The rules of the imperial palace are strict, and it is almost impossible to tamper with the food.
First, the Imperial Catering Directorate is responsible for purchasing the palace’s ingredients. When they are transported in from outside the palace, the supervising eunuch will certainly inspect them once, and anything inferior cannot possibly be accepted.
When they are sent to the Provisioning Office of the Bureau of Food, the female official in charge of meals will also inspect them once. Spoiled and rotten items will definitely not be accepted, and if she catches the chance, she will even file a complaint, leaving others with a handle against them for nothing.
Therefore, if the Imperial Catering Directorate wants to make trouble for the Provisioning Office, it can only do so through timing.
What does that mean? In summer, goods are inconvenient to store. The palace can use ice at any time, but outside the palace it is not convenient. So if the Imperial Catering Directorate gets a fresh fish, it can deliberately delay for two days before sending it over.
By then, when it enters the Provisioning Office, it is alive, but by the time they are about to cook it, it is dead.
At this point, if they want someone to send fresh fish again, they cannot. There are regulations on what time food is delivered every day, how many times it is delivered, and how many fish are delivered. But if they do not cook the fish, and the master happens to ask about it, that is a major fault. If it is part of the allotted portion, how can it not be respectfully presented?
But if they do cook it, that is an even greater crime. Lightly speaking, it is a crime of disrespect; gravely speaking, could it be that someone wants to harm someone?
Of course, according to procedure, there would not even be a stage of hesitating over whether to cook it.
The Provisioning Office uses small stoves, unlike the large stoves of the Imperial Catering Directorate, but anything that enters the mouth cannot be handled carelessly. Before officially cooking, the female official in charge of meals will also check one by one to confirm whether there is any problem with the side dishes and whether the preparation is proper. Whether a fish has just died or has been dead for some time can be told just by looking at its eyes.
A fish that was not just killed has no right at all to enter the pot.
The Imperial Catering Directorate knows this, and what it intends is to leave them with nothing usable, not to make them mistakenly use something bad.
“What we prepared was fish, cherries, and cow’s milk,” the eunuch from the Imperial Catering Directorate said honestly. “These are all things that are obviously bad. Unless the people from the Provisioning Office were blind, there is absolutely no way they could have used them. We value our lives too. If it were not easy to notice and we really harmed the master, we would lose our heads as well.”
Chief Steward He gave a cold snort, and most of his doubts were resolved.
Such were the rules in the palace. If something was not presented in time, it was the fault of the Provisioning Office. But if something went wrong, the Provisioning Office would be in trouble, and the Imperial Catering Directorate would be implicated as well.
They were not that foolish.
Then where exactly was the problem?
Chief Steward He frowned for a long while, then said, “Tomorrow, carefully investigate the residence of the young prince of An. Dig three feet into the ground if you must, but get to the bottom of it for me.”
“Yes.”
“Has Xiao Liu come back?” he asked casually.
“He has. He is waiting outside.”
“Call him in.”
Xiao Liu entered with his eyes lowered and his head bowed, and said ingratiatingly, “Grandpa, your grandson has returned.”
“How is it over there?” Chief Steward He asked.
Xiao Liu said, “Medicine Manager Cheng was inside for more than two hours. She prescribed medicine and also asked some questions. Our people were outside and could not hear clearly. We only know that they talked for quite a while.”
Chief Steward He raised an eyebrow.
Xiao Liu lowered his voice. “Should we…”
Before he could finish, Chief Steward He abruptly clinked his teacup, and the covered bowl shook slightly. “Do not get any crooked ideas. Whatever she tells you to do, you do it, and then come back and report to me.”
Xiao Liu did not understand what he meant, but since it was an order from his adoptive grandfather, he naturally had to comply. “I understand.”
“Mm, leave.” Chief Steward He closed his eyes to rest.
The meditation room was brightly lit.
Fetching water, bringing it to a boil, and steeping tea would take at least half an hour.
Cheng Danruo would have liked to take her leave, but Xie Xuanying asked her, “What exactly is the source of the epidemic?”
She had no choice but to pull herself together and analyze it. “Look, these three groups of patients show a very clear order of transmission, and there are no newly emerging cases. If it were within the temple, there must be something that was done before but not done afterward. However, I do not think the source of infection is here.”
The water had not yet arrived, but Cheng Danruo was truly thirsty. Unable to bother with propriety, she poured half a cup of cold tea and took a sip.
Xie Xuanying could not stop her, and could only regret his own lack of foresight.
“There is one place in their movements that concerns me a great deal.” Rarely having a chance to explain carefully, Cheng Danruo simply braced herself and made the matter clear. “They said that by the Empress Dowager’s grace, they were permitted to worship the Buddha and pray for blessings in their spare time. So they not only ate the milk cakes withdrawn from before the Buddha, but also bowed in various halls.”
Xie Xuanying listened silently.
“Apart from that, they also went to Willow Pool. Where is that?”
Xie Xuanying had been to Huiyuan Temple several times and already knew. “It is the stone pool at the foot of the mountain. Huiyuan Temple has a sweet spring; the springhead is in the mountain. Ordinarily the water is used only for brewing tea and offering to the Buddha, and also for purification rituals. It is said to be quite efficacious. The common people believe the spring water has Buddhist power, so they dug a pool at the foot of the mountain to collect the water downstream, and carry it home for bathing.”
His tone was flat, and he did not take it seriously, clearly for a reason.
Because the spring water of Huiyuan Temple flows in small quantity and is insufficient for daily use, it is indeed quite precious. But to be honest, it was just a gimmick used by the monks to curry favor with distinguished guests.
Xie Xuanying could drink it every time he came, and it had not kept him from getting sick.
After hearing this, Cheng Danruo already had some idea in mind. The ancients did not know how dysentery was transmitted, so investigating it was laborious, but she knew, and working backward would yield twice the result with half the effort.
“If it really was this water that was contaminated, then perhaps at the young prince’s place…”
Xie Xuanying immediately said, “I will get to the bottom of it.”
At that moment, footsteps finally came from outside the door.
The water had been fetched.
Xie Xuanying asked specifically, “Where is it from?”
Centurion Zheng replied, “Drawn from the well. Rest assured, everyone in the temple uses this well, and no one has fallen ill.”
Only then did he take it and place it on the small tea stove.
The water came to a boil slowly, but the conversation had again run out.
Cheng Danruo rose. “I should be going back.”
“What is the hurry?” He gave her a light, reproachful glance. “Sit down.”
She said tactfully, “It is very late, and I still have to get up early tomorrow.”
Xie Xuanying ignored her.
Cheng Danruo took that as tacit consent and began packing her medicine box on her own.
This time, knowing she would be away for several days, she had specially brought a large woven rattan box with two layers in total, containing gauze, surgical instruments, bamboo tubes, medicine bottles, as well as a travel brush and paper.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
She opened her mouth to answer, but suddenly realized that she did not yet know where she would be staying.
The corners of his lips curved slightly.
The water boiled, bubbling with a “gurgle.”
He poured out the remaining tea, filled half the pot, then, with the ease of familiarity, opened the medicine box and placed the teapot inside. “Take it, drink it at night.”
Cheng Danruo hesitated for a moment.
“Centurion Zheng, escort Medicine Manager Cheng to Director Pan,” Xie Xuanying said, giving her no chance to refuse. He opened the door and called someone in, then made a formal introduction. “This is Centurion Zheng. He is on duty at the East Glory Gate. If you have any urgent matter, you may seek him out.”
Cheng Danruo knew well that the palace was sealed off, and that having a smooth channel of information was very important, so she immediately said, “I will be in your care in the future, Centurion.”
“You are too kind,” Centurion Zheng said modestly, raising his eyes slightly.
In the candlelight, the young woman wore a lake-blue everyday robe. Her clothing and ornaments were simple, and her appearance was delicate and refined. Though she was not old, she naturally carried an air of steadiness and dignity.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that his judgment had not been wrong: this was the lord’s person in the inner court.
“Please.” Centurion Zheng took one glance and then withdrew his gaze, leading the way.
“Goodbye,” Cheng Danruo said, shouldering her medicine box and following him out.
Xie Xuanying stood in the room, watching her go.
It was rather funny, when he thought about it. In the ten years he had come and gone in the palace, he had never truly won anyone over. His subordinates all submitted to him, but he had always treated them ordinarily and had no trusted confidants.
It was only after Cheng Danruo entered the palace that the inner court was beyond his reach, and he urgently needed manpower, so he had put effort into selecting candidates.
Centurion Zheng was a hereditary centurion. The backing his family originally had was lost in his father’s generation. Although he had inherited the rank of centurion, he had no good assignment, so he had no choice but to train hard in martial arts. Year after year he ranked in the top ten in competitions, and he sold some of his ancestral property and gave gifts everywhere, finally obtaining a post in the palace guard.
In his daily work, no matter whether the matter was great or small, he handled it properly. His ability was not poor, and rare among men, he was tight-lipped and did not speak casually, and because of this he had few opportunities to distinguish himself.
Xie Xuanying had chosen him for his steadiness, his unflippant conduct, and his ambition to rise higher, but what truly decided him was the man’s character.
Centurion Zheng had been betrothed to his wife in childhood, but his father-in-law died early, and there was only one daughter in the family. The hereditary military household was given to a nephew, and his wife and mother-in-law lived under others’ roof, facing considerable hardship. Not only did he not break off the engagement, he married early and brought his mother-in-law into his home to care for her as well.
Only someone who remembers old ties and values gratitude and righteousness was worth taking as a trusted confidant.
He could not have too much contact with Dan-niang, and a trustworthy subordinate was undoubtedly very important.
Meanwhile.
Centurion Zheng led the way in silence, his own thoughts turning as well.
Officials in the capital were valuable, and also not valuable. A centurion could live quite well in the provinces, but in the capital he was only a minor underling. His backing was dead, and with the tree fallen the monkeys scattered; the younger generation was also unpromising, so he naturally had to find a way out.
After making arrangements for a long time, he had finally entered the palace guard, but among the twenty-two close-armed guards there were many factions, and finding a suitable one was not easy.
He had observed carefully for half a year before choosing Young Master Xie.
However, although those who sought to attach themselves to him were as numerous as carp crossing the river, Young Master Xie was not moved and treated everyone about the same. Because of this, many people developed divided loyalties and began casting eyes at others.
But Centurion Zheng saw it clearly: loyalty could be given to anyone, and so it hardly counted as loyalty.
Choosing a lord was like choosing a wife. Once you had set your sights, you could not be half-hearted, or you would inevitably neglect one side for the other.
He threw himself into his duties, was careful in speech and conduct, and waited for more than a year.
The opportunity had finally come.
Facts proved that he had not misjudged the man. Young Master Xie had family background and imperial favor. Though young, he did not act impatiently or frivolously, and he never made his subordinates take the blame. He was willing to share benefits and credit. If he had not served steadily and honestly for more than a year, such a good patron would not have fallen to him.
Today, escorting Medicine Manager Cheng could be regarded as the first step toward being taken as a trusted confidant.
Centurion Zheng let out a soft breath.
“We have arrived.” He stopped walking. “Ahead are the rooms arranged for the ladies. Following the path we just took leads to the gate I guard.”
Cheng Danruo nodded politely. “Thank you for your trouble.”
“I serve in the same way as you,” Centurion Zheng hinted. “I would not presume to call it trouble.”
Cheng Danruo glanced at him, smiled, said nothing, and nodded in farewell.
Sleeping in an unfamiliar place, as usual, did not go well.
Cheng Danruo lay in bed, turning the whole matter over and over in her mind. Only as the sky was growing light did she sort out her thoughts. Now that she had a clear idea, she simply stopped trying to sleep and rose early.
After washing up, Director Pan sent for her.
“Thank you for your hard work.” Director Pan did not waste words on pleasantries and went straight to the point. “How are the patients?”
Cheng Danruo carefully explained once more the analysis she had made the day before.
Director Pan’s eyes showed a strange expression. “Because of the pool at the foot of the mountain?”
“I cannot be certain, but judging by the mode of transmission of dysentery, contaminated water is the greatest possibility,” Cheng Danruo said cautiously. “Specifically, we need to see whether the common people nearby have also shown similar symptoms. If they all went to the pool and came into contact with the water in it, then it is almost certain.”
Director Pan closed her eyes and pondered for a moment, then asked, “To whom else have you said this?”
“Young Master Xie came to ask yesterday,” Cheng Danruo said. “I said the same thing.”
“And the Eastern Depot?”
She shook her head. “They did not ask.”
Director Pan drew a soft breath, her gaze sharp. “In the future, for matters like this, report to me first. Do you understand?”
Cheng Danruo certainly understood.
In the palace, death was not frightening, nor was making a mistake. What was frightening was standing on the wrong side and following the wrong person. Since she was one of the female officials, and moreover the niece of Palace Matron Hong, she absolutely had to consider the interests of her own group.
Otherwise, abandoned by all and separated from her allies, she would undoubtedly die.
But using the epidemic as a political tool would inevitably delay the response to the epidemic. If the source of infection was not dealt with for even a day, new patients would appear. One would infect ten, ten would infect a hundred, and by then, it would be impossible for there to be no deaths.
For her, stopping dysentery was the urgent priority.
But the matter was not entirely opposed.
Finding the common interest of both sides was the key to breaking the deadlock.
“When the nest is overturned, no egg remains whole. Whatever I know, I will certainly tell you,” she said unhurriedly. “But last night, the eunuchs of the Eastern Depot were already guarding the door. If I did not speak with Young Master Xie, I am afraid I would have had to speak with Chief Steward He.”
Director Pan knitted her brows.
She said, “Actually, as long as every patient is carefully investigated, each link is not difficult to clarify. Now the people from the Provisioning Office, thePalace Insignia Office, and the Palace Furnishing Office have already fallen ill. Everyone knows that dysentery spreads from one person to an entire room. This is an irrefutable fact. Even if I do not say it, the Eastern Depot can learn it simply by asking the Imperial Medical Institute.”
“That is not what I want to hear,” Director Pan said.
Cheng Danruo understood, so she immediately said, “The Empress Dowager worships the Buddha with utter devotion.”
Director Pan was startled, then drew in a sharp breath.
