Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Suma Lagu was massaging the Grand Empress Dowager's head, hoping to ease her headache. Although it provided some relief, the Grand Empress Dowager's migraines still flared up frequently and lasted for a long time. The imperial physicians prescribed medicine, but it couldn't fully cure her condition.

Even falling asleep required medication to get some decent rest. However, as soon as she overthought, the headache would return.

Upon learning this, the imperial physicians gently advised the Grand Empress Dowager to take it easy and not let little things bother her, suggesting that staying calm might ease the pain.

They practically said that overthinking would just make the headache worse.

Suma Lagu wasn't happy with the physicians' advice, feeling that they weren't doing their best. It was just a migraine, but they couldn't fix it.

The Grand Empress Dowager thought the same, but when the physicians nervously laid out their limitations, it only made her headache worse. She knew that the physicians genuinely had no better solutions at the moment.

So, only one imperial physician stayed on standby at the Cining Palace for emergencies.

"Grand Empress Dowager, are you feeling better?" Suma Lagu asked softly, her voice full of concern, her face etched with worry. Having spent most of her life serving the Grand Empress Dowager, she was deeply concerned about her health.

These days, the Grand Empress Dowager hadn't been resting well, and the bags under her eyes were getting darker. She wasn't as energetic as before, which worried Suma Lagu greatly.

The Grand Empress Dowager, who usually kept her prayer beads handy, now left them aside and pinched the bridge of her nose, looking utterly exhausted. She shook her head, too tired to talk.

Her brows were knit with irritation.

She was a far cry from the serene elderly lady who once enjoyed her meals and drinks.

For days, she hadn’t let the concubines come to pay their respects, directly telling them not to visit.

In the past, the Grand Empress Dowager would listen to the concubines’ constant chatter, mostly about the emperor and buttering her up, and then dismiss them after a while, using it to kill time.

But now, with her headache, she just wanted peace and couldn’t stand the concubines’ nonstop chatter.

It was obvious that while the concubines appeared concerned about her health on the surface, they each had their own agendas. Even if they came to attend to her, it wasn't out of genuine care but rather to gain favor with the emperor.

Every word they said only made the Grand Empress Dowager more annoyed.

"Grand Empress Dowager, do you think your headache might be related to Consort Rong? Ever since she arrived, your headaches haven't stopped. Could it be that she passed her illness to you?" Suma Lagu frowned as she analyzed the situation.

"But the Emperor..."

When Consort Rong came to the Cining Palace that day, she looked sickly and unwell. Although the Grand Empress Dowager and Suma Lagu knew the reason for her discomfort, they disliked her overly delicate appearance.

Her stunning beauty, paired with her fragile, willow-like appearance, made her seem out of place, as if she had been born into the wrong family.

She also seemed to lack proper respect for the Grand Empress Dowager.

After just a few words, she vomited the medicinal soup, and coincidentally, the Emperor arrived at that moment.

Consort Rong's appearance made it seem as if the Grand Empress Dowager had mistreated her.

The Emperor took Consort Rong away and immediately summoned the imperial physicians. Now, Consort Rong was recuperating in the Yonghe Palace.

Shortly after Consort Rong left, the Grand Empress Dowager began to feel unwell, and the Emperor didn't come to see her right away.

The Grand Empress Dowager had been unwell for several days, and the Emperor's attitude didn't seem as concerned as it had been in the past when she was ill.

He would visit, but never stayed long.

Suma Lagu couldn't help but suspect that Consort Rong might be clashing with the Grand Empress Dowager, passing on her illness and even poisoning the Emperor's mind against her.

If Consort Rong had done something underhanded, the details of her visit had been reviewed multiple times. Consort Rong had not even gotten close to the Grand Empress Dowager that day, and even if she had done something, it would have been impossible for no one to notice anything amiss in front of so many eyes.

The only plausible explanation was the one mentioned earlier.

The Grand Empress Dowager lowered her eyelids, silent. In truth, she too wondered if Consort Rong was clashing with her, as her migraine worsened after their meeting.

When the Emperor arrived, the Grand Empress Dowager cautiously brought up Consort Rong.

"Imperial Grandmother, I was present that day. If it were about passing on illness, even if it weren't me, the servants who were attending didn't fall ill or feel unwell. Consort Rong has a cough," Kangxi replied.

He implied that even if illness had been passed, it should have been a cough, not a migraine.

The Grand Empress Dowager was displeased but remained silent. However, Suma Lagu, who was familiar with her thoughts, spoke up for her, "Could it be that Consort Rong is clashing with the Grand Empress Dowager?" hinting that it was Consort Rong who was causing the Grand Empress Dowager's discomfort.

"Superstitious talk is nonsense," Kangxi said calmly, though those who knew him could sense his displeasure.

Suma, seeing this, retreated and lowered her head, silent. The Grand Empress Dowager took it all in.

Despite her headache, there were still matters to address. "Suma is merely concerned for me. How is Consort Rong faring?"

Consort Rong had vomited all the medicine that day, and it was unclear whether the imperial physician had noticed. Logically, if she had vomited everything, it shouldn't have had any effect. The medicine residue had been disposed of, so there should be no issues.

But the Emperor's demeanor made the Grand Empress Dowager uneasy. It seemed as if he knew something.

The imperial pharmacy had dismissed a group of people, as the Grand Empress Dowager had anticipated. However, Nanny Fang, sent to the Punishment Bureau by Consort Rong, was someone the Grand Empress Dowager tasked Suma with retrieving. After all, Nanny Fang's attitude towards Consort Rong was also directed by her.

Nanny Fang was competent, and abandoning her would tarnish the Grand Empress Dowager's reputation. It wouldn't look good in the eyes of the other maids in the Cining Palace.

She sent someone to retrieve Nanny Fang, intending to compensate her for her ordeal upon her return.

The Grand Empress Dowager thought it a simple matter of issuing an order, requiring little effort. However, the Punishment Bureau, acting on the Emperor's command, dared not release Nanny Fang so easily.

What seemed a minor issue now appeared significant with the Emperor's involvement, as if he sided with Consort Rong, ignoring his Imperial Grandmother's slight.

Nanny Fang was indeed a lowly servant, but she was of the Cining Palace, essentially the Grand Empress Dowager's own. Even if she had offended Consort Rong verbally, was it necessary to deny her a way out?

Nanny Fang's absence was minor, but the implications were significant.

The Emperor had always been filial. Could he have known of her actions? Even if he didn't confront her directly, was he inwardly displeased with his Imperial Grandmother?

Was he expressing his displeasure through Nanny Fang?

Otherwise, how could one explain the Emperor's somewhat cold attitude today?

"Why is Imperial Grandmother concerned about Consort Rong?" Kangxi spoke as if it were a casual remark, his attitude showing nothing out of the ordinary.

But to the Grand Empress Dowager, it was as if he was saying, "You've never liked Consort Rong, so your concern for her health is unusual."

The Grand Empress Dowager's expression darkened slightly. She glanced at Suma Lagu, who understood that she wanted to speak with the Emperor alone and quietly withdrew, leaving the grandmother and grandson to talk privately.

As she left, Suma felt uneasy. In the past, she wouldn't have been so anxious, but now the Grand Empress Dowager's spirits were low, and her temper was shorter, not as composed as before.

She was worried that the Grand Empress Dowager might lose her temper and argue with the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, it seems like there's more to your words," the Grand Empress Dowager forced a smile, her expression stiff, her heart sinking like a stone.

"Grandmother, don’t you have a sense of Consort Rong’s condition? Or are you concerned about something else?" With no outsiders present, Kangxi’s expression grew even colder.

"Emperor, are you questioning me?! I was just asking about Consort Rong. Are you overly protective of her?" The Grand Empress Dowager retorted with evident displeasure, her voice rising.

Previously, the Grand Empress Dowager wouldn’t have been so quick to anger. Even if she were dissatisfied, she would suppress it within herself, not so readily displaying her emotions, especially now when heightened emotions would only make her appear more guilty.

But lately, after several restless days, she was inevitably more irritable and less composed than usual, particularly as she believed Consort Rong was in conflict with her.

The Emperor’s words seemed to favor Consort Rong, which made her lose her temper more easily.

In the past, when she was slightly angered, the young Emperor would debate with her, but in recent years, even if he did not agree, his attitude would soften.

This time, however, the Emperor merely said, "Grandmother, the Imperial Physician advised you not to get agitated. I will visit you another day." With that, he stood up and left, encountering Suma waiting outside.

Suma was surprised to see the Emperor emerge so quickly and heard him say, "Suma, as you serve by Grandmother’s side, remember she is already burdened with worries. Henceforth, do not say unnecessary things in her presence, just making things worse for her."