Chapter 214: Chapter 214 Imperial Consort Attends to Illness
When the old father of the Qin Family was buried, he took a glance.
When he was alive, he hardly received any care, thin as a lifeless skeleton.
It was imaginable how ruthless this Miss Cai was.
After arranging this matter, Old Master Dong meticulously pondered over it again.
Mr. Qin defecting to them was indeed a rare fortune.
After all, compared to Nanny Fan, the position of this Vice Director of the Inner Court Department was much higher.
It would now be easier to maintain more contact with Qianqian.
Therefore, for the sake of this path, he had to arrange things carefully.
Not a single carelessness was acceptable.
On one hand, the Dong Family was finding faults with Miss Cai, while on the other, the journey to Taishan met some obstacles.
Nearing October, the weather suddenly turned cold.
Despite many Imperial Physicians accompanying, the Emperor caught a cold and started to have a fever.
Seeing that Taishan was just over a hundred miles away, no one dared to move a step.
Everyone camped on the spot, revolving around the Emperor.
The Fourth Prince found this fever incident rather peculiar.
Neither too early nor too late, it started only when about to witness a spectacle.
Though he didn’t quite believe in ghosts and deities, he couldn’t help but frown at this moment.
Looking at the Emperor’s flushed complexion, he began to doubt whether the so-called spectacle truly benefited the Da Wei Dynasty or not.
These thoughts, however, he kept hidden in his heart without voicing them.
Lin Guifei had stayed by the Emperor’s side day and night for the past two days, not minding the fatigue.
If she were sincere, that would be one thing.
However, her actions harbored other thoughts.
The most evident was her hope to gain forgiveness by caring for the Emperor, restoring her former favor.
Therefore, whether it was sincere or a show, it was clear to observers.
It’s just that no one voiced it.
That day, the Emperor finally broke his fever.
The first person he saw upon opening his eyes was Dong Yuzhong.
He too had been attending without rest these days, daring not to show any carelessness.
So compared to Lin Guifei, he appeared even more haggard.
The Emperor coughed twice, and the dozing Dong Yuzhong immediately woke up.
"Your Majesty, you are finally awake. Would you like a sip of warm water?"
"Hmm."
Seeing the Emperor react, Dong Yuzhong quickly went to pour some water.
When the warm water entered his throat, the discomfort gradually subsided.
The fever had subsided, but he felt quite uncomfortable with his sweaty body.
"How many days have I been feverish?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been two days. The Fourth Prince and Prince Zhan are waiting outside. Would you like them to come in?"
"Hmm, summon them."
Though he had just awoken, the Emperor did not permit anyone to see his weakened state.
After sitting up, taking a few deep breaths, he saw the two stepping through the door.
Despite two nights of vigil, the Fourth Prince still looked very spirited; his complexion slightly gray, but it was nothing serious.
Yet the bloodshot eyes and worry visible to the Emperor’s eyes brought a warm feeling inside him.
Looking at Prince Zhan beside him, he appeared staggered, with a sallow complexion.
To those unaware, it would seem as though he’d suffered a major illness.
Such a state, the Emperor found deliberately performative.
Though his expression didn’t reveal it, inwardly he was thoroughly disdainful.
Prince Zhan too found himself in a difficult position.
Initially, he had thought a bit of showing off to the Emperor would suffice, and then he could return to eating and resting.
But who knew the Fourth Prince was so relentless.
Since arriving, he had not left again, being used to physical training, a few nights without sleep didn’t matter.
Poor him, all this trouble nearly cost him half his life.
Nevertheless, it was good to let the Emperor see his "loyalty."
So he turned and said.
"Your Majesty, you are finally awake, your illness worried both this minister and the Imperial Concubine daughter. If not for the Imperial Concubine’s own weak health, making her faint from exhaustion, I’m sure she’d be here when you woke."
The Emperor hadn’t even spoken yet, but Prince Zhan had already claimed credit for himself and Lin Guifei.
In usual times, he would never make such a mistake.
Unfortunately, age was catching up, and after staying up so long, his mind had grown muddled.
At the moment, he hadn’t noticed the Emperor’s displeased expression and continued saying.
"The Imperial Concubine is sincere; she would not even rest for a moment, unwilling to let others care for Your Majesty. Her sincere heart is as open as the heavens and the earth. Please, Your Majesty, in view of the concubine’s sincerity, forgive her a bit."
Upon these words, even the Fourth Prince couldn’t help but snort.
"Prince Zhan, haven’t you spoken a bit too much? The Emperor hasn’t even spoken yet, and you have said this much. Is it that growing old makes someone nagging? I recall you are two years younger than me, what is this? Pre-aging?"
The Fourth Prince’s nature was much bolder.
Having been accustomed to life in the military camps, he didn’t care for idle talk.
He immediately rebuked, leaving Prince Zhan’s face flushed and eyes bulging.
"You, you..."
"Speak with respect; in terms of status and age, can you compare with me?"
The Fourth Prince didn’t give him a chance to be eloquent, rebuking continuously, also casting a disdainful glance.
Prince Zhan was almost breathless with anger.
In the Emperor’s heart, a fit of frustration was also somewhat alleviated, and he spoke calmly.
"Enough; both the Fourth Prince Uncle and Prince Zhan are thinking for me, so there’s no need to argue over words. In the afternoon, let’s break camp and set out; the sooner we reach Taishan, the sooner I will be at ease."
"Yes!"
The Fourth Prince replied with a voice loud as a bell, hurting Prince Zhan’s ears beside him.
Seeing his "frail" appearance, the Fourth Prince was once more disdainful and left.
Prince Zhan’s chest heaved in frustration yet he couldn’t say more.
Learning of the Emperor’s awakening, Lin Guifei was deeply vexed.
She had been attending to the sickness for so long, and if it wasn’t for the smell on her clothes, she wouldn’t have wanted to leave.
Who knew something so untimely, the hard-won opportunity was thus lost.
The first person seen upon the Emperor’s awakening can’t be compared to one hastily rushing in afterward.
"In this journey out of the palace, it seems only I have accompanied, yet such long time has passed, and the Emperor has scarcely glanced at me properly, let alone touched. How can I regain imperial favor if it continues so?"
If she couldn’t regain imperial favor, wouldn’t that mean the issue of Ming Ruo being sent away was becoming more definite?
Thinking of this, Lin Guifei felt quite unhappy within.
The palace maid Qin Liu, who served her, comforted her, saying.
"Your Highness, rest assured, Mr. Dong has seen your service these past two days. Also, isn’t Prince Zhan there? He will certainly remind the Emperor as well."
"That’s what you say, but being prompted by someone and being seen directly always have some differences."