Ling Jingshu’s illness dragged on intermittently for more than a month.
At first the Emperor had inquired about her a few times, but seeing that she showed no signs of recovery, he put the matter entirely out of his mind.
The harem was full of beauties of every shape and charm, all vying to win his favor. The Emperor could have a particular woman on his mind and still not let it interfere with his pleasure-seeking.
Consort Wang’s rank was elevated to Noble Lady, and Noble Lady Wei was conferred the title of Worthy Consort Wei. With several other favored consorts elevated in rank as well, a single imperial edict sent the entire harem into a ferment.
After the investiture ceremony concluded, the ill effects brought about by the Emperor’s use of the Dragon Tiger Pills erupted in full.
On this particular night, the favored Consort Wang — now Noble Lady Wang — was attending the Emperor in the bedchamber.
Midway through, the Emperor suddenly felt his entire body grow weak and limp, then numbness spread through him and his head reeled dizzily. He fainted right where he was.
Noble Lady Wang, dainty as she was, was frightened into utter pallor. She threw her robes on haphazardly and cried out in alarm, “Someone come! Come quickly! The Emperor has collapsed!”
Eunuch Ding, Eunuch Huang, and the others who had been waiting outside the bedchamber all changed countenance at once and immediately rushed in. What they saw drove their hearts straight to the floor.
The Emperor had indeed fallen unconscious! His face carried a faint bluish tinge that was deeply alarming to behold.
Eunuch Ding cried out sharply, “Someone come — summon Imperial Physician Wei at once!”
He then ordered an attendant to send word to Worthy Consort Wei and Noble Lady Li.
Eunuch Huang stepped forward and held a finger beneath the Emperor’s nostrils, then furrowed his brow with a deeply grave expression. “His Majesty still has breath — he should not be in mortal danger.”
However, the breath was so faint it was barely there at all — taking in air with next to no exhalation.
Noble Lady Wang wept as she spoke, “I don’t know what happened — His Majesty just suddenly lost consciousness. This has nothing to do with me, truly nothing to do with me at all……”
The sobbing was grating enough to drive one to distraction.
Eunuch Ding glanced at the tear-drenched Noble Lady Wang and said coldly, “What exactly has happened to His Majesty can only be determined once Imperial Physician Wei has made his diagnosis. Noble Lady, please stop crying for now and wait until Worthy Consort Wei and Noble Lady Li arrive.”
With no Empress in the palace, all matters were decided by Worthy Consort Wei and Noble Lady Li.
Noble Lady Li kept a low profile; Worthy Consort Wei was magnanimous in temperament — both were well regarded throughout the palace. But this Noble Lady Wang before them, who had used her youth and beauty and the favor it brought to act with considerable arrogance — Eunuch Ding had no fondness for her, and in this moment, seeing her in a state of panic and terror, he felt no inclination to offer comfort.
Eunuch Huang suppressed the frantic hammering of his own heart and said quietly, “Eunuch Ding, His Majesty’s present state is quite unseemly. Should we first help His Majesty put on his clothes?”
Eunuch Ding was on the point of nodding when second thought gave him sudden pause, and he firmly refused. “His Majesty is currently unconscious, and we do not yet know the cause. The two of us casually moving His Majesty’s person would be highly inappropriate.”
What if moving and dressing the Emperor aggravated his condition? Should the Emperor’s illness worsen as a result and the matter were investigated, that would be something impossible to explain away.
Eunuch Huang was also a keenly perceptive man and immediately agreed. “Eunuch Ding is absolutely right.”
……
Wei Yan arrived swiftly.
He entered the bedchamber carrying his medicine case, his expression gravely serious.
Several more candelabras had been lit in the bedchamber. In the bright candlelight, Noble Lady Wang sat slumped and huddled to one side, her face streaked with dried tears and drained of all color — like a flower battered by storm and rain, barely clinging to life.
The Emperor remained in the posture in which he had collapsed, a thick coverlet draped over him to conceal what should not be seen. He lay on his back, eyes tightly shut, with not a drop of color in his face — a startling pallor.
Wei Yan and Eunuch Huang exchanged a glance, swiftly sharing an unspoken look of mutual understanding. Then each looked away.
“Eunuch Ding, what exactly happened here?” Wei Yan asked urgently as he opened his medicine case and drew out his gold needles.
Eunuch Ding relayed the situation in a few brief words. “Noble Lady Wang was attending His Majesty tonight, and this servant was waiting outside. Suddenly I heard Noble Lady Wang cry out in alarm, saying His Majesty had fallen unconscious. This servant did not dare delay and immediately had Imperial Physician Wei summoned. As for why His Majesty collapsed, this servant does not know either.”
Wei Yan was occupied with saving a life and had no mind for further discussion. He gave an absent nod and set to work applying needles with a composed and focused expression.
The sound of hurried footsteps came again from outside the door.
It was Worthy Consort Wei and Noble Lady Li!
Both had already retired for the night and were shocked awake by the news. Neither had the presence of mind for dressing or grooming — each threw on clothes in haste and rushed over. They happened to meet outside Zichen Palace and entered the bedchamber together.
With those in authority arrived, Eunuch Ding and Eunuch Huang both breathed a measure of relief.
Eunuch Huang stepped forward, wiping tears from his face as he recounted the events once more.
Noble Lady Li — who was approaching fifty and whose health had not been robust — turned pale at hearing the account, and her body swayed. Worthy Consort Wei, standing closest to her, reached out without thinking to steady the nearly-toppling Noble Lady Li, and said, her eyes red-rimmed and her voice choked, “Elder Sister Li, the Emperor’s condition is unknown and the palace still needs you to take charge and maintain order. Elder Sister absolutely must not collapse now.”
Noble Lady Li leaned against Worthy Consort Wei, working to calm her erratic pulse and breathing. After a long moment she gave a bitter smile. “Younger Sister, have no fear — I know what is at stake. I simply cannot match your youth and vitality. The palace affairs will require more of your attention and effort, I am afraid.”
Worthy Consort Wei wiped at her eyes, gave a low murmur of assent, and then guided Noble Lady Li toward the dragon bed.
Upon the spacious dragon bed, the Emperor lay sprawled on his back — unclothed, his eyes shut, every trace of color gone from his face. A pallor so stark it was frightening to behold!
Whether the Emperor could survive this ordeal — no one could say.
Worthy Consort Wei’s face was all worry and distress, yet her heart was exceptionally calm.
The man before her was the Son of Heaven — the husband of every consort in the harem. His favor toward her had been considerable, yet she had never dared grow complacent or rest in that favor; she had always been cautious and careful.
In this palace, any woman who mistook the Emperor’s favor for something to be truly counted upon would not live long.
As things stood now, she had her rank as Consort-Noble, and An Ya at her side. Even if the Emperor were to pass away, it would not harm her. She could still slowly endure through the empty, desolate years of this palace.
A hand suddenly clutched at the hem of her skirt.
Worthy Consort Wei looked down.
“Worthy Consort, I truly did nothing wrong.” Noble Lady Wang’s face was a picture of terror and fright, tears flooding down her cheeks. In utter dishevelment she begged, “Please, Worthy Consort, look into this clearly!”
Worthy Consort Wei frowned slightly, her voice cool and composed. “How things truly stand will require thorough investigation. If you are truly innocent, justice will be done. But weeping and wailing now accomplishes nothing. If Imperial Physician Wei is disturbed in the middle of treatment and His Majesty suffers for it, neither you nor the Wang family could bear the consequences.”
“Now be still. Once the Emperor wakes, Elder Sister Li and I will have questions for you.”
The gentle-natured Worthy Consort Wei — now that she had taken charge of palace affairs and risen in rank — naturally spoke with an authority she had not possessed before.
The charge of harming the Emperor was something not even Noble Lady Wang herself, let alone the Wang family behind her, could withstand.
Noble Lady Wang’s heart went cold — yet she dared not weep or make another sound.