By the Hour of the Dog, it was already time to light the lamps. The western side hall of Yonghe Palace blazed with light, and two brilliant red palace lanterns hung high before the doors of the bedchamber, announcing that His Majesty would spend the night there.
Along the corridor outside, palace servants stood densely but neatly arranged on both sides, quietly awaiting imperial orders. Inside the bedchamber, however, where there ought to have been tender intimacy and private time between two people, a third person was inexplicably present, and the atmosphere hanging in the air was oppressively heavy.
Imperial Physician Liu had been ordered to go to Moon-Embracing Palace and personally oversee everything. From taking the pulse and preparing the prescription to decocting the medicine and seeing it administered, he had not dared entrust a single step to anyone else, all because His Majesty had said, “If there is the slightest negligence, come see Us with your head.” He had spent more than half the day running back and forth, had not even had time to catch his breath, much less eat dinner, and hurried straight to Yonghe Palace without so much as sitting down so that he could report back.
“How is Imperial Noble Lord?” Feng Xuanyi asked in a low voice.
“Replying to Your Majesty…” Imperial Physician Liu knelt with his head hanging. Remembering what Moon-Embracing Palace’s bedchamber had looked like when he first entered, he had almost wondered whether he had gone to the wrong place. There had been nothing remotely elegant or magnificent about it. It looked like the wreckage left after three hundred rounds of battle. Worse still had been Imperial Noble Lord’s eyes; one glance had chilled Liu Yong straight through. “The Changyu Clan has always existed largely in written records, and even those contain very little detail about their actual physiology. This minister therefore cannot claim complete certainty and can only do everything possible to nourish Imperial Noble Lord’s health carefully. Even childbirth for an ordinary woman is said to be like passing once through the gates of death. One can only imagine that for a man, the danger may be even greater—”
“Get to the important part.” Feng Xuanyi frowned impatiently.
“Imperial Noble Lord has been taking the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine prescribed by this minister for a long time. His pulse has remained quite stable, and this minister examines him every day. Although Imperial Noble Lord has looked pale, that was largely due to the strain of pregnancy and there was no serious problem. Proper rest and careful nourishment should have been enough. Only…” Without raising his head, Liu Yong could already imagine how unpleasant the emperor’s expression must be. One glance at the chaos inside Moon-Embracing Palace had been enough for him to guess what had happened, but pretending ignorance was sometimes the best way to survive inside the palace. “Only today, for some reason, his qi and blood suddenly became turbulent. At times the pulse was forceful and surging; at others it was weak and floating. It is a sign of emotional constraint and agitation in the chest, and it has disturbed the pregnancy as well. It is not impossible to regulate. This minister has already prescribed medicine to calm the spirit, regulate the qi, and stabilize the pregnancy. If this was merely a temporary episode, then there should be little concern as long as Imperial Noble Lord can relax his mind. But if such agitation continues for a long period, it would be extremely harmful both to Imperial Noble Lord and to the child. At six months of pregnancy, such instability in the pulse… if something were to happen, it could endanger not only the child but Imperial Noble Lord himself as well. Ultimately…”
His voice became quieter the further he went. There was no need to raise his head; he could feel the oppressive, furious gaze descending from above him.
“Is that not why We have an Imperial Medical Academy?! Why are you speaking to Us about ‘if something happens’? The entire reason We have you people taking his pulse every day is to ensure that nothing does happen. If something truly happens, then what use are any of you?!”
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger.” Imperial Physician Liu bent low and kowtowed in apology.
“No matter what method you use, We want Imperial Noble Lord and Our child both safe and unharmed. If anything happens to either of them, We will have the entire Imperial Medical Academy buried with them.”
“This minister… this minister accepts the decree.” Liu Yong prostrated himself to receive the order, cold sweat covering his forehead.
He thought the matter had ended there, only to hear Feng Xuanyi speak again from above him in a voice that was almost hesitant. “…What about the rest? Are his injuries serious?”
“Replying to Your Majesty, the injuries to Imperial Noble Lord’s knees are all wounds to the flesh. They vary in depth, but none is particularly serious. This minister has already cleaned and bandaged them. The medicines applied are this year’s newly presented secret-formula wound powder and healing ointment. As long as the wounds are cared for properly, they should not even leave scars.”
“Mm.” A single nasal sound from Feng Xuanyi made Liu Yong feel as though he had been granted a pardon. The nerves that had remained taut all day finally relaxed for a moment.
“Leave. Imperial Physician Liu will need to take greater care over the next few days. Every medicinal decoction and medicinal meal sent to Moon-Embracing Palace must be prepared and handled personally by you.”
“This minister obeys.”
Imperial Physician Liu responded and quickly withdrew from the room.
As the room gradually fell quiet, the faint sound of footsteps and silk brushing together emerged from deeper inside. Han Ruifeng, whose furnishings, clothing, ornaments, and even perceived worth had changed considerably as his rank rose, lifted the curtain covering most of the inner chamber with one hand and walked gracefully out from behind the folding screen before stopping beside Feng Xuanyi.
Looking at Han Ruifeng now, one could not help thinking of the saying that a Buddha relied on gilding and a person relied on fine clothes. His clothing and ornaments remained entirely appropriate to his station, never overstepping what his rank permitted.
Yet inside the imperial palace, even the clothing of an ordinary maid could be worth a fortune. Han Ruifeng now wore a pale-purple inner robe beneath a gauzy outer layer of light gold. His features, which among the palace’s countless beauties could at most have been called average, were transformed by the clothing into something remarkably elegant. He appeared composed and restrained, gentle and respectful. Perhaps he would not be the first person to draw one’s gaze in a crowd, but once someone looked at him for a little longer, there was a calm ease about him that made him difficult to forget.
“Your Majesty, it is already the second quarter of the Hour of the Dog. This minister knows Your Majesty is worried about Imperial Noble Lord, but you cannot neglect your own health either.” Han Ruifeng neither affected coyness nor deliberately tried to charm him. His dark eyes were filled with genuine concern, impossible to reject, as though their warmth could accommodate anything. “This minister asked the small kitchen to prepare some food. It cannot compare with the Imperial Kitchen, but at least it will fill your stomach. Only with strength can Your Majesty handle everything properly, can’t you?”
He spoke gently and patiently, every sentence intended for Feng Xuanyi’s own good, his sincerity plainly heartfelt. Few people could resist such gradual, soft persuasion, much less a sovereign who gathered all power beneath Heaven into his own hands and was accustomed to everyone obeying his commands. No matter how great Feng Xuanyi’s anger might be, encountering Han Ruifeng’s mild temperament was like driving a fist into fine sand: there was nothing solid to strike, no satisfaction to gain, and somehow even anger found nowhere to land.
Feng Xuanyi sighed helplessly. This was a man who had dominated the court, usurped the throne, and never hesitated even when killing his own brothers, yet such an expression appeared upon his face now—lost and bitter. That hidden side of a sovereign was actually displayed without reservation before someone who was still only a relatively low-ranking Jieyu. The contrast was difficult not to find remarkable.
“When you have time, go keep him company more often. Don’t let him brood. Make sure he takes proper care of himself and of the child in his belly.” Feng Xuanyi took Han Ruifeng’s hand and spoke with unusual seriousness.
“Your Majesty may rest assured. This minister will go. I don’t want to see Imperial Noble Lord like this either.” Han Ruifeng smiled gently, though the smile was somewhat strained and genuine worry lay heavily between his brows. “Forgive this minister for saying something presumptuous and disrespectful, but Ning Xuan was always that carefree even back when we were in the prince’s residence. At the time, he shared a room with me, and Qing Zhu and I worked with him in the library. He certainly caused us plenty of trouble. Once that stubborn temper of his came up, even ten oxen could not drag him back. But he was also simple-hearted. Even when we inevitably quarreled, he never truly held anything against us and would often forget the matter as soon as he turned around. If there really is a misunderstanding between Your Majesty and Imperial Noble Lord, why not explain it to him directly? This minister believes that once the misunderstanding is cleared, the skies will naturally brighten again.”
Leave a Reply