Chapter 433: Repaying Kindness and Accumulating Virtue
Night fell.
Tao Guizhi had just finished bathing, her body still weary.
She sat before the mirror, allowing two maidservants to dry her hair. Though they attended to her, they also served as her watchers.
Suddenly, a voice called from outside: "Heavenly Maiden, the kitchen wishes to know if you'd like some white fungus and mung bean soup?"
Hearing this name, Tao Guizhi froze momentarily.
Memories suddenly flooded back to her time in the Xie household. Once, while visiting the kitchen, she had seen the cook simmering white fungus and mung bean soup. She had found the combination peculiar and smiled at the sight. Upon inquiry, she learned it was a traditional recipe from Concubine Jiang's hometown. She had even sought out Concubine Jiang specifically to request a bowl and taste it. From that moment on, she too had begun drinking white fungus and mung bean soup.
Since leaving the Xie residence, it had been a very long time since she last had white fungus and mung bean soup.
Why would the kitchen suddenly ask her this?
Could it be—
Tao Guizhi recalled seeing Concubine Jiang and Xian Jie'er three days earlier, during the distribution of Sweet Dew.
At that time, Concubine Jiang had shown no unusual reaction, and she herself had been veiled. She had assumed Concubine Jiang hadn't recognized her.
It seemed her identity had been exposed.
Had Concubine Jiang come to demand hush money?
Tao Guizhi narrowed her eyes in thought, clearly aware she shouldn't go.
Yet, for some reason, she still headed toward the kitchen. Was it for a taste of white fungus and mung bean soup, or to see an old acquaintance?
With two maidservants trailing closely behind, she said coldly, "Go and iron the garments I'll wear tomorrow."
Those garments were unparalleled in the world, requiring daily pressing to remain smooth for the next day's wear. The two maidservants dared not neglect this task and immediately went to attend to it.
Only then did Tao Guizhi enter the kitchen, where a woman dressed as a cook approached her with a bowl of soup.
Even without the cook looking up, she could recognize her as the same Concubine Jiang who had entered the Xie household with her all those years ago.
Concubine Jiang kept her head bowed and said, "Allow me to bring the soup back to your tent, Heavenly Maiden."
Tao Guizhi strode out, leading the way to a secluded, deserted spot before suddenly turning around and speaking coldly: "Why have you come? Do you know where this is? If I shout now, you'll be dead where you stand!"
Concubine Jiang knew this venture was perilous, but she had to make this trip. Even if it meant certain death, she had to come in person.
She lifted her head and said, "You are now the Heavenly Maiden revered by the masses. If the people were to learn that you abandoned your own child—how could someone who would forsake her own offspring possibly protect the common folk? Do you think the people would still revere you?"
Tao Guizhi sneered, "Why not speak plainly? What do you want?"
"I want nothing," Concubine Jiang shook her head. "Can you leave this place now? Someone wishes to see you."
Tao Guizhi paused, testing the waters: "The Empress Dowager?"
"It's Kang Ge'er."
At these words, Tao Guizhi felt as if struck by lightning.
The reason she remained in Xie Shi'an's grasp was because he had hidden Kang Ge'er away, promising her a reunion only if she performed her duties well.
She had pleaded many times, but Xie Shi'an never relented.
Her only choice was to play the part of the Heavenly Maiden flawlessly, awaiting the completion of the grand plan before she could be reunited with her son, Kang Ge'er..."There's not much time left," Concubine Jiang whispered. "If we wait until the battle begins tomorrow, Kang Ge'er might..."
"I'll go. Where is he?"
Without any hesitation, Tao Guizhi followed Concubine Jiang through a secluded corner, across a small grove, until they reached the westernmost edge of the camp.
Under a large tree stood a figure clad in black, barely visible in the darkness. In their arms, they held a child.
"It's so dark... Nanny, I'm scared."
Xie Shikang clung tightly to Yuan Shi's neck, his voice trembling.
Yuan Shi patted his back gently, soothing him, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Look up at the stars in the sky, and you won't be scared anymore."
Just then, two women gradually approached.
Yuan Shi recognized Concubine Tao at once.
Tao Guizhi's eyes were fixed on the child, as if fearing he might run away. Her gaze was intense, and her voice quivered as she asked, "Kang Ge'er?"
"It is Kang Ge'er!" Yuan Shi shielded the child behind her, her tone cold. "Back when Kang Ge'er still needed to nurse, you, his mother, abandoned him and left without a word! Now that Kang Ge'er no longer needs milk, he no longer needs you as his mother! If it weren't for Concubine Jiang pleading with me, I would never have brought Kang Ge'er to see you! Well, you've seen him now. I must go!"
"No..." Tao Guizhi grabbed Yuan Shi's arm. "Let me hold him, just once, please?"
Yuan Shi refused.
She forced her way forward, seized the child's shoulders, and snatched Xie Shikang away. The boy burst into terrified wails.
"Kang Ge'er, I'm your mother, I am your mother..." Tao Guizhi wept along with him. "I wronged you, I know I was wrong. From now on, we mother and son will never be parted again..."
"Can't you see the child is crying himself breathless? Let go!" Yuan Shi shoved Tao Guizhi away and spent a long time comforting Xie Shikang until, exhausted from crying, he fell asleep.
"After you left, Kang Ge'er couldn't even get a drop of milk. It was Chu'er—Her Majesty the Empress Dowager—who sent a lactating ewe. Kang Ge'er survived thanks to that ewe." Yuan Shi spoke through tears. "In this world, only Chu'er is worthy of being Kang Ge'er's mother. If you want him to acknowledge you, you must repay Chu'er's kindness. Otherwise, I will never let Kang Ge'er call you 'Mother' in this lifetime!"
With that, she turned and left.
Tao Guizhi wept as if her heart were breaking, collapsing to her knees.
Concubine Jiang looked at her and said, "By serving Cheng Wang now, you stand opposed to the Empress Dowager. I'm afraid you may never be able to claim Kang Ge'er in this life."
"Why, why..." Tao Guizhi beat her chest. "You all use the child to threaten me. What can I do? What can I do?"
She stifled her sobs.
"Without the Empress Dowager, there would be no Kang Ge'er alive and well." Concubine Jiang spoke slowly. "You must repay this debt—repay the Empress Dowager's kindness. You must also accumulate merit, for Kang Ge'er's sake. As the Heavenly Maiden now, repaying kindness and accumulating merit should be all too easy."
Tao Guizhi murmured, "It's useless, useless..."
The common people followed Cheng Wang not merely because of her, the Heavenly Maiden, but more so because the Sweet Dew had been drugged."This is the antidote." Concubine Jiang took out a large bundle from behind her, filled entirely with medicinal powder. "If you've made up your mind, put this into the so-called Sweet Dew... The lives of all common people rest in your hands. Only by saving the ordinary folk can you truly be called the Heavenly Maiden, and only then are you worthy to be Kang Ge'er's mother. Very well, I've said all I need to say. I shall take my leave now."
In the night, Tao Guizhi carried the bundle and slowly returned to her own tent.
No sooner had she settled along the couch than a voice called from outside: "Minister Xie!"
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