Chapter 81: Attending to the Sick
Meng Yan came back to her senses, put the water bottle aside, turned around and said calmly, "Sudden heart palpitations? The emperor has always been in good health, how could he suddenly become ill?"
Lu Haozhi has been practicing martial arts since he was young and has a strong physique. In his previous life, he had almost never suffered from any illness, let alone heart palpitations.
As expected, Your Majesty still cares about the Emperor, right?
Ruizhu thought to herself and replied, "The other servants don't know either, but early this morning, Eunuch Rong'an sent Xiao Tang to Changchun Palace to report that the emperor had a heart attack last night."
Meng Yan sat on a jujube wood armchair at the side, and after a while she asked again, "Since we've invited the imperial physician Xiahou, what did he say?"
Ruizhu replied, "Your Majesty, it seems that the imperial physician Xiahou couldn't diagnose any symptoms. He only said that perhaps the emperor was too tired recently."
Xia Houyu couldn't diagnose the disease either? This was rather strange.
The Xiahou family is no less proficient in medical research than the Ning family, and Xiahou Yu is known as the leader of the younger generation. Otherwise, he would not have been recruited by the Zhou Dynasty royal family.
Even he couldn't tell what kind of difficult and complicated disease it was.
Ruizhu observed her expression and said tentatively, "Your Majesty, Xiao Tang sent a message saying that Eunuch Rong'an asked Your Majesty to come to the Yangxin Palace to see the Emperor."
Meng Yan remained silent.
I came to Baohua Palace to avoid him.
In less than a day, this incident happened.
According to the rules, as a noble concubine, she should go and enter the Yangxin Palace to take care of the patient.
But why did Rong An come here specially to invite us?
She thought for a moment and asked, "Has anyone else gone?"
Ruizhu replied, "Concubine Liang is still in the imperial palace and cannot go. Concubine Xian, Concubine Yun, and Concubine Zhao have already rushed there upon hearing the news. The rest are of too low a rank and do not need to go."
Meng Yan nodded slightly. If that was the case, she probably wouldn't be too conspicuous if she went there.
Lu Haozhi was ill and probably didn't have the energy to bother her.
At that moment, Meng Yan first went back to Changchun Palace, changed her clothes, and then went to the Yangxin Palace.
As soon as he arrived outside the Yangxin Palace, he saw a sedan chair carried by three people parked at the foot of the stairs.
Meng Yan took a quick glance and knew that they were Concubine Xian, Concubine Yun and Concubine Zhao.
Rong An had been looking out from outside the hall, his neck stretched longer than a goose's. As soon as he saw her coming, he hurried over to greet her.
"Your Highness, you are finally here!"
Meng Yan responded and casually asked, "How is the emperor? Why did he suddenly fall ill?"
Rong An then recounted the events of last night in detail, adding, "Your Majesty, don't blame me for being nosy. The Emperor has been working on government affairs lately, working all night and night, and he's been incredibly busy. Last night, the Emperor spoke many heartfelt words to me, and every word was full of concern for you. Your Majesty..."
"Eunuch Rong," Meng Yan interrupted him and asked again, "How is the emperor's current condition?"
Rong An sighed inwardly and could only reply, "The Emperor's illness was sudden, but fortunately he rested for a night and took the tranquilizing and nourishing soup prescribed by Imperial Physician Xiahou, so he's awake now."
As she spoke, Meng Yan had already walked outside the Yangxin Palace.
As soon as she walked out of the door, she saw Concubine Xian Ren Shuyi, Concubine Yun, and Concubine Zhao coming out one after another.
When they saw her, the three of them looked slightly embarrassed.
The virtuous concubine Ren Shuyi has always been in poor health. She is recuperating in Jingyang Palace and rarely goes out. She can only be seen a few times throughout the year at the New Year banquets.
She had a long face, a medium height, and a beautiful face. Although it was spring, she was still wearing an autumn-colored jacket, and the smile on her face was a little frivolous.
"Sister Imperial Concubine is here. The Emperor is waiting for you inside. Come in quickly."
Meng Yan was slightly startled. "According to the rules, isn't it the responsibility of the six concubines to attend to the emperor's illness? Why are you guys here?"
After saying this, Ren Shuyi was fine, but the other two people became even more embarrassed.
Concubine Zhao spoke directly, "If we had known that the Imperial Concubine was coming, we wouldn't have come. The Emperor was disgusted by us sisters and said he couldn't bear to see other people's faces even when he was sick. He sent us all away and waited wholeheartedly for the Imperial Concubine!"
Her words were full of sarcasm and her tone was so harsh that Concubine Yun beside her even moved a little further away from her.
Ruizhu raised her eyebrows and wanted to scold immediately.
This noble lady Zhao, who has been out of favor for many years and has a low status, actually dares to speak to her master like this!
Meng Yan said calmly, "The Emperor is ill, and Concubine Zhao dared to make such a loud noise in front of the Yangxin Palace. Isn't she afraid of disturbing the Emperor's recovery? Kneel down there for an hour, reflect on your mistakes, and try to change your impulsive temper."
After saying that, she no longer paid attention to the rest of the people and stepped over the threshold.
Zhao Chunfang, Liang Chengbi's lackey, usually walked close to the wall when he saw her, but now he dared to bark at her.
It seems that she has been too kind these days.
Ren Shuyi smiled and also took the palace maid's hand and left. She never asked about the right and wrong in the palace.
Yunpin was afraid of being implicated by her, so she slipped away in a flash.
Zhao Chunfang was the only one left. Seeing Rong An's arrogant look, she had no choice but to kneel down on the steps as punishment.
Ren Shuyi got on the sedan chair and went to Jingyang Palace.
The attendant maid, Hongyu, said, "Your Majesty, I heard rumors in the palace that the Imperial Concubine has changed her temper lately and is no longer as arrogant as before. But seeing her today, it turns out that rumors are misplaced. She's still the same. In your presence, she punished Concubine Zhao without even asking a single question. She's truly arrogant."
Ren Shuyi leaned back in her chair and said calmly, "Noble, virtuous, virtuous, and virtuous—she's the leader of the Four Concubines. It's not my place to interfere in who gets punished. Besides, the Emperor favors her, so she has every reason to be arrogant." Before she finished her words, she glanced at Hongyu, "Do you think Concubine Zhao suddenly got carried away and contradicted Concubine Meng? She wanted Concubine Meng to punish her in front of me, so that I would think Concubine Meng didn't take me seriously and stir up feud between Changchun Palace and Jingyang Palace. It's like Concubine Liang is benefiting from the quarrel between the snipe and the clam. What a good dog! Even at this time, she's still wholeheartedly helping Concubine Liang recover."
Hongyu stammered, "Your Highness is very discerning and wise, and wouldn't fall into anyone's trap. But I still feel sorry for you. You dragged your sick body here to serve, but the Emperor didn't even glance at you. He just told you to return to the palace and rest. In the entire harem, Concubine Meng is not the only one who is the Emperor's concubine."
Ren Shuyi was speechless for a long time before she laughed at herself, "Perhaps the Emperor doesn't think so."
Meng Yan entered the Yangxin Palace and indeed felt that the smell of medicine was very strong in the palace.
She frowned slightly, Lu Haozhi was really sick.
Walking lightly into the inner hall, I saw the monarch lying on the bed, his eyes tightly closed, breathing deeply, as if he had fallen asleep.
There was a hint of paleness on Lu Haozhi's handsome face. It was obvious that the sudden illness last night had tormented him badly.
His thick black eyebrows relaxed, and his watery lips were lightly pursed into a line. The sleeping Lu Haozhi had lost his former domineering aura and looked like an ordinary young man.
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