Chapter 165 Confronting Li Yuanzhao (Part 1 & 2)
“My brother became a monk, my uncle made a mistake and was locked up at home, and my mother is sick and recuperating…” Li Yuanshu said with a wronged tone, her voice getting lower with each sentence, “But now, even my father won’t see his daughter. Shu’er really feels like no one wants her anymore.”
Upon hearing this, Li Ye's expression darkened before he spoke to comfort her, "Silly child, how could no one want you? Your father is just afraid that the illness might pass on to you."
Li Yuanshu pretended to be puzzled and said, "But why are so many bad things happening to Shu'er's relatives one after another? Shu'er is really scared."
A complex emotion flashed in Li Ye's eyes, but he did not reply.
"My brother..." she whispered again, "Is he really going to spend the rest of his life in seclusion, never to return to the capital?"
Li Ye recalled that he had already sent someone to deliver an imperial edict, summoning Li Yuanyou back to the capital.
But that rebellious son said that there were no more Second Prince and Prince Cheng in this world, only Liao Chen.
Thinking of this, he instantly became furious and started coughing violently.
Li Yuanshu quickly patted his back to soothe him, "Father, please don't be angry. It was my fault for bringing this up and upsetting you."
"Imperial Physician Wen and Imperial Physician Lin have arrived!"
Just then, an announcement came from outside the door.
Li Yuanshu turned his head and saw two imperial physicians stepping into the inner room one after the other.
The head physician, Wen Taiyi, was a white-haired official of the Imperial Medical Academy, with a steady gait.
Behind him followed the slender Imperial Physician Lin.
He had a delicate and refined appearance, but when he looked up and saw Li Yuanshu, his eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.
Li Yuanshu keenly noticed that slight abnormality.
Li Yuanshu quickly stood up and made way for him.
Physician Wen stepped forward first, bowed respectfully, and then placed his hand on Li Ye's wrist to take his pulse.
After a moment, he withdrew his hand and nodded to the little bell.
Xiao Lingdang immediately stepped forward and placed her fingertips on Li Ye's pulse.
Li Yuanshu stood quietly to the side, her gaze fixed on his hands.
Those hands were as slender as jade bamboo shoots, with fair and delicate skin, and even the nails were neatly trimmed and translucent.
This doesn't look like a man's hand at all.
Her hands were even more exquisite than those of many concubines in the palace.
A hint of doubt flashed through her mind, and she frowned almost imperceptibly.
After Xiaolingdang finished taking his pulse, Li Yuanshu could no longer contain himself and asked directly, "Two imperial physicians, how is Father's health? He's been taking medicine for half a month, why is there still no improvement?"
After glancing at Physician Wen, Xiao Lingdang said, "Your Highness, His Majesty's illness is caused by stagnation of qi and blood and obstruction of the heart meridian. Recovery will be slow and gradual, requiring some time for quiet recuperation so that the medicine can slowly take effect."
"Rest in peace?" Li Yuanshu's face suddenly darkened, her tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction: "Imperial Physician Lin, it's not that I don't trust your medical skills, but Father Emperor has always been in good health. How come his illness has become so lingering in less than half a year since you entered the palace to attend to him?"
These words sounded like a daughter blaming the imperial physician for her father's worry, but Li Ye heard them with a different meaning.
This Physician Lin was recommended to the palace by Li Yuanzhao.
Li Ye's expression changed slightly, and his gaze towards Xiao Lingdang became more scrutinizing.
Xiao Lingdang's heart tightened, and she quickly knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, please understand! Every ingredient in the medicine I used was checked and verified by the Director of the Imperial Medical Academy, and the prescription was decided by the entire Imperial Medical Academy! There was absolutely no mistake! Moreover, Your Majesty's old headache has indeed been relieved a lot. This sudden illness is really due to excessive worry and anger that has attacked your heart recently!"
Imperial Physician Wen bowed and echoed, "Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Lin's words are true. Your Majesty's condition is indeed caused by anger attacking your heart. Now, Imperial Physician Lin and I are both administering medicine to Your Majesty. Your Majesty only needs to relax and rest. After a period of recuperation, your health will improve."
This Imperial Physician Wen served the palace for over twenty years, and he was the one who handled that secret matter back then.
Now that he had vouched for Physician Lin, Li Ye finally felt a little more at ease.
His expression softened somewhat. "Get up."
Li Yuanshu had some doubts. Why was Physician Wen speaking up for Physician Lin?
After the two imperial physicians finished taking the pulse, they withdrew.
Li Yuanshu then sat down by the bedside. "Father, you won't blame me for being so talkative, will you? I was just too worried about you, Father. I didn't mean to make things difficult for the two imperial physicians."
Li Ye wearily closed his eyes. "Father knows."
Li Yuanshu then casually mentioned, "Father, New Year's Eve is almost here, and my elder sister should be returning from Hebei soon. Traditionally, Mother Consort has been in charge of organizing the New Year's Eve banquet. What do you think…?"
The New Year's Eve banquet was the most important banquet held in the palace every year.
Every year at this time, the emperor would hold a banquet in the Linde Hall to entertain civil and military officials, receive envoys from all directions, and celebrate the Spring Festival together.
Traditionally, this banquet was organized by the Empress Dowager.
Therefore, Li Yuanshu wanted to take this opportunity to ask his father, the emperor, to release his mother.
Li Ye ignored her words and said directly, "It's just organizing a banquet. Since the Consort is unwell, let Consort Xiao take charge."
This Consort Xiao was the daughter of Minister Xiao of the Ministry of Revenue. Because of her cheerful personality and skill in riding and archery, she was quite similar to the late Empress who died young.
After entering the palace, she enjoyed the emperor's exclusive favor for a period of time, and her popularity was almost comparable to that of her mother.
However, when she was six months pregnant, she was startled by a stray cat in the Imperial Garden and accidentally miscarried.
The unborn fourth prince died in the womb.
After this incident, she was diagnosed with difficulty conceiving again, and from then on, she was despondent and remained silent in the palace for many years.
Now, her father is actually entrusting her with such an important task as the New Year's Eve banquet?
Knowing she couldn't refute him, Li Yuanshu could only feign understanding and reply, "On behalf of my mother, I thank Father for his consideration."
"However... now Mother is worried about my elder brother every day, and has lost her appetite. I heard that my cousin, the eldest son of the Cui family, has returned from Weizhou, and my uncle has also been concerned about Mother's health. I wish to ask Father to grant my uncle and cousin permission to come to the palace to see Mother. Firstly, it would comfort Mother, and secondly, it would allow us to discuss how to persuade my elder brother to change his mind. What do you think, Father?"
Upon hearing this, Li Ye fell into deep thought.
After all, Cui was Li Yuanyou's biological mother. If she were to persuade him, perhaps that rebellious son would truly change his mind.
Moreover, Li Yuanzhao is about to return to the capital. Currently, she enjoys great popularity and prestige in Weizhou. After returning to the capital, I'm afraid I won't be able to control her anymore.
Although Cui Shiliang was severely weakened, he was still the prime minister and might be able to contend with Li Yuanzhao to some extent.
Moreover, during this period, many ministers in the court pleaded for Prime Minister Cui, and even Prime Minister Zheng spoke up for him, which was quite rare.
Thinking of this, he slowly nodded: "Fine, I will do as you say."
"Although the Cui family made mistakes in this disaster relief effort, they acknowledged and corrected them, so their merits and demerits offset each other. By imperial decree, Prime Minister Cui is hereby reinstated to his original post. As for the Imperial Concubine…"
Seeing his father hesitate, Li Yuanshu quickly said, "Father, Mother really knows she was wrong. These past few days, she has been repenting in the palace every day. She shouldn't have argued with you. Please forgive her."
Li Ye revealed an expression of "I knew it," and then, in order to show his magnanimity of not arguing with a woman, he said, "In that case, let's lift her confinement."
Li Yuanshu immediately beamed with joy, "Thank you, Father Emperor."
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