Chapter 85 Serious Illness

Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Emperor Bei Lan casually threw the letter in his hand aside and rubbed his brow tiredly.

After Ning Yuan was convicted, the position of Minister of War became vacant. Ministers in the court submitted memorials one after another to recommend suitable candidates, and the matter was debated endlessly at the morning court every day.

The old eunuch who had been with the emperor for many years came in from outside, bowed and said softly: "Your Majesty, the prince did not attend the court this morning because he summoned Doctor Meng Yu."

The emperor frowned: "What happened to him?"

The old eunuch said, "I went to ask around, and it seems that a few days ago, your highness and the marquis were attacked by an assassin in Tianshui Lane outside the palace, and your arm was injured."

Although he spoke in a light-hearted manner, he knew exactly where he had been assassinated.

The old eunuch pointed to her right arm and said, "Such a big wound, Doctor Meng Yu was frightened when he saw it. His Highness probably wanted to keep it a secret because he was afraid that His Majesty would be worried. Doctor Yu was also invited in secret. If His Majesty had not had a high fever this morning due to the wound, His Highness the Crown Prince would have kept it a secret."

The emperor's brows furrowed more and more tightly: "Nonsense, he kept it a secret after suffering such a serious injury! Is he still a child now? Will I punish him?"

The old eunuch hurriedly advised: "Your Majesty has been worried about the affairs of the court these days, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince does not want to distract you. Your Majesty, please calm down."

Emperor Bei Lan said coldly, "How dare you assassinate the prince in the street? You are so brave. Have you found out who did it?"

"Forgive me for my incompetence. At that time, Tianshui Lane was in chaos, and the assassin escaped in the chaos, so there is no way to track him down." The old eunuch thought for a moment and said, "Well, there is also the Marquis. Perhaps he was frightened and his old illness relapsed. He has been bedridden for the past few days. There are rumors in the capital that... he seems..."

He paused, and Emperor Bei Lan asked, "What?"

The old eunuch hesitated and said, "Maybe... he can't survive this winter..."

Bei Landi paused, tapping the table with his hands, and looked a little unhappy: "Did Doctor Yu go to see him?"

"Dr. Meng Yu went to see him, and he just said it depends on fate."

Emperor Beilan was silent for a long time before he said, "Send something to Sui'an Marquis's Mansion."

The old lady nodded in agreement.

Emperor Bei Lan looked a little tired, and even strands of gray hair could be seen among his tied-up black hair. He lowered his eyes to look at the memorials spread out beside him, and stared at the name "Sui Xun" for a long time before he sighed.

In the East Palace, Doctor Meng Yu frowned as he washed his bloody hands and warned the palace maid beside him, "Don't heat the bedroom so high. Ventilate it frequently and be careful that His Highness doesn't catch a cold."

The bedroom was filled with the smell of blood and medicine. The palace maid nodded in agreement and half-opened the window, allowing the cold wind to blow in.

In the inner room, Duan Mingchong sat beside the couch, his face pale as he looked down at the letter brought by the secret guard, his brows furrowed even more tightly.

The sleeve of his right shoulder was open and not worn, he was wearing a sable fur coat, and his right arm was wrapped in white gauze, with traces of blood faintly visible.

The secret guard kneeling beside him lowered his head and said, "The Marquis's illness has been recurring these days. He has been unable to get out of bed for several days. General Sui Xun has not attended the court and has been accompanying him in the side courtyard."

Duan Mingchong threw the letter in his hand into the charcoal brazier beside him. The flames engulfed the letter, and the unburned signature on it could be vaguely seen.

——Jun Jingxing.

Duan Xichen's death did not cause any big stir in the palace. After the emperor knew about it, he was silent for half a day, as if he had aged several years overnight. He ordered him to be buried in the imperial mausoleum with the ceremony of a prince.

Concubine Ning cried so hard that she almost fainted. She was mad for several days and finally hanged herself on a snowy night.

Duan Mingchong took off the mink coat from his shoulders, put on his clothes, stood up and said, "Go prepare the carriage, I want to leave the palace."

The secret guard was shocked: "But your highness's injury..."

Duan Mingchong had inflicted the wound himself, so he knew that the ugly wound only looked serious and did not actually injure any bones or muscles.

He said calmly, "No problem, just go."

The secret guard didn't dare to dissuade him any further and could only say he was leaving.

Duan Mingchong put on his cloak and walked out of the inner room. Doctor Meng Yu had not left yet. Seeing that he was about to leave, he said, "Your Highness, are you going to..."

Duan Mingchong said: "Go to the Marquis' Mansion - tell me the truth about Ayan's condition."

In the past few years, Doctor Meng Yu was often asked by Duan Mingchong to go to the Marquis's mansion to treat Sui Yan. He got used to it and bowed and replied, "The Marquis still has the same old illness from a few years ago. He gets sick in winter. It won't be serious if he gets through it. It's just..."

He carefully glanced at the indifferent Duan Mingchong and said carefully, "It's just that this year's disease seems to be particularly severe..."

Duan Mingchong's face turned even paler.

Doctor Meng Yu hurriedly said, "Your Highness is a lucky man and will definitely get through this. Your Highness does not need to worry too much."

Duan Mingchong said softly, "You told Father that he would not survive the winter. Was it also he who arranged it?"

Doctor Meng Yu nodded.

The assassination in Tianshui Lane was too abrupt and strange. It was definitely not arranged by Duan Ruwang. The assassins had no intention of hurting them. They just fought a few symbolic blows and left quickly. It seemed more like just a formality.

Duan Mingchong came out of the Marquis' Mansion that night and figured it out as soon as he calmed down a little - those people might have done it on purpose because Sui Yan saw that he was in a difficult situation.

Duan Mingchong didn't know what he was feeling in his heart. He was happy but also sad and bitter. Although Sui Yan always looked uninterested in court affairs, he didn't know how much he helped him secretly.

It was precisely because he had figured all this out that Duan Mingchong took advantage of the situation and planned to hurt himself, and he also made up his mind to send Duan Xichen to hell.

The two men in Tianshui Lane were assassinated together, the prince was injured, and the marquis was frightened and fell ill. When the news of this reached Emperor Beilan, he would naturally attribute this assassination and the previous frame-up of the prince to the body of Duan Ruwang, who had been jumping around all the time.

Duan Mingchong nodded in astonishment and said, "I understand. I will go see him now."

All the things he had sent to the Marquis' Mansion in the past few days were returned by Sui Xun, who also sent a message to Duan Mingchong.

"I am ill and cannot return home, so I am not worthy of your reward."

The implication is that don't send anything over here anymore.

Sui Xun even dared to refuse and return the things that Duan Mingchong sent to him. If Duan Mingchong had gone there himself, he would probably have been turned away for the first time in his life.

Duan Mingchong knew it all in his heart, but he still couldn't help but want to see Sui Yan.

The carriage from the East Palace soon stopped at the gate of the Marquis' Mansion.

Li Zhao was at the door. He saw the lights of the East Palace on the carriage, and came down with a pale face, saying, "Sir, my general said that the things sent by the East Palace cannot be accepted. You..."

The curtain of the carriage was gently lifted, and Duan Mingchong looked at him expressionlessly.

Li Zhao was startled and knelt down quickly: "Meet, meet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."

Duan Mingchong got off the carriage and said calmly, "I heard that the Marquis was ill, so I came to see him. General Sian will not keep me out, will he?"

Li Zhao complained bitterly. If it was a palace maid from the East Palace, he could have used Sui Xun's orders to get in the way. But now that the Crown Prince was here in person, he couldn't leave Duan Mingchong here to ask Sui Xun for instructions. He could only smile dryly and respectfully invite Duan Mingchong in.

Duan Mingchong thanked him politely and walked into the Marquis's Mansion.

Most of the servants in the Marquis' Mansion were waiting in Sui Yan's side courtyard. Duan Mingchong did not treat himself as an outsider and walked in directly.

Haitang was scattering medicinal residues when she saw Duan Mingchong coming over from a distance. She exclaimed "Ah" and hurried into the room.

In the inner room, Sui Yan was lying on the couch in a daze, his face as pale as paper. Jun Jingxing was gently holding his neck and feeding him the boiled medicine bit by bit.

Sui Xun was waiting in the outer room, his face full of annoyance.

Haitang stumbled in and said, "Second Young Master! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is here!"

After these words were spoken, Sui Xun's face became even uglier.

He didn't even greet her, but just sat in the chair with a sullen face and said nothing.

Soon, Duan Mingchong walked in, lifting the door curtain. Seeing Sui Xun, he forced a smile and said, "General Sui."

Sui Xun stood up indifferently and bowed reluctantly: "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Duan Mingchong saw the dissatisfaction on Sui Xun's face, but he had to bite the bullet and said, "How is A Yan now? Let me go and see him."

Sui Xun said coldly: "Fortunately, I won't die..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Sui Yan's heart-wrenching cough was heard from the inner room.

Sui Xun was stunned and was about to rush to the inner room in panic, but he saw Duan Mingchong in front of him who opened the pearl curtain and rushed in faster than him.

Sui Yan lay on the couch with his eyes half closed, coughing violently. Jun Jingxing anxiously patted his back, and the medicine spilled all over the bed.

Sui Yan didn't know whether he was conscious or not. He coughed heartbreakingly while desperately trying to grab Jun Jingxing's hand. After a long while, he said in a hoarse voice: "Don't... drink the medicine..."

Jun Jingxing almost wanted to pry open his mouth and feed the medicine to him. Hearing this, he said in a sharp voice: "Do you want to die if you don't take the medicine?"

Sui Yan shook his head weakly, and the medicine he coughed out had traces of blood in it.

I don’t know if it was the shadow in his heart that was playing tricks on him, but he couldn’t help spitting it all out after taking a sip. It looked like he really couldn’t drink it, and he wasn’t just being coquettish because the medicine was bitter.

It was precisely because Jun Jingxing knew this that he was even more helpless.

Sui Yan had been unable to drink his medicine since the night before yesterday. He vomited no matter how much he was fed. Sometimes he would even talk nonsense in a daze, which scared Jun Jingxing and Sui Xun half to death.

In the past, when Sui Yan fell ill in winter, he was just a little weaker and more listless than usual, taking medicine and joking around normally. Except for the time when he drank the stigma, it had never been so serious.

Jun Jingxing looked at the breathless Sui Yan and suddenly murmured, "Stigma..."

He stood up and was about to leave, but Duan Mingchong rushed in and grabbed his arm.

Jun Jingxing didn't even look at him, broke free from his hand and was about to walk out.

Duan Mingchong's eyes were slightly red. He grabbed him tightly and said coldly: "Where are you going? You want to save him..."

Jun Jingxing looked at him in a daze, his lips moving slightly: "He...he can't hold on any longer..."

Duan Mingchong was stunned, as if he didn't hear clearly: "What?"

Jun Jingxing said: "He can't drink the medicine, and his condition is much more serious than before. He..."

"If he continues like this, he really won't survive this winter..."

Duan Mingchong's eyes went dark and he heard a buzzing sound in his ears.

Jun Jingxing said: "That medicinal fragrance... the medicinal fragrance can save his life..."

He broke free from Duan Mingchong's hand and went to look for the medicine incense.

Duan Mingchong took a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm, and said coldly: "I won't let him use medicinal incense."

Jun Jingxing was stunned for a moment, then sneered: "So do you want him to die now?"

Duan Mingchong said: "He won't die..."

Duan Mingchong lowered his hand, which was in great pain, and whispered, "I'm still here. He won't die so easily."

"Don't use that medicinal incense on him again. You can't destroy him."

Jun Jingxing was furious: "I would rather destroy him than let him die!"

Duan Mingchong said softly: "If you destroy him, I will kill you."

As aloof and proud as Sui Yan, he would never allow himself to live like a half-human for the rest of his life.

Jun Jingxing was stunned.

After Duan Mingchong finished speaking, he no longer cared about Jun Jingxing, staggered to the couch, and slowly sat down next to Sui Yan.

Sui Yanmo lay exhausted on the pillow, his pale face devoid of any color, and with a faint grayish and dead look.

Duan Mingchong leaned over gently and held Sui Yan in his arms.

Sui Yan smelled a familiar scent while half asleep and half awake. His dull eyes slightly opened, but he couldn't tell whether it was a dream or reality.

"Your Highness?"

His voice was hoarse and sounded like it was scraped by gravel.

Duan Mingchong put his arms around his shoulders, leaned over and touched his forehead to his, and said softly, "I'm here, don't be afraid anymore."

Sui Yan's eyes were full of tears. She looked at him blankly, hot tears slowly sliding down from the corners of her eyes and falling between her black hair.

When Sui Xun walked in with a cold face, he saw the scene on the couch and was suddenly stunned.

——His younger brother, who had been in a daze and didn't recognize anyone at all since he fell ill, was holding on to Duan Mingchong tightly as if he was grabbing a life-saving straw. His thin body curled up in his arms, and he burst into tears, unable to bear it any longer.