Your Majesty is Poisonous – Chapter 112
by Little PandaThe Empress Dowager Refuses
After sending Yao Xi away, Wan Bi ordered the kitchen to prepare food and wine, then sent someone to invite Princess Longyi and Jieyu Lan. Left alone in the hall, she held Yao Xi’s drawing in her hands—it truly grew uglier the more she looked at it!
Annoyed, Wan Bi tossed the drawing aside, out of sight, out of mind.
Suddenly, a palace maid from Ning’an Palace arrived, saying she had something to report.
“Has something happened at Ning’an Palace?” Wan Bi felt a sudden wave of tension. Please don’t tell her that the girl Yao Xi had gone missing again! Yuanqian rarely sent anyone over unless something had happened.
The maid entered the hall, closed the doors, and then spoke. “Reporting to Your Highness, the investigation into how Eunuch Yao entered the palace has yielded results.”
“Hm. What did you find?” Wan Bi’s expression turned serious.
“Your Highness instructed us to start with the eunuch named Liufu from the Directorate of Palace Servants. We discovered that he once had a lover in the West Yard, who died suddenly at the beginning of the year. However, before her death last year, that woman had drunkenly mentioned to others that two days prior to Liufu’s promotion, he had been searching for a young gentleman while holding a portrait. It was actually her idea for Liufu to consult the matchmaker, Pockmarked Granny Liu. The clues went cold after that.”
Wan Bi cast a cold glance at her. “Investigate thoroughly before you report back. Didn’t you say there were results? Is this your idea of a result?”
The maid shook her head and continued, “The day after Eunuch Yao went missing, a man was searching everywhere within the Four Offices and Eight Bureaus1 for the whereabouts of a certain little eunuch. He claimed his younger brother had entered the palace in the autumn of the year before last, and that he was short and sweet-looking. The people from the Bureau of Imperial Gardens thought it sounded like Eunuch Yao, so they sent word to Ning’an Palace. Gugu Yuanqian ordered the man seized and interrogated. He confessed that the person Liufu had purchased through Pockmarked Granny Liu to become a eunuch was indeed his younger brother, Sun Xibao. Just now, when Eunuch Yao went to Ning’an Palace to retrieve some items, Gugu Yuanqian secretly had the man identify him. He confirmed with his own eyes that Eunuch Yao is indeed Sun Xibao.”
“Hah!” Wan Bi didn’t believe it. That man kept insistently claiming Yao Xi was his younger brother? He dared to spout such nonsense when he didn’t even know Yao Xi was a girl.
Since he knew so much inside information, he was clearly an accomplice who helped Liufu lure Yao Xi into the palace. Perhaps he’d heard Yao Xi had won her favor and came to blackmail them for silver using the secret of her identity. “The man is still holding out. If he won’t talk, beat him. Beat him to within an inch of his life. You must question him thoroughly for this bereaved one. Find out when and where he entrapped Yao Xi and forced her into the palace, and whether he knows whose orders Liufu was acting on. Keep the noise down—don’t let Yao Xi find out.”
There were two possibilities for how Yao Xi had entered the palace.
Either it was the work of Tang Huaili’s faction, who had brought her into the palace to protect her from her family’s enemies, or it was Yao Hezheng’s enemies seeking to use Yao Xi’s entry into the palace to harm the Yao family. If she found out who it was, she would certainly thank that person for the twist of fate that allowed her to cross paths with Yao Xi—and then she would slaughter them to avenge her.
“Understood.” The maid withdrew to deliver the instructions back to Ning’an Palace.
Wan Bi had indeed guessed right.
When Sun Ergou sold Yao Xi into the palace back then, he was terrified his creditors would come knocking at any moment. Taking the two hundred taels from Liufu, he and his wife, Liu-shi, fled overnight. Ordinarily, two hundred taels of silver would have been more than enough to buy a house and some land. If the couple had been diligent enough to start a small business, they could have lived quite comfortably.
But Sun Ergou was a compulsive gambler, and Liu-shi was lazy by nature. The mere two hundred taels of silver were squandered in the blink of an eye. Sun Ergou was thoroughly devoid of humanity; once the silver from selling Yao Xi was gone, he went so far as to scheme and sell Liu-shi as well. Flush with silver again, he resumed his gambling, only to lose everything. Left destitute once more, he began plotting other ways to get money. Lazy and untalented, he found himself driven into a corner, which brought to mind his younger sister, Sun Xibao, whom he had sold into the palace to be a eunuch.
He didn’t know whether Xibao was dead or alive after entering the palace, so he intended to try his luck at the various directorates and yamens. He had lied to Eunuch Liu that Xibao was his younger brother. If his sister was still alive and receiving a palace stipend, couldn’t he blackmail her indefinitely using her true identity as a female? In the end, before he could find out anything, he was muddle-headedly seized and bound inside Ning’an Palace.
Not long after the maid left, Wan Bi saw Princess Longyi and Jieyu Lan arrive together. She was somewhat surprised. Qianqing Palace was by no means close to this place. For Jieyu Lan to arrive so quickly, had she been staying inside Longyi Palace all along? They hadn’t even bothered to avoid suspicion in broad daylight.
“Serve the meal!” Wan Bi rose and entered the dining hall, instructing the palace maids waiting by the doors.
Once the evening meal was served, Wan Bi ordered the food-serving maids to withdraw. “No one is permitted to enter without the explicit order of this bereaved one—and that includes Yao Xi!” Turning back to Princess Longyi and Jieyu Lan, she added, “Sit down. We’ll talk as we eat.”
Princess Longyi and Yao Shuanglan didn’t sit. Instead, they walked over to Wan Bi, holding hands, and knelt together before her. They’d already discussed this on the way over; now that the Emperor was no longer a problem, the only remaining worry was the Empress Dowager, who knew their secret.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Wan Bi spared them a cool glance. “Are you trying to beg this bereaved one to hide this from the Emperor?”
“We beg the Empress Dowager to bless us!” Princess Longyi straightened her back and spoke with deep earnestness. “Imperial Brother already intends to strip Shuanglan of her title as Jieyu. Shuanglan’s entry into the palace was a misunderstanding from the very beginning…” Princess Longyi recounted everything that had transpired between her and Yao Shuanglan over the years, then gave the Empress Dowager a heavy kowtow. “We humbly entreat the Empress Dowager to bless us!”
Yao Shuanglan also solemnly kowtowed to the Empress Dowager before tightly grasping Princess Longyi’s hand.
“Mmh.” Wan Bi lowered her gaze to look at their tightly clasped fingers and resolute expressions, then let out a soft laugh. “I didn’t expect a pair of star-crossed lovers. Rise. If this bereaved one had intended to tell the Emperor, would I have waited until now? I didn’t summon you here today for this, but for the case of the Yao family.”
Princess Longyi helped Yao Shuanglan up, and they sat side by side opposite the Empress Dowager.
“This bereaved one has said that I will handle the Yao family’s case, and I can also bless your union. But there’s only one condition—” Wan Bi stared intently at the two sitting closely together. “Never harbor another foolish thought of taking Yao Xi away from my side. This bereaved one will never forgive you a second time!”
“Understood,” Princess Longyi agreed obediently.
Yao Shuanglan also nodded gently. She had just heard from Dali2 how deeply her younger brother had missed the Empress Dowager during his days away from the palace. As his elder sister, she would respect his choice. Besides, since her brother was a eunuch, it was actually very hard for him to ever find someone he loved. It was rare that the Empress Dowager didn’t look down on him, so she ought to be grateful. Even if there came a day when the Empress Dowager grew weary of him, she, as his sister, would always stand behind him to protect him.
A smile appeared on Wan Bi’s face. Indeed, it’s always easier to get things done when you hold leverage over people!
Her tone softened as she addressed Yao Shuanglan. “Very well. Now tell this bereaved one, what’s going on with your father’s case? Have you found any clues?”
“Eunuch Tang has actually already uncovered the full truth of the Shu family massacre, but he’s stymied by a lack of evidence.” Yao Shuanglan intended to tell the Empress Dowager everything she knew without reservation. “Years ago, the reason my father was convicted was entirely due to the testimony of the surviving third son of the Shu family, Shu Yongfang. Yet Shu Yongfang was observed entering and exiting the private residence of Director Meng Delai of the Eastern Depot. Eunuch Meng also harbored an old grudge against my father.”
“Are you sure the mastermind is Meng Delai?” Wan Bi raised an eyebrow. “If you’re sure, this bereaved one will take action.”
“It’s merely a deduction. All of the Shu family’s wealth was used to frame my father. Why Shu Yongfang would kill his own family is still unknown, but he would definitely need money to live on. However, the evidence of Eunuch Meng paying him off has yet to be found,” Yao Shuanglan replied truthfully.
Wan Bi slowly tapped her fingers on the table. “The third son of the Shu family might not even be alive anymore. For him to be ruthless enough to kill his entire family, there must have been some hidden personal grudge. However, none of that really has anything to do with us. Often, the truth itself isn’t that important, as long as we achieve our goal. As for whether Meng Delai was the one who framed your Yao family, this bereaved one will order an investigation. Since he’s the Emperor’s trusted confidant, this bereaved one won’t falsely accuse him.”
Even if she falsely accused him, it didn’t matter. Meng Delai wasn’t a good person anyway, and she held plenty of the Eastern Depot’s dirty laundry in her hands. If it really was Meng Delai who had ruined the Yao family, that ledger of hers would be enough to sentence him to death eight times over.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Yao Shuanglan said with deep gratitude. She understood the implicit meaning behind the Empress Dowager’s words. Whether the truth of that old case was revealed didn’t matter to Her Highness; what mattered was Her Highness’s resolve to clear the name of the Yao family, even if the methods used weren’t entirely honorable.
“Why offer thanks? That child Yao Xi is with this bereaved one, and you and Longyi… In the end, we’re all one family.” Wan Bi personally poured wine for them and raised her cup. “Let’s drink to wash away our past grievances!”
Princess Longyi had already sworn off alcohol, but after a moment’s hesitation, seeing that Yao Shuanglan had already drained her cup, she quickly raised hers and drank it in one gulp.
Upon arriving at Ning’an Palace, Yao Xi first delivered the list for retrieving the items to Gugu Yuanqian.
Yuanqian had tea served and asked Yao Xi to sit in the hall for a bit, explaining she had some urgent business to handle first. Yao Xi sat obediently in the side hall, utterly oblivious to a pair of eyes that would have disgusted her watching her from the shadows.
When Yuanqian emerged once more, the look she cast toward Yao Xi was filled with a bit more doubt. Jieyu Lan claimed Yao Xi was Yao Xian, yet that ruffian Sun Ergou insisted she was Sun Xibao. Logically, Jieyu Lan’s words should have been far more credible. However, everything Sun Ergou had confessed perfectly aligned with what her investigators had found outside the palace—the details about Liufu, Pockmarked Granny Liu, and the like.
True or false, the Empress Dowager would decide for herself. She only needed to report everything she’d found out truthfully. Yuanqian smiled as she took the list from Yao Xi’s hands. “Your sudden disappearance worried this gugu to death! Thank goodness you came back safe and sound. What on earth happened?”
Yao Xi offered a polite smile. Not knowing how to answer, she changed the subject. “Her Highness told me to have dinner here at Ning’an Palace before heading back. I see everyone here seems quite busy, so I’m not sure if it’s convenient?”
“It’s just a matter of adding another pair of chopsticks. Why would it be inconvenient?” Yuanqian said with a smile. “It’s not dinner time yet. Sit for a bit while I have someone prepare the things Her Highness wanted.”
“Then can I go wander around the servant quarters first?” Yao Xi rose with a grin. She hadn’t seen Meng Li’an in a while, so she wanted to check on her old friend.
“Sure. I’ll have someone call you when it’s time to eat.” Yuanqian watched Yao Xi head to the servant quarters, then quickly instructed a maid to deliver word to the Empress Dowager. Upon further thought, she was still more inclined to believe Yao Xi was Yao Xian. After all, one could tell at a single glance that Yao Xi and Jieyu Lan belonged to the same family, whereas that Sun Ergou, who had appeared out of nowhere, didn’t look like her brother in the slightest.
Yao Xi skipped toward the servant quarters. By the well, she encountered Meng Li’an, who was drawing water to wash up. His back still looked so weak and frail! “Li’an-di!” Yao Xi suddenly bounded in front of him, laughing heartily. “Did you miss your gege?”
Meng Li’an was startled by Yao Xi’s sudden appearance in the dark, nearly spilling the bucket of water. He didn’t really miss Yao Xi, but he’d been worried to death. When Yao Xi suddenly vanished the other day, the Empress Dowager had searched the entire palace for her. At the time, he’d assumed his godfather, fearing Yao Xi was becoming too favored by the Empress Dowager, had simply and brutally gotten rid of her.
Seeing Yao Xi standing before him alive and well today, he couldn’t help but offer a relieved smile. “Where have you been these past few days?”
Why was everyone so obsessed with where she’d been? Yao Xi had already developed a dread of this question. Since she couldn’t answer, she could only continue to change the subject. “You should eat more! You’re right at the age when you should be growing. Your gege here only failed to grow tall because my family was too poor to put enough food on the table.”
“Eunuch Yao is a busy man; you didn’t come all this way just to see me, did you?” Meng Li’an carried the water toward the servant quarters.
Seeing the poor boy so thin and scrawny, Yao Xi wanted to step forward to lend a hand, but the moment she reached out, she remembered she’d burned her hands. Following behind Meng Li’an, she said, “Her Highness ordered me to come retrieve some items from the storehouses. Gugu Yuanqian went to fetch them, so I slipped away to visit you.”
“Does the Empress Dowager still not let you enter the storehouses?” Meng Li’an asked probingly, casting an anxious sideways glance at Yao Xi. He’d lurked in Ning’an Palace for a long time, but Gugu Yuanqian kept a very strict watch over the underground vault, so he had no chance at all to get his hands on the ledger. Yao Xi, who was deeply favored by the Empress Dowager, might be his only chance…
Yao Xi smiled and shook her head.
“Surely Her Highness doesn’t distrust you? She was so frantic when you went missing.” Meng Li’an laughed as well. “I remember the gugus and maids who serve Her Highness have all been inside the storehouses before.”
Yao Xi hadn’t thought much of it at first, but hearing Meng Li’an say that suddenly made her feel a bit dejected. Does the Empress Dowager really not trust me?
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