Chapter 182: Still breathing
When the procession reached the gate of Chunzezhai, Ruizhu helped Meng Yan get off the sedan chair. As soon as they reached the steps, she hurriedly called out, "Yunxiang, come and support the Empress!"
Yunxiang came out quickly and was shocked to see her master's face was as pale as wax. She asked hurriedly, "What's wrong with the queen?" Then she stepped forward to support Meng Yan and walked into the main hall.
The two of them helped the imperial concubine sit down in the hall. Ruizhu asked anxiously, "Your Majesty, do you want to summon the imperial physician?"
Yunxiang was a little impatient and pushed her, "It's already this time, why are you still asking?" Then she turned around and was about to leave.
Meng Yan hurriedly stopped her, "No need to go. They are all busy treating patients and may not be able to spare any time. I am fine, but the weather is too hot and I have a little heatstroke. Go and ask the kitchen to send a bowl of fragrant rush drink to relieve the heat."
Yunxiang refused and stamped her feet, saying, "Your Majesty, your health is the most important thing. There are so many doctors in the Imperial Hospital, how can they all be busy? Just call one over, and he won't say anything."
Meng Yan smiled slightly, "Really, there's no need. I'm also a doctor, and I know the seriousness of the matter. It's not a big deal, so why mobilize so many people?"
Seeing that the Empress was determined, Yunxiang was helpless. Besides, as the master said, she was proficient in medicine, and most of the doctors in the Imperial Hospital were not as good as her. Since she said that there was nothing wrong, then... it must be true.
At that moment, Yunxiang had no choice but to obey the order and go to the small kitchen to bring some summer-cooling soup.
After a while, the soup was brought.
Meng Yan took it and drank it all in one gulp, and her complexion looked slightly better.
She handed the bowl to Yunxiang and ordered, "Don't spread what happened today, and don't let the emperor know. Do you understand?"
Yunxiang and Ruizhu both looked embarrassed, and after a while they murmured "yes".
Meng Yan wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "It's almost the beginning of autumn, and it's still so hot. Tell the bathing room to prepare clean water and send me to take a bath. After that, I want to lie down for a while. I'm really tired."
The two maids walked away and went about their business.
Meng Yan asked them to help her take a bath, then she went back to the dormitory and lay down on the bed.
Her eyes closed slightly, and that feeling of fatigue surged like a tide, engulfing her.
She actually knew in her heart that this body was on the verge of exhaustion.
In previous years, her grandfather had warned her that her spiritual veins were extremely energy-consuming and that she should not use them lightly unless absolutely necessary. When she felt that she was too weak to be replenished and was extremely tired, that would mean her end was near.
My grandfather tried many ways and studied hard for more than ten years to change her physique, but in the end he failed.
Therefore, summoning the imperial physician is actually useless. Even if Xiahou Yu comes, he will be helpless. Why make such a fuss?
Furthermore, it may not be a good thing for this news to spread at this time.
She also complained to God about why he gave her such a physique.
Now that she thought about it, this was the fate that the invisible One had arranged for her long ago.
In her previous life, she was ruined by self-destruction.
In this life, she woke up and refused to bow to it again, and this so-called spiritual vein physique came in handy again.
But, so what?
In his two lives, Lu Haozhi only has her in his heart.
That's probably the case. No matter what, Lu Haozhi could not fall in love with Lin Yanrong, so the plot turned around and tried to force her to death.
In the end, she won, and Haozhi's heart belonged to her.
She has no regrets having come to this point. Haozhi loves her, the Queen Mother still cares for her, her brother is healthy and safe, there is Xiaodoukou who loves her like her own mother, and Yuxin who is like her own sister. With so many people tying her to her in this life, she is not alone.
But, I still can't bear to leave you...
From the gently closed eyes, something warm overflowed.
In the evening, Lu Haozhi arrived at Chunze Zhai.
Entering the inner room, he saw Meng Yan with her long hair hanging down and sleepy eyes. She was sitting in front of the dressing table wearing only a lilac-colored middle shirt. He was a little confused, "Yan'er, did you just wake up?"
Meng Yan, with Ruizhu helping her comb her hair, smiled at him in the mirror, "I felt a little tired after coming back from Zhonghe Hall, so I slept for a while. Who knew I would wake up at this time."
Lu Haozhi nodded and said, "You've been really hard-working lately. I've already instructed the Ministry of Revenue to promote the prescription among the people. The Imperial Concubine and the Imperial Hospital will be in charge of it in the Imperial City. You should take a good rest for the rest of your days."
Meng Yan didn't insist anymore and agreed with a smile.
At night, the two went to bed.
Meng Yan, wearing a snow-blue soft silk undergarment, lay beside Lu Haozhi's pillow, wrapped her arms around him, and whispered affectionately, "Haozhi, let me give it to you?"
The soft breasts pressed against his arms, and looking at the eyes and eyebrows as gentle as water, Lu Haozhi's blood boiled, but he just frowned, turned over and held her in his arms.
Her body was delicate and soft, as if boneless, and as light as a wisp of smoke. With just a little effort, she would disappear.
He held her waist and bit her shoulder, "Are you not going to tell me about the oath you swore before our ancestors today?"
Meng Yan lowered her eyebrows slightly and smiled gently, "With the right prescription and the emperor's proper arrangements among the people, this epidemic will be gone in a few days. It won't be considered a breach of oath if it's gone sooner or later."
"I won't."
Lu Haozhi pinched her nose and smiled, "Wait until this epidemic is completely over, your brother returns to power, and you recover. You owe me what you owe me now, and I will slowly ask you to repay it when the time comes."
He always felt that Yan'er had been acting a little strange these past two days, as if she was saying goodbye to him before going on a long journey.
No, she couldn't go anywhere, he wanted to be entangled with her for the rest of his life.
Ask for it back... Will she ever be able to pay it back?
Meng Yan smiled slightly and lay down in his arms.
The next day, when Meng Yan woke up, she found that the sun was already shining brightly, and Lu Haozhi was still lying beside her, hugging her.
She turned over and poked his face. "It's already this late, why hasn't the emperor left for the Zhonghe Hall meeting? Is it because the palace maids are too lazy and forgot to call him?"
Lu Haozhi shook his head. "Don't blame them. I told them to be quiet. There's nothing important to do today, so I won't go. I'll stay here with you."
Meng Yan hesitated, "But...if the emperor doesn't go to the court meeting, those people outside will start talking about it again."
"Let them talk."
Lu Haozhi put his arm around her shoulders and said, "As long as I don't sleep with their sisters and daughters, they will always talk about it. I'm tired of hearing all that talk. When I have time to spare, I will clean up the court and see who dares to say that nonsense again."
The emperor's words were so crude.
Meng Yan chuckled and hugged his neck.
Anyway, she doesn't have much time left, so what if she acts willfully for once?
From that day on, Lu Haozhi stopped attending court meetings and spent his days reviewing memorials in Chunze Zhai. Even when outsiders requested an audience, they were ushered in to discuss matters. Sure enough, those court officials who had already been displeased with Meng's favor started clamoring again, but Lu Haozhi simply turned a deaf ear.
August 14th, the day before the festival.
Although the epidemic was gradually dissipating, various treasury expenditures and other matters had piled up again, and there were also some other government affairs piled up. Lu Hao had not attended court for a long time, so he went to Zhonghe Hall for a court meeting today.
Before leaving, he told Meng Yan that tomorrow was Mid-Autumn Festival, and asked the imperial kitchen to prepare some dishes suitable for the occasion, and to go to the Empress Dowager to pick up the cardamom so that the family could have a harmonious reunion holiday. Meng Yan naturally nodded in agreement.
Seeing that her complexion had improved a bit in the past two days, Lu Haozhi felt relieved and went to Zhonghe Hall for a court meeting.
When they arrived at Zhonghe Hall to meet with the ministers, Rong An hurried in and knelt beside the emperor before they could discuss the two matters. "Your Majesty, this is terrible! The Imperial Concubine... The Imperial Concubine has fainted!"
Although he lowered his voice very low, the sharp-eared people below still heard it.
Lu Haozhi's expression changed drastically. He stood up suddenly, turned around and walked out.
After the emperor left, there was an uproar in the hall.
Liang Benwu blew his beard and said sternly, "This is simply absurd. Even if Meng is a noble concubine, she should consult an imperial physician if she has any ailment. How can a eunuch be allowed to trespass into the court and disrupt the meeting? Such a seductive eunuch is truly a national evil!"
Everyone in the court, whether civil or military, knew what he was thinking. Some agreed with him with a smile, some stroked their beards and watched in silence, and some just brushed off their clothes and walked out without taking it seriously.
Lu Haozhi hurried back to Chunze Zhai and heard crying all over the yard as soon as he entered.
His heart sank suddenly, and without asking any questions, he strode into the house.
When I entered the bedroom, I saw Meng Yan lying on the bed. Her two personal maids were kneeling on the ground, with their heads down and tears falling.
Lu Haozhi quickly walked forward, sat down beside the bed, and held her hand. "What's going on? Wasn't she fine before I left this morning?"
Meng Yan had woken up, her eyes twinkling as she smiled weakly, "Haozhi, don't blame them, I lied to you..."
In the past two days, her health has been getting worse. Just because she wanted to spend some more time with him, she took some energy-boosting medicine without his knowledge, and even asked Xiahou Yu for some pills to preserve her health, so her complexion seemed to have improved.
"Don't say anything. I've already sent someone to call Xiahou Yu over. Just take your medicine and lie down for a few days and you'll be fine."
Lu Haozhi felt as if his throat was being tightly strangled by a pair of hands. He used up all his strength to utter these words.
No, how could that be? When he left this morning, Yan'er was still there to see him off, so how could she be unable to move the moment he turned around?!
This is impossible, it must be a joke!
"It's useless, I know it in my heart..." She smiled, tears flashing in her eyes, "Haozhi, I'm sorry for you... I can't give birth to your child..."
"Since you know you've let me down, then...get better..."
Lu Haozhi's voice was hoarse and choked with sobs.
Meng Yan raised her hand and touched his eyes, "You are the Son of Heaven, you cannot cry..."
Son of Heaven?
Is the emperor destined to be alone?!
Lu Haozhi couldn't imagine what life would be like without her again...
He no longer had the courage to do it again.
"Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Xiahou has arrived."
Upon hearing this, Lu Haozhi hurriedly stood up and came out, seeing Xiahou Yu kneeling on the steps outside the hall.
"It's already this late, why are you still fussing about this?! Come in and see the Imperial Concubine!"
Xiahou Yu didn't move at all. His eyes were gloomy and his face was haggard. There was even some stubble on his chin. The once respectable man now looked disheveled.
Lu Haozhi saw the clue and narrowed his eyes, "Xia Houyu, do you know something?"
"Your Majesty... I am incompetent... Your Majesty is now... now she is at the end of her life..."
He clenched his hands tightly, and blood oozed from his palms. In the past few days, he had been searching through ancient books like a madman, just wanting to find a prescription that could prolong her life.
However, it was all in vain.
The fate of people born with spiritual veins and physiques seems to be predetermined, without exception from ancient times to the present.
What's the point of him learning all these medical skills?!
What's his use?!
Lu Haozhi stepped down the stairs and pulled Xiahou Yu up from the ground, glaring at him with red eyes, "I won't listen to your nonsense. Haven't you always been so conceited about your medical skills and so arrogant?! I want you to cure the imperial concubine! Otherwise..."
Ruizhu came out of the room crying, "Your Majesty, the Queen invites you in."
Lu Haozhi left Xiahou Yu behind again and returned to the room.
Meng Yan reluctantly sat up and smiled at him.
"Don't get up!"
He walked quickly forward and gently placed her back on the pillow.
"Don't make things difficult for them..."
Meng Yan said softly, "This is just my fate..."
"I don't believe in fate!"
Lu Haozhi stared at her with bloodshot eyes, gnashing his teeth as he said, "Meng Yan, I won't let you leave. If you dare to abandon me... I... I will let the entire palace be buried with you!"
The emperor is so majestic that his words can shake the world.
Meng Yan smiled and said, "Why bother?"
Lu Haozhi's face was as cold as steel. "You are my preferred candidate for empress. Now that the Empress is gone, what's the point of keeping them?"
Without Meng Yan, Lu Haozhi would only become a tyrant.
Meng Yan looked at him with lustful eyes, looking at his handsome face like a god, just like what she saw when the veil was lifted on their wedding night.
She wanted to see him one more time...
But a cloud of black fog was spreading...
"Haozhi...this time...I don't want to be a monk..."
Lu Haozhi actually felt that Meng Yan in his arms was falling into a deep sleep. He called out anxiously, "Yan'er... don't sleep... don't fall asleep!"
Empress Dowager Jiang led Princess He'an and stood outside the door and under the window.
Her face was gloomy and she said nothing.
No one knows what the old queen is thinking.
Until the emperor roared in anger from the room, "Xia Hou Yu! Xia Hou Yu!!"
Empress Dowager Jiang suddenly left Princess He An and turned away.
Zang Xiu was startled and hurriedly followed.
The Queen Mother strode all the way back to the small Buddhist temple where she usually chanted scriptures. She walked up to the niche, grabbed the Guanyin statue that she worshipped every day, and threw it hard to the ground.
Fortunately, the Buddha statue was made of gold-plated copper and was not broken.
Zang Xiu was horrified. She had never seen the Queen Mother lose her composure like this.
"Empress Dowager, you..."
Empress Dowager Jiang pointed at the Buddha statue on the ground and said sternly, "I have worshipped you for all these years, but have you ever been effective?! Now... now you want to take my daughter-in-law away too!"
The bronze statue lies on the ground, silent and speechless.
Empress Dowager Jiang's face was filled with sorrow, her orange peel-like face looking even older. She trembled and said, "Why... is it because the late emperor's rebellion was too bloody? Then you... you take the old woman away and leave Yan'er behind! She's still young!"
Zang Xiu felt her eyes filled with sadness and she covered her face, unable to bear to look any longer.
From ancient times to the present, there has been more sorrow and less joy in heaven.
When Xiahou Yu heard the emperor's urgent call, he didn't care about being cautious and hurried into the bedroom.
Meng Yan was seen lying in Lu Haozhi's arms, without a sound.
Lu Haozhi shouted at him, "Come and see how the imperial concubine is doing!"
Xia Houyu stepped forward, felt Meng Yan's pulse, then looked at her eyelids and tongue coating, and blurted out, "Huh?"
Lu Haozhi glared at him, "What?"
Xiahou Yu said, "Your Majesty, don't panic. Although the Empress's pulse is weak, it has not been interrupted. Let me think of a solution."
According to her original pulse condition, she would die if her vital energy was exhausted.
However, although her pulse was weak, it showed no signs of disappearing.
This... is there still hope?
Xiahou Yu was ecstatic.
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