Chapter 8: Court Dismissed Today

Chapter 8: Court Dismissed Today

Lights outside were lit one after another, and soon the whole Fuhua Palace was brilliantly illuminated, bustling with silhouettes. Zhu Yan left her sleeping quarters and the outer hall, following the loud crying of her son towards the central courtyard. Crossing the main gate and passing the shadow wall, she followed Ping’an and others as they opened the palace gates.

Zhu Yan looked up.

The chill of the deep autumn midnight lingered in the air, creating a momentary stillness.

The attendants around her bowed down, "We greet Your Majesty."

Zhu Yan, snapping back to reality, was about to bow in return, but hearing her son crying and calling for 'mommy', she abruptly started, ignoring everything else and rushed over to embrace him.

Her son quickly let go of his father and clung tightly to Zhu Yan's neck, crying, "Mommy, mommy... don't hit." He sobbed as he called out.

Zhu Yan's heart shattered hearing her son's heartbroken cries.

Ignoring everything else, she repeatedly reassured, "Alright, alright, no one will hit you." She realized her son was scared of being punished for his daytime actions. "Don't cry, my dear Tian Tian, be good."

Tian Tian was her son's nickname.

"Tian... Tian Tian is the best," her son sobbed and hiccupped, burying himself in Zhu Yan's embrace.

Zhu Yan tried to pick up her son but couldn't, as the person opposite didn't seem to intend to let go. She didn’t force it, fearing it might hurt the child, and they remained in a stalemate.

Due to the proximity, the distinctive fragrance of qi nan wood filled the air. Zhu Yan involuntarily frowned, fighting off her body's aches and fatigue, until a night breeze brought sweat to her pale forehead and she nearly collapsed.

The grip from the other person seemed to loosen.

Once she held her son tightly, a sudden wave of dizziness overwhelmed her. Her vision darkened amid urgent calls of "Ayan," "Your Highness," and her son crying out for her.

Fuhua Palace was in chaos.

The palace gates, locked earlier for the physician’s arrival, were opened again.

No one dared sleep for the rest of the night; lights shone until dawn.

Physicians hurriedly entered the palace one after another, as maids quietly bustled in and out of the palace.

Outside the corridor, Zhang Zhongguo paced worriedly, contemplating under the increasingly bright eastern sky before deciding to approach the inner sleeping chambers.

Maids stepped aside as he approached.

At the chamber's entrance, Zhang saw the Emperor standing rigidly by the bed, staring intently at Zhu Yan, who lay with eyes closed, her ethereal beauty amplified by her pale complexion.

Zhang, not daring to look further, lowered his gaze and mustered the courage to speak, "Your Majesty, it is time for the morning court."

"Court is dismissed today."

A hoarse voice responded, then the Emperor turned, his usually gentle eyes now sharp and determined, "Go, summon Song Jingru to see me. I need to know when she will awaken."

Song Jingru referred to the imperial physician, Song.

Song Jingru, a renowned senior imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau, had been monitoring Zhu Yan's health for the past two years.

He was well-aware of Zhu Yan's chronic condition, a result of childbirth complications with her fourth son. Despite two years of treatment, her condition showed no improvement. Generally manageable, her symptoms worsened during her menstrual cycle, causing fatigue, body aches, and vulnerability to cold. Her fainting spell the previous night was due to a sudden chill.

By morning, she still hadn't regained consciousness.

In a last-ditch effort before the Emperor's impatience escalated, Song Jingru and his fellow physicians decided to use acupuncture. They directed the medical women from outside the curtain, stimulating blood flow until the Emperor called out from inside, "Ayan, you've awakened," signaling relief.

The tension among the waiting physicians dissolved upon hearing this, and they sighed in relief on this chilly autumn morning, their clothes soaked in sweat. Song, without delay, instructed the medical women to withdraw the needles and ordered the apprentices to bring the prepared medicinal soup.

The prescription was a collaborative effort among the physicians.

It was a nourishing formula to boost qi and blood.

Inside the opulent curtain, on the bed.

Zhu Yan, who had just awakened, was first overwhelmed by the strong scent of the medicine and then startled by the Emperor's looming face. Her pupils dilated, and she turned her head away, withdrawing her hand, which the Emperor released after three attempts.

She pulled her hand back under the covers.

Zhu Yan then turned her back, her actions clearly indicating rejection and avoidance, startling the attending maids, who shrank back like quails, heads bowed, wishing they could disappear.

The medical woman holding the silver needle case froze, too scared to move from the bed.

Xiangcao's hand, holding the curtain, was suspended in mid-air.

The air seemed to freeze.

The entire sleeping quarters were eerily silent, no one daring to glance at the Emperor's expression.

The atmosphere was oppressively heavy, making it difficult to breathe.

A series of clinks rang out.

They were abrupt and grating to the ears.

"This servant deserves to die," Qiuhong, upon meeting the Emperor's angry gaze, felt her legs weaken. Before the Emperor could speak, she immediately knelt to confess her fault. In her nervousness, she had accidentally knocked over a few teacups, creating the noise at such a critical moment.

The Emperor valued the Empress but never cared much for the palace maids, often venting his anger on them.

With this thought, Qiuhong's fear intensified, her head knocking against the floor with loud thuds.

"Qiuhong, leave," Zhu Yan called out from the bed, sounding like she had just woken up, her voice weak as a kitten's meow despite exerting all her strength.

This, however, drew the Emperor's attention back to her.

Qu Gu, holding soup medicine rigidly, witnessing the scene, gathered her courage to speak, "Your Majesty, the Empress has awakened and needs to take her medicine. You have been vigilant all night and must be extremely tired. Perhaps you should rest now, to avoid worrying the Empress."

Hearing this, the Emperor, with his red, sleep-deprived eyes, stared intently at Zhu Yan on the bed, as if to confirm the truth of Qu Gu's words.

After a long moment, he gave no response.

After staring for a while, he repeated a soft "Alright, alright," his tone unreadable, then turned and left the sleeping chamber.

The palace maids inside sighed in relief simultaneously.

Qu Gu asked the waiting imperial physician and palace staff outside to leave, leaving only Xiangcao and Qiuye inside. Xiangcao pulled up the curtains onto the small silver hooks and helped Zhu Yan sit up, saying pitifully, "My Lady, last night you nearly scared us to death."

Zhu Yan sat up with Xiangcao's help, knowing her tendency for exaggeration and not taking her words too seriously. However, she then heard Qu Gu, setting down the medicine bowl, add, "Not just us, even the Emperor turned pale, and the Fourth Prince was terrified to tears."

"Where is Ah Ji?" Zhu Yan asked, her voice soft and weak.

"The Fourth Prince is with Zhong Fumu. Last night, His Majesty first coaxed him to sleep by Your Majesty's side, then had Zhong Fumu carry him out," Qiuye said, beckoning a palace maid to bring water for Zhu Yan to freshen up.

Zhu Yan relaxed after washing up, drank her medicine, and ate some light porridge. When the second bowl of bitter medicine was brought, she wrinkled her brow but still bravely drank it, following up with half a cup of honey water and a rinse to alleviate the bitterness in her mouth.