Commandery Princess Shouning Falls Ill

Hua Meng did not know how the people outside the palace would react to the news, but she herself was stunned for a long while before she calmly accepted that she had suddenly acquired so many things.

At first, Hua Meng had not understood the deeper meaning behind the Empress Dowager's actions. Only after she woke from a nap and sat quietly eating a snack did she figure out why the Empress Dowager had sent her rewards with such fanfare.

"Ling Cui, I remember you brought back quite a bit of fine cotton cloth last month. Fetch it later, and I'll make two sets of underclothes for the Empress Dowager."

Hua Meng's needlework was ordinary, and now that she was pregnant, she did not have the energy to sew elaborate, intricate palace robes.

Underclothes, however, did not require so many delicate patterns. A few simple embroidered designs at the collar and cuffs would be enough.

As for other things, Hua Meng thought the Empress Dowager would hardly lack them. Two sets of underclothes would not take much of her time and energy to make, but they would still show her filial devotion.

As soon as Ling Cui heard Hua Meng, she understood what she intended. Remembering how much she had learned from Nanny Ming lately, she immediately looked at Hua Meng and said, "Then I'll fetch some extra. While you sew underclothes for the Empress Dowager, I'll keep you company and make two sets for Nanny Ming."

Hua Meng knew Ling Cui wanted to sew with her because she was worried Hua Meng would be bored working alone. She nodded in agreement, then gestured for her to hurry and fetch the cloth.

If she started today, she could finish sooner.

As soon as Hua Meng got to work, the few people who attended her closely in Sparrow Plume Palace soon learned that she was going to sew underclothes for the Empress Dowager.

Before the next day even came, Emperor Jing'an arrived at Sparrow Plume Palace that evening with Wei Fugui, whose face was still pale but whose expression was noticeably more relaxed.

At the sight of Wei Fugui, Hua Meng smiled and gave him a slight nod before looking at Emperor Jing'an. "It seems the Heat-Relief Pills Nanny Jiang and I made were quite good."

Hua Meng had said it deliberately. Ever since she had given Qiu Die a talking-to last time, Qiu Die had perhaps finally thought things through and begun secretly telling Hua Meng about some of the goings-on around Emperor Jing'an.

This time, Wei Fugui was not simply suffering from heatstroke. His illness was of the heart, and he seemed to have lost some of his will to live.

The specific cause went back to the investigation of the old eunuchs in the palace some days ago, which had revealed that he too had quite a few eunuchs and palace maids under him.

Relying on his position as Emperor Jing'an's trusted aide, those eunuchs and palace maids had done many things forbidden by palace rules and had secretly caused several deaths.

Worse still, although he had known nothing about most of these matters, there had been a small number he had learned of and then pretended not to know.

Who would have thought that, after those old eunuchs were uncovered in the investigation, the people under him would be exposed too?

Wei Fugui was truly loyal to Emperor Jing'an. Although the emperor had not blamed him, he felt he had let Emperor Jing'an down, and when he fell ill, he had begun to think of seeking death.

Emperor Jing'an knew the cause of Wei Fugui's distress. He had said nothing because he also wanted to teach Wei Fugui a lesson.

But Emperor Jing'an had not expected that, when he had only been angry for a time, Wei Fugui would actually think of seeking death.

As an emperor, he would not be the first to yield. After Hua Meng saw what was on Emperor Jing'an's mind, she gave Xiao Jiangzi a bottle of Heat-Relief Pills.

That bottle of Heat-Relief Pills brought Wei Fugui to his senses.

An hour ago, Wei Fugui had put himself in order, gone before Emperor Jing'an, and knelt to admit his wrongdoing.

Master and servant had spoken earnestly for half an hour before coming to Sparrow Plume Palace.

The moment Hua Meng finished speaking, Wei Fugui walked up to her and paid her a grand salute.

"I kowtow to Your Highness Consort Jing in thanks for granting me a second life."

At those words, Hua Meng instinctively raised her eyes to glance at Emperor Jing'an. Only after seeing that his expression had not changed in the slightest did she turn to Wei Fugui and say, "Listen to you. You serve His Majesty devotedly. I rewarded you in the hope that you would continue to serve him with the same care."

Hua Meng's words were ambiguous. She seemed to have understood what Wei Fugui meant, yet she also seemed not to have understood.

Wei Fugui did not bring it up again. After another salute, he rose at Hua Meng's indication and silently withdrew a few steps.

Once Wei Fugui had withdrawn, Hua Meng noticed that she and Emperor Jing'an were the only ones left in the room.

"I hear you're making underclothes for Mother?" Emperor Jing'an did not lack clothes. Plenty of women in the harem made clothes for him in the ordinary course of things, but when it came to underclothes, there really had been none.

Those women all seemed to prefer sewing the everyday robes he wore. As long as he wore those clothes out, it seemed to prove whom he favored.

Underclothes, on the other hand, would go unnoticed even if he wore them.

For a moment, Hua Meng did not grasp the deeper meaning of Emperor Jing'an's question. She simply nodded and said, "Yes. The Empress Dowager rewarded me with so many things, but I have nothing fit to offer her, and my needlework is only ordinary. I can only make her two sets of underclothes."

Hua Meng spoke the truth. No sooner had she finished than Emperor Jing'an said, "Then, once you've finished sewing the Empress Dowager's underclothes, make two sets for me as well."

Hua Meng had not expected Emperor Jing'an to say that. Though a little puzzled, she agreed.

Emperor Jing'an did not stay long. After saying this and reminding Hua Meng not to tire herself out, he left Sparrow Plume Palace with Wei Fugui.

After Emperor Jing'an left, Qiu Die came in carrying a plate of pastries and a pot of Jiang Chan's specially made appetite-stimulating fruit tea. Only then did Hua Meng notice that something was wrong with her.

"What's the matter?"

Hua Meng had just finished asking when Qiu Die, who had just set down the tray, knelt directly before her.

"Your Highness, His Majesty knows that you know I'm one of his people."

The words sounded rather tangled at first, but Hua Meng sorted them out and understood what Qiu Die meant.

"Did His Majesty say anything?"

Qiu Die shook her head. "His Majesty probably wasn't angry. Eunuch Fugui came to see me just now and only said I wouldn't need to gather information anymore."

Hua Meng was not surprised by this.

Ever since learning that Wei Fugui also had a group of palace maids and eunuchs under him, she had known that once Emperor Jing'an found out, the group would not exist for long.

Emperor Jing'an would not kill them all, but he would never allow a force he had not authorized to exist in the palace.

"Since Wei Fugui said nothing else, you can stay by my side without worry from now on and learn more from Nanny Ming."

Qiu Die, who had still been somewhat worried, immediately brightened and nodded at Hua Meng's words.

Nanny Ming was the head attendant at the Empress Dowager's side, a ranked female official who had previously helped the Empress Dowager manage many affairs of the harem.

With those words, Hua Meng was also promising Qiu Die a place at her side in the future.

With something to do, Hua Meng slept somewhat less over the next two days than she had before.

But after two or three days, Hua Meng realized it was not that having something to do kept her from feeling sleepy. She truly was not as sleepy anymore.

With more energy, Hua Meng was in a good mood, and when she was in a good mood, the atmosphere throughout Sparrow Plume Palace, and even the entire harem, improved.

Of course, another major reason everyone in the harem was in better spirits was that the rumors outside the palace about Hua Meng's unborn child bringing misfortune to its relatives had suddenly died down.

As for the first rumor, someone had been gossiping in the Jiang Family's medical hall when a member of the Jiang Family casually remarked, "The family head took Her Highness Consort Jing's pulse, and there is only one child in her womb." Naturally, that rumor had slowly faded too.

Although some people still mentioned it, the words from the Jiang Family's medical hall spread quickly, and when anyone brought it up afterward, no one joined in the discussion.

One rumor had faded because of the Empress Dowager's lavish rewards, and the other because a member of the Jiang Family had let something slip. Gradually, neither was mentioned anymore.

But those with some sense knew that this was only calm on the surface.

This matter was not over yet.

Early that morning, just as dawn was breaking, a commotion arose on the palace path outside Sparrow Plume Palace.

Hua Meng had been waking quite early these past few days, and that morning was no exception. She was taking the opportunity to walk outside before it grew hot.

Hearing the noise outside the palace, she casually pointed to a young eunuch and sent him to find out what was happening.

Unexpectedly, in less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the young eunuch came running back, looking somewhat flustered.

Seeing his flustered manner, Qiu Die immediately scolded him. "What are you panicking for?"

At Qiu Die's voice, the young eunuch paused and slowed his steps. When he was three paces from Hua Meng, he hurriedly bowed toward her and said, "Your Highness, it's the palace maids from Four Joys Palace. I found someone I knew and asked. She said Commandery Princess Shouning began feeling unwell last night and suddenly developed a high fever just now. They're on their way to fetch an imperial physician."