The third quarter of the mao hour.
Fan Ming brought Grand Tutor Xu into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Yun Chu stood at the entrance to the inner hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Seeing Grand Tutor Xu enter, she walked down the steps and curtsied: “Grand Tutor Xu.”
“Crown Princess, you embarrass this old minister.” Grand Tutor Xu hastily returned the courtesy. “His Majesty has summoned this old minister, so I must take my leave first.”
He lifted his official robe, ascended the steps, and entered the great hall.
The curtains around the dragon bed concealed the person upon it. Consort Yun and Consort Yin stood on either side of the bed.
Grand Tutor Xu heard footsteps behind him and turned his head. He saw Yun Chu and Fan Ming had also entered, and the hall doors were quickly closed.
His expression couldn’t help but change: “This is…”
“Grand Tutor Xu…” Noble Consort Shu spoke first, tears streaming down her face. Then with delicate hands she lifted the curtain. “His Majesty has fallen unconscious and cannot be awakened no matter what we do.”
“Your Majesty!” Grand Tutor Xu rushed forward with quick steps, kneeling beside the dragon bed, calling loudly: “Your Majesty, please wake up, Your Majesty…!”
He thought His Majesty had passed away and immediately wept loudly, the grief in his voice moving all who heard it.
“Grand Tutor Xu, His Majesty was harmed by treacherous people and is temporarily unconscious. I believe His Majesty will surely recover.” Consort Yun quickly stepped forward to help him up. “Now the Crown Prince is on campaign, with no one supervising the state in court. If news of His Majesty’s unconsciousness spreads, the court and realm will surely fall into chaos with unstable morale… We invited Grand Tutor Xu here hoping you would assist in governing the state.”
Grand Tutor Xu wiped away his tears and stepped forward to carefully examine the Emperor. Seeing the Emperor’s chest still rising and falling, only then did his heart return to his stomach.
He looked at the several people before him—the birth mothers of the Seventh and Eighth Princes, the Crown Princess, and Lord Fan. Those present should all not wish for anything to happen to His Majesty.
Then which treacherous person had harmed His Majesty?
The former Crown Prince? No, the former Crown Prince was his grandson-in-law. He knew very clearly that the former Crown Prince had willingly requested to be deposed from the position of Crown Prince.
The Second Prince? Impossible. He had personally investigated—the Second Prince had truly gone mad, and his forces had all disintegrated.
The current Crown Prince? Also unlikely. If something happened to His Majesty, the Crown Prince was far away in Dongling Kingdom and couldn’t ascend the throne. The court would surely fall into chaos.
The remaining princes? No, no, no—they were too young. These princes and their imperial consort mothers should wish for His Majesty to live as long as possible.
Then who could it be?
Grand Tutor Xu paced back and forth, when suddenly his steps halted, his face full of disbelief: “Prince Zhuang!”
Yun Chu imperceptibly breathed a sigh of relief.
She had gambled correctly.
The Grand Tutor was not Chu Rui’s person!
Moreover, the Grand Tutor had a clever mind and could see the situation clearly.
“It’s Prince Zhuang?” Fan Ming also looked shocked. “A few days ago, Princess Zhuang invited my wife over for tea and even gave her extremely valuable potted plants. My wife insisted I must find time to meet with Prince Zhuang.”
Grand Tutor Xu’s gaze was grim: “Lord Fan, arrange for people to thoroughly investigate Prince Zhuang’s background. If evidence can be found, directly arrange for the Court of Judicial Review to arrest him.”
Fan Ming was about to speak when the eunuch waiting outside stood at the door to report: “Reporting to Your Majesty, the various ministers have come for an audience.”
The expressions of several people inside the hall simultaneously tensed.
Grand Tutor Xu straightened his official hat and spoke: “I’ll go out to handle them.”
He walked out and stood on the steps, speaking indifferently: “His Majesty did not sleep all night. Today he will not hold court. Everyone, please return.”
The crowd knew His Majesty was seriously ill and didn’t suspect anything. They submitted their memorials and prepared to leave.
Among the crowd, Chu Rui raised his head and spoke: “Yesterday Imperial Uncle said he wanted me to bring some geographical chronicles of Anding. I’ll just hand over these books to Imperial Uncle and leave.”
“Prince Zhuang is thoughtful.” Grand Tutor Xu directly took the books. “I happen to have an important matter to discuss with His Majesty, so I’ll deliver them inside. Prince Zhuang, please return.”
After speaking, he turned and walked into the great hall. The palace maid at the door closed the hall doors.
Chu Rui’s expression immediately darkened.
To activate the parasitic worm, he needed to approach His Majesty at close range, preferably with eye contact, but now he couldn’t enter the great hall.
With Eunuch Gao gone, he had indeed lost an arm.
Over the following days, Chu Rui couldn’t enter the great hall no matter what.
After being refused by Grand Tutor Xu, he finally couldn’t hold back. Before the officials had left, he spoke: “We haven’t seen the imperial countenance for six days now and are very worried about His Majesty’s dragon body. Grand Tutor Xu has repeatedly prevented us from entering the hall for an audience. Is there something you’re hiding from us?”
“Indeed, Grand Tutor Xu.” Marquis Pingjin echoed along. “At least let us pay our respects to His Majesty.”
The Grand Preceptor vaguely sensed something was wrong and called loudly: “Your Majesty, we request an audience!”
Marquis Boyuan followed loudly: “We’ve heard that these past days His Majesty hasn’t summoned imperial physicians for diagnosis. We are truly worried about the dragon body. Please allow us an audience, Your Majesty!”
Chu Rui was the first to kneel down.
The other ministers also followed suit, kneeling one after another.
Grand Tutor Xu stood on the steps, clenching his fists tightly.
What a Prince Zhuang—this was using the officials to pressure him.
Inside the hall, Noble Consort Shu had already panicked: “What should we do? If those ministers enter the hall, we won’t be able to hide the fact that His Majesty has been unconscious for many days!”
“What are you panicking about!” Consort Yun said coldly. “Sister Noble Consort Shu, just properly attend to His Majesty!”
She took a deep breath and step by step walked to the hall entrance, signaling the palace maid to open the door.
The heavy hall doors opened with a creak.
The officials quickly raised their heads. They thought the Emperor was coming out, but instead saw Consort Yun walking before them with an icy air.
“His Majesty is resting. Who dares make such a commotion here!” Consort Yun’s voice was extremely cold. “His Majesty said he won’t see you all, so stop coming. When His Majesty recovers from his illness, he will naturally grant an audience!”
Chu Rui had an enduring temperament.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have laid dormant for so many years.
Having worked so hard to reach this step, he didn’t want it destroyed like this.
Moreover, he and the Crown Prince faction had long torn off their pretenses.
He raised his head and spoke slowly: “What if I insist on entering the hall to see His Majesty? What can Consort Yun do about it?”
Consort Yun enunciated each word: “Those who trespass into the Hall of Mental Cultivation shall be executed without mercy!”
“Swoosh!”
Fan Ming at the side drew the sword from his waist.
Chu Rui remained unruffled: “Throughout history, the Imperial Guards have only followed His Majesty’s commands. When did a mere consort gain the authority to order the commander of the Imperial Guards?”
With these words, everyone’s expressions changed.
Their gazes swept back and forth between Consort Yun and Fan Ming.
Consort Yun was so angry her head throbbed.
“Prince Zhuang’s words are utterly ridiculous.”
A clear, cold voice came from outside the door.
Yun Chu was seen leading several children into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Her lips carried a mocking smile: “Consort Yun holds the Phoenix Seal, which means she has the Empress’s authority. Although the Imperial Guards follow Father Emperor’s commands, they must also obey the Phoenix Seal! Moreover, since Consort Yun can enter and leave the Hall of Mental Cultivation and command the Imperial Guards, that means she has Father Emperor’s permission! Inside the hall, besides Consort Yun, there is also Noble Consort Shu. Father Emperor also frequently summons Yu’er and the others into the hall to talk…”
The children accompanying her included Yu’er, Changsheng, Meng Shen, as well as the Seventh Prince, Ninth Prince, and Tenth Prince—meaning all three princes remaining in the capital had come.
The Seventh Prince was already twelve years old. Standing upright like green bamboo, he said calmly: “Father Emperor is getting older and increasingly cherishes family happiness. He always has us enter the hall to play and doesn’t much like hearing about state affairs. You all should stop disturbing him.”
Everyone exchanged glances with each other.
His Majesty’s consorts, princes, daughter-in-law, grandsons, the Imperial Guard commander, and Grand Tutor Xu—all were preventing these outsiders from entering the hall.
If they insisted on breaking in, they would truly anger the Emperor.
Most people thought of retreating.
But a smile appeared on Chu Rui’s face.
Yun Chu, oh Yun Chu—you truly haven’t disappointed him. Like his elder sister, you’re ice-and-snow clever, leaving him helpless.
His Majesty must have been drugged and couldn’t wake up. Otherwise, how could the child worm in his body have no reaction at all…
Now it was already the sixth day. In three more days, once the mature worm in His Majesty’s body died, he would lose all leverage.