At this very moment, Gan Lin, whose reputation had been damaged, vomited a third mouthful of black blood in the main hall.
The eunuch Li, standing nearby, clapped his hands excitedly, his voice so high-pitched it seemed to pierce the eardrums of Physician Xiao, who was busy administering acupuncture.
Physician Xiao raised his hand to block the flow of blood, and saw Eunuch Li crawl on his knees to the emperor, catching him as he collapsed from exhaustion.
"Your Majesty, that's wonderful! Physician Xiao said long ago that as long as the accumulated poisonous blood is expelled, it will no longer harm your body. Your Majesty is young, and a full recovery is just around the corner!"
"Alright, that's enough." Gan Lin was so annoyed by the noise that her head felt like it was going to be flipped open.
Only then did Eunuch Li regain his composure and try to dissuade Gan Lin, "Now that Princess Duanrong is no longer estranged from His Majesty, His Majesty can simply visit the Empress Dowager's Yinian Palace less often, wouldn't that be..."
"Li Quan." Gan Lin rarely addressed Eunuch Li by his full name in such a serious manner.
Eunuch Li immediately fell silent.
His Majesty's Achilles' heel is the princess. If anyone speaks ill of the princess, even the regent... His Majesty will be furious.
In the past, in order to protect Duanrong from the trouble she caused by her unruly behavior outside, His Majesty had taken the initiative to go to the Empress Dowager's Yinian Palace.
Every time His Majesty drank the nourishing soup personally prepared by the Empress Dowager, he would fall ill at night.
But Li Quan, Physician Xiao, and even the palace servants who seemed to have no mouths or eyes—who among them didn't know that what the Empress Dowager was drinking wasn't some nourishing soup, but poison!
The poison that killed the late emperor!
Li Quan originally thought that His Majesty would follow in the footsteps of the late Emperor at a young age, dying alone and desolate in this Bixi Palace.
Unexpectedly, Princess Duanrong suddenly "repented" and reconciled with His Majesty.
Since the Empress Dowager's deliberate threat, Princess Duanrong has only been in the palace once, and His Majesty has already expelled years of stagnant toxins. Although this is largely due to Physician Xiao's miraculous healing, it is also because His Majesty was in high spirits, which is why his illness was cured!
He would definitely remind Princess Duanrong to visit the palace often in the future!
Eunuch Li served Gan Lin as she took her medicine and rested. He then talked to Physician Xiao for a long time, repeatedly asking about precautions and requesting that Physician Xiao prepare an antidote that could be taken in advance to neutralize the poison.
Physician Xiao was young and inexperienced, and his family's decline made him unpopular in the Imperial Hospital. He also had little ambition beyond his medical skills, which is why he was won over by the weakened emperor.
However, his medical skills were indeed limited. Although he came from a family of imperial physicians, his father was most skilled in gynecology.
He's very skilled at delivering babies, so why would he know how to make any remedies that can be taken beforehand to detoxify?
"Eunuch Li, please don't make things difficult for me anymore. Even if you want me to make the antidote, at least let me know the formula for the poison. Otherwise, wouldn't you be asking the impossible?"
Eunuch Li knew he was making unreasonable demands.
He had tried, but the Empress Dowager's palace was airtight, like an iron barrel, and the palace maids who swept the main courtyard simply didn't have tongues.
He tried everything but couldn't come up with a prescription. If he didn't make things difficult for Physician Xiao, who would he make things difficult for?
"Physician Xiao is a descendant of the renowned physician Qianjin, and he understands women best. The Empress Dowager is also a woman. Physician Xiao, please think about this."
Physician Xiao's handsome face was contorted. He understood that treating women was about treating illnesses, not about women having a wicked heart and then trying to use that heart to concoct an antidote. That was simply wishful thinking.
He shook his head, picked up his medicine box, and ran away, afraid that Eunuch Li would ask him to do something beyond his capabilities.
After Eunuch Li saw Physician Xiao off, Gan Lin returned to the Bixi Palace and asked, "Did you make things difficult for Physician Xiao again?"
Eunuch Li rubbed his nose and chuckled, "This young man is quite interesting. Let's tease him a bit, so he won't always be so quiet and withdrawn."
"If you like him, why not just adopt him as your godson? I think he respects you quite a bit; doesn't he always send you thoughtful gifts during holidays?"
Gan Lin said, "You are the chief eunuch in this palace, and you have more real power than I, the puppet emperor. You can't touch the Empress Dowager, but you can do whatever you want with the other palaces."
"Don't you all like taking in adopted sons?"
Eunuch Li shook his head, poured Gan Lin a cup of water, and said, "Your Majesty, please don't say such things. Your Majesty is Your Majesty, the true Son of Heaven, appointed by Heaven! Other treacherous villains who covet the throne will eventually suffer the consequences!"
Gan Lin smiled. Li Quan had served him since he was very young and was considered the most loyal person to him in the palace.
Gan Lin even wanted to ask: "If I leave one day and no longer become emperor, would you be willing to follow me?"
But since it was still far from certain, he dared not speak rashly, much less reveal his sister's painstaking efforts to anyone.
Eunuch Li helped Gan Lin drink some water, then continued, "This old servant will just serve His Majesty well. Besides, being the son of a eunuch doesn't exactly have a good reputation. He can be protected for a while, but not forever..."
Gan Lin didn't try to persuade him further; everyone has their own destiny.
He asked Eunuch Li, "Where is the princess?"
Eunuch Li put the cup back and wrung out a handkerchief to wipe the thin layer of sweat from Gan Lin's forehead.
After vomiting the poisonous blood, Gan Lin felt a burning pain in her throat, and her stomach felt like it was on fire.
However, his complexion was much rosier and his eyes were more energetic. Compared to his unresolved depression, the pain was nothing to him.
He has a high pain tolerance.
"The princess and her husband are still resting in the side hall, probably asleep. The palace servants just came to report that there's no sound coming from inside." As Eunuch Li said this, his prominent ears twitched, and he added, "This old servant thinks the princess and her husband seem very loving, it doesn't seem fake."
He was one of the few who knew that Duanrong had feelings for the emperor, and this was a way of comforting the emperor in a roundabout way.
Gan Lin sat leaning against the headboard, remained silent for a long time after hearing this, and then chuckled softly.
It's very light and muffled.
He naturally understood perfectly well that Li Quan wanted to put his mind at ease; if the prince consort and the princess truly had feelings for each other, then their sibling relationship could be fulfilled.
“Li Quan,” Gan Lin shook his head and said, “you have no idea what my elder sister has done for me.”
"My body is afflicted with this poison and I fear I will not live much longer. If..." If my elder sister still likes it, then let her do as she pleases.
Gan Lin closed his eyes and said softly, "Prepare a bowl of ginseng soup to boost my spirits. Make it thick. The palace banquet will be held tonight, and all the officials will be watching. I can't let them look listless."
He couldn't let the Empress Dowager and the Regent see him so dejected. Regardless of whether his sister's plan could be successfully implemented... Gan Lin would do everything in his power to keep his sister away from this vortex of power and let her fly freely like a bird.
Gan Lin said, "Prepare some thicker clothes too." Thicker clothes would make him look less thin, and the heat from the thick clothes would make his complexion look much better.
Eunuch Li naturally understood Gan Lin's meaning, but he ultimately couldn't bring himself to offer any words of advice.
He only hoped that Princess Duanrong could stay in the palace for two days, so that His Majesty could recover faster with the princess by his side.
As the sun set, Gan Qiongying slept soundly.
In her dream, she chased after a figure dressed in red for a long time, and the woman's laughter was as melodious as silver bells.
Gan Qiongying grasped a bit of her hem and touched her fingertips, and it felt as if her very soul had become joyful and at peace.
Although she didn't see anything clearly throughout the whole process, Gan Qiongying was almost immediately certain after waking up that it was Duan Rong.
She seemed very happy in her dream, as they shared one body, which made Gan Qiongying sit there laughing after waking up.
"What are you laughing at?" Li Hua hugged her from behind, rested her chin on her shoulder, and said, "It's getting dark, the palace banquet is about to begin."
"Um."
Gan Qiongying turned her head and nuzzled Li Hua's face, saying, "I dreamt of an old friend."
"...She's happy, and her happiness makes me happy."
I guess he's an old friend?
She was an old friend she had never met and would never meet again.
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