Illusion (Part 3)
On the second, third, and fourth days, Zhong Sanxue did not attend court. When he awoke, five days had passed.
"My lord! My lord has woken up! Quickly, call the physician!" It was the voice of Xiaolin, Zhong Sanxue's personal maid.
The physician arrived, took Zhong Sanxue's pulse, and asked, "Sir, have you eaten anything highly toxic or suspicious recently?"
Zhong Sanxue shook her head, her face pale. The doctor continued, "In any case, please do not eat anything of unknown origin. Your health has already taken a toll, and it may not be able to be cured in a short time."
Zhong Sanxue nodded and smiled as she instructed the maid to see the physician off.
"My lord, His Highness the Crown Prince has sent many precious medicinal herbs, which have already been placed in the storeroom. Now that you are awake, should we send someone to inform His Highness the Crown Prince?" the maid asked while feeding him the medicine.
Zhong Sanxue nodded: "Go ahead, just tell him I'll go see him once I'm feeling better." Thinking of Lan Yu always made Zhong Sanxue feel a little better.
A knock came from outside the window. Zhong Sanxue went to open the window: "You've come." She smiled gently, but her smile was tinged with exhaustion.
Xiao Zhu climbed in through the window. Zhong Sanxue sat at the table and poured him a cup of tea. Xiao Zhu sat opposite Zhong Sanxue, took a sip with both hands, and didn't look up at Zhong Sanxue. Zhong Sanxue also took a sip of tea, moistening his mouth: "You haven't eaten, have you?" Before he fainted, Zhong Sanxue hadn't had time to notify his personal attendant to bring him food.
Zhong Sanxue coughed twice, and Xiaozhu looked up with concern: "Are you... feeling better?"
Zhong Sanxue didn't answer, but asked bluntly, "What's your decision?"
Xiao Zhu hesitated, "Can I...see you often when I go back?"
Zhong Sanxue was somewhat surprised: "I can't guarantee it, but as long as I live, I won't let you die."
Inside the hall, Zhong Sanxue knelt with her head bowed. Emperor Yuan, seated high on the throne, kept his eyes closed, listening to Dao Xiu chanting scriptures beside him. After one recitation of the scriptures, Zhong Sanxue was summoned to Emperor Yuan's side.
"Huaizhi, I heard that you have been suffering from a high fever and coughing up blood since you fell ill. I am heartbroken!" Emperor Yuan placed his hand on Zhong Sanxue's shoulder and patted it gently. "As the Crown Prince's tutor, you are an indispensable teacher to the Crown Prince..." Emperor Yuan did not continue.
Zhong Sanxue trembled slightly: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am but a firefly, and I am now ill. It is truly inappropriate for me to serve by the Crown Prince's side. I request permission to resign and ask Your Majesty to grant me a sinecure so that I may return home to recuperate."
Emperor Yuan chuckled twice: "Look at you, I personally promised you the position of Grand Tutor. If I were to dismiss you from your post simply because of illness, it would be heartless of me. Besides, Huaizhi and the Crown Prince have a deep friendship, and we must not let the Crown Prince be saddened, must we? Since you are so modest, then you can be like a firefly in a pouch, serving as a light in the tent!"
Zhong Sanxue breathed a sigh of relief, but his back was covered in sweat: "Your Majesty's great favor, this humble subject obeys the decree."
The Zhong family has a clean reputation for generations. Their only transgression was choosing the second prince over the fourth prince in the struggle between the two princes. My father was honest, hardworking, and loyal to the world. But he is different. How this man relied on his sister and the Zhong family to ascend the throne, yet now he wants to overthrow the Zhong family. His incompetence and his superstitious belief in immortality are all part of the Zhong family's carefully laid plans. Whoever is trying to change the course of events behind the scenes, as long as we can bring down this man now and help Lan Yu ascend the throne, what does it matter if we perish together?
In the thirty-seventh year of the Spring and Autumn Period, Emperor Yuan became obsessed with cultivating immortality and no longer held morning court sessions, leaving all state affairs to Prince Yong.
The gauze curtains hung to the ground, dappled shadows of the trees swayed, and under the shimmering gold of the blazing sun, I caught sight of a figure sitting behind the gauze curtains.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Grand Tutor Zhong, please rise." His voice was somewhat weak.
Zhong Sanxue stood behind the curtain: "How has Your Highness been lately?"
Lan Yu paused for a second: "Everything is fine, Grand Tutor, please begin."
......
"All living beings with blood and breath have a competitive spirit; therefore, profit should not be pursued relentlessly, and righteousness should be the ultimate sovereign right..."
Zhong Sanxue paused for a moment without speaking. Seeing the person behind the curtain move slightly, she frowned and continued, "Righteousness is the foundation of profit."
Lan Yu didn't look up. Zhong Sanxue reached out to open the curtain, then hesitated and stopped. Lan Yu was usually very focused during lectures, but today she not only didn't ask any questions, she barely even looked up. Zhong Sanxue was very worried and finally asked, "Lan Yu, is something bothering you?"
The person behind the curtain trembled for a moment, then shook his head: "Class is over. Lan Yu has been impolite, so I won't see the Grand Tutor off."
What is this? It's one thing to talk about others, but he is Lan Yu. For Zhong Huaizhi, this unusual behavior is not a sign of being driven away, but a plea for help.
Zhong Sanxue waved his hand and lifted the curtain to enter the room. Lan Yu looked up in surprise, as if she hadn't expected him to barge in.
"Grand...Grand Tutor? You...you..." Lan Yu was so shocked that she couldn't close her mouth for a moment. The reason Lan Yu was surprised was because Zhong Sanxue was a person who knew proper etiquette. From the royal family to the common people, this act of lifting the curtain and entering was undoubtedly overstepping the bounds, it was...presumption.
Reflecting on her current state, Lan Yu quickly lowered her head and hissed, "Zhong Huaizhi! How dare you!"
The person encircled him, and the rich scent of apricots filled his nostrils. His world seemed to bloom, just like when he first met him that year, with tender golden willow leaves and the fragrance of white pear blossoms.
He was trembling, though it was a faint tremor, Lan Yu could still feel it.
"What...what happened? What happened?" The barely perceptible sobs pounded into Lan Yu's heart.
He suddenly recalled a time when he had offended his father, the Emperor, by causing his mother's serious illness. He had knelt on the white jade steps for an hour, while the court officials stood frozen, pleading for mercy, but his beloved Grand Tutor remained silent. After the court session, he did not, like the other officials, urge the Emperor to show leniency. His father sat alone in the high hall, looking down at the Crown Prince. Only after the court officials had all dispersed did that figure slowly move forward.
"Your Majesty, I beg you to punish me. As the Crown Prince's tutor, I have failed to fulfill my duty to properly instruct His Highness on his words and conduct. I deserve to be punished." His back was hunched and thin, and he bowed his head obediently.
"Hmph, what a deep bond between uncle and nephew. That's enough for today. The Crown Prince's behavior is inappropriate; he shall be confined for three days. Zhong Sanxue, as the Crown Prince's tutor, has failed in his duty of instruction; he shall be punished with ten strokes of the cane."
Lan Yu was about to speak when she was interrupted.
"Your humble servant accepts the punishment and kowtows to express gratitude for Your Majesty's grace."
After that, Zhong Sanxue recuperated for half a month before coming to the East Palace, smiling as beautifully as a blooming flower: "Your Highness, does your knee still hurt?" The fragrance was intoxicating, and the willow catkins flew away.
………
Lan Yu had lost a lot of weight, her face was sallow, and she knelt properly, looking up at Zhong Sanxue in surprise. She saw the stubbornness and resilience of a sixteen-year-old girl, but her eyes were bloodshot and her eyes were dark. She looked haggard, just like her sister lying in the coffin, the sister who had hardly spoken a word since becoming empress. At that moment, Zhong Sanxue felt that Lan Yu was also about to die, her petals withering and decaying.
Lan Yu had no time to explain: "Huai Zhi! You should go!"
Zhong Sanxue gently cupped his face, as if she hadn't heard him: "What's wrong? Huh?" Her previous elegance was gone, and she was almost on the verge of losing control. In recent years, seeing that the person on the throne was nearing the end of his life, and that the Prince of Yong had risen to power, seemingly controlling her every move and secretly fighting her to the death, and that her father's ineffective supervision at the border made it difficult to appease the people, he had been too hasty in his plans, and had even neglected Lan Yu.
Xiaoju hesitated for a moment, then bowed her head and entered the hall to report: "Your Highness, Eunuch Liu has arrived."
Eunuch Liu was the new chief steward who replaced Eunuch Wang. Eunuch Wang was demoted from the palace and banished from the imperial city for his improper service to the emperor.
Lan Yu hurriedly pushed Zhong Sanxue out of the curtain. Zhong Sanxue was caught off guard and asked in a daze, "What is Liu Gui doing here?"
"Oh~ Lord Zhong hasn't left yet?" The newcomer's face was all smiles, like a mask, as he held a small box in his hands. How could Zhong Sanxue not remember that thing? It was the Emperor Yuan's "royal favor," and the elixir that cultivator had refined!
If he had been holding his breath, now that string had snapped completely. He strode forward, snatched the box, and slammed it to the ground: "Are you all insane?! Have you all gone mad?!"
Eunuch Liu stumbled two steps and was supported by the young eunuch behind him. He adjusted his official hat and said in a flustered manner, "This is a top-grade elixir bestowed by His Majesty. Why is Lord Zhong making things difficult for this servant?"
Just as Zhong Sanxue was about to lash out in anger, a hand grabbed his wrist. The man stepped forward and bowed to Eunuch Liu: "Grand Tutor Zhong has only just recovered from his illness and has not yet fully recovered. I spoke to Grand Tutor Zhong in a disrespectful manner earlier, and he was in a bad mood. I hope you will forgive me, Eunuch Liu."
Eunuch Liu straightened his clothes smugly and took the box from the little eunuch: "Your Highness, you flatter me. I know Lord Zhong is a good person. But this elixir is precious. Lord Zhong had some before, sharing the good fortune with the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Why did you get angry? If the Emperor blames you, it will be this servant who will be punished."
Lan Yu took the box, picked up the pill, and swallowed it. Only then did Eunuch Liu leave, satisfied. Zhong Sanxue immediately stepped forward, pinched Lan Yu's chin, and tried to reach in to press down on the base of Lan Yu's tongue. Lan Yu obediently opened her mouth, spat out the pill from under her tongue, and smiled mischievously.
Zhong Sanxue immediately deflated and slumped to the ground. Lan Yu squatted down and noticed that Zhong Sanxue's eyes were wet: "It's alright, Huaizhi."
There was another sound of footsteps in the outer corridor. Zhong Sanxue slowly stood up, bowed her head and said, "The attendants have arrived. This humble official will take her leave."
Zhong Sanxue's mind was heavy, and every step felt like treading on deep snow. Lan Yu already knew there was something wrong with the medicine. He was clever and knew that he had taken it obediently before to avoid arousing suspicion, so his body had to suffer some harm.
Emperor Yuan and Prince Yong didn't dismiss him from his post, so they wanted to show him this? Heh. They really went all out. Zhong Sanxue clenched her fists, feeling a lump in her throat, and even felt dizzy. She only felt slightly better after being helped into the carriage by her attendants.
Zhong Sanxue returned to the Prime Minister's residence. As soon as she stepped into her father's inner courtyard, a familiar figure emerged, being wheeled out. Dressed in a magnificent purple robe, with hair flowing over her shoulders, the person was bidding farewell to the Prime Minister.
Zhong Sanxue was stunned.
"Lord Zhong is back?" Prince Yong was also stunned for a moment.
Zhong Sanxue nodded: "Greetings, Prince Yong." Then she looked into the house.
Prince Yong raised an eyebrow, gesturing for the attendant to continue: "No need for formalities, the Prime Minister is inside, go quickly."
When Zhong Sanxue entered, he saw his father painting a landscape. He stepped forward, rolled up his sleeves, and began grinding the inkstone: "Father, why did you allow Prince Yong to enter the mansion?"
The Prime Minister finished writing with a stroke of his brush, looking completely at ease: "How is Huai Zhi's health recovering?"
Zhong Sanxue lowered his eyes: "Thank you for your concern, Father. Everything is fine." He was somewhat impatient, feeling as if something was lurking behind a thin membrane, neither receding nor breaking through, making it hard for him to breathe: "Father, Yong..."
The Prime Minister interrupted him: "Huaizhi, let's just be good subjects and we'll be safe from any harm."
Zhong Sanxue felt stifled and furious, and pondered silently.
Indeed, he was the youngest son, pampered by his older sister and parents since childhood, getting whatever he wanted. He was always immersed in the praise and congratulations of others, and believed that he would definitely succeed. Little did he know that he was like a frog being slowly boiled in water. When he felt the pain, he realized that he was in deep trouble.
Looking up, she saw her father admiring a finished painting on the table. What was that densely packed painting? It looked more like a bunch of tiny eyes. Zhong Sanxue looked away without paying any attention.
Zhong Sanxue bid farewell to her father and walked out of the mansion with a gloomy expression, still troubled by what her father had said.
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