Chapter 46

Empress with No Virtue – Chapter 46

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 ~ LAMLAM1990

Hi…… ????

Ji Wu Jiu ordered for Kun Ning Palace to be thoroughly searched, but the results was, there was nothing out of the ordinary. He didn’t understand what is wrong, and asked Ye Zhen Zhen “Did you and Su Yue touched something else together somewhere?”

Ye Zhen Zhen pondered for a while and shook her head “Nope”

Ji Wu Jiu then turned and ask Su Yue, “In Kun Ning Palace, are there people who are in the same condition as you guys?”

This time Su Feng who was standing at the side answered “ Replying to your majesty, I also have those symptoms but it is lighter than Su Yue, the rest of the people also don’t have.”

“If you are also like this, because you also enters the room of the empress, just that Su Yue enters the room more frequently, that also means” Ji Wu Jiu turned to Ye Zhen Zhen to conclude “if someone really poisoned you, they must have placed it in your room”

Ye Zhen Zhen nodded “that is what I am thinking too, but Wang You Cai and the rest already flipped through my room, but they still didn’t find anything suspicious”

While they are still in discussion, from outside Doctor Tie has arrived to help check on the empress. It has been over a day since Ye Zhen Zhen stayed over at Gan Qing Palace, she felt that she has gained back some energy, her head much clearer as well. Incidentally that was what Doctor Tie concluded “Niang Niang, you are much better now, after 2 more days you would be fine” He also checked Su Yue, and said the same thing.

Although they are getting better, they still cannot return to Kun Ning Palace.

Doctor Tie made a new prescription and passed to Su Yue. Then bringing his medical case, he started to leave, upon reaching the door, he turned back “I am sorry for asking, but is the incense burning in the fragrance pot Hai Li Xiang wood?”

Ji Wu Jiu answered “ Yes it is, you recognize it as well?”

“Kun Ning Palace is using this as well?”

“Correct’

Doctor Tie brushes his beard and murmured “So that is what happened”.

“Did you manage to notice something?”

“Replying to your majesty, this Hai Li Xiang wood is the specialty from Nan Yang, the imperial clinic has some, but because it has no medical qualities, no one really payed attention to it. But there is something special about it, only the local people there knows about it, the people in the capital that knows about it is very rare. I also heard it only from a friend that came from Lu Song mentioning it”

“O? What is it?”

Doctor Tie did not answer, but instead asked “If I am not wrong, I remember that there is a pot of Narcissus, is it still there?”

Su Yue answered “Yes it is still there, still in bloom”

“That is it!. Hai Li Xiang woo, when it is burn will have a reaction when met with the fragrance of the Narcissus flower, and they will form a type of poison, if a person smells it for long, the body will start showing tiredness, and the pulse will not show it as poison, but more to being shocked. The empress with her current state now, most probably it was because of the combination of the narcissus and Hai Li Xiang wood.”

His words made all the people surprised.

After heavily awarding Doctor Tie, Ji Wu Jiu asked everyone else to leave, and pulled Ye Zhen Zhen into his arms, sighed and said “Zhen Zhen, you have suffered” This time around a feeling of guilt is starting to build up in him, because the Hai Li Xiang was passed to her from him, she didn’t want it initially, but he advised her to take it.

Not to mention, recently he understood something. In his inner palace, all the women appears to be weak and gentle, but actually in their hearts they are all cruel and cunning, with endless schemes. In comparison with Ye Zhen Zhen who looks like she is very cunning, and far from being gentle and weak, Ye Zhen Zhen is the real kind person here. Although being schemed by others for so many times, she still did not harm anyone’s life, not that she can’t but she doesn’t want to. Xu Cai Ren was evil, she could have thoroughly get rid of her, but in the end she only let her lose her hair only.

Suddenly Ji Wu Jiu felt really bad for Ye Zhen Zhen. Actually this woman, really does not suit to live in the palace.

Then, Ye Zhen Zhen said “Your Majesty, this time even you are implicated into the plan”.

That’s right, Hai Li Xiang was obtained from the Empress dowager by Ji Wu Jiu himself, and also he was the one that gift the wood to Ye Zhen Zhen. He has used it for a few days, and thought that it was just a nice smelling scent, but would never have thought that he has already fallen into the trap.

“Mother, oh mother, why are you forcing me” Ji Wu Jiu could not help but sighed, softly caressing Ye Zhen Zhen’s face, “Zhen Zhen, this time I have made you suffer, I will compensate you”

“No” Ye Zhen Zhen shook her head “Your majesty, I think that this case is not as simple as that”

“o?”

“This unique point of Hai Li Xiang is too secretive, even in the whole imperial clinic, only Doctor Tie knows about it, if so how would the empress dowager know about it? This is too suspicious. Second, to be able to calculate each step to such sharpness, to involve both you and me, and also to use the method of “only the willing will be hooked”, that made me suffer but still can only keep it to my self… to be straightforward “Ye Zhen Zhen looked up at Ji Wu Jiu “this type of scheme, the empress dowager might not be able to do”

What she said is already very kind, to be honest, the empress dowager will never be able to plan something like this.

That is why, this case although the empress dowager is involved, but there should be someone smarter behind it.

Ji Wu Jiu is a very intelligent person, he did not think of it earlier because he was too anxious, now hearing Ye Zhen Zhen saying so, he came to a quick realization, and after some thoughts he said “This type of thing, only people from Lu Song will know”.

“In the palace, is there someone that grew up in Lu Song?”

“Yes”, the year I was coronated, Lu Song sent in 12 beautiful ladies, I kept 2, and the rest distributed to the ministers.”

Upon hearing what he said, Ye Zhen Zhen understood the root of the problem “Who is the two person that was kept?”

“….”

Ye Zhen Zhen was rather speechless at the moment, he cannot even remember his own women.

Actually, we can’t really blame Ji Wu Jiu on this matter, the pretty ladies that was sent to the palace by other tribes or nations are not little, normally he will just keep one or two of them as a good will, and place them in the palace. He is not a pervert, and does not really bother too much about women or give much thought about them. Furthermore, he remembered the two ladies from Lu Song are tanned and skinny, not his type at all, so he did not visit them before.

So, Ji Wu Jiu called Feng You De in.

“Your Majesty, both of the ladies surname is also called An, got the title of Xuan Shi, one of them few years back because of missing her hometown too much has passed away, the other one should be promoted to Cai Ren now, staying at Yao Guang Palace’s side courtyard.” Feng You De answered.

While listening Ye Zhen Zhen could not help but sighed “really a person with a sad life”

Ji Wu Jiu immediately got someone to bring An Cai Ren over, with a serious face he said “If you do not want to take on the blame of harming the empress and to receive the punishment of dying without your whole body, you better answer truthfully; About Hai Li Xiang, who have you mentioned it to before?”

An Cai Ren, did not know what happened, but it scared her till she kneeled on the floor, not daring to speak, taking a look at Ji Wu Jiu and then Ye Zhen Zhen.

Ye Zhen Zhen instead said “Someone place Hai Li Xiang and Narcissus together to harm me, I know it wasn’t you. All you have to do is to tell me and the emperor, if there is anyone that knows about this. If you don’t tell, I may not be able to protect you as well”

“Replying to your majesty, it is…..it is.. Xian Concubine” An Cai Ren knew that she was implicated into something serious, so she said while tearing “I have stayed in Yao Guang Palace for a long time, and not close with anyone else, normally there is no one that visits me as well. After Xian Concubine entered the palace, she has visited me twice, and chatted with me, so I have mentioned about the specialty of my hometown. I am sure that about Hai Li Xiang, I have only mentioned it to Xian Concubine only.”

Ye Zhen Zhen smiled, “This Xian Concubine really knows how to be a good person” In the inner palace, no matter who, she has managed to make them all happy, making everyone praise her virtue.

Ji Wu Jiu’s face turned angry “Indeed it was her”

Ye Zhen Zhen let Su Yue bring An Cai Ren back to her place, and made sure that she will not mention this to anyone else. After that she looked at Ji Wu Jiu, and saw that he was not having a good expression, a little tired, and a little disappointed. Ye Zhen Zhen can understand his current feelings, Xian Concubine was originally a person that is easily liked by others, and also Fang Xiu Qing’s daughter, and normally she portrays the ‘I am not involved with the matters of life, living the life of a fairy’. To find out that she is an equally cunning and scheming woman, most men would not be able to take it.

Ji Wu Jiu turned towards Ye Zhen Zhen’s gaze “Zhen Zhen, this time around, no matter how you want to treat her, I will also help you”

“What can I do to her?” Ye Zhen Zhen ask back. This trap, that was planned by Xian Concubine is really too clever, with no loopholes, it was a trap that requires people to willingly jump in, this way she has already remove herself from being implicated earlier on, not leaving behind any evidence. Also, even if she were to punish, there is still the empress dowager blocking, she won’t be able to do anything much.

Ye Zhen Zhen cannot help but praise Xian Concubine, such a perfect trap, she acknowledges that even she might not be able to think of such a plan. It is just that no matter how much she calculated, she missed out that Ye Zhen Zhen was a person that are not afraid of ghosts, and also would not know that Doctor Tie will know about the unique trait of the Hai Li Xiang.

No matter what, this time around Xian Concubine has managed to extract herself out from being implicated, and for Ye Zhen Zhen , she has no choice but to take on the suffering herself.

Although Ye Zhen Zhen has decided to let it go, Ji Wu Jiu thinks otherwise. Men holds their pride high, as an emperor, his pride is something that should not be touched. This time round, even his mother teamed up with his small wife to harm his main wife, not only nearly killing Ye Zhen Zhen, and also made him lose his face infront of his woman, he will not tolerate it!

To say someone is guilty, one must first have evidence, he is the emperor, is there anything that he cannot do? If you want to compare who is better at scheming, even the two old farts, Fang Xiu Qing and Ye Xiu Ming cannot compared to him, why would he be afraid of two women that has lived in the inner palace so far?

So what if the empress dowager is my birth mother? I cannot do anything to you, but I can make you feel disgusted. You have used all types of tricks to harm the empress, wasn’t it just because her surname is Ye.

The next day, when Ye Mu Fang was going to return to Shan Dong, the emperor was suddenly leading a group of guards to send him off grandly, shocking Ye Mu Fang a little, the rest of the people, no need to say much, were definitely shocked and surprised as well. One should understand in the 6 main ministries, the ministry of works is the least powerful, not like the ministry of personnel, controlling the man power in the court, not like the ministry of finance taking care of the nation’s money issues, nor like the ministry of defense controlling the army, also cannot be compared with the ministry of rites who always have to meet with the royal family, that allows them the chance to please the emperor. All in all the ministry of works is a powerless and poor department. Ye Mu Fang was thrown there by his grandfather, because Ye family wants to extend their powers there, as well as he himself is highly interested in the job, so even if it was not an easy job, he is still very willing.

Ji Wu Jiu praised the people from the ministry of works right there, making a few of the ministers cried on the spot.

Not only that, Ji Wu Jiu also sent 12 of his personal guards to Ye Mu Fang, claiming that they are to ensure Ye Mu Fang will not drop a single hair. Most people when they heard this part, they also rolled their eyes inside their heart, not only he was just a person who repairs the river, he is also Ye Xiu Ming’s grandson who would bother to harm him?

After sending off Ye Mu Fang, Ji Wu Jiu went to Ye Manor on his way, to pay respects to his own teacher and to greet him a happy new year, and also gift him many things. Ye Xiu Ming was not comfortable with Ji Wu Jiu suddenly visiting him, and in his mind there were only negative thoughts, which in the end caused him to think: Is he finally going to end us…..

Ji Wu Jiu did not realise that his act of kindness has given a bad feel to Ye Xiu Ming. Anyway, he was satisfied when he left Ye Manor, and returned to the palace.

Indeed the empress dowager got to know about this very quickly. Ji Wu Jiu was in Ci Ning Palace, looking at her reaction calmly, while thinking that this will not end this matter, he needs a plan that will, stop her from further scheming.

As for Xian Concubine, hehe…….

That day, the empress getting shocked till she can’t get out of bed was spread throughout the entire palace. The empress thought that Ji Wu Jiu went to Ye Family because Ye Zhen Zhen was sick, so her mood was not too bad, but very quickly she found out, that it wasn’t the case. Because, he actually wants Xian Concubine to go to Jing Xiang Monastery to pray for Ye Zhen Zhen for a period of time.

To pray at a monastery, isn’t that being a nun, although still allowed to keep her hair, but it is still becoming a nun. Out of the blue to send a concubine to the monastery, what if she were not given the opportunity to ever come back?

The empress dowager was thoroughly angered, but could not really argue with Ji Wu Jiu, because Xian Concubine normally created the character of virtue and gentleness, this time it matches perfectly, the emperor wants to get a concubine that can get close to the gods to help pray for the empress, if she was not chosen, who else would be good enough?

No matter what, one is an empress, another just a concubine, if anything were to happen to the empress, if the concubine is required to do something, then they would have to do it.

This time, Xian Concubine really got scared, she did not know that Ji Wu Jiu will be so heartless. As per the character that she has established, it was not right for her to reject him, but can only quietly tear up in front of Ji Wu Jiu, portraying a “I am not willing to part with you” expression of heartbreak, not saying if she will go or not go, and was only hoping that Ji Wu Jiu will suddenly soften his heart and retract his edict.

Ji Wu Jiu does look like he has soften his heart, he said “I advise you to go there to hide yourself first, according to the empress, her wish was to let you shave your hair as well, in order to show your sincerity to the gods”.

Xian Concubine is well aware that the empress has a weird interest in making people lose their hair, so without further ado, she immediately packed her things and went to Jing Xiang Monastery.

Note: Not sure if you guys are satisfied with the outcome, but personally, I am very much satisfied. Ahahahahahaha, (she did not lose her hair btw ~)