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

The smallpox epidemic struck fiercely. Out of fear of contracting it, the concubines and palace maids dared not gather together. The small kitchens in each palace stopped cooking, and they dared not eat or drink together or share cups, plates, or bowls. Even the pots that were originally meant for the palace maids to eat in winter were shut down. Every day, only eunuchs and palace maids who had previously had smallpox were sent to the imperial kitchen to deliver the usual dishes.

Although the Empress issued an imperial decree that the Imperial Kitchen should not secretly deduct from the allowances for the extra number of people coming to collect their meals, and that the allowances should be paid in full, this was merely to ensure that the palaces were well-fed.

Most of the dishes prepared in the imperial kitchen were simmered in advance, inevitably overcooked. Furthermore, the imperial harem in this world often suffered from food shortages. This year, due to the rampant epidemic outside, tributes from the imperial estates and local areas were even more scarce, resulting in fewer fresh vegetables and less supply from cave dwellings. The taste of most dishes was mediocre. Some of the favored concubines, or those willing to spend money on food, could manage to bribe the imperial kitchen to send over soups and stews that retained their flavor even after long simmering. Those with limited funds had no choice but to eat the usual dishes. Patients like Consort E, unable to swallow, ate only bland soups and porridges specially prepared by the imperial kitchen, which were utterly tasteless.

During this extraordinary time, most of the concubines didn't care. Even Consort Shen, who was known for her bad temper and difficulty in serving others, only had her head maid, Chun Tao, complain at most, "Why is it that even after spending money, it's still the same old stewed food? Doesn't she get tired of it? Only the two kinds of cakes given to the princess were better!"

The eunuch from the imperial kitchen apologized profusely and pleaded, "There's nothing we can do at this time. We only ask that you say a few good words for Princess Shen!"

Chun Tao didn't argue, picked up the food box and was about to leave when she suddenly saw a young eunuch carrying a small food box passing by.

Chuntao then asked, "This young eunuch isn't one of the servants of the Emperor or the six palaces, is he? Whose food is this?"

The eunuch from the imperial kitchen said, "Who else could it be but that one?"

Chun Tao understood that Xian had openly defied the Empress's decree by trespassing into the palace maids' quarters and sharing a room with a sick palace maid. Now, she had no choice but to temporarily reside in a side hall near the palace maids' quarters.

So she casually asked, "What did you give me?"

Consort Shen and Consort Xian had a long-standing feud, which was common knowledge throughout the palace. A eunuch from the Imperial Kitchen said, "Like other mistresses, they just send whatever they have. I heard that Consort Xian didn't say anything, but her shrewish servant Rong Pei was picky, saying that the dishes sent contained cold foods like radishes and cabbage, which were incompatible with Consort Xian's constitution. She threw a tantrum and made a lot of fuss. If I may be so disrespectful, even Her Majesty the Empress, the head of the six palaces, doesn't put on airs and make things difficult for her."

Upon hearing this, Chun Tao laughed and said, "Father-in-law, Consort Xian may not have said anything, but she's even more formidable than those who did. If you really don't mind, why have Rong Pei step in?"

The imperial kitchen eunuch thought to himself, "Isn't that right? That Consort Xian is just like that, putting on airs but afraid of what people will say. She always lets her subordinates do things for her. More than ten years ago, it was your master who did this." He smiled and lowered his voice, saying, "It's enough for the young lady to know in her heart. Why say it out loud?"

The young eunuch who delivered the food wasn't particularly keen on going either, preferring to dawdle here. He chimed in, "Sister Chuntao, I've heard some funny things. Consort Xian was relatively quiet before, but these past few days, she's suddenly started asking about that little Lingzi, wanting the guards to go back to Cuiyun Pavilion to take a look. Tell me, that little Lingzi is like us, crippled, not crippled. Does he think he'll starve to death? Is Consort Xian really that concerned?"

The imperial kitchen eunuch and Chun Tao each gave him a flick on the forehead: "You ill-mannered idiot, how dare you say such things? If word gets out, do you even want your head anymore!"

The little eunuch covered his head with one hand and begged for mercy, "This servant was wrong, this servant was wrong!"

However, a hint of resentment lingered in her heart. The fact that Consort Xian and Xiao Lingzi had been seen together in public raised suspicions that things might go wrong. Some things had already been whispered about, but no one dared to tell the Emperor and Empress.

That was nothing compared to what the guards protecting Consort Xian said. Before Mo Xin was moved out, she mentioned to the guards that Hai Lan, who was by Consort Xian's side, had the intention to harm the imperial heir. They were afraid that Xiao Lingzi was just a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain. They were all keeping a close watch, afraid that someone would break out.

Everyone in Changchun Palace was extremely cautious. Whenever someone left and then returned, or when someone else entered Changchun Palace, or when something was brought in, they would carefully inspect it and spray the clothes and items with strong liquor and vinegar.

At this moment, Mingyu came over, summoned the eunuch from the imperial kitchen, and announced some news.

The Sixth Prince, Yongcong, developed some rashes.

The imperial kitchen eunuch's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, "It can't be...?"

Mingyu stopped her and said, "I know what you're going to say. The imperial physician has already diagnosed it. It's not pregnancy, it's just a minor ailment called eczema. It's just that this illness is caused by eating too much sweet and fatty food, which has caused some blood heat. For the next few days, the Sixth Prince's diet should be light. You can cook some millet porridge for him."

The imperial kitchen eunuch readily agreed, and then said, "Although there are fewer cave-grown goods now, the pickled cabbage and radishes were stored away a long time ago. They are all good for cooling the blood and taste refreshing. Should I present them to the Sixth Prince as well?"

At noon that day, when the Emperor came to Changchun Palace to visit the Sixth Prince, the Empress had just finished lunch with the Sixth Prince and ordered people to remove the millet porridge, braised pork with pickled cabbage, radish cake, stewed tofu with lily bulbs, and other dishes from the table.

The emperor was puzzled. Although the empress was not someone who was picky about food and did not have a particularly bland palate, how could she be eating these things?

Rongyin asked the wet nurse Chunniang to take Yongcong away and replied, "Yongcong has eczema. The imperial physician instructed that he should eat a light diet, but the child doesn't like to eat. Therefore, I thought that if I eat the same food as him, I might be able to get him to eat more."

The emperor sighed, recalling his childhood spent in the Yuanmingyuan Garden, where he was looked down upon and lacked proper food and clothing, let alone being coaxed into eating like this.

There was once a nanny who would supervise her drinking health-preserving soups, but she saved herself from the death of her stepmother by drinking the mung bean soup that she didn't want.

And her stepmother's cousin, her childhood sweetheart, regardless of the occasion or her wishes, stubbornly shoved a food box in front of her.

So he said, “Yongcong is my legitimate son. I treat him just like I treat Yonglian, and I have countless expectations for him. However, this child seems to be much more mischievous than Yonglian. The Empress should not spoil him too much.”

Rongyin curtsied and said, "Your Majesty's teachings will be obeyed."

Then Rongyin reported on the illnesses of Consort E and the Eighth Prince, saying that fortunately, both of them had mild illnesses and their condition improved after the first few days. However, the imperial physician found that the Eighth Prince's legs and feet were not quite right, possibly due to a high fever or the disease having penetrated to the bone. Although the medicine was administered in time and the pain had subsided, she was afraid that it would cause some difficulty in walking when he grew up. She asked if the Emperor would like to reward him with something as a consolation.

The emperor said indifferently, "A child born to a woman from the northern tribe is inherently incapable of bearing great responsibilities. It's fine if his legs are not good. He is a prince, and even if he is neither good at literature nor martial arts, the palace will not lack him in the future. I don't need to worry about these matters. The empress can handle it."

As he spoke, he had Jinzhong present several portraits: "Your Majesty, the old Prince Yu, knowing that Consort E is ill, sent some portraits of women and submitted a memorial saying that he is willing to personally escort these women to the Qing Dynasty and request that I allow him to see Consort E."

Rongyin couldn't help but say, "The Northern tribes should also know how dangerous smallpox is. Although it's meant to show submission, Consort E is still seriously ill, and her father is already in a hurry to send the new bride over?"

The Emperor said, “They probably know too much. Consort E is suffering from a disfigurement; even if she survives, her appearance will be damaged, and how will she serve me in the future? After Consort E entered the palace, the old prince also sent portraits of women, but I didn’t know the character of these women and didn’t want another Jin clan to emerge, so I mostly bestowed these women upon relatives of the imperial clan. The Empress also knows about this. Now that Consort E is about to lose her position, of course he’s anxious. For a ruler, the state is more important than personal feelings; the long-term stability of the Northern tribes is far more important than a daughter.”

He did not tell the Empress that a secret memorial had been sent from the Northern tribes, reporting that the Crown Prince had "died of illness" and that he had been deposed as Crown Prince, with the young Yu San being made Crown Prince's grandson.

The young and vigorous heir died without any apparent reason. Not only was he not posthumously honored, but his title was also revoked. Most of the Grand Councilors believed that there was something fishy about this matter, and they all said that if the old prince had privately executed the heir without reporting to the court, it would also be a violation of the law and regulations.

The emperor sent Zhao Hui, an old acquaintance of the Northern tribe, to the north to offer condolences and investigate the matter. However, he did not care about the truth: after all, the grandson was young and the old king was old. It was foreseeable that the Northern tribe would inevitably fall into decline and chaos for a long time, unable to take care of itself and certainly unable to cause the same trouble as before.

Since that's the case, the emperor has no reason to dwell on the death of the crown prince, nor should he pressure the northern tribes excessively.

Moreover, there was a woman in the portrait who was quite beautiful, and he thought she was nice too. He had also heard that she came from a scholarly family with strict upbringing, so he figured she must be well-behaved.

Rongyin said, "It is up to His Majesty's decision. However, the smallpox epidemic is currently severe and the palace is in chaos, so we will have to wait a while before discussing entering the palace."

The Emperor said, “The Empress’s consideration is correct. Then I will issue an edict to have the old prince send the person over first. They can stay at the Yuanmingyuan for a period of time, be trained in manners, and then be sent over.”

After finishing this matter, Rongyin continued, "Your Majesty, I have another request. Yongcong has developed a rash, and if we avoid mentioning it, it will inevitably cause people to worry about his illness and make the six palaces uneasy. I urge Your Majesty to inform the six palaces that although Yongcong has some red rashes, it is not a serious symptom, so as to put the hearts of the harem at ease."

The emperor pondered for a moment, then said, "I will handle it myself."

After returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation from Changchun Palace, the Emperor summoned the imperial physician and asked, "What kind of illness is the Sixth Prince suffering from? Is it really just a minor ailment?"

The imperial physician said, "Your Majesty, eczema is a common symptom. It is normal for someone of the Sixth Prince's age to get it. Just apply some ointment and pay attention to his diet. Some children in the countryside don't even need special treatment; the disease will disappear on its own as they grow up. Besides, the Sixth Prince only has a rash and no fever, so there is no need to worry."

The emperor dismissed the imperial physicians, thought for a moment, and instructed Jinzhong: "Spread the news that the Sixth Prince has developed a rash. Do not say it is a skin sore, and no one else is allowed to visit him."

In the side hall, Rong Pei took out a plate of cold, hard steamed buns, roasted deer tendons that were simmered until they were as tough as leather, and greasy pine flower sausages from the food box. She said with a hint of annoyance, "That's all we have. Although smallpox is rampant now and everyone is in danger, it's inevitable that we can't take care of everyone. But I think they did it on purpose."

Ruyi said, "It's fine as long as it's there, just leave it there."

Rong Pei put down the bowl and plate and continued, "My lady, I heard that the Sixth Prince has developed a rash, and the Emperor has forbidden anyone from inquiring about it."

Ruyi frowned: "A rash appearing at this time? Is it smallpox?"

She remembered that Hailan had left the house after her that day, and wondered if she had discussed something with Moxin. So she looked at Hailan and asked, "Hailan, you didn't do this, did you?"

Hailan was kneeling on the ground, enduring the choking smell of charcoal as she poked at the embers in the brazier. Upon hearing this, she was so anxious that she wanted to defend herself, but she couldn't speak. She could only write on the ground with her hands, which were covered in charcoal ash.

"The fact that the Sixth Prince contracted smallpox really has nothing to do with me."

Ruyi said, "I was overthinking it. I was just wondering, Changchun Palace is always very cautious, how could it be the Sixth Prince who contracted smallpox? Is it because the Sixth Prince is young and weak, and this was an accident, or did Moxin find someone else before she was moved out?"

Hailan wiped the writing off the ground and thought to herself, "No matter what, it's the Empress who is reaping what she sowed."

Ruyi said nothing, only remarking, "In any case, the child is innocent," before gazing intently out the window and murmuring, "The eldest son is ill; the Emperor must be frantic with worry. I wonder how the Emperor is doing now, and how Ling Yunche is?"

She thought for a moment and then said, "Rong Pei, didn't you go back to the palace and get fifty taels? Those servants are all used to being slick; they won't do anything without money. Take some money and bribe them; maybe you can get some information out of them."

Rong Pei hesitated for a moment: "This... this servant is incompetent, I really can't find that much silver. I only managed to take out ten taels of silver in total. If I spend it all, life will be even harder in the future. Moreover... some people have been gossiping lately. The guards outside and the eunuchs who bring us food are also whispering among themselves, and they're looking at us differently now. I overheard once that a guard said that you and Xiao Lingzi... he knew you back when you were in the Cold Palace, and he was promoted by you. Now he serves by your side, and even more so..."

Ruyi frowned: "Such rumors are circulating in the palace?"

Rong Pei said, "There are many people in the palace with ulterior motives."

Ruyi said, "Rumors can be more hurtful than knives, but if the Emperor doesn't believe them, the rumors will just blow away like the wind." (Quoted from the original drama)

Hailan became excited, made a few sobbing sounds, and then wrote words on the ground with her hands covered in charcoal ash.

“If His Majesty believes it, it will be more than just a rumor. I have a way to divert the trouble.”

Ruyi glanced at her.

Hailan continued writing: "One rumor can be dispersed and extinguished by another, Ling Yunche and Consort Ling..." (Dialogue quoted from the original drama)

Before she could continue writing, Ruyi looked up at Rongpei in astonishment.

Rong Pei also looked surprised.

Ruyi said, "If that's the case, how are we any different from those with ulterior motives? Let it go." (Dialogue quoted from the original drama)

Seeing that Ruyi remained unmoved, Hailan secretly made up her mind: her mistress could not care, but she could not watch her mistress be mired in rumors.

She tried to get up, but whether it was because she had been kneeling for too long or because her old ailment had flared up, she felt a little dizzy and struggled for a couple of seconds before finally standing up.

The next day, the eunuch who delivered the meal found a purse in the food box. When he opened it, he found ten taels of silver and a note.

The note said that if he spread the word about Ling Yunche and Consort Ling's childhood sweetheart relationship, the ten taels of silver would be his.

The young eunuch thought to himself that even a fool would know what to do, so he presented the purse to the head eunuch without hesitation, and was rewarded with thirty taels of silver for his meritorious report.

That evening, the wind and snow howled. The Emperor, disgusted, told Jinzhong to move the purse, splattered with strong liquor, further away, and said irritably, "That little Lingzi only gave Consort Ling a gift once before, hoping to curry favor with her because they were from the same hometown. With his pathetic appearance, what old feelings could he possibly have for Consort Ling? She's not blind!"

Jinzhong said, "Indeed, when Xiao Lingzi made a mistake, Lingzhu'er did not protect him just because they were from the same hometown. This shows that Lingzhu'er is selfless and has an open mind. Your Majesty, should we investigate this matter of spreading rumors?"

As the emperor was pondering, a young eunuch entered and reported, "Your Majesty, something has happened to Consort Xian!"

The emperor was startled and immediately feigned anxiety: "Speak quickly, what has happened!"

The young eunuch said, "Aunt Rongpei, who was serving Consort Xian, was carrying ten taels of silver for her, but the silver is gone today. Aunt Rongpei suspects that Hailan stole it, but Hailan couldn't defend herself and was dragged to the courtyard to kneel and was tortured. The guards have already reported to Her Majesty the Empress, and Her Majesty the Empress has already gone there."

The emperor, who had been feigning anxiety, was now even less anxious and asked, "Oh? It's good that Ruyi is alright. What kind of torture is being used?"

The young eunuch said, "I heard that the caning is the kind where they take off your shoes and beat the soles of your feet with a stick. When the guard came to report, he said that they had just taken off your shoes and socks and hadn't even started the punishment yet when the Empress arrived. Consort Xian stopped the Empress outside, saying that the Sixth Prince was ill and the Empress shouldn't be concerned about other things. The Empress said that she was abusing her power and dragged Consort Xian and Rong Pei to the corridor to kneel as punishment."

The emperor was disappointed; why did the empress always act so quickly?

He nodded, stood up, and said, "Jinzhong, go tell the Empress that Consort Xian is right. The Sixth Prince is ill, so she should take good care of him. Tell her to go back to Changchun Palace first. I will go there myself."