This time, Xiao Biao didn’t stay long in Mu’en Hall like before.
He only hastily ate a bowl of tomato and egg noodles cooked by Shen La before quickly taking his leave.
Word had it that he had something very important to do.
Yun Wei had braved the chilly autumn rain and set off for South Pass early in the morning.
The Empress had approved a contingent of three thousand Fenglin Guards to accompany her, and she also carried an Imperial Decree, ordering the several princes stationed at South Pass to cooperate with Yun Wei.
All this just to find clues about that sweet potato.
The scale of the operation was significant, nearly on par with deploying troops for war.
With Xiao Biao gone and Yun Wei heading to South Pass, the Empress was busy these days promoting the vaccine and pills.
She couldn’t get away and had no time to summon Shen Yu.
Yun Xiang was busy with the internal affairs of the Marquis Mansion.
Winter was approaching, and with the Marquis Mansion’s large establishment, they had to prepare early.
Of course, she hadn’t forgotten about Shen Yu either.
She found many skilled bricklayers and craftsmen to come and help renovate Shen Yu’s Mu’en Hall.
Shen He thought that just installing a stove would probably not be enough to withstand the winter cold in the north.
Out of curiosity, Shen He drew a sketch and asked those master craftsmen if they could build heated brick beds in all the occupied side rooms.
“It’s not difficult, Young Lady. Just leave it to us. We can finish it within three days.”
“Alright.”
Shen He nodded.
That way, they would have warm heated brick beds in the winter.
Heating methods in ancient times were relatively limited.
When she was at Qingfeng Village, Shen Yu had gotten used to the pleasant climate of perpetual spring.
Now that she was in the north, she definitely had to prepare for the impending severe cold.
Just imagine, the wind howling outside, snow swirling.
Shen Yi and Yin Qiu, in the warm room, sitting on a heated brick bed, eating hotpot.
The fatty mutton slices were rich but not greasy, lean but not tough, accompanied by the spicy, boiling red oil, one bite down…
Just thinking about this kind of heavenly life made Shen La want to pass out on the spot.
“Right, I need to send a letter home. I’ll also have my mom send me some hotpot base.”
Thanks to the fact that the Imperial Court’s attention was now diverted by the noble families and the Great Plague, the two main commanders appointed by the Emperor to go to Qingfeng Village to suppress the bandits—Yun Wei and Marquis Wuding—were one recuperating from illness and the other heading to South Pass to investigate the whereabouts of the Red Tribute.
Shen Yu really missed the good food and drink from Qingfeng Village.
Especially the hotpot base made by Shen He with beef tallow, various spices, and the chili peppers that Qingfeng Village’s merchant caravan had brought back for Shen Yi.
Just thinking about it made Shen He drool.
Even in winter, the temperature at Qingfeng Village was nearly twenty degrees.
While hotpot was delicious, eating it while sweating profusely wasn’t entirely comfortable.
But here in the Capital City, it was different!
For now, at least until after the New Year, no one would bring up the matter of Qingfeng Village again.
This year, they could finally spend the holiday in peace and stability.
In the following days, Shen Yu enjoyed a rare period of leisure.
Every day, she taught Yin Qiu arithmetic and medicine, and saw patients on schedule.
Occasionally, the Empress would send for her to discuss matters, insist on giving her food, and send over various snacks from the palace.
The craftsmen brought by Yun Xiang completely renovated Mu’en Hall, inside and out.
Many places were improved according to Shen Yu’s requirements.
The occupied side rooms were all fitted with stoves and heated brick beds.
A temporary shed was set up in the courtyard, filled with split firewood, enough for Shen Yu and the others to use until the end of winter.
As time passed day by day, Shen He lived a routine life.
The comfortable days of having Yin Qiu attend to her dressing, washing, eating, and combing her hair in the morning almost made Shen Yu forget the passage of time.
Until nearly a month later, when the weather turned bitterly cold.
Early one morning, someone urgently banged on the door of Mu’en Hall.
“Eunuch Li?”
Shen Yu, wrapped in a cloak and rubbing her sleepy eyes, opened the door.
She had just woken up.
It was still dark outside, probably around five or six in the morning.
But Eunuch Li outside the door was full of vigor, his face glowing.
“Physician Shen, why are you just getting up now? It’s past the morning duty roll call time,” Eunuch Li asked half-jokingly.
“It’s cold, and there aren’t that many patients at Mu’en Hall so early, so I got up a bit later. Does Eunuch Li have business with me?”
Shen Yu yawned.
She wasn’t the type to show up on time for roll call.
Even if the Emperor came, she would have to wake up first before she could go to work.
“It’s getting cold, winter has set in. His Majesty sent me to deliver your Winter Allotment.”
As Eunuch Li spoke, he directed people to move things into Shen Quan’s small courtyard in Mu’en Hall.
“His Majesty is giving me gifts again.”
“Of course. You’re quite favored by His Majesty now. His Majesty misses you after not seeing you for several days. I’m always by His Majesty’s side, and I keep hearing His Majesty mention you.”
Hearing this, Shen Yu instinctively forced a smile.
She always felt that when the Empress missed her, it meant trouble.
Either she wanted Shen Yu to help her come up with plans, or she wanted Shen Yu to help clean up the mess.
Fortunately, she hadn’t summoned Shen Yu to the palace these past few days.
The last face-to-face chat between sovereign and subject was still fresh in her mind.
If it happened again in this cold weather, even Shen Yu wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“These are the Winter Allotment items that His Majesty bestows upon officials every year. This year, yours is issued at the standard for a First-Rank Minister of the Imperial Court. There’s quite a bit of stuff. But don’t spread the word.”
“If the other ministers find out that His Majesty is partial to you, they’ll get jealous.”
Shen Yu watched as the little eunuchs brought by Eunuch Li carried items into the courtyard one by one: sable furs, fox pelts, brocade robes, warm hats, cotton boots, top-grade charcoal, hand warmers, foot warmers, fine wine, cured meats, rice and flour, two plates of silver ingots, several strings of copper coins…
and half a side of…?
Thankfully, there was no half a pig this time.
Instead, it was half a side of lamb.
Wow, even a winter-limited edition.
“Please convey my thanks to His Majesty, Eunuch Li. Shen Yu is grateful for His Majesty’s great kindness. These past few days when I haven’t been able to see His Majesty, I have also missed Her dearly.”
Anyway, saying nice words didn’t cost a thing.
The Empress was worried about her being cold and had bestowed so many good things upon her.
It was only right to say a few nice words and be polite.
“Alright, alright. Keep the items safely. I will relay your message to His Majesty when I return.”
Eunuch Li smiled obsequiously, then his tone shifted.
“Also, I came today to inform you of another important matter, Imperial Physician Shen.”
“The convoy escorting the disgraced female familial arrived in the Capital City this morning. They encountered some trouble on the road—a few died—and were delayed a few days, but they’ve finally arrived. Please get ready, Imperial Physician Shen, and we’ll go to the South City Gate to receive them.”
Hearing this, Shen Yu suddenly remembered that the Empress wanted her to set up a concentration camp…
no, to educate those disgraced female familial.
She hadn’t heard anything for so many days that Shen Nian had completely forgotten about it.
“Is Cui Yuan, Imperial Physician Cui’s great-granddaughter still alive?”
Yanghe was in Liuzhou, which was quite a distance from here.
Shen Yu knew very well how hard the journey from a remote prefecture to the Capital City could be.
When Shen Yu had come to the Capital City before, traveling by carriage and rushing all the way, she had almost lost half her life.
Those…
Those disgraced female familial were even more miserable.
Many had to walk the entire way, and they wore leg irons.
Most of the disgraced female familial of the Cui clan were young girls of delicate age.
Enduring such hardship and rushing all the way to the Capital City in this cold weather, they probably wouldn’t be in good condition.
“The ones who could hold on are still alive. Those who couldn’t died along the way. We just have to make do and see. If there are any left, we’ll send them to the Music Bureau. If the Music Bureau doesn’t want them, we’ll find a place, dig a pit, and bury them.”
Listening to Eunuch Li’s words, the expression on Shen Yu’s face grew grave.
Although those disgraced female familial had also been convicted by the Imperial Court, their crime wasn’t a capital offense.
Some of those disgraced female familial might not even be eighteen yet.
The weather was so cold and harsh.
Traveling all the way from Liuzhou, how many would survive on the road?
Just thinking about it made Shen Yu inexplicably feel a bit soft-hearted…
‘What am I thinking? They are disgraced female familial. They… they deserve it.’
Shen Yi shook her head, trying to expel the pity she felt for them from her mind.
But thinking that they were all living people, even most of them were still children…
Shen Li’s heart ached inexplicably.
“This personality of mine… sigh. Eunuch Li, let me go change my clothes. Please take me to see those disgraced female familial.”
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