Everyone greeted Shu Chengfeng, but he simply waved them off and went inside.
Empress Dowager Jiang and the Empress waited inside while the imperial physicians treated the patients.
"Cheng'er!" the Empress called out.
"Grandmother, Mother, I'll go see Father first. We'll talk about other things later." Shu Chengfeng said, and went inside without stopping.
The Empress sighed and sat back down.
Inside the inner palace, Shu Chengfeng looked at Shu Zhongjing on the dragon bed, as well as the kneeling eunuchs and the imperial physicians who were taking pulses.
"How is it?"
Imperial Physician Weng hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is so angry that it has affected your heart. The poison has not yet been cleared, so how can you withstand this? Let me administer acupuncture to wake Your Majesty up first."
Shu Chengfeng nodded: "Then let's do it."
With the Crown Prince in charge, the imperial physicians and doctors were not worried.
However, the second prince, the third prince, and several other princes suddenly entered.
"Wait, will the attack cause any harm to Father? If it does, it is absolutely unacceptable." The Second Prince frowned.
Imperial Physician Weng thought to himself, "How could there not be? It must have been stimulating, but a person can't stay unconscious forever, can they?"
Shu Chengfeng glanced at him coldly: "Father is ill, so in your eyes I, the Crown Prince, am nothing?"
"Your Highness is too kind. My second brother is only concerned about Father. How could I dare?" the third prince hurriedly said.
"Yes, Your Highness, please forgive me. But I cannot agree to cause any harm to Father's health," the Second Prince said, sticking out his neck.
"Administer acupuncture." Shu Chengfeng glanced at it indifferently and then ignored it.
This time, the second prince dared not say anything.
They watched nervously as Imperial Physician Weng performed acupuncture.
In about fifteen minutes, His Majesty slowly woke up.
He was a little confused at first, but Shu Chengfeng stepped forward and asked, "Father? Is Father feeling better?"
Anger, hatred, and some other indescribable emotions flashed in Shu Zhongjing's eyes.
After a long while, he closed his eyes and said, "It's alright now. When did Cheng'er arrive?"
Only after saying that did he open his eyes.
"Your Majesty, I have just arrived. Imperial Physician Weng has given you acupuncture. You are fine. It was just a moment of extreme anger that affected your heart." Shu Chengfeng helped him sit up. "Father, please calm down. Your health is the most important thing. Even if Consort Zhen did something wrong, it is a minor matter. Nothing is more important than your health."
"Yes, Father, your sons were terrified," the Second Prince hurriedly added.
After several princes expressed their concerns, Shu Zhongjing finally said, "I am fine."
"Your Majesty need not worry. Just follow the prescription, take the medicine, and rest for a few months, and you will be completely fine. Just remember not to experience extreme joy or sorrow," Imperial Physician Weng said respectfully.
As for whether it was extreme anger or fear...
He, being a minor official, has no right to say that.
The Empress also made a token appearance, and Empress Dowager Jiang asked a few perfunctory questions, appearing sincere and earnest, but who would take it seriously?
Although the Empress was merely going through the motions, she couldn't simply ignore the matter. So she said, "Your Majesty, I punished Consort Zhen by making her kneel. Now that His Majesty has awakened, her crime has been somewhat mitigated. However, she still cannot be lightly punished. She has damaged the Emperor's health, and even death cannot atone for that. This time, she must be properly disciplined. Otherwise, with the young ladies of the harem watching her, the rules will be thrown into disarray."
Shu Zhongjing frowned and hummed in agreement.
The Empress then said, "I will punish her with a year's share of the profits and confine her to her quarters for three months to reflect on her actions. What does Your Majesty think?"
It wasn't too heavy, and although Shu Zhongjing was a little annoyed, he didn't refuse: "Then let it be as the Empress says."
The Empress thanked him, which confirmed some things.
When Consort Zhen heard about this punishment, she didn't know whether to breathe a sigh of relief or be angry.
The annual profit wasn't much, so she didn't care.
It's alright if he stays home to reflect on his mistakes for three months; the most important thing is that His Majesty is safe.
She has been wronged today, and His Majesty should know that.
But even though His Majesty knew, he refused to plead for her... and let the Empress punish her just like that.
But nothing could put her at ease more than knowing that His Majesty was alright.
So when they returned to Feiluan Palace, they gradually became frightened.
Her maid, who had fallen into the water, asked, "Your Highness, what happened? Why did you suddenly anger His Majesty?"
"I don't know. It wasn't because of me..." Consort Zhen bit her lip. "It was because of... Never mind, don't ask. Just know that I'm innocent. But I can't say." Consort Zhen said in a flustered manner.
Luo Shu agreed, but her heart was filled with even more worry.
Actually, Consort Zhen came to speak with His Majesty today.
She hadn't seen His Majesty much lately, so when he suddenly appeared, Shu Zhongjing was eager to see her.
But after going inside and exchanging only a few words, Shu Zhongjing suddenly saw a note.
A strip of paper placed next to the dragon bed.
The document clearly states what he did to the widow and children of the former crown prince.
He was shocked at the time, and then he became furious.
She broke a teacup and then fainted.
The note was quickly put away by Consort Zhen.
It's still inside the clothes.
Just as she was at a loss for what to do, her father-in-law arrived. Ostensibly, he was there to deliver an imperial edict ordering her punishment, but in reality, he was there to collect the note.
Consort Zhen personally handed it to him: "Please tell His Majesty that I will always be loyal."
She smiled at the eunuch and said, "His Majesty understands Her Majesty's intentions. His Majesty said that Her Majesty is only temporarily aggrieved."
Consort Zhen smiled, but it was a forced smile.
His Majesty won't believe she didn't see it.
But if she hadn't put that note away, who knows what would have happened?
After settling Shu Zhongjing in, Shu Chengfeng and his mother first escorted the Empress Dowager back before returning to Fengxiang Palace.
"Today's events are suspicious in every way. They say it's Consort Zhen's doing, but I don't think so," the Empress said.
The main question is, could a concubine really have angered the emperor to the point of fainting? Is that even possible? If that were the case, even Consort Zhen might not have survived.
"Mother, please don't worry, I understand," Shu Chengfeng said.
The Empress sighed, "I know you've done your best. But in my heart..."
Shu Chengfeng simply reassured her, "Your Majesty, please remain seated. I will do my best to handle matters outside. Now is not the right time to deal with Consort Zhen. Since Your Majesty also knows that today's events were wrong, she may be taking the blame for someone else. If Your Majesty were to use excessive force, it would not look good."
"I know, that's why it passed by so easily." The Empress chuckled. "I'm not in a hurry anymore."
After the mother and son finished talking, Shu Chengfeng left the palace.
He did not ride a horse today, but came by carriage.
Inside the carriage, Shu Chengfeng's expression was not very good.
He was worried that His Majesty might have some ulterior motive, but now it seems that His Majesty has been the one plotted against by others.
Aside from the Longevity Palace, he hardly thought about anything else.
The Longevity Palace resents His Majesty.
This is beyond doubt.
Upon returning to the manor, Shu Chengfeng didn't go to the backyard. He had a lot of things to do.
The first month of this year was destined to be anything but peaceful.
On the last day, news reached the capital. The Prince of Nan'an had raised an army.
The pretext for the crackdown was to set things right.
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