Even if the entire world were offered as a reward, it would not be worth a glance.
The sleeping chamber was filled with a strong medicinal scent.
After a period of chaos, everyone resumed their careful, quiet movements.
The curtains hung low, no incense was lit in the hall, and only two windows were opened in the far distance, shielded by screens to block the direct chill of the breeze, serving solely for ventilation.
Two older palace maids, with fine wrinkles at the corners of their eyes and their hair done up in buns, half-knelt on the footstool in front of the bed.
One held a basin, while the other wrung out a cloth, wiping the cold sweat from the forehead and body of the person lying in bed.
“Has the person returned?”
The voice was weak, barely audible.
The maid leaned over, using her body to shield her actions, and whispered, “The imperial guards outside have increased in number, almost encircling the palace walls. Lin De and the others simply cannot return. Your Highness need not worry; they have been serving in nearby palaces since childhood, no one is more familiar with the local paths than they are.”
The person in bed muttered something indistinctly, and the maid slightly turned her head, glancing at the line of people standing outside the sleeping chamber, a flash of annoyance crossed her face. She quickly suppressed these emotions and bowed her head, saying, “The crown princess is still praying in the back palace. Liang Di attempted to rush out yesterday to call for the imperial physician for Your Highness but was stopped by the imperial guards and injured her leg.”
The crown prince started coughing violently upon hearing this.
Realizing her slip of the tongue, the maid hurriedly added, “The injury is not serious, she just cannot leave the bed. Now is a time of many concerns; it’s safer for Liang Di and the crown princess to stay in the back palace.”
The crown prince struggled to speak, taking a long time to catch his breath.
“It’s good… that my sixth brother is outside… otherwise…”
“His Majesty will always leave one behind.” The maid holding the basin suddenly spoke up.
Such rebellious words were met with no reaction from anyone; not even an extra glance was given, including by the steward Chen who had hurried into the sleeping chamber.
“Your Highness, if it really comes down to it, let Yu Lan take the risk to go out and find an imperial physician!”
The Yu Lan mentioned by Steward Chen was the maid holding the basin. The bronze basin, together with the hot water, was quite heavy, yet Yu Lan’s arms did not shake. Hearing this, she turned her head, hesitating as if wanting to say something, but was interrupted by the crown prince on the bed.
“Yu Lan is only slightly skilled in martial arts, not some unparalleled master who can scale walls and roofs. Even if she could enter and exit the Eastern Palace alone, carrying a physician, what if the imperial guards treat her as a rebel? Besides, my health has been like this for many years; calling for an imperial physician is useless… It would be better for Yu Lan to go to Chong Yuan Hall and check on my third brother. I worry he is being mistreated, without even food to eat…”
Before he could finish, another bout of violent coughing ensued.
Yu Lan’s body suddenly trembled, and she exclaimed in alarm, “Not good!”
Throwing the basin aside, she lunged forward, intending to shield the person in bed.
However, before she could reach him, she froze in place, her expression one of shock, yet unable to move.
Steward Chen and another older maid had already silently collapsed to the ground, not merely falling stiffly but rather suddenly losing consciousness, then a gust of wind gently caught their falling bodies, laying them down softly on the ground.
Not just inside the hall, but even those standing outside were not spared.
It was as if a swarm of sleep-inducing insects had suddenly descended, putting everyone to sleep, leaning against walls, pillars, and tables, and entering dreamland.
The crown prince struggled to sit up, witnessing this astonishing scene.
In the blink of an eye, the only ones left awake in the sleeping chamber were him and Yu Lan.
“Cough, cough.”
The thrown bronze basin was caught by someone, not even spilling a drop of water.
A tabby cat crouched on the beam above, sticking its head out, looking around in confusion.
“Ah Hu…”
The crown prince slowly turned his head, finally seeing the two uninvited guests.
The crown prince was a young man in his twenties, pale and thin, with purple lips.
As Mo Li sized up the crown prince, the prince of the Qi dynasty was similarly scrutinizing him and Meng Qi.
“So it’s Master Meng.” The crown prince’s gaze fell on Meng Qi, and he bitterly smiled, “No wonder it was like entering a land with no one around.”
“You’ve seen me?”
Meng Qi did not attempt to hide his identity, placing the bronze basin on the rack and striding to the bedside.
The maid Yu Lan’s eyes were nearly bulging out, her expression extremely anxious.
The crown prince, supporting himself on Yu Lan’s shoulder, tried to get up with difficulty.
“Don’t move.”
“Meow.”
The voice of Mo Li and the cry of the tabby cat sounded at the same time.
The hall instantly fell silent.
The crown prince looked at the tabby cat, then at Meng Qi and Mo Li, feeling that these two were brought by the cat.
“I have seen a portrait of Master Meng in the secret reports of the Jinyiwei, though it captured only a fraction of your essence, it was barely recognizable. Have you come today to continue seeking vengeance for the destruction of your home and the digging up of herbs three years ago?”
The crown prince spoke with a breath as thin as gossamer as if he might stop breathing at any moment.
Meng Qi, with a cold expression, stroked his fingers, and suddenly said, “The Jinyiwei owe me dozens of kinds of spiritual herbs, how many have you consumed?”
“There’s a small portion of ginseng in the Eastern Palace’s pharmacy, given by the emperor. You can take it,” the crown prince slowly lay back down, closing his eyes wearily, and continued intermittently, “I am about to die, I only hope Master does not take his anger out on these innocent palace people. They are already unfortunate, now trapped here by the imperial guards, uncertain of life and death. As for those Jinyiwei, they were only following orders. Master has killed many over the years, that should be enough.”
“Oh?”
Meng Qi felt even more intrigued by this unusual Qi dynasty crown prince.
“Why don’t you persuade me not to kill your emperor?”
The crown prince remained silent.
Meng Qi immediately looked at Mo Li, who said, “It’s a heart disease, needs further pulse diagnosis.”
Seeing the crown prince with an air of having seen through life and death, as if nothing mattered, Meng Qi’s gaze shifted, walking over to the maid Yu Lan.
“You are very loyal, it’s a pity that your strength is lacking. Even if placed in the jianghu, such martial arts… might not even match a third-rate expert.” Meng Qi ignored Yu Lan’s angry gaze and said, “I heard you wanted to find an imperial physician but couldn’t enter the Eastern Palace? This is really fortunate, the person behind me is a physician.”
Yu Lan looked at Mo Li, her eyes filled with distrust.
Even if he was a physician, what use could this youth be?
Meng Qi noticed that when the crown prince heard the word ‘physician’, his eyelids only twitched, showing no other reaction.
“You don’t want the crown prince to die, the entire Eastern Palace doesn’t want the crown prince to die, right?” Meng Qi casually released Yu Lan’s acupoints.
Yu Lan didn’t scream or shout; she reached for her throat, asking warily, “What are you going to do? Rebel, or assassinate?”
“No no, that’s what I should be asking you.”
Meng Qi’s demeanor changed, his smile vanished, and his presence became imposing, making Yu Lan involuntarily step back.
“Tell me, who is trying to rebel?” Meng Qi’s question seemed to be directed at Yu Lan, but in reality, it was aimed at the crown prince.
Given the crown prince’s critical illness and extreme weakness, if swept by the internal strength of a master, he probably would die on the spot.
Yu Lan, with a panicked look, said, “Rebel? How could a servant like me know such things?”
“You might not know, but the master of this palace must know. Interestingly, when the physician and I entered the palace, we happened to see a group of eunuchs digging a hole in an abandoned courtyard, preparing to bury a box, inside that…”
The crown prince suddenly opened his eyes, followed by a bout of violent coughing, and fresh blood began to spill from the corner of his mouth.
Yu Lan was shocked and was about to step forward but was blocked by Mo Li.
“Stop!” Yu Lan, seeing the crown prince being “held hostage,” was about to shout out in panic.
At that moment, the crown prince’s face gained a bit of color, and his spirit seemed to improve significantly.
“Yu Lan, wait.”
The crown prince stopped her, looking at his wrist with a complex expression.
A warm flow spread through his meridians to all parts of his body, lightening his suffocated chest. The crown prince, having been ill for many years and having seen practitioners of internal cultivation, knew that internal energy could temporarily alleviate his pain, but he had never experienced such immediate effects.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
The crown prince showed a bitter smile, whispering, “The physician has seen me; he should turn around and leave now.”
“I’m not a physician, can’t cure you, and there’s no need to be afraid,” Mo Li casually said.
“Bian Que saw Marquis Huan, then turned and ran, why?” The crown prince continued with a bitter smile, “‘It’s the domain of fate; there’s nothing to be done.'”
Mo Li looked up, saying solemnly, “So the crown prince also knows a bit about medicine?”
“I don’t know medicine, but I understand people’s hearts, so there will always be those who tell me the truth.”
The crown prince regained some vitality, his voice no longer as feeble and intermittent.
Mo Li continued to take his pulse, slowly saying, “The disease initially was due to a wind-cold invasion, causing fever and ceaseless body pain. Having taken medicine without improvement, the condition repeatedly worsened. Subsequently, the disease intensified, starting with slight fatigue leading to dizziness and chest pain, until finally, it was impossible to move, even eating and speaking could cause breathlessness.”
Maid Yu Lan listened in shock, urgently asking, “Physician, the crown prince’s illness…”
“As the crown prince himself said, it’s too late,” Mo Li sighed.
“How can it be, the crown prince’s complexion improved a lot just now, even more effective than medicine,” Yu Lan hoped.
“It’s only symptomatic treatment, not a cure; at most, it can last half a day,” Mo Li withdrew his hand from taking the pulse, shaking his head, “If the fever was treated in time with a change of prescription, accurately addressing the symptoms, it could have been cured. Initially, because of dizziness and breathlessness from walking and riding, it might have been treatable. Now that coughing blood has started, it’s too late. The heart meridian affecting the lung meridian is already ruptured and congested, organ swelling has occurred, and I am powerless.”
Yu Lan trembled, suddenly starting to cry silently.
Mo Li felt a bit heavy, somewhat puzzled.
“Ordinary people without money for treatment, or who cannot find a physician, delay their condition, and the disease becomes dangerous, thus beyond saving. You are the Eastern Palace’s crown prince, why couldn’t the imperial physicians even detect the danger of the fever.”
“Because they were perfunctory, either prescribing peacekeeping prescriptions or shirking responsibility. The crown prince has been weak and sickly since childhood, and no one from the Imperial Medical Bureau is willing to come to the Eastern Palace!” Yu Lan said angrily, her nails digging into her palms.
“Enough, Yu Lan, you can’t blame them. What kind of life do people in this palace lead, how can you not know?” The crown prince, forced himself to sit up, his eyes shadowed with dark circles, he looked at the tabby cat playing with its paws on the beam and suddenly smiled, “Doesn’t the Master want to know who is attempting to rebel? Actually, it’s everyone.”
Meng Qi was taken aback.
Mo Li frowned deeply.
“Second brother has colluded with outsiders from jianghu, reportedly a master, planning to assassinate the emperor. Sixth brother, taking advantage of my illness, secretly borrowed the power of the Eastern Palace and the command of the Jinyiwei, preparing to cooperate with second brother, seeking an opportunity to rebel. Third brother bribed the eunuchs of Wanhe Hall, poisoning the incense with a slow-acting poison, which was discovered. This caused the emperor to be alert, starting to investigate the mastermind, rather than interpreting the appearance of two dragons in the sky yesterday as an ominous sign.”
The crown prince said with a smile that was not quite a smile, “If the investigation continues, the mastermind can only be me. Because I have always been protecting them, and whether they poisoned, assassinated, or even rebelled, it was not to ascend to the throne.”
“…”
Not to mention Mo Li, even Meng Qi, experienced in the ways of power and having seen much of the world, was puzzled.
“Not to make themselves emperor, could it be to make you emperor?”
“I’m dying; I ultimately cannot be the emperor.”
The crown prince, touching his chest, whispered, “If the emperor were to offer the throne to my brothers, what do you think they would do? Between the throne and regicide, they would choose the latter.”
Mo Li and Meng Qi exchanged looks, both puzzled.
—What did Lu Zhang do to make his sons hate him so?
There seemed to be no rumors of Lu Zhang being a tyrant in the outer court; he governed the nation without notable achievements or failures, yet diligently.
In the pursuit of face, he treated his officials even more leniently.
“The tyrants of past dynasties have been those who disregard human life, and my father is the same, yet different from those emperors,” the crown prince said mockingly, “There was an emperor in the Chen dynasty, hated to the extreme by the palace people, strangled to death on his bed. My father also used to beat the eunuchs in his early years but later restrained himself, no longer casually injuring or killing palace people, instead humiliating concubines and children. The princes had to learn to read and meet external officials; after growing up, they weren’t beaten much, but neither of the two princesses in the palace survived. Second brother is deaf in one ear, a result of being beaten in childhood; Third brother is timid and speechless, scared into that state; Sixth brother is eccentric because his mother concubine was kicked to the point of vomiting blood in front of him. My father never beat me; he always needed an heir, yet I won’t live long.”
Author’s Note:
The crown prince’s illness, coughing blood doesn’t necessarily mean tuberculosis
Streptococcus infection fever→inflammation transfer→rheumatic heart valve disease→valve stenosis, heart failure, small blood vessel rupture lung congestion, edema
Even if the entire world were offered as a reward, it would not be worth a glance.
The sleeping chamber was filled with a strong medicinal scent.
After a period of chaos, everyone resumed their careful, quiet movements.
The curtains hung low, no incense was lit in the hall, and only two windows were opened in the far distance, shielded by screens to block the direct chill of the breeze, serving solely for ventilation.
Two older palace maids, with fine wrinkles at the corners of their eyes and their hair done up in buns, half-knelt on the footstool in front of the bed.
One held a basin, while the other wrung out a cloth, wiping the cold sweat from the forehead and body of the person lying in bed.
“Has the person returned?”
The voice was weak, barely audible.
The maid leaned over, using her body to shield her actions, and whispered, “The imperial guards outside have increased in number, almost encircling the palace walls. Lin De and the others simply cannot return. Your Highness need not worry; they have been serving in nearby palaces since childhood, no one is more familiar with the local paths than they are.”
The person in bed muttered something indistinctly, and the maid slightly turned her head, glancing at the line of people standing outside the sleeping chamber, a flash of annoyance crossed her face. She quickly suppressed these emotions and bowed her head, saying, “The crown princess is still praying in the back palace. Liang Di attempted to rush out yesterday to call for the imperial physician for Your Highness but was stopped by the imperial guards and injured her leg.”
The crown prince started coughing violently upon hearing this.
Realizing her slip of the tongue, the maid hurriedly added, “The injury is not serious, she just cannot leave the bed. Now is a time of many concerns; it’s safer for Liang Di and the crown princess to stay in the back palace.”
The crown prince struggled to speak, taking a long time to catch his breath.
“It’s good… that my sixth brother is outside… otherwise…”
“His Majesty will always leave one behind.” The maid holding the basin suddenly spoke up.
Such rebellious words were met with no reaction from anyone; not even an extra glance was given, including by the steward Chen who had hurried into the sleeping chamber.
“Your Highness, if it really comes down to it, let Yu Lan take the risk to go out and find an imperial physician!”
The Yu Lan mentioned by Steward Chen was the maid holding the basin. The bronze basin, together with the hot water, was quite heavy, yet Yu Lan’s arms did not shake. Hearing this, she turned her head, hesitating as if wanting to say something, but was interrupted by the crown prince on the bed.
“Yu Lan is only slightly skilled in martial arts, not some unparalleled master who can scale walls and roofs. Even if she could enter and exit the Eastern Palace alone, carrying a physician, what if the imperial guards treat her as a rebel? Besides, my health has been like this for many years; calling for an imperial physician is useless… It would be better for Yu Lan to go to Chong Yuan Hall and check on my third brother. I worry he is being mistreated, without even food to eat…”
Before he could finish, another bout of violent coughing ensued.
Yu Lan’s body suddenly trembled, and she exclaimed in alarm, “Not good!”
Throwing the basin aside, she lunged forward, intending to shield the person in bed.
However, before she could reach him, she froze in place, her expression one of shock, yet unable to move.
Steward Chen and another older maid had already silently collapsed to the ground, not merely falling stiffly but rather suddenly losing consciousness, then a gust of wind gently caught their falling bodies, laying them down softly on the ground.
Not just inside the hall, but even those standing outside were not spared.
It was as if a swarm of sleep-inducing insects had suddenly descended, putting everyone to sleep, leaning against walls, pillars, and tables, and entering dreamland.
The crown prince struggled to sit up, witnessing this astonishing scene.
In the blink of an eye, the only ones left awake in the sleeping chamber were him and Yu Lan.
“Cough, cough.”
The thrown bronze basin was caught by someone, not even spilling a drop of water.
A tabby cat crouched on the beam above, sticking its head out, looking around in confusion.
“Ah Hu…”
The crown prince slowly turned his head, finally seeing the two uninvited guests.
The crown prince was a young man in his twenties, pale and thin, with purple lips.
As Mo Li sized up the crown prince, the prince of the Qi dynasty was similarly scrutinizing him and Meng Qi.
“So it’s Master Meng.” The crown prince’s gaze fell on Meng Qi, and he bitterly smiled, “No wonder it was like entering a land with no one around.”
“You’ve seen me?”
Meng Qi did not attempt to hide his identity, placing the bronze basin on the rack and striding to the bedside.
The maid Yu Lan’s eyes were nearly bulging out, her expression extremely anxious.
The crown prince, supporting himself on Yu Lan’s shoulder, tried to get up with difficulty.
“Don’t move.”
“Meow.”
The voice of Mo Li and the cry of the tabby cat sounded at the same time.
The hall instantly fell silent.
The crown prince looked at the tabby cat, then at Meng Qi and Mo Li, feeling that these two were brought by the cat.
“I have seen a portrait of Master Meng in the secret reports of the Jinyiwei, though it captured only a fraction of your essence, it was barely recognizable. Have you come today to continue seeking vengeance for the destruction of your home and the digging up of herbs three years ago?”
The crown prince spoke with a breath as thin as gossamer as if he might stop breathing at any moment.
Meng Qi, with a cold expression, stroked his fingers, and suddenly said, “The Jinyiwei owe me dozens of kinds of spiritual herbs, how many have you consumed?”
“There’s a small portion of ginseng in the Eastern Palace’s pharmacy, given by the emperor. You can take it,” the crown prince slowly lay back down, closing his eyes wearily, and continued intermittently, “I am about to die, I only hope Master does not take his anger out on these innocent palace people. They are already unfortunate, now trapped here by the imperial guards, uncertain of life and death. As for those Jinyiwei, they were only following orders. Master has killed many over the years, that should be enough.”
“Oh?”
Meng Qi felt even more intrigued by this unusual Qi dynasty crown prince.
“Why don’t you persuade me not to kill your emperor?”
The crown prince remained silent.
Meng Qi immediately looked at Mo Li, who said, “It’s a heart disease, needs further pulse diagnosis.”
Seeing the crown prince with an air of having seen through life and death, as if nothing mattered, Meng Qi’s gaze shifted, walking over to the maid Yu Lan.
“You are very loyal, it’s a pity that your strength is lacking. Even if placed in the jianghu, such martial arts… might not even match a third-rate expert.” Meng Qi ignored Yu Lan’s angry gaze and said, “I heard you wanted to find an imperial physician but couldn’t enter the Eastern Palace? This is really fortunate, the person behind me is a physician.”
Yu Lan looked at Mo Li, her eyes filled with distrust.
Even if he was a physician, what use could this youth be?
Meng Qi noticed that when the crown prince heard the word ‘physician’, his eyelids only twitched, showing no other reaction.
“You don’t want the crown prince to die, the entire Eastern Palace doesn’t want the crown prince to die, right?” Meng Qi casually released Yu Lan’s acupoints.
Yu Lan didn’t scream or shout; she reached for her throat, asking warily, “What are you going to do? Rebel, or assassinate?”
“No no, that’s what I should be asking you.”
Meng Qi’s demeanor changed, his smile vanished, and his presence became imposing, making Yu Lan involuntarily step back.
“Tell me, who is trying to rebel?” Meng Qi’s question seemed to be directed at Yu Lan, but in reality, it was aimed at the crown prince.
Given the crown prince’s critical illness and extreme weakness, if swept by the internal strength of a master, he probably would die on the spot.
Yu Lan, with a panicked look, said, “Rebel? How could a servant like me know such things?”
“You might not know, but the master of this palace must know. Interestingly, when the physician and I entered the palace, we happened to see a group of eunuchs digging a hole in an abandoned courtyard, preparing to bury a box, inside that…”
The crown prince suddenly opened his eyes, followed by a bout of violent coughing, and fresh blood began to spill from the corner of his mouth.
Yu Lan was shocked and was about to step forward but was blocked by Mo Li.
“Stop!” Yu Lan, seeing the crown prince being “held hostage,” was about to shout out in panic.
At that moment, the crown prince’s face gained a bit of color, and his spirit seemed to improve significantly.
“Yu Lan, wait.”
The crown prince stopped her, looking at his wrist with a complex expression.
A warm flow spread through his meridians to all parts of his body, lightening his suffocated chest. The crown prince, having been ill for many years and having seen practitioners of internal cultivation, knew that internal energy could temporarily alleviate his pain, but he had never experienced such immediate effects.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
The crown prince showed a bitter smile, whispering, “The physician has seen me; he should turn around and leave now.”
“I’m not a physician, can’t cure you, and there’s no need to be afraid,” Mo Li casually said.
“Bian Que saw Marquis Huan, then turned and ran, why?” The crown prince continued with a bitter smile, “‘It’s the domain of fate; there’s nothing to be done.'”
Mo Li looked up, saying solemnly, “So the crown prince also knows a bit about medicine?”
“I don’t know medicine, but I understand people’s hearts, so there will always be those who tell me the truth.”
The crown prince regained some vitality, his voice no longer as feeble and intermittent.
Mo Li continued to take his pulse, slowly saying, “The disease initially was due to a wind-cold invasion, causing fever and ceaseless body pain. Having taken medicine without improvement, the condition repeatedly worsened. Subsequently, the disease intensified, starting with slight fatigue leading to dizziness and chest pain, until finally, it was impossible to move, even eating and speaking could cause breathlessness.”
Maid Yu Lan listened in shock, urgently asking, “Physician, the crown prince’s illness…”
“As the crown prince himself said, it’s too late,” Mo Li sighed.
“How can it be, the crown prince’s complexion improved a lot just now, even more effective than medicine,” Yu Lan hoped.
“It’s only symptomatic treatment, not a cure; at most, it can last half a day,” Mo Li withdrew his hand from taking the pulse, shaking his head, “If the fever was treated in time with a change of prescription, accurately addressing the symptoms, it could have been cured. Initially, because of dizziness and breathlessness from walking and riding, it might have been treatable. Now that coughing blood has started, it’s too late. The heart meridian affecting the lung meridian is already ruptured and congested, organ swelling has occurred, and I am powerless.”
Yu Lan trembled, suddenly starting to cry silently.
Mo Li felt a bit heavy, somewhat puzzled.
“Ordinary people without money for treatment, or who cannot find a physician, delay their condition, and the disease becomes dangerous, thus beyond saving. You are the Eastern Palace’s crown prince, why couldn’t the imperial physicians even detect the danger of the fever.”
“Because they were perfunctory, either prescribing peacekeeping prescriptions or shirking responsibility. The crown prince has been weak and sickly since childhood, and no one from the Imperial Medical Bureau is willing to come to the Eastern Palace!” Yu Lan said angrily, her nails digging into her palms.
“Enough, Yu Lan, you can’t blame them. What kind of life do people in this palace lead, how can you not know?” The crown prince, forced himself to sit up, his eyes shadowed with dark circles, he looked at the tabby cat playing with its paws on the beam and suddenly smiled, “Doesn’t the Master want to know who is attempting to rebel? Actually, it’s everyone.”
Meng Qi was taken aback.
Mo Li frowned deeply.
“Second brother has colluded with outsiders from jianghu, reportedly a master, planning to assassinate the emperor. Sixth brother, taking advantage of my illness, secretly borrowed the power of the Eastern Palace and the command of the Jinyiwei, preparing to cooperate with second brother, seeking an opportunity to rebel. Third brother bribed the eunuchs of Wanhe Hall, poisoning the incense with a slow-acting poison, which was discovered. This caused the emperor to be alert, starting to investigate the mastermind, rather than interpreting the appearance of two dragons in the sky yesterday as an ominous sign.”
The crown prince said with a smile that was not quite a smile, “If the investigation continues, the mastermind can only be me. Because I have always been protecting them, and whether they poisoned, assassinated, or even rebelled, it was not to ascend to the throne.”
“…”
Not to mention Mo Li, even Meng Qi, experienced in the ways of power and having seen much of the world, was puzzled.
“Not to make themselves emperor, could it be to make you emperor?”
“I’m dying; I ultimately cannot be the emperor.”
The crown prince, touching his chest, whispered, “If the emperor were to offer the throne to my brothers, what do you think they would do? Between the throne and regicide, they would choose the latter.”
Mo Li and Meng Qi exchanged looks, both puzzled.
—What did Lu Zhang do to make his sons hate him so?
There seemed to be no rumors of Lu Zhang being a tyrant in the outer court; he governed the nation without notable achievements or failures, yet diligently.
In the pursuit of face, he treated his officials even more leniently.
“The tyrants of past dynasties have been those who disregard human life, and my father is the same, yet different from those emperors,” the crown prince said mockingly, “There was an emperor in the Chen dynasty, hated to the extreme by the palace people, strangled to death on his bed. My father also used to beat the eunuchs in his early years but later restrained himself, no longer casually injuring or killing palace people, instead humiliating concubines and children. The princes had to learn to read and meet external officials; after growing up, they weren’t beaten much, but neither of the two princesses in the palace survived. Second brother is deaf in one ear, a result of being beaten in childhood; Third brother is timid and speechless, scared into that state; Sixth brother is eccentric because his mother concubine was kicked to the point of vomiting blood in front of him. My father never beat me; he always needed an heir, yet I won’t live long.”
Author’s Note:
The crown prince’s illness, coughing blood doesn’t necessarily mean tuberculosis
Streptococcus infection fever→inflammation transfer→rheumatic heart valve disease→valve stenosis, heart failure, small blood vessel rupture lung congestion, edema
