Chapter 038: The Little Emperor Falls Gravely Ill
By the time they returned to the palace from the Regentâs residence, the sky had already dimmed into a murky darkness.
Wei Wanlan felt his neck stiffen. The rumble of the carriage wheels echoed in his ears, the ride was steady, and the carriage carried a faint bitter scent of woodâit was Su Jingzhi’s carriage.
The reason he had left in the golden carriage but was now returning in Su Jingzhiâs was because he had left in such a rush, almost in a daze, still dressed in womenâs clothing.
Su Jingzhi hadnât seemed to mind, but fearing that the emperor had disgraced the dignity of the ruler of Da Wei, he sent the golden carriage back. He arranged for Tang Tuan to escort Wei Wanlan, under the guise of “Miss Wan,” which aroused no suspicion.
He had no idea how long the carriage had traveled.
Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt, and Wei Wanlan jolted slightly inside. From outside the curtain, Tang Tuan’s voice rang out:
âYour Majesty, we have arrived at the Zichen Palace. Please, you should return.â
ăWhat a treacherous minister! The Regentâs carriage dares to drive all the way to the Emperorâs sleeping quarters. But heâs already like a grasshopper after autumn, he wonât be able to jump for much longer.ă
404âs voice echoed in his mind.
Wei Wanlan lifted the curtain, letting the faint night light spill in.
Tang Tuan didnât dare offer the emperor any help, but his gaze remained fixed on him, his shiny eyes particularly focused on the hem of Wei Wanlanâs robe and the wooden steps laid at his feet.
âPlease be careful, Your Majesty.â
Wei Wanlan responded, âMm.â
He lifted the hem of his dress and walked slowly. His voice was slightly hoarse when he replied to Tang Tuan.
Tang Tuan quickly asked, âYour Majesty, are you unwell? Rushing back like this, should we summon the imperial physician?â
âNo⌠itâs justâŚâ He thought for a moment and said, âIâm a little tired.â
Tang Tuan frowned. It was possible that the little emperor, having been alone in the Regentâs study, might indeed be exhausted when he came out.
However, he shouldnât be in this stateâhis face wasnât flushed, and he wasnât shy. Even his posture upon rising was normal. The Regent had even asked him to escort the emperor back, so it didnât seem like they had quarreled.
Worried, Tang Tuan pressed, âYour Majââ
Thump!
Sure enough, he was about to fall off the carriage again.
Tang Tuan rushed to catch him. After all, the emperor was used to falling by now, and Deputy General Tang was well-prepared for it.
But after Wei Wanlan stumbled a few steps on the ground, he managed to steady himself, though his back looked both flustered and pitiful.
Tang Tuan leaned forward, following closely. âYour Majesty.â
âGo back. Iâm fine.â
Drunk people always claim they arenât drunk, just as people with something on their mind always say theyâre fine.
Tang Tuan racked his brain, trying to figure out why Wei Wanlan was in such a state, but he couldnât come up with anything. Finally, in a low voice, he asked, âHas someone in the palace bullied you, Your Majesty? Or has something happened that you canât resolve?â
Since the little emperor had not yet assumed full governance, no one knew for sure what the relationship between the Regent and the emperor was like. It wasnât impossible that some foolish servants might be mistreating him. Tang Tuan couldnât help but worry.
Deputy General Tang was actually a good person.
Wei Wanlanâs soft hair drooped across his forehead, making him look obedient and pitiful, his doe-like eyes filled with a hint of grievance. âThank you, Deputy General Tang. No one has bullied me.â
Tang Tuanâs heart nearly melted from the cuteness.
If it werenât for the fear of having his hand chopped off by the Regent, he would have loved to ruffle the little emperorâs hair. Instead, he solemnly said, âYou donât need to fear anyone now, Your Majesty, because you have the strongest backing.â
He might have been referring to the Da Wei court.
Wei Wanlan nodded. âMm.â
The doors to Zichen Palace closed behind him.
ăHost, Tang Tuanâs loyalty and bravery are commendable, but unfortunately, heâs a die-hard supporter of the Regent.ă
ăHowever, once the Regent is cursed to death by witchcraft, Tang Tuan wonât know it was your doing, and by then, he can still be of use to you.ă
Wei Wanlan didnât respond. By now, the weight on his chest was turning into panic.
He thought the symptoms were from low blood sugar, so he asked An Ruyi to prepare some sweets after returning to the palace. However, after only a few bites in bed, he felt nauseous and placed the dessert tray by the bedside, dry-heaving: âUghââ
ăWhatâs this? Are you really pregnant?ă
The nausea grew stronger, nearly draining the life out of Wei Wanlan. He lay slumped against the edge of the bed, his fingertips digging into the sheets.
404 continued teasing him in his ear, unusually talkative today:
ăIf youâre really pregnant with Su Jingzhiâs child, youâve hit the jackpot. Once he dies, youâll raise the child as a single father. The crown prince would have royal blood and be the descendant of a famous general, which would counterbalance your own timid nature. The kid would definitely be excellent.ă
ââŚâ
Wei Wanlan didnât take the bait. His heart pounded in his chest, and the nausea worsened.
âSomeone⌠someone, comeâŚâ
His voice carried through the dragon bed to the outside.
An Ruyi rushed in, her face pale with panic as she exclaimed, âYour Majesty, why are you sweating so much?â
Wei Wanlanâs nose rubbed against the bed, and speaking became difficult.
404 finally realized something was wrong:
ăHost, are you sick?ă
âI⌠I just want to lie down for a whileâŚâ
Wei Wanlan motioned towards the dessert bowl by the bedside. An Ruyi quickly removed his shoes and socks, tucking him into the dragon bed. She wiped his sweat with a handkerchief she always carried and called out, âSummon the imperial physician! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!â
Curled up on his side, his face buried in the blankets, Wei Wanlanâs dry lips wouldnât part. He could only press them together and close his eyes, falling into a muddled sleep.
He wasnât sure when Imperial Physician Fang entered the palace.
Wei Wanlan was half-conscious.
His body felt heavy, and he couldnât move.
But he could sense someone taking his wrist, turning it to the inside, and Wei Wanlanâs arm twitched like a fish out of water. Then he vaguely heard the physicianâs intermittent diagnosis, but it was like listening through a fog, and he couldnât make out the words.
â⌠Emotional distress has caused an imbalance in the spleen and stomach. He needs to calm his mind and nourish his heart. Thereâs no rush to administer medication.â
âUnderstood. Come frequently over the next few days to check his pulse.â
âYes.â
Since the system shared consciousness with its host, when Wei Wanlan lost consciousness, 404 couldnât function either. It had no choice but to rest alongside him.
When consciousness returned.
Outside the Zichen Palace, birds were chirping.
Even in the dead of winter, the palace sparrows were noisy in the early morning. The emperor had forbidden the young eunuchs from chasing them away, so over time, the sparrows had multiplied in number.
Wei Wanlan sat up in the dragon bed just as the distant sound of firecrackers reached his ears. The bed curtains were open, and outside the window, dozens of sparrows took flight, perching on the branches of a nearby tree.
Wei Wanlan tilted his head, finally managing a smile.
ăWhatâs this? Youâve finally recovered? Look at how scared you were about killing someone!ă
404 muttered in his ear, now able to see that the acute illness from the night before had been caused by Wei Wanlanâs soft heart. The thought of using witchcraft to kill someone had pushed him to the brink of his emotional limits.
This wasnât something he could control; it was his bodyâs natural reaction.
Though 404 found his cowardice somewhat contemptible, it didnât blame him. Instead, in a calm tone, it pulled out the witchcraft doll, floating it before Wei Wanlanâs eyes.
The dollâs pale body and eerie smile, painted in cinnabar, were fully visible in Wei Wanlanâs sight:
ăCall An Ruyi to bring paper and ink. You must write the charm yourself and paste it on.ă
The Emperor-Nurturing System couldnât do this for him.
âAlrightâŚâ
Wei Wanlan called An Ruyi in, washed up, and then asked her for paper and ink.
An Ruyi asked, âIs Your Majesty feeling better?â
âIâm better.â Even though Wei Wanlan said this, his pale lips couldnât hide the fact that he still looked sickly, like a frail little creature.
An Ruyi didnât dare disturb him. âYour servant will take his leave.â
âWait a moment.â Wei Wanlan stopped her.
An Ruyi quickly halted. âWhat is it, Your Majesty?â
âWhy are there firecrackers?â Wei Wanlan asked.
âToday is the Xiaonian,â An Ruyi answered quickly, her voice gentle. âItâs always lively during the Xiaonian.â
âOh.â Wei Wanlan nodded.
After An Ruyi left, he picked up the brush and, with crude handwriting, wrote down Su Jingzhiâs birthdate and name on a strip of paper about five or six inches long.
As the ink dried, the system was satisfied, nearly giddy with excitement. If it had a physical form, it would have been jumping for joy:
ăDo you know how hard it has been to guide you through this mission? Iâve been on the verge of collapse so many times!ă
ăBut now itâs all good. Youâve completed the first task. Iâm confident that tasks two and three will be a challenge, but nothing you canât handle.ă
The system had already built up trust in Wei Wanlan and was growing increasingly confident, almost to the point of arrogance.
Wei Wanlan said, âI havenât even pasted the charm yet.â
ăThe system rewards have already been distributed. The great power minister will surely die. All thatâs left is for you to paste the charmâjust a matter of moments. Hurry, hurry!ă
Wei Wanlan held the paper between his fingers, but as if after careful consideration, he set it down again. Seemingly having thought things through, he said to 404:
âI think there are many more important things to do before killing him.â
ăWhat could possibly be more important than killing him?ă
âPreparations,â Wei Wanlan replied weakly.
404 didnât quite understand: ăWhat preparations?ă
âIf the Regent suddenly dies, it will have a huge impact on Da Wei, wonât it?â
ă…â!!!ă
At those words, 404, which had been eagerly urging him to complete the mission, suddenly fell silent for a moment.
The host of intricate thoughts extended along Wei Wanlanâs line of thinking.
Then, a chilling realization crept over 404. How had it not thought of this earlier?
If the Regent dies, the host may not necessarily be able to take over all of Su Jingzhiâs power.
On the contrary, the sudden death of the Regent could leave Da Wei without leadership, potentially triggering another rebellion!
After all, there were others vying for supreme power; the host wasnât the only one. This was a world of political intrigue.
404âs electronic voice trembled slightly:
ăYouâre right. That makes sense. Youâre becoming more and more like an enlightened ruler. Well done, your thinking is thorough. I have high hopes for you now.ă
With that, 404 was filled with a fervor akin to that of a devoted advisor, and it began strategizing the available military forces for Wei Wanlan:
ăListen carefully. First, summon Princess Wei Wanyi. Sheâs on good terms with the Ministry of War and has some private soldiers.ă
ăWhen the Regent dies, go to his residence with the Princessâs troops. Verify his death, quietly inform Tang Tuan, and with the Regent gone, Tang Tuan will have no master. With the military seal in your possession, heâll have no choice but to recognize you as his leader.ă
404 was well-versed in conspiracy planning:
ăOnce you have the military seal, youâll be able to command the entire realm. There will no longer be a second Regent who can simply waltz in and take your army away.ă
404âs voice was so high-pitched that it hurt Wei Wanlanâs ears. Summoning Princess Wei Wanyi wasnât a difficult task; after all, she was the emperorâs elder sister by blood.
ăIâve drafted the decree for you. Go call An Ruyi to deliver it. He wonât suspect a thing.ă
âAlright.â
An Ruyi entered the room and received the order. Having a family dinner with his elder sister during the Xiaonian was the most normal thing in the world. The only concern was that Princess Wei Wanyi might storm through Zichen Palace like a whirlwind, so Eunuch An made a mental note to pay extra attention to the emperorâs change of clothes, making sure no one left the palace unattended.
âYour servant will take his leave and carry out the command.â
Given Wei Wanyiâs fiery personality, she would probably be there in less than half a stick of incense, and with at least several dozen attendants in tow, at the very least.
The outer hall of Zichen Palace was already bustling with palace maids and eunuchs preparing for the upcoming event.
After thinking it over, the system added:
ăWear this.ă
Suddenly, a golden glow appeared around Wei Wanlanâs body. He pinched his clothesâit had some thickness. It was soft armor, likely some kind of protective treasure.
The system continued to ponder: ăMake yourself look presentable. Donât look so sickly; it wonât leave a good impression on your subordinates.ă
After another moment: ăWear some cinnabar for good luck.ă
That should be about right.
After all the systemâs careful thinking, it felt that they had done all they could before Su Jingzhiâs death. If this were some high-tech world, it would have stuffed Wei Wanlan into an armored vehicle and bulldozed their way into the Regentâs residence to seize control.
But this was a political intrigue story, not steampunk or sci-fi. They had done as much as they could within reason.
The system had planned everything for Wei Wanlan meticulously and was now feeling a bit exhausted from all the mental strain.
404 even mimicked the sound of human panting with its electronic voice, proudly declaring:
ăHost, letâs start! Kill the Regent and light a grand firework to celebrate our successful partnership!ă
âYour Majesty.â
It was Eunuch Anâs voice. He had returned so quickly.
Wei Wanlan was momentarily stunned, lifting his head like a little puppet. An Ruyi was walking ahead, with Princess Wei Wanyi and a large entourage behind himâthe same familiar setup, though this time, the people Wei Wanyi had brought were soon to be conscripted as Wei Wanlanâs private soldiers.
An Ruyi, panting, said:
âOh, Your Majesty, you have no idea how difficult it was to get into the palace! We passed by the Zhongshu Province, and wouldnât you know it, we ran right into the Regent! When he saw the Princess bringing so many attendants to visit you, his face turned ashen. It gave me the creepsâŚâ
âIsnât he supposed to be recovering at the palace?â
Arenât the court officials and ministers supposed to be with him at the regentâs residence?
An Ruyi replied, âHe was recovering, but when he heard that you had fallen ill, the Regent came rushing in the middle of the night. He stayed until the imperial physician finished his diagnosis before leaving, but instead of returning to the residence, heâs staying at the Zhongshu Province.â
ââI see. âCome frequently over the next few days to check his pulse.â
Wei Wanlan remembered his wrist being turned over the previous night and lightly touched the inside of his wrist. The rough sensation of the scrape was still there.
It seemed to stir something in him, making his nose prickle with a strange emotion.
But it was difficult to place these feelings. He silently asked the system, âIf I were truly sick, it would be bad for his rule too, wouldnât it? Thatâs why he was so anxious, right?â
ăOf course! Youâre getting smarter by the day! If anyone dares call you dumb, Iâll zap them!ă
âThen today is the 23rd of the twelfth month?â
ăYes, itâs the Xiaonian.ă
âŚIt was also his birthday.
Wei Wanlan tightened the sleeve of his robe, feeling the slip of paper with Su Jingzhiâs birthdate still tucked inside.
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