Chapter 188 Arrival
Chen Li hurriedly finished decocting the medicine and rushed back when he heard the Empress's desperate cry in the palace. Her voice was hoarse, yet filled with resentment, like a nightingale crying blood in the night.
Upon hearing clearly who she was calling, Chen Li stumbled and almost spilled the medicine she had prepared.
As soon as she arrived at the palace gate, the people inside rushed in to greet her, panicking: "Physician Chen, quickly look at Her Majesty—Her Majesty is having another nightmare—"
Lan Wu still had silver needles stuck in her body. Mu Jin and Lian Xi had been watching her closely. Seeing that her condition was not right, they quickly held down her hands and feet to prevent the silver needles from falling out or being inserted into the wrong place.
Chen Li quickly stepped forward, took her pulse to observe her condition, and reached out to remove all the silver needles from her body.
He quickly picked up a few silver needles and placed them back on Lan Wu's acupoints.
The effect was obvious; Lan Wu stopped struggling.
Chen Li didn't seem to relax either, and told someone to feed her the bowl of medicine first.
Outside the palace, a fierce wind and torrential rain, thunder and lightning mixed with the downpour, had already thrown everything into chaos.
At the foot of Changyong Mountain, Chu Mingheng rode his horse in the pouring rain without wearing a straw hat, leading his men up the mountain.
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he had a bad feeling about it, especially since today was the day Lan Wu died in his previous life.
The anticipation of meeting Lan Wu gradually subsided, replaced by a strange and inexplicable worry.
This worry drove him to this point without stopping, even as the heavy rain soaked his clothes.
The thunder rolling overhead was deep and oppressive, like the low roar of a giant beast.
The sound of horses' hooves splashed mud and water as they traversed the muddy mountain path, heading uphill.
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"Take off the Empress's clothes and bring the wine!" Chen Li heard Lan Wu's delirious murmurs and really couldn't understand what the Empress was dreaming about that had led to this situation. Her high fever wouldn't go down, and if this continued, she would go crazy from the heat.
Mu Jin and Lian Xi quickly reached out and took off the thin gauze nightgown that Lan Wu was wearing. Following Chen Li's instructions, they soaked a handkerchief in strong liquor, wrung it out, and wiped Lan Wu's body repeatedly.
Yizhen anxiously peered inside from outside, muttering, "What to do, what to do, what to do..."
Lan Wu must not get into trouble.
Even if Lan Wu's sudden situation today has nothing to do with her, she was the one who took Lan Wu out. If something really happens to Lan Wu, she can really commit suicide to atone for her sins.
A strong wind was blowing and heavy rain was falling outside the hall. At this moment, no one dared to open the window for fear of making Lan Wu catch a cold and worsening the situation.
Chen Li instructed the staff to open the windows a crack and leave the doors half-open, allowing air to circulate freely and preventing the hall from becoming stuffy.
After wiping Lan Wu's body several times with a handkerchief soaked in strong liquor, he finally saw her breathing gradually slow down.
Chen Li slightly relaxed, but dared not completely let his guard down.
"Where's the cold water?" she asked, turning around.
The palace maid quickly handed over a handkerchief that had been soaked in cool water.
Chen Li gently placed the handkerchief on Lan Wu's forehead and had someone tie her nightgown up slightly.
"Is this all there is to it?" Everyone quieted down, still glancing worriedly at the person on the bed.
Just as Chen Li was about to speak, his lips moved slightly, when he heard a horse neighing outside the hall.
The sound, mixed in with the rain, should have been inaudible, yet it seemed extremely close, as if the horse had stopped not far outside the palace.
But how could that be? This is the North Courtyard. You should stop riding your horse at the main courtyard. Who would dare to ride into the living quarters of the nobles? Do they have a death wish?
But while they thought that, in reality, the sound was not their imagination at all.
A commotion soon arose outside the hall, and amidst the noise, the hurried sounds of palace servants bowing their heads in greeting could be clearly heard.
Now that the two most distinguished masters of the villa are here, who can the palace servants pay their respects to?
A thought flashed through everyone's minds, and they immediately widened their eyes and became alert.
Before they could confirm, footsteps approached the hall, and at the same time, they heard Princess Yizhen's greetings from outside—
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Chu Mingheng went straight into the inner hall, lifted the curtain and strode inside. He saw several palace maids and female physicians kneeling before him. He remained expressionless and silent as he walked forward to the bedside.
Inside the curtained room, after three months, he finally saw Lan Wu again.
It feels like a lifetime ago.
Lan Wu's current condition is far from good.
"How is the Imperial Concubine?" Chu Mingheng reached out his hand, but then noticed that he was soaked from the rain, so he withdrew his hand and asked in a deep voice.
Chen Li quickly reported Lan Wu's situation to her.
The more Chu Mingheng listened, the more his face darkened.
"I told you all to take good care of the Imperial Concubine, but you all forgot what I said."
"This servant dares not—" Several palace maids immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness.
These are not the important things right now.
Chu Mingheng frowned and asked Chen Li, "When will she wake up?"
Chen Li was also quite embarrassed and could only tell the truth: "Your Majesty is having a nightmare, and the high fever and palpitations are why you haven't woken up yet. Just now, we used strong liquor to wipe Your Majesty's body, and Your Majesty has also taken medicine and had acupuncture. You should wake up after the high fever subsides in a while."
"Is there anything else to do?"
Chen Li was taken aback, realizing that His Majesty wanted him to take care of the Empress, so he said, "There is cool water in the palace, so just change the cloth on the Empress's forehead from time to time."
"If Your Majesty again experiences fright and struggles, or mumbles in your sleep, then Your Majesty should summon me in."
Chu Mingheng nodded slightly, signaling the palace servants to go and prepare hot water and clothes.
Upon hearing this, everyone withdrew, and after a short while, they quickly prepared and brought in what he had requested.
The hall fell silent once more.
Chu Mingheng didn't dare sit by her bedside, afraid that the chill emanating from his body would seep into Lan Wu. Being so close, he first washed his hands to warm them up before reaching out to touch Lan Wu's face.
Even when I gently pinched it, I couldn't see much flesh.
Chu Mingheng gritted his teeth, thinking to himself that Lan Wu had indeed lost some weight.
"You little rascal, you came here specifically to torment me."
She stirred up his heart and made him worry and miss her. Now that he had finally made it through three months and they could see each other again, she wouldn't even open her eyes to look at him.
"Awu, be good, I've come to get you. Open your eyes and look at me, okay?"
Inside the brightly lit hall, Chu Mingheng's gaze was deep and dark, like a bottomless ancient well, where one could only see the still, deep water.
He reached out and removed the cloth from Lan Wu's forehead, soaked it in cool water, wrung it out, and put it back on her.
He leaned down gently and pressed his cool lips against Lan Wu's lips, giving her a light kiss.
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