Before the Wang family could reply, another matter had already captured the attention of everyone in the capital.
The crown prince contracted smallpox, and the emperor issued a proclamation seeking the best doctors in the land.
This incident caused a stir throughout Kyoto.
The Crown Prince is the legitimate son of the Empress. He is now ten years old and is deeply loved and valued by the Emperor. After the Emperor ascended the throne, he was appointed as the Crown Prince.
Whether there was any hidden agenda behind this is unknown to outsiders. All that is known is that the Emperor attaches great importance to this matter and has disregarded the reputation of the Imperial Medical Academy by issuing a proclamation directly.
At that time, smallpox was an extremely virulent epidemic, not only highly contagious but also with a very high mortality rate, after all, this was an era in which even a fever could be fatal.
The Crown Prince is now clearly in grave danger, and the Duke of Cheng'en's mansion is the most proactive. They have not only sent out many people to search for famous doctors all over the area around the capital, but have also offered gold and silver to purchase rare medicinal materials at high prices.
As a supporter of the Ouyang family, he naturally received their message and pledged to do everything in his power to protect the crown prince.
The Li family had also learned about the Crown Prince's situation.
The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace is now sealed off and heavily guarded. No one except the imperial physicians is allowed to enter, and no one inside the palace is allowed to step out.
The child had been ill for several days, and the imperial physicians were at a loss. Only then did the emperor decide to issue a decree. The empress rushed into the Eastern Palace immediately to personally take care of her child.
Ying Hao is currently in a state of utter distress, worrying about the safety of his wife and children on one hand, and angry about the incompetence of the imperial physicians on the other. He has not been able to eat properly for several days.
After the results were announced today, the court was immediately suspended.
The men of the Li family all went out to search for medicine, working tirelessly from dawn till dusk. The Wang family also replied, postponing the matchmaking.
At this critical juncture, who would dare to provoke such a disgrace? If the royal family is unhappy, how can the people below be happy?
Not only them, but every household in Kyoto was of one mind in postponing happy or sad events in their families.
I dare not laugh, I dare not cry.
However, the Ouyang family's anxiety is understandable. Not only is the crown prince involved, but the empress is also in the mix. If things go wrong, the Ouyang family's current status will likely be significantly affected.
Smallpox is a serious disease, but if one can survive it, one can recover. However, as the ruler of the world, Ying Hao did not want to hear such ambiguous words. He only wanted a definite answer.
While people outside were busy seeking renowned doctors and medicines, the imperial palace, at the center of the storm, was in turmoil.
The Crown Prince contracted smallpox, but it wasn't that easy. Everyone in the Eastern Palace, numbering over a hundred, served this one master. The moment the Crown Prince developed a fever, the Empress took control of the entire Eastern Palace.
The result was horrifying: even the Crown Prince's personal maid was implicated. The Empress was furious. She had personally arranged for the maid to be by the Crown Prince's side, and her background had been thoroughly investigated. As a result, when the Crown Prince got into trouble, the maid committed suicide out of fear of punishment.
Ying Hao was furious when he learned of this, and at the same time, he felt a chill in his heart.
He knew this palace maid's background all too well, but who would have thought she could hide for so many years to plot against the imperial heir? What if he were the one falling victim to her scheme now?
How despicable! How hateful!
"Those who plot to murder the Crown Prince shall be exterminated along with their entire clan."
The Eastern Palace underwent a thorough overhaul, resulting in the identification of about ten individuals who were deemed somewhat suspicious. Some of these individuals were genuinely planted, while others may have been driven by momentary greed.
However, it was better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free. All of these people were executed, and the concubines who were implicated were also confined to their homes. Some were sentenced to death, bringing disaster upon their families, while others were banished to the cold palace, where they lived out their lives in solitude.
Ying Hao was ruthless; he truly loved the Crown Prince. The Empress's legitimate son, of the highest standing, was intelligent from a young age, and resembled him greatly.
The Empress truly loved the child and was willing to risk her life to take care of him personally.
At first, Ying Haozhen had some doubts about the Empress.
The tragedy of being royalty. Especially after taking this position, one's thoughts are no longer the same as before.
When he was a child, his mother used him to compete for favor or to get rid of a thorn in her side.
The empress might do such things to consolidate her power and suppress other concubines.
Upon learning that the Empress had disregarded her own safety and entered the Eastern Palace, he abandoned the idea.
The Crown Prince is their only child, and he's already grown up. Only someone who's lost their mind would put him in such a dangerous situation, even risking their own life for him. Clearly, the Empress's true intention is to force him to thoroughly investigate the palace.
He certainly wouldn't let these people go.
Ying Hao chose to suspend court proceedings, refusing to see any officials except the imperial physicians, and spent his days writing scriptures and praying for the two of them. The imperial guards plowed the entire palace three feet deep, sending the scrolls to the Hall of Diligent Governance.
As expected, it was all for the throne.
As soon as the emperor ascended the throne, he made him the crown prince.
In fact, before the emperor ascended the throne, they made several attempts, but the empress, who was still the crown princess at the time, kept a close eye on them, and none of them succeeded.
The Emperor's throne is secure, and newborns have been born in the harem one after another in recent years. However, the Crown Prince is still the Emperor's most valued child, and the Empress's family is so powerful. If he is allowed to grow up peacefully, his position will be even more unshakeable.
The person behind this could not tolerate it and decided to risk a fight, hoping to bring down this thorn in their side, so they devised this vicious scheme.
Ying Hao turned the harem upside down, implicating several old men who had followed him since his time as a prince. After several changes in the palace, Ying Hao lifted the confinement of the harem until the matter was beyond investigation.
The Empress took care of her child tirelessly in the Eastern Palace, partly out of self-reproach for her negligence that allowed the thief to take advantage of the situation, and partly out of heartache for her son.
The turmoil outside was irrelevant to her. When she decided to enter the Eastern Palace, she knew that the Emperor would not let the perpetrators off easily, but her child! Absolutely nothing could happen to him!
"Mother, my face is so itchy."
The prince lay on the bed, his face flushed, covered in pimples that were unbearably itchy. His hands were bound with a cloth, rendering him unable to move. His voice was hoarse and trembling with tears.
The Empress felt as if her heart was being torn apart.
"The imperial physician instructed us not to arrest him, so let's be patient. It will pass. Your mother is with you, don't be afraid."
"Mother, is your son beyond saving? It's all your fault for being useless. Mother, please leave quickly, don't let your son die."
"Is the medicine ready? Bring it up quickly, the prince has a fever."
The Empress ignored his words and ordered the palace maids to bring the medicine.
These past few days, the Crown Prince has had recurring fevers, and medicine has been brewing in the palace at all times. The medicine was served quickly, and the Empress took a sip first.
"Don't say discouraging things. As long as the fever goes down, you'll get better. Your mother will feed you."
After the Crown Prince finally drank the medicine and fell into a deep sleep, the Empress's legs gave way and she almost fell to the ground, but fortunately, her personal maid held her up tightly.
"Your Majesty should take better care of yourself. If His Highness the Crown Prince sees this, he will be heartbroken. If you are not well, how can His Highness the Crown Prince be well?"
In her haste, she spoke without regard for propriety. The Empress knew she had lost her composure, so she patted her hand to comfort her and didn't hold it against her.
"Don't worry, you're right. I won't fall down. My father must be doing everything he can to find medicine and doctors. If either one is found, the Crown Prince's chances of survival will be much greater."
"Your Majesty, your hand!"
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