CH 90.1

In the end the news that Emperor Yunqing was seriously ill did not spread outside the Palace, the Empress ordered the palace gates closed to prevent the news leaked out. The Crown Prince residence and the Second Prince residence were both heavily guarded as the Empress could trust her own sons but not the people around them.

The Empress did not normally interfere in palace matters, but in this critical moment she displayed her fortitude. That year when she married the then Crown Prince, his position was in imminent danger, but she had remained with him without any complaint. After years of standing side by side through trials and tribulations, at this age she was still the most trusted woman in the Emperor’s heart, her wits and capability was indisputable.

The imperial doctors had not come out since entering the Great Moon Palace, they were escorted by the Empress’ people even when retrieving medicine and the entire imperial hospital was sealed.

—

One shichen later, Emperor Yunqing woke up. He saw the Empress was weeping next to the bed, he wanted to get up but found himself without strength. “Empress, what’s wrong?”

* 1 shichen = 2 hours

“Your Majesty, are you alright?” The Empress was glad that the Emperor had woken up, she hurriedly beckoned the imperial doctors to check his pulse.

Only then that Emperor Yunqing noticed something was amiss, but his mind was in a chaotic mess that even his words came out in a stutter, “Empress, why are there so many people surrounding zhen?”

“Your Majesty, please allow weichen to check the pulse.”

“Stay away, zhen is fine. No need.” Emperor Yunqing did not like to hear himself sick, he furiously tried to scold but the scolding came out broken, “Zhen, zhen doesn’t need pulse check. All of you doctors, withdraw!”

The Empress noted his face was distorted and his speech slurred, she vaguely felt things were not good. She gently took his hand, “Your Majesty, please let them check. Take this as making qieshen feel better, will you?”

* qieshen 妾身 = This Concubine. 妾 usually means concubine, but even main wives called themselves qie or qieshen.

The Empress’ eyes were brimming with tears, Emperor Yunqing’s anger gradually subsided. In their many years of marriage, he scarcely saw her tearing up. The imperial doctor standing next to the Empress was also the one they both trusted, Emperor Yunqing stopped rejecting.

Seeing him softened, the Empress cast the imperial doctor a look as a gesture.

The doctor carefully stepped forward, after a salute he placed his hand on the Emperor’s wrist. Also as carefully he squeezed the arm and observed the pupils, then turned at the Empress to make a sign with his eyes. The doctor then told the Emperor, “Your Majesty, your condition requires a quiet resting.”

“Resting, resting. All you know is always telling zhen to take a rest.” Emperor Yunqing scolded, “Zhen is the emperor, how can zhen take a rest.”

The Empress didn’t expect Emperor Yunqing would suddenly exploded in anger, she talked to him softly to calm him down. After he had fallen asleep, she covered him with a blanket and walked out to ask the doctor, “His Majesty’s health, what is actually happening?”

“Replying to the Empress Niangniang, weichen is incompetent.” The imperial doctor knelt down, “His Majesty has overworked himself, weichen suspects it is a stroke.”

“What did you say?” The Empress was a little overwhelmed by the blow, her body swayed, “Can it be cured?”

“Weichen can only try the best using accupuncture to unblock His Majesty’s accupoints. If His Majesty is willing, this should make it possible to get up and walk.” The imperial doctor was very tactful. “It’s just that, afraid that His Majesty would not agree with the treatment.”

The room fell quiet, the Empress stared at the lights waving gently on the other side of the window, she slowly nodded, “Bengong understands.”

Read this for free at SleepyPrawn site. Add to my viewer number and I will translate more happily!

“Someone here! Come!”

Emperor Yunqing’s voice was suddenly heard roaring from inside, the Empress hurriedly went back into the room. The Emperor’s face was ghastly pale and his eyes were red, the Empress grabbed his hand, “Your Majesty, what happened?”

“Someone is spying at zhen, kill him quick!” Emperor Yunqing pointed at the shadows of the trees outside the room, “Empress, send someone to check!”

The Empress was going to say that was just trees, but seeing his frantic state, she nodded, “Qieshen will do it now.”

The guards had to cut the trees down before the Emperor finally believed the criminal had been arrested. The Emperor did not sleep well that night, he kept waking up many times with shock and panic on his face, while his mouth mumbled ‘Fuma’, ‘Count Cheng’an’, and so on.

* fuma 驸马 = an emperor’s son-in-law, the husband of a princess.

The Empress’ palms were drenched with cold sweat, she knew who he meant by Fuma and Count Cheng’an. It was because she knew that the chill in her heart would not stop.

The Grand Princess’ Fuma was very good to His Majesty. Once at an autumn hunt, His Majesty was schemed by the then Second Prince so he failed to hunt sufficient number of preys, the Fuma had secretly given him his own hunts. At the Court, when His Majesty was being pushed into a corner, the Fuma had given him his backing. The former Count Cheng’an was Rong Xia’s father, he was His Majesty’s study companion in their childhood, he had helped His Majesty, had stayed with him during the most difficult times.

The former Count Cheng’an had died young, and his eldest son had also perished, now there was only Rong Xia living by himself in the huge Duke Cheng’an mansion. She has been thinking that His Majesty being extraordinarily gracious to Rong Xia was due to him cherishing the old friendship with Rong Xia’s father.

But if so, why did His Majesty look panic and fearful when he mentioned the two names? His Majesty……. what had he done to them?

—

The Empress stayed restlessly by the dragon bed the whole night. It was almost dawn when she stood up stiffly, gazed at the bits of morning light coming through the window, “Someone come, invite the Crown Prince.”

“Yes.”

An incense stick later, Emperor Yunqing woke up. At the hazy sunlight outside the room, he thought of the big court day today and tried to get up, but his body was still immobile, and he could not even feel it.

“Empress, what is wrong with zhen?”

The Empress lifted the curtain and sat down next to the bed, her hand lightly covered the back of his hand, “Your Majesty, you are not well. How about skipping the Court today?”

“What’s going on with zhen, where is Wang De?” Emperor Yunqing was not in a good mood, he almost did not believe her anymore.

“Your Majesty, nubi is here.” Wang De entered. He looked haggard, it was clearly a sleepless night for him too.

* nubi 奴婢 = This Slave

“Tell zhen, what happened?”

Wang De knelt down with his forehead touching the icy cold floor, he dared not replied.

“You dog, you don’t even listen to zhen. What’s the use of keeping you?” Emperor Yunqing burst into a fury, “Someone!”

“Your Majesty,” The Empress interrupted, she gently stroke his chest, “The doctor said you should not be angry.”

Emperor Yunqing glared, “Then tell me, why is zhen’s body not moving?”

Looking at the most powerful man who had turned into a wretched overnight, the Empress felt her eyes sour, she turned away to hide the tears.

“Zhen……” Emperor Yunqing gradually came to his senses, he stared at the pair of trembling shoulders, “Zhen had a stroke?”

“Your Majesty…..” The Empress wiped her tears, “The doctor said, as long as you recuperate well, you will be fine.”

Emperor Yunqing closed his eyes, after a long time he finally managed to calm himself down, “Send people to summon Rong Xia, Zhou Bing’an, Zhang Qihuai, Zhao Weishen.”

Rong Xia the Minister of Personnel, Zhou Ping’an the Director of Imperial Secretariat, Zhang Qihuai the Minister of Works, and Zhao Weishen the Minister of War were the trustworthy ministers in Emperor Yunqing’s eyes.

The Empress hastily responded.

The eunuchs sent to summon the officials had just left when the Crown Prince arrived. He had no idea what was happening in the Palace, but he was uneasy to find his Eastern Palace was heavily guarded. Only when he got to see the Emperor and the Empress that he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Crown Prince, His Majesty is not well today. You are to temporarily helping His Majesty with the overseeing duty.” The Empress did not bring up the severity of the Emperor’s health, “If there is anything you don’t understand, you can come to His Majesty for advice.”

“Imperial Father, what has happened?” The Crown Prince was not excited at getting the supervision duty, he looked at the Emperor with concern instead, “It’s erchen who is unfilial, not knowing that Imperial Father is unwell.” His eyes reddened, feeling some guilt to see the Emperor on the bed.

“Zhen is fine, it’s just the doctors who want zhen to rest.” The Emperor spoke very slowly to make his speech clearer, “Zhen has summoned a few important court officials. You have to properly consult with these darens, don’t be reckless.”

“Imperial Father, erchen is not half as good as you, how can I oversee the country?”

* erchen 儿臣 = This Son

If this had been the past, the Crown Prince speaking like this would make him feel the Crown Prince was weak and incompetent, but at this moment he felt this son was very pleasing to the eye. A son who wholeheartedly relied on him, who was not excited by the chance of managing the country. As his heart was glad, he willingly told the Crown Prince some things he previously would not.

—

When Wang De entered to report that the few darens had arrived, the Emperor had the Empress and the Crown Prince help him sit up and tidy his appearance, desperately wanted to keep up the majesty of an emperor. Only after that, he let Wang De announce people to come inside.

The mornings of the fourth and fifth month were not cold, but having to get up from their blankets in a rush without properly clothing themselves, the several darens were not very comfortable. Seeing guards with hands on the hilt of the swords in every few steps, the ministers could sense something had happened at the Palace.

As the youngest person there, Rong Xia walked behind the others. The three had wanted to ask him but under the countless watchful eyes from all directions, they could only hardened their scalps and continued walking forward.

The Great Moon Palace was guarded even more heavily. The group of four stood in line, Zhou Bing’an turned to look at Rong Xia, but Rong Xia was standing there calmly with his head lowered. His calmness made the older ministers ashamed.

“Zhou-daren, Rong-daren, Zhao-daren, Zhang-daren, His Majesty has invited.” Wang De came out, saluted the four and made an inviting gesture.

“Yes.” Zhou Ping’an saw Wang De’s face was serious and his lips tightly pursed, he secretly cried out in the heart. He was apprehensive, this was not just a big matter, this should be one of monstrous size.

Strong smell of medicine welcomed the four as they entered the hall. Eunuchs and palace maids were kneeling on the floor, the Crown Prince and the Empress were standing next to the dragon bed, and the Emperor….. was half sitting half lying on the bed. The Emperor’s spirit seemed fine, but the slightly unnatural expression, the cloudy eyes, and the slightly crooked mouth had all of them gasped.

His Majesty was definitely not well.