Chapter 402 – The World of Martial Arts

Chapter 402 - The World of Martial Arts

"The situation has indeed worsened. How did it come to this?" the Empress sighed.

Regardless, everyone held no ill intentions towards an innocent young girl.

In the Sweet Spring Palace, Concubine Pei was so exhausted that her face had turned jaundiced, and her eyes lacked luster as she stared fixedly at her daughter on the bed.

She feared that if she blinked, her child would vanish before her eyes.

However, despite her efforts, disaster eventually struck.

At noon, the wet nurse who was attending to the princess entered and noticed something amiss.

"Your Highness, the princess... She's contracted smallpox."

"What nonsense are you spouting! The princess was inoculated against smallpox two years ago. Once one is inoculated, they will never contract it again. How could she have smallpox?" The palace maid hurriedly refuted.

"I don't know, Your Highness, but it's true. There are pustules on her chest and abdomen, please take a look," the wet nurse knelt down.

Princess Pei Xiujuan approached and, upon seeing the eruptions on her daughter's abdomen and ribs, she fainted on the spot.

This was a major matter that couldn't be taken lightly.

They hurriedly summoned the imperial physician and imposed a lockdown on the Ganquan Palace.

Only after the imperial physician had examined the princess did he heave a sigh of relief. "There's no need to panic; it's not smallpox."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the Ganquan Palace breathed a collective sigh of relief.

However, following that, the physician's next words still cast a heavy mood over the crowd.

For Princess Eighth to contract the illness at this time was like adding insult to injury.

She had already been ill for over a month and was in extremely frail health. Now, with this eruption, it would be a struggle for her to pull through.

Pei Xiujuan had nothing more to say; she simply sat there, drained of vitality.

He Jinli had joined the others in attending to the princess.

Now, however, besides medication, it relied on Princess Huitao's own resilience.

In other words, it was up to fate.

Jinli's face was grave as he entered Yuxiu Palace, clearly deeply concerned.

Yun Li didn't ask further but simply instructed attendants to help him change into more comfortable, loose-fitting clothes.

After serving him his lunch, Jinli said, "I'm hoping that child can pull through."

Yun Li nodded. "Your Majesty's children have strong constitutions. Even when Qin Wang was unwell, he has improved significantly now. When I saw him this year, he seemed a bit thin, but he's grown so differently from his childhood days."

That was the honest truth.

The mortality rate among Jinli's children was indeed quite low.

This was rare in ancient times.

At least, Jinli's own siblings had suffered a great deal of loss.

There were only two princesses left now.

The late emperor had as many as fifteen princes and seventeen princesses.

"Hoping for the best," He Jinning sighed.

He Jinning was exhausted lately and soon fell asleep on the couch.

Yun Li had no solution either. She wasn't a divine physician. For something that could only be endured by the patient herself, it all depended on Princess Eight.

If she had a strong will to live, perhaps she would pull through.

So Yun Li instructed someone to convey a message to Pei Xiuyuan, "Tell her that it's all up to the princess now. As her mother, she should talk to the princess more. Talk about the future—it might help. If the princess takes her words to heart, she might endure it."

Zhi Fu agreed and personally went to the Sweet Spring Palace.

Upon hearing these words, Pei Xiuyuan's withered appearance changed. Without even a word of thanks, she rushed to her daughter's bedside.

She wept as she spoke to her daughter.

When the Eighth Princess was born, she was also disappointed, but no matter how disappointed she was, that child was still her flesh and blood. How could she not love her only offspring?

If given the chance to save her, she would willingly take her place in death.

Perhaps due to the combined efforts of everyone, the Eighth Princess opened her eyes the next morning, surviving the most perilous moment.

At least she could now take in food.

Though too weak to speak, she had cheated death, causing Pei Youyuan to laugh through her tears as she held the child and fed her some chicken soup.

As she was suffering from smallpox, she dared not give her any nourishing ingredients like ginseng.

However, despite being frail, the child was, after all, still young, and thus recovered faster than an adult.

Soon, she appeared much more lively.

After three to five days, the smallpox lesions faded without leaving scars.

Her lingering cold also improved significantly over the course of a month, and it seemed that she was out of danger.

At that moment, Pei Xiuyuan collapsed, falling ill.

It was understandable. After days of tireless efforts without rest, her hair had turned somewhat white from the stress.

Now that the child was safe, her body could no longer hold up.

Fortunately, she had a strong constitution, and it would only be a temporary illness.

---

In the Zhengyang Palace, Zhuang Shen stood at the lower end of the hall.

"I've recently discovered something, Your Majesty. There's nothing amiss for now, but I believe it's best to report it to you," he said.

"What is it? Speak," He Jingenli said.

"Yes, Your Majesty. My men on patrol have noticed an increase in the number of martial artists in the capital recently. Approximately twenty of them, all young and strong," Zhuang Shen replied.

In truth, such scenes depicted in wuxia novels were not common occurrences. Even if they did happen, it would likely be during the twilight years of a dynasty.

Otherwise, a kingdom's capital would not casually see groups of martial artists wandering around, each armed with their own weapons and hidden tools – that would be implausible.

How could no one have investigated you?

When you enter the city, your weapons must be declared. What brings you here?

Hekunli frowned. "Investigate thoroughly."

"Yes, Your Highness. I'll look into it immediately. If there's anything amiss, I'll apprehend the individual without delay." Zhuang Shen then withdrew.

"From the jianghu," Hekunli muttered, putting the matter aside for now.

As it turned out, being skilled in martial arts didn't guarantee usefulness.

While Zhuang Shen was still investigating and Hekunli wasn't paying too much attention, this group of jianghu members had already caused trouble.

Qixiu was subjected to an assassination attempt.

Of course, he was unharmed. The servants accompanying him were not ordinary folk, and he had long arranged for skilled guards to follow him.

Even the coachman was a proficient martial artist.

None of the three masked assassins, cloaked in gray and wielding large blades, managed to approach the carriage before they were apprehended.

Swiftly, they were taken away by the Capital's Guard for rigorous investigation.

Upon hearing the news, the Fifth Prince smashed his inkstone in fury, spilling the freshly ground ink all over the floor.

"Who told them to act on their own initiative?" he demanded.

Sentry Luo Jiang replied, "They were just a bunch of roughnecks who wouldn't obey orders..."

The Fifth Prince's chest heaved with anger. "What do we do now?"

"Your Highness, don't panic. Though they've been captured, they've never seen you. If they were to implicate you, simply deny it. They have no proof," Luo Jiang advised.

Infuriated, the Fifth Prince kicked over the table. "Denial will suffice? They're utterly incompetent and counterproductive!"

He had assembled twenty individuals from the jianghu for a purpose, but certainly not for such a mindless assassination attempt on Minister Qi.

Regrettably, with their exposure now, any future endeavors would likely prove far more challenging.

"Your Highness, please calm down. We must prioritize peace for now, as there are still others within the city," Luo Jiang said.

"The prince instructed, 'Help me change my clothes, then hurry and summon that group to the mansion. Make it a grand entrance.'" The Fifth Prince declared.

"Your Highness?" Luo Jiang was greatly startled.

"Questions later, go now," the prince commanded.

Luo Jiang had no choice but to comply.

After roughly two hours, people began arriving one after another.

No sooner had the martial artists from the jianghu arrived than officials from the Capital Prefecture and the Capital Guard followed closely behind.