Never fail
The reason they refused the position of Crown Princess was actually very simple: they simply didn't fall in love with him.
Therefore, they may continue to serve the Great Yan Empire, but they will not marry him.
By extension, the reason why Zhao Lingying refused to become empress was probably just this simple.
She did not fall in love with Xie Lang, so she would not marry him, but she could still continue to serve as a subject of Dayan and contribute to the peace of the world.
However, even such a simple truth was beyond the comprehension of the Xie father and son. Xie Lang even racked his brains trying to figure out how to persuade Zhao Lingying, truly demonstrating that those involved are often blinded by their own perspective.
But now was clearly not the right time to bring this up. A-Qiu chuckled dryly and said, "Senior brother is the future emperor; what does a great man have to worry about not having a wife? Let's go inside first and check on His Majesty's situation before we talk about it."
The words of comfort, spoken casually by A Qiu, sounded particularly pleasing to Xie Tiao, instantly dispelling most of his dejection. He immediately replied, "Okay."
The two entered the gates of Yunlong Palace one after the other. Aqiu kept her head down and lagged behind by only a short distance, just like Xie Tiao's palace maid.
Xie Tiao had already taken a great risk by bringing her here. Although Zhao Lingying and the others were not present at the moment, they would surely find out later that the Crown Prince had visited Yunlong Palace late at night. As for what he did and said, every move would definitely be reported.
Aside from surveillance, this was also a necessary measure to ensure the emperor's safety. Otherwise, wouldn't anyone be able to freely enter and leave the emperor's bedchamber, bewitch him, or even do something shady?
Therefore, if A Qiu wants to get close enough to investigate Xie Lang's situation, he must do so as quickly as possible under Xie Tiao's cover, and he must do so in a way that is discreet.
A Qiu had already anticipated that while Zhao Lingying was present, all the servants in the palace had been dismissed, but once Zhao Lingying left, the palace guards would immediately return to the palace, ensuring that Xie Lang would not be left unattended. Xie Tiao had also prepared his explanation, and when the time came, he would devise a plan to dismiss the palace guards. In just a few breaths, A Qiu would be able to take Xie Lang's pulse.
Unexpectedly, Xie Tiao froze as soon as he entered the hall, unable to take another step forward.
Seeing Xie Tiao remain motionless, A Qiu, who had been keeping her head down, was also surprised and couldn't help but glance up. That one glance sent a chill down her spine, leaving her rooted to the spot, unable to move forward or backward.
Xie Lang's reclining figure could be vaguely seen on the dragon bed, his breathing even. After his earlier fatigue, he had clearly fallen into a deep sleep.
In the center of the main hall, a tall figure stood with his back to them, hands clasped behind his back. A snow-white twig was tucked behind his waist, and his silver hair cascaded down, creating an auspicious aura.
The two people at the palace gate were speechless and unable to move an inch.
None of them expected that Rong Yu, the Grand Palace Eunuch, who had served two emperors and was known as the most skilled and unassuming martial artist in the palace, would personally guard this place. Who would dare to play tricks under his nose?
Moreover, A Qiu knew perfectly well that Rong Jian's true identity was Rong Yuexian, the eldest of the "Four Heavenly Secrets," four renowned martial arts masters hidden in the palace. Gu Yi had once taken her to Rong Jian's Star-Picking Tower at night, where one could observe the entire palace's movements.
Presumably, she was brought into the palace by Xiao Chang'an, then went to the East Palace, and now sneaked into the Yunlong Hall. She did not escape the notice of Rong Jian, otherwise he would not have waited for her here at such a convenient time.
In the main hall, Supervisor Rong did not turn around, but said nonchalantly, "Everyone here has just been dismissed by me. You have half a quarter of an hour. If anyone asks afterward, I will say that no outsiders have ever come here during this period."
Xie Tiao was caught red-handed for the first time in his life, and was still in shock. A Qiu, however, understood his meaning immediately and said, "Then thank you very much, Supervisor Rong." Without saying another word, and no longer bothering to conceal his whereabouts, he leaped straight to Xie Lang's side of the dragon bed. Disregarding the proper decorum between ruler and subject, he grabbed Xie Lang's hand and silently circulated his inner energy to sense his internal organs.
Her training came from Gu Yi's orthodox Xuanmen lineage, and the longevity qi she cultivated contained profound principles of the universe. It had extremely subtle sensitivity to the human body's organs, muscles, and blood vessels, making her comparable to famous doctors. This was why she dared to ask Xie Lang to diagnose her pulse.
The ancient saying, "If one cannot be a good prime minister, then one should be a good doctor," vividly illustrates the lineage of Gu Yi.
Seeing that A Qiu had already taken a pulse, Xie Tiao disregarded Rong Yu's fear and immediately came over, his face showing anxiety as he asked, "How is it?"
A Qiu closed his eyes, and after a moment, said with certainty, "His Majesty's internal organs show some signs of slight poisoning, but it is not serious. It only makes him weak and dizzy, and he lacks the energy to govern. But what surprises me is something else."
Upon hearing her words, even Rong Yu turned around, his expression turning serious for the first time, and asked, "What is it?"
A Qiu stood up and said, "Judging from the pulse, His Majesty's liver yang is excessive and his meridians are blocked, which means he has suffered from headaches for many years. This is the root cause of his current illness. As for these minor toxins," she pondered for a moment, then added, "they may be side effects of the medication used to treat headaches."
She added, "In other words, it wasn't intentional poisoning."
After she finished speaking, Rong Yu's expression visibly softened, and he let out a long sigh of relief, saying, "Come with me."
Rong Yu led the two away from the side hall without saying another word.
Xie Tiao was filled with anxiety, but he couldn't speak recklessly. He knew that he had already entered the most unpredictable and dangerous part of the struggle for imperial power, and that the slightest mistake would lead to his own downfall.
Although he was the Crown Prince, he had no real power or backing, while Zhao Lingying and Rong Jian were figures who could stir up a storm in the capital with a stomp of their feet.
Rong Yu walked slowly ahead, while A Qiu followed behind him, sandwiching him between them. Neither of them uttered a word and they walked on in silence.
Xie Tiao was unaware that A Qiu and Rong Yu knew each other, which made him feel immense pressure. After all, he was the one who led A Qiu into the Cloud Dragon Palace tonight, and if Rong Yu wanted to hold him accountable, he would naturally be the first person to be questioned.
Xie Lang hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to lag behind by half a step and walk alongside A Qiu, breaking the silence by asking, "Is there any cure for Father's illness?"
A Qiu was already pondering this matter, thinking that with his knowledge of meridians and internal organs, combined with Gongye Fusu's expertise in herbs, and Bai Shi's skill in refining external elixirs, they would be at least half a divine physician. They had traveled all over the country and had seen all kinds of difficult and complicated diseases. If they could treat Xie Lang's illness, they would have at least a 70-80% chance of success.
When Xie Tiao asked the question, A Qiu sensed that Rong Yu's attention had also turned to them. She was somewhat unsure of Rong Yu's position, so she said succinctly, "There are many things we want to do but cannot do right now. Please, Your Highness, understand."
What she said was the truth. As Gu Yi's successor, she herself was being ostracized by Zhao Lingying's faction, and Xie Tiao herself was in no better shape. Even if she could find someone to treat Xie Lang's illness, it wasn't as simple as them saying so that Zhao Lingying would agree to let her treat him. If the treatment was ineffective, or even worsened the condition, who would be responsible?
With Xie Lang unable to attend to affairs, all matters are effectively controlled by Zhao Lingying, leaving A Qiu and Xie Tiao with no opportunity to act. And since A Qiu and Xie Tiao are unable to act, they have no power to treat Xie Lang, creating a vicious cycle.
Rong Yu, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped and said in a deep voice, "I have been looking forward to your return, but I did not expect that only you will return."
A Qiu knew that the "you" she was referring to must be her and Gu Yi. The disappointment, of course, was that only she had returned. But as long as she heard Rong Yu state his position, still supporting Gu Yi, a great weight was lifted from her heart. Only then did she bow and say, "A Qiu greets Supervisor Rong. I have returned on behalf of my master, please be aware of this."
Even Rong Yu's usually carefree, childlike face showed a look of astonishment as he asked, "Young Master...?" He immediately stopped speaking, already understanding the situation.
The Four Constellations of Tianji had been living in seclusion in the palace forty years ago, and they probably knew as much about Gu Yi as Xie Lang did. After all, they had watched Gu Yi rise from the palace to power. What Xie Lang could guess, Rong Yu could naturally guess as well.
Rong Yu's expression was more solemn than ever before, and for a moment even the air seemed to freeze.
In fact, A Qiu also wanted to ask Rong Yu's opinion. The Four Constellations of Tianji lived in seclusion in the palace primarily to protect the emperor's safety; they didn't need to handle anything else. But now, Xie Lang's situation—how much of it was due to human factors? And how could Rong Yu, as the head eunuch of the inner palace, be completely unaware and not take any action to stop it?
Seeing A Qiu's expression, Rong Yu knew what she was thinking and sighed, "Although I have some doubts, I have no evidence. After His Majesty left, Li Chongyu left, the external threat lessened, and the death of Pei Gong suddenly increased the pressure on the military. The Grand Tutor was not by his side to share his worries, so his headache suddenly flared up due to exhaustion. It was not without reason."
He continued, “Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk, never truly resting for a single day. The Junior Tutor is one of his most important pillars. His sudden departure, though he promised to return, is certainly a blow to him.”
A Qiu thought to himself that for Xie Lang, Gu Yi was probably a comrade-in-arms who had fought alongside him all along. If one day he suddenly left with a woman in his arms, he would suddenly feel a sense of uncertainty, wondering if Gu Yi would leave him forever.
In reality, Gu Yi was practically gone forever. However, he left behind A Qiu, asking her to return and complete his unfinished work. This could be seen as both him failing Xie Lang's expectations and his ultimate commitment to fulfilling them.
Looking at the magnificent palaces and pavilions in the distance, Rong Yu continued as he took another step forward, saying, "Our identities also present us with difficulties. We cannot stop the imperial physicians from examining the Emperor, nor can we personally verify whether the prescriptions are appropriate or the dosages are accurate, because we are merely bodyguards, not doctors. When the imperial physicians diagnosed and prescribed medicine, Consort Chen, Zhao Lingying, Shangguan You, and even His Highness the Crown Prince were all present, so why shouldn't I be the one to question them?"
A Qiu understood that this meant that unless Zhao Lingying poisoned Xie Lang alone and Rong Yu discovered it, she had no reason to take action.
Rong Yu said, "There is one more thing. Even if I can prove that Zhao Lingying is guilty, what can I do given the current situation? Even if the four of us old guys can arrest Zhao Lingying and Sikong Zhao and install the crown prince, who can control the Jianzhang Master, manage the government, and quell the rebellion in Wu?"
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