Chapter 41: Urgent business, her countermeasure (2/2)

Grand Concubine Yi could only agree. “Hurry and bring her over, quickly! Don’t let them discover our weak points!” She was about to turned around but gave Han Yunxi a warning glance first before hurrying away.

“Sister-in-law, you’ve suffered these few days. Come to my place.” Murong Wanru’s eyes took on a calculating glint before she called for Little Fourth[2] to carry Han Yunxi away.

Murong Wanru lived in the Orchid Enclosure, located near the flower gardens next to Grand Concubine Yi’s Peony Courtyard. She didn’t bring Han Yunxi into her bedroom, but arranged for her to stay in one of the empty wings in her little courtyard instead. Right after Han Yunxi was put to bed with the curtains drawn around her, the empress and Princess Changping arrived. Han Yunxi made to get up and pay her respects, but the empress stopped her and sat by the edge of the bed, holding her hand. “Forget it, you’re excused. A small chill like that has made you so ill! I see that your body needs to be well-nourished!”

“Many thanks…for being on esteemed empress’s mind,” Han Yunxi replied weakly.

Princess Changping stood to one side, unable to bear it any longer. She called her ‘imperial aunt,’ but her tone was commanding. “Imperial Aunt Qin, I…I have urgent business, hurry back to the palace with me.”

Han Yunxi caught a glimpse of Grand Concubine Yi jerking in surprise on one side, her face extremely sullen. She didn’t know what sorts of temper Grand Concubine Yi endured from mother and daughter, but she knew this was her chance to set herself free. That frigid lord the Duke of Qin had only paid her back for a favor. He couldn’t protect her all the time. If she couldn’t leave this house, then she should try her best to gain the approval of its high-and-mighty mistress.

Now was an excellent chance!

Han Yunxi didn’t answer Princess Changping, but docilely looked towards Grand Concubine Yi as if to say it was her decision. It was at this moment that Princess Changping felt her face starting to itch again. Impatient, she hastily went to beg, “Grand Concubine Yi, just agree to it. Let imperial aunt go with me to the palace, I promise she’ll return safe and sound in good condition.”

If this was any other day, the empress wouldn’t allow Princess Changping to beg this way, but seeing her daughter anxious made her realize the itching had started again. With no other choice, she could only add to the pleas. “Grand Concubine Yi, it’s a private matter between these children. Let’s just let them do as they will.”

Grand Concubine Yi expected Han Yunxi to use this chance and flaunt herself and give her looks. Who knew that this little daughter-in-law actually gave her this much face to take charge of the decision? She was suddenly much less sullen, feeling as if the empress and Princess Changping were here to beg her instead. Her smug glance traveled to Han Yunxi before she seized the chance. Like she’d let off the empress and princess so easily!

“Yunxi, aye…look at how ill you’ve gotten. If you catch a chill on the way to the palace again and grow sicker, how will mufei explain things to the Duke of Qin? Wouldn’t he blame this mother-in-law for not looking after you?”

This…since when did Grand Concubine Yi learn to care for her daughter-in-law?

Hearing this, the empress’s face grew dark. Grand Concubine Yi was obviously seizing the opportunity to bully them! The smart Han Yunxi saw through Grand Concubine Yi’s wishes and added, “Mufei is just saying things. Chenqie knows of His Highness’s temper. He only listens to you and the emperor and would definitely respect all your wishes. How could he dare to blame you? Mufei’s care, chenqie will remember in her heart.”

Tsk, look at how powerful Han Yunxi’s words were. She was mentioning both the Duke of Qin and the emperor before the empress. Not only did she avoid disrespecting the emperor, she got to flatter Grand Concubine Yi in the same breath.

Han Yunxi really had no idea that the empress had used the emperor to force Grand Concubine Yi’s hand. But the truth was that her words sounded incomparably sweet to Grand Concubine Yi’s ears, even better than 100 of Murong Wanru’s usual sentences.

On one side, Murong Wanru stood with her heart in a flurry, wondering exactly what Han Yunxi was up to. The angry empress smoothed her lips into a flat line, unable to speak. Princess Changping had no time to watch them give tit for tat and hide words beneath their words. Her itchy face was already getting unbearable.

“Grand Concubine Yi, if her illness gets worse, I’ll take responsibility! Just let her come back with me!” Princess Changping was nearly choked with sobs.

But Grand Concubine Yi kept at a leisurely pace, looking at Han Yunxi with a light sigh. “Aye…this…”

“Muhou[3]!” Princess Changping was really crying as she pulled at the empress’s hand. “Muhou, help me convince her, hurry!”

The empress had been holding herself back so much that she was quick to erupting, but still she had to speak. “Grand Concubine Yi, Changping really does have urgent matters. Our carriage is waiting just outside the gates, and I can promise that Yunxi’s illness won’t get worse. There’s Imperial Physician Gu at the palace too–he can examine her right there and then. Just let Yunxi go with her, all right?”

Truthfully speaking, Grand Concubine Yi wasn’t the compassionate type at all. Even with the empress like this, she still looked like she was hesitating. Finally, Princess Changping broke out in sobs and cried out, “Grand Concubine Yi, I’m begging you! Begging you!”

Excellent. This ‘begging’ was exactly what Grand Concubine Yi wanted. Finally, she nodded her head. “Yunxi, just go to the palace with the empress.”

“Un,” Han Yunxi nodded her head obediently.

The empress immediately had people raise Han Yunxi into a sedan chair and carry her out of the gates. Before she boarded the carriage, Grand Concubine Yi gave her a look. Unfortunately, Han Yunxi acted as if she didn’t see. Her mouth held the piece of ginseng that Grand Concubine Yi had given her, thinking to herself, Grand Concubine Yi, Murong Wanru, just wait until I return!

-o-

[1] renzhong acupoint (???) – renzhong xue, located in the vertical groove above the middle of the upper lip, AKA the philtrum. Pinching it can revive people from fainting, relieve back pain, and sometimes restore the sense of smell. Its pathway originates between the kidneys, goes up through the spine, and around and over the head to end just above a person’s gums.

[2] Little Fourth (??) – xiao si, another servant of the Duke of Qin’s household.

[3] muhou (??) – imperial mother, the variation on mufei; in this case, the mother is an official consort/empress rather than a concubine.