Chapter 82 It Should Be So
Hearing what his sister said, Zhu Qizhen took the spoon and medicine bowl obediently, blew it cool carefully, and handed it to Zhu Zhanji's lips, saying: "Dad, try it, it's definitely not hot."
After Zhu Qizhen had fed him the whole bowl of medicine, Zhu Zhanji calmed down for less than a moment. His breathing became more and more rapid. He had so many words he wanted to say, but his body would not allow it.
Zhu Zhanji seemed to want to seize the last glimmer of opportunity, and said to Zhu Qizhen with difficulty: "Please... please don't forget what you promised me..."
Although he was somewhat frightened by the look on his loving father's face, Zhu Qizhen nodded repeatedly and said firmly: "I won't forget it!"
After receiving his son's affirmative answer, Zhu Zhanji, who was leaning against the pillow, exhaled a breath of foul air. He felt dizzy and his eyes suddenly went dark. His body became colder and colder. His hands and feet no longer obeyed his commands and he stood stiffly in place.
Jingnan, Yingtian, expedition, the crown prince, Shuntian, the prince, quelling the rebellion, farming and weaving, encouraging agriculture, the eldest son, patrolling the border, charging into battle...
The neighing of war horses, the wailing of the enemy, the dwindling food supplies after the floods and locust plagues, the helpless cries of the starving people on the roadside, the lush green seedlings in the plowed fields, the aroma of sap from the harvested wheat straw, the gradually lingering ink and paint on the desk and on the rice paper, the joyful laughter of children surrounding me...
Everything in this life passed by like a passing cloud, without any hesitation. Zhu Zhanji only grasped the last ray of it, tried to open his palms, and wanted to say something hoarsely, but in the end he still couldn't form any words.
Zhu Qizhen wanted to retreat uneasily. Seeing this, Zhu Yuhuan held his hand tightly and slightly turned sideways to block Zhu Qizhen's sight, so that Zhu Qizhen would not lose his composure because of being too scared.
The heavy breathing of Emperor Xuande gradually disappeared. Zhu Yuhuan secretly looked at him and saw that his face was blue and purple, his pupils gradually dilated, and finally there was no movement.
Empress Dowager Zhang was the first to realize her son was dead. Her usual composure finally vanished, and she wept bitterly beside her son's bed. Wang Jin also immediately knelt and wept, and the palace maids dared not delay even a moment. After Wang Jin's tears, he went out to announce the death, and for a moment, the entire Qianqing Palace was filled with weeping.
Zhu Yuhuan felt a heavy weight fall from her heart, and she breathed a long sigh of relief. Even the pain in her forehead was relieved a lot. She put her arm around Zhu Qizhen's shoulders and said, "Brother Zhen, Daddy is gone."
Zhu Qizhen then vaguely realized that he had become a fatherless child, and he also burst into tears.
Zhu Yuhuan repeated the emperor's last will in his heart - now he should be called the late emperor.
God doesn't give me longevity, this is my fate...
"Old Madam, Madam, the Imperial Concubine is here..."
Empress Dowager Zhang was immersed in the grief of losing her son and had no time to care about these things. It was Empress Hu Shanxiang who spoke up, "Please invite the imperial concubine in. Also, arrange for the announcement of the death to be made."
"yes……"
As soon as Concubine Sun entered the hall, she went straight to Zhu Zhanji. Seeing that her hair was loose, one could guess that she had only put on her outer coat when she came. Unfortunately, Zhu Zhanji was already silent at this time. No matter how Concubine Sun checked, she could not get any response.
Concubine Sun finally understood what had happened and could not help but stand there in a daze. She was heartbroken because of Zhu Zhanji's broken promise and had stayed indoors. Zhu Zhanji was in his prime, so how could she know that her awkwardness and anger had prevented her from even seeing her husband for the last time?
Empress Dowager Zhang had already come out of the grief of losing her eldest son. Seeing that Concubine Sun was still gazing at Zhu Zhanji's remains, she calmly said to Hu Shanxiang, "Empress, send someone to tidy up the late emperor's appearance."
Hu Shanxiang replied, "Yes."
Empress Dowager Zhang took a quick look and asked, "Where are the palace maids around the imperial concubine? Pull the imperial concubine away and send her back to the palace." She was already grief-stricken and angry about her son's untimely death. When she was full of anger, she thought of the quarrel between Imperial Concubine Sun and Zhu Zhanji, which resulted in her son not being able to see her before his death. She spoke without mercy.
Ruilan had never expected that the emperor would die so suddenly, and she stayed where she was. Now, after hearing what Empress Dowager Zhang said, she finally reacted and hurried forward to hold Concubine Sun.
Concubine Sun had already reached out to touch Zhu Zhanji's cheek. Sensing the remaining warmth, she cried, "Young Master, Young Master..."
Perhaps because she was so sad, she couldn't say anything for a while and could only cry.
Zhu Yuhuan's heart was calm. He just let go of Zhu Qizhen, who was leaning against him and crying softly, and said, "Brother Zhen, go and comfort the imperial concubine."
Zhu Qizhen looked up at his mother and saw that she was determined not to leave the bedside, and his father, who had passed away, was lying on the bed. He did not want to go forward for a moment, but just grabbed Zhu Yuhuan's sleeve.
Empress Dowager Zhang said coldly, "The regent will be entering the palace soon. Imperial Concubine, you were once the late emperor's concubine and could do as you pleased, but now you are the mother of the new emperor. You should be dignified and reserved, and not act recklessly."
Concubine Sun only had her husband in her mind, whom she had not even seen for the last time. She was overwhelmed with grief and could only cry out for Zhu Zhanji.
Empress Dowager Zhang looked at Ruilan with a dagger-like gaze. Ruilan gritted her teeth and used all her strength to pull Concubine Sun up. Concubine Sun sobbed, "Mother, I was wrong... I was just being stubborn..."
Empress Dowager Zhang didn't want to hear any more of this and simply shouted, "What did I just say?" Seeing that Concubine Sun was frightened by her and could only mutter her previous words, she said impatiently, "Do you still have any dignity left as the future Holy Mother Empress Dowager? What? You don't want the Crown Prince to succeed to the throne smoothly?"
Concubine Sun finally stopped crying. She first looked at Empress Dowager Zhang, then after a long moment, she turned to look at Hu Shanxiang and said, "Empress Dowager..."
She thought the queen should try her best to stop it, but Hu Shanxiang didn't show any reaction to it. It was obvious that she didn't care whether Concubine Sun would become the empress dowager.
Seeing that she had finally calmed down, Empress Dowager Zhang sneered, "One is the Empress of the Central Palace, the other is the Crown Prince's biological mother. There's no reason to neglect either. Since you're obsessed with the position of Empress Dowager, don't forget your duties. Is there such a thing as a job that allows you to enjoy power without any effort?" She glanced at Ruilan and said, "Why don't you send the new emperor's biological mother back to the palace?"
Ruilan responded hurriedly and half-pushed and half-shoved Concubine Sun out of the Qianqing Palace.
It was not until she felt the snowflakes falling on her face that Concubine Sun vaguely realized that Empress Dowager Zhang thought she was crying so bitterly because she was worried about losing her position as empress dowager.
She gazed at the sky, dimmed by the falling snow, and felt even more deeply the depths of sorrow. Even if she were the mother of the new emperor, so what? Without the young master, she would still be inferior to him.
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