The Empress Dowager smiled as Jerjer unearthed a jewelry box reserved for special occasions. The red lacquered box was nearly 100 years old, passed down from her mother’s mother to her. There were no gold, pearl, or jade inlays, auspicious paintings, or intricate carvings- just a plain red box in the shape of a plum blossom.
She had only just brushed her fingers against the latch when Jerjer spoke.
“Your Highness, are you sure? It’s been some time since you’ve done this. What if–”
“It doesn’t get stronger over time, Jerjer,” The Empress Dowager replied, opening the lid.
The Empress Dowager swept the jewelry to one side, feeling around the button camouflaged by the dark cotton lining. With a push, a drawer on the side of the box popped open. A dark green glass bottle was nestled inside, carved like a leaping fish, no bigger than her hand. The Empress Dowager picked it up and removed the stopped to smell the liquid sloshing around. It smelled no different than the first time she used it decades ago.
“Bring the tea,”
Jerjer placed a cup of the sweetest tea that The Empress Dowager had stocked in her little kitchen. She poured two drops from the little bottle, watching the light orange tea swirl into a deep, blood-red. The Empress Dowager gulped it down in one go before putting the bottle back in its hiding place.
“This late in the evening, my Royal daughter-in-law should still be awake. I think I’ll visit her,”
Jerjer nodded, “I’ll bring the seated chair, Your Highness,”
Riding through the streets of The Forbidden City, The Empress Dowager couldn’t keep the smile off her face. In just a few days–a few hours even–she would be rid of that whore, Xiang pin. It was frustrating that it had taken this long in the first place. Jiang pin couldn't do it, Jiao gui ren couldn't do it, even Shen huang gui fei managed to be bested by her! Now, The Empress Dowager had to do the dirty work as if she wasn't the mistress of Cininggong. Was it shameful? Yes. However, it needed to be done. Xiang pin was a far too persuasive pawn of The Empress to be allowed to stay by His Majesty's side. To think that Xiang pin had crawled into The Emperor’s bed and convinced him to bring those horrid women back to The Forbidden City and bragged to her face about it.
Just thinking about the havoc she would wreak if she ever became pregnant sent shivers down The Empress Dowager’s back. It was time to put an end to this once and for all.
✺
“Have mercy on me, Your Majesty, have mercy on me!”
Shen huang gui fei stepped back as the Emperor's guards herded a stream of hysterical servants out of Cininggong. Were the Empress Dowager's servants being punished again? What for? When The Emperor called her over, she didn’t expect anything like this.
Jerjer gugu came to greet her, worry written on her face, “Your Highness, you’re finally here,”
“Gugu, what’s happened?” Shen huang gui fei asked.
“It’s terrible. The Empress was poisoned!”
Shen huang gui fei slapped a hand to her mouth. Poisoned? Who would have the gall?
A’Fang did a poor job covering her gasp, “Is Her Highness alright?”
Jerjer gugu only shook her head, “Please come inside. His Majesty and Her Highness The Empress are waiting for you,”
Poisoned.
The thought rattled around her head as she followed Jerjer gugu inside. Based on Jerjer gugu’s face, the situation was dire. His Majesty was probably distraught but wouldn't be able to show it. It wouldn't do if Shen huang gui fei didn't look upset. She pinched her arm and bit her tongue. By the time she knelt in front of His Majesty and The Empress, tears were slipping down her cheeks. When she looked up, His Majesty’s face was grim, and his eyes red.
Zhang Wei came to her side and helped her to a chair. Shen huang gui fei dabbed her eyes and glanced at The Empress’s stoic face. What a useless thing she was. His Majesty’s heart was breaking, and she wouldn’t shed a tear in his stead? Or shed a tear at all for her mother-in-law?
“Your Highness,” Shen huang gui fei said, making sure her voice was weak with sorrow, “What’s happened? What's happened to The Empress Dowager?”
The Empress let out a breath, “Royal Mother came to visit me for a chat. She felt dizzy and looked pale but told me not to worry and said she was exhausted from hosting us all day. She returned to Cininggong and collapsed. Hwang taiyi examined her and confirmed that she was showing signs of poisoning,"
Poisoned after chatting with The Empress?
“Perhaps The Empress Dowager ate or drank something at Yikungong that didn’t agree with her,” said Shen huang gui fei, “We can't jump to conclusions,”
“The Empress Dowager did not eat or drink at Yikungong, Your Highness,” replied Shiyi gugu.
“What did she eat today?” The Emperor asked Jerjer gugu.
“Replying to Your Majesty, Her Highness didn’t take breakfast as she wanted to appreciate the snacks that were brought for the tea party and skipped lunch from indulging there,” replied Jerjer gugu.
Shen huang gui fei thought back to earlier that day. Xiang pin had the gall to be the last to show up with those low-class pastries. Yet, The Empress Dowager ate one after the other as they watched several dull musical performances of The Empress Dowager’s choice.
Could it be?
“Jerjer gugu, did Her Highness perhaps just eat too many snacks today?” She asked.
Jerjer gugu shook her head, “Her Highness had Xiang pin’s pastries and nothing else,”
The Emperor’s face darkened, “Call Xiang pin here,”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Shen huang gui fei hid her face in her handkerchief, blotting tears of joy. Wasn’t this just too perfect? It had only taken Xiang pin's maid being gone for a moment for her to make the stupidest mistake! The only thing that could make this better was if The Empress Dowager didn’t pull through. Shen huang gui fei wasn't an ungrateful woman, but these days she was strong enough to stand on her own two feet without The Empress Dowager at her back. The Empress Dowager deserved her respect, but Shen huang gui fei needed to think of her future instead of the future of the Borjigit clan. Plus, Shen huang gui fei already had a few plans to bring Dowager Noble Consort Ling over to her side.
Hwang taiyi emerged from The Empress Dowager's bedroom, announcing that she was stable for now.
“We’ve removed as much poison as we could. Now, we must wait,”
The Emperor’s face turned grim at the news.
“Xiang pin is here, Your Majesty,” a eunuch announced.
As much as Shen huang gui fei didn’t like her, she could admit that if Xiang pin knew nothing else, she knew how to seduce a man. Xiang pin’s hair was tied in a loose braid, free of makeup or decoration. The fur-lined cape she wore was a gift from His Majesty, and when she kneeled to greet them, they could see she was only wearing her sleeping clothes. Shen huang gui fei saw The Emperor shift just at the sight of it.
“Xiang pin,” said Wang gugu from her place at The Emperor’s side, “Did you personally make the pastries you brought to The Empress Dowager's tea party?”
“Yes, gugu,"
“You truly made them on your own? None of your servants had a hand in them?” The Emperor asked.
Xiang pin shook her head, “Your Majesty, I don't understand. What’s going on?”
“Your Majesty, I think this all might be a mistake,” said Shen huang gui fei, “Xiang meimei couldn’t have poisoned Her Highness. We should investigate first before accusing her. Surely the real criminal could've left something behind?”
Searching Xiang pin's rooms would likely unearth the poison she was too foolish to hide. Even if there wasn't, Shen huang gui fei was sure she could twist someone's arm to say there was.
“Poison?" said Xiang pin "The pastries poisoned The Empress Dowager?” She turned to her eunuch, “How could that be? I just put Yiqiang to bed. He was fine, wasn't he? Not even a bit warm?"
"Yes, Your Highness," her eunuch replied.
“Yiqiang ate these?” Asked The Emperor.
“Yes, Your Majesty,”
Jerjer gugu frowned, “Hwang taiyi, could not eating enough weaken the poison? Could that be why 6th Prince wasn't affected?”
Hwang taiyi furrowed his brows, “It’s possible. 6th Prince is also young and fit,”
Well then, it looked like Xiang pin had no way out now.
Xiang pin suddenly gasped and covered her mouth, “Oh no! Dowager Noble Consort Ling! And the other dowagers! Hwang taiyi, you need to go to Shoukanggong right now!”
“Hwang taiyi is serving Her Highness!” Jerjer gugu protested.
“But I gave Dowager Noble Consort Ling an entire tray of pastries! She said she would share them with the other dowagers!”
The Empress straightened in her seat, “When?”
Xiang pin wrung her hands, “This morning before the tea party. I ran into Dowager Noble Consort Ling on the way over. I didn’t know this would happen!”
The Empress turned her servants, “Go to Shoukanggong right now and ask after Dowager Noble Consort Ling’s health,”
As the servant rushed out, Zhang Wei said, “Your Majesty, Your Highness, if Dowager Noble Consort Ling and the other dowagers had eaten the pastries so many hours ago, wouldn’t they have called for the physicians by this time at night?”
Shen huang gui fei turned her head so she wouldn’t shoot daggers at the mouthy eunuch. Dowager Noble Consort Ling and The Empress Dowager were only a few years apart. If Dowager Noble Consort Ling showed up healthy and hale, then Xiang pin would wiggle away from this after all.
Shoukanggong and Cininggong weren’t very far apart, so it wasn’t very long until Dowager Noble Consort Ling was shuffling through the door with the other dowagers stepping in behind her. They chorused their greeting, and The Emperor invited Dowager Noble Consort Ling to take a seat.
“Your Majesty, you look poorly,” said Dowager Noble Consort Ling, “Is everything alright?”
The Emperor sighed, “Royal mother has been poisoned, and the only thing she ate today were Xiang pin’s pastries. Are you alright?”
“I feel quite fine, Your Majesty. Meimei,” she said, turning to the other dowagers, “Do any of you feel ill?”
“No, Your Highness,” they replied.
The Emperor closed his eyes and shook his head, “That’s good then,” he said before rising from his seat, “I apologize for interrupting your night. Don’t let this keep you here any longer,”
The dowagers took their leave. Dowager Noble Consort Ling stayed behind, excusing herself to visit The Empress Dowager.
Shen huang gui fei’s heart clenched in anger as she watched The Emperor pull Xiang pin to her feet.
“Zhang Wei,” he said, “If there’s no confession from Royal Mother's servants, execute them all,”
Xiang pin left on The Emperor’s arm, a smug look on her face. Shen huang gui fei returned to her palace, disappointed and alone. The children were there, asleep in the cradles, and it gave her some comfort. That and the thought of The Empress Dowager passing away in the night.
A girl could dream.
✺
The Empress Dowager woke from her fitful sleep, her clothes soaked with sweat, yet she felt nothing but chilled. Her head ached, and her eyes were swollen from crying. Her mouth was numb, and her throat was raw from vomiting. She didn't know what happened. The drops had never affected her like this before. The pain was worth it, though. The sicker she was, the more damned Xiang pin was. With shaking arms, she pulled herself upright.
“Water,” She whimpered.
Jerjer pressed a cup into her hands.
“After all this time, you’re still doing the same old things, meimei,”
The Empress Dowager froze, the cup pressed to her lips. She turned her head. There was no Jerjer at her bedside. Dowager Noble Consort Ling. Was this a night terror? A hallucination brought on by the drops?
“You…you–” she stammered.
“Me?” Dowager Noble Consort Ling replied, “I haven’t done anything. You’re the one that still has that old bottle in your little jewelry box,”
The Empress Dowager swallowed, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,”
Dowager Noble Consort Ling tilted her head. “Of course you don't, meimei. You've been here in bed, sick. When His Majesty called me over and told me that Xiang pin had poisoned you, I was terrified. I couldn’t believe someone had poisoned you again. I thought you had left that in the past. Isn’t this the ninth or tenth time? What luck!”
The Empress Dowager’s lips trembled.
“Ah, but I guess you and Xiang pin are two of a kind! She’s just as unlucky as you. The real culprit almost got away with such a crime! But don't worry. Jiejie was there to set the records straight. I told His Majesty everyone in my palace ate Xiang pin's pastries and felt fine,”
"You've ruined it," The Empress Dowager hissed, "You bitch!"
She tossed her cup with all her might. It landed on her bed with a thump. The Empress had probably taken years off her life with this little act and Dowager Noble Consort Ling waltzed in anr ruined it. The Empress Dowager didn't know why she was shocked. Didn't Dowager Noble Consort Ling bring a cloud of misery wherever she went?
"Ruined? Careful now, meimei. You sound like you're confessing to something,"
"Don't call me that! I am The Empress Dowager! The Empress Dowager!" she screamed thrashing in bed, "I'll never be your little sister. Call me that again and I'll slit your throat,"
"Promises, promises, my dear, oh! I apologize. Your Highness. If your make it through the night, I'll bring the knife for you," replied Dowager Noble Consort Ling with a smile.
"How dare you laugh at me–"
"You know that I'm not the only one laughing right? My entire palace is marvelling at how typical you are,"
Like a flash, the geniality left Dowager Noble Consort Ling's face. Her eyes burned as she leaned in to glare at The Empress Dowager, "Hear this, Your Highness. What little grace I had for you in the old days has expired. I won't waste my energy bothering with you, but understand that the moment one of these girls is ready to finish you off, I won't be far behind,"
Dowager Noble Consort Ling stood and loomed over the side of the bed. The Empress Dowager's heart raced as the burning red lamplight illuminated her devilish gaze. Dowager Noble Consort Ling called for her maid slunk away. Jerjer came to her side.
"Your Highness, are you alright? You're so pale!"
The Empress Dowager leaned over the side of her bed and retched.