Chapter 175: Sneak attack 3 (1/2)

Hours earlier, the Crown Prince's palace

”Your majesty”, the maids and eunuch standing outside the common room chorused as the Emperor walked into the palace. Emperor Zhong paid no mind to their greeting as he walked past the long roll of palace maids and eunuchs stationed at Xinfeng palace. His maids and eunuchs stood back by the door leading into the room.

While Emperor Zhong walked into the bedroom with only Caihong following him into the room. Empress Lu and the Crown Princess consort Xia Ying stood a short distance from the bed. While the imperial doctors walked around the bed as they tried to revive the Crown Prince.

Empress Lu looked to the door as the door was pushed open, she stood and bowed as Emperor Zhong walked into the room.

”Your majesty, she said head down, Everyone else in the room turned around and bowed as they heard her words.

”Rise”, Emperor Zhong placed his hands on Empress Lu's shoulder and helped her up. ”Empress, what happened?”

Empress Lu glanced at the Crown Prince and sighed, ”A maid came in to chance the incense when she found a pool of blood under the bed.” Tears ran down her eyes as she continued, ”He.... He.... He slit his wrists”.

Emperor Zhong's lips folded into a thin line, he gazed straight at his unconscious son. ”Coward,” he muttered.

Empress Lu looked up at him as soon as he said this. ”Your majesty?”

Patting her gently on the shoulders, Emperor Zhong walked forward. He looked down at the pale face of his unconscious son and frowned. He said loudly, ”Do whatever you can to keep him alive”.

” Yes, your Majesty”, the Imperial doctors chorused.

Three hours later, the sun had already risen in the clear white sky. It was nearly daybreak when the crown Prince was discovered. The sky had brightened up during the long heart-wrenching wait. The chipping sounds of birds could be heard as they flew out of their nurture rest spots in search of food. The maids opened the windows and doors as they delivered a tray of tea into the room.

Emperor Zhong and Empress Lu were both seated at both sides of the top seat in the main room, with Zhongshan Cheng and Xia Ying seating on the wooden settee. When the director of Imperial College of medicine walled out of the room. He bowed at the Emperor, ”Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is now out of the woods. He has fallen into national sleeping”.

”Oh thank the gods” Empress Lu muttered.

Emperor Zhong nodded and stood, ”I am off to morning court”, he glanced from Empress Lu to the open bedroom door and sighed. ”My Lady, I will leave the Crown Prince to you”.

”Yes, Your Majesty” Empress Lu replied. She stood aside head bowed until the Emperor left the room. She waited a few minutes for the Emperor and his entourage to put some distance between them and Xinfeng palace. She rushed into the room, her fast heartbeat reduced as she got closer to the bed.

Empress Lu sat on the stool next to the bed, Zhongshan Ling looked so pale lying in the bed silently. She leaned forward and pulled the blanket higher to his chin. She glanced at the quiet Xia Ying, ”Ling'er isn't in a good state of mind. He needs some time to adjust to everything, it can't be easy getting used to not being able to do everything for yourself. Don't leave him alone, try to prevent him from thinking so much”.

”Yes, mother” Xia Ying muttered eyes locked on the Crown Prince. Her heartbeat ran like a stopwatch, she had never felt like her life and future depended on the Crown Prince until now. She had resolved to her faith this last few weeks, although this was not where she wanted to be and the Crown Prince wasn't who she wanted to be with. She was married to him now there was no changing that.

Her grandmothers words to her on her wedding day replayed continuously in her head right this moment.

”You are now married to the Crown Prince, Your position, life and every single piece of your being us tied to him. You are now one, everything that happens to him directly affects you. You must get accustomed to that if you want to survive ”.

She had forgotten her grandmother's words until now but this was what she needed to slap herself back to reality.