Chapter 334 - The Empress Dowager of Cining Palace Is Gravely Ill (2/2)

Emperor Zongwen hurried into the inner hall. The Princess Royal and d.u.c.h.ess Ding were kneeling before the Empress Dowager’s bed in greeting.

A eunuch had already lifted the veil above the bed and the Empress Dowager’s face could be seen behind it. She was deeply asleep.

The Empress Dowager looked haggard and the flush on her cheeks was brighter than usual. Her lips were dry and cracked and her eyes were tightly shut. She was very drowsy and seemed to be unconscious. She did look rather gravely ill.

“Who was the one who served the Empress Dowager last night?” Emperor Zongwen stood before the bed and swept his eyes across the eunuchs and palace maids kneeling there. He was so sharp that even d.u.c.h.ess Ding, who had been glancing at him surrept.i.tiously, lowered her head.

“Your Majesty, I did…” Eunuch Yu who was kneeling at the front of the bed scooted up forward on his knees. He cried. “Last night, the Empress Dowager was still well when she went to bed. She joked with me for a while and then fell asleep. I waited outside the entire night after Her Majesty fell asleep. Nothing happened all night. This morning, I went to rouse Her Majesty but she would not wake. I was fl.u.s.tered and caused Your Majesty to come.”

Even though Eunuch Yu was crying, he was very glib and managed to recount what happened in detail.

Nothing was said all night? A cold glint flashed through Emperor Zongwen’s eyes as he stared at Eunuch Yu coldly. Silence descended upon the hall immediately and the air felt so thick with tension that one could hardly breathe. The Empress, who arrived later, waved at the back and gestured for those behind her to remain silent. Then, she lowered her head and stood at the entrance, appearing to be very respectful.

Only the slight curl of her lips revealed her faint cold smirk.

She did not know what the old woman, who had pretended to be ill for a long while, was planning today.

“Men, take this useless slave down and beat him to death.” Emperor Zongwen said coldly after a long while.

Eunuch Yu was startled. Two guards took hold of his arms before he could even react and they dragged him out coldly. Eunuch Yu was fl.u.s.tered and he screamed in shock. “Your Majesty, please spare me, Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, please spare me!”

Eunuch Yu could not be bothered to reiterate how gravely ill the Empress Dowager was, just like she had told him to. The Emperor had not said anything else before deciding to have him flogged to death. This was something both he and the Empress Dowager had not thought of before. He was fl.u.s.tered now and screamed urgently as he rushed to the bed where the Empress Dowager was pretending to be unconscious.

Eunuch Yu screamed and struggled, trying to get out of the hold the two guards had on him. However, the Emperor’s guards were all highly skilled. How could an old eunuch be able to get out of their grasps? d.u.c.h.ess Ding who was kneeling by the side moved her legs. She looked up and wanted to say something to help Eunuch Yu. However, she had only looked up when she saw the Empress’ icy cold gaze turning upon her.

The Empress’ gaze was icy cold without a hint of warmth in them. They looked as if they were icy cold stars s.h.i.+ning in them. d.u.c.h.ess Ding shuddered in fear and lowered her head, pretending not to hear anything.

The Ding General Manor was placed in a difficult position when the Empress and Empress Dowager fought. The two did not get along but they both came from the Ding General Manor. It was truly difficult to deal with, and if they were not careful, they would offend both parties. Duke Ding had complained many times to d.u.c.h.ess Ding that he only hoped that the two royals would let each other off seeing that they both came from the Ding General Manor.

Of course, Duke Ding supported his young sister more than the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was, after all, just a distant relative. The Empress was much closer to him than the Empress Dowager. He hoped that the Empress Dowager would allow all of them to get out of the situation without much embarra.s.sment since they were from the same family. However, the Empress was the one who was angry now…

It seemed that the chasm between the Empress and Empress Dowager had widened. It was not just that the Empress Dowager disliked the Empress, the Empress disliked the Empress Dowager greatly as well. d.u.c.h.ess Ding did not dare to provoke the Empress at this moment and she immediately behaved herself.

“Your Majesty…” Just as Eunuch Yu was about to be dragged out of the palace, the Empress Dowager moved on the bed. She breathed heavily and slowly opened her eyes, calling out for the Emperor with some difficulty. She pressed her hand on the bed, making the move to sit up. However, her hand was weak due to her illness and she fell back heavily onto the bed.

The Princess Royal, who had been kneeling by the bed quickly held her up so that the Empress Dowager did not fall too badly.

The Empress Dowager laid in the Princess Royal’s embrace and panted. Then, she said softly with some difficulty, “Your Majesty, release the servant… it was not his fault.”

“Empress Dowager,” Emperor Zongwen squatted when he heard the Empress Dowager. He leaned forward to help the Princess Royal prop the Empress Dowager up. He said, “It is all because those dratted servants were not careful and caused you to be ill. I have to punish them.”

“Your Majesty, it is I… I wanted to cool down, so I… caught a cold… It’s not their fault…” The Empress Dowager tugged on Emperor Zongwen’s sleeve urgently when she saw that he was determined to punish the servants. Her breath hitched and she almost could not catch her breath. She coughed violently but did not let go and pointed in the direction where Eunuch Yu was dragged off.

Eunuch Yu was her most trusted servant. How could she really allow Emperor Zongwen to kill him?

Those scripted lines and her illness were all planned.

“Men, he might be spared from death, but he still has to be punished. Flog him 20 times.” Emperor Zongwen patted the Empress Dowager’s back lightly, helping to ease her cough. However, he insisted on punis.h.i.+ng the servant. Even though Eunuch Yu did not have to be killed, it was still 20 strokes of the cane. While that would not kill the old eunuch, he would lose a layer of skin from that.

The Empress Dowager caught her breath and panted heavily. There was a hint of viciousness that flashed through her murky eyes. However, she did not reveal anything. Instead, she tugged Emperor Zongwen’s hand weakly and said, “Your Majesty, I have enjoyed so many years of blessings, and that has to be because I prayed for it in my past life. I have many children and grandchildren, and even if I die, I have been blessed. You don’t have to worry about me.”

There was a slight smile on her lips and she seemed very gracious. However, there was a hint of bitterness at the corner of her lips. She made a move to speak but stopped herself.

“Why are you saying such things? You are healthy. I have already asked the imperial physicians and they said you are fine. You just have to rest and recuperate well.” Emperor Zongwen smiled and comforted her.

The imperial physicians had submitted the prescription and he had looked at it briefly. Then, he nodded and allowed the physicians to leave and get the herbs to make the medicine.

“Your Majesty, you are very filial, so is Zhu’er.” The Empress Dowager’s murky eyes slowly turned from Emperor Zongwen’s face to the Princess Royal’s. Then, she sighed contentedly. She held Emperor Zongwen’s hand again and said, “If I die, ask Zhen’er to come back and light incense for me. He is far away in Yan alone, and I worry for him.”

So that was what the fuss was about. There was a flash of ridicule in the Empress’ eyes, who stood not far away.

“Empress Dowager, do not worry. I will send an imperial edict to have King Ning return. You just have to recuperate.” Emperor Zongwen said immediately. He was known to be filial and he would not go against his mother’s wishes on her sickbed. He immediately announced his edict and had someone speed to the Yan Kingdom to bring King Ning back to the Qin Kingdom so that The Empress Dowager would not worry.

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