Right after morning court, Concubine Zhou was summoned to the emperor's study. He had sent Eunuch out early and now sat alone, with a brush in hand and a calligraphy paper on the table. Eunuch Zheng, however, knew that the calmer his master appears, the angrier he is on the inside.

He prays that Concubine Zhou will be able to placate the emperor.

Emperor Tai Ke messed up a stroke while drawing a plum blossom branch. He looked back at the soiled painting. The entire inkstone was then flipped backwards with a wave, landing on the ceramic tiled floors with a 'bang'.

The servants and eunuchs outside his study remained silent in fear.

"Concubine Zhou has arrived!" Eunuch Zheng whisked his horsetail and announced loud enough for the emperor to hear.

Concubine Zhou stood in front of Emperor Tai Ke as he cleaned his hands that were stained from ink with a handkerchief.

"Was it the food?" The emperor had not taken his eyes off the plum blossom drawing.

"No. It was the incense."

It was this sort of monotone reply that set Tai Ke off the edge. 'Why was she always like this?!'

"Why?" he hissed.

He came down from the steps of his chaise in a series of rapid motion and his hand grasped onto Concubine's shoulder like the talons of a hawk.

"You know why."

The hand on her chin was bruising. By tomorrow, it could possibly leave a mark.

"Zhen has given you everything! What more do you want Zhou Yunqi?" he bit her name through the gap of his teeth.

"Do you want to become empress? Good! Zhen will go write an edict the moment you nod your head! Do you mind the other women in the harem? Zhen will disband the harem for you! Tell me! What can zhen do to have your heart? Say it Yunqi!"

"You can't give me what I want." Concubine's voice was bland.

The emperor let out a dry laugh.

"I can't, but that bastard Tian Yu can right?" He let go of her chin.

"You still have him in your heart? Even after all these years?" The emperor began pacing to and fro, with no outlet to take his frustration out on.

"Is there really no room in your heart for me? 一一Not even a little?" there was a begging note in his voice.

"At that time, when you tried to poison zhen, zhen had already tried my best to silence those who knew. Are you blaming zhen for the cold years at the Cold Palace?"

Emperor Tai Ke looked her deeply in the eyes. "But Yunqi, zhen didn't have a choice. There were courtiers who were witnesses then and they wouldn't let it go. The crime of trying to assassinate the emperor isn't something that can be overlooked. Sending you away was zhen's best choice."

"You should've sentenced me to death."

Emperor Tai Ke finally felt the pain of showering affection to an uninterested party.

"Good... good! What a good Zhou Yunqi! Zhen will tell you right now that it doesn't matter if you don't love zhen at all. The future is long! It's fine as long as zhen can keep you within zhen's eyesight."

"As for that Tian Yu, what the eyes doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve. Zhen will see to it that he won't even have a chance to glimpse at the hem of your robe you from now on!"

Emperor Tai Ke's robe fluttered as he leaves the study room in resentment.

*********************

Back at the eastern courtyard, Feng Mian played with her miniature-sized housemate. All sorts of trinkets like the rattle drum, carved wooden horse, and puppets were brought over from the main courtyard.

As soon as Tian Junli recognised that it was her slipping into his room, he broke out into a peal of airy laughter. It sounded broken but Feng Mian got the point that the little guy was happy to her. Her heart melted into a puddle of water. Grown-up Junli wasn't as nearly this cute.

Feng Mian: "555, don't you think our son looks the cutest? Cuter than the baby next door."

System 555: '..... Which neighbour's baby are you talking about?'

Feng Mian sat next to the cradle. "Jun Jun ah, this sister fought with your mother yesterday." She lamented.

"The people here are so despotic. Wake up soon, and let's go home okay? This sister will treat you to ice cream."

Little Junli gurgled merrily in response.

Wet nurse Lu came in. In front of Feng Mian, she behaved herself, with the visit from before leaving her with a deep trauma.

"Sister Feng Mian, it is time for His Highness to eat."

Feng Mian took the rattle drum that was sucked halfway into Junlin's mouth cavity.

"Has anything happened lately?"

"Nothing else happened other than this nurse making sure that the maids are doing their duty. This one had already reprimanded those that dare slack off. I've sent orders to the Clothing Department for new clothes and blankets to be made for the little prince as well."

"Un, you've done well," Feng Mian nodded satisfactorily.

Feng Mian took out a pouch full of silver coins and threw it towards Nurse Lu. "Here! Continue to make sure that the prince is not shortchanged."

She knew one of the most important things to have in order to gain supporters in the palace is money. Luckily, as a first-ranked maid to a concubine, her salary could be considered quite high. And the concubine would often gift her things as well.

To keep a servant in line, the carrot and stick method works best. Wet nurse Lu beamed from ear to ear. This time she said more sincerely, "If there are other things Feng Mian meimei needs, don't be embarrassed to ask this nurse. I'll make sure to do it diligently."

Feng Mian only offered a lukewarm smile. "I'll be counting on nurse Lu then."

A maid carried in a bowl filled with a dark coloured liquid. It smelled heavily of bitter herbs mixed in together and boiled for a long time. Feng Mian frowned.

"Is this food or medicine? Why does it smell so strong?"

Nurse Lu answered, "This is a prescription from the physician. The prince has been taking it since he was a week old. It is said to improve the condition of the prince's throat."

"Was it from the head physician?" The head physician was the one who diagnosed the little prince before.

"No, another imperial physician named Mo Taiyi." Feng Mian's frown deepened.

"Let me see it." She gestured for the bowl of medicine to be brought over.

The hand of the maid who was holding the bowl unknowingly shook. Feng Mian grew even more apprehensive. From the corner of her eye, she caught the maid loosening her hold on the bowl.

Feng Mian immediately caught the bottom of the bowl to hold it steady. She gazed into the maid's eyes as she did so, sensing the distress and panic in them.

She said slowly to the maid. "I haven't seen you around before. Which courtyard were you previously from?"

The maid gulped. "This one is new. I served at the Yonghe Palace before."

'Noble Consort Wen's place?'

Feng Mian pulled the bowl close to her nose.

"555, can you scan what's inside?"

555 performed a brief scan of the medicine's components. "There's QianJi drug inside, host. It's often used to treat incurable illnesses from the Western region but is high in toxicity. Definitely fatal for an infant if taken for a long time.  It can cause Maqianzi or Strychnos."

The maid waited anxiously in front of Feng Mian. Although she was older, she felt intimidated by the poker faced look on the younger maid. 'She couldn't have…. could she?"

It felt like forever until Feng Mian finally spoke. "The medicine's good."

The maid didn't have time to breathe a sigh of relief because Feng Mian's next words nailed her feet in place.

"You try it."

The maid felt cold wind sweep her bones. She wasn't sure what sort of things were put inside the bowl, but she was sure there was poison. She stuttered.

"Tha-that, that's something the made for the Fi-fifth Prince. How would I dare一一"

"If I say you can, then you can," Feng Mian insisted.

Nurse Lu wasn't a blockhead, she knew that something must be wrong with the medicine from how the maid was acting. The weight of the pouch in her hand was the deciding factor on whose side she should choose.

"What are you doing? Didn't you hear what Miss Wan Mei said? Drink up?!"

The porcelain bowl trembled in her hands as she brought it to her lips. In the end, she couldn't do it. The bowl fell and the liquid inside gushed out to the floor. Feng Mian snickered.

"You dare to even poison a royal prince. What do you dare not do?"

The maid's knees hit the floor instantly. Feng Mian felt a sense of deja vu. She gave Nurse Lu a look. 'Look, it's your comrade. Really, haven't they heard of the saying no zuo no die?'

"Who put you up to it?" It's one after another. Feng Mian was honestly sick of it.

"I-I can't say. Please Wan Mei jiejie, let it go this once! I won't dare do it again!"

'Hmmm this familiar script.'

"You won't do it again, because there will be no chance to do it again. Guards! Come apprehend this maid!" Two guards in black immediately came inside.

"No一一No! It wasn't me! Wan Mei一一Nurse Lu, save me!" The maid was taken out screaming for her innocence.

If there is one bug, there will be another.  If she has to kill the chicken to warn the monkey, then that's what she will do. Dare to covet her housemate's life!

'This Wan Mei yatou is really someone she couldn't afford to cross,' Nurse Lu thought. She gave the girl a pandering smile.

"Be careful of the water Miss Wan Mei. I'll take this bowl away."

Feng Mian stopped her. "No need. Leave the bowl here. I have a use for it."