Yang Xueru, failing to garner favor from Chief Minister Yang, disregarded the fact that her chest wound had not yet healed, brushed aside the maidservant, and hurriedly sought out Song Wei.
Seeing her, Song Wei was quite surprised, "What brings Miss Yang here in person?"
Yang Xueru’s face was full of worry, and as soon as she spoke, her voice was tinged with tears, "Song Shaoqing, I beg you, please save the Crown Prince!"
Seeing her knees soften as if to kneel, Wen Wan quickly held her up, "Miss Yang, your grandfather is the current Grand Secretary. In terms of power and influence, no one in the court can compare to him. Why do you not seek his help, but co to ask my husband instead?"
Yang Xueru was caught speechless by the question.
Previously overwheld by concern, she hadn’t given it much thought, but now she realized that Song Wei belonged to the Crown Prince Faction, while her grandfather, Chief Minister Yang, had always paved the way for the Second Prince.
Chief Minister Yang and Song Wei were politically opposed, and she, being the granddaughter of the Yang Family, coming uninvited to seek Song Wei’s help was bound to arouse suspicion.
However, if she didn’t ask Song Wei, given her grandfather’s stance, he might even wish for the Crown Prince to be deposed because of this.
She couldn’t imagine the noble and elegant young Crown Prince being suddenly deposed and reduced to a commoner.
He was destined to be high and mighty, to wear the Dragon Robe and rule the world.
Thinking of this, Yang Xueru beca even more determined to save the Crown Prince. She slightly lowered her head and expressed her sincerest feelings, "The Yang Family supporting the Second Prince is sothing Mr. Song surely knows. Now that such a matter has arisen, you understand better than I what it ans. At this ti, going to my grandfather, the likelihood of him helping is extrely slim. I can only co to you. After all, the Crown Prince is my fiancé; I cannot just stand by and watch him fall into trouble."
Song Wei’s response was slightly indifferent, "There are many who do not wish for harm to befall the Crown Prince. Miss Yang should be patient; there will always be a way to resolve things."
The words seed sowhat perfunctory.
Knowing that Song Wei did not fully trust her, Yang Xueru was agitated, but she couldn’t vent her anger at him, so she restrained herself, "The one who caused to be injured by an arrow that day wasn’t His Highness, but Qi Xuan, the young lady who is soon to beco my sister-in-law."
The belated revelation caused Song Wei’s eyes to still for a mont.
No wonder Zhao Xi had unhesitatingly taken all the bla upon himself that day.
Qi Xuan belonged to the Empress’s family. If she had hard Yang Xueru, and if Chief Minister Yang blew it out of proportion, it could quickly escalate to a clash between two families, and further evolve into a life-and-death struggle between two factions.
Coming back to his senses, Song Wei looked at her, "Even if the one who hard you that day wasn’t the Crown Prince, what does that prove?"
Yang Xueru replied, "Isn’t it obvious? If a young lady’s actions can fra the Crown Prince, certainly soone is imitating the trick, plotting to trap the Crown Prince and wanting him dead."
Song Wei chuckled lightly, "Then who does Miss Yang think hates the Crown Prince so intensely as to devise such a sche?"
"This..." Yang Xueru was suddenly at a loss for words, then frowned and said, "It is definitely not my grandfather!"
Regicide, once confird, is a cri punishable by extermination of one’s entire family. She did not deny that her grandfather who held sway over the Cabinet had so ambition, but such level of ambition was impossible!
Song Wei courteously invited her to leave, "Please return, Miss Yang. There are already people addressing the Crown Prince’s situation. You were injured so days ago and should primarily focus on recuperating now, not over-exert yourself."
Yang Xueru was anxious, "Mr. Song, do you not trust , or do you not trust my grandfather?"
Song Wei smiled warmly, "I only trust the facts."
"You..." Yang Xueru was furious yet at a loss about how to continue conversing with Song Wei, who was utterly impenetrable, and finally left in a huff.
Once the couple sat down again, Wen Wan’s expression was grave, "Earlier, Miss Yang said the one who injured her that day was Miss Qi, but the Crown Prince took all the bla himself. Could it be that soone else learned of this and replicated the act against Emperor Guangxi, also hoping to fra the Crown Prince?"
Such conjecture couldn’t form a conclusion for Song Wei, so he only shook his head, "Yuanbao has already taken people to investigate it, and I believe we should have results soon."
——
Due to Emperor Guangxi’s severe injuries, making it impossible for him to return to the capital, everyone had to set up camp in the hunting grounds until he awoke.
The ominous clouds never dispersed, and that night saw a sudden storm as cool rain rinsed several dozen large and small tents and horse shelters.
The next day, the weather didn’t clear up. It remained oppressively gloomy, and the ministers assembled early outside Emperor Guangxi’s main tent, just as the previous day, stopped by the Imperial Guard from moving forward.
Everyone could only crane their necks looking forward, yearning for the Emperor to wake up soon to take charge, or perhaps secretly hoping he’d breathe his last for significant reforms to take over the court, was sothing unknown.
Mr. Cui had just fed Emperor Guangxi so dicine. Hearing that the ministers were waiting outside, he sighed with no choice but to co out and repeat yesterday’s words, saying that His Majesty is still unconscious and advised the gentlen to return first. Any matters would have to wait until His Majesty awakens.
The crowd realized their efforts were in vain and quietly departed while murmuring among themselves.
Mr. Cui stood outside in deep thought for a while, sighed, then turned back inside to continue his service.
——
Eunuch Sanbao originally wanted to wait for the Emperor to wake up and personally clear the Crown Prince’s na. However, after an entire night without a stir from Emperor Guangxi, he worried that the young master would suffer in the Imperial Clan Court. Quickly packing up, he urged his horse back to the capital.
Fearing his master would not adapt well, Eunuch Sanbao did not imdiately head to the Imperial Clan Court. He first returned to the Eastern Palace and carefully packed two large bundles, containing all of Zhao Xi’s personal clothes and favorite books.
With one shoulder carrying a bundle, he locked the hall’s gate, intending to head to the Imperial Clan Court, when he noticed Mr. Mu rushing towards him.
Eunuch Sanbao, still shaken by yesterday’s events, felt a flutter in his heart whenever he saw anyone’s troubled expression.
"What’s this about? Coming here with such a grim face!" he vented his dissatisfaction towards Mr. Mu.
With an inscrutable expression, Mr. Mu hesitated for a long ti before speaking, "There’s sothing I haven’t dared to report to the hunting grounds. The day after you left, the Empress accidentally fell into the water. In the severely cold days of winter, the pool water was icy. Since rescuing her, her pulse has shown no improvent. The Imperial Physician diagnosed that she doesn’t have many days left."
Eunuch Sanbao was so startled that he didn’t even notice the bundles falling from his shoulders, staring blankly at Mr. Mu. "Wh-What did you say?"
Mr. Mu’s eyes reddened, and he kept slapping his mouth, "It’s all my fault for not fulfilling His Highness’s instructions before leaving, to take care of the Empress. I deserve a thousand deaths..."
Eunuch Sanbao collapsed to the ground, his mind blank, eyes vacant.
Why did everything have to pile up at once? The Emperor was assassinated, the Crown Prince detained, and the Empress critically ill...
He didn’t know what to say once he saw the Crown Prince at the Imperial Clan Court.
Already trapped, if His Highness were to learn about the Empress’s critical condition, he would be devastated!
...
Setting down the bundles, Eunuch Sanbao followed Mr. Mu to Kunning Palace. As Mr. Mu had described, Empress Qi had fallen into an extre state of illness in just a few days: her jaw sharp, cheekbones protruding, her cheeks devoid of flesh, looking haggard like an old woman, with no trace of her usual regal and dignified image as the Empress.
She coughed intensely, with wheezing sounds echoing in her chest as if from a bellows. Her phlegm was abundant, each cough necessitating soone to catch it with a handkerchief and then clean the waste and rinse her mouth.
Jingzhe, Nian Chun, and Xiu Dong took turns attending her day and night for the past few days. Everyone’s faces showed fatigue, yet they dared not let their spirits falter.
Jingzhe was the first to learn that the Crown Prince had been imprisoned at the Imperial Clan Court. She only dared to shed tears secretly in her heart, refraining from saying a word to the other servants at Kunning Palace, let alone revealing anything to Empress Qi.
Seeing Eunuch Sanbao, Jingzhe almost lost her composure and ran out crying, leaving the task of handling the phlegm behind.
Eunuch Sanbao gave so instructions to Nian Chun and Xiu Dong and then stepped outside.
Jingzhe was sobbing uncontrollably against a plum tree.
"If you have anything to say, feel free to tell ," he offered.
Having served the Crown Prince for many years, Eunuch Sanbao was perceptive and imdiately saw through Jingzhe’s hidden worries.
Jingzhe looked up at him with teary eyes, "Have you seen His Highness yet?"
Eunuch Sanbao choked up, turning his head away, "Not yet."
"Why, why has so much happened?" Jingzhe’s sharp nails dug into the tree’s old bark, only resenting her inability to care for the Empress better, nor save His Highness.
"I don’t know." Eunuch Sanbao was equally filled with guilt, but soone needed to shoulder the burden at such a ti. He couldn’t cry in front of Jingzhe, making her feel as if there was no support left. He quickly composed himself and said, "I’ll be heading to the Imperial Clan Court shortly. Is there any ssage you want to convey?"
Jingzhe wiped her tears, "Tell His Highness... no, tell him on behalf of the Empress to stay calm, there will be a way out. Also, do not ntion the Empress’s situation to him; don’t let him worry about Kunning Palace."
"I understand," Eunuch Sanbao nodded, silently sighing in his heart, "Don’t cry anymore. Tears won’t solve anything now. We must gather our strength and think of a way to save His Highness."
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