Yin Minglu’s mind was a jumble of confusion. He had been dumbfounded from the moment the blade was about to strike, and when he saw a bright yellow robe appear in front of him, he was left flabbergasted. He hadn’t expected Xie Yan to step forward and protect him. Although he had a lingering sense that there was something peculiar about this conspiracy, he couldn’t deny that he was mostly shocked. In any case, his thoughts were a bit disarrayed, and he needed to sort them out.
However, Wang Gonggong didn’t give him a chance to collect his thoughts. Seeing his dazed expression, Wang Gonggong, with a high-pitched voice and raised manicured finger, continued to berate him, “Young Master, if you honestly reflect on it, if there’s ever a person in your life who values your life more than their own, would you not be deeply moved?”
“…I would.”
“Young Master, you often enjoy reading illustrated stories, and you know that those stories of devoted scholars and beauties are mostly fictional. In the real world, such instances of true loyalty in times of adversity are rare, aren’t they? If you encounter one, shouldn’t you cherish it? Someday, you might regret it if you don’t.”
“…Yes,” Yin Minglu could barely hold back the lump forming in his throat. If he hadn’t known he was in the wrong, he would have wanted Wang Gonggong to stop talking and focus on getting medical attention first.
The physicians from the Imperial Hospital arrived quickly and nearly all of them rushed to the dragon bed, using all their skills and knowledge to administer medicines and treat the emperor. Yin Minglu, being of shorter stature, was crowded among them, standing on his tiptoes and grabbing an older physician whom he was familiar with. He anxiously asked, “How is he? Is the emperor’s injury severe?”
Although Qin Manman was the instigator of this incident, Emperor Jing had been injured while protecting him. He was extremely nervous, fearing that any mishap could make him a nationwide villain. Not only the widowed concubines in the harem but also loyal and courageous courtiers would probably want to tear him apart.
Just imagining those scenarios made Yin Minglu’s small frame shiver involuntarily. The old physician, who was being held by him and had remarkable acting skills, noticed Yin Minglu’s anxious demeanor. He stroked his own beard, shook his head with a sigh, and performed an even more convincing act, causing the young man’s heart to sink even further.
Emperor Jing’s injury was not severe at all; it had been calculated in advance. The assassin was actually one of his trusted confidants, well-trained to have a precise hand. Even the longsword was designed to puncture the blood bag in his shoulder strap, creating the illusion of significant blood loss and a serious injury while only causing superficial harm.
However, everyone attending the banquet had witnessed the scene. Even before the imperial physician could diagnose the condition, the sight of the emperor’s profuse bleeding was terrifying. The initial impression was that the injury must be extremely severe, and some even speculated whether the emperor was on the verge of death. A minority believed this false information, and behind their feigned panic, some started scheming or testing the waters. The behavior of these courtiers and consorts was discreetly recorded by spies in the shadows. If any signs of factionalism, private dealings, or conspiracies could be uncovered, it would be the spies’ greatest achievement.
Furthermore, the imperial physician had been instructed to exaggerate the seriousness of the injury, even though the emperor would have been able to get out of bed the following day. As a result, most people, including Yin Minglu, were kept in the dark.
Outside the Yangxin Palace, all the consorts were kneeling, some clutching their hearts and weeping, some praying with folded hands for the emperor’s recovery, and even some cursing the mastermind behind the plot.
Among them, Qin Manman also knelt, her actions going beyond her planned performance. Her heart was filled with anxiety as she secretly prayed, but not for the emperor’s recovery. Instead, she hoped that the civilian assassins captured by the imperial guards would have the determination to take their own lives. In TV dramas, there were often scenes where assassins, in order to protect the mastermind behind the scenes, would bite off their poison sacs, ensuring they couldn’t be compelled to talk. Only the dead wouldn’t betray her, and right now, she hoped they would all die so they couldn’t incriminate her.
Listening to the spiteful curses and malicious remarks from Wang Qiang and others nearby about the mastermind behind the assassination attempt, Qin Manman was filled with anxiety. She dared not speak her mind and, after finishing her performance in Yangxin Palace, she hurriedly thought of finding someone to inquire about the fate of the assassins in the dungeon. She wanted to know if they had died, if they had revealed any information before their deaths, and so on. She was terrified of the plot being exposed.
Little did she know that her behavior was seen as extremely peculiar among the beauties in the palace. None of them wanted the emperor to die, as it would mean they, the young and beautiful consorts, would become widows. For ordinary widows, as long as their parents consented, they could remarry freely. However, this wasn’t necessarily the case for royal widows. Their fate was uncertain, and if they were fortunate, they might be allowed to leave the palace. But it was highly likely they would be buried with the emperor and forced to commit ritual suicide as an act of loyalty.
So, with their fates entwined with the emperor’s life and death, everyone genuinely prayed for his recovery. But Qin Manman appeared to be an outlier. On the first day the emperor received medical treatment, she joined the group to offer her blessings but never returned. Instead, she spent more time loitering near the heavily guarded dungeon, leaving others wondering what she was up to.
“What on earth is sister Qin doing? With the emperor’s life hanging in the balance, she’s wandering around as if she has nothing to worry about. Could it be that she’s already calculated that the emperor won’t wake up and is now looking for a new prospect among the Imperial Guards?” one beauty said in a sarcastic tone. Most women in the palace were easily understood—either they competed with each other or vied for the attention of men. Since the Imperial Guards were full of young, vigorous men, it wasn’t unthinkable that Qin Manman might have succumbed to loneliness and boredom.
“The emperor is so devoted to her, always favoring her alone. How dare she!” another consort said angrily. They weren’t fools either. Although Emperor Jing spoiled himself in the palace and appeared to be free-spirited, seemingly unaffected by the women around him, every time they discreetly investigated the emperor’s whereabouts, it always led to Lady Qin. As long as Lady Qin had her food tray and her “Ink Treasure,” she could frequently visit the emperor. The others were sent away with minimal attention. Adding to that, the extravagant rewards she received were no secret. They all understood that Lady Qin was the emperor’s favorite. For the emperor, the other women were just an afterthought. Knowing this, they had long held resentment against Qin Manman.
Now, with the emperor unconscious and Qin Manman seemingly flirting around without a care, completely disregarding the emperor, she was behaving as if she had the affection of the emperor they had all hoped for. In reality, to Qin Manman, the emperor was just like the sand and stones at her feet—of no great value and easily discarded. How could they not be furious about her attitude?
One of the consort, dressed in a pink gown, was also discontented, but with a meaningful look in her eyes, she said, “But every prediction made by Consort Qin has been somewhat accurate. Although it sounds superstitious, what if it’s true? What if the emperor…” couldn’t make it? She left the sentence unfinished, lowering her beautiful face as if admiring the embroidery on her skirt. “Sisters, do you think we should consider our future?” she continued nonchalantly.
Upon hearing this, the other consorts had various expressions. One of them, with a fiery temperament, immediately retorted, “Pui, pui, pui!1sound of spit What nonsense are you talking about, sister? The results from the imperial physician haven’t come out yet. Let’s not be so pessimistic, my sisters.”
Despite their outward optimism, everyone’s thoughts were already racing. If the emperor had truly died, they would certainly be sad, but they hoped even more to survive. As a result, half of the consorts began sending letters and tokens to their families outside the palace, preparing for the worst.
After privately inquiring about the situation with the Imperial Physician’s office, most of them had a pretty good idea of what had happened. They silently cursed Qin Manman for not sharing her information every time she received it. Some of them volunteered to leave the palace, claiming they would shave their heads and become nuns, gaining a good reputation, and then took most of their rewards with them.
While most of them declined the rewards, they chose the second option between “burial with the emperor” and “returning home,” hoping that the Minister of Rites could allow them to remarry once they left the palace. The eunuch Wang Gonggong relayed the emperor’s decree, granting their requests. These consorts had not participated in intimate relations, their bodies remained intact, and they even had the titles of imperial consorts. Their dignified demeanor and etiquette, surpassing that of many noble daughters, made them highly sought-after once they left the palace. Matchmakers were practically breaking down their doors.
When Yin Minglu emerged from Yangxin Palace, he was bewildered to find that all of Xie Yan’s wives had left. He thought to himself, “What the heck, people sure move quickly when the tea’s gone cold. Xie Yan isn’t dead yet, he’s just going to take a month to recover. Why did you all leave so soon?”
As he looked at Xie Yan, who was still unconscious, his pale face exuding a sickly beauty, resembling a sleeping beauty, unaware that he had become an emperor without wives, Yin Minglu felt a deep sense of guilt and sat there with a downcast expression. This situation was inexplicable, but he knew he was partly responsible.
Xie Yan’s hands lay quietly at his side, a pair of extremely pale hands with no trace of color, their clearly defined bones eliciting sympathy. Yin Minglu lowered his head further as he took care of him, growing tired. He eventually grabbed a pillow and lay down at the side of the dragon bed, resting.
When Xie Yan woke up, he saw the young man sleeping quietly next to him. He didn’t know what kind of dream he was having. The boy’s delicate eyebrows were furrowed, his small eyes tightly shut with quivering eyelids. His lips were moving softly, murmuring in his sleep. Add to that his slightly messy, apparently uncombed hair that had been neglected for a while, and it made him look utterly endearing. Xie Yan couldn’t help but feel fondness, thinking that this face was exactly what he liked.
The boy was still holding onto his hand, and when Xie Yan moved even slightly, the boy woke up. He raised his head, his dark and bright eyes filled with surprise, confusion, and a hint of hesitation.
It was already the middle of the night, and knowing what the other wanted to say, Xie Yan smiled softly, coughed a couple of times, and then, in a weak voice, patted the dragon bed. He said, “It’s late at night. Whatever it is, let’s talk about it tomorrow. You’ve been taking care of me these days, and it must be tiring. Come and sleep here.”
In truth, Yin Minglu wasn’t tired at all. Although he felt a bit awkward taking care of the emperor, he had been living comfortably. Moreover, the eunuch Wang Gonggong had been serving him top-notch food and drinks. Over the past few days, the boy’s already fair and delicate complexion had become even more rounded, and he had a healthy rosy glow, almost like a flawless piece of white jade.
This morning, Yin Minglu was suddenly inspired to look in the mirror and was shocked to see a fuller-faced version of himself. He clutched his cheeks in horror and, feeling frightened, realized he had even forgotten to comb his hair. He couldn’t help but panic, wondering how he had managed to gain weight while taking care of the patient. After all, he considered himself a family member looking after a sick person. Why had he gained weight? It made him feel like he had been slacking off, but in reality, he hadn’t done much. There were palace maids from the medical department to assist with changing the emperor’s bandages and feeding him, so he felt like a lucky mascot, doing little more than praying and feeling guilty.
When Xie Yan woke up and saw only him by his side, he gently invited Yin Minglu to rest on the dragon bed.
Yin Minglu: “…” This was just too embarrassing.
The author has something to say: Thank you to the little angels who have voted for me or provided nourishment for me.
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