"Doctor Peng, hurry up! If we don't leave now, we'll miss the post station!" Green Ivy urged anxiously, her pretty face full of worry. She even stamped her foot as she spoke, which, though somewhat unsteady, was extremely endearing.
Physician Peng hastily ripped off his white coat, stuffed it into his bag, grabbed the parrot cage from the table, and hurriedly followed Green Ivy out of the palace.
Upon arriving outside the palace, there were two carriages reserved for the imperial physicians. Physician Zhou and Physician Peng sat together, while the other physicians squeezed in.
Physician Zhou poked his head out of the carriage and saw Physician Peng rushing over. He quickly got out of the carriage to greet him, saying, "Physician Peng, Physician Peng, please take your time, there's no rush."
"Aren't you in a hurry? This girl is rushing me like it's a fire burning her eyebrows. Little does she know, if she forgets anything, it will be terrible." He handed the package to Physician Zhou and got into the carriage with the parrot.
Despite this casualness, Physician Zhou, standing nearby, didn't seem to mind and remained very respectful.
However, just as Physician Peng got into the carriage, Ji Yun rushed over, "Physician, Physician, Eunuch Hai is in bad shape, please come and see him quickly."
Upon hearing this, the imperial physicians exchanged bewildered glances. Yesterday, when they said they were returning to the capital, Zhihai was quite happy. He was skilled and healthy, so why was he unwell today?
Unable to understand, the imperial physicians immediately got out of the carriage, surrounded Physician Peng, and followed behind Ji Yun, heading straight for the Empress Dowager's carriage.
When they arrived, Hongxia stopped them, her expression sorrowful. "Physicians, please go back. Eunuch Hai has passed away."
Everyone was stunned and wanted to see what was going on, but the area was surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.
Zhao Shu arrived after the imperial physician, and the palace maids and eunuchs naturally dared not stop her, making way for her to enter.
As they approached, they saw the Empress Dowager staring blankly at Zhihai's body. Zhihai looked peaceful, with a smile on his lips, as if he were asleep, sitting in the carriage. It was Zhong Mama who had come to see him and lifted the carriage curtain, only to find that he had no breath. She wanted to call the imperial physician to see if there was any possibility of saving him, but the Empress Dowager stopped her and personally announced that he had passed away.
Seeing Zhao Shu approach, Granny Zhong quickly helped her up, her voice choked with emotion as she said, "I was wondering why he usually rides a horse, but today he asked for a carriage. I never expected..."
Zhao Shu patted her hand and walked to the Empress Dowager's side, wanting to say something to comfort her, but the Empress Dowager pointed to the five people kneeling on the ground and said to her: "Zhihai has followed you all this time, so you should accept these disciples of his."
The five people kneeling on the ground were two women and three men. The youngest looked about twelve or thirteen years old, and the oldest was about the same age as her. After the Empress Dowager finished speaking, the five turned around and kowtowed to Zhao Shu with a thud. They all knew that after they completed their apprenticeship, they would serve Princess Jun. Their master had told them this more than once. Now that their master was gone, their only master was this princess.
Zhao Shu turned around and bowed to Zhi Hai's body. "Don't worry, Elder Hai, I will definitely treat your disciple well."
"Alright, let's get going." The Empress Dowager said indifferently, and Zhong Mama and Jiyun came over to help her into the carriage.
After the Empress Dowager boarded the carriage, Peng Rui arrived shortly afterward, leading several soldiers to drive Zhi Hai's carriage away from the procession. Du Bai also left with them.
Zhao Shu thought that the Empress Dowager wanted him to return to his roots, or perhaps send his remains to the imperial mausoleum so that he could still watch over the Empress Dowager after her death.
He returned to his carriage and asked Chu Chun to make arrangements for Zhi Hai's five disciples.
On the carriage, she recalled when she left the capital, Zhihai Fang came out of Biyou Palace and then came to her side. He was often elusive and had few rivals. What kind of obsession could take a person's life?
"Ah Jun, Mr. Huo is here." Seeing that she was depressed and silent, Sun Yun lifted the carriage curtain to divert her attention.
Zhao Shu looked over and indeed saw Prince Yong, Wei Tingsi, Huo Baichuan, Huo Guxian, Peng Rui, and several others riding horses behind them, while Huo Danlan's carriage slowly approached.
“Ah Jun, do you know that General Wei led troops into the capital? I heard that the Emperor will be holding a military review for his birthday, so General Wei led a million soldiers into the capital. Therefore, His Highness the Crown Prince personally came to escort the Empress Dowager back to the capital.” Sun Yun told Zhao Shu about his arrival.
Despite being described as having a million soldiers, the actual number was only a few hundred thousand. Wei Tingsi was no longer the minor Left General of Martial Might and Commander of the Five Cities; he had become, in some people's eyes, a treacherous minister and General of Chariots and Cavalry, a second-rank official.
Speaking of treacherous officials, it must be said that the current dynasty has produced several treacherous officials. However, these 'treacherous officials' have the backing of their families, so no one dares to openly call them treacherous officials. Even if they are called treacherous officials, they are quickly cleared of name by famous scholars and Confucian teachers from their families, such as Huo Baichuan, Yan Shiren, Sun Ganzheng, and Yang Zhong.
Whether someone is a treacherous minister or not is merely a matter of factional 'fierce' insults directed at each other. Only someone like Wei Tingsi, who stands on the opposite side of his family and has no family backing, would be called a treacherous minister. Naturally, he doesn't care about such empty reputations. Just like this, leading troops into the capital, even ten scholars could beat him into submission!
It is evident that justice in this world is difficult to determine.
"Why don't we ride horses too?" Zhao Shu said, taking out her usual sky-blue brocade robe with cloud patterns from her bundle, and said to Green Ivy, "Change your clothes."
Half of the curtain was pulled back to surround the two, and they changed clothes in the carriage. Before long, the two handsome young men emerged, led their beloved horses, and rode at the front of the procession. A gentle breeze blew, and they glanced back at the army, whose steps were neat and who were silent and full of spirit. "Anyone who didn't know the situation would surely think that the Empress Dowager had gone back to fight for the throne."
Luo Hu stuck his head out of the carriage and said smugly to Xiao Xingyuan, "Look, my disciple is better looking than yours."
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