PFC Chapter 386
Chapter 386
Concubine Cheng was escorted out of the Taiji Hall by the palace servants. Her eyes casually glanced at the concubines waiting outside the hall, and her good mood, which had just slightly improved, instantly sank to the bottom. Her face showed no sign of it, still wearing a dignified and appropriate smile, but that smile did not reach her eyes.
When the concubines saw her appear, they hurriedly knelt down to salute, and voices of greetings rang out one after another: "Your servant greets the Imperial Concubine, and may Your Majesty be well!" There was a mixture of flattery and awe in their voices.
Concubine Cheng raised her hand to support him, her tone gentle, yet revealing an unquestionable authority: "Sisters, please disperse. His Majesty is resting. Please do not disturb his peace."
Emperor Yuanzhen had always had little interest in women, and as he grew older, he simply stopped holding harem selections. All of the concubines in the palace had entered the palace to serve at a young age.
Compared to Emperor Yuanzhen, who rarely saw him throughout the year, the concubines in the harem lived with Concubine Cheng day and night, and thus came to know her true character more clearly: gentle and dignified on the surface, yet ruthless and merciless in her inner world. The Great Zhou royal family was now dwindling, and while His Majesty's lack of interest in women was a contributing factor, the scarcity of princes was also a factor. However, since the late Empress's passing, the harem had been virtually childless for years, with only one or two frail princesses here and there. This state of affairs demonstrated Concubine Cheng's mastery of the art of harem checks and balances, her methods astonishingly sophisticated.
Among these concubines, some sought to gain favor and raise the emperor by bearing him. With ambition and longing, they sought to secure a place within the palace. However, all of them ultimately met their end in obscure circumstances.
After enduring so many cruel lessons, the only ones left were those like them, lacking ambition. Now, they had grown indifferent to the so-called imperial favor, no longer harboring excessive hopes or greed. They simply languished day after day in this palace, wasting their time in solitude.
If His Majesty hadn't been gravely ill, they, as concubines, would have been expected to serve her medicine, according to harem etiquette. Otherwise, why would they have rushed here so eagerly? But everything happened just as they expected: they were blocked outside the Taiji Hall, unable to even step inside. Hearing Noble Concubine Cheng's instructions, they exchanged glances and timidly replied, "Your humble servants, however dull, will obey the Imperial Concubine's command."
Concubine Cheng looked at their timid and lifeless appearances, a flicker of disdain in her eyes that vanished in an instant. Maintaining a superficial politeness, she offered a few more polite words before, aided by the eunuchs, she slowly boarded the phoenix chariot and headed for Jingren Palace. The concubines behind her lowered their heads until she disappeared, then they slowly dispersed, each returning to their own chambers.
.........
The night deepened, and the First Prince's mansion was shrouded in silence. The vermilion gates were tightly closed, and two stone lions squatted majestically before them. Inside, twinkling lights shone through the carved window lattices, casting a warm yellow glow. The winding corridors were faintly visible, and the lush vegetation in the garden rustled in the breeze.
In the study, the eldest prince sat upright, repeatedly wiping his sword with a handkerchief. The blade shone coldly, but his brow furrowed ever tighter, his face filled with hesitation.
In the study of the eldest prince's palace, the staff stood by with bated breath. Because the eldest prince had been in the military since he was young, most of these staff were former military commanders.
Seeing the eldest prince still hesitant, holding his sword, a trusted aide stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, although you are not the Queen's son, as the eldest prince, you should be the heir to the throne based on seniority. Besides you, who else can shoulder the responsibility of ruling the Great Zhou?"
The eldest prince's hand, wiping the hilt of his sword, suddenly paused. The dragon-shaped pattern on the bronze hilt pricked his palm painfully. He placed the sword heavily on the table, the blade colliding with the wooden table with a humming sound, startling several of his staff members and causing them to wince. The candlelight flickered in his eyes, making the bloodshot veins in his eyes particularly glaring. "That being said, my father is still gravely ill. If I enter the palace now and ask for his decree, wouldn't that be tantamount to forcing him to abdicate?"
The confidant swallowed, his heart trembling with fear, but thinking of the other's promise, he stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, this is not forcing the emperor to abdicate! News just came from the palace that His Majesty has not eaten or drunk anything for two days. The imperial doctors dare not say more, but judging by the condition, His Majesty may not survive tonight. I understand that you care about the father-son relationship, but if this drags on, what will happen to the Great Zhou?"
He was halfway through his words when he saw the eldest prince's brows twisted into a knot and struggling fiercely, so he added with a stiff upper lip, "If you hesitate any longer, if the third prince enters the palace first..." His voice stopped abruptly. He was frightened by the eldest prince's suddenly gloomy face and shut up, cold sweat breaking out on his back.
The eldest prince's face instantly turned pale, his hand clutching the sword handkerchief trembling uncontrollably. He knew full well that his third brother had long considered him a thorn in his side. Over the years, he had been gradually disliked by his father, and his third brother had been behind the scenes fueling this. If he allowed his third brother to enter the palace first, he feared he would not even be able to leave his body intact.
Thinking of this, the eldest prince gritted his teeth and stood up suddenly: "Forget it! General Ning, General Wang, make arrangements immediately and follow me into the palace!"
The two people whose names were called answered "yes" in unison, and their figures flashed and quickly disappeared outside the mansion gate under the hazy moonlight.
The eldest prince no longer hesitated, donning his armor with alacrity. His sword hilt gripped painfully in his palm, he summoned the guards to bring out his horse. He leaped onto the saddle, whipped the horse, and galloped off toward the palace, leaving only the sound of hurried hooves in the night.
.........
At midnight, the capital was under strict curfew. All doors and windows were locked. Most were deep in sleep, oblivious to the impending storm. But a few, perceptive souls, sensed the impending storm from the tense atmosphere.
Normally, the streets should be quiet and silent at this moment, but from time to time there are tiny and faint noises that penetrate the thick night, as if tearing a hole in the silent night sky, making people feel uneasy.
In stark contrast to the dim and quiet streets of the capital, the palace was still brightly lit with candles.
Inside the Taiji Hall, Emperor Yuanzhen had been unconscious for a full day and night, never waking up. The doctors from the Imperial Hospital had gathered together for a long time, but they were still helpless and had no idea what to do about his majesty's condition.
The night grew darker. At this time, only a few people, including the director of the Imperial Medical Bureau and the judge, were left in the Taiji Hall. They were still quietly waiting by the side, always paying attention to the condition of Emperor Yuanzhen and not daring to slack off in the slightest.
As the head of the Imperial Hospital, Lord Fang's medical skills were considered top-notch. He knelt beside the dragon bed, carefully examining Emperor Yuanzhen's pulse with a solemn expression. But as his fingers moved, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper, and the worry on his face became more and more obvious.
Eunuch Su stood by, staring at him intently without blinking. Seeing his expression, Eunuch Su unconsciously gripped the whisk in his hand even tighter, his shrill voice rang out anxiously, "Doctor Fang, what exactly does this mean? What is the condition of His Majesty?"
Doctor Fang slowly turned to look at Eunuch Su, shook his head slightly, and sighed silently. Then, he inconspicuously stepped back, keeping a distance from the dragon bed. He then bowed solemnly to it, his voice filled with helplessness and guilt. "Your Majesty, my medical skills are limited. I am truly powerless to help."