that the Empress Dowager is worried the emperor is unwilling to favor the harem, and she hasn’t been able to cheer up."

"I fear that the Empress Dowager will suffer on the great day of the Thousand Autumns Festival, so I came up with a simple solution to ease her worries and hurried to the front hall to report it."

Tong Siya’s eyes flickered, her breathing slightly quickened, as she casually responded with an "Oh?"

"I see..." She stared pointedly at Geng Shuning’s reddened ears, implying something.

"The emperor’s health is precious. Don’t get any wrong ideas. If anything happens to the emperor, none of us would have enough heads to atone for it."

Geng Shuning seemed startled, her words slipping out instinctively. "It’s just a tonic... cough."

Realizing she had let something slip, Geng Shuning bit her tongue and stopped with a cough, feeling awkward as she glanced at Tong Siya, her cheeks flushing.

She lowered her voice, a hint of grievance in her tone. "Don’t worry, Sister. I wouldn’t dare offend the emperor’s authority."

"Since I dare to report to the Empress Dowager, the method may be simple, but it won’t harm the emperor’s well-being."

Without giving Tong Siya another chance to ask, upon seeing nanny Zhou, Geng Shuning quickly went forward to request an audience with the Empress Dowager.

Tong Siya narrowed her eyes as she watched Geng Shuning’s hurried back, hiding the darkness in her gaze.

It was a long while before she quietly gave a cold order to Yue Tong beside her—

"Go inside to serve the tea and listen carefully. After the lights are out, come report to me."

Yue Tong responded softly.

Tong Jia Shi had been valued by Emperor Kangxi, and there was still a Noble Consort in the palace, so it wasn’t difficult to place people in the rear palace.

Now, with the Yongzheng reign, the Noble Consort had become the Grand Imperial Concubine, and there was no longer a lady of the Tong Jia Shi family in the rear palace.

Since Tong Siya had missed the latest selection of palace maidens, and even though she was just a branch family's daughter, Tong Jia Shi had placed some hopes on her.

The people Tong Jia Shi had arranged, although not fully handed over to her, had given her a few to use.

Yue Tong was placed by Tong Jia Shi some years ago, and earlier, during idle chatter, she was reporting to Tong Siya about Geng Shuning offering desserts.

Tong Siya was certain that Geng Shuning wanted to climb into the emperor’s bed using the Empress Dowager’s favor, and she couldn’t allow Geng Shuning that opportunity.

If there really was a way, Tong Siya wouldn’t let it go.

But she didn’t trust Geng Shuning. In this palace, trusting others too much would only lead to her downfall.

*

After lunch, Empress Dowager Uya was preparing to take a nap when Nanny Zhou reported that Geng Shuning had something important to report.

Early in the morning, Uya had sent people to watch the Shenwu Gate.

Upon learning that the appetizing and refreshing desserts had been sent out by the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Empress Dowager Uya was quite satisfied with the emperor’s efficiency.

Now that her youngest son’s problem was resolved, Uya hadn’t been resting well these past few days, and she felt drowsy soon after eating.

But thanks to the desserts, Uya still allowed Geng Shuning to come in.

Seeing the Empress Dowager looking lazy, Geng Shuning greeted her softly and directly stated her purpose.

"Earlier, the mistress instructed me to lead and think of ways... to have the Empresses serve the emperor, but I wasn’t physically capable, and the other ladies have been handling the tasks, leaving me unable to help at all."

"I feel very guilty about it. Last night, I dreamed of living with my grandmother when I suddenly remembered an old incident."

Yue Tong entered the hall with freshly brewed tea, quietly replacing the Empress Dowager’s tea and retreating respectfully to the corner.

Since Yue Tong was an old servant serving Uya and had been trained by Nanny Zhou herself, Uya didn’t ask her to leave.

With some interest, Uya leaned on her soft pillow and smiled, asking, "What old incident did you remember?"

Geng Shuning took a deep breath, forcing her cheeks and ears to turn red, before speaking softly.

"Before my uncle married, he had a beloved, but they were not of equal status, so he couldn’t be with her."

"The aunt my grandmother arranged for him wasn’t to his liking, and on their wedding night, he didn’t stay in her room."

"Later, my grandmother had my brother deliver tonic soup to my uncle and sent me to deliver a skin-nourishing fragrance to my aunt. Not long after, my aunt became pregnant."

Indeed, such a thing had happened in Geng Shuning’s uncle's family.

But in reality, her grandmother hadn’t gone to such lengths and had simply used a special incense to encourage intimacy.

Suppressing her sigh for her grandmother, Geng Shuning continued her quiet report.

"When I was young, I didn’t understand, but later... I secretly investigated. My grandmother had added cnidium monnieri to the tonic soup, which could nourish the kidney qi."

The more Geng Shuning spoke, the redder her cheeks became, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Her voice was so low it was barely a whisper.

"My grandmother's ancestors were imperial physicians in the previous dynasty. The pastries from earlier were also developed by my grandmother. I thought this knowledge might be useful when I marry... ahem, I studied ancient texts."

"Both of these are harmless to the body, and even highly beneficial. When combined, they enhance arousal and increase the likelihood of conception."

Upon hearing Geng Shuning's words, Uya was stunned for a moment, and a smile gradually spread across her eyes.

Her fourth son had been refusing to visit the harem, and she had considered using qingxiang on him before.

However, this kind of incense was too overpowering and could be harmful to the body. She was worried it might harm her fourth son, so she abandoned the idea.

Previously, she had been upset by her eldest son's contemptuous words and had lost interest in the matter. Now, with Geng Shuning's reminder, Uya was tempted again.

If it was harmless, or even beneficial, and could help with the retired emperor's urging, it was a win-win situation.

Her sleepiness dissipated a little, and she looked at Geng Shuning with great interest.

"Since you've come up with a method, do you have a candidate to send to deliver the tonic soup to the emperor?"

It would be fine to send someone from the harem who isn't ambitious, but Geng Shuning was so proactive. If this girl had ambition, she was willing to accommodate her.

Geng Shuning lowered her head even further, catching Yue Tong's fleeting glance. She inwardly smirked, knowing she had hooked the fish.

"In reply to Your Highness, I initially thought that Concubine Qi, who is favored by the emperor, would be the best choice to handle this matter from Changchun Palace."

"However, I heard that the second prince, Hong Yun, has been struggling with the summer heat and is in delicate health, so Concubine Qi's attention might not be on this matter."

"Since Cining Palace is sending the soup, and Niuheru Jingyi is in charge of the kitchen as a female official..." Geng Shuning paused, then shyly looked at Nanny Zhou.

"I previously heard the nanny say that Niuheru Jingyi's body is suitable for bearing children, and there is no one more fitting than her."

Uya looked at Nanny Zhou and was convinced by Geng Shuning's suggestion.

She had indeed thought of Niuheru Jingyi first, apart from Geng Shuning, to arrange for someone to go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Sending Geng Shuning was because the girl was pleasing to men.

As for Niuheru Jingyi, it was for her strong body and fertility.

At this point, regardless of Geng Shuning's intentions, Niuheru Jingyi was indeed a more suitable candidate for the task.

After a moment of thought, she smiled and said, "Alright, I'll take care of this arrangement."

"I'll remember your contribution. When the emperor fulfills my wishes, there will be a great reward from me."

Geng Shuning's worried heart settled halfway, and she quickly expressed her loyalty and humility.

"I don't seek rewards; I only wish for Your Highness's comfort and the chance to serve you every day. That would be enough for me."

These words made Uya feel content.

Geng Shuning was beautiful, spoke pleasantly, and always handled matters in a way that pleased her.

If she was willing to stay by her side and serve... who wouldn't like such a thoughtful and gentle person?

"Once you're feeling better, you can serve me at my side."

Geng Shuning's remaining worries finally completely dissipated.

Now, all that remained was for the plan to unfold naturally.