Chapter 31

Heavy snow had fallen for several days and finally cleared up. The azure sky contrasted beautifully with the red walls, golden eaves, and pristine white snow, creating a stunning scene. The situation in the palace, much like the weather, was gradually improving day by day.

First, the old emperor’s injuries. His willpower was indeed extraordinary, and he finally endured the most difficult postoperative period. His leg injury and overall condition began to show signs of improvement. His leg was no longer tightly bandaged. Su Ci examined him and said, “The pus has stopped, the wound is starting to heal, and the drainage tube can be removed.”

After more than half a month, the old emperor could stand for a while and even take a few steps with the help of the eunuchs. As for Prince Zhao, he was fortunate not to need a second surgery. The day after the first surgery, he woke up and tried various positions with the help of the wet nurse and palace attendants. Apart from the wound, he didn’t feel any significant pain in his abdomen. Lying on the large purple sandalwood bed, the child showed a shy smile on his pale face and softly said, “Thank you, Doctor Su.”

Princess Zhao was even more grateful. She held Su Ci’s hand and thanked her profusely, preparing many gifts as a reward.

Su Ci smiled and said, “As long as the young prince takes his medicine on time, both internally and externally, the wound should heal within a month without any complications. In three months, the pain will completely disappear, and after the stitches are removed, he can sit up and read.”

Many people came to visit Prince Zhao, but they were all stopped at the main gate. Outside the palace walls was a constant flow of people, while inside, it was quiet. Only a bit of snow remained in the cracks of the steps, and the palace attendants moved quietly.

From that day, Imperial Uncle Kun and Empress Kun were nowhere to be seen. Su Ci visited often but never saw anyone from Changqiu Palace sending anything. However, she remained silent. Even when Princess Zhao spoke excitedly, Su Ci never joined in. She only spoke about the medical condition when necessary. Otherwise, she listened, smiled, and played her role as a tool. The next time Su Ci saw Empress Kun and Imperial Uncle Kun was at the Lantern Festival palace banquet.

A month had passed, and the emperor’s leg had healed about sixty to seventy percent. He could even walk a hundred meters without stopping, albeit slowly, without needing anyone’s support. This was indeed excellent news!

Seeing that recovery was in sight, a great weight was lifted from his heart, and the emperor’s thoughts naturally returned to the affairs of the court.

It should be noted that when the old emperor’s condition had rapidly deteriorated, he had resorted to desperate measures, secretly ordering his trusted aides to search for renowned doctors among the common folk. This caused quite a stir, and many people became aware of it. Additionally, the aftermath of the Silver Sand military pay case led to a temporary alliance among the princes. With the recent incident involving the young Prince Zhao in the palace, the court had been outwardly calm but inwardly turbulent. Now that the old emperor had recovered, he naturally wanted to make a solid public appearance to show that he was in good health and to dispel all rumors. The Lantern Festival banquet was a perfect occasion for this, so this year’s banquet was especially grand. All civil and military officials of the fifth rank and above and members of the royal family in the capital were invited to attend with their families to enjoy the lanterns and celebrate the festival with the emperor.

Su Ci was also specially granted the honor of attending. Although she didn’t really want to go, she had no choice but to accept the honor with a forced smile.

Recently, Su Ci gained some favor in the palace, and soon after the emperor’s decree, a set of clothes for the banquet was made and sent to her. The outfit was very thoughtful, a simple and elegant blue robe with elements of men’s attire rather than a dazzlingly ornate palace dress. The people in the palace were indeed very perceptive. Su Ci was quite satisfied with the outfit. She tried it on and showed it to Yang Yanzong, unable to help but praise it: “You know, this outfit is quite nice.”

She had her hair tied in two buns, without using hairpins, just two strings of pearls entwined in her raven-black hair. She looked young, with red lips and white teeth, wearing a thick, fluffy silver fox fur hooded cloak. As she tiptoed and hopped through the snow, her face looked even smaller and more innocent, charming, and lovely.

Yang Yanzong held her hand. Today, there was a grand banquet in the palace, and the palace servants and eunuchs were bustling around the Deqing Palace gate. He led her slightly away from the crowd and said, “Don’t be nervous at the banquet. Just eat and drink as you please.”

Nowadays, both inside and outside the palace, many people have their eyes on her. However, the overall situation was already set, and focusing on her wouldn’t change anything. It was a palace banquet under the emperor’s watchful eye, so no matter how turbulent the undercurrents were, they wouldn’t affect her much.

Moreover, according to Yang Yanzong, with the emperor’s significant recovery being “great joyous news,” tonight’s Lantern Festival banquet should be a harmonious and peaceful event. Those with the ability wouldn’t provoke the emperor and become an example, and those without the ability would naturally keep their mouths shut. Over the years, those who were reckless and without a plan had long been dismissed and sent home. There would undoubtedly be some pointed remarks and verbal sparring, but everyone would know when to stop.

Su Ci nodded vigorously. She definitely wouldn’t speak out of turn and hoped this potentially stomach-churning meal wouldn’t be too unbearable.

Amitabha!

…

Overall, the Lantern Festival banquet went smoothly without major issues. There were a few unexpected situations, but Su Ci quickly handled them, and they weren’t significant problems. She and Yang Yanzong arrived outside the Yongle Hall, where the banquet was held, and then they separated. Sun Shiping had come earlier to instruct a young eunuch to meet her and personally guide her to her seat.

Since the old emperor’s condition improved, the chief eunuch had been quite amiable towards her. The Yongle Hall was resplendent with gold and jade, and the music was melodious, which need not be elaborated. Among this large crowd, she was the only one without an official position or belonging to the family of a high-ranking official, princess, or duchess, so she had to keep a low profile. However, after Su Ci took her seat, she found her position somewhat delicate. She first glanced around and saw Yang Yanzong sitting diagonally opposite her among the military officials. The distance was quite far, and there were many people, so she couldn’t see his face clearly. She obediently sipped her tea, keeping her head still while her eyes darted around to observe. Then, the old emperor arrived.

“His Majesty is here—”

The entire Yongle Hall was bustling with people. Upon hearing the announcement, everyone stood up. The emperor’s yellow jade carriage ascended the steps and stopped at the entrance of Yongle Hall with a slight “clink.” The intricately embroidered curtain with nine dragons was lifted layer by layer, and the old emperor, wearing his imperial crown and a red winter robe trimmed with mink, stood up. He stepped down from the carriage slowly but steadily, walking through the hall and up the jade steps to sit on the golden dragon throne. “You may rise,” he said. His voice was calm and steady, neither weak nor floating. There was no sign of illness or frailty; he was as vigorous as ever.

Many people below changed their expressions instantly, their eyes becoming inexplicably dark. Seeing was believing; no amount of information could compare to the impact of witnessing it firsthand. The Fourth Prince, the Sixth Prince, the Seventh Prince, and other civil and military officials were present, all bowing their heads to hide the sudden change in their expressions.

The ministers shouted, “Long live the emperor,” and were called to rise and return to their seats. After a brief opening speech, the sound of silk shoes was heard as the dancing girls gracefully entered, swaying their waists to the music.

The banquet began. The dancers were beautiful and danced well, but only some people truly paid attention to the performance on stage.

Su Ci felt many eyes on her. She had noticed earlier that everyone who should and shouldn’t be there had arrived. On the golden phoenix chair with the dragon head above, Empress Kun, dressed in a dazzling golden-red palace dress adorned with birds, sat with a cold gaze sweeping over Su Ci. Opposite Su Ci was Imperial Uncle Kun, who no longer showed any signs of his previous disheveled state. He sat calmly with a slight smile, his eyes deep, among a group of high-ranking officials. He was a cabinet minister, and the chief left chancellor of the inner cabinet, Grand Master Feng, with his white hair and beard, sat with his eyes slightly closed, seemingly oblivious to everything, focusing on the music.

It was truly a scene of varied expressions. As for the Fourth, Sixth, and Seventh Princes, there was no need to mention them. The Sixth Prince’s expression was still acceptable. Although he didn’t want to see the old emperor’s “resurrection,” he didn’t have the absolute confidence to defeat the Second Prince and the Kun faction. Considering that Yang Yanzong and Su Ci were on his side, he reluctantly accepted the situation, so his expression was still manageable.

In comparison, the Heir’s complexion was much worse. He barely managed to restrain himself from showing any unusual expression, but upon closer inspection, one could still see the heavy gloom in his eyes, and his knuckles turned white from gripping the cup too tightly. This wasn’t surprising. What was unexpected was that she saw Ji Chengtang.

Ji Chengtang had also come, sitting behind his brother Ji Yuanhao. When he noticed Su Ci looking over, he gazed at her with eyes full of suppressed pain and longing, which gave Su Ci a shiver and goosebumps.

It turned out that Ji Chengtang had been deeply affected by her subtle yet pointed questioning at the hunting ground, which accused him of being irresponsible and unable to shoulder their future together. After that, he decided to change, put down his books, and voluntarily asked to follow his brother to learn how to handle affairs. Although he failed the imperial exams twice, Ji Yuanhao eventually agreed to his request after some consideration.

Initially, Ji Yuanhao didn’t want his brother to get involved in this mess, but as the situation became more chaotic, he realized that Ji Chengtang wouldn’t be able to avoid it even if he stayed home. So, he agreed and arranged a suitable position for him, guiding him whenever possible. So now Ji Chengtang has become an official, holding the position of a low-ranking but promising clerk in the Ministry of Revenue.

Su Ci, not one to engage in small talk, couldn’t just sit idly. She sipped her tea, pretending to be engrossed in the performances, and unknowingly drank two cups. She followed the crowd to the side hall to change clothes when the banquet was halfway through. She specifically asked Sun Shiping, the young eunuch who had led her to her seat earlier, to guide her. But who would have thought that Ji Chengtang would sneak into the women’s restroom courtyard? As Su Ci was wiping her hands and walking out, she was suddenly pulled into the evergreen bushes by a hand from the side, nearly scaring her to death. “Are you out of your mind?!”

Scaring people can really be deadly, you know?

Ji Chengtang was stunned by her scolding and hurriedly said, “Second Lady, I’m sorry. I just wanted to talk to you…”

Su Ci was a bit annoyed with him. Her elders had taught her that one must take responsibility for one’s choices, regardless of gender. Ji Chengtang’s indecisiveness irritated her, and his repeated entanglements made her instinctively irritable whenever she saw him. She said, “I’m already engaged. I’ll marry as soon as I return home from the palace.”

Ji Chengtang knew this, which is why he felt so distressed. “Second Lady, I…”

“Alright, alright, stop with the ‘I.’ If you really care about me, don’t come looking for me anymore. You know his temper isn’t good.”

Ji Chengtang took a deep breath and looked up. “Does he treat you well?”

“My parents chose him, so there must be some good in him. Alright, enough. This is the palace! I’m busy, and you should go back quickly. This isn’t a place for you. If you get caught, it will be a big problem.”

Don’t risk your life for love.

Su Ci quickly pulled her hand back, pushed him away from the bushes, tidied her clothes, smiled at the young eunuch at the gate, and then went back together.

Although Ji Chengtang was annoying, he was like a mosquito—buzzing and irritating but not harmful. This episode was quickly brushed aside.

However, there was another matter that she couldn’t easily brush aside.

Su Ci had just taken her seat when she noticed that her seating arrangement was a bit peculiar. Initially, she thought she would be seated next to Yang Yanzong, as they had arrived together and she was his fiancée. However, upon arriving at the Yongle Hall, she found that they were not seated together. This was understandable, as Yang Yanzong, being an official, was sitting with the military officers, which was appropriate. But after sitting down, she observed that she was placed among the seats of officials’ wives and the younger members of the royal family, very close to the latter, separated only by an aisle. To her left were seven or eight young royals, some of whom were quite handsome, having inherited the refined genes of their beautiful ancestors. They were very friendly and curious about her, often engaging her in conversation.

Su Ci: “…”

The main reason Su Ci drank so much tea was to keep her mouth occupied and avoid talking too much. She sensed a subtle atmosphere.

This made Su Ci uneasy, leaving her in no mood to waste words with Ji Chengtang, whom she quickly dismissed with a few sentences.

…

The Lantern Festival banquet ended close to midnight. It hadn’t snowed for several days, but the temperature was still low. The snow on the eaves had been swept clean, leaving only a few white patches in the crevices, occasionally blown down by the cold, dark wind.

Su Ci had just stood up and was following the people on the left side of the hall when a palace servant approached her. “Miss Su, His Majesty summons you.”

This palace servant was very familiar. Like Sun Shiping, she was one of the chief attendants on the emperor’s side, surnamed Xu. She had been serving the old emperor since his surgery, so her presence was unquestionable. Su Ci felt as if the other shoe was finally about to drop.

It was midnight, dark and cold, with the wind howling across the vast white marble square. The imperial guards stood motionless, holding their swords and halberds.

Inside the Shangyang Palace, not many lamps were lit, only three or four candles around the dragon throne and the central area. The dim light barely illuminated the surroundings. The old emperor was leaning on the throne, rubbing his temples. He had sipped some wine earlier but had induced vomiting as soon as he returned. Now, he was drinking a cup of honey water served by the palace attendants.

Su Ci entered, knelt properly, and greeted him. The emperor did not stop drinking his honey water, so Su Ci remained silent.

After a long while, he finally finished his honey water. The old emperor waved his hand, and the palace attendants silently took the cup and retreated. The old emperor leaned back on the throne, lifted his eyelids, and his somewhat cloudy eyes moved as he scrutinized the young girl kneeling quietly before him.

After a long time, he chuckled, his voice hoarse from the wine, adding a deeper, more inscrutable tone. “Rise.”

The old emperor sat up straight. No one understood the efficacy of penicillin better than he did. The imperial physicians could achieve similar results with the same surgical methods if they were willing to learn and practice. Ultimately, his recovery was due to the injected medicine. This Su family member called it “penicillin,” claiming it was accidentally extracted from some mold. The theory wasn’t hers; it was discovered and initiated by her late teacher. She merely continued the research, benefiting from her predecessor’s work.

The old emperor leaned back and asked, “Can your medicine be mass-produced?”

Su Ci’s heart skipped a beat, and she replied, “Your Majesty, the cultivation and extraction process is too complex, so it cannot be mass-produced.” This was indeed the truth.

“Is that so?” The old emperor was a bit disappointed. He tapped the armrest with his finger, his voice deepening, “What about the method?”

Su Ci blinked and cooperatively asked for a brush and ink, writing down the basic production process.

Of course, she could guarantee that no one would be able to successfully produce it without knowing the key details and without her personal guidance.

Unfortunately, this might result in the deaths of some prisoners, but beheading wouldn’t be much more comfortable anyway. After she finished writing, she said softly, “Your Majesty, even now, I cannot say that I have fully mastered the key to the preparation. It is very time-consuming and only about ten to twenty percent successful. I always test it on livestock to determine if it has worked.”

She stubbornly stuck to this explanation despite the old emperor asking several times. She appeared anxious but held firm. Finally, the old emperor dismissed her.

…

Back at Deqing Palace, her clothes were soaked with sweat. Su Ci let her hair down and asked the maid to bring water for a bath. Once alone, she paced back and forth in the bathroom with her hair down.

What to do, what to do?

She felt that things were getting out of control!

If she didn’t take action soon, she might not be able to return!

Oh no, please don’t!

“Damn Ji Yuanhao!” She cursed fiercely. Su Ci had already learned from Yang Yanzong about the schemes of Ji Yuanhao and the Heir.

This was what she feared the most back then. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stayed so close to the male lead. With Yang Yanzong and the Sixth Prince above him, it should have been safe. Damn, who would have thought that this Ji guy had a nose like a dog!

Su Ci was exhausted, but she couldn’t stand still. She paced back and forth a few times. When the palace servants brought in the eunuchs to carry the water, she tried to maintain her composure. Once the bathtub was filled, she quickly dismissed them. As she walked around, the night was tranquil, and suddenly, she heard a faint sound from the window on the shadowed side of the west wing bathroom.

“Who’s there?” She held her breath and whispered, “Is anyone there?” Or was it just the wind?

“It’s me.” A familiar voice with a naturally indifferent tone came from the window. The window lattice moved silently, and somehow, despite being tightly shut, it was pulled open. Yang Yanzong jumped in. He wore tight inner clothes, with a dark brown vest and soft armor on the outside, resembling nightwear, without his outer robe. He was very tall, and the space seemed to shrink a bit when he stood there. Tonight, Yang Yanzong felt particularly imposing. His deep, dark eyes were bottomless and heavy, giving off a strong and oppressive aura, like a spear ready to strike, more dangerous and intimidating than usual.

Su Ci cautiously asked, “What’s going on?”

Yang Yanzong slowly raised his eyes and stared at her face.

…

The subtlety that Su Ci noticed was something Yang Yanzong had sensed even earlier and more directly. A few days ago, he noticed that some of the Deqing Army’s guards had been replaced. On the surface, it was a regular rotation, but in reality, there were more guards. Most of the additional guards were on his side. The west was loose, and the east was tight. Su Ci lived in the west wing, while he lived in the east wing. Moreover, under the pretext of refining palace regulations, the guards intentionally or unintentionally prevented him from going to the west wing. More precisely, they were not allowing him to enter Su Ci’s boudoir directly.

Su Ci had been particularly busy these past few days, so she hadn’t noticed. Leaving the Yongle Hall, under the dark sky and howling cold wind, he brushed past an ordinary-looking young eunuch who slipped a small paper ball into his hand. When he opened it in the side hall where he changed clothes, he sneered.

It was an order from the Sixth Prince, asking for detailed information about the emperor and the young Prince Zhao, along with another directive.

Yang Yanzong was different from Su Ci. Su Ci focused solely on treatment, while Yang Yanzong shielded her from everything else, so she didn’t notice other things. Yang Yanzong, however, was constantly immersed in the undercurrents.

Yang Yanzong lowered his eyes in thought for a moment, then took out a short, sharp charcoal pencil from his belt, quickly wrote something, and slipped it into the crack of the windowsill before leaving silently. Things had reached the most critical moment.

Outside, the Sixth Prince was watching and urging, while inside, the old emperor was perceptive and insightful, and the latter had even set his sights on Yang Yanzong’s fiancée.

It wasn’t precisely “setting his sights”—that wouldn’t be an appropriate description. As the supreme ruler, the emperor was simply making a decision that seemed perfectly natural to him. However, this decision could directly change someone’s life and disrupt many of Yang Yanzong’s plans.

Taking his wife?

Yang Yanzong smiled coldly. What was his, no one could take it away!!

Yang Yanzong was indeed highly skilled. He pretended to be drunk, went back to the east wing to sleep, then quietly got up and managed to avoid the heavily guarded imperial soldiers, silently arriving at Su Ci’s bathroom.

Su Ci asked him what was wrong. He slowly walked to her and raised his eyes slowly—extraordinary times called for extraordinary measures!

Su Ci looked up and met his gaze. Tonight, his deep eyes were like those of a caged beast, ready to devour everything in the next moment. The bathroom was tranquil, and Su Ci swallowed. She vaguely understood, so when Yang Yanzong reached out to embrace her, she did not refuse. She was a bit nervous, but not overly so. This change left her speechless. She bit her lip and blinked at him.

Was he going to make things official?

Right here?!