nucmednet Chapter 409 The Emperor Feigns Illness
Chapter 409 The Emperor Feigns Illness
"Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the world will likely change drastically. How can I... not do my part?"
Prince Ning looked at her for a long time before smiling and saying, "Don't worry, it won't happen. For our future, I will never allow such a thing to happen."
The second sister asked, "What are you going to do?"
“If I must choose a side, I will side with the Si family,” said Prince Ning. “You will rest tomorrow, and I will go to the palace.”
When Prince Ning entered the palace, he was naturally questioned. However, Prince Ning didn't care at all and instead reprimanded the guards at the palace gate.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is busy with state affairs. If officials in the court have to ask His Highness for permission to enter the palace, why not just have His Highness guard the palace gates?"
He also possessed the Emperor's token, and his aggressive and domineering attitude was well-known to the Imperial Guards. They knew that Prince Ning was favored and had a bad temper.
He then asked him what business he had in the palace.
Prince Ning said with a stern face, "I have important business to discuss with His Majesty in the palace. Who do you think you are, trying to pry into my affairs with the Emperor? I dare to speak, but do you dare to listen?"
Thus, the Imperial Guards had no choice but to let them pass, and then quickly sent someone to report back to the Eastern Palace.
When the Crown Prince heard that Prince Ning had entered the palace, he frowned slightly but said nothing.
Prince Ning lives alone. His residence contains his ailing mother, Princess Ning, who is his mother, but they have no motherly bond. Moreover, when Prince Ning is angry, he disregards even his adoptive parents; why would he care about his biological mother, with whom he has no affection and who clearly doesn't have long to live?
Aside from the people from the Marquis of Anle's residence, Prince Ning didn't care at all. However, the Marquis of Anle's residence was also Si Muwan's maternal family. At this time, the Crown Prince really just wanted to do things quietly. Making a scene in front of Si Muwan would be the same as making a scene in front of the Emperor.
Furthermore, Prince Ning was solely focused on cases handled by the Court of Judicial Review and never concerned himself with the power struggles among court officials. He was impartial and incorruptible in enforcing the law. His visit to the Emperor was likely because he hadn't seen him in a long time and felt the need to see him.
When Prince Ning saw the Emperor, he was stunned.
He received the news that the emperor was seriously ill, and that his condition only slightly improved after the high monk entered the palace.
The emperor now appears energetic and shows no signs of illness.
The Emperor was very pleased and summoned Prince Ning to his presence, saying, "Youchuan has not been to the palace for a long time, and I have missed you dearly. I have finally found the time to come today."
"Yes……"
When Prince Ning saw the monk with his face covered by a black veil standing by the bed, he knew that the monk was the high monk that the Crown Prince had presented to the Emperor.
He said, "Is this Master Shengtong? With Master Shengtong by his side, His Majesty seems to be in much better spirits."
The Emperor's eyes flickered slightly, and he nodded: "Indeed, thanks to the esteemed monk recommended by the Crown Prince. The holy monk has just finished reciting Buddhist scriptures for me and is preparing to return to the Upper Buddhist Hall."
Upon hearing this, Shengtong recited a Buddhist chant, bowed, and withdrew.
After he left, the Emperor waved and smiled, "Youchuan, have you been very busy lately?"
Prince Ning replied, "Some old cases have been brought up, but they are not serious. However, Your Majesty, when I entered the palace, I found that the guards inside and outside the palace had been replaced. I wonder if Your Majesty was aware of this."
"It was the Crown Prince who switched them," the Emperor said calmly. "You came to see me not only to say this, but also to tell me about the situation outside the palace."
He said he wanted to lie down on the bed, but he was still a little uncomfortable.
He laughed again: "I've been pretending to be sick for so long, and I can only walk around the room. Staying still for so long is really going to make me sick."
Prince Ning rushed forward to help him up, and only after hearing this did he breathe a sigh of relief.
"Your Majesty is in good health, so I am at ease."
The Emperor said, "In the past, Ziheng and Tiansong would occasionally come to the palace to tell me about the situation. Now they are too busy to come, and no one is telling me about the situation outside the palace."
Prince Ning looked up at him and saw that his eyes were clear. He knew that even if the Emperor did not know the whole story, he knew most of what the Crown Prince had done.
He recounted in detail how his second sister had met Feng Ziheng outside.
"Your Majesty, I have discovered that His Highness the Crown Prince is secretly training troops, and the Heir Apparent has also accused the Crown Prince of colluding with court officials and spying on them. Furthermore, the Imperial Guards inside and outside the palace have all been replaced. I am deeply worried, Your Majesty..."
The Emperor leaned against the bed, looking at him with some pleasure: "You are willing to come to the palace to see me, so I know that you are not just a person who buries himself in solving cases. There is no need to worry about the Imperial Guards inside and outside the palace, I have my own arrangements. But as for the rest, I cannot take any further action without seeing Ziheng Tiansong."
He pointed to the box on the dressing table and asked Prince Ning to open it.
"There's a letter there that needs to be delivered to General Cao. You've been father and son with him for half a year, and you see each other frequently, so going to see him won't arouse suspicion. As for Ziheng and Tiansong, they know how to adapt to changing circumstances."
Prince Ning carefully put the letter away and replied, "Your Majesty, do you have any other instructions?"
The Emperor shook his head and said, "The Crown Prince has cast such a wide net; it's time for him to reel it in."
When Prince Ning was about to leave, his younger sister called him back and instructed him, "Your Highness, please do not tell anyone about His Majesty's plans. My second sister is a reliable person, but sometimes she is inflexible. I fear that if she finds out the truth, she will expose the secret. Please keep it a secret, Your Highness."
"Your Majesty, I understand. Please do not worry."
As he spoke, his gaze inadvertently fell on his younger sister's hands, which were folded together and unconsciously brushed against her lower abdomen.
……
Not long after, the Crown Prince's three concubines entered the palace.
Because the Emperor was seriously ill, Gui Shan advised the Crown Prince that it was inappropriate to hold a grand celebration. However, the Crown Prince was not interested in the matter and let her have her way.
The three concubines entered the palace almost all with resentment.
Gui Shan was quite gentle. She pointed to the three residences in the East Palace and told the three of them, "These are all places I have chosen. All the necessary furnishings are complete. If there is anything lacking, just send someone to tell me."
The youngest, Yan Wenyuan, pouted: "Sister, you brought your own maid when you entered the palace, so why can't we bring ours?"
She was so impetuous; although she called me "sister," she showed absolutely no respect.
Gui Shan didn't care and explained, "Times have changed. The palace is heavily guarded. To ensure the safety of His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince, no one who is not a palace servant or maid is allowed to walk in the palace."
As they were talking, Song Yin came in to serve tea and smiled as she continued, "However, Her Highness the Crown Princess has already made arrangements. The palace maids who serve the concubines are all trained servants from the palace, just like the concubines were."
Yan Wenyuan's eyes darted around, and noticing that Song Yin's attire was unlike that of an ordinary palace maid, she asked, "Is this your sister's maid?"
Song Yin shook her head: "Consort Wen, this servant Song Yin is Your Highness's head maid."
Upon hearing this, the three of them changed color. They looked at Song Yin, trying to guess what her relationship with the Crown Prince was. Then they looked at Gui Shan and saw that Gui Shan's attitude was calm. They felt that this Song Yin was just an ordinary palace maid.