Chapter 101: The Fairy of Magpie Bridge (IV)
As soon as the military report from Yongzhou was delivered to Yunjing, almost everyone in the court and the country breathed a sigh of relief. Emperor Zhengyuan took charge of the government and ordered all officials to discuss how to resist Danqiu.
Zhou Ting escorted the criminal official Tan Guangwen back to the capital, but before he entered the Night Palace, he was intercepted by people from the Dali Temple and the Court of Justice. Tan Guangwen was taken away in public with the emperor's decree.
"Someone in our Night Division must have leaked the news!" Chao Yisong said angrily, "Otherwise, how would they know that you, sir, are returning to the capital today? I'll go find that person right away!"
"return."
Zhou Ting's face turned pale. He had been seriously injured several times while trying to protect Tan Guangwen's life. "Who are you trying to arrest?"
"I……"
Chao Yisong's back stiffened and he was speechless.
"The Night Watch, it's the government's Night Watch. Who do you want to investigate with so much force?" Zhou Ting's temples were covered with cold sweat. Although his voice was weak, it was still intimidating.
The fact that people from the Court of Justice and the Dali Temple came together showed that there must have been government instructions involved.
Someone in the Night Office leaked the news to the higher-ups, which meant that the emperor was taking the initiative to inquire about the matter. I'm afraid that before they arrived in Beijing, someone had already made suggestions to the emperor.
"This is the envoy's memorial. Send someone to deliver it to the palace immediately."
The emperor had no intention of meeting him, which just showed that he did not trust him enough. Perhaps it was because Chao Yisong's escort of Cao Dong made some people alert. Obviously, they had already regarded Zhou Ting as someone who was in cahoots with Meng Yunxian.
In just five days,
Along with the news that Tan Guangwen killed Miao Tianning, the Miao commander, due to personal vendetta, came the news of Tan Guangwen's death. He wrote a confession in blood in prison and then committed suicide out of fear of punishment.
However, the blood letter did not mention anything about the fact that half of the Yongzhou defenders had supported Jianchi Prefecture, or even that General Yujie Xu Hexue ordered two armies to coordinate and encircle the Hu general Mengtu.
It was winter when Ni Su and Qing Qiong arrived in Beijing. The death of Tan Guangwen caused a lot of controversy, and the name of Miao Tianning was constantly mentioned in the market.
But no one talked about Xu Hexue.
"Miss Ni, I thought that now that the bad guy Tan Guangwen had entered Beijing, we would have hope..." Qingqiong's lips were chapped, and he couldn't even eat the cake that Ni Su bought for him.
Ni Su's hope was also shattered. She said nothing and looked down at the medicine basket on her waist. As long as this ball of bright white light was still by her side, she would feel more at ease.
After returning to Nanhuai Street, before Ni Su even approached the clinic, she saw several people holding ladders and busying themselves in front of her door.
"Miss Ni, why did they take down your plaque?"
The more Qingqiong looked, the more he felt something was wrong.
Ni Su walked over quickly, holding Shuang Ge's hand. "Excuse me, what are you doing?"
"Who are you?"
A middle-aged man who took the plaque looked at her.
"Sister Ni!" Ah Fang, who was in the drugstore opposite, was watching what was going on over there. When she saw the familiar figure, her eyes immediately brightened up and she pushed through the crowd and ran to her, "Sister Ni, you're back!"
"This is the owner of the Ni Family Clinic!"
She did not forget to introduce herself to those people.
"Oh, is this Miss Ni?" The man smiled. "Don't get me wrong, we are not here to smash your sign. We are here to replace it for you!"
"Change the plaque?"
Ni Su didn't understand.
"Yes, Sister Ni!"
Ah Fang held her arm and said excitedly, "I heard that this plaque was inscribed for you by Huang Zongyu, the Minister of the Western Palace!"
"Mr. Huang?"
Ni Su was confused, "Why did he write an inscription for me in exchange for a plaque?"
"We have all heard about what happened in Yongzhou. The governor of Yongzhou, Lord Shen, said in his memorial to the emperor that although you were a woman, you dared to go to the battlefield. Yongzhou City was trapped by the Hu army. You not only treated the women there, but also the soldiers. I heard that the Hu people also used plague cattle to make everyone in the city sick with plague. You also worked with the doctors in Yongzhou to prevent and control the plague..."
The kind-hearted man was strong and muscular, and he could talk endlessly even while holding a plaque.
As he spoke, there were many voices echoing him.
They all looked at Ni Su with smiles or curiosity, but Ni Su felt a little at a loss. She watched them put up the plaque inscribed by Mr. Huang. Next to the powerful calligraphy was Huang Zongyu's private seal as the signature.
And because of Huang Zongyu, Ni Su's clinic, which had never been deserted, was crowded with people as soon as it opened.
Qingqiong didn't know how many times he had asked the male patients who came to join in the fun to leave. Although he was tired, he was sweating and didn't feel so cold anymore.
"Miss Ni, I don't know how many times I have told you that this is a clinic that specializes in treating women, but some people always seem to not listen."
He poured a glass of water and drank it.
Ni Su had just returned, and the dust had not yet been cleaned inside and outside the clinic. She had already spent most of the day in a daze treating the woman who came to seek medical treatment. She was so tired that she lay down in front of the table, staring at the bright light in the medicine basket.
"I have stored a lot of reed dew,"
Qingqiong came over and sat down, "But General Xu has been like this all the time, and he can't drink... Hey, how about this?"
He stood up, talking to himself.
Ni Su raised her head, "What?"
Qingqiong took the water bag and poured the dew inside into the bowl. "Pick it out. It won't let me touch it during this journey."
Ni Su said "hmm" and reached into the medicine basket. The furry ball of light immediately came over and fell obediently into her palm.
Qingqiong supported his chin with both hands and watched her put the Yingguang into the bowl.
Ni Su pushed it down, and it came out again. This went on for a few times, and Qing Qiong couldn't help laughing, "Forget it, Miss Ni, it seems unwilling."
Ni Su looked at it for a while and poked its tail with her finger.
Only when he was seriously injured would he turn into a ball of bright white light. Ni Su didn't know when he would be able to reunite, but she and Qingqiong walked all the way, and whenever they came across a waterside with reeds, they would use a water bag to collect reed dew, just waiting for him to get better.
On the second day after Ni Sucai returned to the capital, she and Qingqiong were tidying up the yard and making room for a horse trough for Shuangge and Qingqiong's chestnut horse when a group of people from the palace came with an imperial edict. In addition to rewarding her with some money, they also ordered her to enter the palace to take the pulse of Imperial Concubine Wu.
The clinic was crowded with people who were watching the fun. The angel who issued the imperial decree looked down at the young woman and said, "Miss Ni, will you come with us?"
Ni Su responded, stood up and told Qing Qiong beside him the imperial edict with both hands, saying, "You don't have to follow me. Shuang Ge and Xiao Zao's mangers are not ready yet. The craftsmen are here. Remember to treat them to tea and cakes."
Xiaozao is the name Qingqiong gave to his horse.
"Miss Ni..." Qingqiong felt a little uneasy.
Ni Su shook her head at him and pointed to her medicine basket. The bright light inside was jumping, and only she and Qingqiong could see it.
Concubine Wu was the daughter of Wu Dai and the elder sister of Wu Jikang.
Ni Su knew very well that the visitor had ill intentions, but the emperor's decree was too important for a commoner like her to refuse.
This was the first time that Ni Su had set foot in such a huge imperial city.
It happened that the officials were leaving court, and she followed the eunuchs outside Yongding Gate, where she saw many officials in various official uniforms walking in groups of three or four. Above the long white jade steps was a majestic palace.
The winter morning fog had not yet dissipated, and the cold air was blowing in her face. Ni Su did not look over there for long. She just called the eunuch in front of her, "This eunuch, may I ask you first, is Concubine Wu feeling unwell?"
As she spoke, she untied the purse around her waist and stuffed it into his hand very naturally.
The eunuch touched his bulging purse and looked at her with raised eyelids.
Ni Su smiled at him and said, "I have never treated a noble in the palace before, so I am a little nervous. I want to ask you first, so that I can have an idea in my mind."
"Don't worry,"
The eunuch stuffed the purse into his sleeve and whispered to her as he walked, "The Imperial Concubine is not feeling unwell, she is just pregnant. I guess we invited you here just to see you and check your pulse."
"Is the Imperial Concubine pregnant?"
"yes."
The eunuch nodded, "Since His Royal Highness Prince An passed away, there has been no movement in the harem. Fortunately, the Imperial Concubine is pregnant now, and the Emperor has a son again."
"Be careful when you see the empress. She is pregnant and her temperament is different from before." The eunuch said it tactfully. For her purse full of money, he showed her some concern.
"Thank you, eunuch. I understand."
Ni Su lowered his head.
The Chaoyun Palace where Concubine Wu lived was shrouded in a thin mist. Ni Su followed several eunuchs and palace maids into the palace. The elegant gauze curtains overlapped layer by layer, and there was a faint aroma of rich incense.
"My lady, Miss Ni is here."
A palace maid reported from outside the gauze curtain.
There was no sound in the hall for a while. Ni Su lowered his eyes and stared at his medicine basket, the bright light floating inside.
About two cups of tea later,
A maid's voice came from the inner hall: "Please come in, Miss Ni."
The palace maids guarding in front of the gauze curtain immediately opened the curtain, and Ni Su walked in. She saw a figure leaning on the bed behind the long light blue curtain.
It was warmer in the inner hall, probably because of the heating.
"I, a commoner, Ni Su, pay my respects to the Imperial Concubine."
Ni Su leaned forward and bowed.
"Miss Ni, please come forward and feel the Empress's pulse." A palace maid raised her hand and motioned for her to sit on the soft stool near the long curtain.
Ni Sudan responded and walked forward to sit down, "Please extend your hand, Madam."
The person behind the curtain might have kept his eyes on her, but Ni Su didn't care. She just lowered her eyes and saw a white, delicate hand painted with bright red nail polish stretched out, so she reached out to feel the pulse.
After a while, Ni Su concluded in his heart that it was indeed a slippery pulse.
"Your Majesty is just a little weak in the spleen and stomach, but I think the palace doctor must have used good medicine for you."
Almost as soon as Ni Su finished speaking and was about to let go, she was suddenly grabbed by the wrist with such force that the bright red nails of the hand almost pierced into her skin.
There was a force from inside, and Ni Su leaned forward and met a pair of eyes.
Those were a pair of eyes that were very similar to Wu Jikang's, with the tails of the eyes slightly upturned.
Concubine Wu did not have her hair tied up, and at this moment, she was like a piece of plump jade, with her long satin hair loose, and was looking at her with a cold look.
"What is the Imperial Concubine doing?"
Ni Su spoke calmly.
Concubine Wu curled her lips and said calmly, "I just want to see you."
"Please teach me what kind of woman is the one who caused my brother Kang'er to be beheaded and displayed to the public."
There was a dense chill beneath the tone.
"Your Majesty, can't you forget your brother?"
After a while, Ni Su raised her eyes, and when Concubine Wu was stunned, she spoke again, "I have not forgotten him either. I only have one brother, and he stole my test papers, ruined my future, humiliated me, beat me, and even starved me to death..."
Perhaps it was because Ni Su's expression was too cold and sharp, and Concubine Wu had always lived a life of luxury, and no one other than the official family had ever dared to treat her like this , so she loosened the strength of her fingers slightly.
Ni Su took back her hand and looked at her calmly with a respectful, gentle and courteous manner, saying:
"My lady, I am just like you. I can never forget your brother."
