Xiangxue immediately got up and walked with light steps to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager took Xiangxue's hand and looked her over carefully, saying, "This girl is truly beautiful. If she changed her clothes, no one would object to her being called a young lady."
"Your Majesty is too kind," replied old Mrs. Xiao with a smile. "If Your Majesty likes her, this humble subject will leave this child in the palace to keep Your Majesty company and relieve your boredom?"
"No need. At her age, like a flower and jade, it would be too boring to be confined in this palace," the Empress Dowager patted Xiangxue's hand and asked, "Girl, how old are you?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, this servant is nineteen."
"Nineteen, you say? Have you been spoken for?"
"Not yet."
The Empress Dowager looked left and right, finding the girl to be perfect. Her features indicated a prosperous husband, her body was healthy, and she looked capable of bearing children. If only Prince Qi were not so far away in Lan Du, she would definitely have arranged for this girl to be a concubine for Prince Qi.
As the Empress Dowager pondered, she took off the Buddhist beads from her wrist and put them on Xiangxue, saying, "Here, child, take this."
"Your Majesty, this is not proper," Xiangxue quickly took them off and tried to return them to the Empress Dowager. Seizing the opportunity, she felt the Empress Dowager's pulse. Upon doing so, she found something strange. Before she could investigate further, the Empress Dowager withdrew her hand.
"You child, when an elder bestows something, you must not refuse. Hurry and accept it. I see you like it, so I'm giving you a small trinket to play with. It's not anything valuable, just accept it."
"Thank you for Your Majesty's generosity." Xiangxue returned to stand beside old Mrs. Xiao. Old Mrs. Xiao chatted with the Empress Dowager for a while longer. Seeing that the Empress Dowager looked tired, she finally took her leave.
Xiangxue followed old Mrs. Xiao with her head bowed until they left the palace and boarded the general's mansion's carriage. Only then did old Mrs. Xiao ask, "How is the Empress Dowager?"
"Her pulse is a bit strange. It doesn't seem like illness, but more like poisoning."
Old Mrs. Xiao gasped, "Report this matter truthfully to the eldest daughter when you return. Do not speak of it to anyone else."
"Yes, old Madam."
Old Mrs. Xiao nervously toyed with her fingers. The Empress Dowager was under house arrest in Cining Palace and had been poisoned. Who was the perpetrator? Could it be His Majesty? Was His Majesty planning to deal with her privately due to the rumors of her illicit affairs?
"Xiangxue, how much longer does the Empress Dowager have to live?"
Xiangxue looked at old Mrs. Xiao, a chilling smile curving her lips. This sent a jolt of fear through old Mrs. Xiao. Bad, this girl had gone into the palace to tamper with something!
"What... what did you do?"
"Old Madam need not worry, this servant did nothing. I merely felt the Empress Dowager's pulse." Xiangxue said slowly, "This servant doesn't need to do anything. Her Ladyship the Empress Dowager, her life is nearing its end!"
The Imperial Palace after nightfall, though seemingly magnificent and brightly lit, was where darkness was born from light.
Cining Palace at night grew increasingly desolate. Now, besides Consort De who occasionally paid her respects, other consorts saw that the Empress Dowager had lost favor and avoided her whenever possible. Furthermore, the Emperor had dispatched guards to protect Cining Palace, ostensibly for protection but in reality, for confinement. This made it even harder for anyone to enter.
In the Empress Dowager's chambers, the wind blew in from the opened window, causing the gauze curtains to flutter. A figure moved amidst the dancing curtains, clad in white palace robes, her waterfall-like hair cascading down her back, swaying with the wind.
"Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager, in a daze, opened her eyes and saw the woman standing before her. She was so startled that she couldn't speak and retreated repeatedly. In her haste, she accidentally rolled off the bed.
"Don't come closer! If you come closer, I'll call for help!" The Empress Dowager, having fallen, could finally speak.
"Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager, you forced my death, yet you treated my child poorly. You broke your promise to me, and you must pay the price!"
"How have I ever wronged him? I haven't! I haven't!"
"My child was only fourteen, and you forced him onto the battlefield to fend for himself. If he hadn't been so lucky, he would have turned to dust!"
"You cannot blame me; blame him for being too outstanding!" the Empress Dowager said fiercely. "I must plan for my own son, and besides, isn't he living well? If I hadn't sent him to the battlefield, could he have achieved what he has today?"
"You harmed us mother and son, and you still dare to twist words. Give your life!"
The Empress Dowager's eyes widened in terror as Consort Xue's hands clutched her throat tightly, as if dragging her to hell. The Empress Dowager struggled desperately, trying to break free from Consort Xue.
"Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager, Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager!" The attending nanny, hearing the commotion, rushed in. She saw the Empress Dowager clutching her own neck, her eyes rolling back, and refusing to let go. The nanny rushed forward and forcefully pried the Empress Dowager's hands open.
The Empress Dowager finally woke up, "A ghost! A ghost!"
"Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager, you were just having a nightmare," the nanny comforted her. "You were just having a nightmare."
The Empress Dowager clutched her chest, her heart pounding rapidly. The feeling was so real. For so many years, this was the first time she had dreamt of Consort Xue. This was not a good omen.
"Nanny Qu."
"Your humble servant is here," Nanny Qu stepped forward and bowed.
"Is it almost Consort Xue's death anniversary?" the Empress Dowager inquired. Dreaming of Consort Xue coming to claim her life made her feel quite uneasy.
"Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager, Consort Xue's death anniversary is in the twelfth lunar month. It is now the second month, still a long way off," Nanny Qu replied, slightly puzzled. "Why do you suddenly think of Consort Xue?"
"I dreamt, I dreamt she came to claim my life."
The attending servants exchanged glances. Consort Xue had been dead for so many years, yet the Empress Dowager claimed Consort Xue was coming to claim her life. Could Consort Xue's death be related to the Empress Dowager?
"Your Majesty, you must be confused in your sleep. It was just a nightmare," the nanny quickly pinched her, preventing her from revealing more unknown matters out of fright.
The Empress Dowager finally regained her composure. "It is I who have been confused in my sleep. What time is it now?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, it has just passed midnight."
The Empress Dowager looked at the nanny beside her. Midnight, the hour of the most potent yin energy. Consort Xue coming to find her at this hour was indeed not a good omen.
"Nanny Qu, tomorrow you will go and pay respects to Consort Xue." The Empress Dowager still felt a little uneasy. In those years, she had no children of her own and naturally wanted to take a child to rely on. The powerless Consort Xue was her ideal choice. Who knew that later she would have her own child, and naturally, she would wholeheartedly plan for her own child.
"Yes, Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager."
"Also, have Prince Qin enter the palace." The Empress Dowager hesitated. "Instruct the imperial kitchen to prepare a table of dishes that Prince Qin likes. It has been a long time since I properly dined with Prince Qin."
"Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager, you have forgotten. His Highness Prince Qin is seriously injured and is still confined to his bed at his residence, so he likely cannot enter the palace."
The Empress Dowager slowly collected herself. That's right, Prince Qin was seriously injured and was still confined to his bed at his residence. How could he enter the palace? Could Consort Xue be coming for her because Prince Qin would not recover?