With the Crown Prince still present, the Crown Grandson did not ask further questions — he only looked long and searchingly at Wei Yan.
Wei Yan met his gaze with a calm, steady expression and clear eyes.
The more composed Wei Yan was, the more certain the Crown Grandson became of his own suspicions.
Whatever machinations Wei Yan had carried out, the Emperor’s over-medication, unbridled indulgence in women, and subsequent collapse into unconsciousness — it was certainly connected to Wei Yan beyond any doubt.
He ought to be furious at Wei Yan’s audacious recklessness.
Yet in truth, his heart held none of the anger it should have. Instead, something closer to a slow-rising shame settled over him.
Wei Yan, for the sake of Ling Jingshu’s safety, had dared commit an act of breathtaking audacity and had risked his very life to protect her. Faced with that absolute resolve and courage, his own cowardice and retreat seemed utterly thin and hollow.
For the first time in his life, he tasted the bitter knowledge of “I am truly not as good as he is.”
“Imperial Father’s health — I shall have to entrust it to Imperial Physician Wei.” The Crown Prince’s voice cut through the Crown Grandson’s dark and tangled thoughts.
Wei Yan replied with grave sincerity, “This minister will do everything in his power to tend to and restore His Majesty’s health. Crown Prince, please set your mind at ease.”
The Crown Prince gave a soft sigh, summoned the Crown Grandson and the others, and departed.
Wei Yan bowed respectfully to see them off. When he straightened again, a glimmer of quiet relief flashed through his eyes.
His daring gambit had succeeded.
After all of this, the Emperor had depleted himself completely — without more than half a year of recuperation, he would not be able to leave his bed. Even if he eventually managed to recover, he would no longer be capable of approaching women.
Ling Jingshu was finally truly safe.
……
“Miss, word has come that the Emperor has already woken.”
Qiao Yun, who had gone out to gather news, quickly returned with the latest information.
Ling Jingshu — still bearing traces of illness on her face — gave a quiet sound of acknowledgment.
Bai Yu asked with curiosity, “What has happened to Noble Lady Wang?”
Qiao Yun shrugged. “Noble Lady Wang has been confined to her palace — she will not be coming out for some time. Noble Lady Li fainted from the shock and is prostrate with illness, and all the many affairs of the palace are now falling to Worthy Consort Wei to manage, while the Emperor also needs someone to attend to him. By all reckoning, Worthy Consort Wei will not have time to question Noble Lady Wang for a while yet.”
She paused, then continued in a quick, low voice, “Imperial Physician Wei, Imperial Physician Zhou, and the others are all standing watch beside the Emperor. Prince Yan has also stayed behind. They say Prince Yan had a small cot moved beside the Emperor’s dragon bed, so that he could personally attend to the Emperor’s every need day and night, fulfilling a son’s filial duty. Everyone in the palace is praising Prince Yan’s devotion and piety right now.”
What happened within the palace would quickly spread beyond its walls.
The Dazhou court had always placed great importance on benevolence and filial piety. Prince Yan’s reputation would, on account of this, quickly rise to new heights.
This Prince Yan — he let no opportunity to curry favor with the Emperor pass him by, and was adept at seizing moments when they presented themselves. He was truly a formidable figure.
Thinking on all this, Ling Jingshu inwardly marveled. Yet she felt no worry for the Crown Prince or the Crown Grandson.
The present circumstances were entirely unlike those of her previous life. With only the Emperor’s favor to rely on, Prince Yan had no real power to shake the Crown Prince’s position. And the Crown Grandson was guarded against Prince Yan at every turn. For Prince Yan to seize the position of Crown Prince would be no easy matter.
As for herself, the greater part of the vengeance she owed from her previous life had already been paid. The Empress and Princess Changping had each received their due fates — no need to dwell further on those. Lu Hong had been forced into taking Buddhist vows and having his hair shorn, his prospects utterly destroyed.
The one enemy remaining was Lu An.
The contest for the throne was not something she had any intention of involving herself in — nor did she have the ability. What she needed to do now was first to protect herself and live out her days safely within the palace.
With Wei Yan beside her, sharing in her trials and her future, even if she remained trapped within the palace walls, her heart would no longer feel lost and desolate.
……
The Emperor had completely collapsed, and Ling Jingshu had no further reason to remain ill.
In the days that followed, Ling Jingshu ate well, slept well, and kept her spirits up as she recuperated in her room. No longer did she rise at night to stand in the wind. She took her medicine on schedule three times a day. Her health quickly began to improve.
Within Zichen Palace, everyone was preoccupied with worry over the Emperor’s condition, and no one paid any attention to Ling Jingshu’s movements. Even Female Official Qian, who had previously been among the most eager to come and visit, was nowhere to be seen.
Ling Jingshu was quite content to rest a few extra days, until her health was fully restored and her cheeks had regained their rosy color. Only then did she step out of her room.
Once she had recovered, Ling Jingshu made a point of reporting to Eunuch Ding. “Eunuch Ding, my illness has healed. I can begin my duties again today. His Majesty needs to rest and recuperate at present, and it would not be convenient to keep potted plants in the bedchamber any longer. This servant presumes to inform Eunuch Ding — I will no longer be attending in His Majesty’s bedchamber going forward.”
Eunuch Ding had been tending to the Emperor day and night for many days without proper sleep, and was utterly exhausted. He had no energy to give thought to such matters, and gave a dismissive nod, sending Ling Jingshu away.
The absence of Eunuch Ding’s previous attentiveness and eagerness to please only confirmed to Ling Jingshu that the Emperor was truly gravely ill this time, and her heart felt tremendously lighter. The immense weight that had been pressing down on it simply vanished.
The only regret was that Wei Yan remained in constant attendance within the bedchamber and could not be free even at night. Though they were close at hand, opportunities to meet were almost nonexistent.
On the rare occasions they did catch a glimpse of each other, they could only exchange a glance from across the crowd of people between them — a small consolation.
……
Half a month later, the Emperor’s health had at last improved slightly. There was no longer a need to take medicine every day; he could manage a little thin congee or broth, and could just barely speak.
The imperial physicians all breathed a collective sigh of relief and no longer needed to remain in Zichen Palace every day — Imperial Physician Zhou, Imperial Physician Zhang, and Imperial Physician Wei took turns keeping watch over the Emperor.
Worthy Consort Wei finally had a moment’s breathing room to free her hands and carry out a thorough investigation of the events of that night.
The first to suffer the consequences was Eunuch Huang, who had presented the Dragon Tiger Pills.
Eunuch Huang knelt before Worthy Consort Wei, weeping and streaming with tears. “This servant has been in the palace for twenty years and has served in the Department of Ritual Affairs for more than ten of them. This servant has always been absolutely loyal to His Majesty. Even given a hundred times the courage, this servant would never dare tamper with medicine. Please, Worthy Consort, look into this clearly!”
“These Dragon Tiger Pills were only tonic medicines. Before His Majesty took them, the imperial physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy had already examined them. Worthy Consort may summon Imperial Physician Zhang and question him yourself if you do not believe me. Imperial Physician Zhang still has several pills, and the bottle this servant later presented also has quite a few remaining. If even half a fault is found upon examination, this servant would deserve to be cut to pieces and would bear no grievance!”
Worthy Consort Wei’s face was cold as frost. “These Dragon Tiger Pills were presented by you, and it was indeed after taking them that His Majesty grew unbridled in his indulgences, causing his health to suffer. Even if there is no fault in the pills themselves, you cannot escape culpability. Someone come — confine Eunuch Huang to the prison cells first. Once I have fully investigated the matter, judgment will be rendered.”
Eunuch Huang was dragged away by the guards, his mouth never ceasing its cries of injustice — yet his heart grew slightly calmer.
For something like this to have occurred, the fact that Worthy Consort Wei had not simply had him beaten to death was already a great mercy.
It seemed Imperial Physician Wei had already communicated with Worthy Consort Wei in secret beforehand — this was them acting to protect his life.
……