Chapter 1458: Chapter 1458: The ssenger
“Indeed.” The Empress Dowager said, “But it’s still so far!” Just thinking about the journey that must be completed day and night made the months seem to stretch beyond the horizon, far beyond what she dared to imagine.
“Forget it, forget it, go call the Imperial Physician, have them watch carefully, we must ensure the Emperor’s well-being.”
Feeling distressed, the Empress Dowager had Madam Li support her into the inner room.
To the outside world, she announced that the illness was her own, claiming she wished to pay respects to her lord, and since even the ancestral Empress was unavailable, she could only mutter to herself in the back hall.
At that mont, the ssenger who had run several horses to death finally arrived, having co across a group of conspicuously dressed Taoists at an inn on the road to Qiuci.
Such a group was easy to recognize. The ssenger dismounted and, among the crowd, identified Jin Zijin, hurriedly kneeling before him with the letter.
“Your Highness, an urgent ssage from Beijing.”
Having said that, he fainted.
He was a Hidden Guard by the Emperor’s side; if it had been anyone else, after running several horses to death, he himself would have nearly died.
Jin Zijin quickly took the letter, and Gu Youyou promptly ordered people to carry the unconscious ssenger inside for ergency treatnt.
Jin Zijin finished reading the letter and crumpled it into a ball, tossing it into the fire.
Then he instructed for the best horses to be prepared.
Yue Rujing, noticing sothing off about Jin Zijin’s deanor, hurriedly asked, “Whose letter is it? Has sothing happened?”
“Wan Decheng’s.”
Wan Decheng?
Yue Rujing was montarily stunned, then said, “What’s Wan Decheng sending an urgent ssage for?” Suddenly realizing sothing, he was taken aback, “Could it be… has sothing happened to the Emperor?”
Jin Zijin pressed his lips together, eventually saying, “It’s said he’s fallen ill. This letter was sent at the Empress Dowager’s request.”
“Then it must be serious.”
“Yes, it is serious. We’re waiting for Youyou to return and save him.”
Yue Rujing spoke awkwardly, giving a cold snort, “What are those Imperial Physicians doing? They receive ample salaries day in and day out, yet in a critical mont, they can’t save their master’s life. Instead, they rely on Gu Youyou to return and save him.”
He glanced upstairs, where Gu Youyou was treating the ssenger.
He continued, “I thought Beiping had attacked. If the Beiping Army were coming, the two of us could ride fast horses back first, but Gu Youyou, delicate as she is, can’t endure long periods of riding. If she could manage a continuous three-day ride, it would be remarkable. But if she has to return slowly by carriage… alas, can the Emperor wait?”
And they didn’t even know the extent of the Emperor’s illness. How could they know?
Jin Zijin sighed, “Prepare the things. We’ll wait for the ssenger to wake up before deciding.”
Yue Rujing hesitated, “Do I have to go back too?”
“Yes!” Jin Zijin replied calmly, “You’re right, the Beiping Army indeed plans to attack.”
Yue Rujing: “…”
“The old man is ill, and I’m not in Beijing. Do you think they would miss such a good opportunity?”
“…No!” Yue Rujing shook his head.
“Alright, I’ll go prepare now. This ti we’ll make sure to uproot them.”
The ssenger soon awoke, looking unwell but able to speak properly.
Gu Youyou asked, “I heard the Emperor is ill. Is it serious?”
The man propped himself up and hurriedly said, “It’s very serious, extrely serious indeed. Otherwise, the Empress Dowager wouldn’t have sent with this urgent ssage.”
The ssenger detailed the situation in Beijing to Gu Youyou and Jin Zijin, telling them of the Emperor’s seclusion at the Empress Dowager’s place, the blur between the Empress Dowager’s illness and the Emperor’s, and also about those who were already beginning to stir.
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