Ning Lou was currently sitting on the bed, fretting about her situation, when she heard a knock.
"Come in," she said after composing her agitated state.
The door opened, and Xiao Qu appeared holding a tray. Ning Lou remembered the order she gave and nodded at Xiao Qu. Xiao Qu placed the tray near the top of the table. Ning Lou followed her to it and sat by the chair. The jade utensils glimmered and attracted Ning Lou's pair of eyes. She held the empty bowl and tactfully stared at the design engraved on it. How much would this piece fetch? She thought while observing the phoenix engraved on it.
"Cough. Niang Niang." Xiao Qu interrupted Ning Lou's thoughts.
Ning Lou snapped out of her daze and placed the bowl back in its place. However, her eyes never stopped appraising the jade treasures in front of her. Not just the bowl. Even the pot, the cup, the spoon, and pairs of chopsticks weren't spared by her naughty hands. Xiao Qu didn't notice Ning Lou's greedy gaze and eventually filled the bowl of soup. She retreated afterwards and stood at the side, waiting for further orders.
Ning Lou wasn't really in the mood for another meal, but by the time Xiao Qu opened the lid, Ning Lou decided to eat out of consideration. She really wasn't expecting to taste anything, but by the time she put the spoonful of soup in her mouth, an unexpected thing happened. She could taste something sweet. She tasted another spoonful and experienced the same flavor. It was sweet. Ning Lou's eyes sparkled as she stared at Xiao Qu with an appreciative gaze. Does this girl possess some heaven-defying cooking skills? I can't believe I can finally taste something. Ning Lou didn't use the spoon any longer and drank from the bowl directly.
"Niang Niang. Slow down or you'll choke," Xiao Qu reminded her despite her happiness.
"Yatou. Your cooking skills are great. From now on, you'll cook for me," Ning Lou muttered, sending the girl a thumbs up.
"Niang Niang. Nubi doesn't have such skills." Xiao Qu blushed, denying Ning Lou's claim, but her smile still showed her true feelings. It was good to see Her Highness very spirited in eating.
Ning Lou didn't continue the conversation and served herself another serving. She continued to enjoy the dish until her stomach churned from a sudden pain.
Another wave of pain came, and Ning Lou groaned. The pain didn't subside and grew more menacing. Ning Lou twisted in her chair, drawing the attention of the servant girl.
"Niang Niang?" Xiao Qu approached and held Ning Lou's trembling shoulders.
Not even a second later, Ning Lou pushed her. "What did you put inside the soup?" Her mind turned cloudier as each second passed. She could feel a metallic taste in her throat and vomited it out. A crimson blood painted the floor, causing Vierre to widely open her eyes and stare at the flustered Xiao Qu in shock. "What did you put? It hurts like hell!"
"I didn't do anything." Xiao Qu gulped and became panicked.
Ning Lou groaned and spat blood once more. "You don't need to cook for me anymore," she added, enduring the fiery feeling in her stomach.
"I..." Xiao Qu was unable to articulate any sentences. She became more frantic while watching Ning Lou become paler.
"What are you waiting for? Call a doctor—for a physician rather!" Ning Lou shouted, squeezing the order through her gritted teeth. She didn't even mind the strange word she used as she continued to endure the deathly pain.
"Doctor?...Oh, someone come. Someone...Niang Niang is hurt!" Xiao Qu shouted out of her lungs until her voice became hoarse.
Ning Lou extended her hand and was planning to grab the girl for some support, but who knew? That girl scurried towards the door, shouting along the way. Ning Lou couldn't restrain herself from cursing.
"Fuck..at least help me to the bed...Ow...Fuck... could this be the legendary laxative? Who the heck put laxative on the soup?" Ning Lou mumbled while holding her stomach.
"I feel like dying," she said. She could see black spots in her vision while her strength started to seep away slowly. It hadn't even been 24 hours since she drowned, and now she was undergoing another round of suffering. This Empress' job is much more dangerous than being a spy, and I wondered if I even had a pay check.
"But maybe... I could go back," Ning Lou breathed in the end as her vision spanned and became black.
Ning Lou eventually didn't hold on for much longer and dropped semi-dead on the floor.
The series of footsteps also halted the moment the thud echoed in the room.
"Lou'er!" A pair of footsteps belonging to an old woman became hurried and made their way to the pale figure on the floor.
The mamas followed swiftly behind her and carried unconscious Ning Lou to the bed. Ning Lou's constant groaning and twisting expressions heightened the old woman's anxiety.
"Tang-Mama, have you called for the psyshician?" the old woman anxiously asked, checking Ning Lou's breathing.
"The physician be here in a while," the mama replied, reassuring the old woman.
It wasn't long before the people gathered inside the room heard a voice from outside announcing the arrival of the prestigious man.
"The Emperor has arrived."
All the mamas kneeled at the same moment.
The door opened, and the figure garbed in the golden yellow silk and jade crown made its way to the old woman. Behind him was another man carrying a wooden box.
"Your grandson has arrived." The figure held the trembling shoulders of the old woman, ignoring the kneeling servants.
"Are you the physician?" The Empress dowager asked the man dressed in officer clothes.
"Greetings, Empress Dowager. May you have..."
"Forego with the formalities. Check the Empress' condition immediately."
"Yes," the physician replied while snatching a quick look at the Emperor's expression.
(A/N: The male lead appears! Are you curious?)