The man on the bed was clearly startled. His eyes went from tired to stiff, then from stiff to restrained, and finally back to tired.
Changyan had no idea how many emotional ups and downs he had experienced in such a short time, only hearing his voice grow increasingly hoarse, "How bad is it?"
So his original outspokenness was choked back down.
Even the smallest amount of fatherly affection can turn into a small amount of concern, disappearing in anger and emerging in moments of unbearable pain.
The image of Consort Ju and her son lying quietly flashed through Chang Yan's mind, and he said with his lips slightly parted, "We encountered...we encountered some unexpected situations."
"Oh." Tianjia didn't say anything.
He lay on the bed as before, but as if he had a premonition, his cloudy eyes became covered with a layer of tears, which he stubbornly refused to let fall.
He took a deep breath, his thin, bony fingers gripping the edge of the bed, lifting them slightly several times before letting them fall heavily back down.
"Go ahead and tell me," he said softly after a long pause. "I have the right to know."
A great emperor, he had seen all kinds of storms.
Chang Yan could no longer hide the truth and said softly, "My eldest brother was accidentally injured by Consort Ju. His knife was poisoned with castor oil and he could not be saved."
"Empress Ju was filled with remorse and grief, and she went to the Qianqing Palace on her own."
Without any embellishment, it is the most authentic narrative, stemming from the prince's loyalty to the emperor.
Chang Yan closed his eyes, and countless images flashed through his mind.
There are scenes of the emperor angrily scolding and getting angry, scenes of innocent people being implicated and harmed, and scenes of people crying and wailing in pain.
Unexpectedly, the world was completely quiet.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw a tear from the corner of the man's eye slide down his cheek and disappear into the bright yellow pillowcase.
"Oh, I understand." He replied blankly. "You may leave now. Go and properly manage your Crown Prince's residence and work for the well-being of the people."
Chang Yan was stunned for a moment, and it took him a while to come back to his senses, revealing the bewilderment that a young man should have.
"Go, child," the emperor said calmly. "Go and achieve great things, do what you must do."
There was no blame, no implication.
I did not kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of me.
Zhu Changhong died during the change of imperial power. He should have been most resentful of the imperial family, but thinking about it, he should have been the least resentful of them.
He personally handed over this imperial power to Changyan.
Perhaps when he decided to establish a crown prince, he had already foreseen the fate of his children, but before the decision was finalized, there was always a lingering expectation.
I hope they can leave Fengjing safely after they come of age, I hope they can live peacefully in their fiefdoms, and I hope they will not develop hopeless ambitions.
Unfortunately, reality is always cruel.
Just like when he fought for power with his brothers, his overly ruthless brothers used various means, even resorting to framing and slander, and were all eliminated, leaving only him, the gentle one.
The princes always harbored a deep desire for that easily attainable position, which, mixed with their original resentment and anger, fueled their greatest ambition.
The last remaining members of the imperial family were only a few cousins and their nephews and nieces.
He couldn't ask his sons not to fight, just as his once valiant father couldn't stop his brothers from killing each other.
"To die is to die; to dare to fight is to dare to die." The late emperor's powerful voice still resonates in our ears, a wake-up call.
The emperor also reminded himself of this, and even hesitated to criticize the long banquet.
Once the Qianqing Palace returned to silence, a flood of tenderness welled up in his heart, recalling all the past affections, from the first cry of an infant in swaddling clothes, to being carried on his shoulders as he grew, to his babbling and stumbling, and finally to riding in on horseback and calling out "Father Emperor" in a loud voice.
From childhood friends to twenty years of loving companionship, and then to the white lotus seed porridge that she personally cooked but ended up spilling on the ground.
A sharp, agonizing pain surged through his heart, and he suddenly opened his mouth, gushing out a large amount of blood.
Something was being pulled out of my body—was it life itself, or that strong willpower?
The rich red stained the bright yellow, just like that lively and cheerful girl who found him in the crowd, who was not competitive or scrambling, and generously shared, "Here, you have some too."
He raised the corners of his mouth and drifted off to sleep.
In a daze, someone rushed over in a panic. It was the Grand Eunuch who had been with me for many years, and my son who was about to take over the world.
"Administer acupuncture."
"Ginseng, ginseng, stuff it into your mouth."
"Go and brew the medicine quickly."
"Quickly wipe away the blood..."
The entire Qianqing Palace was in a flurry of activity. People from the Imperial Medical Academy, young and old, gathered there. The most senior staff were in charge of administering acupuncture, while the younger staff carried supplies. Even when their arms were numb from exhaustion, they dared not utter a sound.
Chang Yan and Zhu Changheng stood by the bedside, while several concubines waited in the side hall. Jiang Sheng and his sister did not go far either.
One moment palace turmoil, the next the emperor vomits blood.
The series of events was mentally exhausting, but upon reflection, it was all within expectations.
“His health wasn’t good to begin with,” Zhu Changheng said softly, “and now he’s vomiting blood, I’m afraid…”
I dare not say more, but everyone understands.
The imperial family probably doesn't have much time left.
“He didn’t blame me, nor did he fly into a rage.” Changyan said with some annoyance, “I should have realized something was wrong.”
“It’s no use realizing it now; things are beyond our control,” Zhu Changheng comforted her younger brother.
Zhu Changhong took away too much of his father's love, leaving them with very little.
Even if it's just a little, it's still a father's love.
If the Heavenly Family truly closes its eyes, they will no longer have a father.
The two brothers, who rarely shared the same sentiment, stared blankly at the busy Imperial Hospital, watching countless silver needles being inserted, their hearts constantly in their throats.
I don't know how much time has passed.
The old doctor finally removed all the silver needles, wiping his sweat as he said, "He's alright for now, but we still need to observe him to make sure it doesn't worsen."
Everyone in the Qianqing Palace breathed a sigh of relief. Chief Eunuch Wu collapsed onto the bedside, choking back tears, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty cannot abandon this old servant. You must hold on!"
Who can say for sure? The imperial physicians continued to wipe their sweat and discuss how to administer acupuncture and medicine.
As the Crown Prince, Changyan undoubtedly accepted all the arrangements for the events.
Zhu Changheng patted him on the shoulder, "Thank you for your hard work."
If the Crown Prince was only a semi-regency before, and important matters needed to be reported, then with the Emperor's complete collapse, the power of regent has completely fallen into the hands of the Crown Prince's residence.
The royal family members, accustomed to weathering storms, even suggested sewing the dragon robe as soon as possible in preparation for his ascension to the throne.
Chang Yan felt disgusted, but still agreed.
He watched as the emperor finished administering the medicine, saw off the Imperial Hospital staff, leaving only Sun Siji by the bedside to watch over the patient, and then quietly closed the door of the Qianqing Palace after telling Chief Eunuch Wu to go and rest.
Zhu Changheng had to return to her residence early due to other matters. After receiving the news that she was not dead, the concubines also left one after another, leaving the palace desolate.
Chang Yan sighed unconsciously, turned around, and saw five figures standing in a row under the eaves of the side hall.
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