Chapter 055
Chapter 55: Safe Escape
Consort Ping’s expression stayed idle and calm as she smoothed her sleeve, as if the farce before her had nothing to do with her.
Hearing Old Madam Xia’s words, Duan Yi Chen’s palm clenched. How bold she was to bully Yan’er in front of everyone. Did she think he would be afraid? Consort Ping alone did not scare him.
He took a step forward, but felt his sleeve tug. He looked down and saw that fair, slender hand. Joy burst in his heart.
Xia Meng Yan had caught his sleeve. She did not want rumors that he used his power for her. [This is something I can solve myself.]
She stepped past him and faced the crowd as she said: “Grandmother thinks for me in every way. I am very moved.”
Duan Yi Chen’s mind was all on Xia Meng Yan. Since their last unhappy parting, she had ignored him for a long time. He said: “Meng Yan, do not be afraid. I believe you.”
Old Madam Xia’s face darkened. She forced herself to look steady, but she was set on crushing Xia Meng Yan today.
Xia Meng Yan nodded to Duan Yi Chen and said: “Thank you, Heir Apparent Duan, for speaking up for me. But Grandmother is right. It is best to make things clear, so no one can use today against me later.” She turned to Consort Ping and said: “Your Highness, I have a way to wake Eunuch Xiao Mu Zi.”
“How would you have a way,” Old Madam Xia blurted, then, feeling the doubtful looks around them, coughed and said, “I mean, the imperial physicians said Xiao Mu Zi will not wake for a while.”
Consort Ping frowned and cursed her for lacking self-control. She had lived in the Inner Palace for years and had seen many consorts who hid their claws. If Xia Meng Yan dared speak like this, maybe she had been holding back skill. She asked: “Does Eldest Miss Xia know the medical arts?”
“I learned a little under Divine Physician Luo,” said Xia Meng Yan.
Divine Physician Luo had once stayed briefly with the Xia family when he came to the capital, so using his name made people more ready to believe. Sure enough, hearing those three words, the crowd’s looks changed.
The imperial physician brightened and said: “If you are a student of Divine Physician Luo, then there should be no problem.”
Old Madam Xia panicked. When had that wretch become Divine Physician Luo’s student?
Seeing Old Madam Xia’s face, Consort Ping knew the day was lost. If she kept blocking now, people would suspect more. She said: “Since that is so, Eldest Miss Xia, please try.”
Xia Meng Yan nodded, took out silver needles, and stepped forward. Back in the cave, she had used the Soul-Chasing Needle Method to suppress Xiao Mu Zi’s pulse. Now she unsealed it. Before the time to drink a cup of tea had passed, he would wake.
The imperial physician came close and watched. Xia Meng Yan placed each needle fast and true, and his respect for Divine Physician Luo grew even more. If she had learned only a little and was already stronger than himself, what could Luo do in person?
“Do not act wildly, Meng Yan. Eunuch Xiao Mu Zi serves before His Majesty. If a life is lost, the Xia family will be dragged down,” said Old Madam Xia. Even when Consort Ping shook her head at her, she would not give up: “Stop her at once.”
Focused on her needles, Xia Meng Yan ignored her.
“Ridiculous,” said the imperial physician before the palace maid could move. “The Eldest Miss’s needling is correct. Old Madam Xia keeps stopping her. Is she afraid the man will wake?”
Old Madam Xia waved her hands in panic: “You misunderstand, Imperial Physician. I am not—”
A light cough sounded.
Xia Meng Yan withdrew the needles. Xiao Mu Zi opened his eyes, and an attendant eunuch hurried to support him. Seeing everyone, he knelt.
“It is good you woke. Do you know why you were hurt?” asked Consort Ping in her usual gentle tone.
“Half a stick of incense ago, this servant was ordered to the Imperial Kitchens,” said Xiao Mu Zi. “On the way someone attacked me. I remember nothing after.”
Xia Meng Yan curtseyed to Consort Ping and said: “Your Highness, this eunuch was attacked half a stick of incense ago. That was when I had just entered the palace. Your nanny can testify for me. This proves all of it has nothing to do with me.”
“You were wronged,” said Consort Ping. She slipped the jade bangle from her own wrist and set it on Xia Meng Yan’s. “It was a misunderstanding. I will have the rest investigated and give you an answer.”
Then she looked at Old Madam Xia and said with a hidden meaning: “Old madam has a good granddaughter.”
Old Madam Xia’s face was full of awkwardness. She could only bow and watch Consort Ping leave.
In the carriage leaving the Imperial Palace, with only the three of them inside, Old Madam Xia raised her hand and struck: “Wretch, you want to ruin the Xia family.”
Xia Meng Yan had not expected her to hit. A clear handprint bloomed on her fair cheek.
“Grandmother,” cried Xia Qing Yao.
“Be quiet. They would sell you, and you would still count the money for them, fool,” snapped Old Madam Xia at Xia Meng Yan, pouring days of anger into that slap. “Because of the shop, Consort Ping held a grudge. If you took a little loss to let her vent, this would be over. But no, you would not hand over the shop, and you would not swallow the blame. Do you want the whole Xia family to die with you?”
Xia Meng Yan’s cool fingertips brushed her cheek. The sting reminded her what family meant here. [So this is what they call family.] She said: “Today Consort Ping took a fancy to Mother’s dowry shop and Grandmother told me to give it up. Tomorrow if another highness fancies something from the Xia family, will Grandmother give that too?”
“Stop twisting words. If the Xia family latches onto Consort Ping, who in the palace would dare touch us,” said Old Madam Xia, rubbing her aching palm. She had used all her strength, and it still hurt.
Xia Meng Yan touched the blood at the corner of her mouth with her tongue and gave a cold laugh: “Good thing Father was not raised by Grandmother. Otherwise the Xia family would already be finished.”
“What do you mean?” Old Madam Xia roared.
She had favored the second son because he grew up by her side. Now that the second son had achieved nothing, how could she not resent it? Yet all that resentment fell on Xia Ping Yuan.
Xia Meng Yan had long seen through her. [A lofty heart and a life thin as paper.] She said calmly: “There is His Majesty in the Inner Palace, and the Empress, and the consorts who have given birth to princes. Their power is all above Consort Ping. Step back and say Grandmother gets her wish and Consort Ping is willing to pull the Xia family up. The Lu family has many sons and grandsons, and the chances are few. How much could the Xia family take from their hands? You are the one ruining things and still blaming the main branch for not being your grave partner. Ridiculous.”
“You—” Old Madam Xia was speechless, her body trembling with rage.
Xia Qing Yao broke the tense silence and said: “We are one family. Whatever it is, let us talk it out.”
“Talk about what? Your sister is headstrong and does not see me as her grandmother,” said Old Madam Xia, shaking. “This wretch has the same nasty temper as the head of the house.”
With a curl of her lip, Xia Meng Yan looked at Old Madam Xia’s twisted face and found it laughable as she said: “If Grandmother dislikes me, then I will get off here.”
She tapped the carriage wall, and it stopped. She stepped down without hesitation.
Lifting the curtain, Xia Qing Yao looked at her in worry and said: “Sister, do not get angry. Let us talk at home.”
Xia Meng Yan shaped the words silently: “I will do what I promised you,” then signaled the driver to leave.
As the carriage rolled away, Xia Meng Yan could still faintly hear Old Madam Xia’s curses. She did not care. She walked toward home.
She had not gone out for a long time. Now, walking the street and hearing the hawkers’ cries, she felt much lighter.
She beckoned to a little beggar and said: “Here is silver. Go to the Xia family and find Chun Yue. Tell her the Eldest Miss will be back later.” The child took the silver and ran for the Xia family.
Xia Meng Yan wandered as she walked, and the things in her hands grew more and more. When she could not carry any more, she had people send them to Xia Manor.
She paused at a rouge stall and, from the corner of her eye, caught a shadowy figure flash behind her. She set the rouge down. The silver needle hidden in her sleeve was ready.
A quarter of an hour later, Xia Meng Yan slipped into a narrow alley, and the shadow behind her rushed to follow.
She turned and said: “Don’t move.”