Chapter 1583 - 1430: The Fake Commandery Princess 40
In order to reach the Capital City as soon as possible, Ye Shuangshuang traveled urgently with the guards who delivered the imperial summons, hardly resting, and changed horses as soon as they reached a post station.
The horses rested, but the people did not. They strove to reach the Capital City as quickly as possible. When they arrived, it was pitch dark, and the city gates had long since closed.
However, after the guards showed their badges and called out, the city gates were immediately opened. The guards led Ye Shuangshuang as they galloped through the Capital City, heading directly to the Imperial Palace with barely a pause, and entered the palace.
The palace of this dynasty was grandly built, its main colors of black, white, and gray were solemn and austere. Within the palace, running, horseback riding, and carriage driving were strictly prohibited. Yet at this moment, Ye Shuangshuang rode her horse, galloping through the Imperial Palace alongside the guards.
This was a special decree given in advance by the Emperor, allowing Princess Renxin, Ye Shuangshuang, to ride or drive into the palace so that she could reach the Emperor’s side as soon as possible to diagnose him.
The Qiming Palace, where the Emperor resided, was brightly lit. People were coming and going, yet all was silent, and the atmosphere was extremely oppressive. Palace maids and eunuchs displayed expressionless faces, like mannequins.
Ye Shuangshuang followed silently behind the guiding guard, walking under the corridor, and stood at the entrance of the main hall, waiting for a palace maid at the door to inform her arrival.
Soon, a chief palace maid emerged, scanned the crowd, immediately identified the target, and approached to salute Ye Shuangshuang, saying: "This humble maid greets Princess Renxin. Please follow me inside."
Ye Shuangshuang stepped forward in silence, following the palace maid into the hall. The hall was large, and after circling around a floor screen, they reached the inner hall, where the Emperor actually resided.
Along the way, palace maids and eunuchs stood in several lines, each half-bowing, motionless like sculptures. The only sound was the faint footsteps of Ye Shuangshuang and the leading palace maid.
Inside the sleeping quarters, the bed curtain was drawn up, revealing a beauty dressed in palace attire. Though she was advanced in age, she possessed a regal grace, with a unique charm, sitting by the bed.
Standing by the bed was an obviously aged, yet elegantly dressed Chief Eunuch. Ye Shuangshuang didn’t need to guess who this was; it must be the Emperor’s trusted confidant, the Chief Eunuch serving closely.
The palace maid leading Ye Shuangshuang advanced a few steps, saluting before the elegant beauty and saying: "Empress, Princess Renxin has arrived."
After the palace maid’s announcement, Ye Shuangshuang immediately stepped forward and saluted: "Your subject, Ye Shuangshuang, greets Empress."
The Empress quickly stood up, helping Ye Shuangshuang up, her tone revealing intense urgency: "Princess Renxin, no need for so much formality. I’ve long awaited your arrival. Please quickly diagnose the Emperor!"
Ye Shuangshuang wasted no words, immediately stepping forward to check the Emperor’s pulse. The Emperor’s condition was very poor; he was extremely emaciated, already in a deep coma.
Ye Shuangshuang felt his pulse and examined his pupils, her frown deepening with each passing moment. The Empress, seated beside, was also restless. Princess Renxin’s medical expertise was well-renowned throughout the land.
After the Emperor’s incident, the Empress immediately thought of Ye Shuangshuang, especially after all the Imperial Physicians declared themselves helpless. Ye Shuangshuang was the last hope in the Empress’s heart.
It wasn’t just because the Emperor had been kind to the Empress over the years, with genuine affection between them as husband and wife. The Empress was also an older mother; her Crown Prince was only ten years old and still needed the Emperor’s support.
The Emperor had few children. The emperors of this dynasty, following the Grand Ancestor’s example, did not value personal affections for their children, so the harem was not large, and concubines were taken for political reasons.
The concubines who came under such circumstances naturally had significant backgrounds. Coupled with the fact that these concubines’ children were born earlier than the Crown Prince, they themselves were not easy to deal with, each having the strength to compete for the throne.
Although the Empress’s family was of good standing, unfortunately, the Empress’s father died after a long illness a few years ago. Her brothers were incompetent, relying only on her father’s shadow to survive in officialdom.
It could be said that the Empress’s maternal family had declined, and its influence in the court was far less than that of the concubines’ families.
Should anything happen to the Emperor, her child would be isolated and without support in the court. Merely relying on the son’s status as the son of the central palace, he might not be able to compete with his brothers.
Therefore, at this time, nothing could happen to the Emperor, at least not until her child grows up and is able to defeat his brothers to become the Crown Prince.
The Empress paced around Ye Shuangshuang, wringing her hands together incessantly, her heart feeling like ants crawling or like being roasted on boiling oil, anxiously waiting for Ye Shuangshuang to pronounce the final verdict.
After taking the Emperor’s pulse for the third time, Ye Shuangshuang finally determined that the Emperor was not merely ill but had been poisoned with a severe chronic poison, one she had never encountered before, yet it was exceedingly tenacious.
Ye Shuangshuang felt a bit heavy-hearted. The Emperor’s condition had now obviously reached the lungs and viscera, and it was a bit too late. She wasn’t confident in completely removing the toxin from the Emperor.
Ye Shuangshuang decided to try using acupuncture first to expel some of the toxin from the Emperor’s lungs and viscera, hoping to at least control the danger and buy time to devise a medication plan.
Fifteen minutes after Ye Shuangshuang began the acupuncture, the Emperor finally awoke from his coma. When he saw an unfamiliar young girl administering acupuncture, he was momentarily taken aback but quickly realized who Ye Shuangshuang was.
Ye Shuangshuang noticed the Emperor was awake but did not react, continuing with the acupuncture. This was no time for interruptions, and the Empress, seeing the Emperor awake, showed evident delight on her face.
However, seeing Ye Shuangshuang still solemnly administering acupuncture to the Emperor, the Empress dared not disturb her, only suppressing her joy, standing by the bed with tender eyes looking at the Emperor, striving to let him feel her gentle concern.
Unfortunately, the Emperor’s gaze was not on the Empress. Instead, he was scrutinizing Ye Shuangshuang. The girl before him exuded a gentle radiance, making her very likable.
At this moment, she was seriously and earnestly administering acupuncture to him. Even upon seeing him awaken, her hands remained steady, her breath not faltering an inch, showing no signs of nervousness.
A faint appreciation flashed in the Emperor’s heart. A calm, composed person indeed, worthy of the exceptional care I have shown.
Ye Shuangshuang, with remarkable mental composure, continued to endure the Emperor’s scrutinizing gaze, confidently finishing the acupuncture treatment, then gracefully and respectfully stood up and saluted the Emperor.
"Your subject, Ye Shuangshuang, pays respects to the Emperor."
The Emperor weakly lifted his hand, his voice frail yet no less authoritative: "Princess Renxin, dispense with the formalities. How is my health?"
Ye Shuangshuang rose, glanced at the room full of attendants. The Emperor’s poisoning was no small matter; it mustn’t be known to all present.
The Emperor understood and waved his hand to dismiss all those serving in the room, leaving only the Empress and the Chief Eunuch standing by the bed.