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Chapter Eighty-Seven: Poison
What was the biggest rumor going around Jing right now?
It was that when the Crown Princess had been in labor, the evergreen tree by the imperial tomb had been struck by lightning, and that a fire had started in the suburbs of Jing. Phenomena like this did not happen at the birth of someone normal, but it would have been better not to have these things occur.
Someone said that the imperial grandson was a demon and would bring calamity to the entire country. Others said that this was the warning that the heavens and the Yan ancestors were giving because this imperial grandson was not the child of the Crown Prince but born of the adulterous affair between the Crown Princess and Sheng Junwang.
Negative gossip was always more welcome than praise for others, and spread the fastest. The news that the Crown Princess had committed adultery and given birth to a demon spread through the entire country. In some remote places, the rumor had become the Crown Princess having illicit relations with a feral man and giving birth to a monster that would bring calamity.
People did not completely believe in monsters and demons, but definitely feared them. Also, the rumors about the imperial grandson were so detailed that even the people who did not originally believe them started to believe them.
“So the rumors outside say that the imperial grandson has three eyes, six arms, black skin, and fangs?” Hua Xi Wan sipped tea, and laughed, covering her mouth with a fan. “What is all this nonsense?”
Hong Ying said with a smile, “The people outside have not seen the imperial grandson. Isn’t it normal for the rumors to get exaggerated as they spread?”
Hua Xi Wan smiled. However, when she turned her head, she thought, this was such a coincidence. Just as the thunderstorm seemed to be coming, the Crown Princess went into labor. There were so many places the lightning could strike—why did it strike the evergreen tree by the imperial tomb? Also, the buildings had been burned down, but no one had been hurt. It was as though someone had known there would be a fire and saved the people beforehand.
“Bai Xia, when the fire started, who saved the people in the buildings?” Hua Xi Wan covered her lower belly lightly. Today, her monthlies had come. Not only could she not eat ice, she wasn’t even allowed to have ice in the room. This was both hot and uncomfortable; she felt uncomfortable all over.
“I heard it was the Guard Office patrol that coincidentally passed by and saved the people. It is a pity that the fire was too strong, and so while the people were saved, the buildings were burned.” Bai Xia knew that Hua Xi Wan had a hard time with the heat and got hot water to wipe Hua Xi Wan’s hands and face to lower her temperature. She wrung out the handkerchief and handed it to Hua Xi Wan. She continued, “It is so coincidental—this Guard Official patrol used to be under the command of Official Zhang Hou. After Official Zhang Hou went to the Judicial Office, his second-in-command took his spot.”
“Zhang Hou?” When this person was mentioned, what Hua Xi Wan thought of first was that honest face and upright figure. “I heard that he was slighted greatly in the Judicial Office. How is he now?”
“A few days ago, someone criticized the Chief Justice. He was stripped of his role and Official Zhang Hou took over. Now he is the Chief Justice.” Bai Xia took the handkerchief that Hua Xi Wan had used. “The people all say that Official Zhang is a stupid person but a lucky one. They forget how just a short time ago they laughed that Official Zhang was too stubborn and did not recognize what was good for him.”
“People are always like this.” After wiping her neck and arms, Hua Xi Wan felt that her body wasn’t so sticky anymore. She said in a good mood, “I think that this Zhang Hou has pretty good luck.”
She looked outside the door. Wind suddenly gusted strongly. It seemed as though a great storm was about to come again.
“Has Wang Ye returned to the fu?” She suddenly recalled that Yan Jin Qiu seemed to have been very busy recently. Even though he squeezed out time every day to accompany her, from the speed with which he fell asleep at night, the energy and attention he was using recently were multiple what they were usually.
“This servant doesn’t know; this servant will go and ask.” Bai Xia looked at the banana tree that was swaying in the wind and handed the basin of water to Hong Ying. She prepared to leave.
“It is about to rain, do not leave.” Hua Xi Wan walked to the doorway and enjoyed the power nature from the wild wind. Then she pointed at Yan Jin Qiu who was coming from afar with flapping clothes. “Isn’t he coming back now?”
Bai Xia turned around to look. She saw Wang Ye walking over with a few attendants, and moved to stand at the side with a smile.
“The wind is so strong—what are you standing at the door for?” Yan Jin Qiu touched Hua Xi Wan’s fingertip when he came in. He found that there was a thin layer of cold sweat on her and asked worriedly, “You are having a cold sweat in such heat—are you well?”
“I was too hot, so I wanted to feel the wind by the door.” Hua Xi Wan whispered in his ear, and after seeing his expression become unnatural, she touched her belly and said, “Now do you know what is going on?”
Yan Jin Qiu coughed lightly. He looked at the servants around and waved for them to leave. Then he carried Hua Xi Wan onto the bed before reaching out to lightly massage her belly. “Since you are not comfortable, nap for a while. When it is time for the evening meal, I will wake you.”
Maybe because it was the first time that he was doing such a thing, Yan Jin Qiu’s movements were very unpracticed and awkward. After rubbing while not daring to use too much force and only rubbing at the one spot, he caused Hua Xi Wan to complain. “Are you massaging my stomach for me or scratching an itch?”
Yan Jin Qiu increased the force. After massaging for a while, he saw the breathing of the person on the bed became regular. After she sank into a deep sleep, he lightly took his hand away and covered her with a silk blanket.
The sound of rain splatting came from outside. He walked to the window and saw the banana tree that was vibrating from the wind and rain. He narrowed his eyes in a good mood.
Thunder suddenly reverberated. He abruptly turned back to the bed to look at Hua Xi Wan. Seeing that she had not been startled awake by the thunder, he quickly walked to sit down at the edge of the bed and reached out to pat the hump under the blanket. As he listened to the sounds outside, the gentleness in his eyes could turn people into a puddle.
What the sound of the rain gave people was not irritation but another kind of serenity and peace.
When Hua Xi Wan woke up, she found that someone was sitting beside her. Turning her head, she saw Yan Jin Qiu was leaning against the bedframe and holding a book. She covered her mouth as she yawned and said, “The room is so dark—why are you reading here?”
“No matter, it is calm here.” Yan Jin Qiu threw the book aside and stood up to close the window before sitting back next to Hua Xi Wan. “The meal will be ready soon. Get up and wash your face.” Then, he clapped his hands, and the servants streamed in.
“Why did you close the window? It is so hot.” Hua Xi Wan got off the bed and spread her hands out to let the servant girls help her change.
“You just got up from under the blankets, and it is easy to get ill after sudden changes in temperature. Get dressed first.” Yan Jin Qiu sighed helplessly. “I have ordered the kitchen to make dishes that are light tonight.”
“Oh.” Knowing that it was for her benefit, Hua Xi Wan did not argue. She docilely dressed, and after attiring herself, she had the servant open the window.
She lay by the window and idly felt the wind blow. She did not forget to pull Yan Jin Qiu over to her. “How long has the rain been going?”
“Since soon after you slept.” Yan Jin Qiu reached out to push her hair behind her ear before saying, “You have been staying in the fu these days—don’t you feel it is boring?” Due to the tenseness of the situation, the whole fu was lacking in entertainment. He was worried that Hua Xi Wan would get ill from staying inside all day.
Hua Xi Wan shook her head and said with a smile, “The goal of my life is to eat when I want, sleep when I want, and if I don’t want to go out, that no one can call me out. It is so tiring to go out. It is tiring to be careful when I speak, and when I encounter someone of a higher rank, I have to bow and flatter them. Don’t you find it bothersome?”
“Such a lazy person—I really don’t know how you were raised.” Yan Jin Qiu laughed. “If you don’t like going out, then don’t. In the future, there will be one day when you do not have to bow to anyone.”
Hua Xi Wan: Haha, even if there was a day when he would become the emperor, even if he did not have her bow, there would still be a dowager empress on top. So could she not bow?
“Report! The Empress Dowager is ill!”
Hua Xi Wan swore she had no intentions of cursing the Empress Dowager!
“What is it?” Yan Jin Qiu’s reaction was unexpectedly calm in Hua Xi Wan’s eyes. She silently looked at Mu Tong and suddenly realized that every time something major happened, the person who would report would usually be Mu Tong.
Her gaze moved to Mu Tong and then to Yan Jin Qiu. It seemed that Yan Jin Qiu trusted Mu Tong greatly?
“Seemingly this afternoon, the Empress sent a plate of pastries to the Empress Dowager. Not long after the Empress Dowager ate them, she felt uncomfortable. Before the grand doctor could come, she threw up blood. Not long after the grand doctors came, they discovered that the Empress Dowager was poisoned. The poison was the same as what was in the pastries the Empress had sent.”
The Empress had personally delivered a plate of pastries and poisoned the Empress Dowager? The Empress was not stupid—would she do something so dumb?
It seemed that the Empress had fallen in someone’s trap.
“The Empress?” Hua Xi Wan asked. “Was the Empress imprisoned?”
“The people of the Judicial Office have already sent the Empress into the Heavenly Prison under heavy guard.” Mu Tong stilled. “But the case has not been closed, and the Empress Dowager is unconscious.”
“Prepare the carriage, Wang Fei and I need to go into the palace to visit Imperial Grandmother.” Yan Jin Qiu pulled Hua Xi Wan’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Mu Tong just wanted to remind WangYe that his clothing was wrinkled and that maybe he should change. But then he thought it would be better if Wang Ye did not change.
In the Heavenly Prison, the Empress sat on the bed with unmade hair. She was suspected of poisoning the Empress Dowager, but she was the mother of the country, so no one dared to slight her. She did not lack for anything in the prison. The only thing that she could not do was leave.
The Crown Princess stood outside the bars and looked at the Empress. “Mother-Empress, are you all right? Daughter-in-law has come to visit you.”
The Empress looked coldly at her and did not speak.
“You thought that if you worked on the midwife, you could kill the mother and keep the child?” The Crown Princess sneered. “Not so simple.”
“What do you have to be proud of to have given birth to a demon?” the Empress said disdainfully. “You think that an imperial grandson who was born with a reputation like that can succeed to the throne?”
The Crown Princess was silent for a while before she suddenly said, “I have never thought of having this child fight for the throne. When I married the Crown Prince in the past according to my duties, I never thought of doing such a thing. When you were harsh to me, and I was out of the Crown Prince’s favor, when he laughed and flirted with concubines in front of me, did I ever say an angry word?”
“But even so, you felt that I am good for nothing.” When the Crown Princess spoke, she suddenly smiled. “The Heavens have eyes for you to have ended up like this. In these years, haven’t you done great evil in order to keep the other imperial consorts from having children?”
Translator Ramblings: Just this one chapter in the update. I’ll try to find time in the next few days to get the other two posted for this week.
Hua Xi Wan: Haha, even if there was a day when he would become the emperor, even if he did not have her bow, there would still be a dowager empress on top. So could she not bow?
“Report! The Empress Dowager is ill!”
Hua Xi Wan swore she had no intentions of cursing the Empress Dowager!
PFT. Hahahahaha.
Things are heating up in the back court of the Emperor as well it seems.
Looks like everything’s boiling up nicely to go for a relatively large climax within the next few chapters. I can’t wait personally.
More like she had no idea that YJQ had intentions of getting rid of the Empress Dowager.
Well… So far that’s just speculation, can’t be denied that Crown Princess bears a grudge against Empress and has reason to get rid of her.
Could even be Sheng Wang rather than YJQ really, he’d got reasons to want to get rid of ALL of them.
Granted YJQ’s words imply that he had a hand in it (specifically no need to bow to anyone), but that isn’t 100% guarantee right now.
It could be any or all of them. It could pretty easily be the emperor killing two birds with one stone; he was never fond of the empress dowager, and only just barely kept her in the style which her position ought to demand; he was completely done with the empress, who had prevented him having more children than he had.
Shen Junwang, the Crown Princess, they have loads of reasons to want those two old cats gone.
Yan Jin Qiu may have arranged for it to happen, but he may just as easily have known someone else had arranged it. He seems to have the best spy network in town, and he knows everyone else’s business.
So the problem stems from having a harem-sigh-
Yan Jin Qiu is smart for only choosing Hua Xi Wan.
Thank you.. I thought no update today. I keep refreshing the page and finally an update!
Crown Princess is really a top-notch girl. Hope.she didn’t end up in animosity with Xi Wan and Jin Qiu. She didn’t covet the throne, after all. Not to mention her admiration towards Xi Wan.
It seems Xi Wan is grabbing her husband’s rival’s wife left and right X) I wonder if Xi Wan’s saying of “If the power of men depended on the women’s relationship” would ended up true; isn’t it precisely because of Hou-shi that Sheng junwang is tottering to his demise?
the crown princess has a pretty tragic end
imo she is one of the most pitiful characters in this story as she had no choice in her life
… tbh I felt that it’s only Xi Wan who managed to found herself a choice as a woman in the whole story…
Well yes and no. YJQ can probably deal with Sheng junwang easily on his own but a bit of help doesn’t hurt.
Indeed, but it’s faster and easier with Hou-shi, isn’t it? I don’t think it’s a ‘bit’ of help.
I’m defensive toward Hou-shi, come at me
*Negative gossip was always more welcome than praise for others, and spread the fastest. The news that the Crown Princess had committed adultery and given birth to a demon spread through the entire country. In some remote places, the rumor had become the Crown Princess having illicit relations with a feral man and giving birth to a monster that would bring calamity.*
Not quite but close enough.
—
*“Bai Xia, when the fire started, who saved the people in the buildings?” Hua Xi Wan covered her lower belly lightly.*
HXW! You gave me false hopes! I thought you were finally preggy!
—
*Maybe because it was the first time that he was doing such a thing, Yan Jin Qiu’s movements were very unpracticed and awkward. After rubbing while not daring to use too much force and only rubbing at the one spot, he caused Hua Xi Wan to complain. “Are you massaging my stomach for me or scratching an itch?”*
This couple makes me laugh.
—
*Hua Xi Wan swore she had no intentions of cursing the Empress Dowager!*
Hahahahaha
—
*“But even so, you felt that I am good for nothing.” When the Crown Princess spoke, she suddenly smiled. “The Heavens have eyes for you to have ended up like this. In these years, haven’t you done great evil in order to keep the other imperial consorts from having children?*
She better be careful and not gloat too soon. I feel something amiss with the whole thing.
Thanks for this chapter! It was great and, as always, highly enjoyable. Thanks also for the update 🙂 Hope you have a good day today!
Yes, the Emperor is clearly a monster in human skin… that a guess of the common people could come so close to the truth makes me astonished. However sometimes reality is scarier than fiction
Who poison Dower empress
What goes around will comes around.
You could only reap what you sow.
Sigh…the Empress…who would dare to hurt her except for the ones close to her?
YJQ, better take care of HXW carefully.
Such a turbulent time, ah! Turbulent times…
“If you don’t like going out, then don’t. In the future, there will be one day when you do not have to bow to anyone.”
uh huh….
Oho. Empress dowager was poisoned. Doesn’t matter who did it. A fire have been lit in the inner imperial household. No stopping this. As long as the empress dowager isn’t dead, she’ll become paranoid towards the empress, crown princess and the emperor. In fear of having her position/power removed and death, who else but saint jin qiu that will receive all of her trust and support. Looks like the plan to replace her ‘puppet’ with the emperor need to speed up. The empress dowager probably will no longer act conservative and start preparing a big move.
I kinda have a feeling that the one who poison the Empress Dowager was Yan Jin Qiu. All these Lovey Dovey chapters nearly have me forgot how cold he really is, lol. So excited for the next few chaps.
Thanks for the chapter!
I think the same-ish, except I figure he’d do it by giving poison that’s hard to detect to a servant and making sure that the crown princess knows of the Empress’ intention so the other party thinks they are the one “in control”
He’s so close to being the Emperor by virtue of everyone else being eliminated right now that it’s best for him to keep his head down even lower if it was possible.
This chapter makes it clear that the Empress Dowager was poisoned by the Crown Princess, for the sole purpose of framing the Empress. As long as the Empress Dowager dies, and proof shows that the Empress is the culprit (even though she really isn’t), the Empress is basically done. And this is why the Crown Princess set it all up–in order to destroy the Empress (for reasons which the Crown Princess states clearly when she visits the Empress in prison).
I think there’s a (future?) chapter which also hints why, as far as the aspirants to the throne (Yan Jin Qiu included) are concerned, the deposing of the current empress is not in their best interests. As for killing the Empress Dowager–for all intents and purposes she was on Yan Jin Qiu’s team in his fight for the throne. So even if he had wanted to remove her (to avenge his mother)–of which I do believe he would have been perfectly capable–he wouldn’t have done it now but after winning the throne.
Well we do know that YJQ definitely intends to kill the Empress Dowager at some point based on his conversation with HXW.
‘“Such a lazy person—I really don’t know how you were raised.” Yan Jin Qiu laughed. “If you don’t like going out, then don’t. In the future, there will be one day when you do not have to bow to anyone.”
Hua Xi Wan: Haha, even if there was a day when he would become the emperor, even if he did not have her bow, there would still be a dowager empress on top. So could she not bow?’
Killing the Empress Dowager is the only way to satisfy all conditions.
I think the question that should be asked here whether it’s beneficial to get rid of the Empress dowager is twofold.
Firstly, based on the conversation (as a different comment already pointed out), he’s going to want to get rid of her at some point. Doing so PRIOR to gaining the throne ensures that the negative backlash of doing so falls on the past uh.. Dynasty? Rulership? rather than him deposing someone who raised him (which I believe would incur more negative backlash because filial piety is important in Chinese society. … Yes yes, I know everything in the novel suggests otherwise, but that’s all royal infighting the general populace at large still believe in it.).
Secondly, does he actually rely on the Empress Dowager’s support at all? Remember that he’s gotten into a minor debate with her over getting concubines aside from HWX in order to strengthen his claim on the throne? I think if he absolutely required her help, their conversation would have gone differently than it did regardless of how much he genuinely loves HWX.
It’s not the first time YJQ has been giving support behind the scenes to people fighting each other (arguably, he’s done nothing BUT support other family members attacking each other.), I don’t personally think this is any different.
Just food for thought. Hard to really say who’s to “blame” till everything comes out into the open (if it ever does), I think you’re correct in that the Crown Princess poisoned the pastries though based on her gloating to the Empress.
I agree. Yan Jin Qiu needs the empress dowager to die before he ascends the throne for a more auspicious beginning in the eyes of the people. He hasn’t really needed her help for quite some time, which is made most obvious by his bucking her call for immediate and multiple heirs; also, he loathes her for killing his mother and attempting to make him a puppet to play as she likes.
He would never have directly caused her demise – his hands must stay clean in order to have an auspicious ascension – but he would prompt and promote someone else doing it. Make it easier for the poisoner to acquire and place the poison, that sort of thing.
The crown princess is only the most likely person to gloat over the empress’s imprisonment. To her face. She has been incredibly ill used ever since she was raised to be married off to their idiot prince, and it has only gotten worse as time passed. Still, she would only have killed someone to avoid being killed, I think.
The removal of the empress may be bad for other reasons, but the only one I can immediately think of is that she is still an effective brake on the emperor’s reproduction. Even now, she would almost certainly not allow him to have another child. Her son is dead, sure, and she could possibly adopt an heir by another woman, but she would only do that for her son’s line (or his apparent line). It is the only way to be “sure” that heir would keep her in power and all accompanying nice things.
Damn… the chaos in the Imperial court, how on earth can these rulers manage the country when the backyard is on fire.
Now I really want to know how the power eventually shifts in this novel. We see that this Imperial family has no future, but how does our power couple rise to power?
The two things that need to happen are 1) Sheng junwang needs to be removed from the competition 2) current Emperor needs to die 3) take the throne without tarnishing his reputation, based on everything so far it will probably look like he is forced to take the throne
YJQ and the rest of other people will removed all the obstacles for her so she does not have to bow to anyone, hopefully. Thanks.
thanks for the hard work ….please take your time
YJQ and HXW enjoying the show as the Empress and Crown Princess create increasingly violent bouts of battle. XD
Thanks for the new chapter! No worries take your time. No need to rush on releases.
Thank you for the chapters. You are right. Between To be Virtuous Wife and These. I like Eight Treasures Trosseau better ❤ I love both though. But Yan Jin Qiu won because he doesn’t have concubines 👍👍
Ever since the adultery rumour, I’ve been feeling a sort of amused pity for our junwang, Bo Yi. Lol. Of course I dislike him but this whole dent in his armour owing to the cheating tale just makes me chuckle. Stoke of genius, really.
So the poisoning was the CP…Surprisingly she didn’t birth her child for the throne. I suppose it’s safest to stay away from the palace politics as much as possible. Why have the baby then? Isn’t the child a reminder of the episode with the emperor? Was it just so she could live? Hmm hmm…
It’s not like she can refuse the emperor, even if he is disgusting pond scum. Besides, it’s not like she betrayed the love of her life for this particular get out of jail free card. Sleep with Scumbucket A or Scumbucket B… Eventually practically would win over remaining faithful to Mr. Faithless & Impotent. She lost her choices loooooong ago.
I wonder if the Crown Princes is planning to destroy everything starting from the Empress.
Thank you for the chapter (〃⌒▽⌒〃)ゝfu
..it will be to YJQ’s advantage if the empress dowager dies.
Did the Crown Princess forget about Hou-shi child ???-__-
Which child?
Her child died before born
Thank you for the chapter~
I hope the Crown Princess ends up well…
Hua Xi Wan swore she had no intentions of cursing the Empress Dowager!
—this part though 😂😂😂😂😂😂
And I have the same goal as HQY, kuuuuih….I want to be rich NEET!! Srsly!!!!!! Read Novels and manga All day, watch dramas and anime, fangirl a lot play games all day. Not leaving the solace of my room with high fiber Internet speed and air conditioned room for 24/7. No school, no freaking papers, no shameless profs.,no need to go to work and no nagging parents aigooooooo x.x 😭😭😭😭😭😭
Thank you so much for the chapter!!
looking forward to all that chapters ~~
YJQ is really not a just talk person…mentioned a bit and soon there are actions
I hope nothing happens to the Crown Princess. Thank you <3
Yan Jin Qiu really know how to let others dwell the sword for him. His calmness receiving dowager empreas news is a total give out of his actions behind it. He is very calculative and manipulative. He can open the way anytime to ease his enemies to kill each other when it is necessary. Ruthless and deep! I’m glad he truly find Xi Wan as ideal for him. Who knows what fated for her if this isn’t the case when he ascended.
So feeling kinda stupid here cause no one else asked but what is with not being allowed ice while on her period?
“Bai Xia, when the fire started, who saved the people in the buildings?” Hua Xi Wan covered her lower belly lightly. Today, her monthlies had come. Not only could she not eat ice, she wasn’t even allowed to have ice in the room. This was both hot and uncomfortable; she felt uncomfortable all over.”
There is a common idea that one should not interact with “cold” things during periods as they will cause illness/pain. IE cold drinks, ice, walk bare feet on floors.
Hah! Knew it that bitch was responsible. But she had the nerve to even shove the fault onto her son, she seems to give no crap for anybody