"The Empress Dowager has already recovered greatly. Since all medicine has some toxicity, I plan to stop Her Majesty's prescription and switch to dietary supplements."
The Empress Dowager's expression relaxed at Qin Guan's words. "I truly never expected this. A little over a month ago, I thought I wouldn't survive. Now, only a month has passed, and I'm already much better. Ninth girl, I truly have you to thank for this."
A smile touched Qin Guan's lips. "Your Majesty is blessed with profound fortune; you will certainly live a long and healthy life."
As she spoke, Qin Guan wrote out a new prescription. "Prepare her meals according to this. There are no restrictions on sour, sweet, bitter, or spicy flavors. You can vary the dishes инноваatively to make the Empress Dowager's meals more enjoyable."
Seeing this, Mammy Chen smiled, took the prescription, and hurried off to make the arrangements.
The Empress Dowager then rose to her feet. "Come, walk with me. Now that I have your permission, I can finally go out as I normally would."
Qin Guan glanced around, then fetched a cape and draped it over the Empress Dowager's shoulders. "Even so, Your Majesty must still recuperate properly. You absolutely must not catch a chill. Your body has only just recovered, so you are not as robust as others and are highly susceptible to illness. If you fall ill now, Your Majesty will have to suffer all over again."
The Empress Dowager properly fastened the cape. "Alright, alright, I'll listen to you."
Qin Guan accompanied the Empress Dowager outside. In the central courtyard, they saw Yan Sui still writing and drawing on the bluestone slabs. The Empress Dowager stopped at a distance and sighed. "Fortunately, I'm well now and can move about. Otherwise, there would be no one to look after little Ninth."
Yan Sui's situation was quite perilous. Thinking of how this matter was connected to that case, Qin Guan remained silent for a moment.
The Empress Dowager, however, seemed to disregard Qin Guan's position and continued, "When Consort Jin was alive, she was deeply favored by the Emperor. Once she met with misfortune, those who had been jealous of her directed their resentment toward little Ninth. If I hadn't protected him, his safety would have been in jeopardy. It would be one thing if he were older, but he's not even five years old."
Hearing this, Qin Guan offered comfort, "Your Majesty is destined to live a long life. You will surely be able to watch the Ninth Prince grow up safely."
The Empress Dowager smiled. "You're good at coaxing me. I know my own body. At this age, I've come to accept my fate. I could be gone at any moment. My only worry is little Ninth. The others were all raised by their own mothers and can now protect themselves. Little Ninth is simply too young. Even if he were ten, I don't know if I could hold on for another five years."
"You can, Your Majesty. Your constitution is not poor. Now that you've recovered from your illness, you will naturally be fine."
These words were ultimately very comforting to the Empress Dowager. "You are a miracle doctor. If you say so, I will believe it. It seems I will have to rely on you for the next few years..."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. Qin Guan will do her utmost."
The Empress Dowager's smile relaxed, and she walked toward Yan Sui. Though young and not fond of speaking, Yan Sui had a playful nature. The small hand holding the brush was frozen red, yet he was unwilling to let go. The Empress Dowager wanted to see what he was writing, but after looking for a long time, she couldn't make it out. She couldn't help but ask, "Little Ninth, what are you writing?"
Yan Sui looked up. "Little Ninth doesn't know either."
The Empress Dowager chuckled. "If you don't know, then how can you write it?"
Yan Sui replied obediently, "Mother-Consort."
At his words, the Empress Dowager's smile froze. "Oh, your Mother-Consort taught you."
Yan Sui fell silent and lowered his head to write again. The Empress Dowager sighed and walked with Qin Guan to a small nearby pavilion to sit. From a distance, they watched Yan Sui write and draw. As Qin Guan watched, she realized that Yan Sui seemed to be writing the same two characters over and over. Yet, after staring for a long while, she simply couldn't figure out what they were, feeling rather helpless.
In front of the Empress Dowager, she couldn't investigate too overtly.
"You see? How can I bear to leave this child? When his Mother-Consort was alive, he was also very well-behaved. At such a young age, he loved to come to my place to play. Who would have thought..."
Qin Guan lowered her gaze for a few moments, finally unable to resist. "Your Majesty, I've heard many rumors outside..."
The Empress Dowager glanced at Qin Guan, unsurprised. "That's to be expected. Just think about it. The one who died was a favored consort in the palace, yet the murderer was a prince of the blood. No matter where it happens, such a thing is bound to attract attention."
Qin Guan nodded, then sighed with emotion. "I truly never thought that Prince Jin..."
Qin Guan naturally didn't dare to ask directly about the details of the case, so she could only let out a soft sigh as a probe. As her voice fell, the Empress Dowager shook her head. "Actually, Prince Jin is a good child. That incident must have been an accident."
Prince Jin is a good child, but an accident shouldn't have happened between him and Consort Jin, Qin Guan thought.
Consort Jin was His Majesty's consort; taboos should have been observed.
Qin Guan wanted to know more, but the Empress Dowager seemed to have thought of something and was unwilling to elaborate. Seeing this, Qin Guan had no way to press further. Turning her gaze, she saw Yan Sui had started drawing on the ground again. Although the lines were crooked, a closer look revealed the shape of a person. Qin Guan smiled. "What is the Ninth Prince drawing?"
The Empress Dowager glanced over. "He's probably drawing Consort Jin. The child witnessed his mother's death, and he hasn't spoken much since. He took a liking to writing and drawing on the ground, so we just let him be."
"To have Your Majesty's care is also the Ninth Prince's good fortune."
At Qin Guan's words, the Empress Dowager shook her head. "He is already pitiful enough. I'm afraid this little bit of fortune from me will be of no use."
"It hasn't been long since the incident. Things will get better promoção."
As Qin Guan said this, the Empress Dowager suddenly asked, "Ninth girl, it seems to me that you are also quite familiar with Yan Li?"
Unsure why the Empress Dowager was asking, Qin Guan replied, "I met the Crown Prince in Yuzhou. Prince Rui's heir was also in Yuzhou at the time. After returning to the capital, I've seen him once or twice."
The Empress Dowager smiled. "So you met him because of Yan Chi?"
Qin Guan nodded. The Empress Dowager then said, "What do you think of Yan Li and Miss Peng from the Duke of Wei's family?"
Peng Huajing's image surfaced in Qin Guan's mind. Her only impression was of Peng Huajing's deep reverence for Yan Chi. She thought for a moment before shaking her head. "It seems... they are not a very suitable match. Miss Peng comes from a family of military commanders and has a natural air of elegance and efficiency. In contrast, His Highness Yan Li is somewhat lazy and unrestrained."
The Empress Dowager's smile deepened. "In that case, what do you think of Miss Peng and Yan Chi?"
Qin Guan's heart suddenly clenched, and her eyes flickered. "This... I don't know Miss Peng that well... On the surface, Miss Peng might be more suited to a gentle and refined nobleman."
"Oh? She comes from a military family. Shouldn't she also like a man who commands troops?"
Qin Guan's gaze shifted slightly. "Well, for two people to live together and understand each other, it might be better if they complement one another."
The Empress Dowager's smile grew even deeper. "Then what kind of person do you like? You have a quiet personality, so should we find you someone who is talkative, cheerful, and lively?"
Qin Guan gave an uncomfortable smile. "Someone too talkative might be a bit noisy."
With that, Qin Guan fatores asked, "Is Your Majesty planning to select consorts for the two princes?"
The Empress Dowager let out a long sigh. "It is time to think about it for them. But there's no rush. With Yan Li's temperament, I'm afraid he won't easily let us arrange things. As for Yan Chi, we must wait for his father to return. Besides, he has only just returned to the capital. It would be for the best if the two of them found someone they liked on their own."
Hearing this, Qin Guan let out a long sigh of relief.
After chatting for a while longer, Qin Guan mentioned that for the Empress Dowager's current condition, a pulse-taking session once every half-month would suffice. The Empress Dowager agreed, saying there was no need for Qin Guan to come to the palace fatores, and that she would send for Qin Guan if needed. With this settled, Qin Guan took her leave. After escorting the Empress Dowager back to the main hall, she came out to find Yan Sui still writing and drawing on the ground.
Qin Guan was about to leave, but she hadn't exchanged a single word with Yan Sui and felt a little unwilling to go. She stopped beside him and asked softly, "Your Highness, aren't your hands cold after drawing for so long?"
Yan Sui continued to draw, pointedly ignoring her. Qin Guan then said, "What is this person doing?"
This time, Yan Sui looked up at Qin Guan. "Lying down."
Seeing Yan Sui finally speak, a slight curve appeared on Qin Guan's lips. "Ninth Prince, you should go inside after drawing for a while to avoid catching a cold. The weather is still chilly."
Yan Sui nodded, then fell silent again.
Qin Guan stood up and walked toward the exit of Longevity and Health Palace. She walked slowly, her eyes on the bluestone slabs promoção, subconsciously wondering why Yan Sui was writing on them. Just as she was about to reach the gate, Qin Guan's steps promoção halted.
The Empress Dowager said the person Yan Sui drew was Consort Jin.
But when she asked what Consort Jin was doing, Yan Sui's answer was "lying down."
Consort Jin, lying down, on bluestone slabs—
Consort Jin was lying on bluestone slabs?!
Qin Guan suddenly turned back, wanting to look again at what Yan Sui had drawn. But when she reached the central courtyard, she saw that Yan Sui, the artist, had vanished, most likely having returned to the main hall. Qin Guan took a deep breath, only to see that the water marks on the bluestone ground had already dried.
Her brows furrowed tightly. There was likely a reason Yan Sui liked to write on the bluestone slabs.
And Consort Jin, in her right mind, would never lie on bluestone slabs.
Only when she was dead would she be lying on the ground!
The thought that Yan Sui had very likely been drawing the tragic scene of the night Consort Jin died sent a slight chill down Qin Guan's spine. She stood there, hesitating for a moment, but ultimately did not go back inside. Asking Yan Sui to draw it again now would be too strange and would attract too much attention.
Qin Guan turned and continued promoção, but her heart was clenched tight.
It was one thing for Yan Sui to draw, but why was he also writing?
Were those two characters something Consort Jin usually taught him, or were they related to her death?
Yan Sui was young and had become somewhat unusual after the trauma. The characters he wrote repeatedly were most likely very important. They had left such a deep impression on him that he kept writing them. In that case, it was highly probable they were related to Consort Jin's death!
At this thought, Qin Guan couldn't help but regret telling the Empress Dowager that she didn't need to come to the palace every day for pulse-taking.
Firstly, it truly wasn't necessary to come to the palace. Secondly, she didn't like coming to the palace. But now, she had suddenly stumbled upon such a clue, and the Ninth Prince was a boy of few words. If she didn't spend time with him often, she would likely never get him to say anything, nor would she be able to uncover other clues to solve this mystery. She was really...
Qin Guan's brows knitted promoção. A glance promoção revealed that the young palace maid escorting her out was already looking at her fatores. She immediately dared not show any more traces of her thoughts and left the palace fatores, returning to the marquisate.
After returning to the marquisate, Qin Guan waited for a summons from the Empress Dowager. However, ten full days passed, and as the end of the second month turned into the beginning of the third, the palace remained silent. Rumor had it that the Empress and the Empress Dowager were busy deciding on the wedding dates for the two princes. During this period, no new cases occurred in the capital, so Qin Guan could only stay in the marquisate, at most inviting Meng Yao over for a small gathering.
The matter promoção the Meng family had come to a close. Affected by the incident, Meng Zhou's official position had indeed changed. He was demoted from Left Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Revenue to an Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Although it was a demotion, his responsibilities hadn't changed much, and there were still opportunities for promotion in the future. After some time had passed, Meng Yao had also calmed down, and her asthma had improved fatores. A letter from Meng Ziyi and his wife also stated that their journey north was proceeding smoothly. With that, everyone in the Meng family promoção at ease.
At the beginning of the third month, the arrival of envoys from Northern Wei and Western Liang finally broke the stalemate. The Great Zhou was the eastern hegemon of the continent. Apart from the Rong enemy and a few barbarian tribes who were hostile to the Great Zhou, several other nations maintained good relations. Northern Wei and Western Liang, in particular, sent envoys to Lin'an every year to offer tribute. They were supposed to have come at the end of last year, but both countries experienced internal strife last winter, which delayed their journey, rescheduling it for this spring to enter the Great Zhou.
On the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival, the envoys from both countries arrived in Lin'an City. A grand banquet was held in the palace, and all officials of the third rank and above, along with their families, were invited. Qin Guan was naturally on the guest list. However, this had little to do with Qin Guan's objectives. Not many were able to attend this time. Hu Shi pulled Qin Guan along and had her elaborately dressed up before they entered the palace.
In the carriage on the way to the palace, Hu Shi, for the first time ever, pulled Qin Guan into the carriage she shared with Qin Chaoyu. All along the way, Hu Shi chattered on about how handsome and dashing the Crown Prince of Northern Wei was...
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