Chapter 351: Chapter 353: Nighttime Conversation at Luan Palace
Feng Bailing couldn’t help but recall the anatomy class she had attended, where the instructor mentioned that men’s buttocks are mostly firmer than women’s due to the differences in stature.
Because of the height difference, Dugu Wu almost had to lean his hands on Feng Bailing’s shoulders as he stepped into the bath barrel.
“This medicine bath seems somewhat different from the previous ones?”
Dugu Wu, smelling the herbal bath, slightly frowned.
“I added a few more herbs, including a bit of Heartbreak Grass. Don’t misunderstand, a little bit of Heartbreak Grass won’t be lethal. I also got this tip from Senior Hong. The potent properties of Heartbreak Grass can suppress some poisons. The toxins in your body are too abundant and can act up at any time, soaking in this can relieve muscle atrophy.”
As Feng Bailing spoke, she added another bucket of hot water to Dugu Wu’s wooden bath barrel.
After a moment, there was no more movement in the barrel.
Feng Bailing looked and saw that Dugu Wu was leaning against the edge of the barrel, seemingly asleep.
Feng Bailing was quietly delighted; she had added some opium to the aromatherapy candle, a type of herbal medicine that can induce sleep for a short period.
The toxins interwoven within Dugu Wu’s body were numerous, and at one point, she thought it might not be effective on him.
It seems he hasn’t yet built a tolerance to opium.
Feng Bailing quickly shed the cumbersome long dress she wore, underneath was a set of pale pink palace maid garments.
She pushed open the window of the side hall, leaped out, and headed toward Luan Palace.
In the past few days while attending to Emperor Yongye, Feng Bailing noticed a pattern.
The Empress was particularly concerned about Emperor Yongye’s illness, and around 7 p.m. every day, she would visit and assist the Emperor with his medication.
This hour was precisely 7 p.m.
The side hall where Dugu Wu stayed was not far from Luan Palace; relying on her Seventh Sense, Feng Bailing easily avoided the Imperial Army’s patrol.
Upon arriving at Luan Palace, the Empress had just left with a few eunuchs and palace maids.
Feng Bailing hid, and in Luan Palace, only a few palace maids remained to clean the doorway and light the lamps.
Feng Bailing was worrying about how to divert those palace maids when she saw one walking out.
“Did you hear? Among the skeletons fished out from the fish pond, one was Chen E’s.”
The talking palace maid was about twenty-three or twenty-four, an older maid in the Luan Palace.
The other maids were younger, with some not recognizing Chen E.
“Chen E was originally from Luan Palace, favored by the Empress due to her hairdressing skills.”
“Alas, I heard she had an affair with a guard and was killed by Zhao Ang.”
The palace maids usually did not dare gossip about palace affairs, only when the Empress was away did they dare to discuss.
“Chen E was so proper, how could she have had an affair with a guard; here in the palace, she only ever saw the Emperor and never flirted with the guards.”
The palace maid sighed with emotion.
“Sister Chen, with that said, the child in Chen E’s womb…”
The older palace maid made a gesture of beheading.
“Don’t talk nonsense. Chen E used to live in the wing room where we sleep, and she was kind to me before she died. We’ve discussed it and decided to burn some joss paper for her.”
The maids were also timid and did not dare to ask further, hoping that burning some joss paper would grant Chen E peace. They walked towards the nearby wing room.
Seeing this, Feng Bailing quickly made her way into Luan Palace.
Her purpose for coming was to find the whereabouts of the Wooden Holy Seal.
Dragon Queen had previously mentioned that Dongfang Cheng had taken the Wooden Holy Seal to Jun Tian, resulting in a bumper crop.
Unlike the Water Holy Seal, which was absorbed into the body, the Empress would not likely carry the Wooden Holy Seal on her person; it may very well be hidden somewhere in Luan Palace.