Chapter 235
**Chapter 233: The Queen's Scheme**
What if Mother Liuruyan sees? She would definitely be angry again.
Shen Wei said, “Life is short. Different ages call for different pursuits; we should enjoy the joys that each stage brings. You haven’t even reached the age of a hairpin ceremony (ji), and you have no burdens on your shoulders. This is the carefree time of your youth. If you don’t wear beautiful clothes now, when will you?”
To dress beautifully in the prime of youth means that years later, when you look back, you won’t have any regrets.
Shen Wei gifted Li Nanzhi a dress, not merely to win over the young girl, but more so because she felt pity for her.
In the palace, which princess wasn’t dressed in vibrant colors? Especially Le You, whose wardrobe was stuffed with colorful, beautiful garments, changing outfits every day without repeating.
But Li Nanzhi’s clothes were all white, silver, or light-colored, and even the bracelet she wore was made of white jade.
Liuruyan imposed her own preferences on a young girl, and it was truly pitiful for Nanzhi.
“But…” Li Nanzhi’s small face was troubled.
Shen Wei smiled, “If you’re worried about Mei Fei getting angry, just wear it secretly. Or wear it when you come to Yongning Palace.”
Li Nanzhi nodded earnestly.
Shen Wei gently touched Li Nanzhi’s soft, fair face and said tenderly, “It’s cool at night, so remember to cover yourself well with a blanket. Don’t catch a chill.”
Shen Wei’s hand was warm.
When it touched Li Nanzhi’s small face, it brought a comforting warmth.
Li Nanzhi thought to herself, is this what the Empress’s hand feels like? No wonder Sister Le You wants to hold the Empress’s hand every day.
So warm.
If only Mother could have such warm hands… Li Nanzhi thought of her mother, Mei Fei. Liuruyan rarely touched her, and once, when Li Nanzhi mustered the courage to hold Liuruyan’s hand, she was gently brushed away.
Liurayan’s hand was cold.
Li Nanzhi’s heart was filled with mixed emotions as she left, burdened with thoughts and her newly acquired beautiful clothes.
...
Meanwhile, the sunset spilled like broken gold across the Baozhu Hall.
Li Yao joyfully ran back to the courtyard and opened the door to Li Wan’er’s room. “Sister Wan’er, I brought you some delicious fruits!”
Inside, Li Wan’er was having dinner.
There were four dishes and a soup: emerald bamboo shoots, flower-stuffed tofu, shrimp in jade sauce, imperial chicken wings, and peony white fungus soup. The meal was rich and beautifully presented.
Li Wan’er held her chopsticks, not touching the meat dishes, but instead picked up a piece of emerald bamboo shoots, savoring it in small bites.
“Yao’er, you came just in time. Let’s eat together,” Li Wan’er said with a gentle smile, softly instructing, “Someone, bring another set of chopsticks.”
A new set of chopsticks was quickly brought in.
Li Yao placed the fruit pastries that Shen Wei had sent on the table. Holding the white jade chopsticks, she scanned the exquisite dishes and picked up a shrimp to place in her small plate, tasting it in small bites.
These past few days, the Empress seemed to have changed her demeanor, treating Li Yao and Li Wan’er exceptionally well, serving the freshest and most delicious food, and even replacing their bedding with the best.
Li Yao didn’t understand the reason behind it, but she was happy to enjoy the delicious food.
“Sister Wan’er, why aren’t you eating the chicken wings?” Li Yao asked curiously.
Li Wan’er replied gently, “I just recovered from an illness, so I need to eat light.”
Li Yao frowned, feeling frustrated. “But the Imperial Physician said this morning that you can eat whatever you like, no need to avoid meat.”
Li Wan’er lowered her gaze. “But my mother said… when sick, one should eat lightly.”
The Crown Princess had passed away three years ago, yet she had taught Li Wan’er many principles. Over these three years, Li Wan’er had kept her mother’s words close to her heart.
In the harem, there was too much insincerity and too many liars. Compared to the physician’s advice, Wan’er preferred to trust her mother.
After eating some vegetables, Li Wan’er began to sweat profusely, her face gradually turning red. She wiped her forehead with a handkerchief, but the sweat wouldn’t stop.
Li Yao tilted her head. “Sister, you’re sweating a lot today. Should we call the physician to take a look?”
Just as she finished speaking, a palace maid announced from outside.
The Empress has arrived.
Li Yao and Li Wan’er simultaneously put down their chopsticks and bowed to greet the Empress.
The Empress walked in with a beaming smile, her face full of feigned maternal affection. “No need for formalities, just eat. Today, the kitchen prepared imperial chicken wings. Do you both like them?”
The Empress glanced at the dinner spread, noticing that the imperial chicken wings remained untouched on the plate.
Her expression flickered with displeasure.
These two picky little girls, with good intentions bringing this delicacy, hadn’t even taken a single bite.
Had they grown so accustomed to poor food that they couldn’t bear to touch something good?
“The pearl chicken was freshly killed this morning, marinated in rich oil and sauce, then stewed for half an hour. Don’t waste it,” the Empress said, sitting in the main seat, her tone carrying a subtle pressure.
Li Yao didn’t dare to contradict her mother and silently picked up a chicken wing.
Li Wan’er remembered her late mother’s advice, but she also didn’t dare to defy the Empress. Without parents to look after her, she lived a life under someone else’s roof, always watching the Empress’s face.
She could only pick up a greasy chicken leg and take a small bite. The imperial chicken wings had been seasoned with a bit of wine during cooking, making them sweet and salty, a flavor Li Wan’er didn’t enjoy.
With one bite, nausea surged violently.
Li Wan’er couldn’t dare to vomit in front of the Empress, so she forced herself to swallow the chicken wing.
“Your Majesty, I’m full now,” Li Wan’er said after eating one chicken wing, wiping her mouth and cleaning her hands before reporting to the Empress.
The Empress glanced at the remaining half of the chicken wings on the table, secretly disdainful. “You’ve just recovered from a serious illness; you should take your medicine on time. Someone, bring Wan’er’s medicine.”
A palace maid brought over a freshly brewed medicinal soup and placed it on the table in front of Li Wan’er.
The soup had already been prepared and was warm, emitting a strong bitter odor.
Li Wan’er recalled her late mother’s advice—medicinal soup should ideally be consumed half an hour after a meal to avoid harming the stomach.
Lowering her gaze, Li Wan’er felt a pang of sorrow. She said softly, “I understand, thank you, Your Majesty.”
The Empress, preoccupied with thoughts of her son, couldn’t be bothered to continue playing the role of a hypocritical mother. She left Liu Mama behind to supervise Li Wan’er taking her medicine, while she herself turned and left without looking back.
Having learned from past mistakes, the Empress was wary of being accused of “harsh treatment of her daughters,” so she decided to treat Li Yao and Li Wan’er well for the time being, not giving Chen Fei and Shu Fei any leverage.
If the Empress Dowager were to visit the Baozhu Hall and see the living conditions of Li Yao and Li Wan’er, she would surely be impressed and praise the Empress for her virtue.
The Empress smirked, filled with ambition: “Once I reclaim the authority from Shu Fei and see Chen Fei perish from poison, the harem will be under my control.”
Initially, the Empress had planned to sit back and watch the fight between Chen Fei and Shu Fei, hoping to reap the benefits. But as time passed, with Chen Fei and Shu Fei “coexisting peacefully,” the harem remained calm, and the Empress could no longer sit idly by.
She didn’t want to endure the wait any longer; she decided to take action.
Of course, eliminating Shu Fei and Chen Fei wasn’t enough; she also needed to deal with the Empress Dowager.
The Empress had long harbored dissatisfaction with the Empress Dowager, vividly recalling the memories of being deliberately tormented by her in the past.
She decided to employ the same tactics again, using her connections in the Imperial Medical Bureau to add excessive herbs to the health soup the Empress Dowager regularly consumed, slowly poisoning her.
After the Empress left, Li Yao finished her dinner and returned to her room to rest. Li Wan’er sat at the table, staring at the bowl of bitter medicinal soup.
After a long moment, she gently picked up the bowl, closed her eyes, and prepared to drink.
“Little Mistress, don’t drink that,” Liu Mama quickly intervened when she saw there were no outsiders around.
The dosage of the cold medicine had been increased; while it seemed to treat the cold, it was actually depleting one’s vitality.
Li Wan’er was still young, and Liu Mama couldn’t bear to see her perish early.
With tears welling in her eyes, Li Wan’er spoke with a tone that belied her youth, revealing a sense of resignation: “But if I don’t drink it, how will you explain to the Empress?”
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