“His majesty was stimulated and the angry fire spread to the heart… According to reason this should not lead to a coma. It’s strange! Really strange!”
In the emperor’s bedroom, the emperor, who had coughed out blood, lay quietly in bed. His face was gray and his eyes were shadowed with smudges of blue and black.
The atmosphere in the room was very quiet. Only the puzzled voice of the imperial physician could be heard.
Several imperial imperial’s carefully examined the emperor’s pulse again and again. Because they couldn’t understand the reason why the emperor fainted, their attitude was very serious, and analysed every insignificant problem.
“… in addition, the kidney energy is insufficient.”1
The hall suddenly fell into an awkward silence.
Sat by the bed was the Empress, with her head slightly bowed. Tears were still wet on her beautiful face.
The empress’s surname is Zhou. Originally, she was born in a noble family. She also successfully gave birth to the current crown prince and sixth princes. She should have dominance of the harem.
However, when she fled south, almost the entirety of the Empress’s family backing died, leaving only a few young nieces and nephews. Coupled with the empress’s gentle and weak nature, she could not hold down the favoured imperial concubines in the palace at all. If it hadn’t been for the emperor’s respect for his wife, then she would have died in the cold palace.
Empress Zhou had deep feelings for the emperor. She was gazing affectionately at the slightly swollen face of the emperor during his coma. As soon as the imperial physician’s words were spoken, her melancholy and affectionate expression stiffened on her face.
After secretly scolding the fox spirits in the harem, the empress turned her head and looked solemn. Her seemingly beautiful and weak face showed a ruthless expression for the first time:
“Awaken his majesty safely at all costs. If not, the imperial medical department will be buried with his majesty!”
At this time, the crown prince strode into the bedroom.
“Imperial mother is overly worried, this is but a minor ordeal. Imperial father is a protected auspicious person who will safely overcome this.”
Finishing, a smile floated on his lips.
He looked completely sincere.
“Hic that, that ah imperial brother is right… Burp ~”
The little round dumpling who followed behind him nodded quickly, his cheeks puffed and his mouth was still stuck with pastry crumbs.
As soon as he heard that the emperor had an accident, he rushed over and didn’t even finish his favorite cloud pastry2.
He swallowed the last bite and burped.
For a moment, others could not help staring at him.
Qi Yu held his stomach and his eyes were full of confusion.
Empress Zhou was angered to death by this stupid son.
… At this sensitive period? So heartless! It’s too different from the crown prince.
Even so the crown prince is…
Thinking of something empress Zhou’s expression worsened. She turned her eyes to the emperor’s face and secretly prayed that the emperor would wake up as soon as possible.
“Reporting to your highness!” Outside the bedroom, a little yellow gate eunuch3 stumbled over, “There is an urgent report from the Ministry of punishment and punishment!”
Full of sweat, the little eunuch respectfully handed a stack of white paper to Yuan Buwei. The handwriting on it is messy, and seems to show the fluctuating mood of the writer.
Going through it page by page, his expression gradually became solemn. Seeing this empress Zhou asked what was wrong.
Yuan Buwei soon shared the story of how last night the arrested suspects included more than ten ministers. Shaking his head as he said: “Gu didn’t expect that they were so audacious as to poison Er Chen. Enraging imperial father until he entered a coma. Now they even dare to frame the imperial father…”
He handed the stack of white paper to empress Zhou.
Under the threat of death, those people still couldn’t bear the pressure after all. They threw the pot on the emperor and claimed that they were innocent, that they were ordered by the Emperor… Written in black and white.
“Nonsense, what nonsense!”
Empress Zhou’s hand holding the white paper trembled.
Her lips trembled with anger for a long time. Only then did her trembling hand stabilize. Then she used force and tore the stack of white paper into pieces.
“A group of disorderly officials and thieves! They dare to slander the emperor in order to sow discord bwetween the heavenly family father and son… Crown prince, surely you don’t believe what they say?”
Empress Zhou seemed to be so emotional that she was almost incoherent as she stared at Yuan Buwei.
… but her pale face, flustered expression and suspicious eyes had already completely betrayed her.
Yuan Buwei looked at her: “Don’t worry, imperial mother. Er Chen won’t fall for such a clumsy plan to create dissention.”
He looked at the sky outside the palace again: “Noon has passed. Gu thinks those people must have gone on their way.”
“Well done! You should kill all these disorderly officials and thieves!” Empress Zhou immediately spoke fiercely.
Yuan Buwei’s lips tilted into a smile again.
“Since the Imperial mother also thinks so, Er Chen is more relieved. Gu thinks if the imperial father wakes up and hears from you that mother and son are united and share their worries for him, he will be greatly relieved and rest assured.”
“……”
Looking at the faint smile on the prince’s lips, empress Zhou had a bad premonition in her heart.
Qi Yu listened and understood.
… it turns out that those guys arrested by the imperial brother last night are really treacherous ministers. They not only tried to murder imperial brother, but also made his imperial father sick in bed. Now they even slander his imperial father as the perpetrator behind imperial brothers poisoning!
“These people are too… Damn it!”
Little dumpling was almost eight years old. He had never seen such hateful people. For a moment, he couldn’t find a suitable word to describe, so he waved his fist and shouted.
Remembering how in the past he thought those people were kind, Qi Yu was a little depressed. Is it true that he is blind and can’t judge people?
… no, no, no, definitely not. Those treacherous ministers must be too cunning and deceptive. Even able to confuse someone as smart and wise as he!
Thinking like this, Qi Yu unknowingly said what he thought and immediately received his imperial brother’s glance.
“…” Yuan Buwei had a moment of silence, “… You’re right.”
Empress Zhou had reflected from the feeling that something was wrong and suddenly realized the problem.
She is not as silly as Qi Yu. In fact, she already knows the emperor’s disapproval of the crown prince. However, she only thought that disapproval was only disapproval. At most the throne would not be handed down to the crown prince in the future, but she never thought that the emperor would be so intolerant of him.
If the previous confessions were true…
Then, didn’t the crown prince kill more than ten ministers loyal to the emperor in one go? And she even clapped her hands and helped the crown prince share part of the black pot.
Once his majesty wakes up
Empress Zhou, who had understood the situation, when thinking of the emperor’s temperament as well as his likely reaction. Her expression gradually stiffened.
After the two of them left, empress Zhou immediately seemed to be sapped of strength and leaned directly on the bed.
Although she is no longer young, she has been treated with dignity and proper maintenance for many years. She still has a charming allure that young girls can’t attain. At this time, both eyebrows pulled into a frown, showing a face full of sorrow, which can easily earn pity.
Empress Zhou’s eyes were filled with sadness.
“… Did you really do it?”
She stretched out a hand and gently arranged the pleated robe for the emperor. She sighed gently.
“I know you are not him. He has never been so kind to me. I also know you don’t like Xuan’er…”
At this moment, empress Zhou remembered the indifferent emperor who almost kicked her out of the carriage in order not to be dragged down during the escape. Thought of the pair of alienated eyes that looked at her as she struggled desperately to resist, that changed after he hit his head. Thought of the unforgettable journey south. Thought of the fireworks at her birthday party. Thought of the script drafted by this man to coax her. Thought of his endless small surprises… That was the look of a husband she had never hoped for within the harem of the deep palace.
Speaking to this point, her voice was almost a whisper as she choked.
“But…”
“But… Xuan’er never cares to fight for power and profit. Just send him away…”
The author has something to say:
From previous comments, it seems that little cuties don’t understand why Qi Yu is so stupid, and why he has such preference for the crown prince.
Explaination.
Behaviour will be changed by the environment.
Now only he is only eight years old, he grew up in a honey jar, so he is such a stupid and cute character. And the original fate self does worship the crown prince. But when the emperor died, his imperial brother’s temperament became increasingly cruel, Qi Yu himself gradually grew up. His character changed, and finally came to oppose the tyrant because of Su Xuer, which is completely understandable.
Except for the Emperor himself and a few people who cooperated with Qin Mo, others did not know about the poisoning planned by the emperor, including the empress and Qi Yu. In their eyes, the crown prince’s character has changed greatly and become more and more cruel. Then their view of the crown prince will naturally change. Qi Yu, who once worshipped him, began to oppose him. Empress Zhou, who once had a little pity for the crown prince, finally chose to stand on the side of her youngest son.
This is also the clever scheme of the emperor. The crown prince is too perfect. If he does not self-destruct and is instead killed with unwarranted reasons, it is of course the emperor who has a bad reputation.
By the way, I’m very happy to discuss the plot with you, but do you think it’s annoying? If you think it’s too much, I won’t explain it in the future.
TN: Hint hint
1Lol so it’s widely believed that overdoing it in the bedroom leads to kidney deficiency. Tut tut their saying the emperor played too much in the harem.
2
3 Low level eunuch
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I really think you should put a line or something right before it goes into the authors notes.
Like:
“________________________
Author’s notes:”
That would make it read so much better…
to be honest i really like to hear the author? thoughts at the end , it feels like we are discussing the novel together.