Chapter 742 Not sure if I should say this or not

The Queen explained Cheng Wanwan's situation in detail, and only then did the King of Qin breathe a sigh of relief.

"Please take good care of her, Your Majesty." The Emperor stood up. "I have some matters to attend to. I will go to the Imperial Study first. If Consort Ruo Sui wakes up, inform me immediately."

The Empress said with concern, "Xiao Guozi said that His Majesty has not slept well for three nights. Let him rest first before dealing with state affairs."

"It's alright." The emperor pinched the bridge of his nose. "The palace coup has made the court extremely unstable and the people are in a state of panic. At a time like this, how can I slack off and rest? You've done me a great favor by taking good care of Consort Sui and stabilizing the emotions of everyone in the harem."

After he finished speaking, he stepped out of Kunning Palace.

As soon as the emperor left, the Prince of Qin immediately said, "Sister-in-law, may I go in and see Consort Sui?"

The Empress frowned: "Sixth brother is a man, and Consort Sui is a woman, I'm afraid it won't work..."

"Consort Sui risked her life to save the Empress Dowager, my brother, my sister-in-law, the Crown Prince, and countless people across the land. In my heart, Consort Sui is no ordinary woman," the King of Qin declared eloquently. "What nonsense about the separation of men and women? That's an insult to Consort Sui!"

He stepped forward and walked towards the inner room.

The Empress and the Crown Princess hurriedly followed.

There were many palace maids and nannies serving her in the inner room, and since Lady Sui was lying on the bed covered with a quilt, she didn't seem too impolite.

The King of Qin did not approach so abruptly, but sat down some distance from the bed, silently looking in Cheng Wanwan's direction without saying a word.

The Empress frowned slightly; she simply couldn't understand what the King of Qin was trying to do.

At this moment, the old nanny who was guarding outside came in to report: "Your Highness, Princess Rongqing has arrived."

The Empress gave the Crown Princess a look, signaling her to keep her company, before stepping out to the outer room.

Rong Qing walked over carrying a gift box, looking haggard. He said, "It's been three days, and Sui Shuren still hasn't woken up. I'm worried about her every day, so I asked someone to find a hundred-year-old ginseng for her to use in medicine."

The Empress glanced at it and realized that it was probably two hundred years old, much worse than the eight hundred-year-old ginseng that Lady Sui had given her.

Sui Shuren had the eight-hundred-year-old ginseng root in her mouth, but she still didn't wake up, making the two-hundred-year-old ginseng even more useless.

However, since it was Rongqing's kind gesture, the Empress accepted it on Cheng Wanwan's behalf.

Rongqing sat down on the couch and hesitated, saying, "Sister-in-law, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

The empress's expression turned somewhat cold.

During the palace coup on New Year's Eve, she saw many people for who they truly were, one of whom was Rongqing.

However, it is human nature to be afraid of death, and she could understand Rongqing's fear of death. But understanding is one thing, and being able to accept this person is another.

She said calmly, "If you know you shouldn't say it, then don't say it."

Rong Qing's expression stiffened, and he paused before saying, "I just feel that my sister-in-law is being far too kind to Consort Sui... Although Consort Sui was injured because of the royal family, she shouldn't be allowed to recuperate in Kunning Palace, especially not to sleep on the phoenix bed. Staying in Kunning Palace is one thing, but sleeping on the phoenix bed is a privilege reserved for the mother of the nation. How can a mere third-rank Consort Sui enjoy such honors..."

The Empress's expression immediately turned cold: "If it weren't for Consort Sui standing up in the face of danger, I would be a pile of dust by now... The grace of being saved should be repaid with the greatest gratitude. When Consort Sui wakes up, the Emperor and I will give her even greater honor. What, does Rongqing have any objections?"

"I...I didn't mean that..." Rongqing's voice was hoarse. "I just felt that Consort Sui was not a member of the harem after all, so it was unreasonable for her to live in Kunning Palace..."

"So it's reasonable for a princess like you to live in the palace?" The King of Qin suddenly rushed out of the inner room, a sneer on his lips. "Don't forget, you're just a woman from another family with no blood relation to the royal family. Just because you were given the title of princess, do you really think you're something special?"

Rong Qing's face turned deathly pale.

Sixth Brother was actually in Kunning Palace, in the inner chamber, right next to Consort Sui's bed...

Is Sixth Brother really so undisguised in the palace...?

"You are only qualified to stay in the palace because of the Empress Dowager. Spend time with her whenever you can!" Seeing her pale face, the King of Qin's tone softened a bit. "The Empress Dowager was also frightened by this palace coup, especially when she thought about Duanmin's death back then. She is having a hard time getting over it. Take her to the Imperial Garden more often to distract her."

Rongqing dared not linger any longer, fearing that the King of Qin would say even harsher things.

Rongqing got up and left immediately.

The Queen's gaze fell on the Prince of Qin, with a hint of scrutiny: "Sixth Brother seems to have a special relationship with Consort Sui."

Because the Empress Dowager favored Rongqing, they would give Rongqing some face to some extent. But just now, what the Sixth Prince said hit Rongqing hard. In order to protect Sui Shuren, he disrespected Rongqing like this. In the Sixth Prince's mind, Sui Shuren is very important.

"In the eyes of my royal brother and sister-in-law, isn't Consort Sui quite extraordinary?" The Prince of Qin coughed and said, "If Consort Sui still doesn't wake up today, I will invite some folk healers to the palace to examine her pulse tomorrow. I'll be leaving now."

Afraid of being discovered, he turned and left.

His fear stemmed not from the fact that his feelings were something he couldn't reveal, but from the fact that Su Shu-ren had rejected him.

He was rejected, yet he still insisted on visiting the sick. If people found out, they would surely say he was being shameless.

Why would the King of Qin commit such a despicable act?

By afternoon, Cheng Wanwan still hadn't woken up.

Zhao Sanniu, Zhao Sidan, Cheng Zhao, and Situ Man entered the palace to visit the sick, and stayed until dark before leaving.

That evening, the Empress Dowager also came over and sat by Cheng Wanwan's bedside, sighing incessantly.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, Consort Sui is a lucky person and will wake up," the Empress comforted her. "But you, Your Majesty, have not slept well for several days and nights. You cannot stay up any longer. Rongqing, help the Empress Dowager back to rest quickly."

Rongqing helped the Empress Dowager up: "If Consort Sui were to wake up and see the Empress Dowager looking so haggard, she would surely feel guilty..."

The Empress Dowager had no choice but to get up and return to Renshou Palace.

On the way, Rongqing said softly, "When I came here during the day, I saw Sixth Brother personally taking care of Sui Shuren in the inner room. Isn't that a bit unreasonable?"

The Empress Dowager was startled: "You mean the sixth prince is taking care of Consort Sui?"

“I saw it with my own eyes, there’s no doubt about it,” Rongqing said. “At the hunting party before, I saw Sui Shuren speak to Sixth Brother several times. I didn’t think much of it then, but seeing Sixth Brother taking care of Sui Shuren today, I can’t help but think more about it. Empress Dowager, what do you say…”

She paused deliberately, letting the Empress Dowager think about it herself.

She originally didn't intend to expose this matter, but Sixth Brother acted recklessly, and sooner or later this matter would reach the Empress Dowager's ears.

It would be better for her to speak first and give the Empress Dowager a preconceived notion that Lady Sui deliberately seduced Sixth Brother…

"The sixth prince can actually take care of people?" The Empress Dowager exclaimed in disbelief. "This boy has needed to be taken care of since he was a child. Now he's grown up to be a troublemaker. Others always have to indulge him and take care of him. When has he ever taken care of anyone else? It's really strange..."