The imperial physicians arrived and examined Consort Cui's pulse. They said she had caught a chill, which was what had caused her high fever.
The physician prescribed some medicine and instructed that Consort Cui take it as soon as possible to see whether the fever would come down. If it did not, they would have to prescribe another remedy.
Changle Palace was in utter chaos.
Meanwhile, at Liangyi Hall—
Wang Zhong received the news from Changle Palace and hurried into the hall. “Your Majesty, something terrible has happened. There is trouble at Changle Palace.”
Dantai Ji's eyes twitched. “What is it?”
Wang Zhong replied, “Consort Cui has a high fever. She is delirious.”
Dantai Ji shot to his feet and strode toward the door.
Wang Zhong hurried after him.
……
Consort Cui had fallen ill, so Princess Fuxi did not go to Wenchang Academy that day. With red-rimmed eyes and a listless expression, she lay beside her mother, waiting for Consort Cui to wake.
The medicine had already been boiled and brought in. It took several calls before Consort Cui finally stirred awake.
Daoxiang wept as she begged her mistress to drink the medicine.
Her mistress was afraid of bitter flavors and stubbornly refused to open her mouth.
Daoxiang could only say, “Your Highness, if you refuse to take the medicine, what will happen to the little princess? She was frightened to tears by your condition and has been keeping watch over you the whole time. Only when you are well can the little princess be well too.”
Cui Huaiyin opened her eyes, her head splitting with pain. She lowered her gaze in search of her daughter, only to discover that the child was sitting beside her, staring at her and sobbing loudly. She looked so aggrieved, like a frightened little rabbit.
Cui Huaiyin hurriedly reached out to wipe away her daughter's tears. Then she took the medicine and said, “Yaoyao, don't cry. Mother is fine. Mother will drink the medicine now.”
With that, Cui Huaiyin held her breath, lifted the bowl, and gulped down the entire serving.
Perhaps she had drunk it too quickly and choked. Bending over the side of the bed, she began coughing violently.
Her face grew even paler and more pitiful.
When Dantai Ji arrived, this was the scene that met his eyes.
His face taut, he pushed through the crowd and hurried forward, gathering Cui Huaiyin into his arms.
“Someone! Where are the imperial physicians? Summon the Chief Imperial Physician to answer to me!”
Before long, several more physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau arrived. They took turns examining Consort Cui's pulse, and all concluded that her high fever was an acute illness caused by catching a chill the previous day, compounded by a lack of rest.
The Emperor's expression darkened further upon hearing this.
The Chief Imperial Physician knelt on the floor and spoke cautiously. “Your Majesty, Consort Cui has just taken the medicine, and this humble servant can see that it is having some effect. We must observe her for another two hours before prescribing any other medicine. However…”
Dantai Ji's expression turned cold. “However, what?”
The Chief Imperial Physician said, “When I examined her pulse just now, I discovered that Her Highness had previously suffered damage to her health. I fear she may have difficulty bearing children in the future.”
Dantai Ji's eyes darkened. “I summoned you here to bring down Consort Cui's fever!”
The Chief Imperial Physician's body trembled. “Yes, Your Majesty!”
The physicians conferred among themselves, prescribed another remedy, and boiled it before presenting it to Consort Cui.
When Cui Huaiyin was roused, she initially refused to drink the medicine. But after hearing her daughter's voice, she steeled herself and drank every drop.
Fortunately, she did not drink it as hurriedly this time and was not choked by it.
Even so, the bitterness drained the color from her face, as though all the vitality had been pulled from her.
Rongyao quickly took out some candied fruit from her sachet and carefully placed it in her mother's mouth.
Seeing that her mother's complexion had improved somewhat, Rongyao sniffled and continued lying beside her.
As for Dantai Ji, he stood by the bedside, not daring to come any closer. Whenever he approached, Cui Huaiyin would refuse to cooperate.
Thus, he could only stand at the side with his hands clasped behind his back, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot.
Wang Zhong watched from nearby, his heart pounding with alarm.
He had never seen the Emperor treated this way before.
Had Consort Cui been delirious from the fever? How could she dare treat His Majesty so disrespectfully time and again?
Last night, Consort Cui had argued with the Emperor. In a fit of willfulness, she had simply abandoned him.
The Emperor's expression had been exceedingly grim as he returned directly to Liangyi Hall.
Wang Zhong had assumed that Consort Cui would surely regret it today and personally go to Liangyi Hall to apologize and make amends with the Emperor.
Yet it was the Emperor who had yielded first.
Even now, Consort Cui still ignored the Emperor.
Nor was it only Consort Cui. The little princess also seemed angry, keeping her back to the Emperor and refusing to look at him even once.
After more than an hour of turmoil, Cui Huaiyin's fever finally broke.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
Cui Huaiyin lay beneath the covers and drifted into a deep sleep.
Rongyao obediently remained by the bed, keeping watch over her mother.
Only after Cui Huaiyin had fallen asleep did Dantai Ji dare approach. He sat at the bedside, gazing at Cui Huaiyin for a long while before shifting his gaze to his tiny daughter beside the bed.
“Yaoyao, don't be afraid. Your mother is all right now.”
Rongyao shifted her little body, leaving her father only her back as she continued watching her mother.
Dantai Ji's body stiffened.
“What's wrong, Yaoyao? Why are you ignoring Father?”
Her eyes red, Rongyao raised her head. With her lips pressed tightly together, she looked at Dantai Ji and said, “Father made Mother sick!”
Dantai Ji opened his mouth, only to find that he truly had no way to explain himself.
Yesterday had indeed been his fault. Had he not brought up that matter, Yin'er would not have been angry with him and run outside before she had even properly dressed.
“Yes, yes, it was Father's fault. When your mother wakes up, Father will apologize to her.”
Rongyao blinked her tear-filled eyes. “Really?”
Dantai Ji said, “My word is as good as gold. Will Yaoyao forgive Father?”
Rongyao looked at Dantai Ji somewhat awkwardly before asking, “Then does Father like Mother?”
Dantai Ji froze. His face reddened slightly, and after a small cough, he answered, “I do. Father likes her very much. The person Father likes most is your mother.”
Rongyao picked at her fingers. “Then does Father think Yaoyao is not good enough? Does Father not like Yaoyao?”
Dantai Ji's eyes widened as he hurriedly explained, “How could that be? How could Father not like Yaoyao? Which servant has been spouting such nonsense?”
Rongyao said, “Then why does Father want Mother to acknowledge another child as her daughter? Is Yaoyao not good enough? Does Father want someone else to steal Yaoyao's mother? Father is just like my previous father—neither of you likes me. I don't need your love anyway!”
Dantai Ji felt as though something had slammed fiercely into his heart. His eyes reddened as he gathered his daughter Rongyao into his arms.
“No! Father truly loves Yaoyao. He fell in love with you the very first time he saw you! That Zhu Wangbei is not your father—Father is! That’s why Father loves you so much. Father regrets not being there to watch you grow up, and regrets leaving you and your mother outside the palace for so long.”
Rongyao rubbed her tears and nose against his imperial robe. “Then why did Father let Princess Shengping become Mother’s daughter?”
Dantai Ji was overwhelmed with guilt. “Father was blinded by foolishness. It was Father’s fault. Don’t worry, Yaoyao. I will never let you and your mother suffer again.”
Rongyao’s eyes lit up as she gazed at Dantai Ji. “Then Father has to keep his word.”
Tenderness filled Dantai Ji’s eyes as he gently tousled his daughter’s hair. “Of course. Father always keeps his word.”
Neither father nor daughter left.
They both stayed by the bedside, keeping vigil over the sick Cui Huaiyin.
Rongyao eventually fell asleep with her head resting on the bed.
Dantai Ji carefully lifted his daughter and placed her on the bed. Just then, Daoxiang, who had been standing nearby, suddenly dropped to her knees.
“This servant has something important to report to Your Majesty!”
