Zhao Zixu looked at his mother, his queen, and several imperial physicians, and knew that he had been poisoned and could no longer hide it.
After the family dinner, he felt unwell on the way back to Kunning Palace with Queen Lu. He knew that the poison must be taking effect.
As expected, as soon as he arrived at Kunning Palace, he vomited blood and fainted.
"I'm fine, mother, Yinli, don't worry, I'm much better."
Zhao Zixu smiled and tried to comfort the Queen Mother and Queen Lu. His face was pale and his lips were bloodless with a faint bruise.
The Queen Mother looked at Zhao Zixu who had just woken up. Even though Zhao Zixu said he was fine, the Queen Mother was still worried and asked Doctor Liu, "Doctor Liu, has the poison been cured?"
Doctor Liu bowed and was about to reply, but Zhao Zixu spoke first, "Doctor Liu, the poison should have been cured, right?"
Imperial Physician Liu met Zhao Zixu's gaze. He had been in the Imperial Hospital for many years and was quite good at observing people's words and expressions. He clearly felt the warning and threat in His Majesty's eyes.
Your Majesty wants him to conceal his illness and not tell the Queen Mother and the Empress the truth?
He suddenly understood something. Why did His Majesty warn him?
Unless, unless Your Majesty intends not to let the Queen Mother and the Empress know about his illness.
A terrible thought came to Doctor Liu's mind.
Your Majesty didn't just find out that he was poisoned now. Your Majesty knew about it a long time ago.
When Imperial Physician Liu was taking Zhao Zixu's pulse, he could tell from the pulse that His Majesty had been poisoned for some time, and definitely not today.
No wonder His Majesty warned him, this matter is of no trivial importance.
He didn't know what His Majesty's intention was, but for now he could obey His Majesty's wishes.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Although I have removed some of the poison from your body with acupuncture, there is still some poison left in your body. You need to take medicine to slowly eliminate the remaining poison."
The Queen Mother asked, "The poison is still there. Is there any concern for Your Majesty's life?"
Doctor Liu shook his head slightly.
The Queen Mother thought that Doctor Liu meant that there was no danger to his life. In fact, Doctor Liu shook his head to indicate that he didn't know and he was not clear.
In fact, he really didn't know and wasn't clear.
"Doctor Liu, please stay in the Imperial Hospital and wait until the remaining poison to His Majesty is cleared, then you can leave the palace."
With the Empress Dowager's words, Doctor Liu dared not say no and had to obey the Empress Dowager's order.
…
It was already late at night, and Zhao Zixu ordered the palace maids and eunuchs to send the empress dowager back to Cining Palace. The empress dowager was unwilling to do so, as she wanted to stay in Kunning Palace to guard her son. Finally, after being persuaded by Empress Lu, the empress dowager returned to Cining Palace.
Doctor Liu and three other imperial doctors were sent back to the Imperial Medical Bureau. They had been working in the medical field for most of their lives, so they naturally knew what to say and what not to say.
"Yinli, talk to me."
Zhao Zixu rarely used the word "I". His voice was very soft, as if he was weak due to a serious illness, but it was very gentle.
Queen Lu sat down beside the couch. The candlelight in the hall was bright. The dark blue on Zhao Zixu's lips fell clearly into her eyes. A slender hand covered the back of Zhao Zixu's hand and then held it.
"His Majesty."
Zhao Zixu felt the burning temperature of Queen Lu's jade palm. This warmth was exactly the same as before. His heart moved slightly. The feeling was indescribable. It seemed like the feeling when they were newly married.
They were childhood sweethearts and got married when they were young. The few years after their wedding were the happiest time for them.
However, after Yan'er passed away and he was poisoned, he could no longer feel or touch that special feeling between him and Yinli.
"Your Majesty, you have no idea how nervous and worried I was when I saw you vomiting blood and falling asleep. Imperial Physician Liu said you were poisoned, and I was almost scared to death."
Tears as big as beans rolled down from the corners of Queen Lu's eyes. It was not until this moment that she dared to express her worries and fears in front of Zhao Zixu.
Zhao Zixu was deeply distressed. He caressed Empress Lu's beautiful face with his big hand, wiped away the tears from her face, and gently coaxed her, "Yinli, don't cry. I'm fine. I'm really fine."
Zhao Zixu's gentle voice was like a catalyst, and Queen Lu's tears couldn't stop flowing down like a dam breaking.
“Wuwuwu…”
Empress Lu sobbed softly, as if she wanted to vent all her pent-up emotions.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade Queen Lu, Zhao Zixu simply gave up and lovingly embraced Queen Lu in his arms, letting her dark head bury in his shoulders.
Queen Lu put her arms around Zhao Zixu's back and wrapped them around his slender waist.
In the past two or three months, Zhao Zixu has been busy with government affairs and has not paid attention to the balance between work and rest, so he has visibly lost a lot of weight.
Queen Lu did not cry for long and soon stopped sobbing.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."
Zhao Zixu's hand touched Queen Lu's bun, and he held the back of her head and stroked it, his movements gentle and cautious.
"Ali, call my name."
Empress Lu hadn't called Zhao Zixu by his name for a long time. "Xi."
"Call again."
"Xi."
"Xi."
When he was born, the morning sun was rising, warm and blazing, representing hope and prosperity that would break through the darkness. His father named him Xi.
Zhao Zixu was immersed in Queen Lu's calls, but he also knew clearly that he didn't have much time left.
Zhao is his surname, Xi is his given name, and Zixu is his courtesy name.
His name and surname are full of warmth and hope, but he is destined to leave this world.
Forgive me, Yinli.
…
It's dawn.
The news of Zhao Zixu being poisoned has not yet spread outside the palace.
The Empress Dowager comes from a prominent family and has been firmly in the position of Queen and ruling the imperial court for many years. Now she is the Empress Dowager again. Even though she has not managed the affairs of the harem for several years, she is still the decisive eldest daughter of the Lu family.
She personally ordered a thorough investigation into the poisoning of Zhao Zixu, from the palace maids and eunuchs who served Zhao Zixu, to the people who served and touched the food at the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, to the cooks who cut and cooked in the kitchen, to the male and female servants who helped by lighting the fire and fetching water, all of them were interrogated, adhering to the principle of executing anyone who was suspicious.
Everyone was interrogated, but nothing was found.
The Queen Mother didn't believe it and had them severely tortured. Under torture, two or three people did confess, but they all said that they did not poison.
The Queen Mother directly executed these people and personally interrogated the chefs in the kitchen. After the interrogation failed, she executed all the chefs, eunuchs and palace maids who were responsible for Zhao Zixu's meals.
The Queen Mother's ruthless approach terrified the other people in the kitchen and the palace servants who had participated in the Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner, fearing that they would be the next to die.
The two imperial physicians who had been on duty last night and treated Zhao Zixu couldn't help but feel worried when they heard about the empress dowager's large-scale interrogation of the harem.
What if the Imperial Hospital cannot cure the remaining poison for His Majesty, or it takes them some time to eliminate the remaining poison for His Majesty, and the Queen Mother is unhappy, will she hold the Imperial Hospital accountable?
Doctor Liu felt the same way.
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