After the Empress Dowager finished speaking, she glanced at the Emperor, who was still lying there motionless, and asked, "How much longer until Your Majesty wakes up?"
Lu Jingsi replied, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has been working hard for days and is already exhausted. Now that his fever has subsided, it is good for him to sleep more, as it will be more beneficial to his recovery."
"Based on my experience, it should take Your Majesty another hour to regain consciousness."
An hour sounds easy, but waiting on the sidelines isn't exactly comfortable.
The Empress said, "Your Majesty, since His Majesty won't wake up for a while, I'll stay here. You've been busy all morning, so please go back and rest."
The Empress Dowager said, "Very well, I'll leave this to the Empress. I'll return to Shou Kang Palace first, so I can pray for the Emperor before the Buddha."
"I heard that the emperor didn't eat last night. He'll be hungry when he wakes up. Have someone prepare some congee for him."
The Empress said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand. I respectfully see off Your Majesty."
After the Empress Dowager left, the atmosphere in the Hall of Mental Cultivation immediately became much more comfortable.
Lu Jingsi breathed a sigh of relief. His whole body was sore and weak. If the Empress hadn't been there, he probably would have collapsed on the ground, completely losing his composure.
The Empress said gently, "Alright, Eunuch Su, Imperial Physician Lu, you should both get up. Kneeling on the ground shows how you should serve His Majesty."
"Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty the Empress."
After the Empress finished speaking, she sat on the stool by the bed and touched the forehead of the big, fat orange cat with a worried expression.
After Su Peisheng got up, he saw that Physician Lu was still kneeling on the ground, his legs too weak to get up. Seeing that the Empress was not paying attention to them, he quickly gave a look and had Xiazi help him up.
Physician Lu dared not speak, fearing to alarm the Empress, and only bowed to Su Peisheng and Xiao Xiazi to express his gratitude.
Not long after the Empress Dowager left, the concubines who had received the news rushed over.
However, the Empress, citing the Emperor's still unconscious state and the potential disturbance to the Emperor's presence, instructed Su Peisheng to arrange for the person to be moved to the adjacent flower hall before Su Peisheng went over.
Looking at the colorful group of people inside, the Empress had a strange feeling of being in another world.
This is the first time in months that all the concubines have gathered together since the emperor fell ill and stopped paying his respects.
Now, these people seem both so familiar and so strange.
The concubines also saw the Empress. In fact, this was only the second time they had seen the Empress in person since she fell ill, including the New Year's Eve palace banquet.
Unlike her elaborate attire at the New Year's Eve palace banquet, the Empress appeared much more plain today compared to her usual attire.
The large jeweled headdress she always wore was gone; she only had a simple bun, decorated with pith flowers and a phoenix hairpin with a pearl in its beak.
She replaced her large pearl gourd earrings with a pair of white jade earrings. She wore a plain-colored cheongsam with a light brown gauze overlay. The Buddhist prayer beads she held in her hand were engraved with the six-syllable mantra, and her overall demeanor resembled that of a lay Buddhist practicing meditation at home.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
"My sisters, please get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress."
The Empress certainly saw the surprise in their eyes, but the Empress Dowager was not surprised because she had already worn this outfit to pay her respects at Shou Kang Palace.
He also stated that he had been ill and had let go of his obsession. He promised that he would no longer harm concubines or imperial offspring.
However, the Empress Dowager clearly did not believe her words, thinking that she was saying this on purpose to deceive her.
The Empress sat at the head of the table, her hands never ceasing to pluck the prayer beads.
"Since you're here, you must already know that the Emperor is ill."
"The imperial physician has already examined the emperor and said that the emperor caught a cold because he had been overworked with state affairs for days."
"I just finished taking the medicine, and the fever has subsided. I just need to rest well and avoid overexertion while I'm recovering."
Consort Hua's brow furrowed. An external evil had invaded, causing him to catch a cold and develop a high fever? Why not just burn him to death!
Although he felt it was a pity, he was still very worried on the surface. "In that case, we must arrange for the concubines to attend to him. Someone must be by his side day and night."
"It's also a good reminder to His Majesty not to overwork himself. There's no way to keep up with the affairs of state."
To care for someone who is ill?
Sun Miaoqing felt overwhelmed. How did she end up as a concubine, with all-night shifts arranged for her?
【Please don't! Fatty Hua, you can arrange to take care of me yourself if you like, but please don't involve me. I'm delicate and can't handle that kind of hard work!】
[Night shifts and the like? No! No! No!]
Consort Hua suppressed the smile on her lips. Who would enjoy the hardship of serving others?
She used to consider that fat cat her husband, her lover. That's why she cared about him, was willing to go through hardships for him, and found joy in it.
She was so naive back then, but she's not naive now...
Before the Empress could speak, Consort Li flattered, "Consort Hua is right. With His Majesty ill, I've been very worried. It's reassuring to have everyone take turns caring for him."
The Empress said, "The Empress Dowager has already given instructions regarding the concubines attending to the sick; we only need to follow the usual procedure."
"Consort Hua, in a little while you will come up with a plan, and the concubines can follow it."
Consort Hua said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. His Majesty has entrusted me with managing the inner palace, and these small matters are simply my duty."
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