Consort of a Thousand Faces

“Replying to the Empress Dowager, Miss He was teaching this servant how to arrange the flower pots. I’m not sure how, but she fell headfirst into the parterre. This servant couldn’t pull her back in time.”

 

Pei Yaran furrowed her eyebrows. “A bunch of nonsense! I have lost track of how many times He Ying has gone to that parterre. Why did she only fall in when you were around?”

 

Su Xi-er revealed an innocent expression. “This servant’s words are true. As for how she fell, you should ask Miss He. This servant doesn’t know.”

 

“You...audacious! You dared to speak to Empress Dowager in such a manner. This Empress Dowager disregarded our former enmity and only punished you to arrange the flower pots. How would I have expected that you have hidden this trick up your sleeve?”

 

Su Xi-er pretended to be even more pitiful. After all, this body is only 15 years old. It’s very normal to reveal a fearful and pitiful expression when I encounter an incident.

 

“Empress Dowager, could Miss He have some kind of illness where she is unable to control herself due to the trembling once it breaks out?”

 

“He Ying is someone this Empress Dowager brought from the Pei Residence, and has followed this Empress Dowager since I was young. Do I need you to tell this Empress Dowager about whether she’s ill? After the imperial physicians come, everything will be understood as soon as the diagnosis is carried out. If you are the one who pushed her, this Empress Dowager will command people to throw you into the parterre!” 

 

Pei Yaran was furious. She’s just a mere palace maid, yet she dared to behave atrociously and willfully in the Compassionate Peace Palace!

 

Pei Yaran immediately ceased speaking to Su Xi-er after her outburst, choosing to watch her with a steely glare instead.

 

The silence in the palace was only broken by Pei Yaran once the imperial physician arrived. “Imperial Physician Zhao, quickly go and take a look at how He Ying is doing. The flower thorns on her face must be immediately removed.”

 

When Imperial Physician Zhao saw that Su Xi-er was also around, the expression in his eyes changed slightly before they returned to normal. He opened the wooden trunk at his side, taking out a pair of small pliers and heating them over the fire before beginning to pull the thorns from He Ying’s face. Only after plucking a few out did he realise that the flower thorns were very long.

 

Imperial Physician Zhao went into full details. “Empress Dowager, the flower thorns are too long. Once all of them have been plucked out and medicine has been applied, it will take at least half a month before she can even fully recover. Even after that, there will be scars remaining unless she uses the imperial household’s exclusive medicinal powder.”

 

It was stipulated on official documents that the imperial household’s exclusive medicinal powder could only be used on those of the imperial family. Of course,  Prince Hao and County Prince Xie were notable exceptions.

 

Although He Ying was the head palace maid serving by the Empress Dowager’s side, her status was still too low to be allowed to use the powder.

 

“Imperial Physician Zhao, take He Ying’s pulse and check whether she has epilepsy. How else would she fall headfirst into the parterre with no rhyme or reason?” Pei Yaran was speaking to Imperial Physician Zhao, but her eyes were glaring at Su Xi-er.

 

Imperial Physician Zhao understood all at once. The Empress Dowager suspects that Miss He was pushed into the parterre by Su Xi-er. If my diagnosis isn’t the same illness, the Empress Dowager will definitely punish Su Xi-er.

 

At this point, Imperial Physician Zhao reminded her, “Empress Dowager, treatment of epilepsy requires a stringent prescription of medicine to prevent breakouts. Miss He has been by your side for so long. Aren’t you able to sense anything at all?”

 

Pei Yaran was now gazing at Su Xi-er mockingly. “This Empress Dowager would have long discovered such an illness if it really existed. Why else would I bring her into the imperial palace? However, someone said that it may be due to epilepsy that He Ying’s body suddenly trembled and fell headfirst into the parterre.”

 

Su Xi-er immediately deferentially corrected, “This servant was only hypothesising. I didn’t say that Miss He definitely has epilepsy.”

 

Pei Yaran shifted her gaze and coldly commanded, “Imperial Physician Zhao, this Empress Dowager is waiting for your diagnosis. Speed up.”

 

Imperial Physician Zhao could only listen to her instructions and gripped He Ying’s wrist.

 

The moment he touched her however, He Ying’s body suddenly twitched. It was only another moment before she began to writhe in place, her lips soundlessly open as she struggled to speak.

 

At this point, a diagnosis isn’t even needed to tell that He Ying’s body is indeed trembling. In addition, the more she wriggles, the more deranged she becomes. 

 

Astonishment was etched across Pei Yaran’s visage. Why is it like this?

Only Su Xi-er understood what was going on. I have sprinkled half of the bag of itching powder on He Ying’s body and it is finally starting to take effect.