Chapter 297: Poisonous Bees
It was the season when peonies were in full bloom. Shen Ruoxi loved flowers, and of course, she didn’t just love peonies; she loved all kinds of flowers.
**Shen Ruoxi** thought that after the empress investiture ceremony, she would return to the Chu State with Xingnong, and then she wouldn’t be able to see such beautiful peonies anymore. So, every day when she had free time, she would come to the Imperial Garden for a walk, look around, and think about planting a few peonies in the corner of the wall when she went back.
One of each color would be enough.
Therefore, while the Jin Kingdom Emperor was handling state affairs and Xingnong was busy with the formation competition, Shen Ruoxi came to the Imperial Garden to pass the time, and by the way, asked the Imperial Garden’s gardener about the method of planting peonies.
Sometimes, she would even cut a few peonies and bring them back to the palace to put in a vase.
Today, the flowers in the vase were showing signs of withering, so Shen Ruoxi picked a few peonies that were in full bloom and signaled the eunuch to cut them so she could take them back.
“And this one, this one is also blooming well!” Shen Ruoxi held a bouquet of peonies in her hand and pointed to a half-open yellow peony in the flower bush.
“Yes, Niangniang.” The eunuch responded and quickly parted the flower bush, holding scissors to cut the peony Shen Ruoxi wanted.
As soon as he parted the flower bush, countless black bees suddenly flew up. Before the eunuch could react, he was stung on the face.
He covered his face and backed away in fear, accidentally falling to the ground. He didn’t forget to shout, “Niangniang, run!”
Shen Ruoxi was also startled. She had grown up in a village and often went to the mountains when she was young. She had been stung by wasps, honeybees, and the like, and knew that these black bees were poisonous. After being stung, there would be a large swelling, and in severe cases, it could be fatal. She was so scared that she ran away.
The palace maids and eunuchs who were accompanying Shen Ruoxi, some vigorously waved their handkerchiefs to drive away the black bees, while others protected Shen Ruoxi and left.
The eunuchs and palace maids in the Imperial Garden panicked and drove away the poisonous bees.
“Someone, protect the Empress!”
“Someone, there are poisonous bees, poisonous bees! Quickly drive them away!”
It was unknown if it was because Shen Ruoxi was still holding the flowers, but the black bees chased after her relentlessly.
But who was Shen Ruoxi? When she went crazy and ran in the past, even the big yellow dog in the village couldn’t catch up!
In an instant, she left the palace maids and eunuchs far behind.
At this time, Noble Lady An happened to rush out from the corner. Shen Ruoxi was running very fast, but her reaction was also very agile. Seeing a group of people about to collide with her, she shouted, “Run! There are poisonous bees!”
Then, she nimbly dodged left and right, not even touching a corner of anyone’s clothes, and passed through this group of concubines, palace maids, and eunuchs! Just like a slippery loach!
Shen Ruoxi ran back to the Kun Ning Palace without stopping, and ran into the hot spring pool in the inner hall. She jumped into the water and then looked back. No black bees had caught up!
“That was close!” Shen Ruoxi breathed a sigh of relief.
At this time, Du Juan, a second-class palace maid who was staying in the Kun Ning Palace, came in hurriedly, ignoring the rules, and was dumbfounded to see the empress jumping into the water, “Your Majesty, what happened?”
Shen Ruoxi shook the peony flower in her hand, “It’s nothing! There were poisonous bees in the Imperial Garden, but luckily, I ran fast. Go see if Shaoyao and the others were stung by the poisonous bees. If they were, call the imperial physician. Right, I want to bathe, help me get a set of clothes.”
Only then did Du Juan understand why Shen Ruoxi came back in a hurry and jumped into the bath!
She hurriedly said, “Yes!”
Only the Empress returned alone, Shaoyao and the others must have gone to lure away the poisonous bees.
After Du Juan went out, she saw Shaoyao and the others rushing back.
They were all panting and their faces were flushed.
Shaoyao was a senior palace maid. Her chest heaved violently, and she asked breathlessly, “Where is the Empress? Is the Empress back?”
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Du Juan nodded, “She’s back, bathing in the bath. Shaoyao Jiejie, were you stung by the poisonous bees?”
Shaoyao was relieved to hear that. “No, is the Empress alright?”
The Empress ran so fast, she should be fine, but Shaoyao still asked worriedly.
The empress investiture ceremony was about to be held, if the Empress was stung by poisonous bees, their heads wouldn’t be safe!
“She’s fine. The Empress also asked me if you were alright, and told me to call the imperial physician.”
Shaoyao waved her hand. “We’re fine. Since the Empress is bathing, I’ll go prepare clothes for her.”
Luckily, the Empress ran fast, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to run so fast.
When they were chasing after the Empress, she heard Beautiful Lady Li’s screams behind her, how miserable it was!
Shaoyao shuddered and hurriedly ran in to get clothes for the Empress.
On the other side, in the Imperial Garden.
Noble Lady An was startled by Shen Ruoxi who rushed over, and before she could react, the other party ran away like a gust of wind!
Then she saw dozens of black poisonous bees flying towards her.
Her face turned pale with fright, and she immediately turned and got under Beautiful Lady Li’s wide skirt, threatening loudly, “Beautiful Lady Li, don’t move! I’m still pregnant with the Princess! If you move recklessly and hurt the Princess, the Emperor won’t let you off!”
Beautiful Lady Li: “…”
Noble Lady An had heard from the palace maids around her that when they were young and didn’t have much meat to eat, people in the village would poke wasp nests to find the pupae inside to eat. Once, she and her mother went up the mountain and encountered one. Her mother was reluctant to give up the wasp nest, so she asked her to hide under her skirt while she poked it with a torch.
Noble Lady An remembered this. She was pregnant and dared not run, so she immediately hid under Beautiful Lady Li’s skirt.
Beautiful Lady Li, who had prepared beforehand and applied a potion that bees disliked to her face, still got stung by two poisonous bees on her face!
Not to mention the other palace maids and eunuchs, they were all stung all over their heads before they managed to kill all the poisonous bees!
After everything calmed down, Noble Lady An crawled out from under Beautiful Lady Li’s skirt. She said gratefully to Beautiful Lady Li, “Many thanks to you, Meimei! Jiejie will definitely tell the Emperor that you have done a great job in protecting the Princess!”
Then she said to the palace maid beside her, “Quickly, call the imperial physician! Didn’t you see that Beautiful Lady Li was stung by poisonous bees? Her face is swollen like a pig’s head!”
“Yes!” An eunuch who had also been stung by three poisonous bees on his face, upon hearing this, ignored the pain and immediately ran to invite the imperial physician.
Beautiful Lady Li’s face was in so much pain that she almost fainted from anger upon hearing this!
She had clearly planned it well, why were the Empress and Noble Lady An safe and sound, and only she was injured?
After the Jin Kingdom Emperor finished his court session, he was about to return to the Kun Ning Palace to have breakfast with Shen Ruoxi. Knowing that Shen Ruoxi would come to the Imperial Garden to enjoy flowers at this time every day, he went around to pick her up, and happened to see this scene. He frowned, “What’s going on?”
Everyone was startled and hurriedly saluted, “Long live the Emperor!”
When Noble Lady An saw the Jin Kingdom Emperor, she immediately cried and rushed towards him, “Your Majesty~”
