Chapter 338: The pattern of a nightmare emerges (2/2)

“No need, you can go on the night watch.”

Li mama had already guessed that it’d be impossible to part the empress dowager from her fan, so she simply tucked the woman in and went to stand guard by her bedside. The empress dowager reclined lazily in her bed, a leisurely and carefree expression on her face. There was no trace of her usual anxiety around bedtime. She aimed the Medicine Fan at her face and stared at its incense grass one more time before slowly starting to fan herself. Her movements sent waves of fragrance flitting her way. It was a certain type of scent that soothed the heart and made one feel miraculously relaxed. Gradually, the empress dowager’s movements slowed. Her expression changed from one of drowsiness to one to enjoyment, and then a hazy sleepiness.

Soon enough, she fell asleep for real. Her hand drooped, and the Medicine Fan fell with a clatter to the ground, but the noise didn’t wake her up at all. Li mama couldn’t believe it. She waited long enough to ascertain that the empress dowager was truly asleep, before carefully picking up the Medicine Fan. The empress dowager slept heavily through the entire night, even though she was subconsciously scratching herself by the second half.

Early next morning, Han Yunxi had Zhao mama spend some silver to get news from the Palace of Heaven and Earth.

“Esteemed wangfei, they say the empress dowager slept very early yesterday and stayed asleep until daybreak. All of the servants at the Palace of Heaven and Earth have received rewards!” Zhao mama reported back honestly.

“Aiya, so she’s in that much of a good mood?” Han Yunxi’s mood was rather excellent as well.

“Could she feel anything else? Sleep is her life! Esteemed wangfei, you…you’re letting off that old thing so easily?” Zhao mama was completely unresigned.

“People always say that happiness follows suffering. Actually, it’s suffering that follows happiness,” Han Yunxi smiled guilelessly.

Happiness? Suffering? What does that have to do with the Medicine Fan? Zhao mama’s thoughts were all in a fog.

“Esteemed wangfei, this old servant didn’t understand what you meant.”

“Ask around for news again tomorrow,” Han Yunxi said mysteriously.

The second day, Zhao mama flew back to Han Yunxi’s rooms as soon as she got the news. “Esteemed wangfei, everyone’s on tenterhooks today at the Palace of Heaven and Earth! I heard that the newly promoted Li mama was sent off for a vicious beating! The empress dowager used the Medicine Fan last night and was going to fall asleep when she was woken up by itching! They say it was her head that was itchy. No matter how she scratched or washed herself, it was still itching, and it didn’t recover until daybreak.” Zhao mama was very happy. “Esteemed wangfei, did you use any tricks on her?”

Han Yunxi shot her a glance before she said respectably, “Impudent servant. If you try to slander this wangfei again, I’ll have you dragged out and fed to the dogs!”

Suffering follows happiness. If she didn’t let the empress dowager taste a good night’s rest, how could she truly understand the pain of losing sleep again?

Meanwhile, the empress dowager had just woken up. After yesterday’s sleepless night, she had no choice but to make up her sleep in the daytime as before. The Medicine Fan was clearly a good item, but she didn’t know why her scalp had suddenly started itching last night. It would have been fine if it happened while she was awake, but the itch didn’t come until she started using the Medicine Fan at night. Her drowsy state was broken by that intolerable itching, giving her no choice but to get up and wash her hair. How awful! The worst part wasn’t being unable to sleep, but to teeter on the edge of sleeping without finding ultimate relief. This was nothing less than a nightmare!

Because the Medicine Fan had been so effective, the empress dowager didn’t place her suspicion there. She found countless imperial physicians for consultation, but none of them could give her a clear diagnosis. Her hair had always been clean, so she’d never had a case of itchy scalp for as long as she lived! Moreover, the rest of her body was fine as well. The imperial physicians even considered the things she’d eaten over the past few days, but didn’t find any potential allergens. Because of that, the imperial physicians had no choice but to attend on the empress dowager and see what happened tonight.

As before, the empress dowager prepared herself early for a good night’s sleep with the Medicine Fan. A light flicker of the fan sent her into drowsiness straight away, but her scalp immediately started itching again. She was extremely sleepy and tired, her mind only half-conscious. A hand scratched absently at her scalp as she fell asleep. But soon enough, her itching started up again, so she scratched her head again.

This time, no amount of scratching could relieve her. Soon enough, her head felt unbearably itchy once again. Still, the empress dowager was so sleepy that she couldn’t even open her eyes. Caught between drowsiness and itchiness, her suffering was unspeakable.

“Someone come…someone come…” the empress dowager said listlessly, “Scratch my itch…hurry…”

The newly appointed Xu mama came to help her scratch her itch, but nothing she did worked. In the end, Xu mama had to call for the imperial physicians. The empress dowager had no choice but to get up and change into a set of robes. When the imperial physicians arrived, she was half leaning against her bed, her eyes half-shut. Her temper was flaring but her energy was all gone, making her feel too miserable to even speak. The imperial physicians examined her before they broke into a flutter of varied opinions. Some said she was allergic to the food, others say she’d been infected with something dirty, still others said she was oversensitive to her various medicines. There were those who said she had been poisoned as well.

Still, none of them had an absolute diagnosis. Right now, the empress dowager was too preoccupied with sleeping, so she didn’t bother thinking too deeply into the issue either.

“Get out…you worthless lot, all of you get out!” she pointed at the door. Although she was furious, she didn’t have the strength to throw a temper tantrum.

Once again, the empress dowager was tormented until day broke. She alternated between washing her hair and scratching her head before the itching finally receded. The utterly exhausted empress dowager didn’t make up for lost sleep, but coldly ordered, “Which imperial physician said I was poisoned last night? Send him in!”

Even the stupidest empress dowager could tell that something was amiss. This had to be related to Han Yunxi.

Han Yunxi, if you dare to poison me, you’re dead!