What is the truth?
Qiu Baiji placed his five fingers on the golden brocade handkerchief, his brows furrowed in a solemn and serious expression. He thought to himself, "This illness is quite strange."
The pulse is weak and feeble, indicating a possible decline, but apart from that, there is no trace of any lesion to be found. It is like a pot of water that looks like it is boiling hot, but when you touch it, it is still lukewarm.
Qiu Baekje loosened his fingers, carefully "returning" the hand behind the curtain, and then bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, I dare to ask you to stick out your tongue for a look."
The emperor was unwell, so all the palace maids and eunuchs in the palace were withdrawn to wait outside the hall, leaving only Qiu Baekje and an old eunuch in attendance.
The hall was already very quiet, and after these words were spoken, it became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Jingquan, who had accompanied the emperor for many years, waited to the side, craning his neck to look over, but he held his breath and dared not breathe.
A moment later, the hand that had just been put down reached out again and parted the golden dragon-patterned curtain.
Qiu Baiji quickly stepped forward and took a look: "Your Majesty's tongue is thin and the coating is white, which should be due to deficiency of both qi and blood, and obstruction by dampness. I will prescribe a few prescriptions for conditioning, please take them every day at 5 pm."
"Your Majesty should pay extra attention to your diet these days. Avoid raw, cold, and spicy foods, and refrain from eating onions and garlic."
"Yes, this servant has noted it down," replied Eunuch Jingquan.
The emperor behind the curtain spoke slowly, his voice tired and hoarse but steady, as dignified and composed as ever, "Just tell me when this illness will be cured?"
"Your Majesty's pulse appears weak and slow, but there are no signs of illness. He needs proper care and cannot be rushed."
The emperor on the couch did not speak. Qiu Baekje, feeling uneasy, bowed deeply again and said, "Your Majesty, my knowledge is insufficient to diagnose the illness. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"
As soon as the words were spoken, Eunuch Jingquan also knelt down, fearing that the emperor would punish him in his rage.
After a long while, a sigh came from behind the curtain.
Over the past twenty years, Qiu Baekje had examined the emperor's pulse countless times, yet he remained unaccustomed to it and dared not be arrogant. People often say, "Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger," for no one dared to presume to fathom the emperor's thoughts. An emperor's word was law; a mere gesture could overturn his life and fortune. This is why those who served before the emperor were always so cautious.
But the shame of the people of Baekje did not stop there. This was because the emperor was the ruler of the country. The health of the monarch was not only a matter for the person in power, but also related to the stability of the country and the livelihood of the people.
Therefore, he never dared to be careless or perfunctory.
Qiu Baekje dared not probe whether the emperor's sigh stemmed from disappointment in his medical skills as the chief physician, dissatisfaction with his own health, or some other reason. He simply lowered his head even further.
That aged hand reached out from under the bed curtains once more, waving weakly, "I'm tired, you may leave."
Qiu Baekje kowtowed heavily, saying, "Your humble servant takes his leave."
As Qiu Baekje left Shou'an Palace, he hadn't quite let out a sigh of relief when he spotted another figure in the distance, dressed in a dark white brocade robe with gold trim, exuding unparalleled nobility. He stepped aside, making way for the palace, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Provost Qiu." Gu Shuan nodded in greeting, his humble demeanor seemingly genuine, yet without a trace of subservience, instead displaying composure and steadiness.
Qiu Baiji couldn't help but glance at him a few more times, thinking to himself, "This is indeed the person my daughter has been longing for."
The previous incident had caused quite a stir throughout Mingzhou City. Gu Shu'an's deep hatred for Qiu Qingye had become common knowledge. However, the Crown Prince himself did not show any resentment towards his father, a court official who had failed to properly discipline his daughter. Or perhaps he did, but he never showed his emotions, making it impossible for anyone to detect anything amiss.
Qiu Qing had always harbored a secret love for him. Given his status as the Crown Prince, Qiu Baekje could not voice any dissent, but deep down he did not approve of it.
Even though Gu Shuan was of noble birth, and no other young man in Mingzhou could surpass him in terms of wealth, ability, character, or appearance, he still refused.
Marrying the crown prince means there's no escaping the power struggles. If you lose your side, it's all history. Even if Gu Shuan successfully ascends the throne, he'll still have plenty of concubines—at least three hundred, if not three thousand.
Although he and his wife were not able to be monogamous for life, their relationship was still considered a beautiful story of unwavering devotion in Mingzhou City.
The crown prince is now at the age between adolescence and youth, a time when he should be carefree and unrestrained, but he has long lost all his immaturity. Long-term immersion in power has caused his imperial aura to appear prematurely.
It's hard for someone like that to truly care about a woman. Besides, he had no interest in Qiu Qing to begin with.
Even though Qiu Qingye was spoiled and domineering, she was still his beloved daughter, whom Qiu Baiji cherished dearly. Qiu Baiji would never bear to let her suffer even the slightest grievance.
Even becoming a future imperial concubine would be a humiliation for Qingye.
Thinking about it this way, it's not so bad that she can marry into the Yong'an Marquis's family. Although that Xie family boy seems a bit idle and eccentric, he is not a heartless person. At least he can give Qingye the position of a principal wife.
He hadn't initially thought much of Xie Chouzhi's idea, but now, looking back, he felt a bit satisfied.
"Does Your Excellency have anything else to discuss?" Gu Shuan asked when he saw that he hadn't moved for a long time.
"...I have nothing to report." Qiu Baekje gestured for him to enter. "Your Highness, please."
Gu Shuan nodded and left.
The emperor is over fifty years old and has been feeling increasingly tired lately. However, even Qiu Baekje cannot see any illness in him. Perhaps he is just worrying.
Thinking this, Emperor Zhaowen lay down on his dragon bed and dozed off.
In a daze, he was unaware of the time, feeling as if he had been trapped for years, yet also as if it had only been a moment. He was jolted awake when he heard Jingquan's deliberately lowered voice.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"
"...What is it?"
The emperor's voice was hoarse from just waking up, which made Eunuch Jingquan secretly regretful—he had actually disturbed the emperor's peaceful sleep, and he truly deserved to die.
But this was not the time to confess. He continued in a lower voice, "Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived and is waiting outside the palace. You see..."
"Let him in."
...
"Your subject greets Your Majesty."
Just as Gu Shuan was bowing and kowtowing, Eunuch Jingquan had already set up the emperor's bed curtains.
Emperor Zhaowen looked past Jingquan's hunched back and coldly surveyed the kneeling crown prince, whom he had placed high hopes on and appointed early on.
This child is very much like him: cold-blooded, ruthless, and frighteningly calm, yet even more stubborn than himself.
He recently received a report from a spy that since the Zhan family's daughter returned to the capital, the Crown Prince had been making some underhanded moves behind his back.
This shouldn't have happened, but it wasn't the first time. Whenever the Zhan family is involved, even the usually most impartial and composed Crown Prince can easily lose his composure.
The figure lying prostrate on the ground remained motionless, as if he would not rise again until he spoke.
Perhaps due to his weakness from illness, he softened when he saw Gu Shuan kneeling on the ground.
That's enough.
The emperor may be ruthless, but when Emperor Zhaowen looked back on most of his life, he felt that he had been too lonely.
In the imperial court, there was naturally no sincerity whatsoever. And outside the court, even with over a hundred concubines in the harem, not one of them was truly devoted to him. The only one who could be considered his devoted wife, the empress, had already passed away long ago.
After decades of this, he was indeed exhausted.
As for Gu Shuan's affair with the Zhan family woman, I'll just turn a blind eye to it.
He wasn't unaware that there might be more to the story of the Zhan family back then, but he simply didn't want to delve into it. Sometimes, a little ignorance is more advantageous.
However, indulgence does not equate to approval. He needs to let this child know that under imperial power, everyone is but an ant.
"you……"
"Your subject is guilty—" Gu Shuan interrupted.
To interrupt the emperor is the most dangerous thing in the world, and even the crown prince is no exception, yet he has no choice but to do it.
The emperor's tone revealed displeasure: "What crime have you committed?"
"Your Majesty, I have acted inappropriately recently."
Why is it inappropriate?
Gu Shuan'an's tone was hesitant, as if he was thinking about it, or as if he was still afraid. "Some past events weigh on my mind, and I cannot sleep at night. I am plagued by nightmares all day long... I dream that the banners are stained with blood, and white bones are piled up under the banners. Loyal ministers are wronged."
Emperor Zhaowen scoffed coldly, amused that he had actually believed the emperor was genuinely repentant this time. "You knew your actions were wrong, yet you did them anyway, and now you're spouting this hindsight advice. Do you think the emperor's authority is easily swayed, or are you certain that I won't punish you?!"
The emperor was furious, his eyes red with rage, which caused him to cough violently. Jingquan, both alarmed and frightened, stepped forward to soothe the emperor's chest.
Gu Shuan's eyelashes trembled, and a thought stirred within him. His father only reprimanded him for acting first and reporting later, but did not refute the claim of "a loyal minister being wronged." Was it because he actually knew that there was something fishy about what happened back then?
Otherwise, why would they repeatedly avoid mentioning the Zhan family's rebellion?
Though it was utterly rebellious, we still had to press them. Gu Shu'an bowed again: "Father, when Zhan Qihong died in battle beyond the Great Wall, the Dali Temple only found a few seditious letters before hastily closing the case. The truth is still unknown. Perhaps—"
"Silence!" The emperor's face flushed red, and after a moment he continued, "There's no need to discuss this further. Is the truth more important than imperial power?"
Gu Shuan seemed genuinely puzzled and countered, "If even the truth cannot be revealed to the world, wouldn't an imperial power built on falsehood be as precarious as a pile of eggs?"
Emperor Zhaowen shook his head and remained silent. Gu Shuan was too fixated on so-called truth and justice, which reminded him of someone—people like them wouldn't last long. He suddenly asked, "How old is the young man from the Yong'an Marquis's mansion this year?"
Gu Shuan was taken aback, wondering why the topic had suddenly shifted to this point, but still answered, "I'm already 18."
You're 18 already...
"Go and see how he performs. If he is capable of handling important matters, then allow him to inherit the title of Marquis."
"yes."
Emperor Zhaowen then said, "Draft another decree. The Qixi Festival is in a month. Order the Sixth Prince, Gu Shuzhang, to prepare for the palace banquet."
Gu Shuan raised his eyes slightly, but just as his gaze was about to fall on the bright yellow hem of the robe, he suddenly lowered his eyelashes and obediently said, "Your subject obeys."
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