"Mother," Xie Shizi approached Princess Leyang, supporting her trembling body as she cried, "The imperial physician will be here soon. You need to take care of yourself."
"The imperial physician? If the imperial physician was of any use, why is my husband still sick after all this time?" Princess Leyang's heart was filled with both anxiety and anger. She cursed, "They're all useless quacks! It's been almost a month, and my husband's condition has worsened instead of improving."
Xie Shizi knew he shouldn't doubt his father, but he couldn't help but wonder. It was only a few days after Elder Xie's arrest that his father's illness became severe. Was it just a coincidence, or...?
The two imperial physicians, who had just entered the courtyard, had unpleasant expressions on their faces. Most of the physicians working at the Imperial Medical Academy were highly skilled, with generations of medical knowledge. Being called quacks by Princess Leyang naturally didn't sit well with them.
However, as medical practitioners, they understood that family members of patients sometimes uttered hurtful words due to excessive grief. They chose to turn a blind eye and pretend not to have heard.
To prevent Xie Fuma from continuing to harm himself, the imperial physicians instructed the servants in the estate to bind his hands and feet with a soft cloth.
After preparing the prescribed medicine, one of the imperial physicians said to the servant who was standing nearby, "Boil three bowls of water until it becomes one bowl. After taking the medicine, observe his condition for a while. He shouldn't be left alone in the coming days."
"Thank you, sir," the servant expressed gratitude, "Considering the current condition of Fuma, wouldn't it be more beneficial for him to stay in a familiar environment?"
The two imperial physicians didn't respond. After packing up their medical supplies, they bid their farewells. The Princess had been insisting on taking Xie Fuma back to the southern region for recuperation, but the palace had consistently rejected the request, indicating that there was something fishy about the matter. As mere physicians who diagnosed and prescribed medicine, they didn't want to get involved in this mess.
"Please wait, esteemed physicians," Xie Shizi caught up to them, "May I ask why my father's symptoms suddenly worsened?"
"Hysteria is a type of neurological disorder that is invisible and intangible. Sometimes, it can be triggered by emotional stress," one of the physicians answered, "You don't need to worry too much, Xie Shizi. There is still a chance for improvement in your father's condition."
With twelve attendants constantly by Xie Fuma's side and the Princess's concern, his father was considered fortunate among such patients.
"Thank you," Xie Shizi expressed his gratitude heavily. He turned around and returned to his father's courtyard. His father was now wearing clean clothes, his wounds had been treated by the imperial physicians. He lay on the bed, no longer in a state of agitation.
As Xie Shizi listened to his mother's sorrowful cries, he approached her and comforted her, "Mother, Father has fallen asleep. Don't worry, Father will be fine."
Princess Leyang wiped away her tears and glanced at the sleeping Xie Fuma on the bed. With a swollen face, she took Xie Shizi to the courtyard and asked, "Why did you come back?"
"I missed you and Father, so I pleaded with the Emperor to allow me to stay at home for one night," Xie Shizi said, looking at Princess Leyang's red, swollen eyes. He instructed a servant to bring ice and had Princess Leyang apply it to her face.
"Silly child, your father and I have already incurred the Emperor's displeasure. You shouldn't keep thinking about coming back to see us. What if the Emperor starts to dislike you as well?" Princess Leyang wanted Xie Shizi to leave the estate immediately and return to the palace, "You should leave now..."
Suddenly, her voice faltered, and her eyes flickered, unable to meet her son's gaze, "Then, stay overnight at home and return to the palace early tomorrow morning."
"Alright," Xie Shizi didn't notice anything amiss in Princess Leyang's gaze. He coaxed her back into the house and urged her to rest early.
Princess Leyang had always been someone who disliked suffering grievances. Throughout her life, she had used every means to obtain what she wanted. When she fell in love with Xie Fuma, upon learning that the late emperor intended to betroth Princess Shunan to him, she schemed to make the late emperor detest Princess Shunan, ultimately making Xie Fuma her husband.
After their marriage, she discovered that although Xie Fuma treated her well, his heart belonged to someone else. At first, she thought it was Princess Shunan, but later she realized that Xie Fuma had no affection for Princess Shunan. The one he truly admired was Wei Mingyue, who had gained fame throughout the capital.
This became a thorn in her heart. Later, when Wei Mingyue went to the battlefield while pregnant, she couldn't help but think, what if Wei Mingyue died in battle or had her beauty ruined?
But Wei Mingyue not only survived, she became the most famous female general in all of Great Jin. Countless women admired her, even some scholars and literati wrote poems in her praise.
Late at night, Princess Leyang couldn't help but speculate. Had this beloved man beside her truly moved on?
She tossed and turned in bed, her mind filled with the words spoken by the maids a month ago.
Crying, making a scene, hanging oneself...
Although the Emperor harbored resentment toward their family due to Xie Yao's attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince, he had always treated his relatives well. If she staged a suicide attempt, perhaps the Emperor would spare their family.
Princess Leyang got up from the bed, retrieved a sharp dagger from the cabinet, and endured the pain as she cut her own finger, writing a blood-stained plea.
The only thing she could rely on was her imperial brother's soft-heartedness.
As the night grew darker, Xie Fuma covered his injured arm and sat up on the bed. He touched his forehead and realized that he was running a fever.
He picked up the cold tea on the table and took a sip. Suddenly, he felt that something was amiss. As he turned around to prepare to lie back down, he noticed a figure standing behind the bed curtain.
"Father..." Xie Shizi lifted the curtain and stepped out, "Father, it has been tough for you to feign madness and ignorance."
"Faking madness and ignorance? What are you talking about?" Xie Fuma was taken aback, "These days, there have been many foreign envoys in the capital. Why aren't you resting early? Why are you guarding my room?"
"Foreign envoys?" Xie Shizi approached Xie Fuma, "The foreign envoys left the capital a month ago. If there are any remaining, it would be the envoys from Jinpo and Daimao."
"A month ago?" Xie Fuma rubbed his temples in pain, "Wasn't the Hundred Nations Banquet held recently?"
Xie Shizi looked at Xie Fuma in silence for a long time before averting his gaze, "Father, stop pretending. You don't have hysteria, do you?"
"What hysteria?" Xie Fuma's expression grew even more pained, "What have I been doing recently?"
Xie Shizi had never been as clear-headed as he was at this moment. He looked at Xie Fuma and said, "Father, during these days, Mother has been unable to eat or sleep well because of your hysteria. She has been shedding tears every day, her face has grown pale, and she has become emaciated. When you were doing all these things, did you ever think about Mother?"
"What are you saying? I don't understand," Xie Fuma rubbed his forehead, "What's wrong with you, talking to me in this tone?"
Xie Shizi was about to say something when the cries of the servants came from outside.
"Help! Something terrible has happened! The Princess has hanged herself!"
Xie Shizi felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He pushed past Xie Fuma and rushed toward the courtyard where the Princess resided. As he crossed the threshold, he stumbled and fell, but he seemed oblivious to the pain as he got up and continued running.
In his mother's courtyard, he saw her being carried onto the bed by the servants. Trembling, he gently felt her breath. Thankfully, she was still breathing.
"Quick, fetch the imperial physician! Hurry!"
He, who seldom lost his temper, shouted loudly at the servants in the room, "What are you all doing, crowding here? Don't you know how to fetch a physician?!"
The servants scrambled to fetch a physician. Xie Shizi cried as he noticed the blood-stained plea lying on the table.
The blood-stained plea emitted a strong smell of blood; between the lines, it was filled with his mother's pleas for his father's sake. Even her act of hanging herself was for the sake of his father.
"Imperial Brother, this sister knows the gravity of my crimes; I cannot escape blame even if I die a thousand deaths. I only beg Imperial Brother to spare the life of Fuma..."
Seeing this plea, Xie Shizi's hand trembled heavily. He looked at his unconscious mother on the bed, wanting to scream out loud. You have offended your own siblings for the sake of that man. You were willing to give up your life for him. But do you know that he is deceiving you?!
With tears in his eyes, Xie Shizi collected the blood-stained plea and placed it against his chest.
The personal maidservant of Princess Leyang witnessed this scene and whispered, "Shizi, you..."
"No one is allowed to speak," Xie Shizi said with a stern face, coldly looking at the maids in the room, "Remember, the Princess has never written any plea letters, understood? If anyone dares to let slip, none of you will survive."
"U-understood," the personal maidservants trembled in fear as they responded.
They never expected that the usually gentle and kind-hearted Shizi would possess such ruthlessness in his eyes. Just one glance made them feel afraid.
The news of Princess Leyang's attempted suicide soon reached the Chenyang Palace and Shoukang Palace. Emperor Changlong put on his outer robe, looked at Zhao Sancai, who was bowing in front of him, and sighed after a long while, "No matter what, she is still my sister. Let the Crown Prince and..."
He wanted to say, "Let the Crown Prince and Ying Wang visit her," but considering that Ying Wang was living in his own estate outside the palace, he changed his words, "Let the Crown Prince and Fifth Prince pay a visit. If she hanged herself to plead for Fuma, then there's no need to intervene further."
The Emperor's expression was not clearly visible in the flickering candlelight, but Zhao Sancai, who had served Emperor Changlong for many years, knew that His Majesty had completely lost hope in Princess Leyang.
The Fifth Prince was still deep in his sleep when he was urgently awakened by a eunuch. Reluctantly, he got up and dressed, asking, "Is she dead?"
"This servant heard that the Princess's maidservant discovered it in time. Although she fainted, her life was saved."
"A princess who resorts to such methods of crying, making a scene, and hanging herself. She isn't trying to die; she is forcing us with her death, hoping for the Emperor to spare Xie Fuma's life," The Fifth Prince, still groggy, said, "She should have resorted to this tactic during the day, instead of troubling the imperial physicians and us younger generation in the middle of the night."
"Your Highness, please calm down," the accompanying eunuch said, seeing that the Fifth Prince was unhappy, "The Crown Prince from the Eastern Palace is also going with you."
"The Crown Prince is going too?" The sleepiness in the Fifth Prince's eyes suddenly dissipated. With the Crown Prince's temperament, how could he tolerate such tactics from Princess Leyang?
"Quickly change clothes for Benwang. We can't keep the Crown Prince waiting for too long," the Fifth Prince started cooperating actively. As long as the Crown Prince wasn't scolding him, he enjoyed watching such scenes unfold.
As soon as the Crown Prince left the Eastern Palace, he saw the Fifth Prince looking at him eagerly, his face filled with an expression of wanting to cause trouble.
"Get in the carriage," the Crown Prince beckoned the Fifth Prince to join him in the carriage of the Eastern Palace, "When we arrive at Princess Leyang Estate, no matter what they say, don't easily agree."
"Please rest assured, Third Brother. Your younger brother will always defer to your decision," the Fifth Prince immediately expressed his loyalty, "I will never nod my head if you disagree."
Facing the intense gaze of his fifth brother, the Crown Prince shifted slightly to the side.
He had the feeling of being a street gang leader, taking his little brother along to cause trouble.
Seeing the Crown Prince shifting to the side, the Fifth Prince followed suit.
Let's cause some trouble together.
Crying, making a scene, and hanging oneself—such bad behavior must not be tolerated!
Krish728
Author's Note:
The artistic Fifth Prince with his mischievous heart is itching to cause trouble.
"Mother," Xie Shizi approached Princess Leyang, supporting her trembling body as she cried, "The imperial physician will be here soon. You need to take care of yourself."
"The imperial physician? If the imperial physician was of any use, why is my husband still sick after all this time?" Princess Leyang's heart was filled with both anxiety and anger. She cursed, "They're all useless quacks! It's been almost a month, and my husband's condition has worsened instead of improving."
Xie Shizi knew he shouldn't doubt his father, but he couldn't help but wonder. It was only a few days after Elder Xie's arrest that his father's illness became severe. Was it just a coincidence, or...?
The two imperial physicians, who had just entered the courtyard, had unpleasant expressions on their faces. Most of the physicians working at the Imperial Medical Academy were highly skilled, with generations of medical knowledge. Being called quacks by Princess Leyang naturally didn't sit well with them.
However, as medical practitioners, they understood that family members of patients sometimes uttered hurtful words due to excessive grief. They chose to turn a blind eye and pretend not to have heard.
To prevent Xie Fuma from continuing to harm himself, the imperial physicians instructed the servants in the estate to bind his hands and feet with a soft cloth.
After preparing the prescribed medicine, one of the imperial physicians said to the servant who was standing nearby, "Boil three bowls of water until it becomes one bowl. After taking the medicine, observe his condition for a while. He shouldn't be left alone in the coming days."
"Thank you, sir," the servant expressed gratitude, "Considering the current condition of Fuma, wouldn't it be more beneficial for him to stay in a familiar environment?"
The two imperial physicians didn't respond. After packing up their medical supplies, they bid their farewells. The Princess had been insisting on taking Xie Fuma back to the southern region for recuperation, but the palace had consistently rejected the request, indicating that there was something fishy about the matter. As mere physicians who diagnosed and prescribed medicine, they didn't want to get involved in this mess.
"Please wait, esteemed physicians," Xie Shizi caught up to them, "May I ask why my father's symptoms suddenly worsened?"
"Hysteria is a type of neurological disorder that is invisible and intangible. Sometimes, it can be triggered by emotional stress," one of the physicians answered, "You don't need to worry too much, Xie Shizi. There is still a chance for improvement in your father's condition."
With twelve attendants constantly by Xie Fuma's side and the Princess's concern, his father was considered fortunate among such patients.
"Thank you," Xie Shizi expressed his gratitude heavily. He turned around and returned to his father's courtyard. His father was now wearing clean clothes, his wounds had been treated by the imperial physicians. He lay on the bed, no longer in a state of agitation.
As Xie Shizi listened to his mother's sorrowful cries, he approached her and comforted her, "Mother, Father has fallen asleep. Don't worry, Father will be fine."
Princess Leyang wiped away her tears and glanced at the sleeping Xie Fuma on the bed. With a swollen face, she took Xie Shizi to the courtyard and asked, "Why did you come back?"
"I missed you and Father, so I pleaded with the Emperor to allow me to stay at home for one night," Xie Shizi said, looking at Princess Leyang's red, swollen eyes. He instructed a servant to bring ice and had Princess Leyang apply it to her face.
"Silly child, your father and I have already incurred the Emperor's displeasure. You shouldn't keep thinking about coming back to see us. What if the Emperor starts to dislike you as well?" Princess Leyang wanted Xie Shizi to leave the estate immediately and return to the palace, "You should leave now..."
Suddenly, her voice faltered, and her eyes flickered, unable to meet her son's gaze, "Then, stay overnight at home and return to the palace early tomorrow morning."
"Alright," Xie Shizi didn't notice anything amiss in Princess Leyang's gaze. He coaxed her back into the house and urged her to rest early.
Princess Leyang had always been someone who disliked suffering grievances. Throughout her life, she had used every means to obtain what she wanted. When she fell in love with Xie Fuma, upon learning that the late emperor intended to betroth Princess Shunan to him, she schemed to make the late emperor detest Princess Shunan, ultimately making Xie Fuma her husband.
After their marriage, she discovered that although Xie Fuma treated her well, his heart belonged to someone else. At first, she thought it was Princess Shunan, but later she realized that Xie Fuma had no affection for Princess Shunan. The one he truly admired was Wei Mingyue, who had gained fame throughout the capital.
This became a thorn in her heart. Later, when Wei Mingyue went to the battlefield while pregnant, she couldn't help but think, what if Wei Mingyue died in battle or had her beauty ruined?
But Wei Mingyue not only survived, she became the most famous female general in all of Great Jin. Countless women admired her, even some scholars and literati wrote poems in her praise.
Late at night, Princess Leyang couldn't help but speculate. Had this beloved man beside her truly moved on?
She tossed and turned in bed, her mind filled with the words spoken by the maids a month ago.
Crying, making a scene, hanging oneself...
Although the Emperor harbored resentment toward their family due to Xie Yao's attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince, he had always treated his relatives well. If she staged a suicide attempt, perhaps the Emperor would spare their family.
Princess Leyang got up from the bed, retrieved a sharp dagger from the cabinet, and endured the pain as she cut her own finger, writing a blood-stained plea.
The only thing she could rely on was her imperial brother's soft-heartedness.
As the night grew darker, Xie Fuma covered his injured arm and sat up on the bed. He touched his forehead and realized that he was running a fever.
He picked up the cold tea on the table and took a sip. Suddenly, he felt that something was amiss. As he turned around to prepare to lie back down, he noticed a figure standing behind the bed curtain.
"Father..." Xie Shizi lifted the curtain and stepped out, "Father, it has been tough for you to feign madness and ignorance."
"Faking madness and ignorance? What are you talking about?" Xie Fuma was taken aback, "These days, there have been many foreign envoys in the capital. Why aren't you resting early? Why are you guarding my room?"
"Foreign envoys?" Xie Shizi approached Xie Fuma, "The foreign envoys left the capital a month ago. If there are any remaining, it would be the envoys from Jinpo and Daimao."
"A month ago?" Xie Fuma rubbed his temples in pain, "Wasn't the Hundred Nations Banquet held recently?"
Xie Shizi looked at Xie Fuma in silence for a long time before averting his gaze, "Father, stop pretending. You don't have hysteria, do you?"
"What hysteria?" Xie Fuma's expression grew even more pained, "What have I been doing recently?"
Xie Shizi had never been as clear-headed as he was at this moment. He looked at Xie Fuma and said, "Father, during these days, Mother has been unable to eat or sleep well because of your hysteria. She has been shedding tears every day, her face has grown pale, and she has become emaciated. When you were doing all these things, did you ever think about Mother?"
"What are you saying? I don't understand," Xie Fuma rubbed his forehead, "What's wrong with you, talking to me in this tone?"
Xie Shizi was about to say something when the cries of the servants came from outside.
"Help! Something terrible has happened! The Princess has hanged herself!"
Xie Shizi felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He pushed past Xie Fuma and rushed toward the courtyard where the Princess resided. As he crossed the threshold, he stumbled and fell, but he seemed oblivious to the pain as he got up and continued running.
In his mother's courtyard, he saw her being carried onto the bed by the servants. Trembling, he gently felt her breath. Thankfully, she was still breathing.
"Quick, fetch the imperial physician! Hurry!"
He, who seldom lost his temper, shouted loudly at the servants in the room, "What are you all doing, crowding here? Don't you know how to fetch a physician?!"
The servants scrambled to fetch a physician. Xie Shizi cried as he noticed the blood-stained plea lying on the table.
The blood-stained plea emitted a strong smell of blood; between the lines, it was filled with his mother's pleas for his father's sake. Even her act of hanging herself was for the sake of his father.
"Imperial Brother, this sister knows the gravity of my crimes; I cannot escape blame even if I die a thousand deaths. I only beg Imperial Brother to spare the life of Fuma..."
Seeing this plea, Xie Shizi's hand trembled heavily. He looked at his unconscious mother on the bed, wanting to scream out loud. You have offended your own siblings for the sake of that man. You were willing to give up your life for him. But do you know that he is deceiving you?!
With tears in his eyes, Xie Shizi collected the blood-stained plea and placed it against his chest.
The personal maidservant of Princess Leyang witnessed this scene and whispered, "Shizi, you..."
"No one is allowed to speak," Xie Shizi said with a stern face, coldly looking at the maids in the room, "Remember, the Princess has never written any plea letters, understood? If anyone dares to let slip, none of you will survive."
"U-understood," the personal maidservants trembled in fear as they responded.
They never expected that the usually gentle and kind-hearted Shizi would possess such ruthlessness in his eyes. Just one glance made them feel afraid.
The news of Princess Leyang's attempted suicide soon reached the Chenyang Palace and Shoukang Palace. Emperor Changlong put on his outer robe, looked at Zhao Sancai, who was bowing in front of him, and sighed after a long while, "No matter what, she is still my sister. Let the Crown Prince and..."
He wanted to say, "Let the Crown Prince and Ying Wang visit her," but considering that Ying Wang was living in his own estate outside the palace, he changed his words, "Let the Crown Prince and Fifth Prince pay a visit. If she hanged herself to plead for Fuma, then there's no need to intervene further."
The Emperor's expression was not clearly visible in the flickering candlelight, but Zhao Sancai, who had served Emperor Changlong for many years, knew that His Majesty had completely lost hope in Princess Leyang.
The Fifth Prince was still deep in his sleep when he was urgently awakened by a eunuch. Reluctantly, he got up and dressed, asking, "Is she dead?"
"This servant heard that the Princess's maidservant discovered it in time. Although she fainted, her life was saved."
"A princess who resorts to such methods of crying, making a scene, and hanging herself. She isn't trying to die; she is forcing us with her death, hoping for the Emperor to spare Xie Fuma's life," The Fifth Prince, still groggy, said, "She should have resorted to this tactic during the day, instead of troubling the imperial physicians and us younger generation in the middle of the night."
"Your Highness, please calm down," the accompanying eunuch said, seeing that the Fifth Prince was unhappy, "The Crown Prince from the Eastern Palace is also going with you."
"The Crown Prince is going too?" The sleepiness in the Fifth Prince's eyes suddenly dissipated. With the Crown Prince's temperament, how could he tolerate such tactics from Princess Leyang?
"Quickly change clothes for Benwang. We can't keep the Crown Prince waiting for too long," the Fifth Prince started cooperating actively. As long as the Crown Prince wasn't scolding him, he enjoyed watching such scenes unfold.
As soon as the Crown Prince left the Eastern Palace, he saw the Fifth Prince looking at him eagerly, his face filled with an expression of wanting to cause trouble.
"Get in the carriage," the Crown Prince beckoned the Fifth Prince to join him in the carriage of the Eastern Palace, "When we arrive at Princess Leyang Estate, no matter what they say, don't easily agree."
"Please rest assured, Third Brother. Your younger brother will always defer to your decision," the Fifth Prince immediately expressed his loyalty, "I will never nod my head if you disagree."
Facing the intense gaze of his fifth brother, the Crown Prince shifted slightly to the side.
He had the feeling of being a street gang leader, taking his little brother along to cause trouble.
Seeing the Crown Prince shifting to the side, the Fifth Prince followed suit.
Let's cause some trouble together.
Crying, making a scene, and hanging oneself—such bad behavior must not be tolerated!
Krish728
Author's Note:
The artistic Fifth Prince with his mischievous heart is itching to cause trouble.
