Killing in Anger

Hua Meng had been strolling leisurely, but the moment she heard the young eunuch's words, she hurried forward, issuing orders as she went. "Someone go fetch Nanny Jiang and tell her to drop whatever she's doing and come to Four Joys Palace at once." Then Hua Meng glanced at the young eunuch and continued, "Go to Phoenix Approaches Palace and see whether anyone from Four Joys Palace has gone to report this. If not, tell His Majesty what happened."

The young eunuch acknowledged her order and turned to leave. Qiu Die hurried after Hua Meng, making sure to support her so she could walk more steadily.

"Your Highness, please slow down."

Hua Meng kept walking at the same pace, but her heart, which had leaped into her throat at the young eunuch's words, settled a little.

I can't panic. I have Spirit Spring.

Sparrow Plume Palace and Four Joys Palace were close together, but leaving through the main gate meant going halfway around Sparrow Plume Palace to reach the entrance to Four Joys Palace. To save time, Hua Meng took the side gate used by the palace maids and reached the entrance to Four Joys Palace with only a short detour.

When Hua Meng arrived, Four Joys Palace was still in some disarray.

The palace maids and eunuchs all wore grave expressions. Worried about Commandery Princess Shouning, Hua Meng had not noticed at first. Only when Qiu Die spotted them and quietly tugged at her sleeve did Hua Meng take notice.

Hua Meng said nothing, but gave Qiu Die a look, signaling her to remember to ask about it, then continued forward.

When Hua Meng reached the side hall where Commandery Princess Shouning lived, she saw Consort Wan, looking exhausted, wiping Shouning's body with a warm cloth.

Hearing movement behind her, Consort Wan turned slightly. Once she caught sight of Hua Meng from the corner of her eye, she turned back and continued carefully wiping Shouning down.

Hua Meng did not speak and disturb Consort Wan. She leaned over to look at Shouning and saw her little body lying there motionless. Frowning, she turned and spotted a kettle nearby. She immediately ordered, "Bring a cup of warm water. She needs to drink plenty of water at a time like this."

As soon as Hua Meng finished speaking, Jiang Chan, who had hurried after her, appeared in the doorway carrying a small medicine chest.

"Her Highness is right. The commandery princess needs plenty of water." As she spoke, Jiang Chan entered the room and stepped forward to address Consort Wan. "Your Highness, please let this servant examine the commandery princess first."

Although Jiang Chan's medical skills were not as good as Jiang Xin's, she came from the Jiang Family, which specialized in treating children, and she herself was skilled at nursing people back to health. She had the confidence to say this.

Hearing Jiang Chan, Consort Wan quickly rose and stepped aside. "I was muddled and forgot about you," she said hoarsely. As she spoke, she had only just straightened up when she swayed and nearly fell.

Yi Yue happened to be walking up beside Consort Wan with a cup of water. She hurriedly reached out with her free hand to support her, and Hua Meng took the cup from her.

"Go help her get Sister Consort Wan over to the side to rest for a while," Hua Meng said to Qiu Die. Once Qiu Die released her supporting hand, Hua Meng put a drop of Spirit Spring into the cup.

Jiang Chan was still taking Shouning's pulse, so Hua Meng stood to one side with the cup and waited.

After Qiu Die and Yi Yue helped Consort Wan to a soft couch at the side to rest, Qiu Die returned and reached for the cup in Hua Meng's hand, only to see Jiang Chan release Shouning's wrist.

"Help Shouning up and let her lean against you."

At Hua Meng's words, Qiu Die had no choice but to turn and help Shouning up.

Shouning was barely conscious. Of the cup of warm water, Hua Meng managed to feed her only a small portion; most of it spilled down the front of her clothes.

"This won't do. She needs a change of clothes." Hua Meng glanced at the front of Shouning's clothes, then turned toward Consort Wan in the outer room, puzzled. "Where are the people who attend Shouning? Have them bring her clothes. We need to change her."

As she spoke, Hua Meng motioned for Qiu Die and Jiang Chan to help Shouning out of her cross-collar jacket.

Just then, Consort Wan's voice came from the outer room, her teeth audibly clenched.

"I had them all locked up."

Hearing that, Hua Meng looked at Qiu Die, who gently shook her head to indicate that she had not yet found out what had happened.

Hua Meng did not press her, because Consort Wan had already sent Yi Yue, who was attending her, to find Shouning's clothes.

While they waited for Yi Yue to find the clothes, Jiang Chan looked at Hua Meng and said, "Your Highness, the commandery princess has had a fright."

The moment Jiang Chan finished, Consort Wan blurted out from the outer room, "Those wretches, and they still claimed it had nothing to do with them!" Immediately afterward, she asked, "Is it serious?"

Hua Meng heard the anxiety in Consort Wan's voice and waved Jiang Chan over. "Go to the outer room and report to Sister Consort Wan."

Jiang Chan also knew how important Commandery Princess Shouning was to Consort Wan. As soon as Hua Meng spoke, she left the inner chamber for the outer room.

Hua Meng listened as Jiang Chan said in the outer room that she had a folk remedy that could bring down Shouning's fever for now, but as for the fright, they would probably have to wait for the imperial physician.

By the time Jiang Chan finished, Yi Yue had found Shouning's clothes.

Hua Meng watched Jiang Chan support Consort Wan back into the inner chamber. She opened her mouth, but in the end did not try to persuade Consort Wan to leave.

Hua Meng had already given Shouning Spirit Spring. Although Shouning had drunk only a little, Hua Meng was no longer worried.

The Empress Dowager was so old, yet last time she had recovered so quickly after drinking a little medicinal decoction containing Spirit Spring. Shouning was so young, so presumably she could recover too.

Hua Meng motioned for Jiang Chan to prepare the folk remedy to bring down Shouning's fever. After Qiu Die and Yi Yue changed Shouning's clothes together, Hua Meng went to Consort Wan's side, and the two supported each other as they moved a little way to the side.

After making sure Consort Wan could see Shouning, Hua Meng asked, "Sister, what you said just now?"

Consort Wan had no intention of hiding it from Hua Meng, but before she could speak, Consort Ying arrived with Hua Ying.

Consort Ying was no outsider either. More importantly, Consort Wan was worried about Shouning, and there were indeed some things she wanted to ask Hua Meng and Consort Ying to help with.

"The wind was strong last night. I woke in the middle of the night and worried about Shouning, so I got up and came to check on her." Consort Wan's voice was soft, but Hua Meng could hear the relief in her tone. "Who would have thought that when I came in, I'd see Shouning's wet nurse sitting by her bed, muttering who knows what? At first I thought Shouning couldn't sleep and she was soothing her, but when I stepped closer, I found her trying to hide in a panic."

By this point, Hua Meng understood.

If Shouning's wet nurse had not tried to hide, Consort Wan might not have grown suspicious, but hide she did.

"The moment I saw her trying to hide, I shouted at her. No sooner had I spoken than I heard Shouning, curled up on the bed, saying something like 'Don't come near me, don't come near me' in fright. Seeing Shouning like that, how could I still have the heart to question her? I had someone lock her up."

Consort Wan did not say what happened afterward, but Hua Meng knew.

"I can't leave Shouning's side, so I'll have to trouble you two sisters to help me question her wet nurse thoroughly."

Originally, Consort Wan had not intended to trouble Hua Meng, but she worried that Consort Ying was too straightforward and, if she truly learned something, might do something without regard for the consequences.

That was why she asked both of them.

Hearing Consort Wan's request, Hua Meng and Consort Ying first exchanged a glance. Then Hua Meng spoke first. "Don't worry, Sister. I know what to do."

That was what she said, but two hours later, after Consort Ying had gotten the full truth out of the wet nurse about what she had wanted to do and what she had done, Hua Meng could not hold back.

"Why keep a person like that alive?" The moment Hua Meng spoke, the other people in the room all jumped.

None of them had expected Hua Meng to say such a thing.

Hua Meng showed no sign of changing her mind under their scrutinizing gazes. She looked at them and said firmly, "What I mean is, this person cannot be allowed to live. She must be severely punished."

Consort Ying, who had originally thought Hua Meng was simply too angry, saw that she not only insisted but also showed a trace of hatred. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Sister, why are you so insistent?"

Hua Meng had no intention of hiding what she thought. When Consort Ying asked, she answered directly, "What happened to Shouning this time may seem simple, but if we don't severely punish the person who harmed her, what if someone else harms her in the future?" As Hua Meng spoke, she thought that if someone treated her own child this way, she certainly would not show mercy.

"It's not as simple as the wet nurse being unwilling to accept things and wanting to control Shouning. Whenever I think that someone might treat my child this way in the future, I want nothing more than to kill her with my own hands."

Hearing Hua Meng say this, Consort Ying immediately abandoned her original plan to let Shouning's wet nurse off lightly. She looked at Hua Meng and said, "I was concerned that you were carrying a child and shouldn't see bloodshed. Now that you feel the same way, I won't hold back."

As soon as Consort Ying finished, Hua Meng looked at her and shook her head. "I was wondering why you, a daughter of a military family, would be so softhearted, Sister. So you were worried about me." Then she added, "You needn't worry about me, Sister. I don't believe in such things."

She was someone living a second life. How could she still believe in such things?