The moment the Emperor said this, Prince Ling, who had just risen to his feet, immediately dropped back to his knees.
“Father, rest assured. Your son is no coward. Just watch what I do!”
Only then did the Emperor nod in satisfaction.
“That is the way to think. Very good!”
Consort Li had not expected the Emperor to reject her suggestion.
However, judging from what he had just said, he seemed prepared to pass the throne on to his son.
Consort Li was rather pleasantly surprised.
She cast a discreet glance at her son. Prince Ling’s eyes and brows were filled with joy as well.
Just then, Eunuch Li entered to make a report.
“Your Majesty, Consort Shu is outside requesting an audience!”
The smile on Consort Li’s face instantly froze.
The hand hidden within her sleeve clenched tightly.
Consort Shu had been confined to her palace. By her calculations, the period of her confinement was not yet over.
How had she gotten out?
“Let her in,” the Emperor said from the bed with a nod.
Consort Li was stunned.
Ever since the Emperor had fallen ill, he had refused to see any consort besides her!
Had the Emperor decided to summon Consort Shu because he had already made up his mind to pass the throne to Prince Ling?
Or was there some other reason?
Consort Li shot a quick glance at her son. She saw Prince Ling lower his head and retreat to one side, his expression impassive.
As Consort Li pondered this, a sound of approaching footsteps rang out.
Consort Shu entered.
The moment she stepped into the hall, she began to cry.
“Your Majesty!”
“Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I only learned today that you had fallen ill!”
“Your Majesty, how are you feeling? You’ve lost so much weight!”
Consort Shu rushed to the bedside and grabbed the Emperor’s hand.
The Emperor frowned slightly.
“Were you not confined to your palace? How did you get out?”
Consort Shu froze for a moment, then continued sobbing softly.
“Your Majesty, I know I was wrong!”
“I was only worried about you. I’ll obediently return in a little while.”
Seeing the Emperor’s displeasure, Consort Li felt a surge of schadenfreude.
“Consort Shu, His Majesty is still ill. It is hardly appropriate for you to burst into tears the moment you enter.”
Consort Shu’s sobbing stopped at once.
When she saw the displeasure on the Emperor’s face, she hurriedly wiped away her tears.
“Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I simply became emotional after not seeing you for so long. I meant nothing else by it.”
Consort Li covered the corner of her lips with a handkerchief.
“Consort Shu, that statement could easily lead people to read more into your words.”
Consort Shu was both furious and resentful inside.
She bit her lip, looking as pitiful and alluring as a willow in the wind.
“Your Majesty, I’m not as eloquent as my elder sister.”
“Your Majesty, my heart holds only you. I have absolutely no ulterior motives!”
Consort Li silently rolled her eyes.
This Consort Shu never missed an opportunity to belittle her.
Just then, Eunuch Li approached with a bowl of medicine.
“Your Majesty, it is time for your medicine.”
Consort Li reached out to take it.
“I’ll do it.”
Consort Shu snatched the bowl from Eunuch Li first.
“I didn’t know this before, Elder Sister. You’ve worked hard caring for His Majesty.”
“Today, Elder Sister, you may sit back and rest. I’ll attend to His Majesty.”
Consort Li gave Prince Ling a meaningful look.
“You smell strongly of medicine, Consort Shu. Are you ill?”
“Different medicines can interfere with one another.”
“What if the medicine you are taking happens to conflict with His Majesty’s?”
“Please don’t trouble yourself, Sister. Wait until you’ve recovered before you come to attend to His Majesty.”
As she spoke, Consort Li took the bowl from Consort Shu and handed it to Prince Ling.
“Crown Prince, you may give your father his medicine.”
Prince Ling accepted it.
“Yes, Mother.”
The Emperor’s gaze lingered on the bowl for a brief moment.
With the medicine taken away from her, Consort Shu unwillingly stepped aside.
Prince Ling went to the bedside and sat down. He first stirred the medicine in the bowl, then scooped up a spoonful and carefully blew on it.
Only then did he bring the spoon to the Emperor’s lips.
The Emperor looked at Prince Ling, as though pondering something.
“Father, the medicine will lose its efficacy if it gets cold,” Prince Ling advised gently—a rare display of softness.
At last, the Emperor opened his mouth.
One spoonful after another, he drank the entire bowl of medicine.
Afterward, weariness appeared on the Emperor’s face.
“All right. I want to sleep for a while. You may take your leave.”
Consort Li tenderly adjusted the Emperor’s pillow, then pulled the blanket higher over him.
“Your Majesty, rest well. The Crown Prince and I will come visit you another day.”
Prince Ling, too, wore an affectionate, filial expression.
“Rest assured, Father. Your son will hold himself to the highest standards and will not disappoint you!”
After paying their respects, Consort Li and Prince Ling withdrew first.
Consort Shu lingered reluctantly, tucking the blanket around the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, then I shall take my leave as well.”
“Be sure to take good care of yourself! I’ve even prepared something for your birthday celebration—we were supposed to celebrate it together!”
The Emperor closed his eyes and weakly waved a hand.
After bowing to the Emperor, Consort Shu retreated, looking back every few steps.
An incense stick’s time later, Eunuch Li suddenly rushed out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
“Quick! Summon Imperial Physician Li to the palace! Quickly!”
A horse galloped out of the imperial palace.
Before long, Prince Ling received the news.
The Emperor had been poisoned and was vomiting blood!
Prince Ling was horrified. He shot up from his throne so abruptly that the memorials on the desk tumbled to the floor.
“Crown Prince!” one of his attendants called out.
“Go. Inform Mother at once!” Prince Ling ordered sharply.
With that, Prince Ling hurried toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The hall was already surrounded by Imperial Guards, who had sealed it off completely.
Prince Ling was stopped outside the entrance.
Furious, he grabbed the eunuch in front of him by the collar.
“I am the Crown Prince!”
“How dare you block my way!”
“I am going in to see Father!”
“If anything happens to Father, not one of you will keep your lives!”
The young eunuch trembled in fear.
“Please spare me, Crown Prince!”
“His Majesty gave the order. This servant dares not act on his own!”
Prince Ling angrily flung the young eunuch to the ground.
The eunuch scrambled back to his feet and knelt there, not daring to utter another word.
Soon, Consort Li arrived in a hurry after receiving the news.
She had rushed over so quickly that beads of sweat rolled continuously down her forehead.
Several strands of her hair had come loose as well.
“Crown Prince, how is His Majesty?” Consort Li asked anxiously when she saw Prince Ling.
Prince Ling gave her a deep look.
“I just arrived.”
“Father ordered the Hall of Supreme Harmony sealed off. Even I am forbidden to enter!”
Consort Li was shocked. When she saw the suspicion in Prince Ling’s eyes, she gave a slight shake of her head.
Earlier, while they had been inside the hall, she had intended to make her move.
But when she saw Prince Ling signal her, she had refrained.
When she heard the news just now, she had assumed that Prince Ling had acted himself after seeing that she had not done it!
Prince Ling noticed his mother’s gesture, and his brows drew tightly together.
He had clearly told Mother not to act. Yet she had done it anyway?
