Four Seasons Brocade – CH 226

Chapter 226 ☆、

Ah Wu looked at herself in Chu Mao’s eyes. She was indeed extremely beautiful, but she was only seventeen. What if she were twenty-seven? Would Chu Mao still say the same thing?

“Using beauty to serve someone cannot last,” Ah Wu said sadly.

Chu Mao sat up and pulled Ah Wu into his arms. “So this is how our Ah Wu sees herself? Just a pretty face…”

“Who’s just a pretty face?” Ah Wu retorted, giving Chu Mao a sidelong glance.

“Then what are you worried about?” Chu Mao nibbled on Ah Wu’s ear. “To be honest, while no one in this world can compare to Ah Wu’s beauty, there are certainly beauties who are only slightly less beautiful, and some have even offered themselves naked to my bed.”

From Chu Mao’s tone, Ah Wu knew that such beauties probably did not get what they wanted. She chuckled inwardly, then nestled against Chu Mao’s chest and whispered, “Jinghui, would it not be wonderful if we had a child?”

Chu Mao patted Ah Wu’s back without hesitation, saying, “Of course. We want three sons and one daughter, no more.” That added up to forty months, and then there was the postpartum period. Just thinking about not being able to touch Ah Wu for four years made Chu Mao’s heart feel like it was submerged in cold water.

He loved Ah Wu’s body—soft and warm. Only when she enveloped him intimately could Chu Mao feel that Ah Wu cared for him.

However, Chu Mao was absolutely certain that he could not have children now. Childbirth was like walking through the gates of hell for a woman, and pregnancy was extremely dangerous; he could not afford the slightest loss. Although Chu Mao felt he was capable of protecting Ah Wu, he could not accept the possibility of something going wrong. He could not afford to lose, so he could not take any risks. He felt he could only take care of Ah Wu once things were settled.

Last time, he had confidently taken Ah Wu boating, hoping to help her overcome her fear of water. But what happened? He was right beside her, and Ah Wu still fell into the water. At that moment, Chu Mao’s heart was filled with more panic than anyone else’s.

“So many children?” Ah Wu looked up in surprise.

Actually, three sons were not many. Young children were prone to death, and it depended on whether they had the qualities of an Emperor. A small number of imperial offspring was detrimental to the country and its people.

“That’s not many. The previous Emperor Zhang and Emperor Ren both had more than ten princes,” Chu Mao said. Ah Wu remained silent, her mind racing. Two months had passed, and there was still no news.

The third day was the deadline given by the Longqing Emperor. Ah Wu had not been summoned, so she could not go to Qingxi Study and had to wait for news at Yanjia Hall.

“Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine’s Ziyun Hall has been sealed off. No one inside is allowed to leave, and no one outside is allowed to enter,” Lu Weizhong returned and respectfully reported to Ah Wu.

Lu Weizhong was a eunuch serving at Yanjia Hall. Chu Mao had hinted to Ah Wu that he was useful, and Ah Wu readily agreed. It proved that in this palace, “native” eunuchs and maids were indeed more useful than Zi-Yi. As for Bing-Shuang, Ah Wu did not know how well she could handle the palace’s defenses, so she dared not easily use her, who was known for her agility and skill.

Ah Wu’s fingers traced the rim of her teacup. The sealing of Ziyun Hall could be a temporary measure by the Longqing Emperor to protect the Xiang family, or it could be that the problem had escalated and required further investigation. Otherwise, according to Ah Wu’s prediction, even if Chu Mao produced evidence, given that the Xiang family had a Sixth Prince, the future crown Prince, at most, she would only be demoted. After Chu Yu ascended the throne, she would still be the Empress Dowager.

Ah Wu’s eyes lit up. She had truly confused herself. If the Longqing Emperor wanted to protect the Xiang family, he should have directly demoted her and stopped Chu Mao from continuing the investigation. But today, instead, he sealed the palace.

“I heard that Pure Consort died of bleeding from the womb. The imperial physicians check the pulses of the palace concubines every ten days. How could Pure Consort…” Ah Wu looked at Lu Weizhong.

Lu Weizhong was fair-skinned and handsome, tall for a eunuch, with clear eyes; he seemed like a “loyal” and intelligent man. In the palace, eunuchs who wanted to rise in rank had to curry favor with a promising master.

Unfortunately, Lu Weizhong’s status was too low. He served in the Western Garden year-round, never getting a chance to cater or even enter the palaces of ordinary concubines. Lu Weizhong was too lazy to scheme. This time, hearing that the Fourth Prince and his consort had also come to the Western Garden, he finally mustered all his energy to sneak into Yanjia Hall. It was much easier than he had imagined; most ambitious people were aiming for the Fifth and Sixth Princes.

Only Lu Weizhong knew that his ambition could only be realized by catering to the disadvantaged, which was precisely why Chu Mao had hinted at this to Ah Wu. One should not be worried about clever people being disloyal, as long as one had enough benefits and the ability to control them.

“This servant has a few companions in the Western Garden,” Lu Weizhong said respectfully with a smile. In the past half month, he had roughly figured out his master’s temperament: he disliked flattery, only used capable people, and treated his subordinates with a balance of kindness and severity, rewarding and punishing fairly. He was not a difficult person to serve. “I heard they say that Pure Consort was poisoned with fuzi.”

Fuzi—the wife of Han Emperor Xuan, Xu Pingjun, died during childbirth from it. Pregnant women should avoid it. “Pure Consort was pregnant?” Ah Wu asked.

Lu Weizhong thought to himself how quick-witted his mistress was. “That, we do not know yet. But the Emperor has already ordered the coroner and the imperial physicians Jiang and Li from the Gynecology Department of the Imperial Medical Bureau to examine Pure Consort.”

“Who revealed that Pure Consort was pregnant? How come no one knew before her death?” Ah Wu asked again.

“Your Highness, there’s another matter. Originally, the Emperor did not react when he heard that Pure Consort died from fuzi, but later the Fourth Prince said that what truly killed Pure Consort was something called ‘sheguocao.'”

Sheguocao? Having been ill for so long, Ah Wu knew he was talking about an herb. She had read all the ancient and modern medical classics, so how come she had never heard of this herb? “What is that?”

“This servant does not know either, but when His Majesty heard it, his face turned extremely pale, and he almost fell off his throne. And His Highness the Fourth Prince discovered that the one who poisoned her was none other than Nanny She, who serves Consort Xiang.”

Seeing Ah Wu frown, seemingly having no recollection of Nanny She, Lu Weizhong explained, “Nanny She is Consort Xiang’s aunt. When Consort Xiang gave birth to the Sixth Prince, His Majesty granted Nanny She permission to enter the palace to serve her, and she later stayed by Consort Xiang’s side. However, this servant heard that the sheguocao is a medicinal herb used by Miao witches to harm people, and Nanny She’s mother was Miao.”

“What does this have to do with the leaked news of Pure Consort’s pregnancy?” Ah Wu asked.

“Strangely, when Consort Xiang heard the words ‘sheguocao,’ her previously calm face immediately changed, and she exclaimed that Nanny She absolutely had not done such a thing,” Lu Weizhong said.

It seemed that “sheguocao” was the key.

“Later, the Imperial Concubine argued that the imperial physician also said that sheguocao had no effect on ordinary people, but it would cause pregnant ladies to miscarry. Since Pure Consort had never been favored by the Emperor, she naturally could not get pregnant. Who would use sheguocao to harm her?” Lu Weizhong said. “So the Emperor ordered someone to examine Pure Consort.”

Before even knowing whether Pure Consort was pregnant, Consort Xiang’s Ziyun Hall was sealed off. This was highly inappropriate; after twenty years of being a favored concubine, it was impossible for Consort Xiang to have any desire to protect her.

“Go,” Ah Wu dismissed Lu Weizhong. That evening, she heard further news.

Yuan Rongmeng was indeed pregnant.

This explained why Consort Xiang had used sheguocao on Yuan Rongmeng.

Upon receiving the news, the Longqing Emperor immediately went to Ziyun Hall.

“Your Majesty, I am innocent!” Consort Xiang, dressed in plain clothes and without her hairpins, looked at the Longqing Emperor with tearful eyes. Although she was in her thirties, her appearance was still like a pear blossom in the rain, pitiful and moving, possessing a charm that even young girls lacked.

But such unparalleled beauty was like a blank sheet of paper in the eyes of the Longqing Emperor. “Why do you possess sheguocao?”

He was not asking whose child Yuan Rongmeng had, nor why Consort Xiang had killed Yuan Rongmeng. His first question was, “Why do you possess sheguocao?” A myriad of emotions surged within Consort Xiang, yet she firmly insisted, “Your Majesty, I know nothing of sheguocao. I’ve never heard of it.”

“You vile woman!” The Longqing Emperor kicked Consort Xiang in the chest. “Confess honestly, or do not blame me for being ruthless.”

Consort Xiang crawled to the Longqing Emperor’s feet, clinging to his leg, saying, “Your Majesty, I truly know nothing of sheguocao. Your Majesty, do not be deceived by treacherous people. Even if Pure Consort is pregnant, I have no reason to harm her, Your Majesty…”

If Yuan Rongmeng’s child were the Longqing Emperor’s, such a tiny child would not amount to much, and indeed, it was not worth her harming. But since it was the Sixth Prince’s child, Consort Xiang naturally could not remain silent. “You vile woman! You assist the Empress in managing the six palaces; how could you not know whether Pure Consort has won the Emperor’s favor? Do not think I do not know whose child she has!” The Longqing Emperor, panting, retreated to his throne and sat down. “I only ask you, where did the sheguocao come from?”

Consort Xiang knew she absolutely could not admit to this, and as for where the sheguocao came from, she truly did not know. “Your Majesty, I swear to Heaven, I know nothing of this ‘sheguocao.’ Pure Consort had an affair with Prince Qi and became pregnant with his child. I was overjoyed; how could I possibly harm her? Yes, it must have been Prince Qi who, seeing his scheme exposed, killed Pure Consort and framed me. I am truly innocent! Your Majesty, after decades of marriage, do you not know what kind of person I am?”

The Longqing Emperor coldly looked at Consort Xiang. “How could the Fourth Prince possibly touch that withered flower? Only your son would dare.”

Consort Xiang stared at the Longqing Emperor in disbelief. “How could this be? Yu’er is a child Your Majesty watched grow up. How could he do such an immoral thing? Your Majesty, do not believe those who instigate this. That Yuan is the Fourth Prince’s cousin; they’ve been having an affair for a long time, Your Majesty…” Consort Xiang cried.

“All these years I’ve ignored palace affairs, and you think I am old and senile, easily fooled?” The Longqing Emperor stepped forward and said, “I know very well what kind of person the Sixth Prince is.”

The Longqing Emperor slowly squatted down, looking at Consort Xiang kneeling on the ground, and said, “My folly was not investigating back then that your Xiang family actually had such a viper as Nanny She.”

Author’s Note:
Looking at the comments, many readers still did not understand Ah Wu’s attitude towards the Imperial Princess.
Let’s think about it this way: If you were reborn and saw your previous mother, would you no longer consider her your mother, forgetting her love and care? I thought I would not. Looking at Master Rong and Lady Cui, Ah Wu naturally considers them her parents as well. But here, the human tendency to sympathize with the weak emerges. If the Rong family were in trouble, Ah Wu would naturally do everything in her power to help. But currently, the Rong family, relying on Chu Mao, is clearly on the rise, and Ah Wu does not need to worry about them at all. Therefore, Ah Wu was more inclined to side with the precarious Imperial Princess. It’s like loving your father and your mother, but you cannot help but feel sorry for the weaker one.

T/N:
Since all these poisons are unfamiliar to us (well, if you are familiar with them, then you’re an exception), I decided to retain the pinyin names.
Fuzi = Aconitum carmichaelii is a poisonous plant, but it does not result in vaginal bleeding.
Sheguocao = lit. snake fruit grass; however, there are no results for it except for shecao or snakeweed. After searching, there is a snakeweed that is harmful to pregnant animals, but it is not native to China.