Red Chamber 24
Shui Cong hurried to Yongshou Palace. As soon as he entered the main gate, he encountered Quan Lu, the chief eunuch of Yongshou Palace, craning his neck to peer outside.
“This servant pays respects to His Majesty.” Quan Lu immediately knelt down.
Shui Cong ignored him and walked straight past the Screen Wall toward the main hall. Chang’an, however, stopped and asked, “What are you looking at here?”
Quan Lu knew Chang’an might have misunderstood him for spying on the emperor’s movements and quickly explained, “This servant sent Chang Le to the Imperial Medical Academy to summon an Imperial Physician. I don’t know why, but it’s been nearly half an hour and he still hasn’t returned. I was just worried.”
Chang’an frowned. “The Imperial Physician hasn’t arrived after all this time?”
Quan Lu hung his head. The palace gates had to be opened before anyone could leave. For servants like them, nothing was more frightening than their master falling ill in the middle of the night—finding an Imperial Physician was an immense challenge.
Chang’an asked no further questions and hurried into the inner hall of Yongshou Palace.
By then, Shui Cong had already gathered A Yuan into his arms. His brow was slightly furrowed, his face etched with deep concern, and his arms held A Yuan with a gentle, careful tenderness.
As for the imperial consort Zhen Pin, held in His Majesty’s embrace, her usually rosy complexion was now deathly pale. Her delicate brows were lightly knitted, her eyes misty as if holding back tears. Her body leaned against him, soft and boneless, appearing both distressed and fragile—like the heartbroken beauty Xi Shi, a sight that stirred pity in all who beheld her.
Shui Cong asked with heartfelt concern, “What happened? Weren’t you perfectly fine yesterday evening?” He was still dressed in his court robes, black embroidered with dragon patterns. His usually youthful features now carried an air of authority.
This simple question alone caused all the palace servants in the room to kneel in fear.
But A Yuan was not afraid. Instead, she straightened up, lifted her head, and gazed at him with tear-filled eyes. “It is only because this concubine’s body is weak and unworthy. Why must Your Majesty frighten this concubine’s servants?”
Shui Cong quickly pulled her back into his embrace. Noticing she was uncomfortable leaning against him, he beckoned Chang’an forward to remove his crown. After their time together these past days, he naturally knew A Yuan had a gentle and sensible temperament. For her to speak in such a tone now, she must be harboring some resentment.
Her body remained slender and graceful. Clinging to him now, she resembled dodder vines twining around a great tree—delicate and pitiable. His tone softened further. “It was Our fault for speaking too harshly.”
A Yuan stared at him blankly, seemingly surprised he would apologize.
Her gaze instantly softened. “Your Majesty…” She reached out her arms and wrapped them around Shui Cong’s neck. Her murmured call was filled with dependence. “This concubine only missed you.”
Shui Cong said nothing but waved his hand to dismiss the others, then returned her embrace, following her lead.
How could he not know why Zhen Pin was suffering? In this world, there were no such coincidences—last night he had just summoned a new consort to his bedchamber, and today Zhen Pin fell ill. It was nothing more than the usual games women played out of jealousy and rivalry.
Thus, he was not angry.
“Are you feeling better now?” Shui Cong asked after a moment.
A Yuan knew when to stop and nodded gently.
Only then did Shui Cong smile. He released her and helped her sit upright, carefully observing her complexion. He then reached out to wipe her lips—indeed, they were somewhat pale. It seemed her jealousy was real, and her discomfort was real as well. He asked again, “Does your stomach hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt, I just had severe morning sickness when I woke up.” A Yuan shook her head and nestled back into Shui Cong’s embrace. “Your Majesty, I haven’t had breakfast yet. I vomited everything I ate this morning, and only now that I see Your Majesty do I feel hungry.”
Shui Cong patted her back. “Then let’s get up and have a meal.”
But A Yuan refused to move, leaning against him.
Shui Cong, feeling pity for her, had a palace attendant bring a bowl of shredded chicken congee into the bedchamber and fed her breakfast right there in bed.
Aunt Jin held a tray, her face tense as she watched them, while Bao Qin stood nearby holding a spittoon, fearing her mistress might not hold back and vomit directly in bed.
Their vigilant stance made Shui Cong tense as well.
Fortunately, A Yuan held her own, finishing the entire bowl without any sign of vomiting, and Shui Cong breathed a sigh of relief.
Not long after the meal, Imperial Physician Zhao arrived. He first checked A Yuan’s pulse to ensure her well-being, and only after confirming her pulse was stable did he relax. He explained to Shui Cong, “Every woman’s pregnancy symptoms differ. Morning sickness upon waking is a common occurrence for the imperial consort. However… excessive worry and overthinking are most detrimental during pregnancy. The imperial consort should strive to maintain a relaxed and open-hearted mood.”
As he spoke, Imperial Physician Zhao couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the Emperor’s knee.
Even though he had just arrived for duty early in the morning, he had already heard the news that another imperial consort was to be added to the Imperial harem. Before he could even warm his seat, he was summoned to Yongshou Palace. Without even needing to check her pulse, he knew this Zhen Pin must be in a foul mood.
Excessive worry and overthinking…
Shui Cong finally understood the reason for his heavy heart since last night.
Was it because he feared Zhen Pin would be heartbroken?
For a moment, his emotions were in turmoil.
With a wave of his hand, Imperial Physician Zhao withdrew, leaving only the Emperor and his consort in the room once more. Having finished a bowl of shredded chicken congee, A Yuan’s complexion regained some color, dispelling the sickly pallor and restoring her usual vitality.
Before Shui Cong could fully sort out his thoughts, a smile had already crept onto his lips. “Are you still feeling unwell now?”
“Not anymore.”
A Yuan pouted, looking pitifully at Shui Cong and chiding, “It’s all Your Majesty’s fault. Today, because Your Majesty accompanied me for the meal, I didn’t vomit. If I get used to this, what will I do in the future when Your Majesty doesn’t come?”
Her voice was sticky and sweet, more like a coquettish complaint.
Shui Cong took her hand and played with it. “Then I will come daily to accompany the imperial consort for meals.”
Only then did A Yuan happily smile, crawling forward on her knees and throwing herself into Shui Cong’s embrace. “Your Majesty must not deceive me.”
“My word is as good as gold.”
Shui Cong sighed inwardly, deciding it was all for the sake of the child in Zhen Pin’s womb.
As a pregnant woman, A Yuan grew drowsy after her meal. Shui Cong stayed with her until she fell asleep before rising, putting his crown back on, and preparing to return to Qianqing Palace to change clothes before heading to Qianqing Gate for discussions.
Once outside the gates of Yongshou Palace, Chang’an quickened his pace and approached softly to inquire, “Your Majesty, regarding the young lady from last night…” How should she be settled?
Last night…
Shui Cong’s brow furrowed once more.
In truth, he had been quite displeased last night. He still remembered his first night with Zhen Pin—neither of them knew what they were doing, yet he had felt joy, especially when his hand sank into A Yuan’s waterfall-like black hair, as soft and incredible as touching clouds.
And last night?
A dull and uninteresting personality, reserved and wooden movements, and hair that felt greasy to the touch… Shui Cong grew impatient. “Grant her the title of Da Ying and assign her residence to Yanxi Palace.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
Chang’an clicked his tongue in surprise. It seemed this new mistress was not favored by His Majesty at all.
At least… she couldn’t compare to how it was when Zhen Pin first entered the palace.
He immediately arranged for people to tidy up the western side hall of Yanxi Palace, then hurriedly helped the Emperor change into informal attire and followed him to Qianqing Gate, leaving only You Fu to deal with Wei Daying, who was still waiting in the side hall of Qianqing Palace.
After performing the act of jealousy and seeing off the Emperor, A Yuan immediately became lively again.
Just like an employee who had completed their monthly KPI, her mood relaxed considerably.
The servants of Yongshou Palace were also very happy. Just from the way His Majesty had doted on their mistress that morning, they knew her future was secure. Hadn’t they seen how His Majesty had promised to dine with their mistress every day from now on?
When they heard that the newly bedded girl had been initially granted the title of Daying and was assigned to live in Yanxi Palace, the servants felt even more delighted.
Yanxi Palace was closest to the Sizhi Repository, and there were also servants’ quarters where eunuchs gathered nearby. The water carts delivering water in the morning passed right by Yanxi Palace. Among the Twelve Eastern and Western Palaces, Yanxi Palace was the noisiest.
Just from this palace assignment, one could tell this Wei Daying was not favored by His Majesty.
Shi Shu was also happy. Upon receiving the news, she immediately came to report to A Yuan: “…That Wei Daying poses no threat. Your Highness can rest assured.”
“Why should I rest assured? Women come and go in this palace. Without Wei Daying, there will be other women. Among the thirty-some Candidate Maidens in the three palaces, there will always be one that suits His Majesty’s taste…”
A Yuan rested her chin on her hand, her expression despondent: “Forget it. I am merely a consort—what right do I have to say such things?”
“Mistress…” Shi Shu was nearly in tears listening. Her mistress was so pitiful: “Mistress’s devotion to His Majesty is as clear as the sun and moon. How can you speak such self-deprecating words?”
“That’s right, Mistress. As soon as His Majesty finished court and heard you were unwell, he came straight to our Yongshou Palace. This shows he truly cares for you,” Bao Qin also chimed in to console her.
A Yuan sighed, forcing herself to perk up as she instructed: “Go tell the small kitchen. His Majesty will be dining here at noon, so they must prepare meticulously.”
After giving the order, she slumped back again.
Acting all the time was truly exhausting.
Her gaze grew vacant. To others, she seemed to be daydreaming, but in reality, she was frantically searching through her inventory. She needed to immediately arrange the long-term Contraceptive Medicine for the Emperor. Wei Daying was clearly not favored by the Emperor, so he would likely switch to someone else soon.
Rather than guarding against those women, it was better to solve the problem at its source!
Sorry, little Emperor. She would choose a Contraceptive Medicine that enhanced function but killed the seeds—consider it compensation for him!
All morning, A Yuan’s mood was quite exhilarated. Yongshou Palace simply thought she was happy about His Majesty coming to dine at noon, unaware that A Yuan had already obtained what she wanted.
As noon approached, she laid out her tea set and also requested a pipa.
Since she planned to have a romance, she definitely needed to show off some talents.
True to his word, the Emperor headed straight for Yongshou Palace as soon as he left Qianqing Gate. When he rounded the Screen Wall, he saw A Yuan waiting. This time, she had obediently not waited at the foot of the main hall steps but stood just inside the threshold, holding onto the doorframe and gazing toward the Screen Wall.
When she caught sight of his figure, a brilliant smile spread across her face.
If not for concern over her pregnancy, she likely would have dashed out to meet him.
“Your concubine greets Your Majesty.”
Shui Cong smiled as soon as he saw her, quickly saying: “At ease, at ease.”
Ascending the steps, their hands intertwined, A Yuan led him into the Western Warm Chamber. As soon as Shui Cong entered, he spotted the tea set and pipa, raising an eyebrow in surprise. “This is…”
“The small kitchen will take a while, so this concubine thought of brewing tea for Your Majesty and playing the pipa as well.”
A Yuan blushed slightly, feeling rather embarrassed. “This morning, this concubine was willful and wishes to offer tea as an apology.”
“What fault could A Yuan possibly have?”
Shui Cong felt increasingly delighted, pulling A Yuan to sit with him inside the green gauze cabinet. “It so happens that I am thirsty. A Yuan, brew some tea for me.”
A Yuan naturally complied.
Her movements were graceful, her hands swift and efficient. Soon, the fragrance of tea filled the air as she pushed a bowl of specially prepared tea toward Shui Chong. “Your Majesty, please taste this concubine’s skill.”
Shui Cong lifted the tea bowl and took a sip. “Fresh and soothing—truly fine tea.”
“Then, as Your Majesty enjoys the tea, this concubine will play a tune for you.”
A Yuan picked up a handkerchief to dry her hands, then took the pipa and began to play softly.
The day was not hot; though the sun shone, the wind was strong. The windows of the Western Warm Chamber were open, and a gentle breeze drifted in, lifting the gauze curtains of the green gauze cabinet and stirring A Yuan’s hair.
Shui Cong reclined against a cushion, holding the fragrant and delightful tea in his hand. His eyes watched the beautiful scene of the performer, while his ears listened to the exquisite and melodious pipa music.
How comfortable…
Once again, Shui Cong confirmed that, compared to Wei Daying, he much preferred Zhen Pin.
After resting at home for two days, Wei Ruo Qiong boarded a boat again and headed straight for Jiangnan Prefecture.
By now, the situation in the disaster-stricken areas had improved, with most of the submerged villages resurfacing.
The common people truly possessed the greatest resilience in the world. They had wept for the loss of loved ones and grieved over their lost property, but life had to go on. Moreover, as this area was densely populated by clans, most villages consisted of families sharing the same surname.
Under the organization of clan elders, they first gathered the bodies of their relatives, then opened ancestral halls, repaired ancestral tablets, and salvaged clan records and regulations. Once all this was done, funeral arrangements began.
In an instant, every village was draped in white, and wherever one went, funerals could be seen.
Qian Mingfeng and Lin Ruhai had not returned either.
One, as the Governor of Liangjiang, was the official in charge of disaster relief efforts, while the other was the best assistant Qian Mingfeng had forcibly kept by his side.
Lin Ruhai: “…”
He was merely an ordinary censor! And his duties were limited to salt affairs!
Being temporarily assigned to assist was one thing, but not being allowed to return after the work was done felt excessive.
Qian Mingfeng maintained his cheerful, rough-mannered demeanor, smiling as he said, “Ruhai, you possess great talent. Limiting yourself to salt affairs is truly a waste. Once this matter is resolved, I will certainly petition His Majesty to reward you.”
The more Lin Ruhai observed Qian Mingfeng, the more he felt the man was not a good person.
He thought to himself that he only wished to be an unremarkable relative of the imperial family, but after witnessing the devastation in the villages, he found himself unable to refuse.
Ultimately, he was not the kind of official content with mediocrity; he still harbored ambitions in his heart. Faced with such a tragic scene, anyone with a conscience would find it hard to abandon the tasks at hand.
Qian Mingfeng was also observing Lin Ruhai.
He came from a military background, yet his circumstances were quite similar to Lin Ruhai’s. Back then, Lin Ruhai had taken the imperial examinations and achieved the rank of Tanhua (third-place scholar). As a student of the emperor, he attended the Qionglin Banquet, where the reigning emperor at the time was still the Retired Emperor. As for Qian Mingfeng, he had served as a deputy general in the Northwestern Army, returning to the capital with the general to receive his title. When he attended the palace-wide banquet, the emperor he paid homage to was also the Retired Emperor.
The only difference was that he was luckier than Lin Ruhai—he had pledged his loyalty to the current His Majesty early on, becoming a staunch supporter of the imperial faction.
Even though His Majesty was only thirteen years old at the time, still a half-grown boy.
Over the years, he transitioned from military to civil service, rising step by step to the position of Governor of Liangjiang. Now, having received a secret order, he began to observe Lin Ruhai… the relative of an imperial consort in the palace.
Initially, Qian Mingfeng looked down on Lin Ruhai.
Relatives of imperial consorts, like Zhen Shi, were often of little consequence.
But after observing him over these days, this Lord Lin turned out to be a rare individual who genuinely got things done. Qian Mingfeng began to feel a sense of appreciation for his talent.
The salt administration was a pitfall.
As long as the Retired Emperor lived, the salt administration would remain a deadlock.
Qian Mingfeng couldn’t bear to see such a capable official perish in the salt administration. So, he thought of first keeping him by his side under the pretext of disaster relief. Later, whether it was water management or a transfer to another position, it could all be arranged.
After another busy day, Lin Ruhai returned to his temporary residence with heavy steps. As soon as he entered the room, he saw Lin An had prepared a basin of foot-washing water.
Lin An was the young servant Lin Ruhai had brought along this time, also the son of the chief steward, Lin Fu.
“Master, soak your feet quickly to relieve the fatigue,” Lin An placed the foot basin in front of the chair, then hurried over to help Lin Ruhai sit down. He removed his black cloth boots, rolled up his trouser legs, and, gripping his ankles, pressed his feet into the hot water.
“Hiss—”
Lin Ruhai sucked in a sharp breath, his face twitching involuntarily.
It was scalding, and it hurt.
But no matter how hot or painful it was, he had to continue soaking, because the water was filled with medicinal herbs that could soothe his muscles and invigorate his circulation.
Lin An’s hands didn’t tremble in the slightest. Over these days, he had trained himself well. If he showed even a hint of soft-heartedness, his master’s feet would surely feel worse the next day. On the contrary, by hardening his resolve, his master would feel more comfortable tomorrow.
To divert his master’s attention, Lin An quickly brought up news from home: “Master, a few days ago, Madam received a letter from the Rongguo Mansion in Jingcheng. It said that our family’s young lady has now successfully attended the bedchamber and has even become a Noble Lady.”
Just as the wave of pain subsided, Lin Ruhai opened his eyes, unable to conceal his joy: “Is that true?”
“Of course it’s true. It’s just that Yangzhou is far away, and the letter took many days on the road. The young lady was appointed as a Noble Lady quite some time ago. Who knows, she might even have become an imperial consort by now.” Lin An’s voice was filled with excitement, and his words were genuinely heartfelt.
In Lin An’s eyes, his master and madam were the most distinguished people, so wasn’t it only natural for their young lady to become an imperial consort?
But Lin Ruhai was not like Lin An—he was far more rational.
The Lin Family was not a prominent clan to begin with. Nowadays, the only truly outstanding members were him and Lin Han. Even his uncle, Lin Huan, had his prospects cut short due to an incident involving his aunt years ago. Moreover, his cousin had entered the palace through the imperial consort selection from among commoners, which naturally placed her at a disadvantage in terms of status. He had been quite surprised when she was initially appointed as a Noble Lady, let alone being appointed as a Consort or rising to Consort rank.
Lin Ruhai thought that she would likely need to give birth to a prince to be appointed as a Consort. At most, she might reach Consort rank in her lifetime.
Unless…
Unless both he and Lin Han could simultaneously hold high positions and become indispensable right and left arms to His Majesty, how else could they contend with those hereditary nobles?
Only when needing people does one regret having too few!
Lin Huan and Ma Shi’s two sons were not to his liking, and he himself could not father a son.
Lin Ruhai leaned back in his chair; even the pain from soaking his feet could not stir the slightest emotion in him. He now only wished Lin Han could marry soon, take a fertile wife, and produce eight or ten sons for him.
“Master, what is wrong?” Lin An was startled by his master’s demeanor.
Shouldn’t he be happy that the young mistress has become a Noble Lady?
Lin Ruhai let out a long sigh and shook his head: “I am fine, Master. I am merely thinking that now that the young mistress has become a Noble Lady, and in the future, when she bears a royal heir, is appointed as consort, and becomes a principal imperial consort, our Lin clan will not be able to offer much support. It is truly worrisome.”
Hearing this, Lin An immediately thought of his master’s pitifully sparse offspring.
He could not help but suggest: “The mistress is frail, and the eldest young lady is also in poor health. Even when she grows up, without strong backing from her maternal family, her life will be difficult. Master, why not seek out a couple of respectable families and take some virtuous concubines, to help the Lin clan flourish and expand its branches in the future?”
Only Lin An, having grown up by Lin Ruhai’s side since childhood, dared to speak such words. Anyone else would fear being discovered by Jia Min and beaten to death with clubs.
Lin Ruhai was indeed somewhat tempted.
But thinking of the years of mourning, during which Jia Min had always been by his side, and how the couple had been harmonious and respectful to each other all these years—though each had their own private motives, their interests aligned, and there was affection between them—he truly did not wish to sadden his wife.
“This matter is not urgent,” Lin Ruhai did not outright refuse but planned to make a decision after the disaster relief efforts were concluded.
After soaking his feet, Lin Ruhai changed into clean clothes, tidied himself up, and went out to attend a banquet.
Qian Mingfeng was the host, holding a private banquet at his home to entertain several officials temporarily assigned to assist. Lin Ruhai’s feet were numb from soaking, and wearing clean, soft cloth-soled boots, he felt as if he were walking on cotton all the way.
Arriving at Qian Mingfeng’s private residence, he saw from a distance a line of carriages parked at the entrance.
Qian Mingfeng was standing at the main gate with his hands on his hips, smiling broadly as he spoke with a young man in purple robes. The youth wore a jade crown, his sleeves tucked into arm guards, a snake-patterned belt around his waist from which hung a precious sword—clearly a young military officer.
Lin Ruhai was taken aback at first, but then remembered that Qian Mingfeng had been a military officer before becoming Governor of Liangjiang, and assumed this person was a son or nephew of Qian Mingfeng’s family.
He hesitated to approach, not wishing to disturb Qian Mingfeng’s conversation with his family, but unexpectedly, Qian Mingfeng spotted him first.
From afar, he called out: “Ruhai.”
Lin Ruhai had no choice but to step forward and clasp his hands in greeting: “This humble official pays his respects to the Governor.”
“Enough, between you and me, such formalities are unnecessary,” Qian Mingfeng was as forthright as ever.
Lin Ruhai straightened up but had not yet had the chance to inquire about the purple-robed youth’s identity when the young man, with a smile, looked Lin Ruhai up and down and asked: “Are you the elder brother of the palace’s Zhen Pin, Salt Censor Lin Hai, Lord Lin?”
Zhen Pin?
Lin Ruhai was completely stunned.
The purple-robed youth, Wei Ruo Qiong, seeing his dumbfounded expression, could not help but laugh: “I suppose being far away in Yangzhou, you are unaware of the situation in the capital. Zhen Pin is now with child by the Emperor and has been elevated to the rank of consort.”
In an instant, Lin Ruhai felt his heart pounding like a drum.
“You, you mean to say, my lady not only became a Pin, but is also carrying the imperial heir?”
Wei Ruo Qiong didn’t mind Lin Ruhai’s way of addressing Zhen Pin. After all, he was Zhen Pin’s elder brother from her maternal family, and it was only natural for him to refer to her as ‘my lady’ in private. It was just that he was too shocked at the moment, causing him to lose his composure in front of others. Wei Ruo Qiong was not one to be overly strict, nor would he seize upon such a minor slip and press the matter.
Qian Mingfeng glanced at the stunned Lin Ruhai, then at Wei Ruo Qiong, who was clearly enjoying teasing him. He simply grabbed one by each arm. “Let’s not stand outside chatting. We should go inside to talk.”
Tall and robust, with exceptional strength, Qian Mingfeng practically lifted Wei Ruo Qiong and Lin Ruhai inside.
Even after sitting down in the flower hall, Lin Ruhai remained inwardly excited.
He did consider asking Wei Ruo Qiong about Zhen Pin, but upon second thought, Wei Ruo Qiong was an official—how much could he possibly know about matters within the palace?
Wei Ruo Qiong paid him no mind, simply sipping tea from his cup while chatting with Qian Mingfeng.
Both he and Qian Mingfeng were trusted confidants of the Emperor. This disaster relief effort was precisely under their charge. Now that Wei Ruo Qiong had arrived early in Jiangnan Prefecture, while the disaster relief funds and grain were still en route, the two of them needed to finalize the relief plan before the disaster relief ships arrived. This would prevent the supplies from being held up without a plan, causing unnecessary delays and complications, and would also spare them the effort of protecting this batch of disaster relief supplies.
Qian Mingfeng had just overheard the news of the Lin family’s appointment as consort.
With this in mind, he intended to show favor to Lin Ruhai and suggested, “Brother Wei, Ruhai also has some insights into water management. Why not have him join us to listen?”