Chapter 64 He wants to eat!

"A Prince!" The Empress Dowager could no longer sit still upon hearing this, her voice rising involuntarily. "Emperor, there is no precedent for bestowing the title of Prince upon someone of this age. Isn't this going too far...?"

Yinzhen remained unmoved, looking up to meet the Empress Dowager's gaze—"That's exactly how a marriage to bring good luck is done."

He said, "Besides, it's not like there's no precedent."

As soon as he said this, the Empress Dowager understood. The Emperor was referring to Prince Rong, the title bestowed upon Emperor Shizu less than three months after his death. However, the Empress Dowager did not say it aloud. Prince Rong was posthumously honored, and even if it was an exception, it was still a posthumous honor. Hongzhao...

She didn't think any further. Zhang Mi had already said that Hongzhao was probably beyond saving, and bringing it up now would only be like throwing sand into the Emperor's eyes.

It's just a dying child.

"..." The Empress Dowager and the Emperor sat facing each other, both remaining strangely silent for a long time. After a while, the Empress Dowager sighed softly, "Well, if Hongzhao can recover from this joyous occasion, that will be a blessing."

Although that's what they said, it's hard to say what they really thought.

She then asked, "The Emperor just said that he would bestow the surname Lüjia upon Consort Xin and Noble Consort Xian. I wonder which banner he intends to elevate her to?"

When this was mentioned, Yinzhen's furrowed brows relaxed a little. As he spoke, he thought to himself, "She was originally from the Han Chinese Plain Blue Banner. Since we're going to promote her, let's promote her to... the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner."

Ignoring the Empress Dowager's somewhat numb and surprised look, he continued, "Lu Wenzhong has done a good job as the Governor-General of Zhili, and he is quite diligent in his official duties. I have also examined her brother, Lu Xingzhi, and he is not bad. In that case, let's promote the entire line of her father."

The Empress Dowager had no desire to speak further. Whether she objected or not, she would still receive an additional title. It seemed that Lü Yingfeng had truly won the Emperor's favor. "Your Majesty can decide for yourself. I am too old to concern myself with such matters. There is only one thing Your Majesty must remember."

She straightened herself up and said solemnly, word by word, "We cannot follow the old path of our ancestors; the harem must never be out of balance."

“My son understands.”

——

After receiving the imperial edict, the Empress did not make a scene as everyone had expected. Instead, she sat sullenly in the armchair where she usually practiced calligraphy, her whole body tense, staring blankly out the window with a blank expression.

This scene terrified Jianqiu—"Your Majesty, how could the Emperor treat you like this! Let's go find the Empress Dowager."

She rushed forward two steps, but Yixiu did not move, letting out a mocking laugh—"Empress Dowager? Do you think my aunt hasn't spoken up for me?"

Jianqiu said indignantly, "Then how could the Emperor... You are the Empress, how could you suffer such humiliation?"

But Yixiu did not follow her words and show a sad expression. She knew that Hongzhao was about to die. Yesterday, the emperor had made an unprecedented move by personally going to the princes' quarters to see Hongzhao. She knew that.

The Emperor must have been heartbroken beyond measure to be so angry that he insisted on punishing her despite the Empress Dowager's advice.

But now she only felt a sense of relief. Even the emperor, such a cold-blooded man, knew what it was like to lose a beloved son.

She remained composed, her expression revealing a calm madness—"It doesn't matter. Do you think building a Buddhist temple can trap me for life? As long as the Emperor still cares about my sister, I will always have my day to turn things around."

She said it was nothing, but the violent heaving of her chest betrayed her unsettled state of mind.

"Of course, Your Majesty, you are the Empress," Jianqiu comforted her, echoing her words.

As Yixiu listened to the clanging and banging of the Buddhist hall being built behind Jingren Palace, she kept stroking a mutton-fat jade ruyi in her hand. After a while, she calmed down and said, "Those people outside are probably waiting to see me make a fool of myself."

She changed the subject and mentioned in a gentle tone, "Consort Fucha's pregnancy is quite stable, so stable that it doesn't seem like something one would expect in the palace."

Jianqiu immediately understood the Empress's meaning, her tone carrying a deeper meaning, "In the harem, naturally everything is done according to Your Majesty's will. If Your Majesty says it's stable, then it's stable; if Your Majesty says it's not stable..."

She didn't say anything more, and Yixiu gave her an approving look.

Since the Emperor had not deposed her, Ulanara Yixiu remained the Empress of the Qing Dynasty, and she simply considered it a matter of biding her time. If she were in the Buddhist temple and Fucha's pregnancy still failed, then whatever happened would be none of her concern.

——

The situation in the harem has changed rapidly in the past two days, causing widespread anxiety and speculation.

What others didn't know was that Consort Jing was naturally happy to be promoted, but she didn't know whether to be happy or worried about her eldest son who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Looking around the room, there was Hongzhou, who cried often because he couldn't see his mother all day, and Hongjin, whose eyes were red with worry for his younger brother. Now, there was also Hongshi, a tall man wiping away tears, worried about his mother.

For the first time, she realized how precious her usual tranquility was.

Without a care in the world, she quickly helped Ruyi tidy up the room so that he could rest for a while. Prince Hongshi could not stay there now, and the Emperor was too busy to settle him down. Only she, his new mother, could come up with a solution.

Zhou Qi, burdened by the Emperor's stern instructions and the immense pressure of the threat of execution of his entire family if the prescription failed to cure the prince, reluctantly fed Hongzhao the medicine.

Hongzhao has indeed lost a lot of weight in the past few days. After all, he has only been able to drink soup and water for days, and he has to pretend to be delirious to be fed a bowl of soup and spill half of it. He doesn’t know if this counts as a fasting diet, but he is really hungry.

He never expected that his drastic measure would be so effective. Overnight, he was granted the title of Prince, his mother was granted the title of Imperial Concubine, their titles were changed and they were given a new surname, and his maternal grandparents' family was also promoted to a higher banner.

The play has reached its end. Yinzhen has done the most he can think of at this stage. Hongzhao, thinking about the complete prescription, also thinks it's time to give himself a reason to get better.

After Zhou Qi finished his medicine, he didn't go out immediately. Hong Zhao said in a hoarse voice, "Xiao Dezi, go and bring me the medicinal meal I drank before... with roasted licorice root added. I have a bit of an appetite today and want to eat this."

Xiao Dezi frowned. He didn't remember his brother eating any medicinal dishes with roasted licorice root these past few days, but if his brother said he had, then he had. He glanced at Zhou Qi with a subtle look, gave a crisp reply, and walked out.

Zhou Qi paused in packing his medicine box. Hong Zhao squinted and noticed his unusual behavior. In the past few days, Zhou Qi would hesitate or even look frightened whenever he heard him speak. He racked his brains but couldn't figure out why, and the system couldn't give him an explanation either.

The system says, "..." I can't exactly say I used your voice to pretend to be a ghost and scare people, can I...?

——

The next day, when Zhou Qi came to deliver the medicine again, Hong Zhao knew that Zhou Qi had understood his guidance after just the first sip of the licorice-flavored medicine. Without needing to be coaxed, he drank the medicine in the bowl in a few gulps, then collapsed and began to have his body temperature adjusted.

Hongzhao: "I want to eat, I want to eat something human-made..."

After taking two doses of medicine, the fever completely subsided by evening.

After many days, Su Peisheng finally regained his cheerful expression and strode into the Hall of Mental Cultivation with a beaming smile—"Your Majesty, good news! The Fifth Prince's fever has finally subsided! Physician Zhou Qi's prescription is truly effective!"