Eunuch Wan presented his token and smoothly entered General Ran's residence. General Ran had not yet returned from the military camp, so Eunuch Wan was not in a hurry and waited in the mansion. The Emperor's poisoning was truly sudden. At first, he thought His Majesty was just too tired and had carefully checked the food and drink. He never expected the mastermind to devise such a subtle method of poisoning!
As night fell and the lanterns were lit, Ran Sheng Cai returned home, weary from his military duties. Upon arriving, he was informed by the household staff that an envoy from the palace had arrived. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes.
"Who has come?"
"Eunuch Wan, by His Majesty's side."
Upon hearing it was Eunuch Wan, Ran Sheng immediately felt relieved. He hurried to the reception hall. "Eunuch Wan, is His Majesty feeling any better? His Majesty has been unwell for many days and has not attended morning court. Rumors are flying everywhere. How is His Majesty now?"
"Greetings, General."
"You flatter me, Eunuch." Ran Sheng steadied Eunuch Wan, preventing him from bowing. "You have served His Majesty for many years. By seniority, it is I who should pay my respects to you."
"General, His Majesty has a decree, commanding you to enter the palace for an audience."
"Is His Majesty alright?" Su Dan Novel Network
"His Majesty is not well." Eunuch Wan's brows furrowed into a deep line. "Lately, His Majesty has been drifting in and out of consciousness, in very poor condition. A few days ago, he could still wake up a few times, but now his condition is worsening. These past two days, the periods of deep sleep have grown longer. The imperial physicians cannot find the cause, and I am greatly worried but helpless. As soon as His Majesty wakes, he orders me to summon you to the palace, perhaps to entrust you with something."
Hearing that the Emperor had summoned him, Ran Sheng was not flustered. Instead, he calmly asked, "Eunuch, does the Prince of Chu know of His Majesty's condition?"
Eunuch Wan nodded. "The Prince of Chu knows, but this matter is of great importance, and we dare not let anyone else know. The Prince of Chu said that Lan Yue and Yun Qi have formed an alliance, and Bei Rong is known for its treachery. The Prince of Qin and the Prince of Qi are both away. If His Majesty's poor health were to be exposed, the Prince of Chu fears that chaos would erupt in the court, and someone might take advantage of the situation. However, I ultimately do not fully trust him."
Ran Sheng stared at Eunuch Wan. An ordinary person would buckle under Ran Sheng's sharp gaze, but Eunuch Wan was an old hand who had served behind the Emperor for decades. What kind of situation had he not seen? Even under the Emperor's scrutiny, he remained unflustered, let alone under Ran Sheng's.
"Is it also His Majesty's wish for the Prince of Chu to act as regent?"
"Yes." Eunuch Wan nodded with deep concern. "The imperial physicians cannot determine what is wrong with His Majesty. We have already sent people to search for the whereabouts of a divine physician. I don't understand why His Majesty, upon waking, insists on summoning the General to the palace. General, please prepare yourself quickly. Based on His Majesty's usual periods of wakefulness, he can remain conscious for at most two hours this time."
Ran Sheng frowned. "In that case, let us proceed to the palace."
"General, are you going out again?" a woman inquired softly. This woman was the steward of the mansion. While other households had male stewards, Ran Sheng's steward was a woman who appeared to be in her early twenties but was remarkably capable.
"There are matters that need attending to. I must leave shortly."
"Will you be dining at home?"
Ran Sheng looked at Eunuch Wan. "Eunuch, please wait a moment. I will give a few instructions and then leave."
"General, please be quick."
Ran Sheng nodded and walked to the woman's side. He whispered a few instructions to her and handed her the helmet he was holding. He then followed Eunuch Wan out of the mansion and towards the palace.
On the way to the palace, Eunuch Wan's brows remained tightly furrowed, his expression one of worry. Ran Sheng could not detect anything amiss. "Eunuch, do not worry too much. His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, blessed by the heavens. He will surely overcome this misfortune."
"Your words are a blessing, General. I hope His Majesty will overcome this misfortune soon." Eunuch Wan sighed deeply, then perked up and changed the subject. "This young lady from the General's mansion seems unfamiliar. Who is she?"
"She is a distant relative from my mother's side of the family. Her parents and family are gone, so she came to the capital to seek refuge with me. Coincidentally, the steward of the mansion had to leave due to a family matter, so I appointed her as the steward of the mansion."
"She appears quite intelligent. What is her name?"
"An Qing."
"A good name." Eunuch Wan praised. "She must have exceptional abilities, otherwise, the General would not have appointed her as steward."
"An Qing is excellent at managing the household. I am usually at the military camp most of the time and rarely in the mansion. She manages the household affairs meticulously on her own."
Eunuch Wan smiled upon hearing this. "Indeed, she is a capable young lady. Having a mistress in the household makes it feel more like a home."
Ran Sheng was taken aback and then blushed like a shy young boy. "Eunuch, please do not jest. An Qing is a lady from a respectable family. It is just that her family has fallen on hard times, and with no one to rely on, she came to me, her distant relative. It is not as you imagine."
"My eyes are sharp." Eunuch Wan said with a smile. "The way Miss An Qing looks at the General is not the way one looks at a master. Moreover, you, General, are blushing."
Upon hearing this, Ran Sheng scratched his head sheepishly. "Eunuch, please stop teasing me. An Qing and I have nothing."
Eunuch Wan chuckled. "Yes, whatever the General says goes. Seeing you young people, I think youth is wonderful. In the past, Princess Yongning..."
Mentioning Princess Yongning, Eunuch Wan immediately stopped speaking. Even he had not expected Xiao Man to betray Yu Sheng. Xiao Man had practically grown up in the palace, constantly mingling with the princes. She was clever and sweet-tongued, and he was quite fond of her. Who would have thought that one day she would betray Yu Sheng?
Ran Sheng also fell silent in tacit understanding. After all, Xiao Man's identity was extraordinary. She was the orphaned descendant of the Wise Empress of Lan Yue, the legitimate Crown Princess of Lan Yue. If Xiao Zhen had not been harmed, Xiao Man might have remained the General's daughter. But it was precisely Xiao Zhen's demise that was related to the Emperor and the royal family.
The atmosphere became heavy, and both men frowned, neither speaking, neither knowing what the other was thinking.
Eunuch Wan's palms began to sweat, but he tried his best to maintain his composure, constantly reassuring himself. He was doing this for the Emperor. He would not harm General Ran, he only wanted General Ran to remain quiet for a few days.
"Eunuch Wan, has the situation with His Majesty been communicated to the two princes who are away?" Ran Sheng asked abruptly after a long silence.
Eunuch Wan shook his head. "We dare not send any messages out, fearing they might be intercepted and the information leaked."
Ran Sheng nodded in understanding. At this moment, the carriage stopped at the palace gate. They alighted from the carriage and transferred to a sedan chair, prepared earlier, to head to Chengqian Palace.
Chengqian Palace appeared to be no different from usual. The guards at the entrance were the familiar ones to Ran Sheng, as if nothing had changed.