"Even if he's dead, it won't relieve the hatred in your heart, right?" Concubine Wu straightened up and looked at her, "Why don't you just say that you want to hate me too."
These words already revealed a hint of accusation.
Ni Su took a step back, then leaned forward, "I have never thought this way. Whoever is guilty should be punished. I never ask about any other irrelevant people or things. I have already received this justice, and I am always grateful for the kindness of the government."
She had already retreated behind the curtain. When Concubine Wu heard her mention the emperor, her face without makeup seemed to show no emotion, but her voice was cold, "It's best that Miss Ni thinks so."
The decree to execute Wu Jikang was issued by the emperor. If Concubine Wu continued to hold on to this matter, she would be suspected of disrespecting the emperor's will.
"Your Highness, I have something else to say. After much thought, I still want to tell you."
Ni Su lowered his head.
"What is it?"
Concubine Wu spoke in a low voice through the curtain.
Ni Su did not ask her to dismiss the attendants. She waited for the maids on both sides to lift the curtains before she stepped forward a few steps and said to the maids who served the imperial concubine closely, "Your Majesty, do you still remember that a few months ago, Lord Jiang from the Imperial Censorate conducted an investigation of all officials and found a white jade statue of a horse stepping on a flying swallow in the Wu residence?"
Concubine Wu had been worried about her family's decline and her father's madness in recent days. Ni Su's sudden mention of this made her feel like she was pricked by a needle. "What do you want to say?"
She remembered that at that time, she was in the palace, and she heard that her father was left unattended at home and was unconscious, while she herself was neglected by the officials. She cried in secret for many days and nights.
"I did not mention your Majesty's family affairs on purpose, but that day, when I was outside the Wu residence, I saw the Night Guards taking your father away and he left behind two silver needles."
"What silver needle?"
"At that time, your father's gray hair was disheveled. I remember clearly that the silver needle fell out of his hair."
Ni Su's description of Wu Dai's hair immediately brought tears to Concubine Wu's eyes. She had been in the palace for many years but had never had a chance to see her father. She remembered that her father's hair was still black before she entered the palace .
Concubine Wu suddenly stared at the woman in front of her, "Tell me, why is there a silver needle in his hair?"
"Those are silver needles used for acupuncture. I was born in a family of doctors. My family has a unique skill called 'acupuncture with golden needles'. I know very well that if acupuncture is used well, it will benefit people. If it is not used well, it will cause endless harm."
"I guessed at the time that your father's epilepsy might be caused by the doctor's improper acupuncture, which caused blood stasis in his brain. If the blood stasis did not dissipate, he would become unconscious."
Although Concubine Wu lived in the deep palace for a long time and could not see her father, she did ask the chief physician of the Imperial Medical Bureau to treat her father after she was restored to favor. She knew very well that the blood stasis described by the woman was consistent with what the chief physician said.
But she didn't know that it was caused by the silver needle.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask Lord Zhou Ting, the current deputy envoy of the Night Bureau. When I picked up the silver needle, I gave it to him."
Ni Su calmly observed Concubine Wu's expression, and then said, "Please think about it, Your Majesty. Is this just a coincidence, an accident?"
"you……"
Concubine Wu tightened her grip on the quilt, "What do you mean?"
"I am just an outsider. I only told you what I saw. As for the rest, I know nothing." Ni Su lowered her eyes and said calmly, "The reason why I told you all this is just to prove to you that you are the queen and I have no intention of disrespecting you."
Whether it was the silver needles or epilepsy, they were both Wu Dai's desperate survival strategies. Ni Su had already figured out the mystery when she followed Xu Hexue to explore Manyu Money House.
But Ni Su would not tell the imperial concubine about this.
Concubine Wu had been in the palace for many years. It was hard to say whether she had not covered up anything for her father or plotted anything before he retired. Even if she knew only a little about her father's secrets, she would start with this silver needle and begin to doubt the intentions of everyone who had a vested interest in her father.
Who on earth is it that doesn't dare to kill her father but wants her father to shut up?
Ni Su let the imperial concubine think about all these things on her own.
They better bite.
Tan Guangwen's death made Ni Su feel helpless, but she felt that she must do something, even if she only had this tiny bit of power.
Ni Su always knew when to act and never overstepped the line. She kept expressing her gratitude to the emperor and respect for the empress. She also carefully asked the maids about the imperial concubine's daily diet and even medication. In the end, she just said that the prescription used by the palace physician was excellent and she didn't dare to add anything unnecessary.
When the imperial concubine failed to force her to prescribe a prescription, she asked the palace maids to hold her shoulders and kneel outside the palace.
The sky was gloomy and heavy snow was falling, landing on Ni Su's hair and neck. A palace maid was watching her on the steps, and although she looked reluctant, she did not allow her to move.
Ni Su knelt for two hours. The snowflakes that fell on the ground were difficult to melt. They intertwined on the wet floor tiles to form a white patch. Her knees were almost numb and her whole body was cold to the bone.
There was a sound of busy footsteps approaching. Ni Su reacted slowly for a moment but did not dare to look back. She only saw the palace maids and eunuchs in the corridor all leaning forward in unison.
"Why is there a person kneeling here?"
Liang Shenfu, the chief eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, saw with his sharp eyes the back of a figure in front of him with a thin layer of snow on his body. The Emperor Zhengyuan, who was supported by him and was wearing a fur cloak, raised his eyes and looked in the direction he was looking.
The scarlet hem of the dress fell in front of Ni Su, but she did not look up.
"You are not from the palace?"
This deep voice came.
"I, a commoner, Ni Su, greet the emperor."
Ni Su's voice had become hoarse from the cold.
Emperor Zhengyuan felt that the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember it for a moment. Liang Shenfu, who was standing beside him, immediately reported carefully, "Your Majesty, this is Miss Ni who returned from Yongzhou."
Emperor Zhengyuan then remembered that he had promised the imperial concubine today that he would have the woman come to the palace to check her pulse. "Why are you kneeling here?"
"Your Majesty's pulse is stable, and she only has a weak spleen and stomach. I believe that the Imperial Medical Bureau in the palace has gathered the best doctors in the Great Qi. I have read their prescriptions and they are all very good. Therefore, I did not prescribe any more medicine for Your Majesty."
That was Ni Su’s only answer.
"Your Majesty, she is still the woman who beat the drum on Double Ninth Festival to appeal for justice for her brother Ni Qinglan." Liang Shenfu leaned close to Emperor Zhengyuan and whispered.
"It's you."
Emperor Zhengyuan understood why she was kneeling here. "Your Highness did something wrong. How can I ask you to kneel here just because you didn't make it convenient for me? Liang Shenfu."
Now that Da Qi and Danqiu are on the verge of war again, Emperor Zhengyuan has just praised this woman who had fought in the battlefield in Yongzhou and treated soldiers and civilians, but the imperial concubine immediately punished her to kneel here. This is really not right. Liang Shenfu heard the emperor calling him, so he immediately called two eunuchs to help Ni Su stand up.
"It's freezing cold, send her to warm her up."
Emperor Zhengyuan was already in a bad mood and didn't want to stay outside any longer. He turned around and saw the imperial concubine coming out in neatly dressed without a cloak. He frowned and asked, "Why don't you take care of yourself?"
The imperial concubine was as weak as a willow in the wind, with her head bowed in the corridor, "Your Majesty..."
The palace maids came out and hurriedly wrapped a thick cloak around the imperial concubine.
"I am so brave,"
Emperor Zhengyuan was about to move forward when Ni Su suddenly spoke up, "I want to ask for a favor from the emperor."
"Tell me about it."
Emperor Zhengyuan's gaze fell on her again. She had not had time to shake off the snow on her body, and the snow water soaked her hair, dripping with water.
"I have heard that the doctors who treat the empresses and concubines in the Imperial Medical Bureau are very capable. I am studying gynecology. However, I am still young and have many deficiencies. If I can get guidance from the doctors, I will have no regrets in my life."
Ni Su bowed and spoke earnestly.
Emperor Zhengyuan probably didn't expect that the grace this girl was asking for was just this one thing. He was slightly surprised, "I didn't expect a girl like you to be so studious."
"In this case, I will allow you to work in the Imperial Medical Bureau."
"Thank you, sir."
Liang Shenfu and others surrounded the emperor and walked forward. Only then did Ni Su dare to raise her head. She saw the emperor in a cloak put his arm around the imperial concubine's shoulder, and the two of them walked into the palace together.
"What are you looking at, little lady?"
The eunuch who was left behind by Liang Shenfu saw her staring at the door of Chaoyun Palace and spoke up.
She is reading the law.
The king's law that was willing to give justice to her brother but could not give justice to Xu Hexue and the Jing'an Army.
"Don't bother the eunuch. I won't go to the side hall to warm myself up. I'll leave the palace now."
Ni Su said.
"Are your legs and feet okay?" The young eunuch lowered his eyes to look at the wet marks of snow water on her skirt from kneeling.
"Can."
Ni Su twitched her pale lips.
When she returned to Nanhuai Street, it was already noon. She dragged her painful and cold legs over the threshold and heard a cry of surprise, "Miss Ni, what happened to you?"
Ni Su looked up and saw that it was Miss Zhang.
The young woman who was the first to come to her and ask her to treat her mother after she sought justice for her brother.
"Sister Axi!"
Cai Chunxu just opened the curtain and came out. Seeing her in such a sorry state, she immediately stepped forward and helped her up with Miss Zhang. "What happened?"
Ni Su was shivering all over, so Cai Chunxu quickly handed her his hot water bottle.
"Miss Ni..."
Qingqiong quickly poured her a bowl of hot tea.
Ni Su drank the hot tea and felt better. "Sister Cai, Miss Zhang, why are you here?"
"My mother's illness has been cured. I wanted to come and thank you, but the clinic was closed. Today you changed the plaque and opened the door again. I heard the news and came here." Miss Zhang explained.
"Is the Queen giving you a hard time? You're as cold as an ice sculpture, and I can't keep you warm," Cai Chunxu shouted towards the back corridor covered by the curtains, "Yuwen! Yuwen, light a charcoal basin! And some hot water!"
"I'm not in the way, thank you for your concern."
Ni Su smiled.
"Is there any wedding coming up for Miss Zhang?" She saw the invitation on the table.
Miss Zhang blushed and said "hmm" softly, then said, "I am getting married in the next two days. I came here specially today to give you the invitation, Miss Ni."
"I will definitely go."
Ni Su nodded.
Miss Zhang didn't sit for a while, left the wedding cakes she brought, and left quickly.
There were still craftsmen working in the yard at the back. Cai Chunxu asked the servant to go to the restaurant to buy some wine and food for Qingqiong and the craftsmen. Cai Chunxu also had the fodder replaced with better ones.
Cai Chunxu supported Ni Su and she walked to the eaves. "Sister Cai, I came back and should have been the one to visit you, but you came first and took such good care of my family... Thank you."
"Let's not say these strange words."
Cai Chunxu took her into the house.
Yu Wen and the others had already cleaned the room except for Xu Hexue's. Ni Su then remembered that she had told Yu Wen that she wanted to move to this room in order to talk to Xu Hexue.
Fortunately, Xu Hexue's clothes were all locked in the closet. He used very few things, only the kite was still on the desk. Ni Su sat down on the edge of the bed, almost daring not to look at the desk.
"Why is it so swollen?"
Yu Wen took off her shoes and socks and pulled up her trouser legs, only to see that her knees were red and swollen.
"My queen punished me to kneel?"
Cai Chunxu leaned over to check her knees. "She really is seeking revenge! It was clearly her brother who did the evil, why is she..."
"My lady, you must not say such things."
Yu Wen was so frightened that she quickly pulled Cai Chunxu's sleeve.
Cai Chunxu stopped talking. She watched Yu Wen put Ni Su's feet into the hot water basin. She let Yu Wen go out first and then sat next to Ni Su. "Sister Xi, did the Queen only punish you to kneel down?"
"Not only that, she wanted to find some flaws in my words that showed disrespect to her and the government, but if I wrote her a prescription and there was something wrong, I wouldn't be able to explain it even if I had ten mouths," Ni Su touched the medicine basket at her waist, "Since the incident with Azhou, I have seen the dangers involved, so I refused to write her a prescription. That's why she made me kneel down as punishment."
"The queen is pregnant now, and she is the only child of the emperor. If she wants to punish you, you will definitely not survive..." Cai Chunxu was frightened and broke out in a cold sweat. "Sister Axi, you really escaped death today."
"I have been away from the capital for a long time. I wonder how the imperial concubine suddenly became pregnant?"
Since Prince An died, the emperor's family has had no children. How come the imperial concubine is pregnant at this time when the Wu family is in decline?
"I heard that it was the Duke of Lu who invited the famous doctor Zhang Jian for the emperor," Cai Chunxu started a poetry club with the wives of officials, so it was not difficult to know these things. "You must have heard of Zhang Jian's name? He has been treating the emperor for only a few months, and it seems to have worked wonders."
But that was all the officials’ wives knew.
Ni Su had naturally heard of the name Zhang Jian. He was a famous doctor who traveled far and wide, a master doctor worth a fortune. There was a solution to all diseases. If Zhang Jian could help the emperor have an heir, then...what about Prince Jia?
Ni Su suddenly raised her head, "Sister Cai, is His Royal Highness Prince Jia still in Beijing?"
“Yes.”
Cai Chunxu nodded, "However, Prince Jia's current situation is probably not very good..."
Now that the emperor has his own child, how should Prince Jia, his adopted son, deal with it?
Ni Su suddenly fell silent. Cai Chunxu looked at her carefully and found that she was much thinner than before. "Sister Xi, I came here today to ask you something."
Ni Su knew what she wanted to ask, "Miao Tianning and Miao Commander were indeed killed by Tan Guangwen. I heard this with my own ears in Yongzhou."
Cai Chunxu choked up and spoke after a while, "My uncle and grandmother have been so upset that they can't eat these days because of this. We all thought that my uncle was killed by the barbarians because he was defending the city, but who knew... it was that damn Tan Guangwen!"
"Sister Axi, I heard that you were on the battlefield in Yongzhou and treated the soldiers and civilians there?"
Cai Chunxu held her cold hand and said, "How could there be a woman like you in this world? I really admire you..."
Ni Su's hand was wrapped in her warm palm. For some reason, Ni Su suddenly couldn't suppress the soreness in her nose and she threw herself into Cai Chunxu's arms.
"Did you suffer a lot in Yongzhou?"
Cai Chunxu was stunned for a moment, then reached out and touched her wet hair. "I haven't asked you yet, what are you doing in Yongzhou?"
"Looking for someone."
"Did you find it?"
"Um."
"Is that Brother Qingqiong?"
"no."
Cai Chunxu lowered his eyes, "If it's not him, then who is it? Why is he gone?"
Ni Su clenched her teeth and held back her tears.
She was so silent that Cai Chunxu seemed to have noticed something. She tried to ask, "Is she an important person?"
Ni Su leaned her head against her chest and said in a hoarse voice:
"Yes, it's very important."
Cai Chunxu stayed here until dark before leaving. The horse trough in the yard had been prepared, and there was also a decent stable to shelter Shuang Ge and Xiao Zao from the wind and rain. Qing Qiong was busy feeding them hay, and Ni Su could vaguely hear him and the two horses mumbling something in the house.
She had just applied the medicine on her legs, and then she was busy lighting the candles in the room, and placed the animal bead on the incense table piled with fruits and dried fruits. She knelt on the futon, clasped her hands together, and said, "Master Tu, this is the animal bead you gave me. I don't know if you can hear me. If you can, please accept these offerings. Please, let Xu Zi..."
She paused for a moment and said, "Let Xu Hexue suffer less, okay?"
"You asked me to be the one to call him back to the world of the living. Today, as a summoner of the dead, I beg you to forgive his helplessness. At least, at this time when justice and justice in the world have not yet favored him, don't let him suffer so much before and after his death."
"I am willing to serve Lord Tubo for my entire life, and pray to Youdu and God to treat him well."
Ni Su leaned over and kowtowed.
The candles in the room were as bright as daylight. Ni Su fell asleep on the couch with a medicine basket in her arms. The wind and snow were heavier at night, and the breathing sounds of Shuang Ge and Xiao Zao could be heard from time to time.
The last bit of incense on the table had burned off, and a gust of wind from nowhere blew away the ashes. The animal bead lay quietly among a pile of offerings.
Ni Su fell into a deep sleep. The white light in the medicine basket she held in her arms jumped and floated, then suddenly disappeared.
It snowed heavily all night, and a thick layer of snow accumulated on the eaves and alleys of the imperial city. The palace servants were busy sweeping the snow. Zhou Ting, wearing a scarlet official uniform and a long-winged hat, walked through the palace alleys and entered the Qinghe Hall to pay homage to the emperor and his father.
"I heard that the second son of Huang Qing's family lost his wife three years ago, and he still hasn't remarried?"
Zhou Ting did not enter the inner hall, but heard the sound of Emperor Zhengyuan coughing slightly from behind the curtain.
"Indeed."
Another old voice answered respectfully.
Before entering the palace, Zhou Ting asked the eunuchs outside the Qinghe Hall. He knew that the person who was meeting the emperor inside was Huang Zongyu, the Prime Minister of the Western Palace. But why did the emperor suddenly ask about Huang Zongyu's second son?
Zhou Ting suddenly remembered the plaque that Huang Zongyu sent to Nanhuai Street.
Could it be that...
Zhou Ting's heart tightened.
Almost as he was distracted, Huang Zongyu had come out. Zhou Ting caught a glimpse of the purple hem of the dress and leaned over, "Mr. Huang."
"Deputy Envoy Zhou, please go in."
Huang Zongyu said this casually, then walked out of the hall, holding up his clothes.
Zhou Ting calmed down and walked into the inner hall, only to see the emperor sitting on the couch. He leaned forward and bowed, "Your Highness, I am Zhou Ting, and I pay my respects to you, Your Highness."
"I remember Zhou Qing was weak and serious," Emperor Zhengyuan coughed for a while and then gasped a little, "You are his son, but you don't look much like him."
"I am ashamed that I cannot be like my father."
Zhou Ting lowered his head and said.
"You are not inferior,"
Emperor Zhengyuan calmed down and said calmly, "I have read Han Qing's memorial. He said that Tan Guangwen repeatedly missed opportunities to fight against the reinforcements of the Nanyan tribe of Danqiu. It was your breaking out from Yongzhou to support them that gave them the opportunity to resolve the fierce battle."
"I have always been curious. Your father Zhou Wenzheng is so talented, why don't you study literature, but instead be willing to work under Han Qing?"
"When I was young, I also worked in the Dali Temple. Criminal law is all in my heart. But I think that the civil officials of the Great Qi Dynasty have reached their limit. I entered the Night Palace because it is the government's Night Palace. I am not only working for Han Shizun, but also helping the government to relieve its worries."
His words reveal the sincere loyalty of a subject.
Da Qi had no shortage of civil officials, but Zhou Ting was not interested in this. He was willing to be in charge of the prisons for the emperor, punish criminal officials, and uphold the law, but the more he embarked on this path, the more confused he became.
He believed that the king's law was that if the emperor broke the law, he would be punished the same as the common people.
In reality, the king’s law is that the king is above the law.
Just like the death of Zhang Jing, just like the death of Tan Guangwen.
Those people would not give Tan Guangwen the opportunity to tell the truth behind Mushen Mountain in front of the government. Even Han Qing said when he asked him to send Tan Guangwen back to Beijing that it would be impossible to overturn the case by Tan Guangwen alone.
Emperor Zhengyuan stared at him and pursed his lips, "My Night Guard?"
It is both a question and a knock.
"Your night watchman."
Zhou Ting responded respectfully, "I wish to be like my father and serve the government wholeheartedly to repay his kindness."
…
It was snowing again, and Qingqiong was wearing thick clothes. He was often cold and tired in winter, so to make himself feel better, he swept the snow in the yard.
Suddenly he heard the sound of the door opening. He turned around and saw Ni Su running out with a medicine basket in her hand. She looked around at first, and her expression gradually changed from expectation to disappointment.
"General Xu..."
Qingqiong noticed that there was no flickering light in her medicine basket.
Ni Su pursed her lips and stood blankly under the eaves holding the medicine basket. A knock on the door was faintly heard from the front. Qing Qiong reacted and went to open the door.
Cai Chunxu didn't bother to greet Qingqiong, and hurried to the back corridor, "Sister Xi! Something happened!"
"I was wondering why Mr. Huang suddenly agreed to write an inscription for you!"
Ni Su was still confused when Cai Chunxu grabbed her hands and said, "He clearly has ulterior motives! I just arrived at the poetry club today and heard the sisters in the poetry club saying that the imperial concubine met Mr. Huang's wife the day before yesterday and seemed to be arranging a marriage for her second son!"
"What's wrong with arranging a marriage for their family?" Qingqiong was confused.
"Brother Qingqiong, don't you understand? I think the queen wants to assign Sister A Xi to that Huang Li!" Cai Chunxu was very anxious. "Huang Li is already over 30 years old! His wife died three years ago, and although he has never remarried, he already has several children! Besides, people say that he is weak and has a bad temper, and it is common for him to beat and scold people. If we assign Sister A Xi to him, wouldn't that be pushing her into the fire pit!"
"Ah? What should I do?"
Qing Qiong was stunned for a moment, "How could the emperor assign Miss Ni to a man like that?"
"I'm afraid that in the eyes of the government, this is a good thing. The Huang family is of great family background, and Sister A Xi is an orphan..." Cai Chunxu's curved and thin eyebrows were filled with sorrow.
Ni Su sat on a chair in the corridor. The cold wind made her more awake. She put the empty medicine basket aside and pressed her aching forehead. "Your Excellency is unwilling to let me go. This is nothing more than these means."
"Since you can't accuse me of anything, you're using marriage as a woman's yoke to trap me to death."