Several eunuchs, led by Xiao Tingzi, rushed in and responded respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty."
The imperial study was filled with warmth, a stark contrast to the previous chill.
Xiao Tingzi stole a glance at the Emperor and saw him holding the hand of Consort Xian affectionately, gazing at each other with deep emotion.
He didn't know what Consort Xian had said, but a trace of tenderness appeared in the Emperor's eyes, a truly rare sight.
Shangguan Yao, holding Ye Yuyun's hand, walked out. Xiao Tingzi followed closely behind, ordering the young eunuchs to fetch two sedan chairs immediately.
To their surprise, the Emperor brushed Consort Xian's hand, and they both boarded the same sedan chair.
Xiao Tingzi and the other eunuchs and palace maids widened their eyes, their eyeballs nearly popping out. They had served their masters for four years, and the Emperor had never treated a woman in such a manner.
It seemed the position of Empress would eventually fall to the Ye family. Xiao Tingzi mused, while the palace maids of Jiaofang Palace immediately perked up, a gleam of triumph flashing across each of their faces. The group followed the sedan chair towards Changxin Palace.
Changxin Palace.
It was desolate. Before the main hall, the palace maids and eunuchs were all in a state of panic, not knowing why the Empress Dowager had suddenly fallen unconscious. From a distance, they heard the cry of a young eunuch: "The Emperor has arrived."
As the voice fell, the ground before the palace gates was covered in kneeling figures.
The sedan chair stopped. Xiao Tingzi stepped forward and lifted the silk curtain, leading the others to bow as the Emperor disembarked. The Emperor stepped out of the sedan chair first, turned back to look into the carriage, and said in a gentle voice.
"Come, Yuyun, we're here."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Ye Yuyun's voice was still gentle, without any hint of arrogance or haughtiness. She smiled and took the Emperor's hand out of the sedan chair, and they walked towards the main hall together.
Before the sedan chair, Xiao Tingzi maintained his bowed posture, still contemplating the Emperor's affectionate address to Consort Xian just moments ago. Had the Emperor truly fallen for Consort Xian?
It seemed Consort Xian was destined to be favored above all other consorts. The Ye family could forget about the position of Empress. A young eunuch nudged Xiao Tingzi, reminding him.
"Eunuch Ting, His Majesty is about to enter."
"Oh," Xiao Tingzi snapped back to reality and quickly scurried to catch up with those in front, following closely behind.
He continued to ponder the events of moments ago. It seemed it would be Consort Xian's era from now on. The palace was truly unpredictable; who could guarantee that Consort Xian wouldn't fall from grace in the future?
The group ascended the stone steps and walked through the corridors, heading straight for the sleeping quarters.
The sound of quiet weeping, accompanied by sighs of helplessness, emanated from the sleeping quarters and could be heard outside.
Shangguan Yao's heart sank at the sound, a sense of inexplicable unease gripping him. Had his mother truly met with misfortune?
It was impossible for her to be faking it to this extent. Fine beads of cold sweat immediately broke out on his palms. The image of his mother gently caring for him in the past flashed clearly in his mind, as if it had happened just yesterday.
And yet, for the sake of imperial power, his relationship with his mother had deteriorated to such a point that even when she was unconscious, he suspected her of ulterior motives. This was truly damnable.
Ye Yuyun gently patted Shangguan Yao's hand, signaling him to calm down. Haste would be of no use; the priority now was to get the imperial physicians to wake the Empress Dowager.
Shangguan Yao regained his composure and walked heavily towards the inner chamber. Behind him, a group of young eunuchs, seeing the frosty expression on the Emperor's face, dared not speak and all waited outside the hall. Only the chief eunuch, Xiao Tingzi, followed the Emperor and Consort Xian inside.
Inside the sleeping quarters.
On the vermillion bed, a blue gauze curtain with wave patterns was propped up. The person on the bed lay peacefully asleep.
Her once radiant and stunning face was now paper-white, even her lips had lost their color. She appeared to have aged considerably all at once.
Shangguan Yao slowly approached a few steps. His mother's peerless beauty still felt like yesterday's memory.
Yet, upon closer inspection, she had aged. Last night's events seemed to have been a blow to her, was that why she couldn't withstand such a shock?
"Mother?"
Shangguan Yao sat by the edge of the bed and extended his long, slender hand to grasp her listless, soft, and lifeless hand.
These were the hands that had stroked his head countless times, gazing at him with love. Now, she lay here so quietly. No, he could not let his mother die like this. A cold glint suddenly flashed in Shangguan Yao's eyes as he roared to the side, "Where are the imperial physicians?"
In the sleeping quarters, the chief imperial physicians, led by Zhang Zhaode, were startled and immediately knelt down, "Your Majesty."
The person who had been standing by the bedside, weeping softly, was none other than Consort Shuyuan, Ye Suxue. Seeing the Emperor and Consort Xian enter together, looking so affectionate, filled her with resentment, making her forget to pay her respects.
At the Emperor's angry shout, she too awoke and slowly performed a courtesy.
"Your Majesty, Mother...?"
Ye Suxue's voice choked with sobs. Shangguan Yao's expression turned stern, and he rebuked, "Mother will be fine."
He then turned to Zhang Zhaode, "Why has the Empress Dowager not yet woken? Is this all you are capable of?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, your subjects are doing their utmost to diagnose and treat her. However, Her Ladyship's breath is weak, and her meridians are very disordered. We have administered medicine according to the prescription, but Her Ladyship simply refuses to wake. I..."
Zhang Zhaode trailed off. He was the chief imperial physician, as well as the Empress Dowager's attending physician, and naturally devoted his full effort. Even his medical skills were something he prided himself on.
But no matter what medicine he prescribed, Her Ladyship refused to wake. For now, they could only maintain her life with medication, giving them time to devise a new prescription.
"You?" Shangguan Yao angrily pointed at Zhang Zhaode and yelled, "Useless trash! Guards, drag this useless trash out and give him twenty strokes!"
As soon as the words fell, Zhang Zhaode's face turned pale, and he collapsed onto the ground. The other imperial physicians in the sleeping quarters were all terrified, their faces ashen and their bodies trembling. None dared to utter another word.
They watched helplessly as several eunuchs rushed in from outside and dragged the enfeebled and powerless Lord Zhang Zhaode away.
After issuing the order, Shangguan Yao turned back to look at the Empress Dowager, not even glancing at the kneeling imperial physicians beside him. He spoke word by word.
"Think of a solution immediately. If the Empress Dowager does not wake, I will not forgive you lightly. If anything happens to the Empress Dowager, I will certainly make everyone in the Imperial Hospital pay with their lives."
His voice was chillingly sharp, like the arrival of death. Everyone in the sleeping quarters felt a tightness in their chests, unable to breathe. The imperial physicians, even more terrified, kowtowed repeatedly, "Your Majesty, spare our lives! Your Majesty, spare our lives!"
"Hurry and examine Her Ladyship."
Shangguan Yao finished speaking, stood up, and made way, sitting down on a nearby chair, his gaze fixed on his mother on the bed.
The imperial physicians kneeling on the ground dared not say another word. The few of them helped each other up slowly, their legs feeling like jelly, their entire bodies weak and dripping with cold sweat. Their minds were a complete blank, and they had no idea how to proceed with the diagnosis.
But with the Emperor still sitting there, they had no choice but to muster their strength and go forward, taking turns to feel the pulse, confer on prescriptions, and do their utmost.