Emperor Taixiang had thought he was about to faint, but after giving his instructions, he found he was still conscious. He forced himself to stand straight: “Help me go see the First Prince!”
At this moment, the First Prince’s condition was already very poor. The imperial physicians present looked ashen, making their final desperate efforts.
“My son, my son, you cannot have any mishaps—” Emperor Taixiang stroked the First Prince’s tiny face, choking with emotion.
“Your Majesty, why not ask the Marquis Guanjun’s wife to try?” Judge Chen suggested.
Director Li shot a sharp glance at Judge Chen.
When the late emperor had his incident, it was Marquis Guanjun’s wife’s acupuncture skills that extended his life. However, except for those present at the time, this matter could not be mentioned to anyone else, including the new emperor. That’s why he had hesitated for so long and couldn’t rashly suggest summoning Marquis Guanjun’s wife.
How had Judge Chen learned about Marquis Guanjun’s wife’s medical skills?
Emperor Taixiang’s eyes lit up: “Yes, yes! Marquis Guanjun’s wife is a divine physician. She can save the First Prince. Quickly go and summon Marquis Guanjun’s wife!”
After receiving His Majesty’s decree, the Marquis Guanjun’s residence, urged by the eunuch, saw Qiao Zhao only have time to change into a different robe before leaving.
Shao Mingyuan followed her into the palace carriage.
“Marquis—” The eunuch was somewhat surprised.
Shao Mingyuan’s face was serious: “Since a prince is ill, how can a subject who knows of it rest peacefully at home? I’ll go along and pray for the prince in the front hall.”
Looking at the lowered carriage curtain, the eunuch twitched his lips.
The Marquis Guanjun wasn’t worried about the prince—he was worried about his wife. No wonder people said Marquis Guanjun cherished his wife like his life.
At this time, a eunuch naturally did not need to argue with the marquis. If he wanted to go, let him go. After all, if the First Prince was safe, everything would be fine. If not, countless people would be in trouble.
Thinking of this, the eunuch sighed heavily.
Inside the carriage, Qiao Zhao and Shao Mingyuan sat close together. From the carriage’s jolting, they could feel the driver’s urgency.
“It seems the First Prince’s condition is very dire,” Qiao Zhao said in a low voice.
At this time, news of the Second Princess’s death had not yet spread outside the palace.
Shao Mingyuan frowned tightly, lowering his voice: “This must be the aftermath Physician Li mentioned.”
During their recent southern journey, Physician Li had specifically called him for a talk to remind him to be careful of this matter and avoid the turmoil.
“It’s most likely so. Although Grandfather Li didn’t say it explicitly, I consulted him about the prescription he had written. Based on the properties of several medicines in it, if vows were broken prematurely, it would affect both the patient’s offspring and the patient himself…” Qiao Zhao’s voice grew even lower.
Shao Mingyuan’s heart jumped upon hearing this: “Now the effects on offspring have been confirmed, but the effects on the patient himself—”
Qiao Zhao’s face suddenly flushed red, and she coughed lightly: “Because of the period of abstinence, during the initial period after breaking vows, the patient would be crazily addicted to women. This would further damage the already unstable foundation. Over time, when the barely accumulated vital essence is exhausted, the patient would probably keep his distance from women…”
Shao Mingyuan’s expression changed slightly.
Ordinary people encountering such a situation could only accept their fate, but if His Majesty had problems with his offspring and also stayed away from women, what might have become was truly unpredictable.
The sound of horse hooves striking the stone-paved road became more urgent. The closer they got to the imperial palace, the grimmer Shao Mingyuan’s expression became.
Qiao Zhao gently squeezed Shao Mingyuan’s hand: “Don’t worry, I’ll be extra careful.”
“This isn’t something you can avoid just by being careful. I’m afraid if something happens to the First Prince, His Majesty will vent his anger on you—”
Qiao Zhao smiled slightly: “If that’s the case, I believe His Majesty won’t do anything to me out of consideration for you.”
As they were talking, the carriage suddenly stopped, and the curtain was immediately lifted: “Marquis’s wife, please get out of the carriage quickly.”
Qiao Zhao got out of the carriage and found a sedan chair waiting beside them. The eunuch helped her onto the sedan chair, and before she could sit steady, four eunuchs lifted her and began running.
“Marquis Guanjun’s wife has arrived, Marquis Guanjun’s wife has arrived—” The eunuch shouted all the way. When Qiao Zhao got off the sedan chair, two eunuchs grabbed her left and right arms and rushed inside with her.
Qiao Zhao felt fire rising in her throat, making even breathing difficult, but she couldn’t bring herself to complain.
Children were innocent. Regardless of whether they were princes, thinking of such small children in mortal danger would naturally evoke pity in ordinary people.
Intertwined crying sounds came from inside, and Qiao Zhao’s heart, already racing from running, suddenly sank.
A suffocating atmosphere hit her face.
As Qiao Zhao entered, she saw the imperial physicians kneeling in rows, Emperor Taixiang hugging a pillar and crying, while Empress Dowager Yang sat collapsed in a chair with a numb expression.
“This subject’s wife pays respects to Your Majesty and the Grand Empress Dowager.” Qiao Zhao respectfully greeted them.
Emperor Taixiang’s crying stopped. He wiped his tears and rushed over like he had seen a savior: “Marquis’s wife, quickly come with me to save the First Prince. My First Prince is suffering…”
Qiao Zhao followed Emperor Taixiang inside.
Inside, a concubine was crying heartbrokenly.
Emperor Taixiang frowned: “What’s the crying for? Don’t frighten the First Prince!”
The woman’s crying paused. Seeing it was Emperor Taixiang, she bit her hand hard and made muffled sounds.
Qiao Zhao immediately saw the First Prince lying on the bed.
The small child was curled up in a ball, already completely still.
Qiao Zhao lowered her eyes and reached out to examine him, her eyes gradually becoming moist.
“Marquis’s wife, how is the First Prince?”
Qiao Zhao withdrew her hand and looked at Emperor Taixiang.
Emperor Taixiang looked over hopefully, his expression anxious, showing none of an emperor’s dignity.
Qiao Zhao stepped back and knelt in courtesy: “Your Majesty, the First Prince… has already passed away…”
Emperor Taixiang’s eyes suddenly widened, shaking his head continuously: “No way, no way, the First Prince was just holding my hand, holding my thumb…”
The First Prince’s mother, hearing these words, could no longer contain herself and burst into tears.
“Your Majesty, please accept our condolences—” Countless people knelt and wept.
They cried not only for the First Prince’s early death, but more for their upcoming fate.
“The First Prince is gone?” Emperor Taixiang walked to the bedside in a daze, pressing his face against the First Prince’s small face.
After an unknown period, Emperor Taixiang, who had been unable to feel the child’s warmth, finally gave up completely. He straightened up despondently, his gaze fixed deadly on the kneeling crowd.
Everyone sensed the crisis and kept their heads down, not daring to move.
Emperor Taixiang’s expression twisted, and he shouted sternly: “How did you all take care of the prince? Now that the master is gone, do you dog slaves still want to live? Guards, drag these bastards out and beat them to death!”
“Your Majesty, spare us! Your Majesty, spare us!”
Emperor Taixiang ignored the pleas of the eunuchs and palace maids, turning his gaze to the kneeling imperial physicians.
“Director Li, as the head of all imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau, you couldn’t even cure simple wind-heat symptoms, delaying the princes’ and princesses’ treatment and causing their deaths. You truly deserve death! Guards, drag Director Li and these quack doctors out and behead them all!”