All of this was premeditated.
Xiao Luo Zi was made a scapegoat. The silver bills found in his residence were promissory notes issued by Prince Chu’s residence.
Yuan Qingling was reported to have secretly treated The Retired Emperor. If the matter of Jiu Zhuan Dan was not uncovered, she would always be under suspicion of harming The Retired Emperor.
Now, has she cleared herself? Unlikely. The Emperor was only secretly investigating. Prince Chu’s residence was still in the eye of the storm.
How would The Retired Emperor see this matter? She couldn't help but glance at The Retired Emperor.
The Retired Emperor was staring at her, his gaze severe.
Yuan Qingling put down Fubao and lowered her head to gloss over the situation.
She knew The Retired Emperor might have noticed something, but if she didn't say it, The Retired Emperor probably wouldn't understand Fubao's words either.
"Come over!" The Retired Emperor said coldly.
Yuan Qingling slowly stood up and walked over. "Your Majesty, please give your order."
"What were you thinking just now? Why did your expression change dramatically?" The Retired Emperor asked directly.
Yuan Qingling glanced at Eunuch Chang and Xi Mama. She shook her head, "Replying to Your Majesty, I was not thinking about anything. My change of complexion was probably because I'm physically weak and haven't eaten breakfast."
Xi Mama smiled and said, "His Majesty hasn't eaten yet either. It's being prepared now and will be ready soon."
"Thank you, Mama Xi," Yuan Qingling said softly.
The Retired Emperor didn't ask further. After being detoxified, his body was very weak. He couldn't even glare at Yuan Qingling for long.
Breakfast was meat congee. After two bowls, Yuan Qingling felt her strength gradually returning. Fubao's tongue hung out long and saliva kept dripping. She smiled and said to Xi Mama, "Fubao can drink congee now. Make some for it, but don't add salt. Dogs should eat light food. In fact, His Majesty should eat light too."
"I can't eat plain food," The Retired Emperor said hastily.
"You must!" Yuan Qingling turned her head and looked at him seriously.
"You, a nosy woman, manage everything under the sun, and now even what I eat!" The Retired Emperor was angry. He knew it was a mistake calling her over.
"I don't manage other things, but diet must be managed!" Yuan Qingling punned.
The Retired Emperor stopped talking then.
This old man is so shrewd.
So does he know who poisoned him? Will he think it was Xiao Luo Zi?
Xi Mama went to make meat congee for Fubao, and Eunuch Chang went to supervise the soup cooking.
Yuan Qingling had just walked over intending to probe The Retired Emperor when she heard shouts from outside, "His Majesty rewards the Princess of Chu!"
Yuan Qingling was stunned for a moment. She looked outside as The Retired Emperor said, "What are you dazing for? Hurry out to receive the reward!"
"Oh!" Yuan Qingling hurried out and saw Mu Ru Eunuch holding an exquisite tray standing outside. Prince Qi and Chu Mingcui had not left yet and both were looking at Yuan Qingling.
"His Majesty decrees that the Princess of Chu, for her meritorious service in caring for His illness, is specially rewarded with two strings of south sea pearls tribute from the Ryukyu Islands and one thousand taels of gold!" Mu Ru Eunuch announced.
Yuan Qingling knelt down, "Thank you, Father Emperor, for the reward."
Chu Mingcui's eyes were wide open. Rewarding south sea pearls was not enough, there was also one thousand taels of gold? Why did Father Emperor value Yuan Qingling so much?
Mu Ru Eunuch put the tray in Yuan Qingling's hands with a smile. "Princess, these south sea pearls tribute from Ryukyu are extremely precious, unmatched by ordinary kinds. The Princess must take good care of them."
"Yes, thank you, Eunuch Mu," Yuan Qingling said as she stood up.
"We will go in first to pay our respects to His Majesty," Mu Ru Eunuch said and turned to go inside.
Yuan Qingling saw no gold on the tray, only two strings of shimmering round south sea pearls. Under the pearls was a piece of paper. She opened it and was dumbfounded. It was an IOU for one thousand taels of gold.
The reward came with an IOU?
Chu Mingcui stepped forward and smiled coquettishly. "Congratulations to the Princess for receiving His Majesty's reward."
Yuan Qingling looked at her. Her face was full of brilliant smiles and her eyes were also full of congratulations, without the slightest bit of jealousy or resentment.
Yuan Qingling said, "Thank you."
"The south sea pearls match a beauty. Why doesn't the Princess try them on?" Chu Mingcui said.
Yuan Qingling shook her head. "No need. I still have to attend to His Majesty inside. It's inconvenient to wear them."
Yuan Qingling felt this woman had deep schemes. Every word she said should be guarded against, not knowing what intentions they carried.
"Of course, that's right. By the way, how is His Majesty's condition now?" Chu Mingcui asked.
Yuan Qingling looked at her and said, "Why doesn't the Princess Consort go in personally to pay respects and ask?"
Chu Mingcui's face turned ugly immediately.
Prince Qi, however, stepped forward and said somewhat puzzled, "Could you ask why Grandfather refuses to see Us? This is rather odd."
Yuan Qingling sighed lightly in her heart. Foolish man, it's not that you are refused entry, but that Chu Mingcui is not allowed in.
However, since Prince Qi did not speak ill of her, she also had no need to offend him. "His Majesty probably doesn't want too many people making noise around him. He has always liked tranquility."
"We also think so," Prince Qi turned and looked at Chu Mingcui. "Let's go back. We'll come to the palace to pay respects after Grandfather gets better."
They had been standing for half a day and he was tired too.
Chu Mingcui's fists tightened slightly as hatred grew in her heart. His Majesty had always doted on Prince Qi and herself. If the Emperor did not allow her in, His Majesty would not do this. She could not sit still and wait for death. She must gain His Majesty's renewed favor. If she did not attend to him in the palace, she could not stop Yuan Qingling.
Thinking of this, she smiled slightly. "Why not wait a little longer?"
"But Mother is in poor health. Isn't it better we go back to accompany Mother?" Prince Qi knew Chu Mingcui was being filial and did not want to make things difficult for her.
Hearing this, Chu Mingcui suddenly said to Prince Qi, "That's right. I heard Consort Xian has been suffering frequent headaches recently. Why don't we go visit Consort Xian?"
When she spoke, she glanced intentionally or unintentionally at Yuan Qingling.
Yuan Qingling ignored her and went back inside. She was suspicious in her heart. Consort Xian was the birth mother of Yuwen Hao. She had always stayed out of politics. Even when Yuwen Hao was seriously injured this time, she did not come. The Emperor must have blocked the news and not allowed her to know.
Back inside the hall, Mu Ru Eunuch had also left.
Xi Mama was feeding Fubao congee. Yuan Qingling casually put the pearls on the table and went to take The Retired Emperor's temperature.
"This thing is too cold," The Retired Emperor complained.
Yuan Qingling was used to his complaints by now and simply ignored him.
The Retired Emperor was very bored. He glanced at the tray on the table. "What nice things did he reward you?"
"South sea pearls and an IOU for one thousand taels of gold," Yuan Qingling said.
"An IOU?" The Retired Emperor laughed. "Girl, you'd better treasure it."
"I know. Eunuch Mu said these south sea pearls were tributes from Ryukyu, top treasures."
"What are pearls worth? Dead objects, neither filling nor warming. The IOU is the treasure."
Yuan Qingling was puzzled. "How is the IOU a treasure?"
"Didn't Turtle Son owe you one thousand taels of gold? Why did he give you an IOU?" The Retired Emperor asked.
"..." Turtle Son, so does that make you Old Turtle? "Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."
"Take a closer look at the IOU. In the future if you face mortal danger, take this IOU into the palace. Perhaps it can save your life."
Hearing this, Yuan Qingling hurriedly fetched the IOU and opened it. Written in swirling calligraphy was "Owed to the Princess of Chu, one thousand taels of gold." Below, by the large seal, a few small words were added: If you don't care for money, you can exchange it for something else.
Yuan Qingling was confused. "Why did His Majesty write it like this?"
"Who knows? Perhaps he saw something." The Retired Emperor shrugged.
As he shrugged, his armpit opened and the thermometer probe dropped out. He fished it out and handed it to Yuan Qingling. "Done."
Yuan Qingling took it and saw no fever, his temperature was normal.
"I'm going to sleep now. You go out and fight the battle," The Retired Emperor mumbled with eyes closed.
