The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Shen Xiangjun.
Although for many years, he was accustomed to going against Prince Jin's wishes in everything—whatever Prince Jin didn't want to do, didn't want, or disliked, he wanted to do the opposite. But seeing Chancellor Shen's daughter so eager to marry Prince Jin, he still felt some suspicion.
Chancellor Shen had always been loyal to him.
Logically, Shen Xiangjun should have been promised to the Crown Prince or another imperial prince, which would have strengthened their relationship as ruler and subject.
But Chancellor Shen actually tacitly allowed his daughter to seek marriage with Prince Jin? What good would this do for Chancellor Shen?
Could it be that for so many years, he had been playing the role of a good imperial brother, making Chancellor Shen mistakenly believe he truly shared a deep brotherly bond with Prince Jin?
Shen Xiangjun was a renowned talented woman in the capital.
"If you're too embarrassed to go out, you can stay indoors," Prince Jin said expressionlessly.
Hiss.
That was truly heartless.
Shen Xiangjun was so shocked she forgot to cry.
"Your Highness?"
The Empress Dowager couldn't help but ask, "Which maiden does Prince Jin intend to marry? Could it be a confidante he met while traveling?"
With that single question, she immediately branded Prince Jin's intended bride as a disreputable woman.
What respectable young lady would be a man's confidante?
"Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus has vomited blood!"
An urgent cry from outside startled them all.
At the same time, dark clouds rolled across the sky, quickly darkening the heavens. It was a heavy, oppressive blanket, signaling an approaching storm.
This sudden change in the weather also startled the Emperor.
Prince Jin, however, had already rushed out.
Qingfeng, waiting outside, saw him hurrying and anxiously caught up, lowering his voice, "Your Highness, your leg..."
Normally, the Prince could only walk slowly and not too much, otherwise, his leg bones would ache piercingly. Yet now, he was walking so fast!
"Go invite Physician Fu!" Prince Jin ordered in a deep voice.
"Quick, prepare the imperial carriage for Ningshou Palace!" Behind him, the Emperor and Empress Dowager also rushed to follow.
Shen Xiangjun hesitated for a moment, bit her lower lip, and followed them.
Inside the Emperor Emeritus's Ningshou Palace, a thick scent of medicine mingled with a faint, indescribable foul odor.
Two years ago, the Emperor Emeritus had suddenly fallen ill. Since then, his health had been intermittent, occasionally allowing him to leave his quarters, but he would frequently faint and had recently been bedridden.
Prince Jin's figure rushed into Ningshou Palace. Old Eunuch Fu, who had been guarding the Emperor Emeritus, immediately burst into tears.
"Prince Jin, Prince Jin has returned to the capital!" He quickly knelt before Prince Jin. "This old servant greets Prince Jin."
"Eunuch Fu, rise," Prince Jin said, already striding quickly to the bedside.
The Emperor Emeritus on the bed had a head of white hair, was emaciated, and his face was covered in age spots. His breath was like a faint wisp of smoke.
There were still a few bloodstains on the quilt.
"Imperial Father!"
Prince Jin knelt by the bed and grasped the Emperor Emeritus's hand. The moment he touched it, he was startled; the Emperor Emeritus's hand was as cold as ice.
This journey, seeking medicine, had taken him too far. He hadn't even had time to receive letters from the capital. By the time he received the last letter, he returned to find the Emperor Emeritus so gravely ill.
Eunuch Fu wiped his tears and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor Emeritus has been waiting for your return..."
He had more to say, but swallowed the rest of his words when he saw the Empress Dowager and the Emperor rush in.
"How is Imperial Father? Where are the imperial physicians?"
The Emperor sternly demanded as soon as he entered, his gaze sweeping over Ningshou Palace. Seeing several palace servants kneeling, their eyes red, and smelling the lingering scent of blood in the hall, his heart felt a surge of excitement.
Is the old man finally going to die?
Only when the Emperor Emeritus died would all imperial power truly fall into his hands. No one would suppress him any longer; he would be the true Emperor!
He had waited for this day for a very long time!
"The imperial physicians are all in the side hall discussing prescriptions," Eunuch Fu said.
Several imperial physicians hurried over, kneeling in a scattered group.
"Your Majesty, we are terrified. The Emperor Emeritus is likely—" The imperial physician dared not raise his head, his voice trembling.
For the past two years, they had only been able to slow the Emperor Emeritus's illness, but in the end, there was nothing they could do. Now, it seemed the Emperor Emeritus was at the end of his life.
"The Emperor Emeritus clearly seemed spirited half a month ago and even insisted on going to the ancestral temple!" The Emperor said angrily.
How could he be on his deathbed after just half a month?
The Empress Dowager began to cry, throwing herself towards the bed, wanting to get closer, but Prince Jin knelt at the bedside, preventing her approach.
"Look at this concubine, open your eyes—" she sobbed, her tone as if they were still a loving couple.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus insisted on going to the ancestral temple then, and your humble servants strongly advised against it. That day, the Emperor Emeritus wasn't recovering; he was enduring his illness to go."
"Yes, Your Majesty, the weather was strange half a month ago. There were intermittent rumbling sounds in the sky, sand and stones flew, and strange winds whirled in the city,
and a few people were crushed by fallen trees. The Emperor Emeritus even fainted in the ancestral temple that day. It was likely that trip that worsened his condition."
Mentioning that day, many people still felt lingering fear.
But on that day, the Emperor Emeritus insisted on going to the ancestral temple and refused to let anyone follow him into the hall.
If it weren't for Shen Xiangjun coincidentally passing by, on her way to offer a sutra she had copied for the Empress Dowager's blessings, the Emperor Emeritus would not have been discovered in time after he fainted in the hall.
Prince Jin tightly held the Emperor Emeritus's hand, secretly transferring his internal energy. His eyes were slightly red as he looked at the old man, who had lost all traces of his imperial bearing from a few years ago.
"Imperial Father, I am Ayue. I have returned."
Perhaps with his internal energy, the Emperor Emeritus painstakingly opened his eyes.
"A...Ayue, the Great Zhou Dynasty, it's going to... going to be chaotic..."
The Emperor Emeritus's voice was hoarse and very low. Only Prince Jin, kneeling beside him, heard it. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor both wanted to lean closer to listen but only saw his lips moving slightly.
"Imperial Father, I will surely find a miracle medicine to cure you!" the Emperor shouted anxiously.
"Be quiet," Prince Jin said in a low voice.
The Emperor widened his eyes, about to jump up. How dare he tell him to be quiet? He wanted to interrupt the Emperor Emeritus, to prevent him from saying anything more to Prince Jin!
But in front of so many people, he couldn't be too obvious.
"Ayue, I dreamed... the ancestors entrusted me in a dream... the Great Zhou Dragon Vein... is broken... broken... Ayue, promise me, you must protect the Great Zhou..."
The Emperor Emeritus spoke intermittently.
"Emperor Emeritus, you can't leave just yet! You haven't seen Prince Jin marry and have children!" The Empress Dowager also cried out urgently, her eyes darting to Shen Xiangjun outside, then immediately calling out, "Xiangjun, come quickly!"
Shen Xiangjun's heart pounded in her throat. Was this her chance?
Disregarding propriety, she immediately ran in and was pulled by the Empress Dowager to the bedside.
"Emperor Emeritus, this is Chancellor Shen's daughter. Did you perhaps promise her to Prince Jin? Wouldn't it be good for the imperial son to immediately bestow this marriage upon them?"
With a push on Shen Xiangjun's shoulder, Shen Xiangjun immediately knelt down beside Prince Jin.
"Prince Jin, even if it's for good fortune, Xiangjun has no regrets!"
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