The main hall of Tian Qi Palace was very hot and stuffy, but no one dared to make a sound. They didn't even dare to wipe the sweat off their heads. Everyone's attention was on the dragon bed. The man lying on it was tied to their honor and even their lives.
The taiyi trembled as they finished taking the pulse. With a thud, they knelt in front of the Empress. The head of the Imperial Hospital finally said in a trembling voice: "Empress niangniang, His Majesty's pulse is as thin as silk, sometimes faint, sometimes rising and falling. Chen is useless."
"Isn't His Majesty suffering from the heat?" The Empress' expression changed greatly. Although she didn't understand medicine, she knew that only those who were seriously ill would have weak pulses. She looked at the imperial physicians who were pale even though it was a hot day. She gritted her teeth and said, "No matter what, you have to wake His Majesty up!"
The taiyi present exchanged a look before gritting their teeth and agreeing.
The Empress looked at the unconscious man on the bed and wiped the sweat on her forehead. She thought for a second before summoning a messenger taijian: "The Emperor is seriously ill. It's not good to be noisy but as a father, I think of my children. Summon Duan Wang, Rui Wang, Cheng Wang, and Jin An Princess who are waiting outside the hall. Shu guifei and Jing guifei also enter the hall to attend. "
Outside Tian Qi Palace, all the feipin, princesses, and wang ye that had given birth were waiting under the hot sun. When they finally saw a taijian come out, the eyes that had been dazzled by the hot sun instantly became much more alert.
"Pass on the Empress' decree. Summon Jing guifei, Shu guifei, His Highness Duan Wang, His Highness Rui Wang, His Highness Cheng Wang, and Jin An Princess Royal to attend." After the taijian passed on the Empress' decree, he didn't look at the expressions of the others and hurried back into the hall.
The others weren't willing but they couldn't do anything. Now that the Emperor was unconscious, the Empress was the most powerful person in the hougong. If she said no one could enter, who dared to force their way in?
The procession entered the stuffy hall. Shu guifei furrowed her brows and asked: "The room is so stuffy, why not use ice?"
The Empress looked coldly at her: "Right now, His Majesty's pulse is weak, how can he use anything cold? If Shu guifei finds it too hot, then return to the palace to rest. Presumably, His Majesty does not lack people to serve him."
Shu guifei was pierced by the Empress' words. She wasn't happy inside, but due to the other's status, she could only bow to the Empress, "Pinqie was just worried that the Emperor would be hot. Empress, please forgive pinqie for her slip of the tongue."
The Empress looked at her and then her gaze swept past He Yuan beside her. She no longer paid attention to her and turned to look at the taiyi who was giving the Emperor acupuncture and massage. In a low voice, she said, "The Emperor's condition is critical this time, his pulse is weak. You … … have to serve him well."
The faces of the people who came in immediately changed. They clearly knew what a weak pulse meant, but why did it suddenly become like this?
Shu Guifei was probably the one with the ugliest expression. Her gaze swept across the people in the room. If the Emperor passed like this, then what chance did her son have of inheriting the throne? Thinking about it, she looked with enmity at He Heng whose face was full of worry. If Wei shi's son became the Emperor, would there be a place for her and her son in Da Long Dynasty?
"Why is it like this?" Shu guifei's voice gradually became louder, even slightly shrill, "The Emperor was fine yesterday, how can his pulse be weak?!" Finishing, she started to cry sorrowfully, her mouth occasionally calling out for His Majesty.
Jing guifei wasn't like Shu guifei, but the rims of her eyes were red as she silently cried. A short while later, the handkerchief in her hand was soaked in tears but she didn't feel it. She only stood by the dragon bed and cried soundlessly.
Qing De Emperor seemed to hear a shrill sobbing. This sobbing made his head hurt. When he managed to open his eyes, he saw a woman dressed in peach red kneeling in front of him. He focused and saw Shu guifei's joyful tear-stained face. His heart moved. When he opened his mouth to speak, he saw Jing guifei standing at the foot of the bed with tears streaming down her face. Her calm red and swollen eyes were looking at him. She clearly hadn't spoken to anyone but he could feel her worry and concern for him, as well as her joy at seeing him wake up.
He wanted to sit up and say he was fine but found that his entire body couldn't move. He wanted to say a few more words but found it was hard to even breathe. He turned his eyes and looked at the well-dressed woman kneeling next to him. He then looked at the woman standing at the foot of the bed whose clothing was slightly disheveled and whose hair wasn't even properly combed. A long time later, he closed his eyes and squeezed out a thread of energy from his body to say: "Summon the Judicial Office Tian Jin Ke, the Minister of Revenue Luo Chang Qing, the Prime Minister Wei Wen Guang, the Minister of Rites Zhang Zhu Cheng, the Commander of the Imperial Guards Sun Zhang You."
Just this one sentence, Qing De Emperor panted as he spoke. Shu guifei, who was kneeling in front of him, gradually felt her hands grow cold. Her intuition told her that this man who had doted on her for more than twenty years was about to leave her. Her heart was slightly sad but she was even more panicked. Did this man still remember the promise he had made, would he leave the throne for Yuan'er?
"Emperor, look at Yuan'er, he's come to see you," Shu guifei stood and dragged He Yuan to the side of the bed. She said urgently, "Did you forget? You once said that you would climb mountains with Yuan'er, ride horses together. You haven't done that yet. After you get better, you have to fulfill those promises."
Qing De Emperor looked at his most doted third son. He had even changed this child's diapers, washed his feet, and carried him on the bed to play. He watched as this child slowly grew up and became a handsome youth.
"Fuhuang," He Yuan knelt in front of Qing De Emperor's bed, the rims of his eyes red as he said, "Er chen remembers every word you said. Please get better soon."
Yes, at that time, he had said many things. He had even promised that his third son would be the next emperor. But after all these years, he hadn't made him crown prince. San'er's personality was too proud. He always wanted to wait until he was more mature. Waiting until now, he didn't have the energy to keep waiting.
His slightly murky gaze passed over He Yuan's shoulder and saw his second son standing silently a few steps away. This was the child that Wei shi had given birth to for him. He remembered that he did well in his studies, was well-behaved, and was even filial. He liked to give many things to this son, but he couldn't remember anything else.
When this child was young, he had been white and chubby. He still remembered when Wei shi had carried him, the way he had extended a hand to call him fuhuang.
The children were all grown up but he was old.
"Emperor, the daren have all arrived." The chief taijian announced in a small voice.
"Summon," Qing De Emperor took back his gaze and ordered weakly.
When Tian Jin Ke and the others entered the Great Hall, they detected that something wasn't right. When they saw the red glow on their faces, their hearts jumped and they all knelt down, "Chen greets Emperor, greets Empress."
Qing De Emperor didn't rise but ordered: "Bring forth the four treasures of the study."
Shu guifei's eyes widened as she watched the taijian bring forth the four treasures of the study. She knew what the Emperor was going to do. Her heart was in her throat.
"Zhen will read, Official Tian will write, all of you, listen." Qing De Emperor's gaze slowly swept across the people in the room. In the end, it landed on Jing guifei who was sitting in the corner and covering her mouth. She was clearly crying so hard she couldn't breathe but didn't make a single sound. He closed his eyes. A beat later, he opened them. His eyes were filled with determination.
He Yuan saw fuhuang's gaze and felt that something wasn't right. He couldn't help but ask: "What fuhuang once said, does it still count?"
Qing De Emperor glanced at him and slightly moved his gaze away. He took a few breaths: "Ever since zhen ascended the throne, zhen has not been able to govern the country internally, nor expand the borders externally. But I have a son … … Heng, born intelligent, his heart pure and kind. He manages the family and cultivates himself. He has the virtues of xiandi. Zhen has thought it over and over. Only this son has the ability to govern the world. Zhen has passed the throne to the second imperial son, Heng. He can choose an auspicious day to ascend the throne."
After saying these words, Qing De Emperor was gasping for breath. Even his vision started to blur. He looked at the jade seal and the personal seal presented in front of him. Trembling, he picked up the jade seal and pressed it down on the Imperial Decree that Tian Jin Ke was holding.
"Fuhuang!" He Yuan watched as the crimson jade seal print landed on the Imperial Decree and asked in disbelief, "Why did you change your mind?"
Qing De Emperor didn't pay attention to him and laboriously stamped the personal seal on the Imperial Decree. After doing all this, he seemed to have lost all the energy in his body, a chill running down his back.
"Fuhuang, fuhuang, why!" He Yuan wanted to snatch the Imperial Decree but was stopped by a taijian. He turned to look angrily at He Heng, "What trick did you play to make fuhuang give such a decree?"
The rims of He Heng's eyes reddened as he said: "San di, don't make a fuss right now … …"
"Don't pretend. You two, mother and son, have always been good at pretending. Other people fall for it, I feel disgusted," He Yuan looked hatefully at Qing De Emperor, "Fuhuang, is this how you treat me?"
Qing De Emperor didn't seem to hear He Yuan's ruckus. He dazedly looked at the foot of the bed, muttering: "Chan'er, don't cry, Chan'er … … zhen was wrong, wrong … …"
Shu guifei's eyes widened, looking in disbelief at Qing De Emperor as though she didn't recognize the person in front of her.
The Great Hall was silent. They didn't know who Chan'er was that the Emperor spoke of, and didn't know why the Emperor said it incorrectly, but they knew that Duan Wang was the future Emperor. The successor had been decided, and there would be less trouble.
After an unknown amount of time, maybe it was just a moment, Jing guifei walked next to Qing De Emperor and bent down to hold his hand.
Qing De Emperor looked at her, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he slowly closed his eyes.
Jing guifei's index finger trembled, the other hand lightly placed under Qing De Emperor's nose. Tears instantly fell.
"Emperor!"
Shu guifei pushed aside Jing guifei and leapt onto Qing De Emperor's body, wailing loudly, "Emperor!"
The chief taijian knelt down with a thud, shouting: "Emperor, has passed away!"
Everyone in the room knelt down like dumplings. Tian Jin Ke knelt in front of He Heng, holding up the Imperial Decree, proclaiming: "The country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Emperor, please arrange for xiandi's funeral. Kneel for Emperor's condolences."
"Kneel for Emperor's condolences!" Everyone shouted.
The people outside the hall all cried as they knelt down. No matter if they were truly sad or pretending to be sad, they were all crying so hard they couldn't breathe.
He Heng slowly reached out with both hands to take the Imperial Decree from Tian Jin Ke's hands. He knelt in front of Qing De Emperor and heavily kowtowed three times: "Er chen's talent is mediocre. Receiving fuhuang's love today, I will do my best and care for the people of the world." After kowtowing, he staggered to his feet and cried out.
The guards and taijian that had been guarding outside the hall, after hearing that Duan Wang had succeeded the throne, silently retreated as though they had never appeared.
Suddenly, a peal of thunder rang out. The first rain of the beginning of summer finally fell.
In Duan Wang Fu, Qu Qing Ju stood next to the window, looking at the wang fu that was shrouded in mist, occasionally waving her fan.
A few days ago, she had detected that He Heng and He Ming had been plotting something. Did they calculate the possibility of Qing De Emperor suddenly passing away?
Thinking about it, Qu Qing Ju furrowed her brows. Why did she suddenly think that Qing De Emperor would pass away? Wasn't this imagination a bit excessive?
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