Chapter 70 - Second Visit to the Imperial Palace
Chapter 70 Second Visit to the Imperial Palace
After returning to Su Mansion, Su Muge went straight to Peachblossom Courtyard.
On entering the yard, she heard gentle chuckles from Zhao.
Slightly frowned, Su Muge looked at Yueru and stepped into the room.
When they arrived at the door, they ran into Meihua coming out with cold tea, who was taken aback at the sight of Su Muge and Yueru.
“Eldest Miss, I’m sorry! You must be frightened by me.” Meihua instantly apologized.
Su Muge found her quite normal, without even the slightest trace of anxiety. “You told Yueru that my mother felt uncomfortable. What’s the matter?”
Hearing that, Meihua felt a little ashamed.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have sent the message before figuring out the actual situation. Please forgive me, eldest Miss.”
Thinking of Meihua’s expression at the time, Yueru knew that she had been serious with the message, so she asked, “What’s going on?”
Meihua recalled the situation at the time.
At that time, Zhao was with Su Wenmo as usual, while Meihua was sitting beside and making some small clothes, shoes, and socks for Su Wenmo.
Somehow, Zhao suddenly covered her chest with a painful look.
Seeing this, Meihua was scared, so she rushed out to ask someone to find a doctor, and then told Yueru about the situation. When she returned to Zhao’s room, Zhao had already recovered, resting on the edge of the bed as usual.
“Later, Madam also invited the doctor to see the eldest Madam. The doctor said our Madam might be too tired of looking after the young master and she had no serious health problem.”
Having heard her words, Su Muge nodded and walked into the room.
She would take Zhao’s pulse every five days to ensure her health. The last time she checked her up was three days ago and she didn’t notice anything unusual; instead, Zhao had been much better than before.
Sitting in the room, Zhao had heard the movement outside but couldn’t hear exactly what they said clearly.
“You’re back. Is Madam General feeling better?”
As usual, Su Muge sat down beside Zhao and replied smilingly, “She’s much better. I heard from sister Meihua that you did not feel well. Let me take your pulse.”
“Don’t worry. I’m fine. I just haven’t slept well recently and suddenly felt tired at that time.”
Looking at Zhao’s face, Su Muge found her eyes dim and melancholy.
“I can only feel relieved after making sure that you are well.”
Zhao obediently reached out her hand to let her take the pulse.
Judging from the pulse, there was no problem. Su Muge asked her some more questions and kept her conditions in mind. Before returning to her room, she asked Meihua to pay closer attention to Zhao’s situation in the future.
After Su Muge left, Zhao sighed slightly at the swaying curtain.
“Why do you sigh again, Madam? It’s not good for your health.” Meihua entered with hot tea and saw the abstracted Zhao sitting at the bedside.
Zhao shook her head and let the nanny carry little Wenmo away.
“For all these years, the only thing I look forward to is that Mumu can marry into a good family in the future. The husband doesn’t need to be rich or noble, but he must be nice to her, and that’s enough.”
“Our Miss has medical skills so excellent that even Madam General came to our mansion for treatment. There’s no need to worry about her marriage in the future.”
A woman with talents was a woman with guilt, which Zhao knew so well.
She just wanted Su Muge to have a simple and happy life in the future, but Su Lun apparently didn’t think the same way.
The next morning.
Right at daybreak, Su Muge was woken up by the sound of footsteps outside.
“Is eldest Miss awake?” Xinche asked, deliberately lowering her voice.
“Not yet. She usually has to sleep for another hour. What’s up?” Yueru said.
“Someone in the front yard just sent a message that Ninth Princess wanted to meet the eldest Miss and asked her to come to the Palace now.”
On hearing that, Su Muge got up, making subtle sound of the bed, so as to show that she was awake.
Hearing the movements, Yueru entered the room with Xinche.
“Miss, you are awake.”
Su Muge stretched, feeling a bit tired at this moment without a sound sleep last night.
“Yeah, I am required to enter the Palace?”
Xinche promptly replied, “Yes, Miss. Madam has invited the messenger into the main hall to wait for you.”
“Yueru, help me wash and dress up.”
“Yes.”
After the incident yesterday, Xia Houxi asked her to enter the Palace today. She wondered if the princess wanted to see her or someone asked her to enter the Palace in the name of the princess. Whatever the situation was, she must figure it out.
After a simple breakfast, Su Muge got onto the carriage headed for the Palace.
It was at the crack of dawn; Su Lun had already left for the morning court, but the streets outside were still quiet with few pedestrians.
The carriage stopped outside the Palace, then a palace maid in a pink palace costume stepped forward and showed Su Muge the way.
“Sister, I wonder what Ninth Princess asked to see me for. I scarcely have the chance to enter the Palace, and I’m afraid that I may offend the Princess. Could you please give me some clues?” While talking, Su Muge stuffed a purse to the guiding maid.
The palace maid knew Su Muge’s identity. Though one of her eyes was covered by hair, her words and deeds were natural and graceful, leaving others a good impression.
“Miss Su had rescued Ninth Princess at the Moon Lake before, so Ninth Princess was grateful and she wanted to thank you in person.”
Su Muge’s eyes pulsed. Such a domineering way to express gratitude.
The palace maid made Su Muge wait outside the Gongyu Palace.
The maid guarding the gate promptly went in to report and soon came back to lead Su Muge in.
Xia Houxi was already waiting in the gazebo.
“Ninth Princess, Miss Su is here.” Xia Houxi had been looking at the marble-paved path, her eyes slightly brightened at the sight of Su Muge.
Su Muge stepped into the gazebo and lowered her head to salute. “Pay my respects to you, Ninth Princess.”
Xia Houxi stood up and helped Su Muge up in person, with a much gentler look.
“Miss Su, there is no need to be so courteous. Bring my Maojian tea here.”
“Yes.”
“Miss Su, please take a seat.”
Su Muge went to the stone bench and sat down. The maid brought in the hot tea and went out of the gazebo.
“Miss Su, thank you so much for saving me on the barge, and I’m sorry for not being able to visit Su Mansion and expressing my gratitude.” Xia Houxi beckoned towards the palace maid behind her, and the maid came over lifting a large box, which was almost half as tall as a person.
“Your Royal Highness, you are being too polite. It’s not a big deal.” She didn’t think too much indeed while saving Xia Houxi.
Looking at her serene face and feeling her sincerity in her words, Xia Houxi liked her even more.
“This is the honorarium for you, Miss Su. Please accept it and I hope you’ll like it.”
The palace maid opened the box which was neatly packed with medical books.
Su Muge was slightly surprised, but deep down she felt very happy.
Few medical books had been circulated in Chu, because most of them were unique copies. After all, they were skills handed down from family ancestors and wouldn’t be easily spread. Xia Houxi’s reward was just right for Su Muge.
“I have been obsessed with medicine since childhood and used to learn from the deputy director of the Imperial Institute of Medicine. But unfortunately, I’m not talented in this area. These medical books have been collected over the years and are extremely precious. I’d like to give them to you today, Miss Su. I hope you can make good use of them.” Xia Houxi looked at the book in the box with some reluctance in her eyes.
“I shouldn’t take your treasure away, Your Royal Highness.”
Xia Houxi shook her head. “They’re useless with me here. Miss Su, please don’t refuse anymore.”
Hearing her words, Su Muge didn’t insist. “Thank you very much, Your Royal Highness.”
“Since you can save me in that situation, I’m willing to send you a house of books.”
“I’m wondering why ninth sister isn’t reading medical books in the room; it turns out that she is with a distinguished guest here.”
On the path, several people were coming towards them.
Su Muge looked back and saw Xia Houyin in an azure-blue robe walked towards them with Xia Hourui in an imperial robe.
The woman holding Xia Hourui arm in arm looked quite similar to Xia Houyin; she was wearing a violet-gold robe with a five-tailed golden phoenix hairpin which was shining brightly in the sunlight, making her well-maintained face more translucent.
She must be the mother of Xia Houyin, Concubine Qin (the Grade-3 Imperial Concubine).
Seeing this, Xia Houxi walked out of the gazebo. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
Looking at the slender figure in front of her, Su Muge raised her eyebrows slightly and followed her behind to salute.
“Pay my respects to Your Majesty, Concubine Qin, and Eighth Princess.”
“Pay my respects to father, eighth sister, and Concubine Qin.”
Xia Hourui came to the two girls and replied in a low and hoarse voice. “Get up.”
Concubine Qin helped Xia Hourui enter the gazebo and sit down.
“Father, I’ve heard of Miss Su’s excellent medical skills, and ninth sister is so obsessed with medicine that she must have asked Miss Su to teach her medicine just now.” Xia Houyin looked at Su Muge with a spurious smile.
Su Muge raised her eyebrows slightly and noticed Xia Houyin’s hinting malice, knowing that she wouldn’t let her go easily.
“Eighth sister is right, but this time I invited Miss Su to the Palace so as to thank her for saving my life on the barge.”
“I also heard that Ninth Princess had a heart attack on the boat and was rescued by Miss Su in time. Miss Su’s medical skills are outstanding indeed; she not only cured the plague in Zhou County but also saved the Princess. Your Majesty, you shall give her a good reward.”
Concubine Qin was always wearing a slight smile on her face, but she couldn’t make unfamiliar people feel friendly because there was always a hint of arrogance in her slightly raised phoenix-look eyes.
With a flickering smile in his turbid eyes, Xia Hourui gazed at Su Muge up and down.
Su Muge slightly clenched her hands in her sleeves. He was indeed the Emperor of a country; only the slightest pressure from him would make people feel uneasy.
But soon, Xia Hourui restrained his imposing manner. “You are right. She deserves to be rewarded.”
Xia Houyin couldn’t bear Xia Hourui’s look of admiration at Su Muge. As a petty official’s daughter with an ignoble mother, she wasn’t even qualified to be her maid!
“Father, since Miss Su’s medicine skills are so good, I wonder if she is even better than the imperial doctors in the Palace? If those doctors over 50 with white beards are actually inferior to an immature girl under 15, it will be really funny and humiliating.”
As soon as Xia Houyin finished, the air in the gazebo was instantly frozen.