TPNCQ CHAPTER 18
Just a pretty face, too foolish
The weather had been warm for the past few days. The pear blossoms in the courtyard had fallen, and a peach tree had been in full bloom. She had recovered quite a bit from the loss of blood during childbirth; her complexion had become much more rosy. While she couldn't say she had looked like a peach blossom, at least she had been fair and tender and had looked healthy.
Fishing, stringing beads, eating and drinking, taking care of her health, and playing with Jing Shun when she had nothing to do had been wonderful.
The turmoil outside Jingren Palace had nothing to do with her, Su Limo.
At noon, Imperial Physician Luo came to take her pulse. According to Su Limo's previous instructions, Imperial Physician Luo took the opportunity to examine Xiu Guiren's medical records when no one was looking. "She has been using a lot of hemostatic and warming tonics, but her qi and blood are both deficient and declining. If she can survive the first three months, there might be hope; otherwise, I'm afraid..."
Hearing this, Su Limo raised her hand, and Imperial Physician Luo stopped talking. As expected.
Dong Xue saw Physician Luo out and returned, puzzled. "Xian Gufei has already ordered that Xiu Guiren be well taken care of. How come in the Internal Affairs Department today... Although Lianhua finally got the portion she deserved, she was so angry."
"There are more factions in the palace than just Xian Gufei's. I guess this is just the tip of the iceberg. She's going to have to endure a lot. Xiu Guiren has always been strong-willed and proud, I'm afraid..." Shuangjiang pondered for a moment before speaking. In the past two months, under Su Limo's intentional guidance, Shuangjiang had gradually become more talkative.
"Excessive self-reliance can easily lead to self-destruction," Su Limo sighed inwardly as she said this.
"This Xiu Guiren is just a pretty face, she's so foolish..." Dong Xue shook her head in regret.
*
Ling Pin's renewed favor with the Emperor caused quite a stir in the palace. However, with the Empress Dowager's previous reprimand of Xiu Guiren as a warning, and the other concubines' watchful eyes, Ling Pin was very cautious and careful, always reminding the Emperor to show favor to all the concubines and suggesting that the Emperor visit Shu Pin.
Just as it is important to check and balance power in governing a country, so too is it in the harem.
One afternoon, after handling state affairs, Qianlong came to the Chuxiu Palace where Shu Pin resided. The eunuch guarding the gate was about to announce his arrival but was stopped. Having listened to a bunch of old ministers' nagging for half a day, he really didn't want to hear any more harsh sounds. He saw Shu Pin sitting in the corridor playing chess with someone, and the figure of the concubine sitting opposite her looked vaguely familiar.
Seeing the Emperor approaching, Li Yu raised his hand to stop the people behind him from following, and he himself also stood still and did not move forward.
Qianlong walked closer and saw that the two were in a stalemate. Just as the black piece was about to be placed, he said, "Wrong." After saying that, he snatched the black piece and placed it in a different place.
This action startled Chen Guiren, who was holding the black pieces. She quickly stood up and retreated two steps to curtsy.
Shu Pin also stood up and was about to kneel, but Qianlong stopped her. "Continue playing. If you place the black piece here, it will be difficult to turn the situation around. If you place it here, you still have a chance."
Seeing this, Chen Guiren could only quickly stand up and sit down again. Following Qianlong's suggestion, she placed the piece. Although this move did not guarantee a reversal of the situation, it gave her a few more opportunities to make a move.
Seeing the Emperor instructing them in chess, neither of them dared to think about anything else, and could only continue playing chess, lest they spoil the Emperor's mood.
Shu Pin had served the Empress Dowager for a long time, and for her, serving the Emperor was not much different from serving the Empress Dowager. She just had to serve him respectfully and carefully.
For Chen Guiren, it was different. She played this game of chess with trembling hands. Every move she made, she had to think for a long time, and from time to time, she would be pointed out by the Emperor. It was as if she was learning needlework from a tutor when she was a child. If she made a mistake, she would have to unpick it and redo it, not to mention the physical pain of being beaten. The physical pain was fine, but the psychological torture was simply unbearable. In a short while, her forehead was covered in sweat.
In the end, Chen Guiren was defeated. She quickly got up and invited the Emperor to play chess with Shu Pin, but the Emperor asked them to continue playing while he watched from the side.
Chen Guiren had no choice but to continue playing. Qianlong occasionally pointed out a move or two. After two or three games, the clothes Chen Guiren was wearing were soaked with sweat, sticking uncomfortably to her body, and her palms were also sweaty.
She finally managed to endure three games, thinking that she would have to play another one, but fortunately, there was something urgent in the court, and Li Yu came to pass a message. Qianlong got up and returned to the Yangxin Palace.
Having not served the Emperor for a long time, and even more so being watched while playing chess, Chen Guiren felt like her soul was almost out of her body for that hour or so. After the Emperor left, the courtyard became quiet again, and Chen Guiren finally took out her handkerchief to wipe the fine beads of sweat from her forehead and palms.
"Although it's warmer at the end of March, it's not a joke if you catch a cold. Go inside and change your clothes before going back," Shu Pin said, asking a cheif maid to find a newly made undergarment for Chen Guiren to change into.
"Yes, thank you," Chen Guiren replied, thanking her and going inside to change her clothes, without any false politeness to Shu Pin.
Neither of them expected the Emperor to come at this time. After changing her clothes, Chen Guiren and her senior maid Yingchun returned to the palace.
In the east side hall of Chunxi Palace, Yingchun served Chen Guiren in washing her hands and brought a cup of tea. Then she said, "Today, the Emperor was in a good mood and guided you in playing chess. Why didn't you seize the opportunity..."
"Let's not talk about the fact that the Emperor came to visit Sister Shu Pin today. With so many things happening, it's better to mind your own business. Besides, you know what my personality is like," Chen Guiren said, putting down the teacup and picking up the embroidery frame on the desk, starting to embroider a purse, and continued, "Don't mention this kind of thing in the future. I've told you many times, if you still don't understand..."
“I understand, but I can’t bear to see you suffering every day,” Yingchun regretted mentioning it, but she really couldn't bear to see her mistress suffering. Today was clearly an opportunity.
“If you can still suffer now, but if you make one wrong move, you won't even have the chance to suffer, and you'll lose your life in vain. Aren't there many people in this palace who have lost their lives in vain? If you can't understand this, go to the gate of the Cold Palace and take a look someday.” Chen Guiren put down her needlework, held Yingchun's hand, and said.
“Mistress…” Yingchun bit her lip and said no more.
*
In the evening, as night fell, the lights gradually came on.
In the east wing of Chunxi Palace, (T/N: Its Cleary Yanxi Palace. I also got confused~~) Xiu Guiren was lying on the bed, supported by Lianhua as she drank her prenatal medicine. In recent days, she had been listening to the doctor's advice, not getting out of bed unless necessary, and lying quietly to nourish her fetus. She also drank a bowl of prenatal medicine every day without fail.
Lianhua took some water for Xiu Guiren to rinse her mouth, then brought a plate of pastries, but seeing that her mistress had no appetite, she put it down and helped her mistress to lie down again.
However, after only half an hour, Xiu Guiren felt a dull pain in her lower abdomen, as if there was a downward trend. This feeling terrified her, and she quickly called for Lianhua, but fearing that a loud voice would cause her lower abdomen to fall even harder, she could only call out in a strained voice.
Lianhua was outside the hall instructing a young palace maid to go to the Imperial Kitchen to prepare some of the mistress' favorite snacks to change her appetite when she heard the sound and hurried into the bedroom.
"Quick, quickly call the Imperial Physician," Xiu Guiren covered her lower abdomen, panic-stricken.
"Yes, I'll go right away." Hearing this, Lianhua hurried out and told the young palace maid to come in and serve her.
Lianhua rushed to the Imperial Hospital to call for a doctor. Because it was late, many of the doctors who were not on duty had already left the palace. There were supposed to be four doctors on duty at the Imperial Hospital, but when Lianhua went in, she only saw a young eunuch sitting there. She grabbed him and asked anxiously, "Where are the Imperial Physicians, where are the Imperial Physician?"
"The doctors are all at Changchun Palace," the young eunuch said.
Changchun Palace, again Changchun Palace! Lianhua stamped her foot and grabbed the young eunuch's arm, asking again, "Are all four of the on-duty doctors at Changchun Palace? Are there any other doctors? Our Guiren has a pain in her lower abdomen..."
The young eunuch shook off Lianhua's hand and said rudely, "Let your Guiren wait. Why does it have to hurt at this time, not sooner or later? Whose fault is it? We rootless eunuchs, what can we do?" In the past, when Xiu Guiren was in power, once a young eunuch was a little late in calling a doctor, she scolded him severely and even gave him three strokes of the board. Originally, the young eunuchs in the Imperial Hospital had a low status, and the physician could command them at will. Even the various palaces dared to bully them. When they couldn't vent their anger on the physicians, these young eunuchs were the scapegoats.
Moreover, someone had specifically told them not to take care of Xiu Guiren's affairs too much, and that it would be enough to save face. The Empress Dowager was the first one who disliked her.
"You..." Lianhua was speechless after being choked by the young eunuch.
"If you have the ability, go to Changchun Palace and ask for a imperial physician. Don't blame me, a rootless thing, for not giving you any advice." The young eunuch said, pushing Lianhua away and sat down on the chair, as if Lianhua didn't exist.
It turned out that in the evening, the Empress Bai Yueguang's (Moonlight Lady) fetus had been moving restlessly. As she was about to reach full term, she was very nervous about any slight movement, so she had sent Saoqin for the four rotating imperial physician from the Imperial Hospital to take turns examining her pulse at Changchun Palace.
When Lianhua arrived at the gate of Changchun Palace and knocked on it to call for help. The eunuch guarding the gate had been changed. Seeing that it was Lianhua from Xiu Guiren's palace, he hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?" His predecessor had just been sent to the Punishment Department to serve hard labor for neglecting Xiu Guiren's dragon fetus, and he didn't want to be the next.
"Our Guiren has a severe abdominal pain. Please pass on a message and ask the Empress to assign a physician to our Guiren." Lianhua explained her purpose.
Seeing Lianhua running with sweat on her face and looking flustered, and knowing the situation of Xiu Guiren, the eunuch guarding the gate quickly went in to deliver the message.
The message was conveyed to Yan'er at the door, and she hurried into the main hall to report to Saoqin.
The four physicians were kneeling at the bedside, examining and discussing. Hearing this, the Lady Bai Yueguang pointed at the last kneeling physician and asked him to go to the Yanxi Palace for a consultation, and also asked Yan'er to follow and report the situation at any time.
Physician Li looked hesitant, but quickly suppressed his expression and retreated to the courtyard, following Lianhua to the east side hall of the Yanxi Palace.
Seeing that Physician Li was running slowly, Lianhua held a lantern in one hand and pulled Physician Li's arm with the other, hurrying to the east side hall.
"Mistress, Mistress, the Imperial Physician is here." Lianhua quickly stepped forward to take over the young palace maid and personally supported Xiu Guiren.
"Imperial Physician, my abdomen hurts so badly, please help me take a look, quickly." Seeing the physician, Xiu Guiren also forgot about etiquette and said hurriedly.
Physician Li knelt down and took her pulse. As soon as his hand touched her wrist, he knew something was wrong, but he didn't dare to show any panic on his face. "Imperial Physician Zhang has always been in charge of the Xiu Guiren's prenatal care. Please trouble the young lady to quickly inform Xian Gufei to get the key to the palace gate and invite Imperial Physician Zhang into the palace..."
"Nonsense, just tell me, is my baby going to be alright?" Xiu Guiren's face turned pale from the pain, and she shouted angrily.
"This, this... Although I have seen the Guiren's medical records, I don't know what the Guiren's constitution is, so I can only prescribe medication with caution. Everything will have to wait until Imperial Physician Zhang arrives to make a decision." Physician Li said hurriedly.
"Then hurry up and go invite him." Xiu Guiren was both anxious and afraid, and her voice became higher pitched.