A boring tale 13 - Two-faced

A few days after the tea session with the Empress Dowager, Princess Yu fell ill. She was confined in bed and could not attend any social events because of her illness. The Imperial Doctor had been invited to her house for a checkup and gave her some medical prescription but after taking it for a few weeks, the illness did not turn for the better. In fact, it turned worse.

Some of the servants from the Princess Consort's manor were saying that the Princess was bleeding heavily followed by heavy vomiting, she was extremely distraught. It became so bad that Princess Yu could not stomach any solid food and could only drink soup during meals. As to why she suddenly had such heavy bleeding, the servants do not know but they did note that Princess Yu is getting thinner as time passes.

Many rumors ran rampant in the capital and there were even some who said that the Princess is on her death bed. One of the rumors floating around says that the close friend of the Princess, Eldest Young Miss Fei has been visiting the Princess ever since she had first fallen ill.

She is truly good-hearted, that was what the common people are saying. The rest of the nobles only sent their gifts and not personally approach for fear of catching whatever Princess Yu is suffering from. Eldest Young Miss Fei is a true friend indeed.

Currently, the sick Princess Yu lies in bed as she stared at her friend who was fussing around her with a worried look on her face.

"Princess Yu, this humble servant is incompetent." The Imperial Doctor kneeled down and cried.

"Stand up and speak properly," Princess Yu told him in a tired voice.

"This- this illness, this humble servant had seen it before when he was traveling the outskirts of the capital. There is no cure. Your Highness, this servant is incompetent!" The Imperial Physician cried out as he kowtowed loudly.

Eldest Young Miss Fei gasped in horror as she stared at Princess Yu in disbelief. Her friend is dying and yet, happiness is surging in her chest. However, she managed to control herself and immediately shed tears.

"Princess, this… how can this be? Princess is a kind soul and yet," Eldest Young Miss Fei sobbed pitifully.

Princess Yu sighed and shook her head with a resigned look on her face.

"There is no helping it, this is fate." Princess Yu coughed a little and leaned back into her pillows, dismissing the Imperial Doctor. Eldest Young Miss Fei immediately went to her bedside and held a towel, slowly wiping away her sweat while wiping her tears.

A voice behind the closed door called out, "Yu-er, can I come in?"

The hand that was wiping away the Princess's sweat trembled a little at the voice, her eyes turned towards the door. Princess Yu frowned a little at her friend's action but she pretended she saw nothing and replied to her husband behind the door to enter.

A handsome slender young man entered the inner chambers. He is the husband of Princess Yu, Master of the An household, Prince Consort An. He had a worried face as he entered and nod his head, greeting Eldest Young Miss Fei as he took over her seat at the bedside. He holds his beloved wife's pale and thin hands in his, held it to his lips and kissed it gently. Princess Yu loves it when her husband showers her with such gentle caresses but currently, her attention is at her friend who was clenching the towel in her hands tightly, her eyes flickering.

Princess Yu would not have begun to notice such subtle behavior if not for Imperial Consort Lan's bet and now she is seeing with her own eyes, her friend eyeing their interaction between husband and wife with jealousy. Previously when her husband had called her behind her inner chamber's door, Princess Yu had seen her friend's eyes had a flicker of infatuation when she glanced at the door. It is one thing to hear it from others but another to see it with your own eyes.

Another woman followed behind him. Although her hair is grey with age, the pride and dignity of a noblewoman can be seen from her elegant behavior. She is the Madame of the An household, first noble lady Madame An. She stood by the bedside behind her son as she frowned in worry for her daughter-in-law.

Princess Yu cannot deny that Eldest Young Miss Fei, whom she had thought to be her closest friend, does not have pure intentions.

"Pardon this Consort's presence, your Highness."

Princess Yu snapped her head at the sudden guest with widened eyes. Imperial Consort Lan entered the threshold of her inner chambers along with a maid bearing a gentle smile. Her mother-in-law and husband visiting her is normal but it is a surprise for Imperial Consort Lan to visit her.

"Imperial Consort Lan," Princess Yu nodded while the others bowed at the presence of an Imperial Consort.

"Please raise, Prince Consort An. Princess Yu is my husband's sister which makes us sisters. You are her husband so there is no need for courtesy. Today, this Consort is here to visit my sick sister." Imperial Consort Lan walked gracefully over to Princess Yu and gestured at the gifts her maidservant is holding.

"For nourishment, this Consort has prepared a few selected tea leaves and some ginseng. This Consort hopes that the Princess would recover as soon as possible," Lord An immediately thanked Imperial Consort Lan for her kindness and gestured for some servants to accept the gift.

"Get the kitchen to make some warm soup with the ginseng for Yu-er," Prince Consort An ordered the servants but was stopped by Princess Yu.

"There is no need to waste them on me, have them give the soup to Mother."

"Yu-er, you should drink it to recover." Madame An rebuked her daughter-in-law with a stern face but all Princess Yu felt was warmth as it was out of concern for her.

"But the Imperial Doctor has told me that there is no cure for this illness," Princess Yu's voice trailed off as she secretly exchanged glances with Imperial Consort Lan.

"How can this be?" Prince Consort An widened his eyes and clutched his wife's frail hands tightly. He refuses to believe that his wife would leave him behind. There is no way this illness is taking her away from him. They had only been married for a few years and rather than his affection fading over time like how most people do, he had only fallen for her harder every day.

Madame An bit her lips anxiously at the news. She had liked her daughter-in-law and would want her son to remain faithful to his wife but she is also worried that there will be no one to carry on the family line. Her son is not likely to take another wife after Princess Yu and now Princess Yu is sick and would not live long. This is indeed troubling.

"There is no way Princess Yu will die, Fei Qing refuses to believe it!" Eldest Young Miss Fei abruptly said with determination.

"Your Highness, Fei Qing will ask Father to search for divine doctors to cure you. This way, Lord An and Princess Yu can live and have many children to carry the noble family line." Eldest Young Miss Fei's words may have sounded as if she was extremely worried for her friend but the clear-headed Princess Yu and Imperial Consort Lan could see what she was trying to emphasize and who she was trying to move.

"Eldest Young Miss Fei is such a good friend. Yu-er, she is right. I would not give up just because an Imperial Doctor says there is no hope." Prince Consort An told his wife.

Eldest Young Miss Fei eyed Madame An out of the corner of her eye and saw that Madame An was in deep thought as she pondered over her words.

After the servants served the ginseng soup, Prince Consort An personally fed his wife, showering her with much love and affection before he went to search for famous doctors. Madame An retired early as she was somewhat tired and Eldest Young Miss Fei only left after Prince Consort An left. Only Imperial Consort Lan was left with Princess Yu.

"So how was it, your Highness?" Imperial Consort Lan asked.

"What do you mean?" Princess Yu did not understand what she was referring to.

"How does it feel to finally be clear-headed?" Imperial Consort Lan let out a little smirk at Princess Yu's infuriated face when it finally dawns upon her.

But what she said was indeed true. She had been blind for so long and did not notice who she was keeping beside her and she even prides herself to be sharp as she was raised by the most cunning woman in the Imperial Harem. Composing herself, Princess Yu thanked Imperial Consort Lan.

"It was this Princess that was blind, little sister thank elder sister for opening her eyes. However, we only discovered that Fei Qing is eyeing my husband. How can we assume if she wanted to poison me slowly?"

"The fox will slowly show its tail, there is no hurry. I am sure you have stopped drinking the tea she gave you?"

"Elder Sister knows that I did not trust you at first and continued drinking it to prove you wrong. However, I almost killed my child. When I bled so heavily, I was extremely frightened that the child could not be saved but it was Elder Sister who came in secretly to save me. I should have listened to Elder Sister earlier. Now I have switched it with a similar tea that you have given me and Fei Qing did not suspect me at all," Princess Yu grinned, her attitude has changed ever since she found out that Fei Qing was eyeing her husband, plotting against her to steal him.

Whenever Fei Qing visits her to "take care" of her, she would always bring more of those poisonous tea leaves and she told her that she had brought too much. There are still some left in the storage. Hence, every time Fei Qing brings them over, they will be stored in the storage shed and every time Fei Qing asked if she is drinking the tea, she would tell her that she is clearing her previous stock. Such a clever scheme was thought of by Imperial Consort Lan. Princess Yu shook her head internally, she really is a scary woman. Maybe even scarier than Imperial Mother when she is back in her prime.

"That's good. She has begun her tricks so just play along and we shall unmask her on the day she thought she had won." Imperial Consort Lan stood up with a graceful smile, nothing left of the devilish smart woman who smirks at others' demise.

"Have anyone ever told you that you are two-faced?" Princess Yu asked before she left.

"No, but who cares. As long as I survive, nobody will ever know. History is written by victors after all."