In the dead of night, when Xiao Che's thunderous roar, filled with terror and rage, resounded throughout the palace, the entire Imperial Hospital was instantly thrown into chaos.
"His Majesty's decree! Her Majesty the Empress is unwell! All imperial physicians, regardless of rank, must arrive at Kunning Palace within one incense stick's time! Those who disobey will be executed on the spot!"
The eunuch's shrill voice, like a death knell, echoed in every corner of the Imperial Hospital.
Zhang Zhongmin, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, was fast asleep, snoring loudly, still basking in his dream of a newly developed elixir for prolonging life. Suddenly, the door was flung open with a loud bang, and he was so startled by the death knell that he tumbled off the bed.
"What?! Her Majesty the Empress is unwell?!" He didn't even have time to put on his outer clothes properly. He grabbed the medicine box haphazardly, his mind going blank with a "buzz".
At midnight cockcrow, the entire hospital will hold a consultation; anyone who disobeys will be executed!
What an urgent signal this is!
The last time this happened was on the night the late emperor passed away!
Could it be... could it be a palace coup?! Or perhaps... something terrible has happened to the Empress's unborn child?!
Either of these two thoughts was enough to terrify the seasoned Imperial Physician, who had seen countless storms. He knew that tonight, the Imperial Medical Academy was likely to experience a bloodbath!
"Hurry! Hurry, hurry, hurry!" he shouted hoarsely at the imperial physicians in the courtyard who were also in a state of chaos as he rushed out. "Get moving! Bring all your life-saving tools! Anyone who dares to delay the appointed time, I'll skin him alive before His Majesty even has to lift a finger!"
In an instant, the entire Imperial Medical Academy was in chaos, with lights flickering erratically.
The young imperial physicians, their faces pale, hurriedly dressed and carried their medicine chests; the older physicians, on the other hand, trembled, their beards shaking, as if they could already see their heads rolling.
Soon, this team, composed of the most skilled medical professionals in the Great Liang Empire, led by Zhang Zhongmin, surged out of the Imperial Medical Academy and staged an unprecedented "race against time" on the quiet palace road.
The night was deep, and the palace path was long and secluded.
Dozens of imperial physicians, carrying heavy medicine chests, were running forward with all their might. Normally pampered and privileged, they were now completely devoid of any semblance of refinement.
Zhang Zhongmin, who was running at the front, was quite old, but he was running with great speed, and even the young people behind him could hardly keep up. As he ran, his mind was racing, rehearsing all sorts of terrible scenarios that he was about to face.
If a palace coup occurs, how can they protect His Majesty? If the Empress's unborn child is harmed, should they save the mother or the child? If... if both mother and child die, their entire Imperial Hospital will likely perish!
"Ouch!"
Behind him, a young imperial physician accidentally stepped off his shoe while running too fast. He looked back and tried to pick it up, but was pulled back by someone next to him.
"Are you out of your mind?! Forget about shoes! Run!"
"ah!"
On the other side, an old imperial physician, exhausted, crashed headfirst into a pillar in the palace corridor, seeing stars. Ignoring the large bump on his forehead, he got up and continued limping forward.
The whole scene was in complete chaos, filled with tragedy and panic, as if they were not going to save people, but rushing into a bloody battle where they were certain to die.
Finally, when everyone was out of breath and felt like their lungs were about to burst, the brightly lit outline of Kunning Palace appeared before their eyes.
arrive!
Zhang Zhongmin felt a chill run down his spine. He forcibly suppressed his violently beating heartbeat, straightened his disheveled clothes, and prepared to face the impending bloodshed.
He had prepared for the worst, and even thought of his last words.
However, when they rushed into the courtyard of Kunning Palace, the scene of swords clashing and bloodshed they had imagined did not occur.
Although the Imperial Guards stood guard throughout Kunning Palace, creating a tense atmosphere, it was unusually calm. There were no sounds of fighting, no cries, and not even a trace of blood.
What's going on?
Filled with doubt, Zhang Zhongmin led a group of equally panting and bewildered imperial physicians into the bedchamber.
Upon entering the palace, everyone was stunned by the sight before them.
Inside the sleeping quarters, the lights were on, as bright as day.
Their emperor, hands behind his back, paced back and forth in the hall like a caged beast, his face filled with anxiety. His handsome face was contorted with unprecedented panic and rage, as if he were about to kill someone at any moment.
And that legendary empress who was "ill-healthy" and "on the verge of death"...
At this moment, she was perfectly fine and safe, leaning against the soft pillows at the head of the bed. In front of her was a small table with a plate of delicate plums on it.
She held a book in one hand and was lazily putting a plum juice into her mouth with the other...
The whole scene was quiet and peaceful; one could even say it was... a time of tranquility and serenity.
Except for the Emperor's murderous expression, everything seemed perfectly normal.
"..."
All the imperial physicians were stunned on the spot.
They looked at each other, their faces filled with huge question marks, their minds completely blank.
What happened to the palace coup? What happened to the impending death of the imperial heir? What happened to the mountains of corpses and seas of blood?
What... what's going on?
The Empress looks much healthier than these old men who are about to run themselves ragged!
Could it be... that His Majesty is ill and talking nonsense?
Zhang Zhongmin secretly observed Xiao Che and found that although he looked anxious, his breathing was steady and he walked with a powerful gait, so he didn't seem to be sick.
For a moment, the entire bedchamber fell into an extremely eerie silence.
A group of imperial physicians, who had just experienced a life-or-death race, stood panting in the hall, staring blankly at an agitated emperor pacing back and forth and an empress leisurely sipping plum juice, completely bewildered as to why they were there.
Just then, Xiao Che, who was pacing back and forth, finally saw them.
His eyes lit up instantly!
That look in his eyes didn't seem like he was seeing a subject, but rather like he had grasped at a straw to save him!
He rushed to Zhang Zhongmin in a few steps, his anxious appearance making the old magistrate's heart jump into his throat again.
He thought that His Majesty was finally about to reveal the earth-shattering mystery.
However, Xiao Che's next actions completely shattered his worldview.
The emperor, the supreme ruler, grabbed his arm and dragged him to the bedside. Then, in a low voice, with an unprecedentedly solemn and sorrowful tone, he pointed to Lin Wanwan's flat stomach and said to him:
"Quick! Show this to the Empress!"
"She...she's eaten too much!"
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