Cui Huaiyin’s eyes lit up at once. She gazed at Dantai Ji with shining eyes and excitedly seized his arm. “That would be perfect.”
Consort Cui smiled, and even His Majesty wore a meaningful smile. Wang Zhong scratched his head, utterly baffled.
He simply could not understand the two of them at all.
Why did Consort Cui want to visit Consort Chen? And why go together with His Majesty? Was Consort Cui not afraid that Consort Chen would resent her and take offense? And His Majesty—why had he suddenly decided to visit Consort Chen?
He truly could not make sense of it. Naturally, he did not dare say anything rash and could only follow his master.
After they finished their meal, the Emperor and Lady Cui truly did set off for Consort Chen’s Xiaguang Palace.
Xiaguang Palace was not far from Liangyi Hall, though it still took two quarters of an hour to reach. Since they had just eaten, His Majesty did not summon a sedan chair. He simply walked alongside Lady Cui.
The two of them said nothing along the way, yet their silence was strangely harmonious.
Lady Cui walked with measured steps, following every rule. The Emperor, however, glanced at her from time to time, as though making certain she was still beside him.
Soon, they arrived at Xiaguang Palace.
Aside from the Empress’s Fengyi Palace, Xiaguang Palace was the finest residence in the imperial palace. Consort Chen had been His Majesty’s first woman and had given birth to a son and a daughter for him. Naturally, she enjoyed unparalleled favor.
Whatever treasures the various provinces and vassal states presented would never fail to include a share for Xiaguang Palace.
Just before they reached the palace, Dantai Ji suddenly stopped and looked at Cui Huaiyin. He instructed her, “Stand toward the back later. Do not speak for now.”
Cui Huaiyin paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
The young eunuch guarding the entrance to Xiaguang Palace spotted the Emperor at once. He hurriedly knelt and called out, “This servant respectfully welcomes His Majesty!”
Such a loud cry naturally startled everyone within Xiaguang Palace.
A young eunuch quickly went inside to announce His Majesty’s arrival.
Within moments, every maid and eunuch serving at Xiaguang Palace had knelt outside to pay their respects to the Emperor.
Only the one person who should have appeared—Consort Chen—was nowhere among them.
Dantai Ji’s brows drew together. “Where is Consort Chen?”
Aunt Sun, who served at Consort Chen’s side, hurriedly replied, “Your Majesty, Her Highness has been ill since yesterday. She is bedridden today and unable to rise to receive you.”
“Since that is the case, then I must see my beloved consort all the more.”
With that, Dantai Ji started toward Consort Chen’s usual bedchamber.
Aunt Sun suddenly dropped to her knees. “Your Majesty, you must not!”
The last of Dantai Ji’s patience was nearly gone. “Why not?”
Aunt Sun enunciated each word carefully. “Your Majesty may not know this, but Her Highness contracted this illness from the Eldest Princess. It is likely contagious. If Your Majesty enters, you may become infected. Should anything happen to Your Majesty’s health, even if all of us were beheaded, we would still be unable to escape responsibility!”
A dark glint flashed through Dantai Ji’s eyes. He glanced at the tightly closed bedchamber door, then ordered, “Wang Zhong, summon an imperial physician to enter with me.”
“Your Majesty, you must not!” Aunt Sun cried again.
“This servant will do so at once!” Wang Zhong replied.
Thus, several people became locked in a standoff within the courtyard of Xiaguang Palace. The Emperor insisted on remaining where he was, showing no intention of leaving.
Many of the palace servants who witnessed this were deeply moved by how highly the Emperor valued Consort Chen. Even though she had contracted a potentially contagious illness, His Majesty was not afraid to approach her.
Before long, an imperial physician from the Medical Office arrived, panting for breath. He turned to Aunt Sun and said, “Please take me to see Her Highness at once. If this is truly a contagious illness, she must be treated immediately!”
Aunt Sun was clearly unwilling, but she could no longer find an excuse to delay matters. She had no choice but to lead the physician inside.
When she saw that His Majesty also intended to enter, Aunt Sun tried to stop him. Dantai Ji, however, spoke coldly. “I am the Son of Heaven, protected by the true dragon. The night before last, I saw the princess as well, yet I did not contract the illness. That proves I have nothing to fear from it.”
The physician was obviously afraid that Consort Chen’s illness might be contagious. He tried to dissuade the Emperor, but His Majesty refused to listen. In the end, the physician could only suggest, “If Your Majesty insists on entering, perhaps you could cover your mouth and nose with a cloth. That should help prevent infection.”
Dantai Ji did not object. He put on a cloth mask covering his mouth and nose.
He also distributed such cloths to everyone behind him.
Thus, all the maids and eunuchs in Xiaguang Palace covered their faces to guard against infection, including Cui Huaiyin, who was concealed among them.
Even though she had covered most of her face, Aunt Sun still noticed her when they entered the hall. She stopped Cui Huaiyin and refused to let her proceed.
“Even one of my people dares to obstruct?” Dantai Ji said.
Aunt Sun was so frightened that she collapsed to her knees. “This servant would never dare! I simply have never seen this person before, and I feared that someone with ill intentions might have infiltrated the group to harm Her Highness.”
Dantai Ji looked at Aunt Sun as though she were already dead, but said nothing more.
Wang Zhong had been about to explain Cui Huaiyin’s identity, but he hurriedly closed his mouth and did not dare say another word.
Judging from His Majesty’s manner, it seemed he had never intended for anyone to know that the woman was Lady Cui. Wang Zhong could not fathom what the Emperor was planning, so he could only behave properly and stay close behind him.
Consort Chen had clearly learned of the Emperor’s arrival long ago. At that moment, she lay hunched over on the bed, covering her lips as she coughed. Her eyes were red as she looked at Dantai Ji.
“This concubine greets Your Majesty. Your Majesty has come to visit me, yet I am unable to rise from my bed and welcome you. This concubine has sinned.”
Dantai Ji stepped forward and spoke gently. “You are unwell. Rest properly. There is no need for empty formalities.”
He then had the physician examine Consort Chen, whose face was deathly pale and whose entire body seemed steeped in illness.
The physician hurried over and took her pulse. After a moment, he released her wrist and said, “Your Majesty, Consort Chen merely has some chill in her body and has been troubled by excessive worry. A few days of medicine should restore her health. There is no serious problem.”
Dantai Ji glanced at Consort Chen’s stiff expression and said only, “In that case, prescribe a suitable remedy for Consort Chen.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” After receiving the order, the physician could not help adding, “Her Highness’s physical ailment can be treated, but an ailment of the heart is much harder to cure. I hope Your Highness will ease her mind and stop dwelling on troubling thoughts. Only then will all her illnesses disappear and her health be restored.”
Consort Chen covered her mouth with a handkerchief. “I understand.”
“I wonder what troubles Consort Chen so deeply?” the Emperor suddenly asked.
Consort Chen gave a dry laugh. “It is nothing more than Yuer falling ill a few days ago. I was worried that such a young child had to suffer, so I let my thoughts run away with me.”
“You are a good mother.” Dantai Ji studied Consort Chen’s pale yet strangely familiar face, then withdrew his gaze. He glanced toward the people waiting in the outer room before continuing, “Today, I happened to encounter Lady Cui. I learned that she holds you in great respect and wished to pay her respects. I therefore allowed her to accompany me in visiting you.”
The moment Dantai Ji finished speaking, Consort Chen suddenly raised her head.
Her face turned deathly pale as she looked toward the crowd in the outer room. Sure enough, a slender figure was walking toward her. The woman lifted the curtain separating the rooms and approached, staring straight at Consort Chen.
Even with a white cloth covering her face, Consort Chen could recognize those eyes—eyes she would never forget—as well as the expression in them.
Her breathing nearly stopped. She sat frozen in place, unable to move, as though someone had cast a binding spell over her.
Cui Huaiyin stared at the frail woman on the bed. It was as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight. A chill spread from the tips of her toes all the way to her hair.
