Chapter 237
**Chapter 235: Underhanded Tactics**
She was completely unaware of this matter.
Le You nodded slightly. “Today, I went to see Mother with Sister Yao, and Sister Yao told me herself.”
Le You had suffered from a cold before, her throat felt as if it had been sliced by a blade, her head spun, and she felt as if she were being roasted in a furnace. Having experienced it herself, she could empathize, which is why she wanted to visit Sister Wan'er, who was also suffering from the same ailment.
The Empress Dowager's eyes darkened; the news of Wan'er’s illness had been concealed by the Empress.
The Empress Dowager planned to visit the Baozhu Hall tomorrow, looking for an excuse to bring Li Wan'er back to the Cining Palace for care.
...
The next afternoon, Shen Wei was preparing to visit the Empress Dowager in Cining Palace and subtly encourage her to visit Li Wan'er in Baozhu Hall.
To her surprise, she received news that the Empress Dowager was already on her way to Baozhu Hall.
Shen Wei quietly sipped her detoxifying herbal soup in her courtyard, realizing that she didn’t need to play matchmaker; the Empress Dowager had gone on her own.
Now, all she had to do was wait patiently for the good news to reach her ears.
Meanwhile, the news of the Empress Dowager's visit to Baozhu Hall also reached the Empress.
The Empress immediately dropped her palace duties and personally went to greet the Empress Dowager at the entrance of Baozhu Hall. Li Yao and Li Wan'er, the two young girls, followed closely behind her, heads bowed.
“When you see your royal grandmother later, remember what to say and what not to say,” the Empress warned, her gaze sweeping over the two girls with a hint of menace.
Li Yao and Li Wan'er could only nod obediently.
The weather was clear today, with the sun shining gently. Li Wan'er stood under the eaves of the hall, and soon beads of sweat began to form on her forehead, flowing incessantly.
Having taken that bitter medicine, although her cold was improving, she found herself inexplicably sweating, and her heart raced at night.
“Wipe off the sweat; don’t let the Empress Dowager see it,” the Empress reminded, her tone disapproving.
Li Wan'er silently wiped her sweat, and Li Yao took out a handkerchief to help her. Li Yao was puzzled; she had never seen Sister Wan'er sweat so much before. It was quite strange.
In less than half a tea time, the Empress Dowager's palanquin appeared on the palace path. The Empress hurriedly led everyone in greeting, the etiquette was impeccable.
The Empress Dowager stepped down from the palanquin, her sharp gaze slicing through the Empress's face before shifting to linger on Li Yao and Li Wan'er for a moment.
The two young girls were dressed in beautiful new skirts, their hair styled into lovely buns, adorned with precious hairpins. From head to toe, there was not a single flaw to be found.
“It’s hot outside; I’ve come to sit in Baozhu Hall,” the Empress Dowager said, her voice commanding.
The Empress displayed a caring smile and respectfully said, “Mother, we have tea made by the two girls inside. Please come in and try it.”
Mama Qian gently supported the Empress Dowager’s hand, and the group entered Baozhu Hall in a grand procession.
Baizhu Hall was not large, but the flowers and plants in the courtyard were neatly trimmed, and the bluestone floor was spotless. The Empress Dowager entered the two girls' bedroom, which was resplendent, with curtains made of fragrant cloud silk and bedding of Donglin cotton. The room was filled with a delicate fragrance, and the shelves displayed the girls' favorite toys.
Still, there was not a single flaw to be found.
The Empress Dowager took a seat, and Li Yao and Li Wan'er respectfully served the freshly brewed tea. The six arts for gentlemen and the eight virtues for ladies included tea-making as a required skill for royal princesses.
Two cups of tea were presented.
The tea was pure white, with a refreshing aroma.
The Empress Dowager took a few sips, finding the taste quite pleasant.
The Empress observed the Empress Dowager’s expression and, seeing her satisfaction, appropriately spoke up, “Mother, Yao'er and Wan'er study diligently every day. The old ladies teaching in the palace praise them highly. As their mother, I feel so proud to see my daughters so intelligent.”
As she spoke, the Empress affectionately stroked Li Yao’s hair. Li Yao stiffened, feeling as if a venomous snake had touched her.
She dared not show her discomfort and could only clench her sleeves tightly.
The Empress Dowager set down her teacup and said, “Not bad.”
The Empress smiled humbly, “As the mother of the nation, it is my duty to manage the affairs of the harem and care for the children in the palace.”
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly.
She called her two granddaughters over, asking them what they had for lunch, whether they slept well at night, and inquired about Li Wan'er’s cold, asking if she felt any discomfort after recovering.
The two girls answered truthfully, and the Empress Dowager found no discrepancies.
As the Empress Dowager prepared to leave, the afternoon sun shone brightly. Mama Qian helped her into the palanquin. The Empress, along with the palace attendants, sent her off at the door, and the Empress Dowager’s gaze swept over Li Wan'er. In the late spring heat, beads of sweat glistened on Li Wan'er’s fair forehead.
The Empress Dowager lowered her eyelids, deep in thought. The eunuchs carried her palanquin away, leaving Baozhu Hall in a grand procession.
The Empress stood under the eaves, the wind causing her bright yellow sleeves to flutter. She smirked coldly, “That old woman is nothing to worry about.”
The Empress believed that the Empress Dowager, having aged and weakened, was losing her sharpness, especially after being saddened by Zhaoyang’s distant marriage.
She had easily been deceived.
“Have the medicinal herbs for the health soup been increased?” the Empress asked the head palace maid in a low voice.
The head palace maid nodded, “The Imperial Medical Department has taken care of it.”
The Empress’s smile widened.
...
The Empress Dowager returned to Cining Palace.
Holding a jade tea cup, she traced the cool rim with her fingers, lost in thought. Mama Qian, attending to her, couldn’t help but ask, “Does the Empress Dowager also feel that something is off about Baozhu Hall?”
The Empress Dowager slammed the cup down, tiredly rubbing her brow. “That fool, Dantai Shiya, makes me feel suffocated every time I see her. I must have been out of my mind to marry such a dim-witted woman to my son.”
The Empress thought she had executed her plans flawlessly, leaving no room for error, successfully deceiving the Empress Dowager.
But in the Empress Dowager’s eyes, Baozhu Hall was riddled with mistakes.
The flowers and plants in the courtyard were clearly newly planted; the tiles laid down were freshly painted with red lacquer; the new curtains and bedding in the little princess’s chamber were all brand new, showing no signs of wear.
A simple inquiry at the Ministry of Works would reveal when Baozhu Hall was renovated; a check at the Garment Bureau would show when new fabrics were sent to Li Yao and Li Wan'er.
The Empress was frustratingly foolish, yet she believed she could pull the wool over everyone’s eyes. Her petty tricks were only effective against less discerning concubines.
As a grand Empress, her thoughts should be focused on maintaining the stability of the harem, not resorting to underhanded tactics like a mere concubine. It was truly unbecoming of a national matriarch.
The Empress Dowager sighed, “I’m also worried about Wan'er. It’s not hot today, yet that girl is drenched in sweat. It’s quite strange.”
Mama Qian suggested, “Shall we have Wan'er come by this afternoon for the Imperial Physician to check her pulse again?”
The Empress Dowager scoffed, “I imagine the Imperial Medical Department has the Empress’s people; that’s why she’s so bold.”
As the two of them were chatting, Le You’s cheerful voice rang out from outside, “Royal Grandmother, the health soup is ready! I’ve been watching the old maid in the kitchen make it!”
Le You joyfully ran in.
Behind her, a head palace maid carried a bowl of warm health soup.
Le You sat beside the Empress Dowager, puffing up her rosy lips to blow on the soup, and sweetly said, “Royal Grandmother, let me taste it first to see if it’s bitter or too hot.”
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