Chapter 55 Chapter 55 [VIP]
The syllables uttered by the prince were extremely unclear, but Emperor Yuan Shuo still heard the general idea.
They were the only ones in the bedroom at the moment, so there was no way he would have any illusions.
The two words lingered on his lips, their tenderness almost giving off a fragrance, but they should not have come out of the prince's mouth.
The handkerchief remained motionless, but the wine on it dripped onto the edge of the couch, silently wetting the soft quilt. Emperor Yuan Shuo held his breath and waited quietly.
At the bottom of the wash basin stood several small waterfowl, symbols of love. They were lifelike, combing each other's feathers and emitting a soft golden light, but he could only see their reflections on the water.
It was a face covered in dark clouds, a face that could hardly be called human. The skin and flesh were twisted into layers of ripples due to the water, like an evil ghost about to devour people.
There had never been a moment like this before, when he was so anxious because of his own son. As a father, waiting for his son's trial, he had never felt the feeling of having his life in the hands of others, even when the late emperor was alive.
If the prince called someone else, or if he heard it wrong, he would be reborn in a lotus and escape from all suffering. If he really called her nickname, he would fall into the Avici Hell in an instant.
Even when he has already fallen, he still hopes that the Buddha's tongue will emit light, illuminating the hell like gold and giving sentient beings a temporary respite.
The emperor waited patiently for the man to speak again, but the veins on his arms were already exposed, and the little wine left on the handkerchief was dripping more and more rapidly.
If the man on the couch didn't speak again, he didn't know whether he would continue to wait or strangle the man's throat.
Emperor Yuan Shuo moved slowly, but the prince's hand held tighter, as if he had sensed the other party's intention to leave. In his dream, he seemed to have tried his best and could only make a very low sound.
"Yi Niang, don't go...I really like you."
Her face was red as a cloud, and she was so weak that she couldn't even breathe, but she still refused to let go, saying intermittently: "You said you loved me, why, why did you want to... marry Aye."
His heart pounded, and Emperor Yuan Shuo stood up straight up, his blood almost running cold.
His most beloved concubine, his son whom he appointed as crown prince...
Those unspeakable jealousy and irritation, which he originally thought was just him getting older and jealous of young men and women in their prime, turned out to be real!
When the imperial eunuchs heard the sound of a heavy object splashing into the basin, they were all terrified. If the crown prince became seriously ill, the emperor would have no heir except for a prince. Chen Rongshou hurried forward, and the emperor's usually steady steps staggered.
He said with a hint of sadness: "Even if your Majesty is worried about the Crown Prince, you must also take care of your own health. You are the father of all people. If something happens..."
If the Emperor and the Crown Prince fell one after another, chaos would immediately break out in the court. Emperor Yuan Shuo suppressed the throes of pain in his heart and said softly, "I'm fine. Tell someone to take good care of the Crown Prince. Only the closest eunuchs can visit him. No outsiders are allowed to visit."
Chen Rongshou agreed, feeling slightly relieved. Emperor Yuanshuo hadn't summoned the imperial physicians, so the Crown Prince's illness wasn't that serious yet. The physicians were still analyzing the Crown Prince's sudden illness. He whispered soothingly, "Your Highness has always been in good health. Your Majesty is a loving father, and I'm sure the Crown Prince will sense it. But how can your body withstand such torment... The Imperial Concubine sent someone to inquire about it after the banquet, and told us to advise you to take good care of yourself."
Even without the Imperial Concubine, they would have known what was being said. It was just that His Majesty might have listened more to her by using her name.
However, Emperor Yuan Shuo laughed upon hearing this, revealing something that Chen Rongshou couldn't understand: "Does she really think so?"
The Crown Prince, Marquis Lingyang, Marquis Lingyang's wife... these relationships are so intertwined that it's hard to breathe.
Chen Rongshou thought again and again, wondering if the emperor would vent his anger on the imperial concubine because of the prince's illness. He said, "The lady is obviously thinking about your majesty. She has even lit the lights in the guesthouse, waiting for your majesty to go to bed together."
His flattery had some effect. The expression on Emperor Yuan Shuo's face softened slightly, and he said softly, "It's hard for her."
When the imperial carriage arrived, Tan Rui and Sui Chao were also dozing off. When they saw Emperor Yuan Shuo coming back, they woke up immediately. They wanted to go inside to report to the imperial concubine, but Emperor Yuan Shuo signaled them to leave.
The lights in the room were dim and warm. The sleeping beauty was leaning against the chessboard on the table. It was obvious that Bai Yi had played a few games with Bai Yi. Emperor Yuan Shuo was a little displeased, but she was not afraid of stretching out her arm and getting Bai Yi covered in lamp oil.
However, he still leaned over, picked her up, and placed her steadily on the couch.
Shen Youyi was half asleep, and in the dimness she smelled a familiar fragrance. She nuzzled into his arms, and without opening her eyes, she raised her hand to untie his robe, but her fingers were not very obedient. She murmured, "Your Majesty, is the prince's illness better?"
She was just showing concern subconsciously, but Emperor Yuan Shuo's face darkened slightly: "This is not something you should ask."
She just rolled around in his arms and muttered, "Are you exhausted? Can you lie down and rest for a while?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo stared at her sleeping face. Her cheeks were slightly plump and her skin was soft and tender. She was so cute that one wanted to pinch her. The shadow of her eyelashes trembled, revealing her struggle between dreams and reality.
I really want to sleep, but I still try hard to maintain it.
He wanted to wake her up immediately, or even get the answer he wanted to know.
Was it the prince's wishful thinking or had the two of them already taught him this?
How much of her gentle and affectionate love is real and how much is fake?
…
But the child, who was so tired that he could hardly speak, still held on to the last bit of his rationality and waited for his response.
Emperor Yuan Shuo leaned over and patted her, forcing himself to lower his voice: "My dear, you still have things to do. Go to sleep and don't wait for me anymore."
The whispers between the young couple were difficult to express tonight. What kind of relationship did they have? What was she thinking when she heard him call her husband Bai?
Shen Youyi was only awake for a moment. When she woke up again, the pillow was still cold and it was already dawn.
She chose such a husband and could accept the loneliness of having no one to accompany her in the morning, but she seemed to remember that Emperor Yuan Shuo had come back at night.
But there was not even a wrinkle on the pillow. She called the night watchman in and asked, "Your Majesty, did you not sleep last night?"
Tan Rui agreed, but a smile spread across her face. "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was so ill, and although His Majesty looked gloomy, he still took time out of his busy schedule to come back and see if the Empress had rested. He saw you hunched over the table waiting for His Majesty's arrival, and when he came out, he said that the servants didn't know how to serve you, and he scolded them."
If the emperor at this time was just a little moody, he would be considered very easy to serve. Shen Youyi did not doubt him and said with a smile: "Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. You are so open-minded. I am afraid that I will have to serve you carefully in the next few days. You better keep a straight face. After this period of time, I will double the reward."
She never lacked money, but it was too unreasonable to reward people at this time, as if she was desperately hoping that the prince would have a high fever and convulsions and fall ill.
Although she did have such a thought for a moment - once the prince died, the whole palace would be weak and sickly, and as long as she could give birth to a prince, everything in the past would disappear.
But on second thought, if she really couldn't give birth, the emperor would probably find another young woman to give birth to a child in order to prevent the country from falling into the hands of others. The child might not be raised under her name, or the emperor might make a grandson the crown prince, which would be even more unprofitable.
So she still hoped that the prince's illness could last for a while. If she had just given birth to the royal heir, and the crown prince of the Eastern Palace had passed away very sensibly, would she still need to worry about the current predicament?
Of course not.
But these few days, Emperor Yuan Shuo is afraid that he will not have the intention to have her sleep with him.
Shen Youyi thought for a moment: "Your Highness is so ill, do you want to stay here for another day today?"
Tan Rui sent someone to the imperial court and learned that it was indeed the case. Shen Youyi was relieved for the time being. As the highest-ranking lady in the inner court around the emperor, she was now at the center of the storm. Yang Xiuyuan was at a loss because of the prince's illness, and the ministers were talking about it. Not only were there people who bribed the people in the imperial court, but some people also had their eyes on her.
Although those ladies had their own sweet words, they actually had the same idea. Shen Youyi was accustomed to the treasures of the inner court, and did not think much of the charcoal tributes hastily prepared by the ladies. She only picked up one or two items from each person's belongings and said some irrelevant words with a worried look on her face.
She enjoyed the pleasure of being the center of attention, which was similar to enjoying the emperor's body. Only those ladies whom she thought she could win over could get some of the answers she deliberately arranged.
——The prince’s illness is not as serious as outsiders imagine. He just caught a cold accidentally and he will be fine after the fever subsides.
No matter what the man's illness was, she had no biological children, so why bother to upset Emperor Yuan Shuo at this critical moment? Such polite words were free, and she could say them casually.
Perhaps her words came true, for that evening the prince's fever miraculously subsided.
The royal family and foreign ministers accompanying the emperor all breathed a sigh of relief and presented their congratulations one after another. However, it was unusual that Emperor Yuan Shuo was not very pleased. The congratulatory letters were delivered to the emperor like flying snow, but they fell on deaf ears.
Shen Youyi sent someone to Song Yuanshi to get the medicine she had stopped taking a long time ago. She learned that the prince not only had his fever gone down, but he could also walk around freely. She found it a little strange, but it was even stranger that such a good thing did not get the emperor's smile at all.
However, the world is so big that there are even stranger things than this.
Tan Rui whispered to her that it was the servants of the Eastern Palace who tipped her off, and the Crown Prince had only gotten better when he did, and the Crown Princess had slept with him, which was rare... Even the high fever that night seemed to be because the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess had sex non-stop, and something went wrong in the middle. However, the Crown Princess covered up the matter first, and secretly ordered the servants and eunuchs not to make it known. By the time Yang Xiuyuan found out, the smell and traces in the room had long since disappeared without a trace.
The imperial concubine has always been kind and generous to the servants. Considering that there are many people serving her, it is very convenient for Tan Rui to get some information from the various palaces.
In fact, most of the imperial physicians in the palace would ask about marital matters when they took the pulse. However, the fact that the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess were not on good terms was well known to everyone. Since the Crown Prince fainted at the Crown Princess's place, no one would have thought of such a strange thing, for fear that the Crown Prince's legitimate wife would bear a grudge against him.
Shen Youyi was also a little surprised, and even felt guilty.
She and the emperor were enjoying themselves unscrupulously in the carriage, and even though she knew the prince was outside the window, she refused to stop for a moment. That kind of movement...how could anyone who had experienced it not know!
The wicked Emperor Yuan Shuo lied to her and said it was okay! It would be easier!
She found it incredible that the prince had been able to remain a virgin until now because of a lie she told. However, he was angry and wanted to take revenge on her. Instead of choosing a younger and fresher concubine or maid, he chose the most unlikely person.
She whispered, "Regardless of what the Crown Prince is up to, our Crown Princess is truly a wonderful person."
Even if the relationship between husband and wife is so bad that they want to fight each other to death, the Crown Princess should know that the reason why the Emperor forgave her crime of taking bribes and always maintained an attitude of peacemaking between the couple is, no matter how many profound principles there are, in the final analysis, it is all for the good of his son, the Crown Prince.
Who would value a daughter-in-law who is not outstanding more than Bai Yi’s own son?
If the imperial physician fails to diagnose and treat the prince in time, resulting in the prince's death, she must know what will happen to everyone in the Eastern Palace.
But the Crown Princess still concealed it and allowed the Crown Prince to have a high fever... She was not afraid that he had a stroke.
When a couple reaches this point, it is hard to say whether they are the closest or the most distant relatives.
Tan Rui whispered, "Perhaps the Crown Princess doesn't understand the pros and cons of this situation. She's just greedy for her husband's favor and thinks the Crown Prince is young and strong after all, and that a few pills will cure his illness, so there's no need to alert the Imperial Physician."
Shen Youyi thought about it and felt that there was no need for her to care about the grievances between the couple, or how they would reconcile. Even if the Crown Princess was favored in the future and gave birth to ten grandchildren, as long as the prince she gave birth to could win the emperor's heart, those ten children would be of no use.
But she had read so many play scripts that she couldn't help but smile. She quietly joked to Tan Rui, "This play is great. Why not write it down and make a play? When we get back to the palace, we can perform it in front of the old lady. She's sure to like it the most."
A woman who is infatuated and patient, but has an ordinary appearance and family background, waits for many years, and finally sees her prodigal husband who has someone he loves come to his senses and change his mind. The two reunite and have a happy ending.
She thought about this strange plot and laughed softly for a while. Thinking that it was almost time for dinner, she asked someone to prepare dinner and arranged for her to go to the study.
Although this garden, donated by a local wealthy businessman, is crowded, it is quite elegant. However, although the emperor's pomp and ceremony is not as solemn as in the palace, the people in his presence are not as easy to talk to as when they are in the palace.
The one guarding outside today was Zhao Yuelai. He carefully glanced at the smiling imperial concubine and, rarely, blocked the way: "Your Majesty, please go back first. His Majesty will not see anyone today."
Shen Youyi nodded. She was not an unreasonable woman, but she still had to show some concern.
"Your Majesty, have you had your meal?"
She instructed, "It's getting colder these past two nights. Remember to light a charcoal fire outside so that the room is just warm. During the day, make some refreshing tea to drink. His Majesty won't be able to attend to such trivial matters. You must be attentive when serving him."
It was extremely quiet inside and outside the study. The eunuchs didn't even dare to breathe. Only the imperial concubine was whispering instructions to them... Undoubtedly, the people in the room could hear it.
Zhao Yuelai's heart almost jumped out, he wanted to put it in front of the imperial concubine so that the lady could take a look.
He was really hoping that the imperial concubine could make the emperor happy, but His Majesty had specifically ordered that even the imperial concubine's carriage should be blocked. He really couldn't do anything, so he could only shake his head slightly and implicitly tell the imperial concubine that His Majesty had irregular appetite.
It's more than uncertain. Your Majesty has visited the prince for a long time, but he hasn't eaten or drunk anything since then. His godfather tried to persuade him twice, but was punished to kneel outside each time.
The royal family does not allow servants to make requests during meals, even if a servant is loyal to his master. However, if his loyalty has crossed the line, it is usually ok for the emperor to be lenient with him, but once his heart changes, it is a great sin.
Shen Youyi took a deep breath. She secretly guessed that Emperor Yuan Shuo must have encountered an extremely difficult situation, perhaps a difficult border war, or perhaps those government orders were misunderstood by some officials who pretended to obey but actually disobeyed, causing the poor to rise up and cause riots...
Otherwise, the emperor who has always been law-abiding would not easily break the rules of health preservation. This even reveals an unusual flavor - the emperor who holds the power of life and death will one day be in chaos.
She whispered, "Then have Rolex help pass the message on... Your Majesty isn't seeing anyone else, so why would he leave me out here? Isn't he afraid that the cold and damp autumn wind will make me sick?"
He said he couldn't bear to spend the night under the tent... Maybe she couldn't help with the things that worried the emperor, but she could sit beside him and share some of his worries.
However, it seemed that Zhao Yuelai hadn't even spent half a cup of tea when she immediately left the room and kindly advised, "My lady, please go back first. His Majesty needs to meditate quietly. I've already said that concubines are not allowed to disturb him."
Shen Youyi's face turned slightly pale, but when she looked up, she happened to meet the expectation in the eunuch's eyes.
Zhao Yuelai seemed to be hinting at something.
Of course, they, the eunuchs, could not disobey the emperor's order and let her in, but the spoiled concubine could break in without any permission!
Shen Youyi's hand on Tan Rui gradually tightened. She was not stupid, but she was not someone who would not care about her life.
When the emperor wants to joke with her, he would not hesitate to sacrifice the whole world for her smile. But once he has no intention to coax her, what she thinks is the unique pleasure between husband and wife in the boudoir is considered a blasphemy to the majesty of heaven in the eyes of the emperor.
If Emperor Yuan Shuo really wanted to teach her, he would not let the eunuchs embarrass her.
This was the endless love that the emperor had taught her that almost made her intoxicated. Yesterday, they were like mandarin ducks hugging each other's necks, but today they were discussing the relationship between the monarch and his subject, and it wasn't even because she had done anything wrong to offend him.
She tried her best to do what a concubine should do, so why did he take out his anger on her?
Shen Youyi forced a smile from the corner of her mouth. She maintained her gentle and decent expression, nodded to indicate that she understood, winked at Tan Rui, then lifted her skirt and went down the stairs, hurried back to her residence.
Her steps were so fast that there was even a hint of anger in them - the emperor was busy with all kinds of affairs, so how could she be idle today? She was exhausted and cared about him with good intentions, but he didn't appreciate it. Why was she so shameless as to stick to him?
It would be better to sleep a little longer, which would be more practical.
She thought it through thoroughly, but still couldn't help getting a little angry. Not only does a child's face change like the summer sky, but old men are the same, they change at any time!
Even a clay figure has some earthiness to it, and she refuses to serve him!
Zhao Yuelai saw that this short sentence made the imperial concubine furious, as if she had lost her parents. They didn't know why the emperor was avoiding the imperial concubine today, but the imperial concubine's various tricks always made the emperor happy.
Even the imperial concubine couldn't dodge... He didn't have time to be too depressed. He moved his ears up and down, and seemed to hear the sound of knuckles knocking on the table. He gritted his teeth and went in to serve.
He opened the door as quietly as possible, but it still creaked.
Emperor Yuan Shuo was pulling a book from the shelf when he heard the noise and turned around. He said sternly, "I said I won't see you, you..."
The emperor's anger seemed to stop abruptly when his eyes fell on the eunuch, but Zhao Yuelai felt as if she had died when the emperor looked at her so coldly.
If his gaze could be turned into a sharp blade, he would have been executed by slow slicing.
If his godfather was here, perhaps he would be able to understand the meaning of this look, but he only knew that he could not refute Bai Yi's intention of coming in to serve him at this moment, and he had no idea what else to do.
It was not until the emperor at the top of the table slowly spoke that he sensed something unusual.
"Where's the imperial concubine?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo said slowly, "Is she still outside the door waiting for me to summon her?"
Zhao Yuelai's heart skipped a beat, and he secretly cried out in pain. He tried to struggle for a while, mumbling, "I mistakenly thought that His Majesty had summoned me to serve, and in a moment of panic, I wanted to ask you to go to the side room and wait for a while..."
He was hoping that since His Majesty had spoken, the clever eunuchs outside would know to quickly find the imperial concubine and make amends for his disrespect. He had to delay for a while longer...
However, Emperor Yuan Shuo smiled.
The sound was extremely gentle, but it was extremely frightening to the ears of the eunuch in front of the emperor.
"She never took what I said to heart."
Emperor Yuan Shuo stroked the sachet under his sleeve. The soft and tough gold thread embroidered on it was slightly messy, and the mandarin duck's hair had become dull due to excessive stroking.
All this love and affection was fake.
He waited for her for a whole day, but it seemed to be in vain.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
