By now it was deep into the night, yet the Han residence blazed with light, filled with commotion—all because Han Ziqing, soon to become Prince Yao’s consort, had suddenly fallen gravely ill, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood in succession, seemingly on the verge of collapse at any moment.
In the main hall, after a series of violent coughing fits, Ziqing’s normally demure little face had turned a horrifying shade of white, traces of blood smeared at the corners of her mouth, her eyes long since closed, her breath barely more than a thread.
Jun Beiyue held her in his arms, having said not a single word since her episode began, save for summoning the imperial physicians, his composed eyes chillingly cold.
A crowd of physicians surrounded them—the same Physician Chen from before, the palace’s own Physician Gu, along with physicians from both the Han residence and Prince Yao’s own household—counting them all, there had to be at least fifteen, if not twenty of them.
Yet every single one of them reached the same unanimous diagnosis: Han Ziqing’s condition was beyond saving, and it was uncertain whether she would even survive until dawn.
Prime Minister Han and Madam Han stood waiting off to the side, exchanging anxious glances, both thoroughly on edge, still utterly unable to fathom what scheme the Emperor might be playing at, nor whether Xi’er still had any chance left. If Prince Yao truly cherished Ziqing so deeply, and this marriage fell through, it would be a significant loss for the Han household as well.
Han Xi’er, meanwhile, had somehow ended up standing beside Ouyang Jingshi—the two of them held a longstanding grudge and would normally never stand within three steps of each other, yet now their arms were pressed close together, squeezed in amongst the physicians, both staring unblinkingly at Ziqing, practically willing her to stop breathing that very instant.
As the final physician concluded his diagnosis with no hope to offer, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence, no one daring to even breathe too loudly.
Then, unexpectedly, Ouyang Jingshi and Han Xi’er simultaneously burst into tears, rushing forward together.
“Ziqing, wake up, please! Look at your sister! How could you leave so quietly without a word—your sister still has so much to say to you!”
“Ziqing, you have to hold on! Don’t let Prince Yao’s affection for you go to waste! Ziqing, wake up! The Second Prince’s consort and I still want to be close sisters with you!”
…
The moment the two of them finished speaking, Jun Beiyue’s gaze snapped toward them with sudden coldness. “Get out of my sight!” he roared, sending both of them stumbling backward onto the ground, thoroughly humiliated.
Jun Beiyue swept the room with a cold glare, and everyone present felt a chill of fear—if Han Ziqing truly died, Prince Yao would undoubtedly erupt in fury, and there was no telling how many physicians he might order executed as a result.
Then, unexpectedly, Jun Beiyue called out a specific name. “Physician Chen, are you certain there’s nothing to be done?”
A flicker of wariness crossed Physician Chen’s eyes. He hastily dropped to his knees, trembling. “Prince Yao, please forgive this humble servant—this old physician is truly incompetent. Her Highness suffers from consumption, nothing else. This old physician truly has no way to turn back the tide.”
With that, he kowtowed repeatedly. “Prince Yao, please forgive me, please forgive me!”
At once, every other physician dropped to their knees as well, pleading in unison, “Prince Yao, please forgive us, please forgive us!”
“A pack of useless fools—what good are any of you to this prince!” Jun Beiyue said coldly, his words only sending their pleas into an even louder chorus, deafening, nearly loud enough to bring the roof down.
Just then, a sharp, piercing voice—one many present recognized well—rang out from a distance. It was Eunuch Yin. “The imperial edict has arrived! The Second Young Lady of the Han residence, Han Ziqing, is summoned at once to receive the decree!”
Instantly, all the pleading ceased, everyone hastily stepping aside to clear a path, standing respectfully at attention.
Eunuch Yin appeared in full formal attire, both hands raised high, holding the imperial edict, striding forward.
Prime Minister Han’s heart lurched with alarm. He glanced at Ziqing, then quickly led Madam Han, Han Xi’er, and the household servants forward to kneel in respectful welcome. Prime Minister Han wasn’t the only one startled—among those present, only Physician Chen, Physician Gu, Ouyang Jingshi, and Jun Beiyue seemed to have anticipated that the Emperor would issue an edict at all. Everyone else was left utterly bewildered—why would the Emperor send an edict to the Han residence at this hour, specifically naming Han Ziqing? Could it possibly be…
Seeing Ziqing cradled in Jun Beiyue’s arms, Eunuch Yin hurried over with concern. “Prince Yao, whatever has happened to the Second Young Lady?”
“Her illness has taken a turn,” Jun Beiyue said, displeased, rising to his feet as he spoke.
“Then this edict…” Eunuch Yin hesitated. Unexpectedly, Jun Beiyue knelt down on one knee beside Prime Minister Han, still holding Ziqing in his arms!
At the sight, the entire hall erupted into astonished murmurs—could this really mean the edict was indeed one of imperial conferment?
How could the timing possibly align so perfectly—could it truly be that the Emperor had actually agreed to name Han Ziqing as Princess Consort of Prince Yao? It seemed almost too unbelievable!
A flicker of helplessness crossed Eunuch Yin’s eyes. He raised a hand, and the room fell silent at once, every gaze fixed on the edict in his hands, hearts pounding faster and faster as the scroll unfurled inch by inch, the tension in the air growing thicker by the moment. At last, the scroll was fully unrolled!
Eunuch Yin cleared his throat, announcing loudly, “By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees—”
But just as the words left his mouth, a weak yet stubborn voice suddenly cut through the silence. “Wait!”
Who was that?
It had to be admitted—for that brief moment, no one could quite process what had happened, save for a flicker of amused delight that crossed Jun Beiyue’s sharp eyes.
It was Ziqing!
She opened her eyes slightly, gazing up at Jun Beiyue, her pale, thin lips parting. “Your Highness… Ziqing… Ziqing still has breath left in her… the edict… Ziqing ought to receive it herself…”