latelenovela Chapter 345 Revenge 14
Chapter 345 Revenge 14
Dusk has arrived.
Someone from Kunning Palace came to report that Her Majesty the Empress is seriously ill and may not make it!
The officials were in an uproar.
Tong Xiuqing was even more incredulous, "How could this be? I visited Your Majesty a few days ago, and Your Majesty's health shouldn't be like this."
The emperor rose and selected several people to accompany him to Kunning Palace; they were all officials who were related to the empress.
Everyone remained silent throughout the journey.
Apart from the Tong family father and son, the other families were secretly pondering what adverse effects the Empress's death at this time would have on the court and the Crown Prince.
Li Ge led the palace maids and eunuchs to stand outside Kunning Palace to welcome the emperor.
Judging from his expression, Tong Xiuqing discerned the truth of the news and asked somewhat uncertainly, "Master Li, the Empress is unwell. Why did you conceal this from her?"
Li Ge asked innocently, "This servant did not conceal anything; didn't Lord Tong already know?"
Tong Xiuqing retorted angrily, "The Empress's health is of utmost importance; you should have told the Emperor sooner!"
Li Ge frankly told the Emperor that he sent the Empress's medical records to the Emperor every day, but the Emperor was not a royal physician, so what could he do even if he knew?
"Where is the Crown Prince?" the emperor avoided the question.
"Your Highness is saddened and ran out just now. This servant has already sent people to look for Your Highness."
The emperor frowned, thinking that the crown prince was deliberately hiding away to avoid his wrath.
However, at this point, it's not appropriate to punish him.
If the Empress passes away, then the punishment of the Tong family will have to be postponed.
The emperor thought unhappily: Could the empress be faking illness on purpose to secure a chance for the Tong family father and son to survive?
"Let's go in and have a look."
The group entered the Queen's bedroom, and through a curtain, they could only see one person lying on the bed.
Apart from the emperor, no one dared to lift the curtain at this moment.
The emperor strode in, sat down on the bed, and affectionately took the empress's hand, saying, "Xiuqin, what's wrong with you?"
The emperor had not called her so affectionately for many years. The empress opened her eyes, which were bloodshot.
She was resting in bed every day, but her health was deteriorating day by day, and she was very tired.
"The Emperor has arrived... the Crown Prince..."
She wanted to plead for the Crown Prince, but the Emperor kindly said, "Your health is not good, so the Crown Prince can stay in the palace to take care of you. The matter of confinement will be dropped."
The Empress smiled faintly.
The emperor withdrew his hand, told her to rest more, and then went out.
"Where's the royal doctor?"
"One of the two imperial physicians was waiting to be summoned in a side hall, while the other was brewing medicine in the small kitchen."
Li Ge explained, "The Empress's daily herbal medicine is prepared by the imperial physicians themselves, with two palace maids supervising the process; it is not done by anyone else."
"You are quite observant." The emperor may not be unaware of the empress's feelings for Li Ge, but he simply didn't take Li Ge seriously as a mere eunuch.
"This servant only hopes that Her Majesty the Empress will recover soon."
After the imperial physician came in to report on the Empress's condition, the Tong family father and son finally spoke and asked a few questions.
"Her Majesty's pulse is becoming increasingly weak and her life force is almost gone. Even the best medicine will be of no use."
Headmaster Tong pleaded, "May I be allowed to go in and take a peek at Her Majesty the Empress?"
The emperor agreed.
Tong Shanzhang went in and stayed for a short while before coming out; his expression was unreadable.
Tong Xiuqing asked softly, "Father, how is it?"
Headmaster Tong shook his head slightly without saying anything, then asked about the prescription given by the imperial physician and took a look at it.
"Your Majesty, I have heard that Miss Shen is a skilled physician. May I ask if she may take the Empress's pulse?"
Before the emperor could even agree, others objected.
"Sir, you mustn't!"
"Father, you're getting senile. She wants the Tong family dead. How dare you let her treat your illness?"
"That woman is just a coroner; how could she possibly have the ability to save the world? Old sir, don't believe the rumors!"
Shen Lan's role as a coroner already makes people distrust her. Her outstanding painting skills can be considered a gift, but how can a doctor become a miracle doctor just by being talented?
The emperor is dispensable.
Seeing that Tong Yiwen insisted, he sent someone to invite Shen Lan over.
The court officials were still waiting for news, but instead of news from the Empress, they received news that the Emperor had summoned Shen Lan to treat the Empress.
Absolutely ridiculous!
Shen Lan also felt puzzled; this didn't seem like something an emperor would do.
When she arrived at Kunning Palace, she learned that the request was made by Headmaster Tong.
She saw the red-clad eunuch standing to the side with his head bowed. She couldn't see his face, but she felt that it was Li Ge.
"Shen Lan, go and examine the Empress's pulse. If you can cure the Empress's illness, I will reward you with a thousand pieces of gold."
On the way, Shen Lan saw the note that Li Ye had secretly slipped to her. Surprisingly, the note contained a prescription.
Based on Shen Lan's understanding of medicine, this prescription can detoxify.
She didn't know what the prescription was for at the time, but she does now.
Are Li Ye and the others asking him to detoxify the Empress? Is it so that she can gain merit?
"I will do my best to try."
Shen Lan lifted the curtain and went inside.
She paused for a moment by the bedside, her gaze falling on the Empress.
This is the Empress, the mother of the nation, who condoned the Crown Prince's theft of the Shen family's medicinal formula and turned a blind eye to the Crown Prince's cruelty!
No, perhaps it wasn't that she ignored it, but rather that she had personally raised and nurtured this kind of prince.
In the eyes of those in positions of power, ordinary people are like ants, and their lives are insignificant.
The empress's face was pale and weak, her skin was loose, and her forehead was faintly dark, which was indeed not a sign of longevity.
After taking her pulse, Shen Lan could not see any signs of poisoning; instead, it seemed like she had liver qi stagnation.
She borrowed silver needles from the imperial physician and inserted them into several acupuncture points on the Empress. After a while, she removed the needles and observed the Empress, but could not see any signs of poisoning.
The person who poisoned me was truly clever.
She went out and knelt before the emperor. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I cannot diagnose Your Highness's illness, but perhaps the prescription that the Shen family lost can be given a try."
The fact that the prescription allowed the emperor to survive his serious illness shows that it was indeed very effective. If that's the case, it should also be effective for the empress.
Li Ge raised his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over Shen Lan's head, and a smile appeared on his face.
It seems she doesn't want the credit anymore.
If the emperor were to reveal at this moment that the Shen family's prescription could save lives, would he give it to them or not?
She's really bold!
Tong Xiuqing almost knelt down before the Emperor, but fortunately he remained rational, pinched his own palm, and kept quiet.
The emperor's gaze turned cold.
"The Shen family's prescription? You don't even remember the contents, how do you know that prescription is effective?"
Shen Lan answered honestly: "The fact that the Shen family's prescription was recorded in the palace back then means that it was used. But why was it lost later? I guess it's because the prescription wasn't perfect and had side effects."
For patients, it's best not to try this prescription for minor ailments, but if there's no hope of recovery, it's better to try it as a last resort.
"Every medicine has its side effects, and all medicinal materials may have adverse reactions. Therefore, whether or not Your Majesty should try it is your decision."
The emperor staggered.
The crowd exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty..."
The emperor leaned on the table to stand up, waved his hand, and said, "I am fine."
It turned out that the prescription was not perfect, and that was the source of all the suffering he had endured over the years.
What a miraculous medicine! What a filial son!
Did he know this when he presented the prescription?
Or perhaps... the prescription delivered to him had already been altered.
And those who had the opportunity to change the prescription...
"Where is the prescription...?" the emperor asked, staring at Headmaster Tong.