Your Majesty is Poisonous – Chapter 97
by Little PandaThe Empress Dowager Refuses
Yao Xi struggled, but it was no use. In the blink of an eye, her hands and feet were bound, and she was immediately shoved into the newly arrived palanquin by the jiejies from Princess Longyi’s palace.
“If the Empress Dowager comes to ask, say that this palace did not bring much along during this brief stay, so this palace has personally gone out of the palace to select Dragon Boat Festival gifts1 for her. Also, Eunuch Yao has never been here.” Having finished instructing her own people, Longyi climbed into the palanquin, just a step behind Yao Xi.
Yao Xi was stuffed into the corner of the palanquin, still struggling and squirming with all her might, but the vehicle was already being lifted. Her mouth was gagged so tightly that she could not make a sound, save for some muffled, indistinct whimpers.
“Bear with it for now. Once we are out of the palace, this palace will remove the gag for you.” Seeing Yao Xi’s painful struggle, Longyi felt a twinge of pity. However, worried that removing the gag would prompt Yao Xi to shout for help, she could only steel her heart and let the child suffer for a little while longer.
Hearing the palanquin move toward the palace gates, Yao Xi grew increasingly anxious. Would the Empress Dowager think she had intentionally fled the palace? After all, she had a prior record. Once the Empress Dowager discovered she was gone, would she look for her? Would she hate her? Would she forget her?
She knew Princess Longyi meant well. If she were Yao Xian, leaving the palace as soon as possible would indeed be the most logical and reasonable choice. But she wasn’t! She had only just gathered the courage to confess to the Empress Dowager. To suddenly vanish from the palace at this critical juncture—the Empress Dowager would surely take her confession as a direct provocation!
The Empress Dowager would surely think she only confessed because she was already planning to leave the palace. As for the seduction, it would be seen as a mere attempt to earn that one thousand taels of silver for her departure.
If the Empress Dowager really thought that way, let alone forgiving her, she would probably want to kill her. With her fiery temper, she was hardly someone who could tolerate provocation.
The more Yao Xi thought about it, the more disheartened she became.
This wouldn’t do! In a moment, she had to find a way to beg Princess Longyi to send her back to the palace.
The palanquin came to a halt. Outside, a palace maid presented her token to the guards on duty and said, “The Eldest Princess is leaving the palace on business.” Yao Xi knew they had reached the inner palace gates. She began bashing her head hard against the palanquin, trying to catch the guards’ attention. Even if she failed to resist and was taken away, she might at least leave some clues for the Empress Dowager. Princess Longyi and the Empress Dowager were family, after all; even if the Empress Dowager found out, she would surely not make things difficult for the Princess.
Seeing Yao Xi violently slamming her head and fearing she might hurt herself, Longyi quickly sat beside her and placed her hand behind Yao Xi’s head to cushion the blows.
At this, Yao Xi did not dare bang her head anymore, afraid of hurting Princess Longyi’s hand.
After an unknown stretch of time, the palanquin stopped once more. The maid and the guards outside repeated their previous exchange. Yao Xi knew they had reached the outer palace gates. Once they went out of the outer palace gates, they would no longer be in the palace. She had no token on her; even if the Eldest Princess dumped her nearby, she would have no way of getting back.
Once they were out of the palace, Princess Longyi personally helped Yao Xi out of the palanquin and transferred her into a carriage.
The carriage traveled very fast, speeding in the opposite direction of the palace with the clip-clop of hooves.
Seeing they had left the palace, Longyi finally removed the cloth from Yao Xi’s mouth. She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the drool from the corner of her lips, and noticing her miserable expression, offered gentle comfort. “What is there to be sad about? It is not like you can never return.”
“Your Highness, please send me back, I beg of you,” Yao Xi pleaded, finally able to speak.
“Why don’t you understand what’s important, child?” Longyi grew annoyed at her stubbornness. “Is staying by the Empress Dowager’s side really more important to you than the lives of your parents and sister?”
“Your Highness, you do not understand—I am not Yao Xian!” In her desperation, Yao Xi blurted out the truth. “I am not Noble Lady Lan’s brother!”
Longyi’s expression darkened further. Yao Xian had been so sensible when he was young; how had he become like this after being with Wan Bi for only a few days? He would actually refuse to recognize his own parents and elder sister for Wan Bi’s sake! “If you speak nonsense again, do you believe this palace will gag your mouth once more?”
“It is true!!!” Yao Xi widened her eyes, speaking with absolute sincerity. She wanted to explain everything to Princess Longyi—confess her real identity, guarantee that she would not implicate the Yao family, and then beg the Princess to send her back to the palace. “I really am not Yao Xian!”
Longyi’s face turned purple with rage. If Yao Xi were her own biological brother, she would definitely slap him across the face right now. How could a perfectly fine child be bewitched to this extent by Wan Bi, even refusing to admit who he was? “Yao Xi! Know when to stop! Do not force this palace to teach you a lesson on your sister’s behalf.”
Yao Xi was so anxious she was on the verge of tears. She really was not Yao Xian! “If Your Highness does not believe me, you can look at my neck! I am a woman, not a man. How could a woman be Noble Lady Yao’s brother? Isn’t that right?” Yao Xi tilted her head back, exposing her smooth neck to show Princess Longyi that she did not even have an Adam’s apple.
Longyi glanced at Yao Xi’s neck, her expression like frost. “If a male is castrated at a young age, certain masculine characteristics naturally fail to develop. For instance, having no beard, no Adam’s apple, and a high-pitched voice. You fit all three, but that only proves you were indeed persecuted into becoming a eunuch. If you think you can pose as a woman to deceive this palace, you are far too naive. Let this palace give you one last warning: if you dare to disown your own kin for the sake of the Empress Dowager again, do not even think of returning to the palace in this lifetime!”
Wan Bi’s ability was truly great; any man who appeared by her side would end up utterly bewitched by her, as if they had been put under a curse.
Yao Xi wanted to cry but had no tears. Princess Longyi’s explanation was indeed perfect… It seemed she had to go all out. “If Your Highness still does not believe me, you can perform a body inspection2 on me!” If not for her bound hands and feet, Yao Xi would have stripped on the spot to prove herself.
“Yao Xi!” Longyi’s face flushed red with anger. “How dare you speak such shameless words?” Inspect a man’s body? Yao Xi had indeed been driven mad by that lunatic Wan. All those years of studying the books of sages had been in vain.
“Your Highness! Every word this slave speaks is the absolute truth!” Yao Xi did not know how else to convince her. “If you do not believe me, you can—”
Before Yao Xi could finish, Longyi stepped forward, pinched her chin, and stuffed the cloth right back in. “When your parents return from the Southern Frontier, this palace will certainly have the two elders discipline you thoroughly! Truly, proximity to vermilion makes one red, proximity to ink makes one black3.”
“…” Only absolute despair remained in Yao Xi’s heart.
“Stop!” At Princess Longyi’s command, the carriage ground to a halt.
The palace maid sitting at the front of the carriage lifted the curtain, waiting for the Princess’s instructions.
“This palace must quickly return to the palace after purchasing the gifts here. The two of you shall hire another carriage to escort Eunuch Yao back to the fiefdom, and after that, there is no need for you to return.” Longyi planned to leave Yao Xi here. If Wan Bi discovered Yao Xi was missing, she would surely send searchers to Longyi’s palace, which was separated from her place by only a stream. Longyi could not stay out of the palace for too long. As for the two maids tasked with escorting Yao Xi to the fiefdom, they were personal attendants she had brought from her private estate. Because their names were not on the official imperial palace registry, the absence of one or two would go entirely unnoticed.
Receiving their orders, the maids helped Yao Xi into a newly hired carriage and headed south, out of the city.
Longyi, meanwhile, led her remaining attendants through the bustling market streets to choose the items she would give to Wan Bi.
Inside the Empress Dowager’s palace, Emperor Ming Cheng called out to the maids waiting outside the hall, “Bring a pot of wine, and have the kitchen prepare a few side dishes.”
Hearing him, Wan Bi realized the Emperor had no intention of leaving; indeed, he seemed to want to settle in for a long talk over wine. Her mind was entirely occupied by Yao Xi. Sitting through tea and small talk with the two of them had already exhausted the last of her patience. She wanted nothing more than to pack Emperor Ming Cheng and Jieyu Lan off so she could resume her unfinished business from just now with Yao Xi. “You two should return. This bereaved one is tired.”
“If the Empress Dowager is tired, all the better. Wine relieves fatigue.” Emperor Ming Cheng knew Wan Bi was trying to dismiss them, but he deliberately played dumb. When she had served tea earlier, the wench Wan Bi had teased him relentlessly. Now that she wanted to rid herself of him and Jieyu Lan just to summon that little eunuch Yao Xi back inside to attend to her, he stubbornly refused to let her.
Coldly eyeing the smirking Emperor Ming Cheng, Wan Bi said, “This bereaved one is sleepy.”
“Sleepy is also perfect. Wine helps one sleep.” Emperor Ming Cheng could not help but chuckle out loud.
Watching Emperor Ming Cheng act mischievously in front of the Empress Dowager, Yao Shuanglan felt they truly resembled a mother and son. She also knew that the Empress Dowager was eager to dismiss them so her didi4 could return to serve. At the thought of how her didi had been coquettishly dressed up earlier, forcing a smile before the Empress Dowager, Yao Shuanglan felt another wave of heartache.
Sending her didi out of the palace was an urgent necessity. She had already begged Longyi to smuggle him out at the first opportunity. Unfortunately, her didi was always inseparable from the Empress Dowager; finding an opportunity was not an easy matter.
Wan Bi felt that child Feng Qian was simply begging for a lesson. Not only had he broken into the hall without manners and terrified her Yao Xi, but now he was playing dumb just to annoy her. “If the Emperor really wants to keep this bereaved one company so much, why don’t I dine at Qianqing Palace every single day from now on? If Your Majesty still feels that is not enough, this bereaved one would not mind staying overnight at Qianqing Palace as well!”
Having spoken, Wan Bi raised an eyebrow confidently at Emperor Ming Cheng. Feng Qian, since you dare to ruin this bereaved one’s good affairs, this bereaved one will ruin yours. Come on! Let’s hurt each other!
Emperor Ming Cheng grew nervous. He knew Wan Bi was entirely capable of carrying out such a threat. Progress between him and Jieyu Lan was already slow; if Wan Bi came to cause trouble at Qianqing Palace every day, he and Jieyu Lan would not even have the chance to share a private, tender word. Moreover, if Wan Bi actually stayed overnight at Qianqing Palace, since they were not biological mother and son, gossip would inevitably fly, no matter how innocent they were. That crazy wench Wan Bi did not care about her reputation, but he certainly cared about his.
“Please rest, Empress Dowager! We and Jieyu Lan shall not disturb you further.” As usual, Emperor Ming Cheng backed down.
The moment Emperor Ming Cheng and Jieyu Lan left, Wan Bi instructed the maids waiting outside the hall, “Summon Yao Xi inside!” The transaction of money and beauty between her and Yao Xi was not yet complete. Wan Bi pulled a thousand-tael silver note out of her box, a sweet smile gracing her lips.
The maid, having seen Yao Xi head toward the stream earlier, replied, “Eunuch Yao went out. Please wait a moment, Your Highness. This slave-girl will have someone look for him immediately.”
“She did not say where she was going?” Wan Bi’s tone was indifferent, and she did not pay it much mind.
“Perhaps Eunuch Yao went to Princess Longyi’s palace again,” the maid said. Everyone knew that Eunuch Yao, with or without reason, frequently ran over to Princess Longyi’s place.
Wan Bi felt a touch of displeasure. She had explicitly warned Yao Xi not to run around without her decree, not even to Longyi’s place. “She truly cannot stay still for even a moment. Send someone to call her back.” The wench was so wild she did not even know to return home. It had been so long and she still had not returned; she must have started drinking with that drunkard Longyi again.
Still, wine could stir the senses, so a little drink was not a bad thing. Wan Bi could not help but recall Yao Xi’s enticing, slightly tipsy appearance after drinking. Thinking of what she was about to do to Yao Xi, she felt both anticipation and nervousness. She had secretly read many erotic books and spring paintings5 behind Yao Xi’s back, and she had envisioned countless scenarios of them together in her mind. But reading and imagining were one thing; actually doing it was entirely different.
The two maids who had gone to search for Yao Xi near the stream heard from Princess Longyi’s palace attendants that Yao Xi had never been there. They discussed the matter between themselves. “You go check Ning’an Palace, and I will go back to report to Her Highness the Empress Dowager.”
Standing outside the hall doors, the maid reported, “Your Highness, the Princess’s side says Eunuch Yao never went there.”
Hearing that Yao Xi was not at Longyi Palace, Wan Bi’s anger intensified. But beneath the anger was a faint, creeping worry. Yao Xi did love to run off on her own, but in the past, except for Longyi’s place, she would always let someone in the palace know if she were going anywhere slightly further away—such as returning to the Bureau of Imperial Gardens.
The incident in Lady Lin’s palace had been a deliberate frame-up by that eunuch Liufu from the Directorate of Palace Servants. Yao Xi was bound to be safe while by her side, but leaving her side was a different story. “Send people to inquire at the Bureau of Imperial Gardens, Ning’an Palace, and Zhongling Palace. If she still cannot be found, transmit this bereaved one’s decree—search the entire palace!”
Wan Bi did not eat lunch; she had no appetite.
The water clock dripped steadily as report after report trickled in.
“Replying to Your Highness, we searched the Bureau of Imperial Gardens. She is not there.”
“Replying to Your Highness, Gugu Yuanqian says Eunuch Yao never returned to Ning’an Palace after collecting the festival gifts.”
“Replying to Your Highness, the maid named Hanqiu from Zhongling Palace says she has not seen Eunuch Yao for some days.”
Dusk fell, and in the blink of an eye, the sun sank below the city walls. The palace lamps were lit. Wan Bi sat in the Main Hall in total silence, clutching the thousand-tael silver note tightly in her hand.
“Your Highness… please eat at least a little?” Having heard of Yao Xi’s disappearance, Yuanqian had laid down her duties at Ning’an Palace and rushed back. Learning that Her Highness the Empress Dowager had only eaten a bit of breakfast the entire day, she ordered the small kitchen to stew some vegetable porridge with meat broth. She now held the bowl, intending to feed the Empress Dowager herself.
Wan Bi shook her head; she had no appetite. She had already issued a decree to search the palace, yet there was still no trace of Yao Xi.
If Yao Xi could not be found, there were only two possibilities.
Either she had been murdered and her corpse destroyed to erase all trace, or she had left the palace and fled far away.
Wan Bi would rather it be the second. Had Yao Xi vanished yesterday, she would have believed the second option more easily. Although she would be heartbroken that Yao Xi still harbored thoughts of leaving her, at least the girl would be safe. If Yao Xi had run away, Wan Bi could simply capture her back, and slowly dispel Yao Xi’s anxiety as they spent time together.
But Yao Xi had only just confessed everything to her today. How could someone who was set on fleeing the palace do something so redundant and risk death to confess everything to her? Yao Xi could not have left voluntarily. Either she had met with foul play, or someone had sent her away.
Sent away by someone…
Wan Bi could not help but think of Jieyu Lan, who had visited around noon. After serving tea, Jieyu Lan had talked about this and that for a long time. At the time, Wan Bi thought she was merely trying to curry favor, but in hindsight, it looked like a suspicion of stalling for time. For the sake of the Yao family and Yao Xi’s safety, smuggling her out of the palace would be understandable. After all, Yao Xi’s crime was a capital offense that could implicate her entire family. She could afford not to care, but it was hard for Jieyu Lan not to worry.
“Prepare the palanquin for Qianqing Palace!” Wan Bi rose and said to Yuanqian. She was uncertain whether Yao Xi had met with disaster or had been sent out of the palace, so she did not dare delay. If she was sent out of the palace by Jieyu Lan, that would be well and good; if not, then it was terrible.
Arriving at Qianqing Palace, Wan Bi burst inside without waiting to be announced.
Emperor Ming Cheng was sitting opposite Jieyu Lan, talking. Seeing the Empress Dowager arrive, he quickly stood up. “We have already heard about Yao Xi’s disappearance. Rest assured, Empress Dowager, he will surely be fine.” He had never seen Wan Bi care so much about anyone. Although he did not have much liking for Yao Xi, he felt compelled to take the matter to heart for Wan Bi’s sake.
“Your Majesty, please step outside. This bereaved one has questions for Jieyu Lan.” Wan Bi did not waste words. She was frantic over Yao Xi’s safety; if she had not been smuggled out by Jieyu Lan, then she was in grave danger, and Wan Bi had to find another way to save her immediately.
Emperor Ming Cheng wanted to ask what business they could possibly have that he was not allowed to hear. Before he could speak, however, Wan Bi glared at him. Knowing when to back down, he tactfully led his attendants out. He could simply ask Jieyu Lan about it later anyway; Wan Bi was in a towering rage right now, and it was best not to provoke her.
Once the room was cleared and only she and Jieyu Lan remained, Wan Bi spoke to Jieyu Lan, who had just finished her bows. “This bereaved one knows you are Yao Xi’s jiejie.”
Yao Shuanglan was stunned into silence by the Empress Dowager’s words.
“Yao Xi did not tell me; this bereaved one investigated and found out on her own.” Wan Bi stared at Jieyu Lan with complete dominance. “Rest assured, this bereaved one will settle Yao Xi’s crimes and the case of your Yao family. I will also keep your relationship with her a secret. Now! Tell this bereaved one honestly, did you send her out of the palace?”
Yao Shuanglan rapidly considered how to answer the Empress Dowager. When she had learned her didi was missing earlier that afternoon, she had been deeply worried. However, she was not sure whether Longyi had successfully smuggled him out, or if Eunuch Meng of the Eastern Depot had made a move against her didi. She had not yet had the chance to go to Longyi Palace to find out.
“It was not this subject-concubine. Ever since this subject-concubine returned from Your Highness’s side, she has been accompanying the Emperor in Qianqing Palace the entire time,” Yao Shuanglan answered truthfully.
Seeing Jieyu Lan’s hesitation, Wan Bi already had her answer. When she questioned someone, she never cared about the literal response; the words left unspoken were always far more truthful than those spoken aloud. Jieyu Lan only said it wasn’t her, yet she didn’t beg her to quickly find Yao Xi’s whereabouts. Besides, Jieyu Lan was a master after all, and with Tang Huaili assisting her, she would not need to do it herself at all. Her excuse of accompanying the Emperor the entire time sounded more like an excuse that only made her guilt more conspicuous.
Jieyu Lan was hiding something from her!
“If it was not you, then all the better,” Wan Bi said, her words laced with subtext. “Whoever dares to take Yao Xi away from this bereaved one’s side—no matter who they are—this bereaved one will never spare them!” Having delivered her warning, she turned and strode out.
On the way back to her quarters, Wan Bi sat in her palanquin and said to Yuanqian, “Have Ying’er and Fu’er watch Jieyu Lan closely.” Looking at Yuanqian, Wan Bi could not help but think of Tang Huaili. Jieyu Lan had only recently left the Cold Palace and had no trusted confidants among her servants. In the matter of smuggling Yao Xi out of the palace, Tang Huaili had very likely lent a hand. “Gugu had best remind your Tang Huaili that some favors can be helped with, but some must never be touched.”
Yuanqian knew the Empress Dowager suspected Tang Huaili was involved in Yao Xi’s disappearance. She did not dare speak up on his behalf, merely answering obediently.
After bathing, Wan Bi went to sleep without having her evening meal.
She did not sleep in her bedchamber, choosing instead to rest in the warm pavilion. The mattress and pillows still carried Yao Xi’s scent. There were two pillows; Wan Bi lay on one and hugged the other, burying her face into it and inhaling deeply. That familiar and longingly yearned-for scent flooded her nostrils, ultimately drifting into her heart.
Wan Bi curled her body into a tight ball on her side and gently closed her eyes. A stream of tears ran sideways across the bridge of her nose to merge with the other, sliding down her cheek to fall onto the pillow, staining the pomegranate-red brocade pillowcase a deep crimson.
She feared she would never find Yao Xi again, feared that Yao Xi would completely vanish from her life. Her heart ached in waves, as if someone were tugging, twisting, pinching, and stabbing it with a knife.
Night had fallen, but they had still not reached Princess Longyi’s fiefdom, so the maids brought Yao Xi to stay at an inn.
Because Yao Xi had to eat, use the washroom, and sleep, she could not remain bound indefinitely. Thus, the maids untied her and used a pre-prepared iron lock to lock Yao Xi’s foot to the bedpost. “Eunuch Yao, please bear with us. This slave-girl can only obey the Princess’s orders. This chain is long, so you will have no trouble moving about the room.”
“Thank you, jiejie,” Yao Xi said. She shook her stiff, aching arms, her eyes drifting, intentionally or otherwise, to the keys tucked at the maid’s waist.
Footnotes
- Duānwǔ jiélǐ (端午节礼), traditional gifts exchanged between family members and associates to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
- Yànshēn (验身), a physical examination to verify a eunuch's castration status.
- Jìn zhū zhě chì, jìn mò zhě hēi (近朱者赤，近墨者黑), a proverb meaning 'proximity to vermilion makes one red, proximity to ink makes one black.' It is equivalent to 'one takes on the color of one's company.'
- Dìdi (弟弟), younger brother.
- Chūnhuà (春画), literally 'spring paintings,' refers to traditional Chinese explicit erotic art.
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