"?"
Sui's round little head was filled with big confusion.
What was he saying? Why couldn’t she understand a single word?
Sui stopped in her tracks, her delicate brows furrowing like caterpillars: "Why would I want my mother to look for His Majesty?"
His Majesty couldn’t cure her mother’s illness!
Pei Qian looked at her as if she were an idiot: "Didn’t you say your mother’s illness hasn’t gotten better? Let’s go find my imperial uncle and ask him to issue an edict summoning a royal physician to your house to treat her!"
"The most skilled physicians in the world are undoubtedly in the Imperial Hospital. As long as my uncle gives the order, won’t your mother be cured in no time?"
Excited at the thought of having something to do, his eyes gleamed mischievously as he rubbed his hands together: "Oh, and later, remember to cry pitifully. Maybe if my uncle sees how miserable you are, he’ll let the scholars grant you leave so you can go home and see your mother!"
And then—
Maybe he could get leave too!
Pei Qian was brimming with anticipation.
Without waiting for Sui to respond, he suddenly nodded emphatically, praising himself: "That’s the plan! I truly am a genius!"
"........."
Sui was momentarily speechless.
The two children, their short legs carrying them from the schoolhouse to the Zichen Hall, were stopped by the Imperial Guards along the way. Recognizing Pei Qian, the young heir, the guards asked a few questions before letting them pass.
When they reached the entrance of Zichen Hall, however, they were halted by the palace attendants.
A young eunuch reported to his master, Jiang Fusheng, who arrived with a face full of bewilderment.
Pei Qian’s eyes lit up: "Eunuch Jiang!"
Sui also recognized this plump, fair-skinned eunuch and greeted him with a respectful "Eunuch Jiang."
Jiang Fusheng chuckled warmly: "This servant greets the two young masters. May I ask what brings you here?"
Seeing Pei Qian was no surprise, but the young master of the Lu family...
Ever since sensing His Majesty’s unspoken thoughts, Jiang Fusheng had regarded this fatherless boy with a mix of complicated emotions.
Especially since the child was clever, quick-witted, and strikingly handsome, with eyes that inexplicably made people feel an inexplicable fondness. Jiang Fusheng couldn’t help but treat Sui with extra courtesy.
Pei Qian puffed out his chest, his voice as bold as a young calf’s: "Eunuch Jiang, please announce us! We have urgent business with my uncle!"
He jerked his chin toward Sui. "Right?"
"Mm!" Sui nodded seriously, his round face solemn.
Anything concerning her mother was urgent business!
Jiang Fusheng’s lips twitched as he glanced down at the two children, barely half his height. Still, he acquiesced: "Please wait a moment, young masters."
With that, he turned and entered Zichen Hall.
Inside the opulent bedchamber, silence reigned. Emperor Jingxuan sat behind the imperial desk, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his chin slightly lowered as he penned notes on a memorial.
Jiang Fusheng approached quietly and reported from the foot of the jade steps: "Your Majesty, Young Master Pei and Young Master Lu request an audience."
The vermilion brush paused abruptly. Emperor Jingxuan lifted his head, his gaze sharp.
"Who?"
Jiang Fusheng bowed his head and repeated: "Young Master Pei and Young Master Lu."
Setting down his brush, Emperor Jingxuan replied coolly: "Let them in."
As expected, Jiang Fusheng acknowledged the order.
Moments later, Jiang Fusheng led the two children inside. From a distance, one dressed in white and the other in black, they looked almost like brothers.
Emperor Jingxuan reclined on his dragon throne, carved from gold and inlaid with jade, his dark eyes sweeping over them: "You two have business with Us?"
No sooner had he spoken than Pei Qian threw himself to the ground with a dramatic wail: "Uncle, I beg you, save Lu Changsui’s mother!"
Sui was stunned by the sudden performance, frozen in place with her neck stiff.
She stole a glance at Emperor Jingxuan’s reaction—only for their eyes to meet.
Despite Pei Qian’s grating howls, Emperor Jingxuan caught the crucial point.
Yun Wan was in trouble.
His expression darkened, his stern face growing even more severe as he fixed his heavy gaze on Sui: "What happened to your mother?"
Having interacted with Emperor Jingxuan multiple times, Sui was no longer as fearful as before.
Her small face crumpled with distress as she answered in a subdued voice: "Your Majesty, my mother has been ill for a long time and hasn’t recovered. The physicians have seen her, she’s taken medicine, and even had acupuncture, but nothing has worked. I’m so worried..."
As she spoke, her eyes reddened, tears shimmering on the brink of falling. She looked utterly pitiful.
Just like her mother.
Emperor Jingxuan thought to himself.
Sui knelt on the ground, her pleading gaze fixed on him: "Changsui knows the Imperial Hospital physicians are highly skilled. So I beg Your Majesty to send a physician to treat my mother. Changsui would gladly go through fire and water for Your Majesty without hesitation!"
Coming from a four-year-old child as soft as a sticky rice ball, the words sounded almost comical.
Beside her, Pei Qian gaped in shock, his wails forgotten.
Emperor Jingxuan’s face darkened as he called out sharply: "Jiang Fusheng!"
In an instant, Jiang Fusheng hurried in. Knowing exactly what his master wanted, he immediately reported:
"Your Majesty, this servant has just sent someone to inquire. Lady Lu has indeed been ill for some time. It’s said that..."
He hesitated, glancing cautiously at Emperor Jingxuan before continuing in a hushed tone: "She caught a chill after returning from Her Highness’s birthday banquet and has yet to recover."
This was news to him. After His Majesty returned from the princess’s estate, though he had been in high spirits, he had mentioned nothing else.
Jiang Fusheng, not daring to overstep, had refrained from prying into matters he shouldn’t—especially those concerning Lady Lu.
But who could have guessed things would take such a turn?
Lady Lu had fallen ill—and gravely so, for quite some time.
That such critical news had slipped past him made Jiang Fusheng want to slap himself twice over.
If anything happened to Lady Lu, he wasn’t sure he could keep his position as Chief Eunuch.
After all, if he didn’t hold it, countless others would scheme relentlessly to take his place.
Desperate to make amends, Jiang Fusheng racked his brains and quickly added: "The Duke of Lu also submitted a request this morning, seeking a physician’s visit."
Since someone from the Lu family had already made the request, things were simpler.
Emperor Jingxuan’s voice was stern as he commanded: "Deliver Our oral decree: summon Zhou Rubing to the Lu residence to treat Lady Lu."
His gaze drifted to a distant candlestick, his eyes narrowing slightly as he added in a steely tone: "Tell him to treat her well—thoroughly. He must not tarnish the Imperial Hospital’s reputation."
Jiang Fusheng nearly gasped. That last line was the real warning, wasn’t it?
