Chapter 6: Provocative Fire

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As those beautiful eyes stared intently at her face, Shen Quanyi finally came to her senses and realized her rudeness—one must not meet the master's gaze. She never expected to have startled Li Qian. Hastily, she lowered her head. Li Qian’s expression remained unreadable, neither pleased nor angry. He then withdrew his gaze and said flatly, “Rise.”

Only then did everyone express their gratitude and stand up, breathing a collective sigh of relief. Shen Quanyi glanced toward the outside; the small window in the room allowed a view of the scene at the door. She saw a person approaching in a hurry with a worried expression, nearly stumbling.

The person entered and was about to kneel. Li Qian cast a quick glance and a faint smile curved his lips. “Enough, no need for formalities. Attend to the illness promptly.”

Only then did Shen Quanyi look at the man in plain clothes—a physician. She wondered who Zuo Li had summoned so late. Her eyes shifted to the red wooden waist plaque hanging at his side. It was from the Imperial Medical Department. Her brow twitched; today’s matter had become quite serious.

Yang Siqiu, lying on the bed, seemed utterly exhausted and fainted again. Li Qian and his wife conversed quietly. Shen Quanyi, feeling it inappropriate to remain at the forefront, gathered her clothes and quietly stepped back toward the door. Unexpectedly, the curtain behind her suddenly fluttered open.

Standing in the draft, she couldn’t help but cover her mouth and cough.

“Ouch, come inside quickly. In this cold weather, you mustn’t fall ill,” Zuo Li called, waving to Shen Quanyi. He glanced instinctively at Li Qian beside him, whose face was impassive.

Shen Quanyi forced herself forward a few steps, then stopped. The imperial physician had already written a prescription. Rising, he bowed to Li Qian. “Your Highness, this consort was frightened and caught a chill. I have prescribed medicine and applied acupuncture. In half a month, there should be a full recovery.”

“Do as you say,” Li Qian replied, no longer interested in staying. He flicked his sleeve and rose. The physician promptly handed the prescription to a maid for medicine.

As Li Qian stepped out the door, he paused meaningfully. “It seems there is still a sincere heart in this courtyard. Today, a good deed was done.”

Zuo Li understood immediately. “Indeed, sir. Consort Shen’s actions today were benevolent and deserve proper reward.”

Shen Quanyi was momentarily stunned. When she regained her senses, Li Qian had already left. The cold wind swept through the corridor, tugging at the edge of his robe as his figure receded into the night until vanishing entirely.

She withdrew her gaze and looked at Zuo Li’s smiling face. A strange light flickered in his dark eyes, sending a chill down her spine.

With Li Qian gone, Zuo Li did not linger. After administering the medicine, Yang Siqiu remained asleep. Zuo Li replaced her attendants and redid all the arrangements in the room.

Though her forehead wound was not severe, even when healed, a scar would remain. Shen Quanyi thought, as a lowly concubine, a woman’s only reliance was her beauty. Now, Yang Siqiu, who was not favored, had lost the only thing she could depend on.

Her days ahead would surely be much harder.

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That night, many lay awake.

At dawn, a mist still hung over the land. Zhulián carried an octagonal palace lantern ahead, with a sullen-faced Gu Tan following. The orange light stretched their shadows long behind them.

Since Zuo Li had summoned the physician the previous night, word had spread to the Chun Ya courtyard. Gu Tan rose at midnight, carrying a lamp, but she was not foolish enough to rush over. Only when dawn broke did she slowly step out.

They arrived at the courtyard gate, when Gu Tan suddenly spoke, “Everyone, go back!”

At her words, the group trembled and hurriedly knelt. Zhulián was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, though she could not soothe Gu Tan’s fury.

She could only urge them to return to their rooms—cold weather was no time to catch a chill.

After much effort, the crowd was persuaded to retreat. As Gu Tan entered, she grabbed a porcelain bottle with an eight-sided string pattern from a high table and smashed it fiercely on the ground, shards scattering.

“That wretched woman did it on purpose, causing such a scene just to gain favor with the Crown Prince. Such a small matter, and they call a doctor? And she’s not even dead? What a fuss!”

Her anger flared, her chest rising and falling restlessly. She paced back and forth in the room, glaring at the broken porcelain. The maids were terrified and wanted to clean up, but Gu Tan forbade it.

After a while, she settled, sinking heavily into a yellow rosewood chair carved with phoenix patterns. Her fox-like eyes gleamed sharply as she pointed at a maid by the door. “Tell me, why did the Crown Prince go yesterday?”

The maid, Mo Lian, was drenched in sweat. She had climbed in through the door and accidentally cut her hand on the porcelain shards. Enduring the pain, she knelt by Gu Tan’s side.

“It was… the Crown Princess who sent someone to fetch the doctor. They happened to meet the Chief Eunuch Zhang Desheng near the Crown Prince, explained the matter, and so the Crown Prince knew and ordered Desheng to fetch the imperial physician.”

What a coincidence.

Gu Tan sneered coldly, her anger rising. Zhulián opened her mouth to speak but dared not; she only handed over some hot tea. Unexpectedly, Gu Tan slammed the cup down heavily, then kicked Mo Lian’s chest.

Caught off guard, Mo Lian staggered, but remembered Gu Tan’s anger and endured the pain, kneeling again.

“Well done! Our Crown Princess is truly capable!”

At this point, Gu Tan knew she had been outmaneuvered by Zuo Li, so her words spilled out unchecked. Zhulián frowned and signaled Mo Lian to leave.

“Get out now.”

Mo Lian scrambled away hastily.

Soon after, a report came that someone from the Crown Princess’s courtyard had arrived.

Gu Tan sprang up, her face filled with anger. Her crimson lips, usually upturned, pressed into a thin line. Though displeased, she did not forbid entry.

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Yulan led several maids inside and immediately sensed the heavy atmosphere in the Chun Ya courtyard, servants kneeling throughout. Yulan waved her hand and carried a teapot into the room. As soon as she stepped in, her gaze fell on the chaos of broken porcelain on the floor.

“Greetings, Consort,” Yulan bowed to Gu Tan.

Gu Tan’s eyelids twitched. She bit her lip and smiled faintly. “You’re the Crown Princess’s right-hand woman. How do you have time to visit me? Dealing with those matters yesterday must have been exhausting.”

Her words carried a veiled meaning, which Yulan understood perfectly.

“Those wicked slaves are used to being lazy. They think that serving the consort grants them impunity. They must suffer some pain to settle down.”

Yulan spoke casually. Those two maids had already been beaten to death early that morning.

After speaking, Yulan personally poured tea. Gu Tan’s eyes brimmed with hatred, but Yulan feigned ignorance. She slowly opened the teapot lid, releasing a faint bitterness—bitter coptis water.

“It’s inappropriate to disturb you at this hour, but Consort Yang of Qing Ting courtyard has suffered much. Both the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince were alarmed. It was a sleepless night.”

“Fortunately, they are from the same courtyard. Consort Shen acted kindly. Without her, Consort Yang might not have survived. Even the Crown Prince praised Consort Shen before he left.”

As Yulan spoke, Gu Tan’s face darkened, pouring fuel on the fire.

“But the Crown Princess still cares for you. After all, you have your elder brother and second sister nearby. This bitter coptis water is specially prepared for you.”

This was a blatant threat. Gu Tan twisted her lips and laughed lightly. The previously solemn atmosphere shattered; her voice sounded especially sharp.

“No need to finish it quickly. The Crown Princess said you could drink a cup whenever idle. It’s not too bitter; after a while, you’ll get used to it.”

With that, Yulan bowed. “It’s late. The reward has been delivered. I must return to serve the Crown Princess.”

Watching Yulan leave with cold eyes, Gu Tan’s gaze grew fierce. She threw the blue-and-white floral incense hand warmer in her arms at the wall. The four-panel nanmu wood screen with carved silk embroidery shattered, pierced by a hole.

Zhulián was startled and hurriedly said, “Consort, this was a gift from the Crown Prince.”

“They’re all the same. I’m waiting to see how long they can enjoy themselves!” Since marrying into the Eastern Palace, Gu Tan had never suffered such humiliation. Clenching her fists, hatred spread deep within her.