Chapter 72
Chapter 72
Zhao Yixing, standing guard outside the hall, was genuinely surprised when he heard that a palace attendant from Chengyi Hall had come to summon His Majesty.
As one of the few people who knew that lady’s true identity, he was intensely curious about her.
Unfortunately, she never took the initiative to seek out His Majesty.
His Majesty occasionally visited Chengyi Hall, but nine times out of ten, everyone else was dismissed before the two of them spoke.
Zhao Yixing barked at the disciple who was about to enter and make the report, driving him back. As the young man passed, Zhao Yixing even slapped him on the back and scolded, “From now on, I will personally report all matters concerning Chengyi Hall to His Majesty.” None of you are allowed to steal this from me!
Once the rebuke was delivered, a broad smile returned to his face and he entered the hall.
“You said Radiant Consort Yu invited Us to Chengyi Hall for lunch?” The emperor was no less surprised than Zhao Yixing.
Ever since his venerable ancestor had revealed the truth, she could not even be bothered to keep up appearances. The flowers and plants around the palace interested her more than he, the emperor, did.
For some inexplicable reason, the emperor had a feeling that his ancestor must have summoned him this time over something momentous.
There were still more than two hours before lunch. The emperor had intended to review memorials for a while longer, but he could not settle his mind no matter how he tried. At last, he simply rose and ordered the procession prepared for Chengyi Hall.
Zhu Yin, upon receiving the news: ? Was the emperor already hungry?
When the emperor entered Chengyi Hall, no one came out to welcome him, exactly as expected.
Fortunately, he had long since replaced all the attendants there with his own trusted people. The hall’s staff was now nearly on par with an emperor’s own household, so there was no need to fear that word of what happened inside Chengyi Hall would spread.
Those trusted attendants did not actually know Zhu Yin’s identity. They merely assumed His Majesty greatly favored the Radiant Consort and privately marveled that his affection for her ran far deeper than anything he showed in public.
Yet as the people serving and protecting them at close quarters, they also knew that although His Majesty cherished Radiant Consort Yu, he had never once shared her bed.
Who knew what secret lay hidden behind that?
Ah, the imperial family truly was complicated.
Zhu Yin did not rise when she saw the emperor arrive. She merely pointed to the seat beside her. “Sit.”
The emperor quietly let out a breath of relief.
He already believed her identity and did not mind treating her with the utmost reverence.
The problem was that if he acknowledged who she was, then she was his ancestor in the truest sense. During ancestral rites at the Imperial Ancestral Temple each year, her memorial tablet stood in the place of highest honor, and the emperor led everyone in kneeling before it.
But bowing to a memorial tablet and bowing to a living person were entirely different matters.
He was the emperor. Instinctively, he resisted lowering his head to anyone else, even his own ancestor.
Taking the opportunity offered, he sat down. Only then did he notice a jade box on the table before him.
The box was small enough to fit in one hand. Its jade was ordinary, and its appearance wholly unremarkable. Had someone given it to him as a gift, he would not have spared it a second glance.
But if it were truly insignificant, why had it been placed there so deliberately?
Zhu Yin noticed where he was looking and inclined her head, confirming his guess. “This is why I called you here. Open it and take a look.”
The emperor obeyed. Inside the jade box lay a little wooden vial as long as an index finger. When he removed the stopper, a refreshing medicinal fragrance drifted out.
He looked at Zhu Yin in surprise. “What is this?”
Instead of answering directly, Zhu Yin said, “I told you before that I know a little about medicine.”
The emperor did not understand why she had suddenly brought that up, so he waited for her to continue.
Sure enough, Zhu Yin soon said, “You know, living a second life is an extraordinary thing in itself. After I woke, I found that I had acquired a few abilities I never possessed before.”
The emperor leaned forward without realizing it, as if doing so would help him hear more clearly.
“Your empress is in very poor health. She also exhausts herself managing the inner palace and has not had enough time to recuperate. If this continues…”
The emperor demanded anxiously, “What will happen if it continues?”
Zhu Yin closed her eyes. “I fear she will not live a long life.”
A long silence fell over the hall.
Only after a great while did the emperor say heavily, “An imperial physician checks the empress’s pulse every ten days. None of them has ever told Us such a thing.”
Zhu Yin spoke slowly. “If I am not mistaken, the empress has suffered from frailty since childhood. Someone with such a constitution must be carefully nursed from an early age merely to live like an ordinary person. Her foundation was well tended, but she has overworked herself these past few years. Find a truly capable imperial physician and have them examine her more carefully.”
After speaking, Zhu Yin glanced at the dazed emperor and continued, “This is only the beginning. I have not even reached the main reason I called you here today.”
At that moment, the emperor could not care less about the main point. His mind was consumed by the thought that the empress’s health was actually so poor. He wished he could rush to Qingzheng Hall at once and summon every physician in the Imperial Medical Bureau to examine her.
Only his respect for his ancestor stopped him in time.
Zhu Yin saw that his expression was unreadable, betraying neither joy nor anger. Had she not made a point of listening to his thoughts, she never would have known that turmoil was raging inside him.
She said unhurriedly, “What are you panicking for? Since I called you here and told you about it, perhaps that means I have found a solution.”
The emperor’s heart jolted. This time, a trace of scrutiny entered the gaze he turned on her.
With his reason restored, he began to wonder if Zhu Yin had deliberately laid a trap for him.
Had she intentionally exaggerated the hidden danger to the empress’s health to throw him into disarray, and then…?
Zhu Yin snapped irritably, “What is that look supposed to mean? A few imperial physicians can determine the truth about the empress’s health. What reason would I have to lie?”
“The point is what you are holding, and the person who gave it to me.”
The emperor recovered his composure. “Oh? So this is not actually yours?”
Zhu Yin glanced at him. “Since you do not trust me, I will spare you the rest. When you summon physicians to examine the empress, find several people to inspect the pills inside as well. Then you will understand.”
The emperor was burning with anxiety and wanted nothing more than to rise and hurry to Qingzheng Hall that very instant.
“Calm down and sit still,” Zhu Yin said slowly. “The empress’s condition will not change in the space of a moment. Going a little earlier or later will make no difference.”
Her attitude inexplicably irritated the emperor, and he blurted out, “Were you this calm when Emperor Gaozu fell ill?”
The room went silent.
The emperor regretted the words the instant they left his mouth.
The person before him was an ancestor who had died long ago. Even if she reprimanded him over a few words like these, it would hardly be excessive.
Besides, he should not have made light of Emperor Gaozu.
No–he should never have used something like this as a weapon against anyone.
He knew he was wrong, but he did not know how to humble himself and apologize, so he could only remain silent.
In truth, Zhu Yin was nothing like he imagined. She was not lost in grief or memories.
She was simply a little bewildered, because she was not the real Empress Wu.
She had not replied at once because she was trying to work out how Empress Wu would have handled the situation.
After all, Empress Wu had never appeared in the plot at all, and the history books recorded her life in no more than a single cold page.
After pondering for a while, Zhu Yin suddenly understood.
She was the ancestor here.
Even if the man before her was the emperor, he was still merely one of her descendants.
“Hmph.”
The emperor heard a cold laugh, and his entire back went rigid.
Then came the rustle of cloth as Zhu Yin rose from her chair.
“I am very displeased.”
Whether she was answering the emperor’s earlier question or merely describing her present mood, no one could say.
“Great Yong raises its imperial children under strict discipline. I am sure Your Majesty excels in both civil and martial pursuits.”
“Come. Practice a few moves with your great-grandmother.”