Noble Consort Wei stepped into the bedchamber with an expression of urgency.

The Crown Prince and Crown Grandson each had pressing matters to attend to, and after confirming that there was no serious danger to the Emperor’s health, they had both departed. At this moment in the bedchamber, aside from the attending maids and inner attendants, there was only Wei Yan, Imperial Physician Zhou, and Chief Physician Zhang.

The moment Ling Jingshu stepped into the bedchamber, her gaze met Wei Yan’s from across the room. A sweetness stirred in both their hearts, and they each quickly looked away.

The Emperor lay on the bed with his eyes shut, his expression defeated and haggard — carrying the sorrowful desolation of a man whose years were drawing to a close.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, the Emperor still did not open his eyes.

Noble Consort Wei drew close to the bedside. Looking at the Emperor in this state, something within her stirred — a difficult-to-name mix of rueful sighing and pity.

The Emperor, once celebrated throughout his life as brilliant and martial, having held the reins of the court for decades and commanded the reverence of all — he had truly grown old. Like a tiger that had lost its sharp claws and fangs, to be fooled and toyed with as though he were a sickly cat.

What made it all the more hateful was that the one fooling and toying with him was his most beloved youngest son.

The other son who had dared to raise a hand against him — though not favored by his affection — was nonetheless of his blood.

The imperial family knows no bond between father and son! These words proved not even the slightest bit untrue.

“Your Majesty,” Noble Consort Wei sighed softly, her voice full of tender concern: “Your servant has come to see you.”

The Emperor did not want to open his eyes, nor did he want to speak. He weakly waved his hand, signaling that Noble Consort Wei could withdraw.

Noble Consort Wei, having come all this way, naturally would not leave so easily. She instead settled herself down beside the Emperor’s bed.

“Of the matters in the outer court, your servant has also heard something. Your servant’s heart is truly pained on Your Majesty’s behalf, and deeply indignant — I wish I could bear the suffering in your place, so that Your Majesty might be spared this anguish.”

Noble Consort Wei spoke in gentle, tender tones, like a mild breeze and soft rain quietly soothing the pain in the Emperor’s heart: “Yet things have come to this pass, and no amount of talking or thinking will help. What matters most now is to investigate and uncover the truth of this matter. Whether it is Prince An who framed and shifted blame, or Prince Yan who harbored treacherous intentions, Your Majesty will know soon enough.”

“Your Majesty is the sovereign of this dynasty, the pillar of the court, and the cornerstone upon which your servant and the other sisters of the inner palace depend. Your servant says something selfish — your servant only hopes that Your Majesty remains in good health, blessed with long life and fortune. No matter how much grief and sorrow Your Majesty feels, you must not exhaust your own body. Your servant watches on, and it is as if a knife is cutting at my own heart…”

Her voice gradually choked off as she reached these words.

The Emperor was greatly moved. At last he opened his eyes.

What met his gaze was Noble Consort Wei’s graceful, gentle face, full of concern.

Over these past two years, so many things had happened. Every time he was overcome with grief and sorrow, the one who had been by his side comforting him was always this warm and gentle woman.

Yes!

He could not give himself over to despair and collapse now!

He still had the nation and the people to tend to; he still had countless subjects to govern. Without Prince An and Prince Yan, he still had his eldest son and eldest grandson. The Yang dynasty had worthy successors — what was there left for him to grieve over?

The Emperor drew in a long breath and said: “You are right. It was I who was foolish. Having heard you say it like this, I do feel hungry now.”

Noble Consort Wei dabbed at the corner of her eyes with her handkerchief, and smiled warmly: “Your servant will have someone bring a meal at once.”

Chief Eunuch Ding was quick to say: “With Milady here to keep the Emperor company, the trivial task of running that errand falls to this servant.”

Noble Consort Milady truly is deeply favored. A few words of persuasion, and the Emperor was willing to eat. With such favor as this, the position of Empress would eventually belong to no one else — it was simply a matter of time.

The imperial kitchen quickly sent a meal.

Noble Consort Wei personally fed the Emperor, and the imperial physicians along with the female officials all withdrew to the side hall adjoining the bedchamber.

Wei Yan moved closer without drawing attention to himself. With a perfectly composed expression, he looked toward Ling Jingshu: “Lady Ling, I noticed just now that Noble Consort Milady’s complexion seemed not quite right either. Has Milady perhaps been sleeping poorly these past few days?”

Ling Jingshu steadied herself and replied: “Indeed. Noble Consort Milady has had a poor appetite of late, and her sleep has been restless — she often wakes in the middle of the night.”

In truth, Noble Consort Wei was eating and sleeping perfectly well, and in excellent health.

Wei Yan put on a show of concern and made a sound of worry: “This cannot go on. When I have some time, I will come to Lingbo Palace to take Milady’s pulse and check on her health.”

Ling Jingshu turned slightly to one side and dipped a small curtsy: “Then we will have to trouble Imperial Physician Wei.”

Her figure was slender and graceful, the slight turn of her body beautiful and captivating.

Wei Yan found himself thinking of the intoxicating sensation from the previous night, when her soft form had been pressed beneath him, and his heart stirred with unbidden feeling. A peculiar light flashed through his eyes.

Ling Jingshu was startled by the ardent heat in his eyes and brows. She shot him a discreet warning glare.

Wei Yan suppressed the urge to touch his nose in embarrassment and quickly reined in his thoughts.

As an imperial physician and Noble Consort Wei’s own younger brother, Wei Yan naturally had close and frequent dealings with her. At a time like this, exchanging a few words with the female official beside Noble Consort Wei was perfectly unremarkable.

Imperial Physician Zhou and Chief Physician Zhang paid it no heed at all, the two of them chatting quietly between themselves without sparing a second glance.

As for Xinyun —

Xinyun was such a sharp and perceptive person that she had most likely already noticed something. At a moment like this, she would absolutely not come to create any disturbance. She even took a few steps away, as if nothing at all was happening.

Of course, with so many people present, Wei Yan could not say anything improper to Ling Jingshu either.

The two of them used Noble Consort Wei’s daily habits and various small domestic matters as their topic of conversation — speaking in earnest tones on the surface, while conveying their feelings to each other through glances and subtle gestures.

When would the day come when they could walk openly side by side before others?

The same thought surfaced in both their hearts at the same moment. They could not help but look at each other, and each silently let out a quiet sigh.

They could only hope that Prince Yan would fall from power as soon as possible.

Without that threat hanging over them, they would be free to embrace the future and plan wholeheartedly for their happiness together.

Prince An and Prince Yan being locked up in the Court of the Imperial Clan was, both inside and outside the court, a truly earth-shaking matter.

Prince An had been in a remote domain and had no capable people in the capital. Moreover, the fact that he had raised troops in rebellion was as good as settled — now that he had been captured alive and brought back to the capital, even if he escaped the death penalty, a prison sentence was unavoidable.

Any clear-sighted person could see that Prince An’s sun was setting.

And so, not a single person spoke up or ran about on Prince An’s behalf.

Prince Yan was a different matter.

The connections that Empress Xu had painstakingly cultivated for him during her time in power, along with the loyal followers and confidants Prince Yan himself had built up — all of them were unwilling to simply let Prince Yan fall without a fight. No small number of them were working openly and covertly, making inquiries and pleading his case.

Given the degree of the Emperor’s favor toward Prince Yan, so long as Prince Yan could clear himself of the charge of masterminding the assassination, he could emerge unscathed.

Moreover, Prince Yan was still so young. There were certainly no shortage of officials willing to stake their bets on him.

Among them was Lu Ping.

Though Lu Ping’s official rank was not distinguished, he was a shrewd and flexible man. He had some personal acquaintance with Prince Rong, who oversaw the Court of the Imperial Clan. Under cover of darkness, he prepared generous gifts and went quietly to Prince Rong’s residence.

Prince Yan was currently being held in the Court of the Imperial Clan, and no one was permitted to go in and visit. If one wished to gather information, going through Prince Rong was naturally the most direct route.

Unfortunately, Prince Rong showed not the slightest consideration for their personal acquaintance, and turned Lu Ping away without ceremony.