"Why does my chest hurt?" Yi Zuo quickly pulled open her clothes, but found no wound.
Yi You came in from outside, "How is the Empress?"
Yi Zuo shook her head, "She's fine, not injured, but she says her chest hurts."
Yi You breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good she's not injured. Perhaps she's hungry. Quickly bring some dumplings for the Empress."
Yi Zuo picked up the bowl again to feed her.
Yi You's gaze fell on the bowl of ginger soup, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
What was the Emperor's purpose in visiting today?
Emperor Ye Yao himself didn't know. He defined his actions today as being bewitched.
He returned to his study and locked himself inside.
The faint candlelight flickered.
Emperor Ye Yao held his head in his hands, his brows almost furrowed into a single line.
He shouldn't have gone today. Even if she had her reasons back then, she had betrayed him.
But why her? Why Ying Zhao? Why the two of them!
"Xue'er, what did I ever do to you back then? Why... why did you do this to me?"
She had betrayed him, and now she had forgotten him. In the end, only he was left to remember this pain, this suffering.
"Your Majesty? Your Majesty, are you alright?" Eunuch Chang outside the study asked with great concern.
Emperor Ye Yao looked up, intending to call him in. But as he stood up, his vision suddenly went black, and he fell to the ground.
The sound of a heavy object falling echoed from within the room.
Eunuch Chang pushed the door open and rushed in, only to see Emperor Ye Yao lying on the ground, with blood on the floor.
"Your Majesty! Send for the imperial physician! Quickly send for the imperial physician!"
The quiet imperial palace soon descended into chaos.
Luo Yun'e rushed over from Fengqi Palace upon hearing the news. As soon as she entered, she anxiously and angrily questioned,
"How do you people serve His Majesty? How could he have fallen? What did the imperial physicians say?"
The other eunuchs and maids in the hall held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
They didn't know what had happened. His Majesty was fine when he went out earlier, so why was he like this upon his return?
Eunuch Chang stepped forward, his expression calm, "Empress, please do not worry. The imperial physicians have examined him. They say it was mental disorientation caused by excessive worry, which led to him accidentally falling. It's a superficial wound and not very serious."
Luo Yun'e walked towards the inner chamber, her brows furrowed, "Excessive worry?"
Eunuch Chang replied, "His Majesty has been busy with state affairs these past few days, and with the matter of the Southern Border Princess, he has been overexerted. Otherwise, on this Winter Solstice, why would he be confined to his study dealing with memorials instead of accompanying you, Your Highness?"
"That's true," Luo Yun'e said, relieved.
In previous years, His Majesty had always accompanied her in Fengqi Palace on the Winter Solstice. Only in the early years, after that vixen Liu Lanxue entered the palace, did His Majesty dote on her every day.
But that vixen was now in the cold palace. It was likely that even if His Majesty remembered some affection from those years and could tolerate Prince Yu, he wouldn't lower himself to see Liu Lanxue.
"I will stay with His Majesty. Everyone else may withdraw," Luo Yun'e waved her hand, adding, "Spread the word about His Majesty's injury. Tomorrow morning, have the princes come to pay their respects."
Eunuch Chang bowed and retreated, followed by the others.
Luo Yun'e entered the inner chamber.
Emperor Ye Yao lay on the bed, asleep, with a bandage around his head.
He wore a sleeping robe embroidered with golden dragons, his hands clasped over his chest, his thick eyebrows knitted together.
At his age of over thirty, he possessed a heroic and spirited aura, but now, with his eyes closed, his face was gaunt.
"Your Majesty~" A flicker of affection crossed Luo Yun'e's eyes as she instinctively reached out to touch his face.
This man, she had loved him deeply even before entering the palace.
At that time, her aunt was the Empress, and her father had been assisting the late Emperor. She herself had the good fortune to be sent to the palace to accompany her aunt. He was not yet twenty, but already he was imposing with his silver armor and long spear.
It was then that she decided she must marry him and become his only Empress.
Her wish had finally come true; she had given birth to his legitimate eldest son. However, it was almost ruined because of that vixen Liu Lanxue.
But thankfully, thankfully Liu Lanxue was now insane. She could no longer compete with her for His Majesty's favor.
Luo Yun'e closed her eyes and happily nestled in Emperor Ye Yao's arms, "I won't let any woman take you away. You are mine alone."
The night was long.
Prince Ye Jingyu was kept up late by the children at the General's mansion that night. It wasn't until the next morning that he learned of Emperor Ye Yao's injury.
He entered the palace to pay his respects, and Su Yunmo accompanied him.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the other princes were also present.
Eunuch Jiao stood guard outside the hall, "Your Highnesses, the Empress is still inside accompanying His Majesty. His Majesty has woken up and is taking medicine. Please wait here for a moment."
Su Yunmo, nestled in Ye Jingyu's arms, whispered, "Did your father have any acute illnesses before?"
It took Ye Jingyu a while to realize who "your father" referred to.
He shook his head, "Didn't Eunuch Jiao just say that he fainted from overexertion while reviewing memorials and accidentally fell?"
"That's just to fool you people who don't understand medicine," Su Yunmo crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.
This Emperor was famously diligent and loved his people, always handling matters personally. He usually reviewed memorials like this. Although there were many trivial matters at the end of the year, there were no major issues.
How could he possibly be so exhausted from reviewing memorials that he would faint?
Besides, yesterday was the Winter Solstice. By that time, he should have been in Fengqi Palace with the Empress. Why would he faint alone in his study? It all seemed strange.
A hint of a peculiar expression crossed Ye Jingyu's eyes.
Su Yunmo noticed his expression and raised an eyebrow, "Did you think of something?"
Ye Jingyu pursed his lips and shook his head.
Never mind. It was probably his own overthinking. Regardless of the reason for his fainting, the reason could not possibly be his mother.
"Everyone knows that Third Brother dotes on the little lady of the General's mansion, but is it appropriate to bring her here while paying respects to Father Emperor?" Ye Jingcheng walked over from the opposite side.
He lowered his brows and swept his gaze over the jade pendant inlaid with gold and jade hanging around the little dumpling's neck, his brow furrowing deeply.
He remembered that this jade pendant was given to him by his father on his sixth birthday. He had always cherished it dearly.
Later, because of the matter with Concubine Liang, his father had been angry with him, so he had put the jade pendant away and never shown it to anyone. Now, why had it suddenly been taken out, and even given to this girl?
Ye Jingyu noticed his gaze and pulled the little dumpling closer into his embrace, "Each man sweeps the snow before his own door. Whether I bring someone with me or not seems to have nothing to do with you, Imperial Brother, right?"
Ye Jingcheng sneered, "Of course it has nothing to do with me, but I am doing this for your own good. Father Emperor is injured and is bound to be in a bad mood. If you bring a minister's daughter without prior announcement, I fear Father Emperor will be enraged."
"If it further agitates his health, Third Brother will not be able to bear the consequences."
His third brother had also become smarter, knowing how to use others to vie for Father Emperor's favor.
Su Yunmo looked at Ye Jingcheng for a moment, then smiled sweetly and said, "So, Imperial Uncle gets angry when he sees outsiders? But Consort Lian is now a member of the imperial family. Why don't you bring her?"