Chapter 164 Sleep Paralysis
But he never expected that this extra reason for summoning him to the palace would come so quickly.
Just as the weather turned from cold to spring, news spread from the palace that the emperor had fallen ill.
Lu Jiaying sat on a small stool, looking worriedly at the emperor who was sleeping soundly and unconscious on the dragon bed. She pinched her handkerchief and touched her eyes, then looked at the few concubines kneeling sparsely in the hall, and a sigh welled up from the bottom of her heart.
In the palace today, if we're talking about favored concubines, Consort Ye is undoubtedly number one. She was recently granted the title of Consort, and just two days later, the Emperor was already considering granting her the rank of Noble Lady. He's discussed several titles with the Empress, but they haven't decided yet. Logically, it wouldn't be a problem if the Emperor wanted to spend more days attending to her during her illness. But Lü Jiaying looked at her indifferent, aloof face.
It's hard to guarantee that when there are only two people present, this person won't take advantage of the emperor's unconsciousness to do something disrespectful.
Looking further ahead... Consort Nian and Consort Hui...
Lü Jiaying closed her eyes briefly; these two were even less certain.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, her tone weary and worried—"Let Consort Jing, Consort Rou, Noble Lady Qi, and Noble Lady Zhen take care of the matter of attending to the sick. I will come here every day to keep an eye on things. If anyone else wants to come, they can just tell me."
"Your Majesty, what did the imperial physician say?" Consort Jing, supported by Xue Xin, slowly stood up, clutching her chest as she asked.
If we were to name the person who least wants anything to happen to the Emperor, the undisputed number one would be Lü Jiayingfeng. She had previously thought that the Emperor would at least be able to live to see Hongzhao come of age. She had even worried about what would happen if the Emperor grew old while Hongzhao was still growing up, and suspicion and resentment arose between the two.
This has truly caught her off guard. Hongzhao is only ten years old now, and she hardly even needs to think about how much pressure a young emperor has to bear.
Because of this, her worry was more obvious than anyone else's, making outsiders think that the Empress was truly deeply in love with the Emperor. Ever since the Emperor fell ill, the Empress's brow had never relaxed.
"The imperial physician said that the emperor's illness was caused by overthinking and overwork. In addition, the changing seasons and the alternation of hot and cold weather brought out all the old ailments in his body, which is why he is so ill."
Since the Emperor fell ill, her sighs have been almost constant. And now she sighed again—"Alas, the Empress Dowager has not been able to get up since her last illness, nor has she been able to come and see me in person. She has sent people to inquire many times. Consort Hui, go to Shou Kang Palace and report back. Don't let the Empress Dowager worry. Today, Consort Jing will stay, and everyone else can go back."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."
...
"Brother Tong, do you have a way to make Father Emperor regain his senses?"
In the side hall, Hongzhao held the prescription and seemed to be carefully studying the imperial physician's prescription, but in reality, he kept calling out to the system in his mind.
"Beep—" The familiar red light flashed—"You want to cure his illness directly? You know that this illness doesn't pose any threat to him. I don't think you need to waste this point."
“No.” Hongzhao shook his head—“It means that his body is still asleep, but his mind is awake and he can hear the sounds of the outside world.”
If he said that, the system would know what he was up to again—"Yes, give me all the points you have left."
The suspended electronic screen flickered a few times, alternating between red and blue, and a line of text appeared before your eyes: "From now on, his auditory and tactile perception will be activated according to the normal schedule. Please manage the time yourself."
Hongzhao's eyes lit up. He looked at the sky outside, then got up and walked towards the main hall.
The buzzing in his ears continued to intensify, and Yinzhen instinctively reached out to cover his ears completely. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't lift a single finger. Like being paralyzed by a ghost, his nerves were on edge. The footsteps outside seemed to be right next to his ears, but he couldn't move an inch.
Being conscious but unable to control one's own body is the most terrifying and heart-wrenching aspect. Yinzhen felt a chill run down his spine, and an unprecedented sense of helplessness and loneliness almost overwhelmed him.
"Your Majesty, you and the Empress Dowager have been watching over things for most of the day. Go back and rest. I will take care of Father Emperor from now on."
The voice seemed to travel through a layer of water, vaguely reaching Yinzhen's ears with a slight echo. He was very familiar with the voice; it was You'er!
As the footsteps drew closer, the uncontrollable unease that had gripped Yinzhen's body finally subsided somewhat. He paid no attention to what Consort Jing was saying beside him, focusing solely on the lighter footsteps.
He could feel his hand being gently pulled up, and a warm, damp, soft cloth gently wiping it.
As if afraid that his father would be bored by himself, Hongzhao wiped his mouth and kept talking, "Father, your son practiced his calligraphy very well today. When you wake up, you must take a good look at it. Who knows, another piece can be hung in the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
“Father, Mother is worried about you. I saw her today; her eyes were red, but she tried to hide it from others.”
"Father, the food prepared by the imperial kitchen today is not good. It's bitter. Do you also think it's not good? Let's go to Mother's for hot pot when you wake up."
“...”
Inside the hall, only a childish voice kept talking incessantly. Even Su Peisheng, who was outside the hall, couldn't help but feel uneasy listening to it, let alone Yinzhen, who was facing such an emotional shock and couldn't move at all.
Hongzhao's presence was so strong that the initial emptiness he felt upon waking had long since vanished, replaced by heartache.
Although he looked even worse now, he had always been Hongzhao's all-powerful father in all these years. Now, lying on the couch like this, he must be terrified.
How could the imperial kitchen serve bitter dishes to the crown prince? That would be utterly incompetent. There must be something else that makes them bitter.
Despite receiving no response, Hongzhao was not discouraged at all. He wiped his body and fed him water, doing the work of eight people all by himself. Listening to the footsteps coming and going and the faint sound of Jinling gently shaking, Yinzhen even had the leisure to twitch the corners of his mouth.
It is said that adversity reveals true character, and now Yinzhen is truly moved by Hongzhao's pure nature.
"Your Highness, it's time to rest. Let me watch over things for you for a while."
That voice belonged to Su Peisheng.
Yinzhen subconsciously didn't want this little man who had always been able to soothe his heart to leave, but now he couldn't even frown, let alone speak up to keep him here.
“Alright, I’ll trouble Eunuch Su to keep you awake at night.” Hongzhao agreed readily.
Yinzhen was naturally unwilling, and seeing him leave like this, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. But he also understood that he had never let Hongzhao stay up all night since he was a child. If he really had to stay up all night and chatter on and on, he would naturally be reluctant to let him go.
Just as she was struggling with her emotions, she heard a rustling sound of fabric rubbing together, and the next moment a heat source appeared beside her.
Su Peisheng stared wide-eyed as the Crown Prince took off his boots, lifted the Emperor's quilt, climbed onto the bed, and slipped inside—"If Father Emperor has any problems, I will definitely know immediately, and I will call you then."
Perhaps because his body was beyond his control, Yinzhen truly felt a bone-chilling cold emanating from every part of his body. But it was different when Hongzhao, who was like a small furnace, came near. It was like a hungry and cold person finding a piece of firewood by the roadside, lighting it, and holding it in their arms, instantly becoming warm.
Hongzhao lay on his back on the bed, relying on his relatively young age to justify his actions. He knew that in two more years, this approach might not work, so he had to seize the opportunity and make the most of it while it was still viable.
He tiptoed to the side, as if he were truly afraid of waking his father, and gently lifted his arm to rest his head against it.
"Father, I was actually a little scared, but when I leaned on you, I suddenly wasn't scared anymore." He buried his head in the blanket, his voice muffled, filled with helplessness and grievance.
“With your son by your side, Father, don’t be afraid. Your son will always be with you.”
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