Chapter 85: Too Dependent on Yun Shang Gong
At breakfast time, the atmosphere in Yanying Hall was subtle and tense.
Xiao Jin sat upright at the dining table, with an endless blur and darkness before his eyes.
If he couldn't dismiss the palace maids who served the meals, it would be like trying to cover up the truth!
He could only try his best to maintain the majesty of an emperor, with his back straight, and every movement deliberately slowed down to appear extremely calm.
However, eating became the biggest problem.
It is difficult to pick up dishes accurately with the tip of the chopsticks, and even the position of the soup bowl cannot be seen clearly.
Yun Zhao naturally took over the job.
She knelt beside him, feeding the food to his lips gently and precisely, handing him a spoon at the right time, as if this was just the king's occasional capriciousness and favor.
After the meal, she washed her hands, rinsed her mouth, and wiped the corners of her lips, all by herself, meticulously.
The palace maids standing in the hall all lowered their heads and looked submissive, but their hearts were filled with turmoil - His Majesty's dependence on Concubine Yun had reached such an extent!
Sure enough, in just a cup of tea, the rumor had spread throughout the court and the harem.
The versions are highly consistent: His Majesty visited three palaces at night and indulged in excessive sexual activities, which made his body tired and he had to withdraw from court. Even his meals had to be served by the palace ladies before he could eat.
The rumor spread with alarming speed, as if it had been premeditated. Soon, three cabinet elders—Su Yuan, Hu Hanhua, and Sun Qian—brought a group of imperial physicians, under the pretext of “visiting the patient,” and stormed into the Yanying Palace.
"Bang!" A teacup slammed down in the hall. Xiao Jin's face was ashen, and though his vision was blurry, his anger was tangible. "These old scoundrels! They're deliberately trying to prevent me from having a moment's peace! What on earth do they want?!"
Zhang Fuan and Yun Zhao exchanged glances quickly.
Zhang Fuan bowed and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Perhaps the elders... are truly worried about your Majesty's health."
"Worried?" Xiao Jin practically squeezed out a word through his teeth. "They're here to check if I'm truly dead or just pretending to be sick! And they want to use the 'country can't be without a ruler for a day' hat to pressure me! Fine, fine! I insist on living, living to the ripe old age of a hundred! Let's see who gets pissed off to death first!"
Yun Zhao stepped forward, his voice clear and calm, carrying a strange soothing power: "Your Majesty, please invite them in. Whether they are truly ill or feigning illness, if the imperial physician is truly capable, he can tell by taking their pulse. But what does that matter?"
She paused slightly, her tone filled with an unquestionable pride. "You are the ruler of the world, the highest authority! Even if you're 'feigning illness' and don't want to attend court, who can do anything to you? Everyone in this world suffers from illness. Don't they themselves ever get sick?"
These words hit Xiao Jin's heart with incredible precision!
His tightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise slightly.
"Well said! I am the emperor. I can hold court whenever I want. It is not their turn to dictate my decision!"
He drank the remaining tea in his cup with great pride and said loudly, "Zhang Fuan, summon!"
The gathering of the three treacherous ministers is truly a grand spectacle. The backbone of the civil service? I'm afraid it's a den of termites! And Li Xin from the Ministry of Personnel, it's a shame he didn't come.
Yun Zhao lowered his eyes and sneered in his heart.
Su Yuan and the other two entered one after another.
Xiao Jin immediately straightened his back and tried to turn his unfocused eyes towards the source of the sound. One of his hands was placed casually on a memorial, with his fingertips exerting slight force.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." Su Yuan spoke first, his voice tinged with just the right amount of concern. "We heard that Your Majesty was not feeling well, and we were deeply concerned. Your Majesty has not yet summoned the imperial physician, and we are truly worried. So, we have brought the imperial physician here to take Your Majesty's pulse."
Xiao Jin's eyes moved slightly, and he tried to sound relaxed. "Thank you, Lord Su, for your concern. I'm fine, just a little tired. I'll be fine after two days of rest."
Hu Hanhua, a tall, thin man with a goatee, immediately chimed in, his tone carrying the mortal-level remonstration characteristic of a civil official: "Your Majesty, the dragon's body is the foundation of the state. Please take care of yourself! I... I risk my life to offer this advice. Your Majesty truly should not... visit so many concubines in one night, thus depleting the dragon's essence..."
Sun Qian, with his three white eyes, was more direct. He glanced at Yun Zhao, who was standing beside him, and said something with a hidden meaning: "Your Majesty, we are truly uneasy. Please ensure that the imperial physician takes your pulse and prescribes medicine. Although Consort Yun is capable, she is still young and has to manage the affairs of six departments. I am afraid it will be difficult for her to provide comprehensive care for the patient."
Yun Zhao's face remained calm, but anger was already boiling within him: "Old scoundrel! After finding fault with His Majesty, now you're picking on me! You'd better stay healthy and free from all calamities in your life, or else I'll make you taste the bitter taste of 'being all-powerful'!"
Xiao Jin's expression grew visibly colder. Even though it was difficult to see clearly, he was staring accurately in the direction of Sun Qian.
"It was I who forbade the imperial physician to be summoned." His voice suddenly dropped, carrying with it an unquestionable authority. "How dare the Imperial Medical Bureau disobey my order? I am the ruler of a nation. Whether or not to summon the imperial physician, and when to do so, is entirely my decision! My three beloved ministers, do not worry too much. I am young and strong, and I will eventually... follow you."
These words were extremely harsh, almost a blatant curse.
The faces of several old ministers who were well-read in the books of sages turned pale, but no one dared to refute the emperor's "concern" to his face.
"What a bunch of timid people, bullying the weak and afraid of the strong! They only know how to do shady things behind the scenes!" Yun Zhao spat inwardly.
Su Yuan, a true veteran, quickly calmed down and revealed his true intentions. "Your Majesty, please calm down. We are also worried. Also, since the imperial physician has arrived today, I dare to ask Your Majesty to show mercy and allow him to check the Empress Dowager's pulse. The Empress Dowager has been confined for a long time, and we are deeply concerned. We sincerely ask Your Majesty to have mercy on her!"
Sun Qian immediately knelt down and agreed: "This old minister reconsiders the matter! After all, the Empress Dowager is a meritorious official who assisted Your Majesty in ascending the throne and has made great contributions to the country!"
[So this is the real purpose! I've been going around for so long just to get that old witch out!]
Yun Zhao was so angry that he almost threw the letter in his hand at Su Yuan's face.
Xiao Jin's knuckles turned slightly white from the exertion. He tried his best to suppress the raging anger, his voice practically squeezed from his throat: "What the Lord has reminded you of is true. Although the Queen Mother wasn't my biological mother, she did make an indelible contribution back then. I should be grateful."
Seeing the situation unfold, the goateed Hu Hanhua immediately took advantage of the situation, speaking earnestly but pressing the issue step by step: "Your Majesty is a universally recognized wise ruler. You should value filial piety and set an example for the world. Furthermore, His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin is the Queen Mother's biological son, and now he is under house arrest. I am afraid that he will be criticized and mocked for his intolerance. His Royal Highness has also made contributions to the disaster relief efforts in Jiangnan. I beg Your Majesty to consider our brotherly love and achievements and restore the Prince of Qin's freedom!"
Yun Zhao was furious when he heard this, and he wanted to immediately kick out these traitors who talked about benevolence and morality but were actually only interested in serving the King of Qin!
[Every word and sentence is about the King of Qin! His heart deserves death!]
[But we can't confront them head-on right now! Your Majesty's eye disease hasn't healed yet. We need to calm them down first, play it safe, and then make long-term plans!]
She suppressed her anger and thought quickly.
Xiao Jin's lips trembled slightly, clearly furious. After a moment's silence, he finally took a deep breath and said in a voice as cold as ice, "Okay... okay! Of course I...'think of our old friendship'! Zhang Fuan—"
"The old slave is here."
"Propagate my oral order: From this day forward, the Queen Mother and the Prince of Qin are released from their confinement and are allowed to come and go freely. Also, allow the imperial physician to check the Queen Mother's pulse."
"I obey your command." Zhang Fuan bowed and accepted the order, sighing in his heart.
The "plague gods" finally achieved their goal and left satisfied.
Inside the Yanying Palace, there was a dead silence like that before a sudden rain, filled with an extremely oppressive and murderous atmosphere!
Xiao Jin drank three cups of ice-cold calming tea in a row, but it seemed that he could not extinguish the raging anger in his chest.
At this moment, the cautious voice of the eunuch outside the palace broke the dead silence:
"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin is outside seeking an audience."
Xiao Jin closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced the surging anger back into his heart. His voice regained its imperial composure, but still carried a hint of chill:
"Send him in."
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