The Empress tidied herself up and went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but did not see Emperor Chongde.
Consort Rou had just suffered a miscarriage and was unwell, so she did not come. Consort Li and the other concubines were present, though.
"Why can't I enter?" The Empress looked at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, which was surrounded by the Imperial Guards like an iron barrel, her face grim.
The Imperial Guard Commander respectfully bowed and said, "Your Majesty, His Majesty has suddenly fallen into a coma, and the cause is still unclear. Therefore, no one is allowed to approach the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
"How dare you! Are you doubting me?" The Empress looked over coldly, while the commander simply lowered his head and said in a serious tone that he dared not.
But the person blocking the way did not back down.
The Empress narrowed her eyes, her tone icy: "How can I be at ease if I don't see His Majesty's condition with my own eyes? Who knows if you bunch of scoundrels can take good care of His Majesty?"
She already had doubts in her heart and a vague sense of foreboding.
If His Majesty is merely unconscious, why won't you let her take a look at him?
Because of the fire at the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince is currently residing in his residence outside the palace, and he will have to wait until tomorrow morning to enter the palace.
The commander sent someone in to inquire, and quickly returned: "His Majesty only saw Consort Li."
The Empress's face turned cold instantly. Consort Li covered her mouth in surprise and bowed respectfully to her: "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will serve Your Majesty with all my heart."
Judging from the situation, forcing her way in was out of the question. The Empress turned away with a cold face, but couldn't help frowning as she turned her back.
——
Perhaps due to catching a chill, Shen Tangning developed a fever in the latter half of the night, and her head felt dizzy and lightheaded.
In a daze, she seemed to see the Empress return and say something to her with a worried expression, but she was in a daze and could not hear clearly.
Wenlan helped her and poured a bowl of medicine down her throat. The strong bitterness filled her mouth and made her almost vomit.
She slept soundly all night, sweating profusely. When she woke up the next day, she still felt dizzy and lightheaded. Shen Tangning raised her hand and touched her forehead, knowing that she was sick.
The slight noise startled the queen, who was taking a nap beside her. She hurriedly opened her eyes, a look of joy flashing in them: "Awake?"
Shen Tangning frowned slightly: "Has Aunt been here all this time?"
The Empress shook her head and stood up: "I only kept watch for a short while." She stepped forward with concern, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm still feeling a bit weak." She was unusually ill, her face was pale and sickly, and her dark pupils were wet, making her look even more pitiful.
The Empress patted her head: "Get up and have breakfast. I'll have someone take you to Consort Rou's palace later."
Shen Tangning was taken aback and subconsciously asked, "Why do you need to go to Consort Rou's place? I should be leaving the palace today."
She was, after all, an outsider, and there was no reason for her to stay in the palace indefinitely.
The Empress's expression was deep and complex, giving her a bad feeling, and sure enough, her premonition soon came true:
"You probably won't be able to get out. The palace gates were sealed off early this morning. His Majesty suddenly fell into a coma last night and is still investigating the matter. Even the morning court session was canceled today."
Shen Tangning opened her mouth, her expression turning serious: "Is it that serious?"
"I didn't see His Majesty last night." The Empress glanced around and said in a deep voice, "I suspect there's more to this than meets the eye."
Shen Tangning's heart skipped a beat, her eyelashes trembled twice, and she quickly realized what was wrong.
His Majesty fell into a coma, and the Empress's palace caught fire. Isn't it too much of a coincidence that these two events happened at the same time?
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