Chapter 358: Only Room for One in the Heart

Chapter 358: Only Room for One in the Heart

The imperial physicians had been busy for a long time, but the emperor had still not awakened. Finally, the Chief Imperial Physician approached Duke Xiao Huai, bowed respectfully, and said, "Duke, the emperor had previously accumulated some illnesses, and now he has been struck by a fit of rage. He cannot be awakened for the time being."

Xiao Huai hummed in acknowledgment: "Approximately when can he wake up?"

The imperial physician frowned, "Uncertain."

"Alright, you all stay close to the emperor," Xiao Huai instructed.

"Yes."

Xiao Huai then turned to a young eunuch standing aside and said, "Let the ladies visit the emperor."

The eunuch responded and went out, bowing to the empress and the others: "Your Highnesses may now visit the emperor."

The empress quickly walked towards the bedchamber, now more than ever hoping for the emperor to awaken. Given the current situation, the emperor waking up would be more favorable to her.

Consort Liang and the other ladies followed closely behind and entered the bedchamber as well. When the Chief Imperial Physician saw them, he quickly bowed and said, "The emperor has not yet awakened and needs to rest in silence."

The empress nodded and walked to the bedside. She saw the emperor lying pale and motionless on the bed, his lips even tinged with purple, looking almost like a corpse. She placed her hand under the emperor's nose and felt a slight breath, sighing in relief.

It was a good sign that he was still breathing.

She dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief and, regaining her composure, softly asked the imperial physician, "What exactly has happened to His Majesty?"

The imperial physician respectfully replied, "His Majesty was already in poor health recently, and today he was seized by a fit of rage... It's uncertain when he will awaken."

Moisture gathered in the empress's eyes as she said, "I shall stay and tend to His Majesty."

The imperial physician naturally dared not object and stepped back several paces to maintain silence. The empress turned to Consort Liang and the others, "The physician has said the emperor requires rest. You may all return for now; I shall stay and care for His Majesty today."

None among Consort Liang and her group had sons who could ascend to the throne; in truth, whether the emperor lived or died didn't matter much to them. They lived their days as usual, and since the Great Qi Dynasty didn't practice the rite of human sacrifice with the dead, they needn't fear being forced to join the emperor in death.

Consort Liang stood before the emperor's bed, her eyes curving in a glance before she turned to leave, the other consorts following her out.

Inside the bedchamber, the empress sat beside the emperor's sickbed for a while, then rose and walked to the window, whispering a few words to her personal maid.

The maid, eyes wide with alarm after hearing her mistress's words, nodded gravely and then left with a composed expression.

Xiao Huai and Li Jingyi had been sitting in the imperial study for so long that they began to tire. The two stood and paced back and forth before sitting down again to play chess, as neither would sleep tonight.

After two games of chess, they reclined on the couch and conversed. Xiao Huai asked Li Jingyi, "Do you think a person's heart is large?"

Li Jingyi pondered and replied, "Different people have hearts of different sizes. Common folk need only concern themselves with the daily needs of their family, their parents, and their children. A minister serving in the court must accommodate not only his family but also his duties."

He paused, then added, "As an emperor, one must bear the whole world in one's heart, and all its people."

Xiao Huai hummed in response, "That's not what I meant."

Li Jingyi frowned upon hearing this, "Then what are you referring to?"

Xiao Huai looked at him and smiled, "In my heart, there's only room for one person, my wife."

Li Jingyi's face flushed suddenly, and he stood up, stammering, "I... in my heart, there's also room for only one."

Xiao Huai remained silent for a moment, then said, "I never coerce anyone, no matter what choice you make..."

As he spoke, his gaze drifted to the emperor's usual seat and he continued, "What's yours will be yours."

Li Jingyi panicked for a moment, understanding Xiao Huai's implication — that regardless of whether he would be with Xiao Yu Zhu in the future, Xiao Huai was prepared to support him for that position. But if he couldn't commit to having only Xiao Yu Zhu in his heart, then Xiao Huai would not give his daughter to him.

"I... I don't need the throne, only Yuzhu," Li Jingyi said urgently, "I swear..."

Li Jingyi raised his hand, but Xiao Huai, with a smile, gently pulled it down, "Look how flustered you've become; we're just chatting."

Although Xiao Huai said this lightly, Li Jingyi's face was still tense, and in a low voice, he said, "I can't be without Yuzhu, my heart has room for no one else."

Now, the thought of Xiao Huai possibly refusing to give Yuzhu's hand in marriage made him panic-stricken to the point of tears. It felt as if the brightest light in his heart could be extinguished at any moment.

"Hmm, I see. Let's continue the game," Xiao Huai said.

Li Jingyi glanced at him, pursed his lips, and then sat down opposite him, carefully continuing their game of chess. He was extremely cautious, fearing that any dissatisfaction from Xiao Huai might cost him his chance with Yuzhu.

Xiao Huai certainly noticed his caution, but said nothing and continued to play chess with ease. Just then, a young palace maid approached with a food box, bowing respectfully and said, "Lady Liang has sent this humble servant to deliver some supper to Your Lordship and His Highness."

Without lifting his eyes from the board, Xiao Huai said casually, "Just put it over there."

"Yes."

The maid carried the food box over to a side table, laid out some snacks, then turned back to the two men absorbed in their game and began to undo the buttons of her attire.

Out of the corner of his eye, Li Jingyi noticed and frowned deeply. But since Xiao Huai remained silent, he did too. At that moment, Xiao Huai placed a piece on the board and declared, "Checkmate!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jingyi stood up, drew his sword, and thrust it toward the maid's heart. With a pained scream, she collapsed into a pool of blood.

"Take her to Lady Liang," Li Jingyi called out to the guards outside, "and ask how the noble lady disciplines her servants."

No sooner had his voice faded than two soldiers dragged the maid away. Following that, a few eunuchs came in to clean the bloodstains from the floor.

Three lives had been lost in the study today.

Li Jingyi and Xiao Huai continued their chess game, while the empress in the adjacent chamber, hearing the commotion, clenched her hands tightly. She had intended for a maid to feign being molested after disrobing to incriminate Xiao Huai.

But she had never anticipated that Li Jingyi would kill the woman outright. Was this the same timid boy from before?

Meanwhile, the chambers of Lady Liang were ablaze with light. Standing on the porch, Lady Liang watched the bloodied maid and coldly told the soldiers who had brought her, "Duke Ding accuses falsely; this woman is not from my quarters."

"Your Ladyship, the maid herself claimed she was sent by you," the soldier replied.

Lady Liang scoffed, "With Duke Ding controlling the entire palace, and the emperor still alive, he wants us dead, doesn't he? Fine, I will die now and give Duke Ding peace of mind."