c114 (1/2)
Chapter 114: Palace Changes
Qing Feng gave birth to a princess and even though it was not as glorifying as giving birth to a prince, the Empress Dowager and Empress came to congratulate with the concubines. Yan Hong Tian also came over to see her a few times. Perhaps it was because she felt guilty for changing the baby, Qing Feng would pretend to be sleeping most of the times. Yan Hong Tian would not disturb her sleep and left after seeing his daughter.
This morning, when Qing Feng was carrying the baby girl to play on the bed, Yan Hong Tian suddenly came. Not sure if it was that he did not rest well, his expression was not good but he had some joy. He strode to Qing Feng’s bed and sat in front of it and smiled, “Three days ago, your Eldest Sister gave birth to a pair of fraternal twins.”
“Really?” The baby was carried away seven eight days ago. Finally there were news. Qing Feng quickly said, “How is she and the children?”
“Mother and children are safe. Lou Xi Yan gave the children names. The girl is call Lou Chen, the boy is called Lou Xi.”
“Chen, Xi… Really good names.” Qing Feng softly whispered. Xi-er, youthful energy and also full of hope.
Yan Hong Tian’s large hands pat the little girl who was openly staring at him with wide open eyes and asked, “What name do you want to give her?”
Qing Feng looked down at the baby girl in her arms and saw the cinnabar mole that was like a snow plum. When she grow up, she would presumably would be beauty that can enrapture an entire city. She did not know who were the parents of this child that would be able to produce such an alluring girl. They must not be ordinary but Qing Feng had another expectations, “Give her the ‘Ning’ word. Hope that this child’s life would be calm and peaceful.”
“Yan Ning.” Yan Hong Tian nodded his and spoke out, “Granted.”
The little girl suddenly grinned and her two little soft hands were also forcefully thrown apart. Yan Hong Tian and Qing Feng looked at one another and also followed her in laughter, “Seem that she also like it.”
The little girl was very lively as she kept shaking her head, making Qing Feng laugh amusingly, consolidating the regrets that she had of Xi-er not at her side. Qing Feng played with the child as Yan Hong Tian, who was hugging her from behind, did not speak. Qing Feng thought that it was because he did not like to play with kids so she was not bothered but after some time, Qing Feng felt that Yan Hong Tian’s hands that was holding her shoulder tighten so much that it hurts her.
“Sss.” Qing Feng took in a breath of cold air in pain. Yan Hong Tian’s hands that was grabbing her shoulder finally let got but the next moment his entire body totally leaned against her back. Qing Feng place the child forward and thus did not press onto her. Qing Feng frowned as she place the child at the inside of the bed. She was a little frustrated and wanted to tell him off when she turn her head but when she saw his pale face, she was shocked, “What.. Is wrong with you?”
It was currently winter but there was a thin layer of sweat on Yan Hong Tian’s forehead as his face turn pale and his sharp brows tightly twisted together. The usually calm and deep dark eyes seemed to be experience great pain as it was closed and his tall body could not even sit up. This kind of Yan Hong Tian frighten Qing Feng. She place her hands on his shoulder and Qing Feng quickly called, “Ru Yi, Ru Yi!”
Ru Yi heard the sound and rushed in to see the Emperor half leaning against her Ladys.h.i.+p and her Ladys.h.i.+p was shouting in panic, “Quick, quick summon the Imperial Physician!”
“Oh. Yes!” Ru Yi was so scared that she almost tripped over the door ledge. Just now it was good, why was it like this in such a short time. Ru Yi quickly ran to the Medical Court and called Imperial Physician w.a.n.g, Imperial Physician Zheng and Imperial Physician Lin over. When they returned to Qing Feng Hall, the room was packed with people and the Empress Dowager and Empress had arrived.
The child was carried out by the wet nurse and Yan Hong Tian laid on the bed as his face turned green then to ash white. The Empress sat by the bed urging the Imperial Physician. Qing Feng stood at the end of the bed in silence watching the person laying on the bed.
Lou Shu Xin stood in the middle of the room as she walked anxiously, without that usual aloof and arrogant look as she muttered, “Why suddenly fall ill?”
Several physician took the pulse many times but did not utter a single word. Lou Shu Xin could not help but urgently said, “Imperial Physician w.a.n.g, what is the condition the Emperor is suffering from?”
w.a.n.g Zhi Yang kept his head down as he replied, “The Emperor. The Emperor is not ill.”
“Not ill then why is it like this?”
“The Emperor… The Emperor’s body has signs of… A strange poison.” Finis.h.i.+ng, w.a.n.g Zhi Yang also broke into a cold sweat.
“Poison?” Everyone in the room was shocked. Lou Shu Xin have yet to recover to her senses when Xin Yue Ning asked hastily, “What poison is it and is there an antidote?”
“It has been going for some time. Afraid it was due to the consumption of food.”
This was terrible! Lou Shu Xin angrily called, “Someone come and bring in the person in charge of the Emperor’s food to Aijia.”
In a short time the guard brought the Imperial Kitchen steward and Xu Yi to Lou Shu Xin. The eunuch in charge of the Imperial Kitchen kept denying his crimes, saying that the Emperor’s food had been Xu Ji’s responsibility. Lou Shu Xin stared at Xu Ji angrily, “Xu Ji, what did you all give the Emperor to eat?”
Xu Ji quietly look at Qing Feng and hesitantly replied, “This servant… This servant had always prepare the meal per usual but these days, Imperial Concubine Qing gave this servant some medical powder to let this servant put it in the soup that the Emperor drink. This servant really did not think that her Ladys.h.i.+p would harm the Emperor! This servant deserve to die, this servant deserve to die!”
Qing Feng heard the meaning of his words and quickly said, “When did I give you medicine to put in the Emperor’s meals?”
Xu Ji shrank his shoulders as if he was afraid of her, “Your Ladys.h.i.+p said that the last time the physician that healed your face had great skills and gave you some secret medicine to condition one’s health and to let this servant add into the soup for the Emperor to drink.”
“You are slandering venomously!” At this moment, Qing Feng’s entire body was ice cold. She was being framed but unable to dispute at all.
w.a.n.g Zhi Yang walked to Xu Ji and asked, “Where is the powder?”
Xu Ji took a paper bag from his waist and pa.s.sed it with trembling hands over to w.a.n.g Zhi Yang. w.a.n.g Zhi Yang took it over and open to see. It contained white powder and he took it to the other two physician for discussion. After a while w.a.n.g Zhi Yang turn back and spoke to the Empress Dowager, “It is this.”
It was indeed Qing Feng? Lou Shu Xin look at Qing Feng with her cold pair of eyes as Qing Feng’s lips tighten, portraying a stubborn look. At this time Xin Yue Ning suddenly stood up and look at Qing Feng profoundly to say, “Empress Dowager, actually there is a matter that Chenqie did not verified before and thus dare not anyhow say. But seeing the situation now, Chenqie cannot not say it.”
“What?” Lou Shu Xin’s eyes looked at Qing Feng and Xin Yue Ning back and forth several times.
Xin Yue Ning gently raised her hand and a palace maid came in with a small box. Xin Yue Ning opened the box and handed the letter to Lou Shu Xin’s hand. Xin Yue Ning gave an anguished look and said, “These are the secret letters that Chenqie secretly intercepted. Empress Dowager, all these are Hao Yue’s instruction to the Qing sister. They sent the Qing sisters to Qiong Yue not with the heart of surrendering. The Qing sisters seduce the Emperor, Prime Minister Lou and General Su, to shake the foundation of our Qiong Yue.”
Seeing the pieces of letters from Hao Yue and then looking at Yan Hong Tian laying on the bed with a pale face, Lou Shu Xin did not have the mood to read the content of the letters and threw them on Qing Feng’s face as she scolded in anger, “Qing Feng, the Imperial family treated you well and you dare to actually harm the Emperor! You deserve to die a thousand times!”
“I…” The paper landed on her cheek and cause it to hurt. This was obviously Xin Yue Ning’s trap and this time she was unable to break free of it.
“Ke ke.” The person who was laying on the bed suddenly sat up. The Imperial Physician immediately approached to support Yan Hong Tian to sit on the bed. At this moment even though his face was ashen grey, his eyes was much clearer and brighter than before as it locked onto Qing Feng.
Qing Feng did not know if he just heard the words from Xu Ji and Xin Yue Ning as she look into his cold dark eyes. She wanted to explain and was very eagerly explaining, “I did not! You must believe me! I am not a spy and did not let anyone put poison in your food. This so call accusations are forged.”