After returning from Yunshan Temple, Qingying fell ill and coughed incessantly. Her already fair skin became even paler due to her illness, and she was bedridden, looking so fragile that she seemed as if she would break at the slightest touch.
She even coughed up blood that day, which greatly worried Wei Huaixu. He sent her the most skilled imperial physician and the finest medicines.
But after several days, her condition did not improve, and he even invited Liu Chenglin into the palace.
To be honest, Qingying and Liu Chenglin haven't seen each other for a long time.
When they lived in the same household, they might only see each other three times a year. But after she entered the palace, they never saw each other again.
Although Liu Chenglin had a token to enter the palace, he always went to Fengqi Palace and never stepped into Baoyi Palace.
Qingying always felt uncomfortable when she was with him.
Fortunately, she doesn't have to face it directly at this moment.
Through a gauze curtain, Liu Chenglin's businesslike voice came: "Please extend your hand, Your Majesty."
Then, a slender, fair wrist emerged from beneath the gauze curtain.
He placed his hand on her and carefully took her pulse.
Gradually, his brows furrowed more and more, and a faint tremor ran through him.
After a long while, Qingying asked, "This is an old ailment of mine. The imperial physician said it was caused by cold entering my body, which triggered a relapse of my old illness. I just need to rest for a while and I'll be fine."
"The imperial physicians will only tell the emperor the truth."
She paused, then said, "You mean..."
Liu Chenglin withdrew his hand and said, "The imperial physician is right. You will get better after resting for a while, it's just that the process will take a long time."
"Yes, thank you for your trouble." Qingying spoke to him politely.
He was quite displeased and asked in a cold voice, "Did you go somewhere?"
Logically speaking, how could someone who stays comfortably in the palace, sheltered from the wind and rain, fall ill for no reason?
"I went to Yunshan Temple a few days ago," she said truthfully.
"No wonder."
"What's wrong?"
"Don't you know that Yunshan Temple is the place with the heaviest dew near Pandu City? Besides, there have been several autumn rains recently. Knowing that you are weak, why would you go there?"
She was speechless for a moment.
"Enough." Liu Chenglin stood up. "You are now an empress, and I am just a common doctor. What right do I have to speak to you? I will prescribe some medicine for you and have Yu Yue decoct it every day and take it after breakfast and dinner."
Liu Chenglin had been traveling and practicing medicine for more than half a year before returning to the capital. He was unaware that Yu Yue had died.
Qingying didn't intend to explain, and simply nodded silently. Remembering that he couldn't see, she responded softly, "Mm."
Liu Chenglin was led to a side hall by a palace maid. After writing down the prescription, he looked up and saw Tong Xia standing opposite him, and asked, "Where is Yu Yue?"
“Sister Yu Yue…” Tong Xia lowered her eyelashes and whispered, “Sister Yu Yue is dead.”
"What?" Liu Chenglin was a little taken aback.
For a while, he was still somewhat dazed, "How...how did she die?"
"She was harmed by a villain." Tong Xia didn't intend to elaborate. She stepped forward, picked up the prescription, and asked, "Will Your Highness recover after taking this medicine?"
Liu Chenglin could tell she didn't want to elaborate, so he didn't press the matter. He snorted coldly and said, "If she hadn't competed with Sister Shushu, she wouldn't be in this predicament now."
Tong Xia frowned at him, "What makes you say that, young master?"
"Isn't that right? She was originally going to marry Prince Yu's son, so why did she suddenly change her mind at the last minute? It's because she was angry that Sister Shu took back everything that originally belonged to her. Some people take possession of other people's things for a long time and then think they are their own."
"Young Master, watch your words!" Tong Xia's tone suddenly turned icy: "You have been disrespectful to Her Majesty many times. She has only let it go because of our past relationship, but that is not a reason for you to hurt her with impunity!"
"I hurt her? She clearly hurt Sister Shu first. I was just standing up for her. She's done so many bad things, no wonder even God can't stand it anymore and is preparing to take this tuberculosis devil away."
How could you say that!
Cold-blooded, heartless, and treacherous!
Tong Xia cried out in her heart, but ultimately held back from saying it aloud.
She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and said, "I know you have always been prejudiced against Her Majesty, but she has never been what you think. Yes, she used to occupy the position of Empress, but was that what she wanted? She unknowingly served as the Empress's substitute for more than ten years, and no one ever cared about her feelings."
"Ha~ Feelings? She was born into a lowly family and was a concubine's daughter. If it weren't for her mother, why would Sister Shu have suffered for so many years? How could she have enjoyed so much happiness in the General's Mansion for so many years? Don't pretend to be innocent after getting the benefits."
Tong Xia almost fainted from anger at his words.
She clenched her fists, trying to suppress her emotions, and the paper in her hand was crumpled up without her realizing it.
Forget it, forget it, you can never wake someone who is pretending to be asleep.
"Since you are so unyielding, young master, then this servant has nothing more to say. Please leave, young master." She gave a slight curtsy and then turned and left the side hall.
Liu Chenglin watched her retreating figure, furious: "Stop! How dare you, a mere palace maid, treat me like this!"
Tong Xia ignored his anger.
At worst, he can complain to the Emperor and Empress and get a beating himself; that's still better than facing this idiot here.
——
Tong Xia told Qing Ying about her conversation with Liu Chenglin in detail.
She wanted to make her completely give up on the Liu family and stop showing them any mercy; those people weren't worth it.
Qingying frowned after listening. Not because his words were particularly hurtful, but because…
"What did he mean by saying, 'Even God can't stand it anymore and is preparing to take this tuberculosis devil away'?"
Tong Xia only realized the meaning of the sentence now. She had been misled by his targeted words and had not examined the strangeness of the sentence carefully.
Qingying gently touched her cheek. Even without looking in a mirror, she could guess that she must look very haggard.
Illness strikes like a landslide. She had experienced this far too many times before; several times she thought she was about to collapse, but in the end, she always managed to pull through.
"The imperial physician didn't tell me the truth." Qingying gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, her voice trembling slightly. "I can feel that this illness is different from every time before. Tongxia, I might really be nearing my end..."
"No, no way!" Before she could finish speaking, Tong Xia excitedly interrupted her.
"Your Majesty, you will be alright. The imperial physicians have already said that you will recover. All you need to do now is rest well, take your medicine as prescribed, and everything will be fine."
She knelt by the bed, touched Qingying's hand, and felt a chill that made her pull her hand back.
"Your Highness, your hands are too cold. Perhaps there isn't enough charcoal in the room. I'll go and add some more, and I'll also get you a hot water bottle to warm them up."
After saying that, she got up and went out to get charcoal without waiting for Qingying to say anything.
The moment I stepped out of the house, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
Inside the room, Qingying stared at the incense burner on the bedside table, slightly lost in thought.
Time is running out; some things need to be resolved as soon as possible.
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