"After being awakened, I inquired about the reason and hurriedly ordered Little Xianzi to chase back Eunuch Zhang. However, Eunuch Zhang evaded saying he was busy and refused to return, ordering the people of the Imperial Household to take back the bed that the Emperor had prepared for me."
After speaking, Li Yuyu gently tugged Yan Xiu’s sleeve, raised her small face, and said aggrievedly, "Emperor, the way the Imperial Household made a big deal out of sending the bed, who in the harem doesn’t know? But in the end, they made a big deal out of taking it back. To outsiders, doesn’t it seem like I, depending on the Emperor’s favor, dare to disregard and insult the people of the Imperial Household? I am wronged."
"Who dares to wrong my beloved concubine!" Yan Xiu said in a deep voice, "Shen Quan, summon Zhang Jian to see me."
"Yes." Shen Quan responded from outside the curtain and withdrew.
At the Imperial Household, Zhang Jian was distributing the summer supplies for the various palace rooms.
Nowadays the weather is scorching, and the concubines fearing the heat had called early to fetch ice blocks.
Cining Palace naturally goes without saying; although the Empress Dowager isn’t afraid of heat, ice must be sent early. Not to cool the indoors but to chill fruits to relieve the heat — it has its uses.
Following Cining Palace, ice should also be sent to Yikun Palace.
As for Zhang Chongyuan’s place, she is weak and often ill, resistant to cold, what use would she have for ice? Whenever needed, it’s enough to fetch it. Zhang Jian doesn’t specifically send people there.
Further down, naturally, the palace room providing more silver tael receives more ice blocks.
Zhang Jian weighed the purse sent from Purple Cloud Pavilion.
"Han Guiren is indeed a perceptive person, Little Guozi, go, help deliver the ice just pulled from the ice cellar to Purple Cloud Pavilion."
As he spoke, he took a silver nugget from the purse and tossed it to Little Guozi.
Little Guozi happily went to carry out the task.
He had just exited the Imperial Household’s gate when he saw Shen Quan, and promptly ran over to him: "Mr. Shen, why have you come personally? Does the Emperor have any orders?"
"Oh, where are you heading?" Shen Quan pointed to the large box placed on the ground behind Little Guozi, raising an eyebrow in inquiry.
Little Guozi smiled apologetically: "I was ordered to send ice blocks to Purple Cloud Pavilion."
"Such a large box?" Shen Quan joked, "Are you sending next year’s ice blocks too?"
Little Guozi’s heart skipped a beat, his face showed a hint of panic. Before he could think of how to respond, he heard Zhang Jian’s laughter.
"What wind blows Mr. Shen this way, please come in." Zhang Jian walked quickly over, glaring at Little Guozi when he reached him: "The masters at Purple Cloud Pavilion are waiting; hurry up!"
"Yes, Eunuch Zhang, Mr. Shen, I’ll go deliver the ice first."
Little Guozi lowered his head, signaled to his companion, and placed the ice-loaded box on the cart. One pulled from the front, another pushed from behind, quickly heading towards Purple Cloud Pavilion.
"Mr. Shen, please come in." Zhang Jian gestured invitingly.
Shen Quan, knowing well, didn’t linger on the topic, smiled and said, "Eunuch Zhang, I won’t enter; the Emperor summoned Eunuch Zhang to Luaxin Pavilion for an affair, prompting me to come personally."
Upon hearing the words ’Luaxin Pavilion,’ Eunuch Zhang’s smile stiffened.
"Mr. Shen, it’s such a matter that His Majesty summons me to Luaxin Pavilion, why trouble Mr. Shen to come personally? Could it be the Emperor has other intentions?" Zhang Jian probed.
Shen Quan’s smile remained: "As a servant, I’m not bold enough to guess the Emperor’s intentions. The Emperor ordered this; thus, I came. Perhaps the Emperor worried if someone from Luaxin Pavilion was sent, Eunuch Zhang might not take it seriously, hence he sent me."
After hearing this, Zhang Jian’s smile could no longer be sustained.