Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Delicate Palace Maid VS Ruthless Emperor 27
In the days that followed, Su Zhiruan experienced firsthand the virility of the young and powerful Emperor when he indulged in meat.
The Noble Consort seemed to be up to something recently; she hadn’t shown her face or caused any trouble.
Little Shen Xingzhi was gradually growing up, and the Empress Dowager spent her days happily sucking on sweets while playing with her grandson. Shen Qi and Su Zhiruan also took great care in this matter, visiting the child every day.
Besides that, Su Zhiruan’s life was very comfortable, except that she would feel weak in the waist and legs at night and sleep until the sun was high in the sky in the morning.
“Lady… the soup from the small kitchen is ready, you…” A palace maid stood before the Noble Consort, trembling with fear, then slowly placed the food container on the square table in front of the Noble Consort.
“After waiting so long, I’ve finally found the perfect opportunity. Today, I will make my move,” the Noble Consort said as she retrieved a small bottle of medicine that had been hidden at the bottom of a chest and sprinkled some powder into the soup.
The palace maid saw everything, but now, as she was in the same boat as the Noble Consort, she could only practice indifference.
The medicine in the bottle only affected men and was non-toxic; it merely stimulated one’s natural desires and could not be detected with a silver needle.
Today, Su Zhiruan had accompanied the Empress Dowager to pray at the temple, and the Little Crown Prince was taken along by the old nanny to Huguo Temple.
Shen Qi hadn’t gone with them due to flooding disasters in the Jiangnan Region. He stayed behind in the Imperial Palace to discuss important matters with the courtiers.
The Noble Consort had finally found an opportunity and had specially put on cooler clothing. In the current weather, it was no longer suitable to wear thin clothes, but the Noble Consort took out a gossamer robe, translucent and red, which made her complexion appear even more enticing, wearing a cape on the outside, tightly concealing everything so that none could see what was beneath. This teasing glimpse of what might be revealed in the next second was indeed tempting.
“Take the soup bowl, let’s go,” the Noble Consort said as she observed the dimming sky. It was getting much darker, nearing evening, and even the lights in the Imperial Palace were being lit.
The Noble Consort was lifted in her palanquin to the front of the Imperial Study Room, with the palace maid following behind, carefully holding the soup bowl, making sure not to spill any.
Soon, after passing through various palace corridors, they arrived at the Imperial Study Room.
“How is my makeup? Is it smudged?” the Noble Consort asked the palace maid while imperiously poking her sharp nails into the maid’s face and smirked coldly, “You know what will happen if you spread word about this, don’t you?”
“This servant knows, this servant swears loyalty to you, Lady,” the palace maid replied, knowing that the lives of her entire family were in the hands of the Noble Consort. It didn’t matter if she died, but her family of twelve, including her brother’s wife and their newborn baby, couldn’t be harmed. For their sake, she had to endure humiliation and abide by the Noble Consort’s dirty deeds that would lead them to Hell.
“Good to know,” said the Noble Consort as she took the soup bowl from the maid’s hands and approached the doors of the Imperial Study Room. She then saw Little Fuzi and instructed, “Little Fuzi, tell the Emperor that I personally made soup for His Majesty and ask him to let me in.”
Little Fuzi scratched his head, looking a bit troubled as he responded, “Well, Noble Consort, as you also know, the Emperor does not allow anyone else in at this time; he is dealing with official duties!”
A malicious glint flashed in the Noble Consort’s eyes but disappeared instantly. Pretending to speak carelessly, she remarked, “I saw that Noble Consort Yue went in around this time earlier.”
Little Fuzi was even more at a loss. He wanted to say that Noble Consort Yue was not someone you could compare with, but to save face for the Noble Consort, he found another way to put it, “Noble Consort Yue was summoned by His Majesty at that time because there was important business to discuss regarding the Crown Prince.”
“This concubine doesn’t care, send the message,” the Noble Consort, in a fit of anger and rage, strongly desired to smash everything handy to pieces, but what she was holding this time was the soup that might enable her to ascend in position, so she restrained the impulse to throw it directly in Little Fuzi’s face, “If His Majesty refuses to see this concubine today, then this concubine will kneel here and not rise.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she prepared to kneel on the ground.
“This, this… Alas!” Little Fuzi now felt completely befuddled.
The Noble Consort was too troublesome, His Majesty definitely would not want to see her, but the Noble Consort also belonged to the Empress Dowager’s lineage and was the legitimate daughter of a noble family. If seen by others, it would certainly cause a stir.
Upon hearing this, Shen Qi also felt a splitting headache. He deeply loathed the Noble Consort, but had no choice but to keep her. There was nothing wrong with her, and to deal with her rashly would certainly draw criticism from the courtiers. As the aunt of the Noble Consort, the Empress Dowager would also be subject to censure for such undignified behavior.
“Let her in, I want to see what she really intends to do,” Shen Qi deeply furrowed his brow and even stopped writing, placing his brush on the Pencil Holder Mountain.
Upon hearing that Shen Qi allowed her entrance, a satisfied smile spread across the Noble Consort’s face, and then she carried the soup in.
“Your Majesty, you haven’t visited your concubine for a long time,” the Noble Consort said as she entered and gave her respects, then immediately tried to get closer to Shen Qi.
“What have you come for?” Shen Qi showed a look of disgust on his face and deeply furrowed his brow, and when he saw the soup in the Noble Consort’s hand, he said, “Keep it for yourself.”
“Your Majesty, this is a soup that your concubine has personally and painstakingly prepared, full of your concubine’s heart and blood, it’s an expression of your concubine’s love for you!” said the Noble Consort as she opened the lid, took a small bowl from within, and placed it next to Shen Qi, “Your Majesty, please have a taste. Your concubine has been practicing this craft along with Noble Consort Yue.”
Shen Qi did not even need a careful look to know that the color and taste were the creation of the Imperial Kitchen’s chef. Little Fuzi followed routine, tested it with a silver needle, then shook his head and stepped back.
“Leave the soup behind, you go back first, I have things to do,” Shen Qi didn’t want to be in the company of this woman, he didn’t even want to glance at her.
Without showing any trace of it, the Noble Consort glanced at the soup and then came closer with a seductive smile, “Your Majesty, your concubine worries that the moment she leaves, you will pour it away, wasting your concubine’s efforts and Noble Consort Yue’s kindness. Just one sip, and after that your concubine will leave.”
Shen Qi, thoroughly annoyed, thought that since it was made by the Imperial Kitchen’s chef and Little Fuzi had tested it for poison, he might as well take a sip to send the Noble Consort away. He grasped the bowl and drank a mouthful, then put down the bowl, and coldly said, “You can leave now.”
Originally, he had watched the Noble Consort impassively, intending to order the servants to take her away, but when he saw the Noble Consort start to take off her cloak, he immediately felt that something was amiss.
Just as the Noble Consort began taking off her clothes, Shen Qi hastily grabbed a square table that was nearby for placing Su Zhiruan’s refreshments, and hurled it directly towards the Noble Consort.
At that moment, the Noble Consort was utterly frightened!
After being knocked unconscious by the square table, Shen Qi just breathed a sigh of relief when he felt something wrong with his body.
There indeed was a drug in the soup–not poison, but an aphrodisiac!