Chapter 44 Awakening

"Fourth Prince, why don't you go and rest..."

"It's alright, I won't feel at ease if I don't keep an eye on Father..."

"The imperial physician has revised the prescription; quickly have Father Emperor take it..."

"Father is the Emperor, he will surely be alright..."

As he gradually regained some consciousness from the thick darkness, Yongzheng was in a daze, feeling his whole body straining, yet unable to escape the darkness.

Hongli's gentle voice was like a series of warm rays of sunshine, illuminating his world little by little and giving him courage and strength amidst his fear and confusion.

Finally, breaking through the darkness, I opened my eyes.

"Hongli..."

Yongzheng struggled to utter a weak call, which instantly caught the attention of Su Peisheng, who was guarding him.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you've finally woken up! Imperial Physician! Summon the Imperial Physician!"

Su Peisheng rushed to the bedside, his face filled with immense surprise and excitement.

As his strength slowly returned, Yongzheng moved his fingers and weakly asked, "Where is Hongli?"

A fleeting unease crossed Su Peisheng's face; he didn't know how to respond. Just then, the imperial physician waiting in the outer hall rushed over, and Su Peisheng quickly gave way, saying, "Quickly, examine the Emperor."

A group of imperial physicians surrounded him, excitedly observing Yongzheng's condition.

As the head of the Imperial Physician's office, Zhang Mi was naturally responsible for taking Yongzheng's pulse. However, the initial joy on his face upon seeing the emperor awaken completely froze the moment he touched his pulse.

Even without the imperial physicians' words, Yongzheng could guess from the way his body warmed up that he had successfully survived this epidemic.

However, upon seeing Zhang Mi's expression, Yongzheng suddenly felt uneasy.

"how?"

Yongzheng's voice wasn't loud, but it resounded like thunder in Zhang Mi's ears. He immediately knelt down in front of the bed, and the atmosphere instantly froze.

"Akiya."

Upon hearing the Emperor's call, Zhang Mi trembled violently and stammered, "Your Majesty, I...I am guilty..."

As the chief steward of the emperor's inner circle, Su Peisheng dismissed everyone else in the hall, including the other imperial physicians, leaving only himself to guard Yongzheng's bedside, while Zhang Mi knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head.

"Speak." With Su Peisheng's help, Yongzheng sat up with difficulty and looked coldly at Zhang Mi.

Zhang Mi gritted his teeth and replied fearfully, "Your Majesty, the plague is truly a calamity that harms the body. In addition, Your Majesty has worked tirelessly for the country, worrying day and night... Now, your vital energy is being depleted like lamp oil... Although you may still be able to have sexual relations,... but it may hinder the continuation of your lineage..."

After Zhang Mi finished speaking, he kowtowed deeply, not daring to raise his head. Su Peisheng, who was standing to the side, also gasped inwardly. Damn it, he should have gone out with him just now!

Upon hearing this, Yongzheng abruptly closed his eyes, his emotions turbulent, and only his heavy breathing could be heard in the cold and silent hall.

After a long while, Yongzheng finally asked, unwilling to give up, "Is there any way to recuperate?"

"I am incompetent."

Zhang Mi replied in a low voice, and the hall fell into a deathly silence once again.

Emperor Yongzheng was filled with rage, but he had just recovered from a serious illness and had been unconscious for several days, so he was unaware of the state of affairs. It was not appropriate for him to lose his temper or reveal any information at this moment.

Therefore, he could only suppress his dissatisfaction and coldly ordered, "This matter must not be spread. From now on, Zhang Mi, you will only be responsible for treating me."

"I obey the order."

Even if he were to die without an heir, he still had more children than the Eighth Prince, which was the only thing that could comfort Yongzheng at this moment.

Therefore, he couldn't help but pay more attention to Consort Fucha's first pregnancy and asked, "How is Consort Fucha's pregnancy going?"

Each question was more deadly than the last. Zhang Mi was practically crawling on the ground, already deciding where he should be buried.

"Your Majesty, Consort Fucha has contracted the plague and unfortunately suffered a miscarriage."

Emperor Yongzheng paused, for although this was not the first child he had lost, it was now the child he had lost most painfully.

"What happened? Why did Consort Fucha contract the plague?"

Oh no! Su Peisheng felt embarrassed for Zhang Mi.

But better to sacrifice a friend than oneself. Since the Emperor was asking about Zhang Mi, Su Peisheng naturally wouldn't step forward. Instead, he quietly retreated to the side, trying his best to hide his presence.

Zhang Mi felt that it was no different from being slowly sliced ​​to death, but he dared not remain silent and could only report the truth.

"Your Majesty, it was Consort Wan of Suiyu Pavilion who first contracted the plague..."

"Consort Wan?" Yongzheng was somewhat surprised and had some guesses.

"Yes, Consort Wan was the first to fall ill, and then... it was the Emperor. Not long after the Emperor developed a fever, Consort Fucha also developed a fever... Based on the pulse and symptoms, it should be because Your Majesty has been frequently moving between Suiyu Pavilion and Yanxi Palace recently, which led to Consort Wan infecting you, and you... infecting Consort Fucha..."

At this point, Zhang Mi's attitude had become somewhat resigned, and he continued, "Consort Fucha unfortunately suffered a miscarriage, while Consort Wan, due to her weak constitution, although she was saved, lost the possibility of bearing children."

Yongzheng closed his eyes, and after listening, he felt a slight dissatisfaction and resentment towards Zhen Huan.

"You may leave."

"yes."

Having narrowly escaped death, Zhang Mi's back was soaked with sweat. He respectfully withdrew from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but his legs went weak and he almost fell to the ground, looking utterly disheveled.

As soon as Zhang Mi left, Su Peisheng's heart skipped a beat; now it was his turn.

"Su Peisheng."

"Your servant is here." Su Peisheng's tone became even more cautious and humble.

Yongzheng glanced at him, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes. After all, Su Peisheng was a servant who had served him for many years, and he believed that Su Peisheng would not dare to betray him, so he put aside his idea of ​​keeping it a secret.

Then, recalling Su Peisheng's unusual behavior when Hongli was mentioned at the beginning, he asked, "Where is the Fourth Prince?"

Su Peisheng didn't understand why the Emperor kept questioning the Fourth Prince after waking up. But feeling a slight sense of relief, having just escaped death, he also felt another thought growing stronger.

Therefore, Su Peisheng appeared even more troubled, "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince, the Fourth Prince..."

"Hmm? What? You also want to hide it from me?" Yongzheng asked coldly.

Su Peisheng knelt down abruptly and hurriedly begged for forgiveness: "This servant dares not! The Fourth Prince is filial; he has been serving His Majesty for the past three days, taking care of him without any entrustment..."

Recalling the occasional sounds he could hear from the outside world while he was unconscious, Yongzheng felt a rare sense of relief upon learning that he was unable to have an heir.

“Hongli is filial…” Then, Yongzheng frowned, a bad feeling creeping over him. “Where is he?”

Su Peisheng's face showed unease and sadness. "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince has been taking care of you for three days. Although he carried a sachet for epidemic prevention, it was not enough. This morning, he developed a fever. The Fourth Prince was worried that it would affect Your Majesty's recovery, so he entrusted Your Majesty to this servant. You are currently in a coma and isolated in a side hall..."

Yongzheng was initially moved, but then panicked. The child that Consort Fucha lost was not comparable to the prince who was already over ten years old and almost grown up.

Needless to say, he would later have three princes and two princesses, and Hongli was the one he had his eye on.

"Where is the imperial physician? Has he gone to see her?"

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, the Fourth Prince has already taken the medicine to treat the epidemic. However, because we are concerned about Your Majesty's health, the Fourth Prince is only allowed to have one imperial physician stay with him, while the other imperial physicians are all allowed to stay with Your Majesty."

"Nonsense! Su Peisheng, you actually listen to him? How old is he?"

Emperor Yongzheng couldn't help but get angry. Although he knew that Hongli was filial, he was too filial, completely disregarding his own health.

Su Peisheng hurriedly apologized: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It is truly the Fourth Prince's earnest words. Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and your safety is related to the fate of the nation. This servant... this servant could not refuse the Fourth Prince's filial piety..."

Why would Yongzheng refuse the Fourth Prince's filial piety? He understood that Su Peisheng cared more about his safety, after all, he was Su Peisheng's master.

This incident revealed both Su Peisheng's loyalty and Hongli's filial piety, which pleased Yongzheng but also made him more worried.

"Quickly, send all the imperial physicians to give Hongli a thorough treatment. We must ensure that Hongli fully recovers without any aftereffects!"