Chapter 193: Secret Medicine

Chapter 193: Secret Medicine

Along the official road from Jiangnan to the capital, a group of black-clad cavalry swiftly swept past.

In the convoy, alongside the cavalry bearing yellow flags, there were several prison carts and a carriage.

The once-thriving Chi Clan of Jiangnan was plunged into ruin overnight. The centuries-old family wealth kept the officials busy for over ten days as they confiscated the property, barely managing to compile a rough account.

Aside from those in the prison carts implicated in major secrets and needing to be escorted back to the capital for detailed interrogation, the main branch of the Chi Clan had already been executed. Members from the collateral branches involved in the scandal were also being hastily tried.

Since the new emperor had issued an urgent decree demanding their return before the coronation ceremony, the group had been traveling nonstop, pausing only three hours a day for rest.

Barring any unforeseen events, they would enter the capital in two more days.

By evening, they had already been on the road for seven hours straight. After scouting the area, the streamlined group halted on a flat slope near the official road.

A young man in black dismounted, gesturing to the cavalry commander to organize the camp setup, then walked toward the only carriage in the procession.

To ensure speed, the carriage was small and far from comfortable, but it was certainly better than riding on horseback or being tied up in a prison cart.

“How are you feeling today, Miss Chi?”

The dark green curtain of the carriage was drawn aside from within, and the pale-faced Chi Qinghe calmly said, “Thank you, Sixteen. I’m managing.”

The well-trained cavalrymen swiftly pitched several tents, starting fires to boil water and warm food.

Sixteen offered his arm, steadying Chi Qinghe as she stepped down.

After being confined to the carriage all day, Chi Qinghe’s legs went numb as they touched the ground, and she almost lost her balance, apologizing.

Given the urgency of the journey and the repeated downsizing of the team, naturally, there was no room for maids. However, Chi Qinghe had long been mentally prepared.

Unlike herself, who at least had a carriage, Chi Qinghe admired Sixteen even more. He spent most of his time on a fast horse every day, and she couldn’t fathom how he endured it, especially since he was also…

With only a limited number of tents available, Chi Qinghe and Sixteen shared a cramped tent. As they entered one after the other, Chi Qinghe couldn’t help but ask, “Sixteen, what about that medicine…?”

“It’s fine. I’ll go to the Imperial Hospital for a detailed check after returning to the capital.”

Chi Qinghe frowned slightly, still unable to let go of her concern.

Thinking about the events of these past days, Chi Qinghe felt a surreal sense of unreality, though it was an incredibly beautiful dream.

She had thought that after those events, she could only hide away for the rest of her life in a place far from her hometown and relatives, carrying the deepest secret in her heart.

After being secretly sent to the northeast by her family, she constantly reminisced, recalling every detail of the past over and over again, vaguely realizing something, though it was already of no use. Full of regret with nowhere to vent, she dared not speak of it, only revealing a single sentence to Jiu Jiu, the only friend she had made after moving to the northeast.

At that time, Jiu Jiu's brother had already passed the imperial examination and was about to take up an official position in the capital. From her uncle, Chi Qinghe learned that the Du family was under the crown prince's faction.

But Chi Qinghe still couldn't be sure if they would notice the Chi Clan or discover the issue with "Qingchi Xianren."

When she confided in Jiu Jiu at their parting, it was merely to give herself a possibility, a hopeless struggle.

At that time, she never imagined that within a year, those words would bring her a brand-new, long-awaited opportunity.

The crown prince's men from the capital had initially planned to protect her, having someone else impersonate her to infiltrate the Chi Clan and investigate the behind-the-scenes intelligence.

But Chi Qinghe refused.

Chi Qinghe was a young lady from the collateral branch of the Chi Clan, and many within the clan knew her. No matter how perfect the disguise, there would always be flaws, unlike going in person.

She no longer wanted to hide; she wanted to personally uncover the truth of that year.

Under her insistence, Sixteen, the one in charge of the matter, agreed. Chi Qinghe herself acted as the decoy in plain sight, while Sixteen posed as a servant from the Chi family who had fled with Chi Qinghe from Jiangnan to Zhang County and was "hidden" by Mrs. Song.

Having arrived early and laid out a meticulous plan, the Chi Clan's envoys sent to capture them had no suspicions and took both of them away.

Their main focus was on Chi Qinghe, and they went to great lengths to confirm that she was genuine, but they never expected that the servant they casually captured would be the Crown Prince's most trusted guard.

During their days in the Chi Clan, the two collaborated, one overtly and the other covertly, and Sixteen uncovered a lot of information. The Chi Clan used their spy network to assist the commoner Jia Honghan in inciting the troops stationed outside the capital, and this valuable intelligence was obtained through their efforts.

Without this intelligence, the Crown Prince's faction would have struggled to control the troops outside the capital before the situation escalated on the retired emperor's Longevity Festival.

The plan to alter the course of events was meticulously interconnected, leaving no margin for error at any stage.

While pretending to be oblivious and navigating the situation, Chi Qinghe finally learned the truth she had yearned for over the years.

The backstory was unpleasant, but not the worst possible.

Of course, during this covert mission, they encountered danger multiple times, and once came perilously close to death.

To gain the trust of the Chi Clan and to protect themselves, Sixteen willingly consumed the secret potion provided by the Chi Clan...

Chi Qinghe sat on the tent's cot, silently observing Sixteen. Noting that his complexion was normal and his actions were swift and decisive, she felt slightly reassured.

Sixteen briefly organized the packages on his body and said to Chi Qinghe, "Miss Chi, rest now. We'll resume our journey after a two-hour halt here. There will be no further rest tonight."

Chi Qinghe had grown accustomed to this perilous mode of travel over the past few days. Hearing this, she promptly lay down and shut her eyes.

Sixteen sat opposite, arms folded and leaning against the tent. After a few moments, he drifted into a light sleep.

In this state, he could awaken instantly at any sign of disturbance in the camp and react with utmost speed.

...

The date for the new emperor's enthronement was finally determined. The officials from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, nearly bald from stress, elaborated on the chosen auspicious dates in the most intricate terms before the new emperor nonchalantly selected one.

On the tenth day of the sixth month in the twenty-fourth year of Emperor Yuanhua's reign, the Heavenly Emperor absolved sins, and all endeavors were auspicious. The new emperor would perform sacrifices to the heavens, the earth, and the ancestors on this day and conduct the enthronement ceremony.

As for the change of era, it would have to wait until the next year.

This marked the final year prefixed with 'Yuanhua.' Starting the following year, the nation's calendar would adopt the new emperor's reign title.

Qiu Huanian was preparing his and Du Yunse's ceremonial attire. On the day of the enthronement ceremony, they would both enter the palace to offer congratulations. Qiu Huanian would wear the county lord's auspicious attire, while Du Yunse would wear court robes.

Although Du Yunse's official position had not yet been formally promoted, the emperor had already ordered the Ministry of Rites to send over the court robes of the third rank.

The purple robe, which only third-rank officials could wear, was embroidered with peacock patterns. The black gauze hat had five ridges, with golden patterns on both sides of the wings, and a gold-inlaid leather belt, ivory tablet, and ivory plaque were all included.

Before his enthronement, the new emperor dealt with the criminals of the palace coup. After his ascension, he would begin to legitimately reward the meritorious officials.

With a new emperor comes a new set of ministers. Those who wanted to maintain their positions after the new emperor's ascension but had not sided with the Crown Prince during the struggle for succession were now scrambling to find connections and show loyalty.

The Du residence received a large stack of invitations every day, all seeking to build relationships and connections.

Some of the invitations had such peculiar angles that Qiu Huanian couldn't help but laugh.

"This person has a daughter-in-law from Xiangping Prefecture. Her brother sent them some Qiu's red fermented bean curd as a New Year's gift a few years ago. After eating it, he was 'amazed and has been longing for it ever since.' He calls this 'a long-standing spiritual connection' with me."

Qiu Huanian put the invitation back, shaking his head with a smile, "By this logic, most of the people in the Yu Dynasty are my acquaintances."

As for these petitions, Qiu Huanian's stance is clear: they can be delivered, but gifts are strictly refused. Anyone trying to sneak in with bribes of treasures or cash gets the door shut in their face.

With a small staff and straightforward household dynamics, Qiu Huanian excels at management. Quan Yu and Wu Da are in a fierce competition for dominance, and no one dares to secretly accept bribes or open back doors.

They receive these letters, but neither Qiu Huanian nor Du Yunse responds to any. They just skim through them, taking note of the senders, to stay informed.

The new emperor is currently toying with these former high-ranking court officials, and he won't give them peace until he gets what he wants.

When Du Yunse got back from the palace, Qiu Huanian had the two fancy outfits pressed and ready, so they wouldn't be scrambling later.

Noticing Qiu Huanian's tired expression, Du Yunse stepped forward to gently massage his temples.

"Brother Hua, take it easy. The letters and outfits can wait."

Du Yunse's touch was perfect, not too soft, not too hard. Qiu Huanian closed his eyes and enjoyed it for a while, then took his hand.

"I haven't done much today, just feeling a bit off, always a bit unsettled inside."

Du Yunse nodded and shared some good news with Qiu Huanian.

"Should we get the imperial doctor?"

The house doctor left half a year after Gu Gu and Yang Yang were born, but if Qiu Huanian wanted to call him, it was just a matter of sending a message to the Imperial Hospital.

Qiu Huanian shook his head. "It's not that bad. With all these big changes and a new life starting, it's natural to feel a bit floaty and unreal."

"In two more days, our little uncle will return."

Hearing this, Qiu Huanian indeed perked up. "Just in time for the coronation, that's perfect."

Once the new emperor is crowned, he'll clear the Mei Family's name and get sixteen out of the palace, restoring his status. He hopes sixteen will agree this time.

Qiu Huanian isn't sure about the history between sixteen and the new emperor, but he gets the big picture.

The new emperor is now the top dog, the ultimate ruler. If he really wants to make sixteen his lover, it's just a matter of saying the word or issuing a decree.

But he hasn't made a move or approved those proposals about picking concubines or naming a queen, which suggests he's got other plans.

Whatever those plans are, Qiu Huanian doesn't want sixteen, who has already suffered countless hardships, to be involved again.

The new emperor wants to be a wise ruler, a calm and rational monarch with great ambitions, not a mad and absurd tyrant. As long as the plan is well made, Qiu Huanian is confident he'll let sixteen go.

Seeing Qiu Huanian in good spirits, Du Yunse's lips curled slightly.

A few years ago, at Mei Zhengchun's grave, he had vowed to find Qiu Huanian's relatives, no matter what difficulties he encountered.

Du Yunse can guess some of the new emperor's thoughts. For sixteen to smoothly leave the palace, besides their efforts, sixteen himself must speak up.

If sixteen is truly determined to stay by the new emperor's side, Qiu Huanian can only respect his wishes.

Qiu Huanian propped his chin, looking at the lush greenery in the courtyard outside the window, and sighed softly.

"No matter what, I hope he is happy."