Zheng Yu's hand, which was being held by Minister Zheng, suddenly trembled. He looked up at his father with sorrow, only to see that his father's eyes were full of worry.
"Father! You will definitely be alright."
“Death is inevitable for everyone,” Minister Zheng gazed at him intently. “I don’t mean you must be loyal to the Crown Prince, but I want to tell you that choosing the wrong side can cost you your head. The Crown Prince may be shrewd, but his power base is still shallow. As for the Third Prince…”
He sighed deeply: "Your father has been loyal to His Majesty and the Crown Prince his whole life, never thinking of anything else. But you are different. You are still young, and you have a long road ahead of you..."
“Father!” Zheng Yu’s voice was filled with obvious urgency. “In my heart, Father’s choice is my choice. Whether His Highness the Crown Prince is weak or not, he is the heir apparent and the person Father is wholeheartedly devoted to assisting. I will never betray Father’s wishes.”
[So touching! The father and son's love is so deep! Zheng Yu is so filial!]
But is the Crown Prince truly worth it?
【Zheng Yu, don't be impulsive! Think about your own future!】
Seeing the resolute light in his eyes, Minister Zheng smiled contentedly, a smile tinged with both relief and bitterness: "Silly child, this isn't about betraying or not betraying; it's a choice concerning your life and future. I just want you to know that no matter what, you must remain calm and understand the situation..."
At this moment, Minister Zheng's voice grew softer and softer, his eyes gradually became unfocused, and he loosened his grip on Zheng Yu's hand.
"Father!" Zheng Yu exclaimed in shock, quickly supporting his limp body. "Father, what's wrong? Wake up! Quickly summon the imperial physician!" The room erupted into chaos again, with servants rushing in and out in a panic.
Zheng Yu hugged her father tightly, feeling suffocated. It was as if something was pressing down on her chest, and for a moment, the pain was so intense that she couldn't breathe.
Meanwhile, inside the Princess's residence, He Yi was pacing anxiously in her room.
Qingju hadn't returned from the Minister's residence yet, and the nightmare clung to her like a leech. Unbeknownst to her, at the very moment she was having this nightmare, a life-or-death conversation was quietly unfolding within the Minister's residence.
【Zheng Yu, hang in there! He Yi needs you!】
Inside the Princess's residence, He Yi couldn't sleep. She kept glancing at the flickering candlelight in the distance; the dim light made her haggard face appear even more dejected. Qing Ju had gone to the Minister's residence to inquire about her father's condition, but now neither Qing Ju nor any news had arrived.
However, the nightmare from last night kept replaying in my mind: my father lying on his sickbed, barely breathing, and my brother kneeling on the ground holding his father's hand.
She was as if she were blocked from this world by an invisible wall, and she could only watch helplessly as the raging flames swept over and devoured everything.
"Princess, please rest for a while. Qingju is a fast traveler and will be back soon. Perhaps something has delayed her on the way."
Her personal maid, Hongyu, couldn't sleep either, her voice filled with worry. Heyi, however, simply shook her head slightly; how could she possibly rest now?!
With his father terminally ill and his elder brother about to be embroiled in the succession struggle, the Minister's residence was naturally rife with undercurrents.
The villainous female supporting character was so worried about her father; her anxious expression really tugged at my heartstrings.
[Why isn't Qingju back yet! I'm so worried! I hope something happened to her on the way!]
Nightmares are the most agonizing thing; He Yi must be afraid that her nightmares will become reality.
The Princess's residence appears calm on the surface, but just like the Minister's residence, undercurrents are swirling beneath.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she finally heard Qingju's light and hurried footsteps outside the courtyard. Heyi hurriedly opened the door and came out, only to see Qingju rushing in, panting.
"Princess!"
Qingju stared at her intently, but before she could finish speaking, Heyi quickly stepped forward and grabbed Qingju's arm: "Is my father alright? What happened to him? Tell me quickly!"
Qingju had been gone for so long, so she was naturally anxious. Qingju, barely catching her breath, said, "Master's condition wasn't very good just now, but the eldest young master called someone to do acupuncture, and his condition has stabilized for the time being."
"That's good, that's good..."
Qingju still looked worried. "But the master's complexion is still very bad. The young master told me to come back quickly and tell you not to worry too much. He said you should go over at dawn. He will be watching over the master right now."
"Things have stabilized for now..."
He Yi murmured repeatedly, and only then did the suffocating pain in her chest ease slightly, but soon she was gripped by an even deeper panic.
Zheng Heyi suddenly turned around, "Prepare the car! I'm going to the Minister's residence!" In short, this nightmare came very strangely, and no matter what, she would feel more at ease going to see for herself.
Secondly, Zheng Yu did not tell her to rest well, but instead reminded her to come back when it was light the next day, which indicated that her father's chances of survival were still slim.
“Princess, it’s late…” Hongyu wanted to persuade her, but Heyi was very anxious: “My father is seriously ill, how can I sit comfortably in the mansion? Besides, I really can’t sleep tonight.”
The carriage left the princess's residence and sped through the night. Zheng Heyi sat inside the carriage, occasionally lifting the curtain to watch the street scenes rushing past outside the window, her mind constantly replaying the terrifying scenes from her dream.
Her father was upright and incorruptible, and devoted himself to assisting the Crown Prince. Now, however, he was plagued by illness and still had to worry about the affairs of the court. Thinking of this, He Yi's eyes couldn't help but redden.
[Heyi is so filial; she still goes to see her father so late.]
[Drive the carriage faster! Faster! I wish I could fly to the Minister's residence right now.]
Why do I suddenly feel like crying when I think about how good my father was to the villainous female supporting character?
He Yi must be terrified, afraid of losing her father.
A servant was already waiting at the gate of the Minister's residence. Upon seeing He Yi's carriage arrive, he immediately trotted forward to take the horse. Inside the residence, all was quiet, with only a few servants on night watch carrying lanterns.
The lamplight cast flickering shadows on the corridor. He Yi walked quickly toward her father's bedroom and saw her brother Zheng Yu standing on the corridor in the distance. He looked even thinner and more haggard than she remembered.
Zheng Yu frowned, whispering instructions to his servants.
The moment He Yi saw Zheng Yu, her heart warmed.
"Brother," she called softly. Zheng Yu turned around in surprise, and when he saw it was her, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Didn't I tell you to come tomorrow?"
“I was in a hurry, so I came,” He Yi said. Zheng Yu seemed about to criticize her, but those words instantly turned into a helpless sigh: “Why did you come? Didn’t I tell Qingju to tell you not to worry?”
He stepped forward and adjusted He Yi's cloak, his movements full of brotherly tenderness. "Father just finished acupuncture and is asleep right now. The imperial physician said he's fine for now, but he needs to rest properly."
"How can I feel at ease if I don't come and check?" He Yi walked forward, glanced at the tightly closed door, and her voice choked up again.
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