Chapter 111 Fatherly Love
The imperial doctors were afraid to make a decision, so they asked a guard to go into the palace to ask for instructions.
By this time, Emperor Tai'an had already received news that the Crown Prince had been assassinated in the Marquis of Wuning's residence. When the guards rushed back to report, they sensed a gloomy atmosphere in the palace, a hint of impending disaster.
"The imperial physician said they need to scrape the bone to cure the poison?" Emperor Tai'an paced a few steps with his hands behind his back and quickly made a decision. "Tell them to do their utmost to treat the prince. They must cure him, or else their head will be forfeit."
Emperor Tai'an was a man of deep thought, not the foolish type to be easily deceived. He understood the mentality of those imperial physicians who did not seek to achieve anything but to avoid making mistakes. If the prince's condition was better, they would not have proposed such a treatment method as scraping the bone to treat the poison.
In other words, the prince's current situation is very bad, even -
Thinking of the worst possible scenario, Emperor Tai'an could no longer sit still. He walked to the palace door several times and then turned back. After several times of this, he finally sat down and gave the order with a sullen face: "Report on the prince's condition every quarter of an hour."
There was a moment when he wanted to go to Wuning Marquis' Mansion in person, but reason stopped him.
The prince could be assassinated in his father-in-law's house. God knows what other hidden dangers there are. He is too precious to take any risks.
This is the ruthlessness of the emperor. Even if he only has two sons, and the crown prince is the heir, it is still nothing compared to the danger he might face.
Of course, Emperor Tai'an would not face up to his own indifference. He waited with concern for the prince, and his anxiety, irritability, and anger accumulated more and more.
At the Marquis of Wuning's mansion, the imperial physician, after hearing the oral instructions from Emperor Tai'an conveyed by the guards, did not dare to delay any longer. He first gave the prince a dose of anesthetic powder, and then began to scrape the bone to treat the poison.
Several imperial doctors cooperated with each other, working hard and sweating profusely, and finally waited for the prince to wake up when the lights were turned on.
The prince was awakened by the pain.
Ma Shui San should not be taken in large doses. Once the effect of the medicine wears off, the pain of scraping flesh and bones will come.
This is not an exaggeration, but a real act of cutting off flesh and scraping away bones.
The prince cried out in pain, not caring about his manners at all.
For the prince, who would even take the life of the palace maid combing his hair to appease his anger if he pulled out a single hair, this pain was completely unbearable.
It hurts so much!
The imperial physician was at a loss, so he made a decoction of medicine to soothe the prince and help him sleep, and he finally calmed down.
The sleeping prince was carried onto a carriage and escorted back to the East Palace by three layers of guards.
Emperor Tai'an could finally express his fatherly love with peace of mind.
Looking at the pale-faced Crown Prince, Emperor Tai'an felt deeply distressed. Suppressing his anger, he asked Wang Gui, the Crown Prince's personal eunuch: "The Crown Prince has both visible and covert guards around him, yet he was actually injured by a street performer. Are you all dead?"
Wang Gui fell to his knees and said, "This slave deserves to die! This slave deserves to die!"
"Please explain to me in detail what happened at that time."
Emperor Tai'an had heard what happened from several people, but there was no doubt that Wang Gui was the person closest to the prince and had his attention focused entirely on him.
After listening to Wang Gui's tearful story, Emperor Tai'an's face darkened. "In other words, it was Wuning Marquis's son, Tang Hua, who signaled the traitor to use red silk to give flowers to the Crown Prince?"
At this time, Marquis Wuning was kneeling outside the palace gate, and the other members of the Tang family were being interrogated in the marquis' mansion.
Wang Gui, who had been accompanying the prince, did not know that Marquis Wuning was the first to apologize. Even if he knew, he would not cover up for him.
For Wang Gui, his only master is the prince, and even if the princess harms the prince, she deserves to die.
"Yes, I saw with my own eyes that Tang Hua repeatedly winked at that traitor. That's why the guards didn't react..."
The more Emperor Tai'an listened, the gloomier his expression became.
The prince lying on the bed suddenly frowned with a painful expression.
Emperor Tai'an hurriedly called out: "Yuan'er, Yuan'er——"
The prince's head moved slightly, but then he stopped responding.
Emperor Tai'an's expression changed: "Imperial Physician——"
The imperial physician who had been waiting nearby came forward to examine him and replied, "Your Highness is still asleep."
Emperor Tai'an then breathed a sigh of relief and stood up and walked out.
Concubine Zhuang, who was waiting outside, advised, "Your Majesty, it's late. You've been worried all day. Go to bed early. Your health is the most important thing."
"How can I rest in peace when Yuan'er is like this?"
"The prince is a lucky man, and everything will be fine."
Emperor Tai'an was used to a life of luxury, and he was indeed tired after being tense for so long. He nodded after Concubine Zhuang's persuasion.
The concubines who had come to express their concern for the Crown Prince saluted in unison as they faced the backs of Emperor Tai'an and Concubine Zhuang: "Farewell, Your Majesty."
Among them, the leader was King Wei’s mother, Concubine Jing.
After the Emperor left, the concubines naturally dispersed as well. One concubine, who was anxious for the empire to remain in chaos, said to Concubine Jing, "Sister Jing came earlier than Sister Zhuang. It's a pity that the Emperor didn't know..."
Concubine Jing seemed to be completely oblivious to the hidden meaning behind the words. She raised the corners of her lips and left.
The concubine who stayed where she was was so angry that she threw her handkerchief and cursed Concubine Jing inwardly for being a hopeless case.
If the King of Wei was her son, that bitch Concubine Zhuang wouldn't have had such a glorious life.
Speaking of which, the Crown Prince still doesn't know what will happen. Will the King of Wei have a chance?
The concubine was startled and dared not think about it anymore.
Emperor Tai'an went to Concubine Zhuang's bedroom and was served by Concubine Zhuang before he went to bed.
The night was deep, the glazed tiles were covered with white snow, and the snow was still falling.
Marquis Wuning, who was kneeling in front of the palace gate, turned into a snowman. He could no longer feel his hands and feet, but he did not dare to get up.
The emperor never saw him.
Is he going to die here on his knees?
Marquis Wuning rolled his eyes to look at the fluttering heavy snow, then his body swayed and he allowed himself to faint.
The eunuch who received the news did not dare to disturb the emperor, and was also afraid that Wu Ninghou had really frozen to death and caused trouble, so he ordered his men to send him back. After all, the Wu Ninghou Mansion was surrounded by so many officers and soldiers. If Wu Ninghou was punished, he would have no chance of escaping. If he was not held accountable, sending him back would be even easier.
The next day, Emperor Tai'an postponed his court session and went to visit the crown prince first.
As for the incident of Marquis Wuning fainting from kneeling in front of the palace gate, Emperor Tai'an didn't even raise his eyelids after hearing it, allowing the palace servants who served him closely to vaguely guess the emperor's attitude.
On the way, a eunuch whispered, "The Crown Princess has been kneeling in her bedroom all night and hasn't gotten up yet."
When something happened to the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess should have stayed by his side, but the Crown Prince was assassinated in the Wuning Marquis' Mansion. Even if people did not think that the Wuning Marquis' Mansion would harm the Crown Prince, out of caution the Crown Princess could not be allowed to get close to the Crown Prince again.
Hearing the Crown Princess' words, Emperor Tai'an said calmly, "Let her get up."
He was still waiting to find out the identity of the performing boy. As for how to deal with the Wuning Marquis' Mansion, if it had any connection with the assassin, he would naturally show no mercy. If it was purely being used, the severity of the punishment would depend on the prince's situation.
Emperor Tai'an's accession to the throne was not legitimate. When he first sat on the throne, he violently punished many of his ministers. Later, when he was firmly in power, he did not want to leave the impression of being cold and ruthless to his subjects.
Although he was annoyed with the Wuning Marquis' Mansion, he had no intention of doing anything too cruel for the time being.
As soon as Emperor Tai'an walked into the prince's bedroom, he heard the prince's crying.
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