TPNCQ CHAPTER 16
Who is it, knocking like it's a matter of life and death?
Hump, those people were just jealous she was pregnant and had received the emperor's favor first. They were all eager to curry favor.
Now that she's fallen from grace, they can't wait to kick her while she's down.
Don't let her recover. If she ever does, she swear she will make them pay.
Xiu Guiren raised her hand to wipe away her tears and took a deep breath. She placed her hand on her still-flat belly, "Son, your mother will definitely strive to give birth to you safely. I'll make those people suffer."
Ling Pin had come to the eastern side hall to send Xiu Guiren some charcoal, but when she reached the corridor and heard Xiu Guiren's words, she paused, then turned and went back to the main hall.
Last time, because of Xiu Guiren's pregnancy, she had received more imperial favor, making her a target. Now that Xiu Guiren was also being neglected, there was no need to complain or feel sorry for her.
Although Xiu Guiren wasn't someone she had recommended to compete for the emperor's favor, in the eyes of others, they were in the same boat, and there was no point in explaining.
Xiu Guiren didn't understand the rules, and she had even tried to advise her not to be so arrogant, but Xiu Guiren wouldn't listen. This was the consequence she deserved.
However, Xiu Guiren was always proud and competitive, and if she went to see her now with offerings, Xiu Guiren might not appreciate it and might even think she was pitying her.
Forget it, forget it, it's not worth it to get involved.
Since Xiu Guiren refused to listen, there was no need for her to waste any more effort. Everyone has their own destiny.
Although Ling Pin was currently being neglected, she was never one to complain. She had always made her own way, and if she ever reached a dead end, she was confident she could find another path.
Right now, this was not the time to sit idly by. If the emperor didn't come to Yanxi Palace to see her, she could go to him.
The next day, Ling Pin dressed up carefully and waited casually along the path that the Emperor would take after his daily court session and she had her chief maid, Xingren, keep watch nearby.
The time for Emperor Qianlong to went and leave court was fixed, a tradition passed down through the generations.
Ling Pin waited for a long time, but as the expected time passed and the Emperor still hadn't appeared, she had to give up and, supported by Xingren, returned to her chambers. She sent someone to inquire and found out that the Emperor had kept two ministers after court, which was why he hadn't come by. It wasn't unusual for ministers to occasionally stay behind, and it just so happened that today was one of those days. Never mind, she would try again tomorrow.
On the third day, Ling Pin was once again waiting in the same place.
When the time came, she saw the emperor's procession approaching. Xingren quickly turned around the corner to inform her mistress, "His Majesty's procession is coming, but..."
Before Xingren could finish, Ling Pin, upon hearing that the Emperor's procession was approaching, quickly adjusted her hair and the tassels by her temples, and stepped out from behind the corner.
It was too late for Xingren to stop her.
As Ling Pin had hoped, she met the emperor face-to-face. However, standing beside the emperor was Jia Fei, who was already six months pregnant.
"Sister Ling Pin, What a coincidence," Jia Fei said first before the Emperor Qianlong could say anything, her eyes scanning Ling Pin. "Such a vixen," She thought.
Ling Pin did not expect that Jia Fei would also be there and was taken aback but she quickly composed herself. She stepped forward and curtsied, "Chenqi greets Your Majesty and Jia Fei niangniang."
"Ling Pin, Zhen was just on my way to Chunxi Palace for breakfast. The fried dough rings in Jia Fei 's palace are quite good. Why don't you join us?" the emperor said.
"Yes, sister," Jia Fei replied with a smile, moving closer to Qianlong.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty and Jia Fei niangniang, but Chenqi has already had breakfast and on the way to Fa Hua Temple to pray for Your Majesty. Chenqi will take her leave now," Ling Pin said softly. She walked towards the wall and retreated, glancing at the emperor with amorous eyes.
Jia Fei watched as the Emperor Qianlong's gaze followed Ling Pin's retreating figure and said coquettishly, "Your Majesty, let's go. The fried dough rings will get cold if we wait any longer."
What a vixen, always knows how to retreat to advance.
Thankfully, Moli got wind of it yesterday and told her that Ling Pin was dressed to the nines, trying to seduce the Emperor on this very path. That’s why she was here early to intercept her. Who knows what other tricks that vixen would have pulled.
*
Ling Pin only recovered after walking a distance. She stood there, took a deep breath, and calmed herself.
“Niangniang, are we really going to Fa Hua Temple to pray?” the palace maid Xingren asked doubtfully.
“Yes, of course we are,” Ling Pin replied, “We have to see this act through.” However, the method of ‘accidental’ encounters could no longer be used. The first time was a coincidence, but doing it again would be too obvious.
*
Soon, news of Ling Pin going to Fa Hua Temple daily to pray for the Emperor spread throughout the palace, and everyone in the palace knew about it.
After many days of exhaustion, she fainted in Fa Hua Temple this morning. Even as she fainted, she was still murmuring prayers for the Emperor.
Dong Xue, the clever little palace maid, got the news and was the first to tell Su Limo, “When the Emperor heard about this, he summoned the imperial physician to take good care of her. He also sent many nourishing foods and even bestowed a scroll of scriptures he had copied by hand. I heard that Ling Pin has had it framed and placed on an altar and recites it daily. She hasn’t stopped even during her convalescence.”
“What about the Emperor, Has he visited her?” Su Limo asked, twirling the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand.
“That’s the strange part. The Emperor only sent gifts but didn’t go to visit her,” Dong Xue scratched her head, puzzled.
“There’s plenty of time. it's not something that needs to be rushed,” Su Limo said with a smile. Ling Pin is a clever woman. Favor is not something that can be gained or lost overnight. It takes skill to both acquire it and maintain it in the long run.
Ling Pin is quite a character. Su Limo never underestimated her, nor dared to. Historically, this Ling Pin was the birth mother of the next Emperor, Jiaqing.
This harem is full of talented and ambitious women. No one should be underestimated. Those who aren’t currently vying for favor might do so in the future, or perhaps they’ve already been through enough struggles to know that they can’t win and have simply lie down.
Only she was a true salted fish.
*
In the middle of the night, thunder rumbled, and raindrops as large as beans fell, pattering on the banana leaves throughout the night.
Around midnight, Xiu Guiren started feeling unwell. She had a dull ache in her lower abdomen and sent a young eunuch to the Imperial Medical Bureau to summon a physician. However, the physician on duty made excuses and refused to come, claiming that Xiu Guiren often summoned the physicians for trivial matters and that she would probably be fine if she just endured it.
Upon hearing the eunuch’s report, Xiu Guiren was furious, her face turned pale with anger and the pain causing her to break out in a cold sweat.
Lianhua, the chief maid, saw how much the Guiren was suffering and worried that things would turn for the worse if this continued. She snatched the umbrella from the young eunuch and ran towards Changchun Palace.
It was still dark, and Lianhua fell several times in her haste. Finally, she managed to reach the gate of Changchun Palace.
Lianhua had a loud voice and great strength. She pounded on the door with loud bang, "Thump, thump, thump!" After a while, the palace gate opened, and the gatekeeper eunuch rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked rudely, "Who is it, knocking like it's a matter of life and death?"
"Eunuch, I'm a maid from Xiu Guiren's palace in Yanxi Palace. Xiu Guiren isn't feeling well, and I'm here to ask for the Emperor," Lianhua said urgently, trying to be as polite as possible.
"Go away, go away," the Eunuch guarding the door pushed Lianhua away when he heard it was from Yanxi Palace. "The Emperor is not in Changchun Palace."
"You're lying. Everyone knows the Emperor went to Changchun Palace yesterday. Please, Eunuch, could you report this? My mistress is really unwell..." Before Lianhua could finish her sentence, the door of Changchun Palace slammed shut. If she hadn't dodged quickly, her fingers might have been caught.
Zhen - I, It is used exclusively by emperor to refer to himself. Royal Pronoun: It's a royal "we" similar to how the British monarch might say "we are not amused."