Chapter 212 Courting Death
Based on the information provided by Dou Mingyan, the Imperial City Guard quickly located the cave where the copper was hidden, and also found the tools for forging weapons behind the cave.
Upon learning this news, Prime Minister Meng could no longer sit still. He immediately drafted a memorial stating that his daughter, Meng Jingshu, had contracted the plague and had been sent back to her hometown of Xiangtan. He requested the Emperor to postpone her marriage to Prince Rui.
After this action, everyone vaguely sensed that Prince Rui's power was waning, and they all tried to distance themselves from him.
The news that the wise king was still alive and that his bloodline still existed among the people spread like wildfire, causing a great uproar in the court.
It was a rare occurrence in Tianning City; hailstones the size of eggs fell, and for several days in a row, memorials flew into Chongzheng Hall like snowflakes.
Some people impeached the eldest princess for being dissolute and accumulating wealth, saying that she was richer than the national treasury.
Some people impeached the emperor for his extravagance and neglect of state affairs.
Some people even gossiped that the emperor's ascension to the throne was illegitimate, that he had stolen his wife and killed her husband, and that he was the real culprit who murdered the virtuous prince. They said he had altered the late emperor's edict to seize power. Others said that Empress Wen knew the truth, which is why the emperor ordered her to commit suicide...
Emperor Muzong was furious and so enraged that he fainted.
The Chongzheng Hall was in complete chaos.
After an unknown amount of time, Emperor Muzong faintly heard the sound of sobbing. He slowly opened his eyes, raised his hand to rub his temples, and coughed lightly. "Who is crying? What time is it?"
"Your Majesty, it is your concubine." Consort Zhang hurriedly wiped away her tears. Although Emperor Muzong had not loved her all these years, she still had some genuine feelings for him.
She lifted the curtain, her voice trembling slightly, "Your Majesty, it is just past 9 PM."
Emperor Muzong struggled to get up, but after several attempts, his legs seemed to have no feeling at all. "Help me up!"
Standing to the side, Eunuch Feng was stunned, his voice choked with emotion, and he quickly gave a look to the young eunuch beside him.
Is His Majesty unable to even get up on his own?
With a look of panic on his face, Eunuch Feng and the young eunuch worked together to help Emperor Muzong up, and then casually stuffed a pillow behind his back.
"Go get the chamber pot!"
Eunuch Feng stood frozen in place, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, and hurriedly turned and left.
Emperor Muzong felt a dull pain in his chest, and what alarmed him even more was that he felt as if he had lost all feeling in his legs.
He is still in the prime of his life, so why is he seriously ill?
Several imperial physicians entered the bedchamber, carefully examined the pulse around the dragon bed, and then withdrew with grim expressions, all looking at Consort Zhang.
Without a doubt, His Majesty suffered a stroke and has lost sensation in both legs.
"...His Majesty is suffering from a sudden attack of anger, and his condition is extremely dangerous. We have already used acupuncture to clear his meridians, but we don't know how long it will take for him to fully recover."
"Your Highness, you should quickly summon the ministers and make plans as soon as possible."
"Yes, yes, after all, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day."
Consort Zhang frowned, looking worried. "What you say is absolutely right. Eunuch Feng, summon the Grand Secretaries and Ministers to the palace."
...
Emperor Muzong's stroke caught everyone off guard. After discussions between the emperor and his ministers, it was unanimously decided that Crown Prince Pei Siyan would oversee the country.
He acted swiftly and decisively, quickly signing an alliance with the Northern Di people, establishing trade between Xuanzhou and Datong, primarily for the exchange of horses. Only after the Northern Di paid a substantial ransom to the Great Zhou were Wanyan Tai allowed to take the Seventh Prince back.
The Imperial Preceptor was sentenced to immediate execution. Meanwhile, Pei Siyan sent people to search for the Prince Xian's whereabouts, but they could not find him at all.
Dou Wenyi hadn't seen Pei Siyan for several days. Besides reading medical books and making pills to pass the time, she also spent her free time sunbathing in the courtyard.
She was startled when she suddenly saw him.
Pei Siyan handed over a stack of letters and said with a smile, "These are all written to you by the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital. They asked me to pass them on to 'Little Fairy Doctor'."
Dou Wenyi took the letter. "How is His Majesty's illness now?"
"He was very ill, his legs were weak, he couldn't even stand steadily, and he needed two people to help him even when he went to the toilet..."
Dou Wenyi opened one of the letters, quickly glanced at it, and said in a calm tone, "His condition is indeed troublesome. There is no way to cure him, and he also needs to have the willpower himself."
He lost sensation in both legs and not only needed daily massage and physical therapy, but also had to get up and walk from time to time. Otherwise, once the muscles in his legs atrophied, there would be no possibility of recovery.
Dou Wenyi looked up at him. "Your Highness, would you like me to go and treat His Majesty?"
Pei Siyan's face showed a mocking expression. "Those who do many evil deeds will surely perish. You don't need to worry about this. I already told the imperial physicians that Little Fairy Doctor's whereabouts are uncertain, and I have already sent people to look for her."
Dou Wenyi recalled the various things that Pei Siyan had suffered, as well as the rumors about Empress Wen, and she was afraid that Emperor Muzong was really the culprit who killed her.
"Where is Prince Rui? Didn't they say they were going to send him back to his fiefdom a while ago?"
A glint of light flashed in Pei Siyan's eyes, and he chuckled lightly, "How can we uncover his true identity without keeping him here to attend to his illness?"
If Pei Shaoqin had obediently returned to his fiefdom, the fact that he was not Emperor Muzong's biological son would have been impossible to prove. However, since he insisted on staying, many things were no longer up to him.
A few days later, at noon, Pei Shaoqin limped into the Funing Palace. The emperor on the bed seemed to be fast asleep, and one could hear his gentle breathing.
He knelt on the ground, tears welling in his eyes, and whispered, "Father!"
Perhaps hearing his call, Emperor Muzong opened his eyes, his voice weak, "Fifth Prince? Why haven't you gone to your fiefdom yet?"
Pei Shaoqin was in tears, his voice choked with sobs, "It is your unfilial son who cannot share your father's burdens. Your son wished to stay by your side to care for you while you are ill, but I fear that I will never have the chance again..."
Emperor Muzong said helplessly, "You, with your legs and feet so stiff, what are you doing taking care of my illness!"
Mentioning this, Pei Shaoqin cried even harder, "Father, I was wrong, so wrong! But I was really framed back then..."
Eunuch Feng helped Emperor Muzong sit up, and his empty eyes softened a little.
After calming down, Emperor Muzong also repeatedly thought about what happened that night.
If it really was Pei Shaoqin, he probably wouldn't have had time to succeed. It's just that the assassination and arson that happened later were so outrageous that he still harbored resentment.
Pei Shaoqin was, after all, the child he had loved for over twenty years. Regardless of the truth, he didn't want to pursue the matter any further.
Now, he lies paralyzed on his bed, like a rotten tree stump, unable to even move his legs, let alone wield the power that once drove him mad.
Whenever the eunuch wiped his stiff limbs, he would always think of the pleasure he felt when he poisoned the virtuous king and married Wenwan as his queen. The virtuous king, whom he had secretly sneered at the time, was now being punished by heaven, but now he had become the karmic retribution he could not escape.
That feeling of emptiness and exhaustion tormented him, causing him unbearable pain. He was like a walking corpse, lying on the dragon bed waiting to die!
At this moment, he could understand Pei Shaoqin's pain.
"Don't mention these things again."
"Father, I have carefully inquired with the imperial physicians about your illness, and they all say that if 'Little Fairy Doctor' were to treat you, she would surely be able to bring you back to health. But no one can find any trace of her, except..."
Pei Shaoqin knelt before the bed, his expression hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Emperor Muzong's face suddenly darkened. "All of you, step back!"
All the servants inside the hall withdrew.
"Only what?"
Pei Shaoqin spoke with deep emotion, “Back then, Third Brother’s illness was so serious, yet he was saved. I’m afraid only Third Brother knows his whereabouts.”
"Father, have you heard a rumor that the bloodline of the Wise Prince is still alive? What if this bloodline is hidden in the palace..."
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