mesbooks Chapter 34 Even a tiger won’t eat its own cubs
Chapter 34 Even a tiger won’t eat its own cubs
Night gradually fell, and a faint sunset glow appeared on the horizon; it was the eve of dinner. The palace was peaceful and serene, but this tranquility was soon shattered by Li Quan's hasty return.
Li Quan came running up, panting, and stopped in front of Su Nuannuan. He didn't even bother to wipe the large beads of sweat from his forehead, and hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this servant has investigated the matter thoroughly! The reason why the Second Prince and the Third Prince suddenly developed a high fever is because they ate peanut brittle. Moreover, their condition is getting worse. In addition to the high fever, both princes have developed rashes all over their bodies."
Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan frowned and asked, "Have the Second Prince and the Third Prince never eaten food containing peanuts before?"
Li Quan quickly replied, "Your Majesty, according to the wet nurses of the Second and Third Princes, Consort Li had previously strictly forbidden them from having any peanut-related food. That's why Qixiang Palace never received even a tiny bit of peanuts or peanut products."
Hearing this, Su Nuannuan's doubts deepened, and she asked again, "If that's the case, then where did the peanut brittle in the Empress Dowager's palace come from?"
Li Quan took a deep breath and continued, “Your Majesty, you may not know this, but these peanut brittles were made in the Empress Dowager's small kitchen. They were originally prepared specifically for Your Majesty as a snack. But who knew something would go wrong? A palace maid took advantage of the kitchen staff's inattention and secretly stole two pieces of peanut brittle. Then, seizing the opportunity, when the wet nurse was away from the two princes, she handed the two pieces of peanut brittle to the Second Prince and the Third Prince respectively. Alas, who could have imagined that such a thing would happen…”
"How exactly did His Majesty handle this matter?"
Li Quan's expression was grave, and he lowered his voice to reply, "That palace maid has already been sent to the Punishment Department. I'm afraid her chances of survival are slim!"
As he spoke, he trembled slightly, as if he had a deep fear of the so-called Department of Punishment.
The Punishment Department was a place of utter terror within the palace. It was a veritable den of iniquity, a place where almost no one sent inside ever emerged unscathed. Typically, they were carried in upright and out horizontally, a gruesome sight too painful to behold. The punishments were said to be extremely cruel, with countless methods of torture that could make life worse than death. Even the strongest person, once inside the Punishment Department, would suffer a mental breakdown within a short time, completely losing the will to resist.
"In other words, we haven't received any other relevant information yet," Su Nuannuan said, her brows furrowing slightly and her tone grave.
"Your Majesty, that is indeed the case. The people I arranged in the Disciplinary Department are currently trapped inside and unable to escape, so naturally they cannot pass on the message." Li Quan hurriedly bowed again, responding cautiously.
Just then, Yaoqin walked in gracefully and respectfully reported to Su Nuannuan, "Your Majesty, dinner is ready."
Upon hearing this, Su Nuannuan slowly stood up, and at the same time, she did not forget to instruct Li Quan: "Li Quan, if there is any new information from the Punishment Department, you must report it to me immediately."
"Yes, Your Majesty, please rest assured! This servant will keep a close eye on the Disciplinary Department's every move and will not let any disturbance slip by," Li Quan replied hastily.
Since the Emperor did not attend tonight, Su Nuannuan's dinner was quite simple. It should be noted that she was unlike the other concubines who enjoyed ostentation; even when dining alone, she would never insist on a table laden with dishes.
Look at the table in front of her; there are at most four dishes, and the portion of each dish is not large.
However, for Su Nuannuan, this amount of food was just right, neither causing waste nor failing to satisfy her appetite.
Only when the Emperor came to dine with her would a large, sumptuous feast be specially prepared.
Of course, if the Emperor were to visit suddenly without prior notice, just like he did for breakfast last time, then Su Nuannuan would either have to give up eating or try to eat as little as possible.
Since the arrival of the small kitchen, Su Nuannuan no longer sends palace maids to the imperial kitchen to collect daily meals.
Every day before dawn, just as the first rays of sunlight pierce the veil of night, the Imperial Household Department would promptly dispatch personnel to deliver fresh and abundant ingredients to Cuiwei Palace.
Chika, who is in charge of meal arrangements, gets up early and carefully prepares a whole day's worth of delicious dishes based on the ingredients that are delivered.
Whether it's a delicate breakfast pastry, a balanced lunch of meat and vegetables, or a nourishing soup for dinner, all are transformed into delicious and visually appealing dishes through her skillful cooking.
After a cozy dinner, this time, Su Nuannuan did not, as usual, instruct the two wet nurses to bring her adorable son and well-behaved daughter to her side. Instead, she quietly rose and walked lightly towards the study.
Time passed quietly, and the night deepened. As everything around them was immersed in tranquility and the time for rest was approaching, Li Quan, who had been keeping an eye on the Disciplinary Division, finally tiptoed into the room and respectfully reported to Su Nuannuan.
"Your Majesty, important news has come from the Punishment Department. The two princes have suffered such hardship because Consort Li was behind it all! Her only goal is to regain custody of the two princes." Li Quan lowered his head and carefully conveyed this shocking news.
Upon hearing Li Quan's words, Su Nuannuan frowned slightly, her beautiful face revealing a mixture of disbelief and anger. She said in a heavy tone, "As the saying goes, even tigers don't eat their cubs. How could she, as a mother, bear to do such a cruel thing to her own flesh and blood?"
Following that, Li Quan continued, "Furthermore, Your Majesty, the Punishment Department also said that Consort Li discovered by chance that the two princes had an allergic reaction to peanuts and could not eat them. However, instead of informing the Emperor and Empress in time, she deliberately concealed this matter."
"In order to get back her own flesh and blood, Consort Li really went to any lengths! If only she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have done it in the first place."
Fortunately, I wisely refused His Majesty's offer to raise the two princes; otherwise, I fear I would not only have had to expend a great deal of energy caring for them, but would also have ended up with nothing to show for my efforts.