Chapter 336: Longing for Mom and Sweet Cakes
Life at Wutong Garden had been far too peaceful. But for days now, ever since the attempt on the Emperor’s life, Ji Qingwu’s heart had been fraught with anxiety.
It wasn’t until Su Fengyue’s arrest tonight that her heart finally found some measure of peace.
Ji Qingwu clutched the covers and turned over, her unfocused gaze fixed on the pearwood carvings of the headboard.
The evidence in Su Fengyue’s case was ironclad, leaving only the loose ends to be tied up. A big fish in the court had been caught, and the stirred-up waters of the pond would remain murky for a while longer before they cleared once more.
Next, Emperor Wu Su would begin his reckoning.
The Empress Dowager’s actions had not disappointed the Emperor, and Wei Ting, in particular, had given him a "big surprise."
Ji Qingwu had married into the Wei Family, but she was also a Ji by birth. No matter how she looked at it, there was no way she could remain uninvolved.
She didn’t know how she had fallen asleep, but she knew she had been nudged awake.
A soft, sweet-smelling little bundle was burrowing about in her blankets, successfully creating drafts at all four corners of the covers.
’Aren’t daughters supposed to be a source of comfort for their mothers?’
Ji Qingwu rubbed her sore eyes and hugged the little girl who was trying to wreak havoc under her covers.
"Jiu Jiu, let’s sleep a little longer..."
Her voice was still groggy and heavily nasal. It didn’t sound quite right.
Jiu Jiu said in a clear voice, "Mama, it’s already noon. If you sleep any longer, it’ll be dark!"
Unconvinced, Ji Qingwu cracked open an eye. She reached a hand out from behind the bed curtains and lifted a corner of them slightly.
Blinding light streamed through the gap, and her fair wrist instantly retracted.
Jiu Jiu sprawled on top of her, pressing her small face to her mother’s ear and calling out in a soft, gentle voice, "Mama."
Ji Qingwu wrapped her arms around her daughter. Her eyelids, heavy as lead, fell shut once more.
"What is it?" she asked.
Jiu Jiu nuzzled against her. "Mama, can you spend the whole day with me?"
Ji Qingwu’s drowsiness vanished in an instant. Jiu Jiu was rarely this clingy. Her eyes flew open as she asked in surprise and concern,
"Did someone at the Wei Family bully you?"
Jiu Jiu shook her head. "No one bullied me. I just missed Mama. And I also want..."
The little girl’s lip quivered in a pout, her dark eyes gazing up at her mother.
Ji Qingwu’s heart ached for her. She immediately hugged her tighter and promised, "What else do you want? Mama will do anything you want with you today."
Jiu Jiu said, "I want to eat the tanghulu from the street stalls, I want to eat Nanny Li’s sweet cheese curd, and most of all, I want the candy cakes from the palace."
Ji Qingwu looked at the little girl’s eager face. ’So she just wanted some tasty treats.’
’Alright, treats it is!’
’The little girl is at a growing age, after all. A good appetite is a sign of good health.’
Ji Qingwu called for Xuemei and instructed her to go buy two skewers of tanghulu from the street. Then she sent Lan Zhi back to the Ji Family to ask Nanny Li to prepare some of her sweet cheese curd.
All that was left was the candy cakes from the Imperial Kitchen in the palace.
Ji Qingwu walked into the courtyard. She still didn’t know where Sanchuan and Si Hai usually hid.
She first walked a circle around the courtyard, surveying all the possible hiding spots.
Han Zhi, who was in charge of sweeping, walked up to her. "Madam, are you looking for something? I can help you."
Ji Qingwu said, "That won’t be necessary. You may leave for now. I’m just taking a walk in the courtyard and don’t wish to be disturbed."
Once the servants had all left, Ji Qingwu walked over to the decorative rockery that was part of the courtyard’s landscape.
She said softly, "Sanchuan."
Sure enough, a figure in black instantly dropped down from above, but it was Si Hai.
He had been following her movements from the moment she stepped into the courtyard.
Si Hai asked, "What do you need?"
Ji Qingwu said, "Si Hai, can you go to the palace and bring back a piece of candy cake?"
Si Hai hadn’t expected her to ask for this; he thought she wanted him to deliver a message to the Emperor.
He hesitated. "Matters concerning food from the Imperial Kitchen are all handled by the Chief of the Internal Affairs Office. I can only go and ask."
"Go and ask first."
Ji Qingwu also gave Si Hai a light-blue purse she had prepared. ’Based on past experience,’ she thought, ’Li Yuzong will surely stuff this full before sending it back.’
Si Hai returned to report back much faster than either Lan Zhi or Xuemei.
There was a soft knock on the window.
The mother and daughter, sitting on the daybed, both looked up, their eyes brightening.
Ji Qingwu pushed open the window. When Si Hai saw two pairs of eyes filled with eager anticipation, he lowered his head in shame.
He held out the limp, empty purse with both hands.
Jiu Jiu’s little face fell. Ji Qingwu asked in surprise, "Why weren’t you able to get it?"
Si Hai said with his head hung low, "Eunuch Li said that items from the palace cannot be collected by a proxy. The person herself must be present."
Si Hai hadn’t specified who wanted the candy cake, so Li Yuzong had simply assumed it was for Ji Qingwu.
Emperor Wu Su had returned to the Diligent Governance Hall at midnight and had been holding one court session after another ever since. The officials coming and going had already been replaced five or six times.
Li Yuzong was also rushed off his feet. He wanted to persuade the Emperor to rest and mind his imperial health, but he simply didn’t have the courage.
So when Si Hai happened to come looking for him, Li Yuzong had taken the liberty of coming up with this little scheme.
Li Yuzong stood at the entrance to the Diligent Governance Hall, peering across the way as if anxiously awaiting someone’s arrival.
Little Dongzi said, "Master, it’s already this late in the day, and His Majesty still hasn’t had his midday meal. Even a man of iron couldn’t withstand this, to say nothing of the severe injuries he suffered not long ago."
With a worried expression, Li Yuzong said, "You think I don’t know that? But right now, who would dare try to persuade him?"
The Emperor had risked his life to get to this moment; of course he was going to eradicate every last traitor and conspirator from the court in one fell swoop. All his previous tolerance had been for the sake of this very opportunity.
It was precisely because he understood Emperor Wu Su’s struggle that Li Yuzong felt so conflicted.
But overseeing Emperor Wu Su’s meals and rest was his duty as the Chief of the Internal Affairs Office.
Li Yuzong had already tried to persuade him once, but one sharp glare from Emperor Wu Su had sent him scurrying back, his back drenched in a cold sweat.
He was desperately hoping that his ’savior’ would arrive soon.
But who would have thought that instead of his savior, he would get a little tormentor.
When Si Hai placed the little girl—clutching a limp, light-blue purse—in front of him, Li Yuzong’s old eyes glazed over in a daze.
"This... this... this..." For once, his usually glib tongue was tied.
’Instead of my savior, I’ve gotten my executioner. Where am I supposed to find the time to coax and babysit a child right now?’
Still clinging to a sliver of hope, Li Yuzong asked, "...Miss Ji didn’t come?"
Si Hai replied, "Miss Ji’s exact words were that you are to make sure her daughter eats her fill and has a good time playing before she is to be sent back."
"Miss Ji has other important matters to attend to."
Li Yuzong pressed, "What important matters?"
’What could possibly be so important that she’d send her child to the palace?’
Si Hai scratched his head. "Catching up on sleep."
Li Yuzong’s vision went dark. "Doesn’t Miss Ji know that His Majesty is so busy he hasn’t even had time for a sip of water?"
"Miss Ji also said that if you feel taking care of the child is too much trouble, you can also—"
Li Yuzong’s eyes lit up again. He asked urgently, "Can also what? Tell me, quickly!"
Si Hai said, "You can also send Young Master Yuan Heng over to her. She’s prepared tanghulu and osmanthus cakes, and she guarantees there’s more than enough to fill him up."
From the Diligent Governance Hall, yet another group of officials filed out.
Inside remained the unmoving figures of Emperor Wu Su, Lu Juan, and Duan Mingfeng.