Wang Defu was exceptionally fast today; he retrieved the imperial edict in less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.
As soon as the bright yellow imperial edict was opened, Emperor Rongsheng commanded, "Read it!"
Wang Defu's voice was incredibly loud.
By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:
I, having inherited the mandate of Heaven and continued the great undertaking, reign over the world, and have been diligent and attentive day and night. However, the foundation of the nation is not yet established, and an heir has not been appointed, which worries me greatly.
I now have a prince, Lin Muheng, who is of pure character and exceptionally intelligent, and I love him dearly. I hereby appoint him as Crown Prince and place him in the Eastern Palace.
I hope that the Crown Prince will be learned, inquisitive, thoughtful, discerning, and virtuous, so as to continue my great cause and glorify the great achievements of my ancestors.
The announcement was made to the whole world so that everyone would know.
So be it!
The moment the words were spoken, a deathly silence fell over the surroundings.
Everyone present was stunned.
They never imagined that the emperor would so decisively appoint the crown prince.
Even more unexpectedly, this decision was made after he had just killed one of his own sons.
Even the usually calm and collected Lin Muheng was shocked.
Lin Muheng had always longed for his father's trust and approval, but he had never been able to achieve it.
However, today, at this seemingly unexpected moment, his father finally agreed to believe him.
This sudden trust left Lin Muheng with mixed feelings, filled with joy and excitement, but also a hint of disbelief.
Emperor Rongsheng slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below, his voice authoritative: "My beloved ministers, does anyone have any objections to my decision to appoint a crown prince?" Upon hearing this, the ministers all knelt and kowtowed, shouting in unison: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Crown Prince! Long live the Emperor! Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!"
For a moment, deafening congratulations echoed all around.
Emperor Rongsheng nodded slightly, satisfied, then turned his gaze back to Lin Muheng and said earnestly, "Crown Prince, from this day forward, the Great Qing Empire is entrusted to you for protection! I hope you will live up to my expectations, work diligently, and create a glorious and prosperous era!"
After saying that, Emperor Rongsheng smiled and cast an expectant look at Lin Muheng.
Lin Muheng hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to express his gratitude. However, at this moment, an unexpected scene occurred—the emperor suddenly went limp and collapsed to the ground without warning.
Jiang He reacted swiftly, rushing forward like lightning to catch the emperor who was about to fall, anxiously calling out, "Your Majesty!"
"Father! What's wrong with you?" Lin Muheng was shocked and his face was full of fear when he saw this.
He clearly remembered that his father's poisoning had been cured during a previous check-up, so why did he suddenly collapse now?
In the midst of the chaos, Lin Muheng hurriedly shouted, "Quickly! Go and fetch the Princess Consort!"
At the same time, Imperial Physician Zhou quickly placed his fingers on the emperor's pulse.
However, in just a moment, Physician Zhou's face suddenly changed, turning ashen white.
Your Majesty! Why does the pulse sound like this?
Just as everyone was feeling anxious, Jiang Chuwei rode a fast horse and rushed into the palace at breakneck speed.
Upon seeing the Princess Consort arrive, Lin Muheng hurried forward, grasped her hand tightly, and asked anxiously, "Princess Consort! Quickly check on Father Emperor's condition!"
His words revealed endless worry and concern.
Upon seeing this, Imperial Physician Zhou quickly stepped back to make room for the Princess so that she could properly examine the Emperor's pulse.
Jiang Chuwei's face was calm and serene as she slowly extended her delicate hand and gently placed it on the Emperor's pulse. As time passed, her originally calm expression gradually became more and more serious, her brows furrowing slightly, as if she were facing an extremely difficult problem.
Standing to the side, Lin Muheng looked anxious and nervous, his eyes fixed on Jiang Chuwei's every move, his heart filled with unease.
When he saw Jiang Chuwei gently shake her head, his heart sank to the bottom.
Because he knew all too well what this action meant—his father's condition was already very serious!
"Wasn't Father's poison cured? Why has he turned out like this?"
Lin Muheng stared at Jiang Chuwei in disbelief, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.
Jiang Chuwei sighed softly, her voice heavy, "Although the poison he suffered has been neutralized, His Majesty's health was already weak, and this severe injury makes it difficult for him to continue... I'm afraid we must begin preparing for His Majesty's funeral as soon as possible. A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day; this matter cannot be delayed."
After saying that, she shook her head helplessly, indicating that she was powerless to change the situation.
Upon hearing these words, Lin Muheng stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning, his eyes gradually reddening and tears welling up.
He simply couldn't accept the fact that his father was about to pass away. Memories of his time with his father kept flashing through his mind, and those warm scenes now felt like sharp blades piercing his heart.
However, reality is ultimately cruel. Jiang Chuwei picked up her pen and began writing a prescription.
Her writing was somewhat somber: "This medicine might temporarily alleviate the Emperor's pain, but it's merely a drop in the ocean. I fear Father truly won't last much longer..."
Jiang Chuwei was unwilling to deceive anyone. Since his unfortunate poisoning, Emperor Rongsheng had been depressed and troubled.
Although Jiang Chuwei suppressed all the poison in her body with her superb medical skills, this did not completely eliminate the hidden danger.
When Emperor Rongsheng awoke, the heavy gloom still lingered in his heart, difficult to dispel.
His once strong heart was severely damaged by this poisoning incident.
In addition, the long-term depression gave the remaining poison an opportunity to easily invade the internal organs and further damage the body's functions.
The blow that Emperor Rongsheng suffered was truly enormous; he was traumatized both physically and mentally, like never before.
This is why the poisons lurking in the shadows were able to take advantage of his vulnerability and recklessly erode his already fragile body.
"Does the Princess have no other choice?"
Lin Muheng looked at her with hopeful eyes.
In his mind, there was nothing the princess couldn't accomplish.
"No!"
Jiang Chuwei was powerless to do anything about it.
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