Chapter 448 Hu Shanxiang 39
Since that day and night talk, for nearly a month, the prince still ordered the six ministries to discuss matters with the Eastern Palace. The rotation of guards proposed by the Three Yangs was continued, but it was not concealed from the emperor.
The news of his serious illness reached the emperor in the form of a secret memorial. Zhu Di hesitated again and again. After reading the pulse case presented by the Imperial Hospital and listening to the explanation of the accompanying military doctor, he still did not let Zhu Zhanji return to Beijing immediately.
The war had reached a critical juncture, and Zhu Di had many thoughts in mind, though he couldn't bring himself to express them. Unfortunately, the crown prince was young and not very composed, and recently, having spent so much time on the battlefield, he had become increasingly aggressive.
Zhu Di wanted a wise and brave grandson, not a Han king who was fond of showing off his power. So he tried to suppress him, planning to keep him in the vanguard camp for two more battles, and then send him back when the fighting subsided and he could free up his hands to suppress his two sons.
Unexpectedly, the battle at the Three Gorges Pass was so horrific. Zhu Zhanji fought to exhaustion, with two holes stabbed in his body and his head hit by a heavy hammer. Fortunately, the fish-shaped jade pendant on his chest blocked the fatal blow.
After experiencing great terror, Zhu Zhanji's whole body felt as if it had disappeared without a trace. He stood there as if all the makeup had been washed away, like a precious sword about to be unsheathed.
While Zhu Di was comforting him, he was also quite scared. Finally, he showed his tender side in front of this grandson and immediately transferred the prince back to the central military camp, leaving him alone with him.
On the night he told the crown prince that the prince was seriously ill, Hu Shanxiang presented the prepared medicine to the prince and read him the letter from Zhu Zhanji.
Under the dual stimulation of the medicine and the shock of his heart, the prince vomited blood and fainted on the spot, and it seemed that he was on his deathbed.
At night, in the bedroom of the East Palace.
"You mean the Crown Prince... I'm afraid he won't live for many days!"
Zhang's hands were cold and clammy, tears streaming down her face. Ruo Wei supported her, and Hu Shanxiang, holding Zhang's hands, looked at the imperial physician kneeling on the ground, "Is the Crown Prince in such critical condition?"
“…It’s just a matter of time.”
The dry voice of Imperial Physician Mo was no more relaxed than that of anyone else present. The Crown Prince's life was in danger, and if things went wrong, the whole city would be in an uproar, and he might not be able to get out of this situation.
These four words seemed to strangle the Crown Princess' throat. She gasped for a long time but was unable to utter a word. She was in a trance.
"Mr. Mo, the room next to the Crown Prince has been cleaned up. Please do your best to protect the Crown Prince no matter what. Our family will be very grateful." Hu Shanxiang bowed deeply to the imperial physician, and then ordered someone to send the imperial physician to the side hall.
Before the Crown Princess could react, she ordered all the palace servants present to retreat, leaving only Ruo Wei and Si Luo by her side. Then she launched a series of attacks, which made the Crown Princess dizzy:
"This matter must be told to the Emperor and the Crown Prince, but other than that, the King of Han and the King of Zhao must not know about it." Hu Shanxiang slowly sat down, took the Crown Princess's hand and said in a deep voice:
"No one knows how many of their secret agents we have around us, but Wu was recommended by the King of Han, and in these critical times, we have no choice but to let her go. Furthermore, the Crown Prince is now unconscious. If we want to keep this a secret from the six officials, we need to inform Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu. They are all dedicated to serving the country and can be trusted. However, it's not easy for my daughter-in-law to come forward on these two matters, so I'll have to trouble you to handle them personally."
"Other than that, everything must remain normal to the outside world. No one should notice anything is amiss. We must wait until the Crown Prince returns."
Hu Shanxiang spoke faster and faster, like a sword unsheathed. "Siluo, the Emperor has never concealed your identity from me. Today, I only want to ask one question: Is it possible for the Jinyiwei to pass the secret report about me around without getting past Prince Zhao?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the Crown Princess, Ruo Wei and Si Luo herself were all shocked by the news.
The hall was eerily quiet for a moment.
a long time……
"Your news has never reached more than four people. I am responsible for recording it, and another person is responsible for delivering it every month. The leader will then present it to the emperor. The news is passed up one level after another, and not even the King of Zhao can know it."
Si Luo was no longer the weak and taciturn girl she used to be. Her gentle voice lacked the timidity she had pretended to have, and it actually sounded profound.
"Alright, I will write a letter immediately, and you will report this to the Emperor along with the Crown Prince's critical condition. The future of the Ming Dynasty rests entirely in your hands."
Hu Shanxiang gave Ruo Wei a look, and she had already taken the brush and ink. Everyone tacitly looked away, but after a moment, Shanxiang said, "Okay."
She took off the thin piece of letter paper and the jade pendant from her waist and handed them to Si Luo: "Be careful, you must be quick, we are fighting for our lives now."
"yes."
Si Luo knew that this was against the rules. How could a secret guard in charge of surveillance deliver a letter to the emperor on behalf of the person being monitored?
but……
Si Luo looked at the letter and token in her hand, watched the Crown Princess bow deeply to her, and looked around. Although she was in the depths of the wealthy and comfortable imperial palace, she felt a sense of precariousness.
Although she was just a low-level informant and secret agent, because she was at the bottom of the society and was used to the darkness, she was the first to smell the disgusting smell of blood.
Si Luo did not understand the situation, and could not tell who would be better as emperor in the future.
She just instinctively made the choice to follow her heart.
Hu Shanxiang watched her leave the hall, then slumped back in her chair, feeling as if her bones had been pulled out. The Crown Princess looked at her with surprise, for she had sensed a turning point in her words, but for a moment she didn't know how to ask.
"Mom, don't ask anything now. I just asked you to take care of everything. You are the backbone of the family now, so you must not make any mistakes. And..."
"What else? What else is there?!" The Crown Princess suddenly became nervous and hurriedly held her hand: "No, Shanxiang, why don't you do it? I don't understand these things!"
Shanxiang smiled bitterly and shook her head: "I'm afraid it won't work. Don't be afraid, mother. I think... I'm about to give birth."
"ah?"
"What?"
The two screams could not be suppressed at all, and Ruo Wei's heart was immediately in chaos. The moment she lowered her head, she met the Crown Princess's even more panicked eyes, and her heart calmed down instead.
"I'll find someone to carry you away right now. The delivery room has already been cleaned up. I'll notify the midwife and the imperial physician immediately and ask Jinxiu to bring the patient over."
Hu Shanxiang nodded, comforted the Crown Princess with a few words, and then was taken away by the crowd.
Zhang sat there for a long time before she realized that there was blood on the chair opposite her.
"This kid... hmm... actually managed to hold on until now..."
Zhang covered her mouth tightly with her sleeve, feeling that this was the most absurd nightmare in her life.
"Someone, go inform Hu Shangyi and tell her to protect the Crown Prince's Consort and make sure they are safe."
Wiping away her tears, the Crown Princess straightened her wrinkled robes, touched the corner of her mouth that she had bitten at some point, and slowly stood up, supporting herself on the table. "Help me wash and dress, and change my clothes. It's too undignified to meet guests like this..."
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