Husband and wife are one, united in heart and purpose. No one can bear the weight of the sky alone.
Li Fuxiang still didn’t understand this principle.
Gao Yuexing told him to rest properly, but he refused. Even though the emperor had confined him to Qianqing Palace, forbidding him from leaving, he insisted on clinging to Gao Yuexing to keep her with him.
However, Gao Yuexing had her mind set on meeting with Wen Zhaorong. How could she have the patience to humor his antics?
The death of Imperial Physician Chen had plunged the matter concerning Consort Hui into a deadlock.
At least for now, the clues within the palace had come to a standstill.
Gao Yuexing felt it was imperative to meet with Wen Zhaorong.
After much back-and-forth with Li Fuxiang in the warm chamber of Qianqing Palace, she finally waited for Yaonu to apply acupuncture to him. Taking advantage of the moment when Li Fuxiang, his back now resembling a porcupine, was too preoccupied to pay her any attention, Gao Yuexing bolted.
On her way, Gao Yuexing had initially thought it would take some effort to meet with Wen Zhaorong. She had already prepared her excuses in advance, holding a palace peony flower in her hand, spinning it gently. If her memory served her correctly, it seemed that Wen Zhaorong also had one like it.
When she arrived at Mifei Palace, Gao Yuexing approached a young eunuch at the entrance, claiming she had found a beaded flower and asking him to check if it belonged to Wen Zhaorong.
Not daring to neglect Gao Yuexing, the eunuch carefully wrapped the flower in a cloth and went inside to confirm with Wen Zhaorong.
Gao Yuexing waited outside for a while, gazing at the barren branches of the osmanthus tree. It wasn’t long before the eunuch came running back out and said, “Miss Gao, Lady Wen said this isn’t the one she lost, but she appreciates your concern and the trouble you’ve taken to come all this way. She insists you come in for tea and rest before leaving.”
The palace flower was no longer in the eunuch’s hands.
Gao Yuexing immediately understood the hidden meaning behind this.
Wen Zhaorong also wanted to see her.
Inside the main hall of Mifei Palace, Wen Zhaorong examined the palace peony flower in her hand and couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. She truly is a meticulous woman, leaving no trace of suspicion in her words or actions.
Gao Yuexing lowered her head as she followed the eunuch inside.
Wen Zhaorong immediately ordered tea to be served. Her every movement seemed to unconsciously protect her lower abdomen, a reflexive gesture common among pregnant women.
Gao Yuexing began to feel uncertain again.
Wen Zhaorong noticed her gaze and smiled, openly caressing her abdomen as she said, “There isn’t much feeling yet; it must be because it’s still early in the pregnancy.”
Upon hearing this, a sudden flash of insight struck Gao Yuexing, leaving her mind blank for a moment before thoughts slowly began to take shape.
It seemed she had discovered where the problem lay.
Wen Zhaorong’s pulse!
Although the signs of pregnancy were obvious, there was one point of doubt: her pulse. It was insufficient to discern the gestational age of the fetus; even a rough estimation was difficult.
It could only barely suggest an early pregnancy.
So, that night when Imperial Physician Zhou diagnosed Wen Zhaorong’s pulse…
Gao Yuexing had only just scratched the surface of medicine.
But Imperial Physician Zhou was an experienced court physician with decades of practice!
Gao Yuexing could sense the suspicious points only belatedly. How could he not have been suspicious?
But he would never have suspicions again.
The man had already gone mad.
Gao Yuexing suddenly felt that the day Li Fuxiang acted against Imperial Physician Zhou, it might not have been out of mere mischief but rather a calculated scheme.
Wen Zhaorong gave a light cough and said, “Miss Gao, what are you thinking about so deeply?”
Pulled back from her thoughts, Gao Yuexing fixed her intense gaze on her, noticing that there was no one else around in the palace. She spoke vaguely, “That night, Imperial Physician Zhou checked Your Ladyship’s pregnancy pulse. He must have been too excited.”
—So excited that he rushed to report to his master and overlooked certain minor details.
Wen Zhaorong looked at her and shook her head slightly, sighing, “You’re too sharp for your age, too conspicuous.”
Gao Yuexing looked at her, puzzled.
Wen Zhaorong said plainly, “It’s easy to suffer losses.”
Gao Yuexing chuckled. How could she not know that?
If she wanted only to protect herself, it wouldn’t be hard to hide her talents.
But having lived through another life, she sought more than her own safety this time.
Gao Yuexing said, “Your Ladyship’s palace is indeed quiet for a conversation.”
Wen Zhaorong replied, “There aren’t many people in my palace, the vegetation outside is lush, and it’s tucked away in a remote corner. Naturally, it’s quiet. No one usually comes to bother me, so I can say whatever I want and do whatever I please.”
Since they could say whatever they wanted, Gao Yuexing decided not to beat around the bush and laid it out plainly: “Imperial Physician Zhou is useless now.”
Wen Zhaorong showed no pity for him and said, “A pawn of a tiger deserves his fate.”
Gao Yuexing added, “But we can no longer learn about the events of those years from him.”
Wen Zhaorong asked, “Does a truth buried for over a decade really matter that much?”
Gao Yuexing inquired, “What do you mean?”
Wen Zhaorong replied, “What matters most right now is preventing future troubles.” She continued, “Regardless of whether the truth of the past has evidence, as long as she dies, it will be a fair repayment for the deceased. Once she’s sent to the underworld, King Yama will judge her. We only need to send her to hell.”
It was the first time Gao Yuexing had heard such an argument. The more she thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make.
Indeed, women who had seen the world thought differently.
Wen Zhaorong seemed to see through her thoughts and sighed, “Miss Gao, do you know how many people envy you? Your parents are alive, you have no worries about food or clothing, and you are intelligent. You are destined to live a good life for yourself. Don’t follow my example—tossed about half my life, not even master of my own fate.”
People always yearn for what they cannot have.
Gao Yuexing nodded, taking the advice to heart.
Wen Zhaorong added, “Even though you don’t say it, I know you’ve never agreed with His Highness Prince Xiang’s actions that night. You think he was a bit rash.”
Gao Yuexing asked curiously, “I didn’t say anything. How do you know?”
Wen Zhaorong smiled but did not answer directly. When she spoke softly, her words carried a natural rhythm, making them incredibly pleasant to listen to. Her voice alone made people imagine her as a delicate lady nurtured within the depths of a noble household. She said, “Prince Xiang’s actions served two purposes. First, he protected me. With Imperial Physician Zhou having already drawn a conclusion, no one else will harbor suspicions—except for him. Second, he removed one of Consort Hui’s claws. Do you think Consort Hui, who has lived in the palace for decades, had only Imperial Physician Chen as her questionable subordinate?”
Gao Yuexing responded, “Luring the snake out of its hole?”
Wen Zhaorong continued, “Making her walk step by step into our trap, removing her claws one by one—eventually, she’ll grow desperate.”
That’s it.
Gao Yuexing could not forget that there was still a consort in the palace who had always been Complicit with Consort Hui.
But who could it be?
Gao Yuexing didn’t dare linger in Wen Zhaorong’s palace for too long, fearing it might arouse suspicion. After chatting briefly and sitting for a short while, she took her leave. Before leaving, she even swiped a plate of snacks from the plumwood side table.
It was meant to appease Li Fuxiang.
Gao Yuexing timed her return perfectly.
By the time she arrived, Yaonu had just finished removing the needles. Li Fuxiang hadn’t yet had a chance to make a fuss about going out when Gao Yuexing walked in, holding a plate of snacks in her right hand, her steps graceful. She promptly stuffed a piece of cake into Li Fuxiang’s mouth.
Li Fuxiang chewed it up, swallowed, and said, “Not sweet.”
Perhaps Wen Zhaorong wasn’t fond of sweets; the snacks in her palace were all lightly flavored.
Snacks that weren’t sweet held no meaning.
This was a shared understanding between Li Fuxiang and Gao Yuexing.
Gao Yuexing pushed the snacks aside and asked, “Where’s Yagu?”
She suddenly missed the snacks Yagu used to make.
Yagu, who was working on embroidery outside the warm chamber, heard someone calling for her and set down her work to come in.
The osmanthus cakes she had steamed last time were already finished.
There didn’t seem to be any snacks particularly suited to the season lately.
But Yagu had a creative mind; as long as they wanted something, she could always come up with something new.
Seeing the expectant expressions of the two children, Yagu smiled gently and gestured, “A few days ago, the emperor sent you some tea. Since neither of you likes tea, why don’t you let me use it to stir-fry with dried jasmine flowers and make some jasmine-flavored snacks for you to try?”
It was something they hadn’t tried before.
Li Fuxiang immediately brought out all the tea.
Gao Yuexing pulled Yaonu aside and said, “Yaonu Sister, stay and enjoy some snacks with us before you leave.”
Yaonu, not particularly fond of sweets, politely declined. “No need for snacks; just save me a sip of tea.”
Gao Yuexing smiled. “That’s easy.”
She ordered a tea set to be brought and brewed the tea herself.
It was a skill of an aristocratic young lady, elegant and refined, producing tea with a lingering fragrance and a presentation that was visually delightful.
Li Fuxiang couldn’t take his eyes off her hands, his gaze uncontrollably fixed on them.
He leaned against the wall from a distance, watching silently.
Yaonu took it all in and then said, “You must have something you want to ask me.”
Gao Yuexing, her hands working steadily, replied, “I knew I couldn’t hide it from you.”
Yaonu said, “For the sake of the tea, go ahead. What do you need me to do?”
Yesterday, Gao Yuexing had been preoccupied with Li Fuxiang, so the doubts she had held in her heart remained unspoken.
Carefully choosing her words, Gao Yuexing began, “I’ve come across a problem I can’t figure out on my own. Blame it on my inadequate learning during my years in the Medicine Valley. So, I’d like to consult Senior Sister… If a person’s medical records show no issues with the prescribed medicines, but pages are regularly missing in a pattern, and if I were to assume the most malicious intention behind it, what could the reason be?”
Yaonu repeated with some surprise, “Assuming the most malicious intention?”
Gao Yuexing nodded openly. “Yes.”
Yaonu asked, “The rest of the prescriptions are completely fine?”
Gao Yuexing nodded again. “Yes.”
After a moment of thought, Yaonu offered her suggestion. “In that case, consider whether there might be conflicts or contradictions in the interactions between the medicines or with food.”
Gao Yuexing frowned but felt her thoughts suddenly clarified.
Of course—mutual counteraction and incompatibilities in medicine. How had she overlooked this?
Gao Yuexing didn’t have a photographic memory. That night, pressed for time, she had skimmed the records hastily, and what stuck in her mind was limited.
Yaonu said, “I’d need to see the detailed medical records.”
Gao Yuexing immediately turned to Li Fuxiang.
Li Fuxiang had been staring at her hands. Noticing the shift in attention, he slowly moved his gaze upward and asked lazily, “What?”
Gao Yuexing fell silent.
Li Fuxiang added, “I’m locked up and can’t go anywhere. Don’t look at me.”
Gao Yuexing found this exasperating.
Li Fuxiang would undoubtedly be more than willing to use this as an excuse to go out, but his talent for taking advantage of situations seemed innate. He had displayed this trait since childhood, and it had only grown sharper with age, becoming second nature.
For someone like him, indulgence was not an option.
Gao Yuexing retorted, “Where do you think you’re going? Even if you’re willing, I’m not. I’m watching you—you won’t take a single step out of this room.”
Li Fuxiang was speechless.
Gao Yuexing genuinely began contemplating other solutions.
Yaonu curved her lips into a smile, watching their antics with amusement.
The liveliness and energy Gao Yuexing now exuded were traits Yaonu had never seen in her during their time in the Medicine Valley. Back then, the people in the valley spent their days either buried in books or idly sitting in the wilderness with no particular purpose.
Xuancao Hall backed onto the rear mountain.
The mountain was easy to climb, requiring little effort, but it was the most barren piece of land in the Medicine Valley. Sparse vegetation dotted its slopes, but the view from the top was exceptional.
Gao Yuexing enjoyed climbing to the peak during idle afternoons, sitting southward and gazing north.
She wouldn’t descend until the setting sun fully sank below the horizon, the moon rose in the east, and stars began to emit their soft, lustrous glow against the night sky. Only then, wrapped in the cover of night, would she return.
Once, Yaonu asked her, “At such a young age, what exactly occupies your thoughts?”
Gao Yuexing never gave a real answer.
In her heart, she carried a hurdle she couldn’t overcome. She knew that in the winter of her twentieth year, a poisoned arrow would end her life.
Her return to this world was driven by a single purpose: to change that predetermined fate.
From the very beginning, she had been cautious with every step she took.
In this second chance, many things could indeed be changed—so long as she was willing to bear the consequences.
But no one could comfort her in this matter.
Not even Li Fuxiang.
Yaonu considered her words and then said, “It’s not difficult. Later, I’ll bring it up with His Majesty. If we request to borrow some books from the medical archives, we’ll naturally have a way to access them.”
Gao Yuexing’s eyes lit up.
Feasible.
With a legitimate excuse, she could openly enter the medical archives.
Gao Yuexing presented a cup of tea to Yaonu with both hands and said sweetly, “Senior Sister, please enjoy the tea.”
At that moment, she heard Li Fuxiang snort angrily from behind.
Gao Yuexing turned her head and saw him retreating into the canopy of his bed, apparently lying down again.
Yaonu lowered her gaze, paused, and said, “He knows you like this kind of temperament.”
Seeing him act so carefree and mischievous always made Gao Yuexing smile, bringing her a sense of solace deep within.
That was her boyhood companion.
After finishing the tea offered by Gao Yuexing, Yaonu got up and went to see the emperor again. This time, she went alone. The emperor sent a trusted aide to escort her to the medical archives.
The head of the archive respectfully welcomed her inside. Yaonu instructed them to bring over all the medical records related to Li Fuxiang from his years in the palace. Sitting at a table by the window, she quietly read through the documents.
The head of the archive stayed with her for a while, but seeing that she showed no intention of leaving and that the Imperial Medical Bureau had plenty of administrative tasks waiting for him, he had to excuse himself.
Yaonu spent the entire afternoon in the archives.
Meanwhile, in Qianqing Palace, Gao Yuexing passed the time with Li Fuxiang.
Suddenly, Li Fuxiang popped out from behind his canopy and said, “I found out something quite interesting a few days ago. Do you want to hear it?”
Gao Yuexing, who had been practicing calligraphy, put down her brush and asked, “What is it?”
Li Fuxiang gestured for her to come closer.
Puzzled, Gao Yuexing approached, letting him pull the canopy down for privacy. He leaned in and whispered into her ear, “It’s about Lady Meng Zhaoyi.”
The birth mother of Prince Xin.
Gao Yuexing immediately asked, “What about Lady Meng Zhaoyi?”
Li Fuxiang replied, “Lady Meng Zhaoyi was the first woman to give birth to a son for the emperor. Back then, she must have been deeply favored by him. But do you know why the emperor doesn’t bother with her now?”
Gao Yuexing said, “How would I know? Stop beating around the bush and just tell me.”
Li Fuxiang smirked and said, “Because… back then, Lady Meng Zhaoyi got close to the late Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager used her as a pawn. She followed the emperor around every day, urging him to choose more consorts and establish an empress. The emperor scolded her several times, but when she stubbornly refused to change, he gradually stopped wanting her around.”
Gao Yuexing finally learned something fresh and was inwardly amazed. There were such intriguing dramas in the palace?
She opened her mouth, about to say something.
But just then, the tightly drawn canopy was suddenly yanked open.
A burst of light flooded in.
The emperor, dressed in his bright yellow dragon robe, stood outside, his face stern as he glared at Li Fuxiang.
It was over.
No one knew when the emperor had arrived, but it was clear he had already overheard some inappropriate remarks.
Li Fuxiang looked at the emperor and, before he could say another word, his confidence faltered by three degrees. “Uh… Lady Meng Zhaoyi, well, she really didn’t know how to be considerate. How could she act like that?”
The emperor was so furious he almost laughed. Raising his hand, he flicked Li Fuxiang sharply on the forehead. “You’ve been spoiled beyond reason! This is outrageous!”