"Your Majesty, I have sent someone to summon Shangqing Zhenren," the head maid said nervously, "but they said that the Zhenren's hand was broken."
Broken hand?! The emperor frowned, this was too sudden.
The chief eunuch Zhao Rang added cautiously, "Shangqing Zhenren is a great man recommended by the Yu family."
There was silence in the bedroom for a moment.
There was only the sound of Anle's low, painful groans on the couch and the crackling of the burning charcoal in the charcoal basin.
“…” The emperor frowned, his expression solemn, and his thoughts went back to five years ago.
That summer, Anle suddenly fell seriously ill. The emperor, who was still the crown prince at the time, called all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Service, famous doctors from the capital and even the surrounding areas, Taoist priests, and healers to come and see Anle.
But it was all in vain. Anle's condition worsened and he became increasingly ill. In the end, he was only hanging on to his last breath. In just ten days, he was in critical condition.
During that period, he stayed by his daughter's side day and night, and almost thought that he would die before her.
Until the Yu family recommended Shangqing Zhenren of Wuliang Temple.
Shangqing Zhenren did have some real talent and knowledge, and was an expert in both Taoism and medicine. He used his magical powers to pull Anle back from the brink of death.
After that, Anle became unable to walk. She was always sick over the years, and would catch a cold or have a headache from time to time. These were just minor illnesses. Sometimes when she was seriously ill, she would be bedridden for a month or two. The imperial doctors could not even identify the symptoms and were helpless. Every time, Shangqing Zhenren would come to the East Palace to prolong her life.
He knew that even for the sake of his two children, he had to sit on the throne.
If he is deposed, his son will probably have to stay in South Vietnam for the rest of his life and never be able to return home. His daughter will also be treated poorly...
It was quiet all around.
The quieter it was, the more obvious Anle's weak moans became, as if an invisible net was tightening the emperor's heart.
"Yu family..." The emperor snorted coldly, his eyelids drooping slightly due to his age, revealing a cold and thoughtful look.
It was obvious that the Yu family, or rather, those aristocratic families wanted to use the eldest princess to control him, the emperor.
The emperor clenched his right fist and hit his knee repeatedly several times, as if he was venting something.
At this time, Anle, who was lying on the couch, had his chest heaving rapidly, his breathing becoming heavier, and his cheeks were so red that they seemed to be bleeding.
The maid in charge took Anle's forehead temperature and said in panic, "Your Majesty, His Highness's fever has gotten even worse."
“Anle!” The emperor turned pale with anxiety and shouted in a high voice, “Imperial Physician, please take a look at Anle.”
There was chaos in the bedroom for a while.
Several imperial doctors who were kneeling on the ground quickly stood up and surrounded the bed.
The emperor stood up from the couch and wanted to move away, but he stood up too quickly and his vision went dark. His feet were also a little unstable and he almost fell. Fortunately, Zhao Rang supported him in time.
The emperor's face turned even paler. He was so flustered that his forehead was throbbing with pain. He hurriedly said, "Announce..."
He paused for a moment, then decisively changed his words and said, "Duke Xuanying."
There was a firm light in the emperor's old eyes. His frail body stood straight, yet he looked tired and weak.
He would never bow to the aristocratic family. Once he did, he would ruin the situation that his son had worked so hard to create.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The chief eunuch Zhao Rang responded quickly, looking at the emperor with some worry.
The emperor's dragon body is weak to begin with. If something really happens to the eldest princess, it would be an absolutely fatal blow to the emperor.
After a while, Fang Huairui, the Duke of England, who was called back by the eunuch before leaving the palace, came in hurriedly with a confused look on his face, and left hurriedly with sweat all over his forehead.
A thick layer of dark clouds slowly gathered above the imperial city, exuding an uncomfortable atmosphere.
More than half an hour later, Shangqing Zhenren entered the palace in the carriage of the Duke of Yingguo's mansion.
"I pay my respects to His Majesty."
Shangqing Zhenren performed the Taoist bow to the emperor with neither arrogance nor servility. His loose green Taoist robe made him look as thin as a stick, and he held a brand new white whisk in his hand.
Is this Shangqing?! The emperor was startled, his eyes suddenly widened, and he stared at the Taoist in front of him in shock.
Although Shangqing Zhenren's hand was not broken, his whole body looked as if all his vitality had been sucked away. He looked haggard, with half of his once jet-black hair now mixed with silver threads. His eye sockets and cheeks were deeply sunken, and he was so thin that his bones were visible. No, it should be said that he looked like a living mummy, no longer having the immortal demeanor he once had.
The emperor looked at Shangqing Zhenren in doubt and for a moment, he almost wondered if the other party had crawled out of the coffin.
The emperor glanced at Fang Huairui next to him, and Fang Huairui nodded imperceptibly, meaning that this was indeed the Shangqing Zhenren.
Fang Huairui knew that there was nothing for him to do next, so he tactfully retreated.
"Shangqing, go and see the eldest princess." The emperor rubbed his eyebrows; his forehead and temples were still aching.
Taoist Shangqing bowed again, walked around a screen, and walked towards Anle's bed, his clothes fluttering as he walked.
Looking from behind, he had that same transcendent demeanor again.
The two palace maids carefully held Anle's limbs, fearing that she would hurt herself.
The imperial doctors had just given Anle an injection and applied a cold compress on her forehead, but there was still no improvement. She even started to bleed from her mouth and nose, and her eyeballs were trembling under her eyelids.
The emperor's heart was hanging in mid-air, as if it was being stabbed by millions of needles. He only wished he could suffer for his daughter.
Zhao Rang comforted the emperor, "Your Majesty, the Taoist master is very powerful and has the ability to 'revive the dead and turn bones into flesh'. Your Highness the Princess is blessed by heaven and will surely recover from the danger."
Shangqing Zhenren turned his back to the emperor, looking at Anle lying on the couch, and flicked his silver whisk several times, calculating and muttering...
The palace servants present held their breath and waited, not daring to make a sound to disturb them.
After a moment, Shangqing Zhenren took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve pocket and handed it to the head maid next to him, saying, "Feed this pill to Her Royal Highness the Princess first."
The maid in charge took the small porcelain bottle, opened the lid and took a look.
In the bottle was a red pill the size of a little finger, exactly the same as the one Anle had taken before.
After reporting to the emperor, the maid in charge and another maid worked together, one helped Anle up while the other stuffed the pill into Anle's mouth.
They are the people who take care of Anle on a daily basis, and they are very skillful.
"Gurgle" sound.
The pill slid down Anle's throat and into his body.
The maid in charge held her breath and stared at the unconscious Anle without blinking...
After a while, the maid in charge shouted excitedly: "Your Highness is no longer twitching... The fever is starting to subside!"
(End of this chapter)
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