The Imperial Physician specialized in medicinal herbs at the Imperial Medical Bureau and was extremely sensitive to various raw material formulations. He took the item, broke off a piece, and held it to his nose to sniff it. Then he tasted a little with the tip of his tongue. Closing his eyes, he mulled over it for a long time before finally coming to a conclusion. "Reporting to Consort Yun... this contains several herbs for calming the mind and aiding sleep..." "And a bit of fragrance has been added to the mixture!" Consort Yun was still somewhat unconvinced. "It’s not poisonous? Are you sure?" The Imperial Physician smiled. "Your Grace, rest assured, it’s just ordinary Dream Sweet Fragrance..." "It’s just that the fragrances have been altered slightly, making it smell more pleasant!" Only then did Consort Yun feel at ease. "Cai Die, please see the Imperial Physician out." Consort Yun leaned against a large welcoming pillow, deep in thought. Are there really such naive and sincere people in the Harem who truly wish others well? She just didn’t believe it! No matter what, the Imperial Physician had confirmed the item, and it was a good thing. Then... she might as well go and see Noble Concubine Shih. Her father was still relying on support from the Shih Family. Regardless of who defected, she could not. Just then, Cai Die came in from outside. Consort Yun said, "Noble Concubine Shih has not been sleeping well lately; she needs this more than I do. Let’s go, we’ll bring it over!" "Find a box to pack it well!" Upon arriving at Xifu Palace, Noble Concubine Shih was sleeping, with Ying Yue standing guard beside her. Seeing Consort Yun arrive, Ying Yue hurried forward to pay her respects. "How is Noble Concubine Shih doing?" Consort Yun asked. Ying Yue pursed her lips. "She’s still the same, rarely able to sleep for even a short while." Consort Yun nodded and purposefully went to the outer chamber. "This is Dream Sweet Fragrance, a gift from someone else. They said it was of the finest quality, and I’ve already had the Imperial Physician confirm it." "Lighting it for Noble Concubine Shih might help her sleep better..." "This servant thanks Your Grace on behalf of my mistress!" Consort Yun quickly waved her hand. "It’s nothing... you should return to your duties..." "I won’t stay any longer..." Ying Yue escorted her to the door. "Respectfully seeing Your Grace out..." On the way back, Consort Yun was in a good mood. The palace is perilous; there are some things the Imperial Physician can’t detect. Besides, even if the product itself is non-toxic, who’s to say it won’t become poisonous when used with something else? Latest content publıshed on 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹⟡𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⟡𝙣𝙚𝙩 She couldn’t take that risk! I’ll just... use it to curry favor, killing two birds with one stone. Meanwhile, Ying Yue, after receiving the item, decided to consult an Imperial Physician just to be safe. Only after triple-checking and being certain there were no issues did she dare use it for Noble Concubine Shih. After all, Noble Concubine Shih always had trouble sleeping at night and would wake up crying. There was truly no other way! In the afternoon, just as Xia Ruqing had woken up from her nap, she heard Xiao Xizi come in to report. "My Lady, Hong Yun from Consort Zheng Pin’s household is here..." Hearing this, Xia Ruqing was a bit puzzled. I don’t really have any dealings with her. However, I can’t very well send her away. Hong Yun entered and, without even removing her cloak, came forward to pay her respects. "Greetings, Lady Xia..." Xia Ruqing quickly called for someone to help her up. "Miss Hong Yun, your visits are rare. I trust Consort Zheng Pin has been in good health recently?" Xia Ruqing offered some perfunctory pleasantries. As soon as Hong Yun heard this, she bit her lip and suddenly knelt. "Lady Xia, I’ve come to ask a favor of you today!" "Zi Yue, help her up quickly!" Xia Ruqing urged. "Stand up and speak. If I can help, I will surely do so!" Polite formalities? Who doesn’t know how to offer those?! Hong Yun stood up, head bowed, and recounted what had happened. "Our mistress has caught a chill and isn’t feeling well..." "I went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to request charcoal, and they actually gave us a few kilograms of black charcoal!" "When that black charcoal was burned, the room filled with smoke! Our mistress was choked by the fumes, and her anger worsened her condition!" "I went back to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, hoping to obtain some Silver Thread Charcoal, but they made excuses, claiming that this year’s supply is poor and Silver Thread Charcoal is scarce..." "Lady Xia, I was truly at my wit’s end and couldn’t think of any other solution..." After listening, Xia Ruqing pondered for a moment before turning to Zi Yue. "Go select the best of our charcoal and give it to Consort Zheng Pin to use for now!" Xia Ruqing then said, "If you don’t mind, I have a few kilograms here..." "After all, the Emperor has visited before." "Otherwise, I wouldn’t be qualified to use it!" "Yes!" Hong Yun nodded. Soon, Zi Yue returned with a bamboo basket containing ten kilograms of Silver Thread Charcoal. "When Consort Zheng Pin recovers, I will visit to pay my respects!" "Thank you, Lady Xia!" Hong Yun curtsied and left. Zi Yue saw her to the door and then returned, somewhat perplexed. "My Lady, what was that all about?" Xia Ruqing pondered for a moment and then smiled. "It’s exactly what it seems! Originally, we had no interaction. If you want to build a connection, there’s nothing faster than borrowing and lending. With borrowing and returning, over time, a relationship is formed, isn’t it?" "Consort Zheng Pin must also be feeling restless..." Zi Yue remarked, "Indeed, it’s quite desolate over there! The west side of the Imperial Garden is as if its feng shui has been ruined; in no time at all, it has fallen into decline. If one doesn’t find a way out soon, they might truly be stuck there... Some might even languish there until death!" Zi Yue sighed but said nothing more. Xia Ruqing sipped her tea, thinking, I must have a child before I fall out of favor! With a child, whether a Princess or a Prince, that would be my security! Zi Yue wholeheartedly agreed. In Xihuai Palace, Consort Zheng Pin stared at the Silver Thread Charcoal. She still found it hard to believe she had fallen to such a state. I thought the Emperor would cherish our past affections, but unexpectedly... Hong Yun muttered inwardly, You may have entered the palace early, Your Grace, but you didn’t truly share much past affection with the Emperor, did you...Back then, the Emperor was still the Crown Prince, and the most favored one was Noble Concubine Shih! "Alas... It’s useless to say more!" Consort Zheng Pin then commanded, "In a few days, take the pair of Mutton-fat Jade bracelets from the small storeroom and give them to her!" "Tell her it’s my gift of thanks!" Consort Zheng Pin sighed. Hong Yun acknowledged and then left. The next day, the Empress hosted a banquet in the plum garden. Noble Concubine Shih did not attend. Consort Zheng Pin, still unwell, also did not attend. Consort Yun had no desire to go but dared not refuse. As for the others, they were genuinely delighted. The snowy scenery was beautiful, even though the plum blossoms had yet to bloom. But it was, after all, the first snowfall of the season, and everyone’s spirits were high. To liven things up, the Empress had specifically ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to select a troupe of dancers. With clear songs and beautiful music, their dance was graceful and flowing. It was quite a magnificent spectacle amidst the snow. When news of this reached Zhao Junyao’s ears, he merely frowned but said nothing. The Empress Dowager, however, was furious. "What an Empress!" she fumed. "It hasn’t even been a month since the Little Prince’s premature death!" "And she’s already so eager to celebrate!" Sister Qing quickly stepped forward to console her. "Empress Dowager, why distress yourself with anger?" "The Little Prince wasn’t even formally named, so his passing doesn’t officially count in that regard. Besides, she is the Empress!"