Chapter 7: Sickness Falls Like a Mountain

Chapter 7: Sickness Falls Like a Mountain

"Can't even walk steadily, where do they get the nerve to blame the child?" This was the despicable emperor's stance on Aji injuring Su Cairen.

Completely biased.

Blaming the victim.

Definitely inciting animosity.

Zhu Yan felt that the original protagonist and the female lead becoming arch-enemies in the novel was undoubtedly influenced by the despicable emperor. His meddling turned things so contentious, with love breeding life and hate breeding death. Even though she had come to understand the despicable emperor's nature, she still found it somewhat hard to accept.

Zhu Yan returned to Fuhua Palace feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

Those who returned with her, apart from the over twenty people she had taken out, included Xiangru and the other four. As for her son...

Her son clung to the despicable emperor, unwilling to return with her.

"Your Highness, Xiangru and the others are severely injured, with open wounds and bloodied flesh. It will be difficult for them to fully recover," Qu Gonggong expressed her concern after seeing Xiangru's injuries. They had been carried back on a stretcher.

"First, send someone to the Imperial Medical Bureau to invite Doctor Song to see them. Make sure they don’t suffer any internal injuries. When asking for the doctor, say that I am the one feeling unwell," Zhu Yan pondered. In the Great Virtue Palace, there was a rule that the imperial physicians did not treat maids and eunuchs; usually, apprentices or medical women would prescribe medicine. Survival was considered lucky; otherwise, it was fate.

Therefore, palace servants rarely dared to fall ill.

Palace servants dreaded the prospect of being sent to the punishment cell, as it was customary in the palace to carry out punishments there. Today was the first time someone was punished with spanking in public within a palace, an act only Consort Xu Zhao would dare to do.

Zhu Yan was seething with anger and instructed Qu Gonggong, "Also, visit Fengyi Palace yourself and inform the Empress." Requesting the Imperial Physician to treat palace servants was technically breaking the law; she needed to inform the Empress first. Zhu Yan initially wanted to go herself but felt too weak, sensing her menstrual period approaching, a lingering ailment from her difficult childbirth with Aji.

"As you command."

Qu Gonggong went to Fengyi Palace, and by evening, news came: Consort Xu Zhao was confined to her quarters for six months, while Zhu Yan was penalized to copy the palace rules ten times.

Zhu Yan understood that this marked the end of the matter.

That was the only possible outcome, as in the eyes of those above, Xiangru and the others were no different from the common flowers and grasses in the palace.

After all, Xu Zhao Consort was still a Xu by birth.

"Your Highness, the Empress has it tough too," Qu Gonggong said softly after dismissing the other servants and attending to Zhu Yan alone for the night.

Zhu Yan, understanding the implication, asked with certainty, "Did Liu Gonggong tell you something?"

Qu Gonggong didn't deny it, "It’s well known in the palace that after the death of the crown princess, the then-Crown Prince wanted to marry his cousin from his mother's side as the new princess. The late emperor disagreed and arranged the marriage with the current Empress Liu. To this day, the fact that Xu Liuniang, whom the Emperor fancied, has married someone else is still a regret for Lady Yan of the Xu family, missing the glory of having double Empresses in the family."

"Recently, after Xu Liuniang became a widow, Lady Yan and Princess Chongyang complained about it, leading to a dispute with the Empress in Fengyi Palace."

Lady Yan of the Xu family is the Emperor's maternal grandmother.

Princess Chongyang is the Emperor's sister.

"The punishment for Xu Zhao Consort is neither too light nor too heavy; the Empress is in a difficult position."

After hearing this, Zhu Yan remained silent for a while, "Tomorrow morning, go to Fengyi Palace and thank the Empress on my behalf." Xu Zhao Consort's confinement for six months at least ensured today's matter of inviting the Imperial Physician for Xiangru wouldn’t be exploited by her, and Zhu Yan’s intrusion into Chonghua Palace resulted in only a mild punishment of copying the palace rules ten times.

"Extinguish the light; you should also rest early." Zhu Yan gently closed her eyes.

Qu Gonggong promptly acknowledged, reaching to lower the treasure curtain hanging from the silver hook, "I have arranged for Qiuhong and Qiuye to stand guard outside tonight. If Your Highness needs anything, just call them." Zhu Yan always preferred not to have attendants by her bedside at night, so Qu Gonggong had to arrange for them to stay outside the room.

Hearing Zhu Yan's affirmation, Qu Gonggong then turned to extinguish the three palace lanterns one by one.

As the light flickered and died, Zhu Yan suddenly opened her eyes, feeling very unaccustomed. Usually, there was a warm little bundle beside her. Since the birth of her son Zhang Ji, except for the initial period when she was unwell, she had always taken care of him herself. This was the first night in three years that he wasn't sleeping by her side.

She wondered how Aji was doing in Qianyuan Palace.

Qianyuan Palace was the despicable emperor's residence, used for daily work, rest, and summoning consorts. That evening, the chief steward of Qianyuan Palace, Zhang Zhongguo, came personally to convey that the fourth prince would stay in Qianyuan Palace for the night.

At first, Zhu Yan thought she had heard wrong.

Aji usually didn't even want his wet nurse at night, so why would he agree to stay in Qianyuan Palace?

But without seeing her son return, Zhu Yan asked a few questions about his situation in Qianyuan Palace and had to let it be.

Zhang Zhongguo did suggest she visit Qianyuan Palace, but she didn’t respond. Apart from feeling unwell due to her menstrual period, even on a good day, she would not go there, let alone step half a step into Qianyuan Palace again.

Feeling unwell and worried about her son.

Zhu Yan couldn't fall asleep, staring with wide-open eyes into the darkness inside the canopy, and with closed eyes, her mind was filled with images of Aji looking for her. Tossing and turning, she didn't know how much time passed – maybe two quarters of an hour, half an hour, or even an hour... until she faintly heard Aji crying, and she immediately sat up straight.

"Qiuhong, Qiuye," Zhu Yan called out urgently, disregarding the weakness in her body and the pain in her lower abdomen, ready to get out of bed.

"Your Highness," Qiuhong and Qiuye, who were on night duty, hurriedly entered the room. Qiuye went to light the lamp while Qiuhong quickly came forward to support Zhu Yan, who was about to fall from the bed, "Your Highness, be careful."

"Tell me what you need, Your Highness. It’s cold at night, and you are not feeling well. Don't leave the bed, you might catch a cold," Qiuhong supported Zhu Yan and pulled the brocade quilt over her, but Zhu Yan pushed it away.

"I think I heard Aji crying."

Qiuhong was slightly surprised, "Your Highness, the fourth prince is staying in Qianyuan Palace tonight, which is quite far. It's impossible to hear his crying from here."

"I didn’t hear it either."

After lighting the lantern, Qiuye hurriedly draped a cloak over Zhu Yan and suggested, "If Your Highness is worried about the Fourth Prince, I can send someone to check on him at Qianyuan Palace." Qiuhong and Qiuye exchanged glances, and together they helped Zhu Yan back into bed, covering her again with the brocade quilt.

Just as Zhu Yan lay down, she heard Aji crying again and couldn't stay put, pointing towards the southeast, "Listen carefully, Aji is crying. Help me up quickly."

This time, Qiuhong and Qiuye listened attentively and their expressions changed drastically. Qiuhong decisively said, "Qiuye, help Her Highness get up, I'll go outside and check, and call in Qiuyue and Qiubai."

Qiuyue and Qiubai were also on night duty, but for the latter half of the night.

Qiuhong rushed out swiftly.

Qiuyue and Qiubai quickly entered, and with their help, Zhu Yan, enduring her discomfort, dressed in a long skirt but only wrapped a lambswool cloak around her upper body and hurried outside, as Aji’s crying grew louder. Qiuye and the others, hearing the crying too, sped up their assistance.

No longer trying to stop Zhu Yan, and even Qiubai took a hair tie, following her and tying up her long hair while on the move.

It was unprecedented for the Fourth Prince to cry so violently after becoming aware of his actions.

The commotion had already awakened the entire Fuhua Palace.

Author's note:

That's all for today~~