Chapter 112: The Pox Garment

The task Yan Yan assigned to Cui’er was simple: to sneak through the small door connecting to the Ninth Prince’s study and find Wu Tong. Yan Yan surmised that since the Ninth Prince kept Qimeng Garden under strict guard, he would not have left her without a potential escape route. She knew his study was a restricted area where, aside from the illiterate Eunuch Wang, no one was permitted to enter without explicit orders.

However, Yan Yan gave Cui’er one specific instruction: to keep Nanny He in the dark. It was not that she distrusted Nanny He, but rather that the nanny held too much blind faith in the Ninth Prince’s capabilities, believing that any problem could be solved simply by summoning him. Given the current situation, that approach was clearly unsuitable, so Yan Yan made the difficult decision to keep her out of the loop.

As it turned out, Yan Yan understood the Ninth Prince well. In the middle of the night, Cui’er slipped out of Qimeng Garden and successfully met Wu Tong, who was keeping a constant watch over the study. Wu Tong, having not seen Cui’er in a long time, was overjoyed.

Knowing that the area around the study was too dangerous to linger in, even the courtyard outside, he pulled Cui’er into the shadows. Only then did she realize that between Qimeng Garden and the study’s courtyard lay a narrow alleyway barely wide enough for one person.

Looking at the narrow passage and the rooftops above, Cui’er realized this was not just an alley, but a hidden corridor. Wide-eyed, she asked, "What is this place?"

Wu Tong whispered, "Remember this place, but keep quiet about it. Even the Ninth Prince doesn't know that I know about it." Cui’er stared at him in astonishment. "Then how do you know? If the Ninth Prince finds out, it will be a disaster!"

"My uncle mentioned it while drunk once. Don't worry about that. Are you okay? Is the Side Consort doing well?" Wu Tong asked in a low voice. Recalling her mission, Cui’er quickly relayed the events of the day. Wu Tong’s expression darkened, and he muttered, "I understand. I will be on guard."

They agreed that every three days, at the third watch, Cui’er would sneak to this spot so Wu Tong could pass on information gathered from the outside. Wu Tong was clearly touched by this arrangement, his face lighting up with a mixture of surprise and anticipation. Flustered by his look, Cui’er gave him a playful nudge.

Initially, neither of them took Yan Yan’s concerns seriously, assuming she was merely being alarmist. But within a few days, Cui’er realized that Yan Yan’s worries were entirely justified: she discovered items among the supplies sent by Lady Dong’e that clearly did not belong there.

Cui’er realized the gravity of the situation. Alongside Nanny Song, she kept a close watch on all the maids in Qimeng Garden, including the wet nurses. Yan Yan became even more cautious. By February, the children were ready for solid food. Using this as an excuse, Yan Yan insisted that the wet nurses move into her bedroom so she could personally oversee the children’s care.

When Cui’er next met Wu Tong, she handed him a stack of bank notes. "The Side Consort says you are to exchange these for smaller denominations, and do not use the Ninth Prince’s own money shops. Also, she says..." Cui’er whispered instructions into his ear. After initial shock, Wu Tong carefully memorized every detail.

Yes, Yan Yan was preparing to flee. If Lady Dong’e decided to seize her children while the Ninth Prince was away from the capital, she would be defenseless. In the Ninth Prince’s household—or indeed anywhere in the Qing Dynasty—she had no one to rely on. She had to stay alert and be ready to act at the slightest sign of trouble.

Of course, in her heart, Yan Yan hoped it would not come to that. Her children were too young, and taking all three of them away unnoticed was an immense challenge. Yet, she could not abandon any of them; losing even one would be as painful as death itself.

For the next few days, Yan Yan kept the wet nurses in her room. She carefully prepared pumpkin purée for the children, which they loved. To her delight, starting with Hongzheng, the babies began sleeping through the night.

With the babies cooperating, Yan Yan feigned consideration and began reducing the workload of the wet nurses. Eventually, she sent them away entirely, leaving her to look after the sleeping infants. The nurses were secretly delighted, finding the children incredibly easy to care for and reveling in the high-quality food and lack of labor compared to the exhaustion they had seen other nurses suffer.

One day, news arrived that the Ninth Prince had safely reached Shandong. Lady Dong’e rewarded the entire household, including Qimeng Garden. When Yan Yan saw the three baskets of food delivered, she narrowed her eyes.

Nanny Chen and Nanny Song, who were in on the secret, helped Yan Yan inspect every item with extreme caution. "Side Consort, there is nothing wrong with the food or the medicine," Nanny Song reported, though her nerves remained frayed.

Relieved, Yan Yan relaxed for a moment and went to play with the children. Hongzheng, nearly six months old, was already learning to sit. As he wobbled like a little toad, the maids and nurses laughed. Suddenly, Yan Yan noticed Hongzheng was wearing an unfamiliar garment. She grabbed Cui’er’s hand, cold sweat breaking out on her brow.

Cui’er, terrified, forced herself to stay calm and spoke loudly, "Alright, everyone, leave the Side Consort to play with the little masters, or she’ll complain about being neglected again." The nurses, used to Yan Yan’s quirks, took the hint and left.

Once they were alone, Yan Yan rushed to Hongzheng, stripped off the garment, and threw it far away. "Is there something wrong with it?" Cui’er asked, trembling.

Yan Yan shook her head. "I don't know, but I’ve never seen this piece of clothing before. Get Nanny Song to check it."

Nanny Song arrived, sniffed the garment, and immediately threw it into the charcoal brazier to burn, her face pale with shock. "I couldn't identify the specific substance, but there was a faint, medicinal scent on it. We must be careful."

Yan Yan bit her lip, realizing Lady Dong’e was making her move. As a clever woman, she wouldn't forcefully abduct the children while the Ninth Prince was away; instead, she would make them fall ill so she could legitimately take them away under the guise of seeking medical treatment. Yan Yan realized her escape plan had to be executed immediately.

The news Cui’er brought back from Wu Tong made her blood run cold: the Third Princess was at the age for smallpox inoculation. The household had been preparing, and that garment was likely a "pox-garment" used to spread the disease.

Yan Yan was stunned. She knew all too well that this was not a minor ailment, but the deadly smallpox virus, which was practically incurable in this era. She gripped Nanny Song’s hand, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't worry, Side Consort," Nanny Song urged. "The Eldest Prince only wore it for a moment, he will be fine."

Meanwhile, in Lady Dong’e’s courtyard, she smiled serenely. "Once the Third Princess develops a fever and the pox appears, take the imperial physician to Qimeng Garden. By any means necessary, ensure the physician sees those three children."

Nanny Dong bowed, smiling wickedly. "Rest assured, my lady. I will see it done."