Double Queens GL - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Seeing his mistress rush out to greet the guest herself, Yu Zheng thought to himself that she truly lacked the typical arrogance of a Middle Palace Empress. He wasn’t sure whether to be happy or worried about having such an approachable master.

Lady Zhang had finally made it to Changqing Hall, but her body was failing her. She felt herself swaying, her legs turning to jelly as she began to slide toward the floor. She felt utterly depressed—this useless body! I made it all the way here, why couldn’t it hold on for just a moment longer?

Liu Hening happened to emerge just in time. Seeing a sickly beauty sliding down, she didn’t hesitate for a second. She reached out and caught Lady Zhang by her slender waist, preventing her from hitting the ground. Looking at the beauty in her arms, Liu Hening noted that although the girl was pale and clearly ill, she possessed a vibrant, spirited energy. What a vivid beauty, Liu Hening marveled.

Zhang Qingyu stared up at Liu Hening’s simple, ethereal face. She thought this woman looked quite different from the others. No woman in the palace was unattractive, but this one was unique. Having had little education, Zhang Qingyu lacked the words to describe her; she just felt this woman was beautiful in a way that made people instinctively like her.

“Can you stand?” Liu Hening asked with gentle concern. Her voice was like the clear, bubbling water of a mountain stream—exceptionally clean.

“I can!” Zhang Qingyu insisted stubbornly. Since she was already at Changqing Hall, she had to hold on long enough to get a treasure before fainting. Even if she had to be carried back, it didn’t matter.

“Let me help you to a seat,” Liu Hening said, still worried.

“Alright, thank you for the trouble.” Feeling her strength sap away, Zhang Qingyu accepted the help.

Liu Hening quickly assisted her to a chair. Instead of returning to the main throne, she sat down right next to Lady Zhang.

“What is your name?” Though Zhang Qingyu wasn’t very bright, her intuition was sharp. She felt the woman before her had eyes as soft as a Bodhisattva’s and as pure as a babe’s. She looked like a “good person.”

“My name is Liu Hening. And yours?”

Zhang Qingyu didn’t connect this simply dressed woman with the new Empress. Although her maid Xiao Xuan had mentioned the new Empress was named Liu Hening, her fevered brain had completely forgotten it. Even if she weren’t sick, she likely wouldn’t have remembered—she had a terrible memory and usually forgot things the moment she heard them.

Xiao Xuan, standing nearby, heard the name “Liu Hening” and began frantically winking at her mistress. Perhaps due to her illness, Zhang Qingyu didn’t notice the hints at all. Even if she had, she likely wouldn’t have guessed what they meant.

“I am Zhang Qingyu, a Lady recently titled by the Emperor. Are you new here?” Zhang Qingyu thought she must be new; she wouldn’t have forgotten someone so striking.

“Yes, I am new,” Liu Hening nodded.

“Are you also here because you heard the new Empress gave everyone treasures? Did you come to pay respects just for the gift?” Zhang Qingyu noticed the other servants were some distance away, so she covered her mouth and whispered into Liu Hening’s ear. She found it strange that they had been waiting for a while, yet no servants had come to attend to them.

Liu Hening couldn’t help but smile. This beauty was far more honest and interesting than the ones from yesterday—she had actually dragged her sick body here just for a treasure.

Seeing Liu Hening only smile and not answer, Zhang Qingyu assumed she was too embarrassed to admit it. Most women in the palace hid their intentions behind layers of reserve, unlike herself. If she wanted something, she said so.

“What is your rank?” Zhang Qingyu asked. Her gut told her that with a face like that, the Emperor would surely like her, so her rank wouldn’t be low. It would be beneficial to befriend her.

“I think I am the Empress,” Liu Hening answered truthfully.

Pfft! Just any woman dares to call herself Empress? Wait… hold on… there really is a new Empress in the palace. Could it be her?!

“The new Emp…ress?” Zhang Qingyu’s voice wavered with panic. She thought all Empresses were like Ye Guichen—virtuous, dignified, and strict with protocol. How could Liu Hening, in her simple clothes and easy-going manner, be the Empress? Her faulty memory finally kicked in; Xiao Xuan had mentioned the name was Liu something.

Liu Hening nodded with a smile, confirming her suspicion.

“Your Majesty of the Middle Palace?” Zhang Qingyu checked again, uncertain.

Liu Hening nodded again.

Zhang Qingyu felt her head spin, and it wasn’t just the fever. She realized she had just accidentally exposed her greedy motives to the Empress herself. She wished she could faint right now, but for some reason, she stayed conscious.

“Qingyu, do you feel unwell again?” Liu Hening asked, seeing her turn even paler.

“I must be… delirious from the fever… I was talking nonsense just now…” Zhang Qingyu was glad she had the excuse of being sick. She felt quite clever for finding such a reasonable “out.”

“Yan, bring the Restoration Pill that Jun Shen sent,” Liu Hening instructed Liu Yan.

“Yes.” Liu Yan went inside. The Emperor had sent a wide variety of things. Despite all the gifts given out yesterday, there were still some left, including this pill—said to be excellent for recovering one’s vitality after an illness.

Soon, Liu Yan returned with a small, exquisite wooden box containing a single pill.

“This pill is excellent for recovery. Since you are unwell, I shall give it to you. You should feel much better after taking it,” Liu Hening said tenderly.

Seeing that Liu Hening didn’t seem to care about her earlier slip-up and was even offering medicine, Zhang Qingyu decided she was definitely a “good person.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Zhang Qingyu said respectfully. She opened the box and saw a pill the size of an egg.

“Take it now; you’ll feel better soon.”

“It’s so big! If I swallow this, I’ll choke to death!” The blunt Zhang Qingyu immediately voiced her doubt, rescinding her “good person” label. She’s clearly trying to choke me to death!

“This pill is meant to be taken over six doses, once a day,” Liu Hening explained. She took the pill, broke off a sixth of it, rolled it into a much smaller ball, and handed it to Zhang Qingyu, putting the rest back in the box.

Zhang Qingyu figured the Empress wouldn’t poison her in front of so many witnesses. She took the pill with some tea. Even though it was smaller, it still felt huge. She swallowed it, but it felt like it got stuck in her throat, making her very uncomfortable.

“If it’s still too big, we can break it down even more,” Liu Hening said, seeing her rubbing her neck.

Why didn’t you say so earlier! If the woman weren’t the Empress, Zhang Qingyu would have rolled her eyes.

Liu Hening handed her own untouched cup of tea to Zhang Qingyu. After another drink, the girl felt better. Whether it was the pill or just the attention, she truly did start to feel her strength returning.

“Thank you for the medicine, Your Majesty.” Zhang Qingyu was back to believing she was a good person.

“You’re welcome. Didn’t you want a ‘treasure’? This is a treasure, and now it’s yours,” Liu Hening said generously.

Zhang Qingyu felt her heart sink. Once I eat this and use the bathroom, it’ll be gone! She heard the others got pearls, jade, and jewelry; all she got was medicine. She wasn’t even that sick; she just needed two days of rest. She wanted shiny things to show off and compete with the other women! If I’d known, I wouldn’t have forced myself to come while sick; I would have waited until I was better.

“Can I… trade it for something else?” Zhang Qingyu couldn’t help but ask in a small voice.

“A part of it has already been used, so it wouldn’t be right to take it back. Besides, everyone else only got one gift. It wouldn’t be fair if I gave you more,” Liu Hening said, appearing troubled.

“Oh.” Zhang Qingyu’s response was thick with disappointment.

“Tell you what—when you come to play tomorrow, I’ll give you something else,” Liu Hening suggested. She was planning to use treasures as bait to lure the beauties to come play with her.

“Really?!” Zhang Qingyu agreed instantly, afraid she would take it back.

Liu Hening smiled. It seemed she would have to ask Jun Shen for more treasures.

“But… could it be something other than medicine? I like pretty things…” Zhang Qingyu pushed her luck, seeing how easy-going the Empress was.

“I think there’s a rather large ruby left,” Liu Hening replied.

“A large ruby! I love rubies!” Zhang Qingyu’s voice went up an octave in excitement. She decided she loved this new Empress.

Liu Hening watched her joyous expression and thought she was such a simple and vivid girl. Genuine girls are so much more adorable.

The two of them got along like old friends. As noon approached, Liu Hening wanted her to stay for lunch.

“Um, Lady Zhang has not yet paid respects at the East Palace,” Xiao Xuan reminded her. If they paid respects to the Middle Palace but ignored the East Palace, they would offend Ye Guichen.

“Oh, right!” Zhang Qingyu stood up. Despite how nice Liu Hening was, in her heart, she still felt that Ye Guichen was the “real” Empress with the real authority.

“It’s fine. Have lunch with me. Afterward, you go back and rest, and I will go pay respects at Changle Hall on your behalf,” Liu Hening said. She wanted to go see “Huazhao” anyway.

“That works!” Zhang Qingyu agreed immediately.

Xiao Xuan was internally screaming. Her mistress was brainless, but this Middle Palace Empress was making things far too complicated. If the Middle Palace Empress “represented” her mistress at the East Palace, it would look like Lady Zhang had officially joined Liu Hening’s camp, thereby offending Ye Guichen. It was too early to take sides! She worried her brainless mistress was being used as a pawn, but as a lowly maid, she had to wait until they were alone to explain the danger.

What is it like to have a stupid master? Xiao Xuan was the world’s leading expert.