Emperor's Cunning Wife

Inside the Loving Piety Palace, Empress Dowager's bedchambers

A pathway appeared leading towards an inner room where the scent of medicines and incense mixed. A female figure was lying on the bed. Its arms had scars from the burns four days ago.

"How is she?" The Empress Dowager asked to the young physician carefully redressing the unconscious person's wound.

"Taihou Niang Niang, her pulse is normal. No signs of poison, but this one cannot ascertain what made the Empress in this state."

"When will she wake up?" Her voice hand no traces of the imposing tone she usually used to address her subjects. The Empress Dowager scrunched her eyebrows and leaned towards the female figure. Her eyes resembled that of a mother worrying for her sick child. For the past four days, Gao Ling had come and examined the empress' condition and would conclude the same diagnosis. Her heart ached and filled with despair and anxiety. When will the Empress wake up? This thought occupied her mind entirely.

Gao Ling felt her pain and quickly closed the medicinal box beside him, "Your subject doesn't know as of the moment, but Your subject will do his best to study Her Ladyship's condition. If Your subject found out something, then this one will immediately inform the Empress Dowager."

"Alright, call Tang mama if you need anything." The old woman c.a.r.e.s.sed the female's hair with tenderness. Her eyes were red rimmed, pity and concern oozed out from it.

"Yes Empress Dowager." Gao Ling gripped the handle of the medicinal box and lifted it. On his face was clear eagerness to leave.

"How is the investigation going? Did the Emperor find some leads?" The Empress Dowager asked after she remembered that it's been four days but the Emperor didn't send her any messages at all. One couldn't help but be furious at the lack of progress.

Gao Ling stiffened at how the old woman's mood changed quickly. "Your subject had been busy with the Empress' condition that one wasn't able to consult with the Emperor regarding the fire incident. You subjects only knows that the Emperor send out some men to gather information and had not yet return."

The Empress Dowager stared at him for a moment before waving her hand. "You can go now, and tell the Emperor that his grandmother want to talk with him."

"Uhm…Your subject had something more to say." Gao Ling said, his mind occupied with awkwardness. The matter last night had impacted him deeply and therefore he decided to put a stop else all of his blood will flow out from his body. He had a strange ailment and even the Emperor didn't know.

"What is it?" The Empress Dowager asked and fixed the silk blanket.

"It is about the Emperor's health." Gao Ling replied, his ears slightly red from remembering some images of last night.

"Fever?"

Gao Ling shook his head.

"Stomach pain?"

Gao Ling shook his head again.

"Poison?"

Gao Ling shook his head for the third time.

The old woman became impatience and raised her voice, "Stop shaking your head like a chicken, and tell this old woman what the matter with the Emperor is."

Gao Ling nodded immediately, "Your subject heard that there was a disease that can be transmitted through s.e.x.u.a.l contact…" Gao Ling tugged his collar a little bit. "The infected will suffer weight loss, abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, frequent headaches, and other acute symptoms. This subject is very worried for the Emperor and Empress' wellbeing, hoping that Empress Dowager would put importance in this matter and inspect the ladies in the harem before resuming the night activities." Gao Ling exhaled and his hands trembled a bit. He felt the room had its temperature had dropped.

"Is this information reliable?" The Empress Dowager was quite worried.

Gao Ling once again nodded. His cheeks had an unhealthy redness. "Yes, this subject had also skimmed through the medical records in the past proving that this disease had existed and caused a lot of deaths. In one of the books, it said the infected won't even know that he already acquired the disease until it reached a later stage."

The Empress Dowager's forehead wrinkled and her hand had grasped the blanket tighter, "Is there any cure?"

Gao Ling shook his head, "The records and the Imperial Dispensary hadn't find a treatment yet. That is why this subject asked the Empress Dowager's permission to conduct a medical examination first."

The Empress Dowager held her forehead and waved her hand to him, "Alright, tell Tang mama to arrange it."

"Yes, this subject will get busy." Gao Ling smiled victoriously inside and left the secret room with glee.

The Empress Dowager resumed c.a.r.e.s.sing the female's face, her mouth mumbled sweet words. "Lou'er, grandma will find the culprit behind the fire incident, so wake up, grandma misses you dearly…" Her eyes turned misty and a teardrop landed on the female's cheeks, the old woman rubbed her slightly saggy cheeks on the female's hand and closed her eyes deeply immersed in the past memories. Her absent-minded state was unable to notice the female's eyelids twitched for a split second before there was calmness.

Two days passed…

Our protagonist Ning Lou was currently teaching some of the brothel ladies some tips to read their customers. They were inside one of the ladies' rooms discussing some powders and rouges when Xiaohua interrupted them in the middle.

"Xiaohua spill it already!" The woman who was provocatively dressed in the morning, her clothes can barely cover her huge b.r.e.a.s.ts.

"The rules are clear, you need to win the round for one tip." Ning Lou clicked her tongue and arranged the tiles of the mah-jong again. There were about five ladies forming a circle with the table on the center.

"It's been seven rounds, you already ripped me off." Another woman in a blue dress raised her complain.

"No one force you to play. You can withdraw if you want." Ning Lou finished turning over the mah-jong tiles and mixed them up. Her hands rested on some tiles before pausing. "Who's up for another round?"

"Don't mind her Xiaohua, last night one of her regular customers didn't show up so that's why she's irritable. I'll play with you." The one in the middle laughed and placed another silver ingot on the table.

"The next time he comes tonight, she how I'll snub him. Hmph!" The annoyed woman pouted, her mood was clearly bad but she still fished out another.

The other ladies also placed their bets and started another round of the game. Ning Lou dragged some tiles near her. The other four also divided the remaining and began another round of mah-jong.

Ning Lou watched them getting serious over their tiles and smiled secretly.

Her hands made a wall to cover the tiles in her hands. The other four didn't notice lips had sloped upwards.

The irritated woman stared at the tiles in her hands and widened her eyes. Smile gradually replaced her frown and she immediately slammed her tiles on the table, the three ladies immediately looked over and were surprised at her luck.

"I won. All chows without any animal tiles!"

The three ladies clapped their hands and stood from their seats to pat her shoulders.

"So lucky! Looks like Sister Xixi would be able to gain another regular customer tonight."

"Sister Xixi, share some of the tips as well, this sister is having a bad luck recently."

"Xixi, let me hold your hands in case your luck will be passed over."

Xixi was clearly elated at their remarks but she still swatted them away. "What are you clamouring for? You're making the room noisy."

"Hey Xixi…" One of the women wanted to continue their talk but they heard the sounds of tiles being slammed on the table.

"Don't be too excited. I haven't even shown mine yet." Ning Lou revealed her tiles in front of them and they were stunned. Their mouths were hanging opened; an egg could even fit in.

"Pure…"

"Green…"

"Suit…"

"Hand…"

The woman who thought she won approached Ning Lou's tiles and scattered them with the rest on the table. Then she grumbled unladylike curses and went back to her sit her wilted form. Frustration was written all over her face. "I'm not going to play anymore!"

"Look at you getting frustrated over a small matter. Women should cultivate patience and sophistication. You curse like an old woman." Ning Lou clicked her tongue, her eyes roaming Xixi's form with disapproval.

The other three hid their giggles behind their hands. Xixi pouted but still paid attention to her words. "Do you think so?"

"Considering you managed to get such good tiles, I'll give you one tip." Ning Lou winked at her. The rest of the ladies overheard her and leaned towards Ning Lou.

"Hey, Xiaohua said it's only me. You should scoot over." Xixi pulled her sit and placed it near Ning Lou. "Xiaohua, come on spill it!"

Ning Lou laughed and whispered some words to her ears.

Xixi covered her face by the end of Ning Lou's whispers, "You're a pervert!" Her ears had blush.

The other three raised their eyebrows at Xixi's reaction. Xixi however didn't stay in the room anymore and rushed out the door fl.u.s.tered and embarrassed. By the time she opened the door, she bumped into Mother Shen.

"Mother Shen. Good Morning." Xixi greeted, the redness on her cheeks hasn't even faded.

Mother Shen nodded and asked, "Is she inside the room?"

Mother Shen strode inside the room and was met with Ning Lou and other three ladies in the middle of a mah-jong game. She hid her irritation and coughed. "There's someone looking for you…" Mother Shen hasn't even finish her speech when Ning Lou interrupted.

"Feng Hong?" Ning Lou asked her smile getting wider.

Mother Shen was surprised for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, we'll resume another time." Ning Lou said, winked and pocketed her earning inside a pouch. The ladies waved their hands with reluctance.

Mother Shen watched her actions, and the corner of her mouth twitched. She remembered Ning Lou's business proposal which she turned down two days ago. Now, almost all the ladies had asked for an advance using different excuses. Mother Shen was slightly afraid that the brothel will be turned into a gambling house in the future. By then, all the ladies will be turned into the dealers by Ning Lou. The horrible images flashed in her mind and she cringed. I must have been too exhausted.