Cold Abyss and Glimmer
The air in the emperor's bedroom seemed to freeze, filled with a strong smell of medicine and a deeper, more oppressive silence.
On the dragon bed, Wei Jin lay with his eyes closed, his face pale after the unhealthy flush had faded, his lips chapped and peeling. His breathing was slightly heavy, each rise and fall of his chest seemed to consume his strength.
Very light, rustling footsteps came from outside the hall, along with Wang Jin's low voice admonishing, "...My lords, His Majesty has just fallen asleep and is not feeling well; it is not appropriate to disturb him..."
"Eunuch Wang, we'll just take a look, put our things down, and leave." It was Shen Xiao's calm voice.
"Daddy..." Little Bull mumbled, his voice trembling with tears.
Wei Jin's eyelashes trembled slightly, but he did not open his eyes. However, his tense body relaxed almost imperceptibly.
The door was gently pushed open a crack, and several heads cautiously peeked in.
Led by Shen Xiao, the children filed in, each with a look of worry and restraint on their faces. They moved quietly and gathered around the dragon bed.
Susu's eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying for a long time. She gently placed a small, soft pillow embroidered with calming flowers and herbs beside her father's pillow, her voice barely audible: "...This is a new one I made. I put dried jasmine and daylilies inside. I heard...it can calm the nerves..."
Shen Hong and Sui He brought over a delicate willow basket filled with several round, plump, golden melons, still carrying the fresh scent of the earth. "Dad, these are the latest batch of golden melons from the experimental field, the sweetest ones... We brought them for you..." Sui He said softly, her eyes red-rimmed.
Xiao Shitou silently placed a roll of Xuan paper filled with densely written formulas on the small table by his bedside. The top line read, "Optimal Solution for Derivation of Dosage and Thermodynamic Loss Rate of Qi-Boosting and Body-Nourishing Decoction." He expressed his concern in an extremely academic way.
Shen Xiao stepped forward, still in his armor and covered in dust.
He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, a family greeting, and said in a low voice, "Father, please rest well. Everything is fine at the camp outside the capital, do not worry." His gaze quickly swept over his father's pale face, a barely perceptible anxiety hidden in his eyes.
Finally, there's the little bull.
He carried a heavy earthenware jar, still steaming, and laboriously placed it on the footstool beside the bed.
He sniffed, his voice thick with nasal congestion: "Father...this is...this was sent back urgently from the southeast by Xing-ge and Chen-ge through the post station...they said it's called...dried scallops? And seaweed...the letter said that people living by the sea drink this soup when they're sick, it's the most nourishing..."
He lifted the lid of the earthenware jar, and a rich, fragrant steam instantly escaped, dispelling the stuffy smell of medicine in the hall. "I...I followed their instructions in the letter, and brewed it for several hours...Father, please drink a little? Just a little..."
The chubby boy's face was full of expectation and pleading, and tears welled up in his eyes.
Wei Jin finally slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze swept over the children by the bedside, over the calming pillow, the pumpkin, the abacus paper, and the steaming pot of seafood soup filled with the heartfelt wishes of the other two children who were thousands of miles away. A bittersweet warmth suddenly surged into his cold, stagnant heart, bringing a sharp, throbbing pain.
He opened his mouth, his chapped lips moved, and finally he uttered only two words very softly: "...Thank you for your kindness."
His voice was extremely hoarse.
The children's faces lit up with joy when they heard him speak.
The little bull couldn't wait to pick up the small bowl and scoop out the soup: "Daddy! I'll serve you some!"
"Just leave it there."
Wei Jin closed his eyes, his voice filled with undisguised exhaustion and a barely perceptible stiffness that seemed to resist everything, "I... have no appetite for now."
The little bull's hand froze in mid-air, the light on his face dimmed instantly, his lips drooped, and it looked like golden tears were about to fall again.
Shen Xiao reached out, silently took the bowl from his hand, put it down, and shook his head at him.
The light in the children's eyes gradually faded, and worry and helplessness resurfaced.
They stood in silence for a while, and finally Shen Xiao took the lead, bowed, and said in a low voice, "Father, please take care of your health. Your subjects will take their leave."
The children reluctantly left, turning back again and again. The hall returned to a suffocating silence, with only the steam from the pot of seafood soup stubbornly rising, releasing a salty, savory aroma from the distant sea that seemed out of place in this cold palace.
Wei Jin lay alone on the couch, listening to the faint, receding footsteps of the children outside the door. A bittersweet warmth and a chilling loneliness raged within him, tearing him apart. He abruptly turned his head, burying his face in the soft pillow. The calming floral patterns sewn by Su Su emitted a faint fragrance, but it did nothing to soothe his turbulent emotions.
When Wang Jin entered carrying the bowl of medicine, he saw His Majesty's back buried deep in the pillow, as if even the steam from the soup couldn't bear it. His heart ached, and he whispered again, "Your Majesty, please take some medicine... the imperial physician said..."
"Remove it." Wei Jin's muffled voice came from under the pillow, colder and harder than before, with an almost self-destructive stubbornness.
Wang Jin's hand trembled, and the rim of the bowl tapped against the tray, making a soft but startling sound. He dared not persuade him any further, and with his back hunched, he was about to retreat silently when a very slight commotion came from outside the palace gate. He could vaguely hear a woman's clear, calm voice whispering to the guards at the gate.
It was the Empress's voice.
Wang Jin subconsciously looked towards the dragon bed. The person on the bed seemed to catch their breath for a moment, then closed their eyes even more tightly, as if trying to shut out all light and sound. Even their thin jawline tightened, revealing a resolute resistance.
He turned over, facing away from the palace gate, leaving only a silent and stiff back to the outside world.
Wang Jin felt a pang of sadness, sighed silently, and quietly withdrew from the inner hall, carrying the bowl of medicine that had gradually cooled down.
Outside the hall, Ling Zhan, dressed in a simple palace gown, stood quietly under the corridor.
The sunlight outlined her exquisite profile, but couldn't penetrate her deep, pool-like eyes. She stared at the untouched medicine bowl in Wang Jin's hand, her gaze lingering on it for a moment.
"Your Majesty still refuses to take the medicine?" Her voice was devoid of emotion, as if confirming a given fact.
Wang Jin bowed, her voice extremely low and tinged with difficulty: "Your Majesty... His Majesty... is weak and troubled, it's truly..."
Ling Zhan's gaze passed over Wang Jin and landed on the tightly closed palace door, as if it could penetrate the carved door panels and see the man inside who had built a high wall of silence. She stood still for a moment, but in the end, she did not go forward again, nor did she say another word. She turned and left, her skirt brushing against the cold ground without making a sound, and walked straight towards the Imperial Observatory.
Her back was straight, yet for some reason Wang Jin felt that she was even more desolate than the late autumn wind.
In the afternoon, Wei Jin was half asleep when he felt a tightness in his chest and a splitting headache.
In a daze, he seemed to hear again the soft sound of the palace doors opening, and Wang Jin's low, slightly surprised report: "Your Majesty... Supervisor Xuan Chenzi requests an audience, saying... he observed the celestial phenomena last night and has important matters to discuss with Your Majesty in person..."
Wei Jin frowned, wanting to say he wouldn't see her, but then he coughed.
The heart-wrenching coughs echoed in the empty hall, ironically making the decision for him.
Xuan Chenzi, still wearing his worn-out Taoist robe, slipped silently into the hall, his whisk bringing with it a touch of the cool air from outside. He walked to the bedside, not bothering to bow, but carefully examining Wei Jin's face before shaking his head and clicking his tongue: "Such heavy depression, a combination of cold and heat, a burning heart. Your Majesty, you're trying to burn yourself out."
Wei Jin was too lazy to give him a polite reply, so he closed his eyes and spoke in a hoarse and broken voice.
"Speak your mind... cough... if it's still those vague and unreliable celestial phenomena... then get out..."
Xuan Chenzi was not annoyed. He sat down on the embroidered stool by the couch, with his whisk draped over his arm, and said slowly, "Although the stars are illusory, they reflect the realities of the world. I came here today for two reasons: first, to see if His Majesty is still alive; and second... I did see some interesting 'starlight'."
He leaned slightly forward, lowering his voice, but each word was clear: "In the imperial estates on the outskirts of the capital, the 'Earth' star has recently shone, signifying abundant harvests. I heard that Her Majesty, along with the Second Prince and Princess Suihe, have successfully developed a new grain variety. It is drought-resistant and barren, especially suitable for wasteland, with astonishing yields. What's even better is that cotton can be planted in the gaps between the rows."
Wei Jin's eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly, but he still did not open his eyes.
Xuan Chenzi observed his reaction and continued, "Her Majesty has drafted a proposal to implement the 'New Policy on Wasteland.' A survey of unclaimed wasteland will be conducted, and the land will be distributed to landless refugees and impoverished families according to the number of people in the land. Taxes will be waived for three years, and they will only be allowed to plant new seeds and sow cotton. Merging and reselling will be strictly prohibited."
He paused, his tone now tinged with genuine admiration, “Your Majesty, this strategy does not infringe upon an inch of land belonging to powerful families, yet it saves millions of lives, gradually alleviating hunger and cold across the land without sparking war. This is an unparalleled achievement; the will of the people is the will of Heaven. Even if Your Majesty has a thousand worries, you must not let your emotions cloud your judgment in this matter of national importance, lest you chill the hearts of the people and... fail those who silently wove this magnificent tapestry for the ages.”
The person on the couch seemed to breathe a little heavier, and the fingers of their right hand, draped over the brocade quilt, curled slightly.
Xuan Chenzi knew his words had worked, but he subtly changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat subtle: "The second item, 'Starlight,' is... close to the palace. Today is the first selection of the imperial concubines, and the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager are in attendance. One of them was exceptionally selected for the second round, and she has already been favored by the Empress Dowager and her name has been recorded."
Wei Jin finally opened his eyes, his bloodshot eyes, filled with fever, sharply looking at Xuan Chenzi with questioning and impatience.
Xuan Chenzi slowly uttered the name: "Su Wan".
Wei Jin's pupils suddenly contracted! Su Wan?!
Su Wan, who was like a sister to Ling Zhan, taught Su Su embroidery and accounting, and once said that her ambition lay in the mountains and rivers.
He blurted out, his voice hoarse with shock, "Why...why?"
Xuan Chenzi spread his hands: "The reason is unknown. I only heard that it was recommended by a lady from the Empress Dowager's family. The Empress Dowager saw him and was pleased with his temperament and talent, so she kept him." He added meaningfully, "It seems that Kunning Palace only just learned about this matter, and it has caused quite a stir."
As if to confirm his words, the faint sound of hurried footsteps and a girl's tearful, pleading voice, her voice trembling with suppressed pleas, drifted from outside the palace: "...Let me see my father! Eunuch Wang! I beg you! Let me see my father! My master...how could she..."
It was Su Su's voice. It was filled with panic, disbelief, and fear.
Wei Jin's heart sank. Even Su Su was so distraught... what about Ling Zhan...?
He could almost picture Ling Zhan's expression at that moment.
To her, Su Wan was a rare, warm, and familiar figure both inside and outside the palace walls, carrying the fresh air of the outside world; she was almost like a family member.
This move is nothing short of a complete and cold betrayal, far more chilling than any court intrigue.
However, to Xuan Chenzi's surprise, after the initial shock and the subsequent heartache for Ling Zhan, the turmoil in Wei Jin's eyes slowly subsided, revealing an extremely complex and almost cold clarity.
He showed no anger, no doubt; instead, a faint, cold smile curved his lips, and his voice was so soft it was almost a whisper:
"Has she finally succumbed to temptation and decided to step into this game of chess?"
This seemingly random statement startled Xuan Chenzi, who looked thoughtfully at the emperor.
At this moment, Wei Jin's face still showed signs of illness, but the hurt and dejection that belonged to Chen Yan in his eyes were forcibly suppressed, and the calmness and suspicion that belonged to an emperor once again took the lead.
Xuan Chenzi said no more, stood up and bowed.
"This is all I have to say. Your Majesty, medicine can heal the body, but the knot in one's heart must be untied by oneself. I take my leave."
The hall returned to silence.
Wei Jin took a slow breath. His chest still felt tight, and the dizziness from the high fever hadn't subsided, but a certain oppressive deathly aura seemed to have been broken. The two pieces of news brought by Xuan Chenzi were like ice and fire, alternately scorching him.
On one hand, there was the magnificent royal road and eternal achievements that Ling Zhan had paved for him outside the palace, carrying a cold and righteous air that kept people at a distance, yet it made his heart ache and throb.
On the other hand, Su Wan's sudden entry into the palace brought unknown and turbulent waves, which unexpectedly made him sober and even vigilant.
"Wang Jin." He spoke, his voice still hoarse, but with an undeniable force.
Wang Jin responded and quietly entered.
"Medicine." Wei Jin closed his eyes and gave a brief order.
Wang Jin was taken aback, then overjoyed: "Yes! Yes! This old servant will go and bring it right away!"
"Pass me the soup first."
Yes! Yes!
Outside the palace, Su Su's crying gradually faded away, presumably because she was persuaded to leave by the palace servants.
Wei Jin lay alone on the dragon bed, as the daylight outside the window gradually dimmed.
The alternating chills and fever continued to assault his body.
But this illness seems to be more complicated than it appears.
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