Chapter 40 Frame the Elder Brother
Inside the warm pavilion, the charcoal fire burned brightly, yet it couldn't dispel the suddenly stagnant air.
Lou Jin remained calm, though his gaze deepened.
He had anticipated this, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly, especially right after Lou Shang's confinement was lifted.
It seems his good fourth brother can't wait a moment longer.
He calmly got up, walked to an inconspicuous sandalwood box in the inner room, and took out a black pill.
"This is..." Ye Xunyang asked in confusion.
"Obtained from the Southern Frontier," Lou Jin explained briefly.
"Within twelve hours after taking it, the pulse will show signs of chronic illness and deficiency of both qi and blood, just like the pulse when I was poisoned before. It will not harm the body, but it will make you feel a little weak."
Without hesitation, he put the pill in his mouth and swallowed it with water.
In a short while, his once rosy cheeks visibly paled, his lips lost their color, and his breathing seemed to become weaker. In an instant, he reverted to the sickly King Jin.
Ye Xunyang was shocked and quickly stepped forward to support him: "Your Highness!"
"Don't worry." Lou Jin patted Ye Xunyang's hand and sat in the prepared wheelchair.
"It's just the effect of the medicine. Push me to the front hall."
In the front hall, Eunuch Gao held a teacup, but his heart was pounding.
The Emperor sent him here, ostensibly out of concern, but in reality also to investigate. His Highness Prince Jin's illness came on strangely, and recently there have been rumors of a sudden recovery.
But when he saw Ye Xunyang pushing Lou Jin in, most of his doubts disappeared. His face was pale and covered in cold sweat; he looked even more haggard than he had at the palace banquet.
"This old servant greets Your Highness." Eunuch Gao quickly put down his teacup, stood up, and bowed.
"Eunuch Gao... no need for formalities." Lou Jin's voice was weak, and he was slightly out of breath after saying just a few words.
"Your Excellency has come through the snow, and I feel ashamed."
"Your Highness is too kind. His Majesty is concerned about Your Highness's health and has specially ordered the Imperial Physician, Lord Zhang, to come and take Your Highness's pulse and bestow upon you a secret palace-made Qi-nourishing pill."
As he spoke, Eunuch Gao gestured for a gaunt-faced old imperial physician behind him to step forward.
After bowing respectfully, Judge Zhang stepped forward to take Lou Jin's pulse.
He placed his fingers on Lou Jin's wrist, examining it intently, his brows gradually furrowing.
The pulse was weak and thready, sometimes present and sometimes absent, with a cold and yin energy lingering in the heart meridian. This was clearly a sign of a serious and chronic illness and a severe depletion of vital energy, and it seemed even worse than when he had examined the patient before.
It seems that the rumors circulating outside that King Jin's condition has improved are pure nonsense.
Imperial Physician Zhang withdrew his hand and bowed, saying, "Your Highness's pulse indicates that your illness has not yet fully manifested. You still need to rest and recuperate, and you must avoid overexertion and agitation. The Qi-Nourishing Pill bestowed by His Majesty is mild and gentle, and will benefit Your Highness's health."
As Gao Gonggong carefully observed Lou Jin's expression and Zhang Yuanpan's reaction, the last trace of doubt in his heart dissipated.
He offered a few words of gentle comfort, left behind some medicine, and then returned to the palace with the imperial physician to report back.
After seeing the palace staff off, Ye Xunyang immediately looked at Lou Jin anxiously: "Your Highness, how are you feeling?"
Lou Jin closed his eyes to recover. The pill was indeed potent. At this moment, he felt weak all over and his blood and qi were stagnant.
"It's nothing, just the effects of the medicine. I'll be fine after a night's rest." He stood up with Ye Xunyang's help. "Help me back."
The Imperial Palace, the Hall of Diligent Governance.
The charcoal brazier burned warmly as the emperor reviewed memorials. Lou Shang stood by his side, his face showing a hint of barely perceptible anxiety and anticipation.
Eunuch Gao and Judge Zhang bowed and entered, reporting the situation of Prince Jin's mansion in detail.
"The pulse indicates a serious illness that has not yet healed, and it seems even more severe than it was years ago?" The emperor put down his vermilion brush and looked sharply at Physician Zhang.
"Your Majesty, it is absolutely true. The prince's pulse is weak and feeble, indicating that cold has entered his body, and he will not recover in a short time," said Physician Zhang with certainty.
The emperor remained silent for a moment, his face gradually darkening.
He was initially skeptical of Lou Shang's report, after all, Lou Jin was his most outstanding son. Now, however, he heard the imperial physician confirm that Lou Jin's condition was still serious, or even worse.
The slight displeasure that arose from suspicion in his heart instantly shifted to Lou Shang.
"Lou Shang!" The emperor's voice, carrying an unquestionable imperial authority, suddenly rang out.
Lou Shang was full of confidence when Zhang Yuanpan came in, but now he was completely disheartened. He was so frightened that he trembled and knelt down on the ground.
"Father! Your son... Your son also believed the rumors and was worried about your third brother, that's why..."
"Rumors?" The emperor grabbed a memorial from beside him and slammed it down in front of Lou Shang.
"Listen to what Imperial Physician Zhang has to say! His illness is still severe, and the situation is getting worse! Is that all the worry you have for your brother?"
"Father, please calm your anger! Your son dares not! Your son knows he was wrong!" Lou Shang kowtowed repeatedly in fear, his heart filled with both shock and anger.
How could this be? He clearly received news that Lou Jin had left the capital and was in good health. Could it be that Lou Jin deliberately set a trap for him? Or was the imperial physician bribed?
"Dare not? I think you dare quite a bit!" The emperor's anger had not subsided.
"I lifted your confinement because of the Imperial Concubine's pleas, hoping you would reflect on your mistakes. I never expected that the first thing you did upon your release would be to frame your brother!"
The emperor took a deep breath and said sternly, "Issue my decree: Prince Lou Shang has behaved improperly and framed his elder brother. He is hereby stripped of his title and fined one year's salary as punishment!"
His title was stripped from him, and he was also fined a year's salary.
Lou Shang was struck dumb, collapsed to the ground, his face ashen.
After this incident, his power in the court will surely crumble, and he will no longer be able to contend with Lou Yi...
The emperor looked at Lou Shang, who was slumped on the ground, a hint of disappointment and exhaustion flashing in his eyes. He waved his hand and said, "Get out!"
Silence returned to the palace. The emperor rubbed his temples and said to Gao Gong, "Tell the Imperial Hospital to use whatever medicine is needed for Prince Jin. Make sure... he lives."
"This old servant obeys the order."
The main courtyard of the Prince Jin's Mansion.
After Lou Jin took the antidote, he meditated for half an hour before his face gradually regained some color.
News from the palace spread like a cold wind.
Upon hearing that Lou Shang had been stripped of his title and fined a year's salary, Ye Xunyang let out a long sigh of relief: "Serves him right! He's always causing trouble!"
Lou Jin's lips curled into a cold, sharp smile.
Lou Shang brought this upon himself, and he has only himself to blame. After this incident, this fourth brother is temporarily out of the game.
But as long as the Imperial Concubine is alive, Lou Shang will have a chance to make a comeback.
So as long as the Imperial Concubine was still alive, he could never defeat him in one blow. But what he wanted was never for Lou Shang to confess his crimes, but for him to be executed.
But when it comes to matters of the harem, no matter how much he wants to interfere, he can't do as well as the Fifth Prince. Now it depends on whether the Fifth Prince still wants to kick them while they're down.
However, with the year-end approaching, and after Lou Shang's outburst, the emperor should no longer doubt his illness in the short term, and they can finally have a peaceful New Year.
He looked out the window at the snow falling heavier and heavier, and reached out to pull Ye Xunyang into his arms.
"The storm has passed for now," he whispered in Ye Xunyang's ear.
"Xunyang, spend the New Year with me."
Ye Xunyang leaned against him, feeling the steady heartbeat beneath his chest, and a sense of peace settled in his heart.
"Mmm," he replied softly, a happy smile spreading across his lips.
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