The Changchun Palace team travels back in time to Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace

The accident that happened on Mid-Autumn Festival night remained a taboo topic for everyone in the days that followed.

On the day the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine fell into the water, fortunately the guards on the shore and the eunuchs who were rowing the boat reacted quickly and immediately jumped into the water to rescue them.

However, the lake water was cold in autumn, and the Empress Dowager was quite old, while the Consort was always frail. The cold water caused them to fall ill and remain bedridden, unable to get up.

Hengti was so drunk that she was unconscious. She only learned of the incident the next day and rushed to the Empress Dowager's bedside to attend to her.

The Empress Dowager had regained consciousness, but was still in shock, and kept saying that the Consort had pushed her into the water.

Hengti was greatly alarmed and reported the matter to the Emperor and Empress.

The emperor had already guessed what was going on and was both shocked and furious. Although he had harbored deep resentment towards the Empress Dowager over the years, he had always thought that Lady Gao was being subservient and ingratiating towards him. He never expected that she was using the opportunity of performing to take revenge on the Empress Dowager.

The feeling of losing control over his concubines filled him with anger and a sense of panic. If Lady Gao also harbored resentment because he hadn't stood up for her, wouldn't he be in danger?

Moreover, if such a thing happened in full view of everyone, and it is confirmed that Gao murdered the Empress Dowager, and this is spread, where will the royal family's face be?

The Gao family has caused him a lot of trouble!

Fortunately, the Queen remained calm as always, analyzed the situation methodically, and proposed solutions.

"Your Majesty, I believe that this matter involves the face of the royal family. It is not appropriate to investigate it too deeply based solely on the Empress Dowager's one-sided account. It would be better to treat it as an accident. As for the Empress Dowager, she was frightened and may have been delirious. I am willing to personally attend to her and help her regain her clarity and health."

The Emperor also found this quite reasonable, and sighed, saying, "Then I'll have to trouble the Empress. Those boatmen were negligent, but they rescued people in time, so their merits will atone for their mistakes. They'll be fined a year's salary, and that'll be the end of it. But Lady Gao, I always thought she was charming and adorable, I never imagined she was so cunning..."

Before he could finish speaking, he heard the Empress say, "Your Majesty, since this was just an accident, what could the Consort possibly be thinking? The Consort comes from a prestigious family like the Gao family, whose entire clan has been honored by Your Majesty's elevation to a higher status. Although she was sometimes willful and arrogant in the past, she has gradually learned to be more measured in recent years."

The emperor pinched the bridge of his nose. He still needed Gao Bin for now, so it wasn't really appropriate to do anything to Consort Gao openly.

He said calmly, "Then, Consort, please rest and recuperate in your own palace. Once you are feeling better, we will send you back to Xianfu Palace."

When Rongyin and Yingluo arrived at the Empress Dowager's place, they saw that the Empress Dowager was listless and haggard, leaning against the pillow, being fed medicine by Hengti.

Rongyin told Hengti to go and rest first, and asked the imperial physician and the Empress Dowager how she was doing.

The imperial physician said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager choked on cold water and caught a chill. I'm afraid she will develop a chronic illness. She will often have asthma and cough, and may also experience shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and chest pain. However, with proper care, she can recover gradually."

When the Empress Dowager saw the two women arrive, she felt as if she had seen saviors and exclaimed urgently, "Empress, Consort, Lady Gao is trying to harm me!"

Rongyin said, "Empress Mother, this was just an accident. Why would Consort Gui want to harm you? You were frightened after falling into the water, which caused you to hallucinate."

The Empress Dowager was both shocked and furious: "Empress, you know perfectly well that Lady Gao harbors resentment towards me! She is determined to take revenge! Cough cough cough..." In her agitation, the Empress Dowager coughed before she could finish her sentence.

Yingluo stepped forward to pat the Empress Dowager's back to soothe her, and respectfully said, "Your Majesty once instructed the Empress that if any scandalous things happen in the palace, they must be covered up. How come Your Majesty doesn't remember that?"

The Empress Dowager was speechless for a long time before she said tremblingly, "You did it on purpose, Empress! You have always treated the Emperor as a subject and rarely overstepped the bounds. But at that time, you deliberately held the Emperor's hand and showed your affectionate side, making the Emperor think that you wanted to be alone with him. That's why the Emperor followed Consort Gao's wishes and let me ride on the same boat with Consort Gao!"

Rongyin remained silent, while Yingluo said, "Empress Dowager, Her Majesty the Empress had already advised Consort Gui not to go boating, but she couldn't dissuade the Emperor and Consort Gui, could she? Even if Her Majesty the Empress declined, if Consort Gui insisted, the outcome would not change."

The Empress Dowager burst into a violent cough, and it took her a long time to catch her breath. She then gave a bitter laugh and said, "Good, good! The Empress is indeed intolerant of any nonsense! So, Hengti's quick drunkenness and early departure must have been the Empress's doing!"

Rongyin then spoke up, saying, "Empress Mother, Hengti has been ill before. Adding more worries to her will only do her harm."

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes and said weakly, "Very well, this time I did not heed the Empress's good advice and I have brought this upon myself. I admit defeat. I will spread the word that the Consort's previous words about harming me were all delirious ramblings from her illness. Since the Empress can distinguish right from wrong, I think she will protect Hengti in the future."

Rongyin sighed softly.

After leaving the Empress Dowager's residence, Moxin rushed over and said that Gao Xiyue had woken up and wanted to see the Empress.

Gao Xiyue's previous so-called "recovery" was entirely due to a surge of determination that kept her standing. Now that her revenge was successful, that determination dissipated, and after falling into the water and catching a chill, she quickly withered away. In just two or three days, she seemed to have exhausted all her energy. Her sallow cheeks became thin as skin, covering her cheekbones, and her sunken eye sockets made her eyes appear even larger, yet they were lifeless and dull.

Rongyin felt a pang of sorrow upon seeing this and remained silent for a moment.

When Gao Xiyue saw her arrive, she wanted to get up and bow, but Rongyin quickly said, "Your Highness, please lie down. There's no need for such formalities."

Gao Xiyue remained calm and said, "I invited Your Majesty the Empress here to express my gratitude."

"Mo Xin said that His Majesty and you have already suppressed this matter as an accident. Your Majesty, you protected Princess Rou Shu, but in the end you still granted my request and made arrangements for me. I would feel very happy if I could make the Empress Dowager fall ill, even if she only suffers for a few days as I have suffered."

She took a few breaths and asked again, "Although this matter ended in an accident, I'm afraid His Majesty... will never want to see me again?"

Rongyin said, "If the Imperial Concubine wants to accompany the Emperor, she should wait until she recovers. Don't think about it too much, just focus on getting better."

Gao Xiyue closed her eyes and murmured, "Enough, enough. Your Majesty, did I play the pipa well?"

Rongyin suppressed the bitterness in her heart and nodded with a smile.

The Empress Dowager rested for more than half a month before she was finally able to get up and return to Qingyi Garden.

Gao Xiyue was sent back to Xianfu Palace a month later. The emperor removed her nameplate again, citing her prolonged illness as the reason that she was no longer favored. Although he sent her some precious medicines, he never set foot in Xianfu Palace again.

Anyone with eyes to see could tell that this once-favored imperial concubine had faded into obscurity from that point on.

Consort Gui was already unpopular, and now her downfall was evident. Apart from the Empress visiting her from time to time, only Su Luyun and Chen Wanyin, who used to live with her, would still go to see her.

Fortunately, the emperor still valued face and bestowed some rewards. The empress also sent things over from time to time. Some thoughtful people, like Consort Ling, also sent gifts. Therefore, although the princess was ill and out of favor, life in Xianfu Palace was not too difficult. Even the peacocks' food and water were not lacking. The pair of peacocks had been tormented by Yongcheng a few days ago, and several of their tail feathers had been plucked. Only after Yongcheng left did they start to live a peaceful life again. At this time, everyone in Xianfu Palace was focused on Xiyue. No one teased them or made them spread their tails, so they were more at ease and looked much more glossy.

When Shuangxi quietly came to Xianfu Palace, she saw the pair of healthy peacocks and felt somewhat relieved.

But upon entering the inner hall, seeing Gao Xiyue's sickly and haggard appearance, his heart pounded again.

In fact, Gao Xiyue was ill and couldn't do anything, but she still liked to listen to what was going on at Cuiyun Pavilion.

Shuangxi vividly described how Ruyi was slapped by him every day, how the old nanny disliked her behind her back, and how she openly and secretly caused trouble for her.

"Wang Mama ate the pickled plum blossoms she used to make the 'Dark Fragrance Soup' like candied fruit. When Ulanara asked, she said they were long gone. Wu Mama plucked a lot of flowers from the branches of the two pots of green plum blossoms and made herself a sachet. After she fell asleep, Chen Mama dismantled the evil things she had embroidered and sold the scraps of colored thread and cloth. The ones she worshipped didn't look like proper Buddhist statues; they were probably like her family's, worshipping evil gods. Zhang Mama scraped off all the gold paint from the backs of those statues; the gold dust could be collected and exchanged for some money."

A few of us bribed the imperial kitchen so that our daily rations would include some fresh dishes and some spoiled ones. We specifically gave the spoiled ones to Ulanara. Guess what? She really didn't care and just said, "As long as there's food, that's enough." Little did she know that we servants were enjoying the best meals right next door!

Gao Xiyue hugged the hand warmer and wrapped herself in the fox fur coat, chuckling as she laughed, but then she started coughing.

Mo Xin was so angry that she threw a persimmon from the table at Shuang Xi: "Stupid servant, the master cannot have too much emotional fluctuation right now, lest you make the master laugh!"

Shuangxi caught the persimmon steadily with his hands and put it into his pocket.

Before leaving, Shuangxi hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Your Highness, if you still want to take revenge on the Empress Dowager, this servant can help you again."

After all, in his quest for revenge, he had deliberately worsened Gao Xiyue's condition. Whether out of morality or karma, he owed Gao Xiyue a debt.

Gao Xiyue looked at him for a while, then said, "Let's talk about it later."

One day, the wife of Prince Lü brought Hengxi to the palace and mentioned to the Empress that Yongcheng missed the Consort very much and wanted to ask if Yongcheng could return to the palace to see the Consort.

Rongyin went to inquire, but the emperor was indifferent. Moxin then came to convey Gao Xiyue's message: "The Imperial Concubine said that her illness is serious and she is worried about passing on her illness to the Fourth Prince, so she dares not see him."

In late autumn, the Gao family sent some fur and medicinal herbs to the palace.

At the same time, a message was also delivered.

Ortai's second son, Orshi, had previously lost his wife. Now that the mourning period has ended according to custom, he is free to remarry. Not long ago, he got engaged to Gao Xiyue's half-sister.

Xingxuan lowered her head, not daring to look at Gao Xiyue who was huddled in the thick fur rug, and timidly said, "The old master and young master Gao said that although Consort E is only Lord E Leshun's adopted daughter, she still has a title. If the master is well, shouldn't he visit Consort E more often?"

Gao Xiyue smiled calmly, looked up at the curtain of the pomegranate tree, and said softly, "For a thousand years, the pipa has played in a foreign language, clearly expressing resentment in its melodies."

That day, after taking Consort Gao's pulse, Imperial Physician Zhao summoned the on-duty physicians from the Imperial Hospital and took their pulses as well. The physicians discussed the matter for half a day, and then, with trepidation, Imperial Physician Zhao went to Changchun Palace to report to Rongyin that Gao Xiyue was probably not doing well.

"The Imperial Concubine already suffered from a chronic illness. After her condition improved slightly, she fell into the water, which worsened her condition. Now, judging from her pulse, she seems to be suffering from exhaustion as well. I'm afraid, I'm afraid..."

Physician Zhao did not dare to continue, and knelt down, saying, "Your humble servants have done their utmost to alleviate the Imperial Concubine's pain. Perhaps, with Heaven's mercy, the Imperial Concubine may recover."

Rong Yin remained silent for a long while before finally asking, "How much longer?"

Physician Zhao prostrated himself deeply, not daring to raise his head: "Your humble servants are incompetent. If we use more of the best tonics and medicines to dispel the cold, she can still be kept alive for three or four years. The Imperial Concubine is blessed with great fortune. After these few years, there may be even more good fortune to come. Please put your mind at ease, Your Majesty."

The three thought of how Consort Gao in their previous life died in the tenth year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. When Yuan Yi told them that this was also the time of Consort Gao's death in the main world, their hearts sank.

Rongyin asked, "I naturally trust the Imperial Hospital, but since Physician Xue cured Yonglian before, would it be appropriate to invite Physician Xue here...?"

Physician Zhao said, "Physician Xue's medical skills are superb, and he may indeed be able to bring the dead back to life. However, Your Majesty, Physician Xue is currently far away in Jiangnan and is quite old. He may not be able to withstand the long journey. Even if he can come, it will probably take some time. This distant water cannot quench the immediate thirst. Your Highness, I'm afraid you cannot wait."

Rong Yin said wearily, "Imperial Physician Zhao, please administer the medicine as you see fit. Just tell me what you need."

After Physician Zhao left, Rongyin summoned Qin Li.

"I remember that in previous years, Changchun Palace had a surplus of charcoal and food. This year, let's allocate some more from my own account to Xianfu Palace."

That night, the three entered the conference room.

The director glanced at Rong Yin, ignoring Yuan Yi's attempt to stop her with his eyes, and snatched a pitcher of beer from the god's tentacles, slamming it down in front of her: "Drink up. The beer, made from soul energy, won't harm your body, but it will give you a numbing and pleasurable feeling."

Rongyin took the wine with both hands and sipped it slowly. This wine was different from the wine in the palace; it was bitter and bubbly. The bubbles burst in her mouth, and she couldn't help but frown.

The masked man said, "This kind of wine must be drunk in large gulps."

Rongyin then drank it in large gulps.

The empty glass sat on the table. Having drunk her fill, Rong Yin no longer suppressed her emotions and asked directly, "Why is it that even though the Chosen One has been weakened, some concubines are still not safe?"

The director said, "Because even if this world doesn't have the indescribable, it's still a feudal society with the Qing Dynasty as its background. Ms. Rong, the world of Yanxi is free from the erosion of the indescribable."

Rongyin felt sad as she thought about the people and events of her past life, as well as her own desperate suicide.

Yingluo and Mingyu were also saddened and didn't know how to comfort her, so they could only each hold one of her hands.

The god of masks said, "They are gods who have existed since ancient times, but even they admit that although the feudal era was much better than theirs, it was still an old era that should have perished compared to later eras. In the West, there was a thinker named Voltaire who, like the 'Ivan' in the Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace world, loved Emperor Qianlong and his poetry. He believed that Emperor Qianlong was the best candidate for the enlightened monarchy he admired. But as it turns out, an enlightened ruler is not the decisive factor in whether the world is good or bad, and besides, there isn't even an enlightened ruler in the Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace world."

Yuan Yi explained: "He spoke of joy."

The director comforted her, saying, "From the fragments we captured, Gao Xiyue's original fate was to be neglected by the emperor in terror, learn of the empress's betrayal, and even become a weapon for the chosen one before her death. Now it seems that although she may not be able to escape her inevitable death, she has escaped the manipulation of fate and at least truly lived for herself. Ms. Rong, although you bear the heavy responsibility of saving the beings of the small world, one cannot completely bear the fate of others. Your primary task is to establish a connection between the small world and the Great Dao. The people of the small world will always have their own Rubicon River to cross. Please do not put too much psychological burden on yourselves."

Rongyin wiped away her tears and said, "Thank you all. I will pull myself together."

The director said, “There’s no need to force yourselves. Thanks to your own efforts and the help of external forces, you have already made the emperor wary of you. After this year, the small world will reach a turning point. The next turning point will be around the ninth year of Qianlong’s reign. Historically, Fuheng will enter the Grand Council in the tenth year of Qianlong’s reign, and his power will be further enhanced. Since the emperor will not dare to do anything to you then, you can do as you please.”