Chapter 57: Coughing Blood part 1
He spoke lightly.
Because they had mentally prepared themselves, the officials only felt a thump in their hearts upon hearing the imperial physician’s diagnosis, but they remained relatively calm.
Instead, they were shocked by the Emperor’s words.
The room was completely silent. Gu Zhen placed the urgent report on his knees, swept a glance at everyone in the hall, his expression slightly dark. “Did you not hear what We just said?”
Only then did everyone snap back to reality, responding one after another, “Yes, yes.”
After looking around, Gu Zhen handed the urgent report to a close official beside him. “First, order the Forbidden Army to search the wards inside the city and various places outside the city. Check if there are collapsed houses, or…”
As he spoke, he suddenly sat up.
The imperial physician’s face changed drastically, and he hurriedly said, “Bixia must not get up! We subjects have not yet set the bone for Bixia. It will not be too late to get up after we subjects have set the broken bone.”
A trace of irritation flashed through Gu Zhen’s eyes, and he leaned back again, saying in a concentrated voice, “Immediately search the counties near Chang’an to determine the range of the earthquake.”
Jiang Jiayan took a half-step forward and hesitated, “Does Bixia suspect the earthquake was not in Chang’an?” His face instantly changed greatly. If the earthquake was not in Chang’an and they were only affected by a major earthquake in the surrounding areas, the consequences would be simply unimaginable.
Gu Zhen nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, “Just now We only cared about checking the situation in Chang’an and overlooked this point. You all quickly lead people to investigate; do not delay.”
A group of close officials received the order and withdrew one by one. The sky outside the window also gradually darkened.
Several swallows flew under the eaves, chirping continuously.
Gu Zhen called out to Wu Mao.
“How is the Empress?” His tightly clenched palm bore several marks. After pondering for a long time, he finally asked in a low voice.
Wu Mao replied, “News came from Xiangsi Hall that Niangniang woke up just now. The imperial physicians and female doctors have all checked; there are only slight scratches, nothing serious.”
Gu Zhen laughed in a muffled voice, helplessness welling up in his eyes. “She is so delicate; she complains of pain even when she sprains her ankle… Never mind, has medicine been applied?”
“Bixia, rest assured. The message from Xiangsi Hall says the medicine has already been applied.” Wu Mao took the official document from his hand, lowered his eyes slightly, and exchanged it for another one.
While they were speaking, the imperial physician entered the hall with the prepared medicine.
Even from a distance, one could smell the bitter scent of the medicine powder mixed with the aroma of wine, appearing somewhat strange.
Gu Zhen frowned, his phoenix eyes glancing at the bowl of wine, remaining silent for a long while.
The imperial physician placed the tray on the bedside table and whispered, “Bixia, this is Aconite Powder. Please take it with wine so that we subjects can set the bone for Bixia.”
Some finely ground Aconite Powder was contained in a celadon sunflower-shaped bowl.
Following the imperial physician’s instructions, Gu Zhen took it and swallowed it with half a bowl of strong wine.
The strong wine burned all the way down his throat, churning in his stomach. As the Aconite Powder gradually took effect, Gu Zhen keenly felt his body seemingly become much more sluggish.
A moment later, the imperial physician asked the Emperor to undress to set the bone.
Although there was the effect of the Aconite Powder assisted by strong wine, how could the pain of a broken bone be completely unfelt?
When the imperial physician set the broken rib, it felt as if thousands of insects were gnawing at him, and a heart-piercing pain shot up.
After setting the broken bone, the imperial physician wrapped it with several layers of white cloth before finishing.
“Bixia must pay attention to your body and avoid moving the broken bone,” the imperial physician took a half-step back, cupped his hands, and said.
Gu Zhen nodded slightly. “We know.”
After the imperial physician withdrew, only a few palace servants remained in the inner hall. Wu Mao brought over the decoction and watched the Emperor drink it, revealing a look of sighing regret.
Several times he opened his mouth to speak but forced himself to hold back.
Gu Zhen glanced at him and asked in a deep voice, “What is it?”
Wu Mao said, “Bixia, if Niangniang asks, how should we servants answer?”
The Empress asking?
Gu Zhen’s lips curled into a bitter smile.
How would Yiyi ask about him?
“If she asks, just say We are fine,” Gu Zhen’s voice was slightly faint, adding a few degrees of lowness.
Wu Mao said, “Why doesn’t Bixia…”
Gu Zhen suddenly laughed.
It was true that he saved Yiyi, and it was true that he was injured for it, but it was not what Yiyi asked for.
Gu Zhen drank the decoction in one gulp, turned his head to look out the window, and said astringently, “A husband saving his wife is only proper. Why should We… demand repayment for gratitude?”
After receiving the news from Huayin, He Mingshou’s heart had been uneasy, as if pressed down by a big mountain, making it hard to breathe.
Although his relationship with the second branch had always been average, they ultimately shared the surname He.
Regardless of the internal situation, in the eyes of outsiders, they always shared glory and loss together.
In recent years, although he had been wary of the second branch, he hadn’t planned to put them to death directly.
Bixia handing the task of investigating the second branch’s crimes to him became a hot potato.
He Mingshou knew clearly in his heart that his Emperor nephew never acted without a target. Whenever he took measures, he had already made up his mind; he probably had even thought clearly about how to punish them.
The second branch, this time, had likely offended him severely.
“Has the young lady returned?” Stepping into the manor gate, He Mingshou asked the personal attendant beside him while walking inward.
The attendant replied, “Early this morning, Madame sent someone to bring the young lady back from the palace.”
He Mingshou nodded and asked again, “Has the matter of Changxian coming today been mentioned to Madame?”
“Mentioned, mentioned,” the attendant laughed. “Not only mentioned, but Madame personally met Gentleman Fu today and asked how his political achievements were in his post.”
He Mingshou stroked his short beard, revealing a smile.
Fu Changxian was the grandson of a collateral branch of the He family. Because both his parents died, he was raised in the He family since childhood. Seeing he was quite talented, He Mingshou personally taught him for two years, counting as half a master.
He was also one of the son-in-law candidates he favored.
Just as he was walking inside, sounds of dispute came from behind the osmanthus trees with dense branches and leaves.
Children in the family arguing was a good time to observe. He couldn’t help stopping there, putting his hands behind his back and gazing over.
Behind the tree, a boy in brocade clothes stomped his foot and reached out to grab, trying to snatch the kite. “Give it to me! I told you to give it to me, didn’t you hear?”
He Xunfang protected the bird kite behind her back and said angrily, “This is my thing. If you want one, can’t you ask someone to make one?”
The boy couldn’t reach it and became more anxious, trying to snatch it again. “Give it to me quickly!”
The surrounding servants tried to block and persuade, turning into a mess of porridge.
The woman following the boy persuaded, “Eldest Miss, it’s just a kite. Second Young Master wants it; why not just give it to him? Another day, we will ask our Madame to compensate you with one, alright?”
“Since it’s just a kite, you don’t even have a kite, yet you come to snatch someone else’s?” He Xunfang’s eyes reddened as she spoke. She reached out and pushed hard with unknown strength, and the boy in brocade clothes instantly fell to the ground.
Falling unprepared on the blue bricks couldn’t be called painless. The boy immediately burst into loud wails. The servants were stunned at first, then hurriedly reached out to help, but were pushed away by the boy.
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