Eunuch Zhang put the elixir into a small cabinet in the outer room.
Before locking the box, he glanced at the bottom one last time.
The pattern is only sealed on one of the wax beads.
If Flower-Between Pavilion intentionally left a mark, it would be too conspicuous.
If someone were to use Flower-Between Pavilion to pass the elixir into the alchemy furnace room, then this path would be extremely complicated.
But he can't ask his benefactor now.
The emperor was in the inner palace.
Noble Consort Chen was also there.
If we act rashly, a single pill could lead to too many deaths.
Eunuch Zhang closed the cabinet door, tied the key back to his waist, and circled the knot with his fingertips.
The following day, at the end of the Yin hour (3-5 AM), the emperor left Hanzhang Hall.
The voice of Noble Consort Chen came from the inner palace.
" Eunuch Zhang."
Eunuch Zhang immediately went inside and stopped outside the screen.
"Your Majesty."
"His Majesty said before he left, 'I am so thoughtful, please leave the rest of the pills for me.'"
There was a moment of silence inside the screen, then someone spoke again.
"Your nose is better than the imperial physician's. What did you smell in that elixir?"
Eunuch Zhang lowered his head.
"This old servant smells sulfur."
"Anything else?"
Eunuch Zhang's Adam's apple bobbed.
Seeing that there were no outsiders in the hall, he pondered for a moment before speaking in a low voice.
"And the sealing wax fragrance of the Flower-Between Pavilion."
Behind the screen, Noble Consort Chen sat on the edge of the couch.
She pulled her fingers out of her sleeve and gently placed them on her knees.
Are you sure?
Eunuch Zhang said:
"This old servant dares not say with absolute certainty."
Noble Consort Chen asked softly:
"Then what percentage would you dare to say?"
"Seventy percent."
That's enough.
Eunuch Zhang did not respond.
Noble Consort Chen asked again:
"Why should Flower-Between Pavilion send elixirs to His Majesty?"
Eunuch Zhang pondered for a moment.
The Empress was unaware of the true mastermind behind the Flower-Between Pavilion.
She knew there was a wire there, but she didn't know who was sitting in that secret room.
There are some things that cannot be said yet.
Once spoken, the resentment of sixteen years could not be contained, and it would only cause the Empress more grief.
"Your Majesty, the Flower-Between Pavilion sells information, not alchemy."
"But one of the wax seals does indeed have a subtle pattern reminiscent of the Flower-Between Pavilion."
Noble Consort Chen looked at the screen.
"Is someone taking advantage of the Flower-Between Pavilion?"
Eunuch Zhang said:
"Possibly."
Noble Consort Chen rose and stepped out from behind the screen.
She wore only an outer garment, and the gentle warmth she had shown when facing the emperor the previous night was gone from her face.
"We must find out who the real owner of the Flower-Between Pavilion is."
Eunuch Zhang bent over.
"This old servant understands."
Noble Consort Chen went to the outer room and opened the cabinet herself.
Eunuch Zhang did not stop him.
The lid was lifted, and the smell of medicine wafted out.
Noble Consort Chen's nostrils twitched, and her brows furrowed.
The taste reminded her of the labor-inducing medicine she had at the temple.
It has a bitter taste and a fishy smell.
The baby in her womb was still moving when she drank it.
She pressed her fingers against the edge of the box.
Liu Ruyan's face appeared in my mind.
Noble Consort Chen closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again.
"Take out the one with the pattern, store it carefully, and send it out."
Eunuch Zhang took out the jade tweezers and placed the pill into the small porcelain bottle.
Where does Your Highness wish to be sent?
"Send it to Prince Yi's Residence."
Eunuch Zhang paused for a moment.
"For Your Highness?"
"For Shen Ling'er."
Eunuch Zhang raised his eyes, then quickly lowered them again.
"Does Your Majesty believe her?"
Noble Consort Chen sealed the porcelain bottle.
"She can tell that I am not suffering from a cold constitution."
Eunuch Zhang said:
"Even the Imperial Medical Bureau could tell."
Noble Consort Chen looked at him.
" The Imperial Medical Bureau can see it, but they dare not tell me the truth."
Eunuch Zhang lowered his head.
"The old slave made a mistake."
Noble Consort Chen handed him the porcelain bottle.
Eunuch Zhang took it, and his palm felt the coolness of the porcelain.
Noble Consort Chen said:
"Just say it's an old medicine from the palace, and ask her to identify it."
Eunuch Zhang nodded.
"This old servant will make the arrangements."
Noble Consort Chen turned around and returned to the table, picking up the unfinished embroidery.
The needle and thread were still stuck on half of the peony.
She picked up the needle.
" Eunuch Zhang."
"This old servant is here."
"His Majesty suddenly mentioned Liu Huaijin last night."
Eunuch Zhang's left hand was loosely clenched.
"Perhaps His Majesty is feeling tipsy and thinking of someone from the past."
Noble Consort Chen administered the needle.
He's not drunk.
Eunuch Zhang remained silent.
Noble Consort Chen continued embroidering.
"But he hasn't mentioned the Liu Clan again all these years."
"Yes."
When was the last time?
Eunuch Zhang blurted it out.
Seven years ago, the Imperial Academy submitted a memorial requesting that the collateral branches of the family implicated in the Grand Tutor's old case be re-registered.
Noble Consort Chen said:
What did His Majesty say at the time?
Eunuch Zhang said:
"His Majesty has granted permission for three families, but not for the Liu family."
Noble Consort Chen stopped inserting the needle.
"After all these years, he's still afraid of the Liu surname."
Eunuch Zhang said:
"Emperors are prone to overthinking, but His Majesty is still benevolent. Otherwise, he wouldn't have spared Liu Ruyan."
Upon hearing this name, Noble Consort Chen gave a bitter smile.
Are you covering for him?
Eunuch Zhang bent over.
"This old servant dares not."
"You dare."
Noble Consort Chen looked at the embroidered cloth.
"You've dared to do a lot of things in these sixteen years."
Eunuch Zhang's back was still hunched.
"This old servant only knows how to serve Your Highness."
Noble Consort Chen did not expose him.
She whispered:
Gu Moli went to the Prince's Mansion.
"This old servant knows."
She saw Liu Ruyan.
Eunuch Zhang's fingers tightened.
Has the princess done anything out of line?
Noble Consort Chen looked at him.
"You care about Liu Ruyan a lot."
Eunuch Zhang immediately lowered his head.
"Miss Liu is His Highness Prince Yi's person, so this old servant naturally cares."
Noble Consort Chen stared at him for a moment.
"Yes, remember to say that to outsiders as well."
She paused, then said:
"The spy reported that Li'er said His Highness was sentimental and couldn't help but look at Liu Ruyan more than once because her features seemed familiar."
Eunuch Zhang's heart sank.
Gu Moli is too smart.
So clever that they can deliver the most hurtful words to the most vulnerable people.
Noble Consort Chen continued:
Liu Ruyan replied that the first thing His Highness gave her was writing brush and ink. She is doing better now than before.
Upon hearing this, the scholarly air that had been suppressed for sixteen years in Eunuch Zhang's eyes almost surfaced.
He bent down even lower.
"Miss Liu is intelligent."
Noble Consort Chen asked:
"Tell me, how much does Ran'er know about these things?"
Eunuch Zhang did not answer immediately.
Gu Moran has changed a lot lately.
The annotations to " The Strategies for Governing the State ", the layout of the poetry gathering, the free clinic tent in the south of the city, and the changes of the six ladies.
After a moment, he said:
"This old servant cannot answer."
"But Your Highness has found the right path."
Noble Consort Chen looked at him.
"That doesn't sound like something a eunuch would say."
Eunuch Zhang lowered his head.
"This old servant has been serving Your Highness for a long time, and occasionally I've picked up a few phrases."
Noble Consort Chen put the needle down.
Zhang Yanchen.
Upon hearing those three words, Eunuch Zhang froze on the spot.
This name hasn't been uttered by anyone for sixteen years.
The image of the Grand Tutor's study flashed through his mind.
Paper and ink, bamboo window.
And there's that sentence on the last page of the author's annotations:
You are destined for great things.
He closed his eyes briefly, then bent over again.
"Your Majesty, Zhang Yanchen is dead."
Noble Consort Chen looked at him.
Who would have thought?
"A man of such talent and bearing, yet willing to become a eunuch out of gratitude."
If he knew this from beyond the grave, he'd probably curse you in your dreams.
Eunuch Zhang lowered his head and replied softly.
"It's been too long; this old servant has forgotten."
Noble Consort Chen picked up the porcelain bottle and placed it in his hand.
"I trust Eunuch Zhang to handle the delivery of the elixirs."
Eunuch Zhang caught it securely.
"This old servant understands."
Noble Consort Chen walked to the window and pushed it open halfway.
The wind carried the scent of damp stones from the palace walls.
She looked towards the direction outside the palace.
"If the elixir truly has a problem, Ran'er gets dragged into it."
Eunuch Zhang said:
"Your Highness is now involved."
Noble Consort Chen closed her eyes.
"I couldn't sleep last night."
"Why, despite all that we did back then, could we still not save the Liu Clan?"
Eunuch Zhang looked up at her back, then lowered his head again.
"But Her Majesty saved His Highness."
Noble Consort Chen remained silent for a long time.
When she spoke again, her tone was much softer.
Time is running out.
Eunuch Zhang clenched his left hand into a fist.
He suddenly wondered whether it was right or wrong to have kept the truth from the Imperial Concubine all along.
But time is indeed running out.
Some risks must be taken.
"Your Highness, you should let His Highness know first that the elixir is poisonous."
He paused.
"This old servant suddenly remembered... I've smelled something similar to this elixir before."
Noble Consort Chen turned her head.
When? Where did you smell it?
" Flower-Between Pavilion "
Noble Consort Chen looked at him.
"It's Flower-Between Pavilion again. Why don't I know about it?"
Eunuch Zhang did not answer.
The wick burned out and made a snapping sound.
Noble Consort Chen stared at him for a long time.
"You're hiding something from me."
Eunuch Zhang bent over.
"The old slave is guilty."
Noble Consort Chen took half a step closer.
"For so many years, you have been utterly loyal to me, never hiding anything."
She lowered her voice.
"Could it be related to Liu Huaijin?"