Chapter 134 Yin He’s Attempt
The heat began to intensify, and the coolness of early summer mornings was gradually swallowed by the rising sun.
In the wide and narrow corridors of the Imperial Palace, little eunuchs, carrying wooden buckets, busied themselves. They kept pouring freshly drawn, icy well-water over the stone stairways and brick paths, which had been permeated by the heat. The freshly poured water quickly seeped into the parched paths, and a hint of coolness, shining with the morning light, twinkled in the air.
Small-scale renovations and decorations at Xingqing Hall had been gradually underway since last month, as the emperor’s illness showed little improvement. Moreover, a sudden rainstorm at the beginning of summer had left Empress Dowager Yan Ping feeling unwell for several days, and even today, she didn’t quite feel spirited. Noble Consort Wen wanted to use the Empress Dowager’s birthday to uplift the somber mood throughout the Imperial Palace.
However, due to the death of the Second Prince, Empress Dowager Yan Ping did not want to make grand preparations, agreeing only to the court officials’ birthday felicitations and a combined palace banquet.
Such festivity did not extend to the remote corners of the Imperial Palace; hidden behind a whole expanse of lake gardens, Qishun Building seemed almost forgotten by the palace, its corners concealed by lush trees.
Early in the morning inside Qishun Building, two narrow Arhat beds were set up, cushioned with soft pads topped with transparent, cool water buffalo horn mats. The craftsmanship of lake boats was involved, where the water buffalo horns were soaked in medicine to soften, then cut into strips resembling bamboo mats. These horn mats were naturally cooling, soft in texture, and more importantly, beautiful.
The ice blocks under the corridor were placed a bit farther away because it was early morning and the heat had not fully set in. Nanny Yun didn’t dare to use ice, but since the two masters under the eave insisted on it, she had it brought over.
"Cousin, what do you think of this fabric?" Zheng Haoyuan was adept at pleasing others, and because of the hot weather and Noble Consort Wen being preoccupied with the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration, she couldn’t manage Zheng Haoyuan’s affairs at Chenhe Hall. Zheng Haoyuan had completely changed the personnel inside and out, with a simple and effective principle in selecting people: those not loyal were killed outright, and those whose loyalty was uncertain were also killed.
After several rounds, the staff at Chenhe Hall underwent a major overhaul. People trained by Ho Sheng, who were industrious and blindly loyal, dominated the scene. Zheng Haoyuan’s days became much more relaxed; he could do whatever he wanted without obstruction or fear of spies.