Chapter 663 - 666: Holy Decree

Chapter 663: Chapter 666: Holy Decree

A eunuch walked in, carrying a freshly brewed medicinal soup.

Princess Consort Zhen extended her hand. "Give it to me."

However, before she could take the bowl of medicine, she heard the Empress Dowager ask a question.

"Has this medicine been tested?"

Zuo Ji, who was standing nearby, immediately answered, "Your Highness, it has already been tested. The medicine is fine."

After Wu Wang’s death, Zuo Ji had become the Emperor’s most capable eunuch, and had once been injured while saving His Majesty’s life.

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager felt relieved and said nothing more.

Princess Consort Zhen carried the bowl of medicine to the bedside and said softly,

"Your Majesty, it’s time for your medicine."

Since his paralysis, the Emperor had lost a great deal of weight. Even though he was nourished daily with countless precious medicinal herbs, his muscles had inevitably continued to atrophy.

But because he had a naturally large frame, his body now looked grotesque and misshapen.

His face was now covered in wrinkles, and his hair had whitened considerably.

He exuded an air of decay, like a man on the brink of death.

He was a completely different man from the high-spirited Emperor he once was.

Princess Consort Zhen scooped up the medicine with a white porcelain spoon, blew on it gently, and once sure it was no longer scalding, brought it to the Emperor’s lips.

The Emperor frowned.

Ever since he was paralyzed, he had to drink medicine every day.

Even though the Imperial Physicians did their utmost to reduce the bitterness of the concoction, good medicine is always hard to swallow. So long as it was medicine, it could never be pleasant.

Over the years, the daily ordeal of drinking medicine had left the Emperor physically and mentally drained.

Yet, despite his revulsion, he opened his mouth and drank it.

He was still clinging to a final shred of hope.

He didn’t want to be a cripple for the rest of his life.

He wanted to stand up, to become that high-spirited man he once was!

The bowl of medicine was soon empty.

Princess Consort Zhen gently and meticulously wiped the corners of his mouth with a silk handkerchief.

The Emperor spoke weakly, "I heard Li Xun was rescued?"

Princess Consort Zhen’s movements faltered, a look of shame crossing her face.

"It was my failure. I was unable to keep a close watch on Xun’er. I have already sent the Yulin Guards out of the palace to find him."

The Emperor was quite displeased. "I said from the start that Li Xun should be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice. But you, with your misplaced compassion, insisted on keeping him by your side. And now look what’s happened—he’s escaped."

Princess Consort Zhen lowered her head, her voice choked with emotion. "It is my fault. I am willing to accept any punishment."

The Emperor was truly angry.

Li Xun was Li Ji’s only son. With him in their grasp, how could they fail to make Li Ji walk right into their trap?

And now Princess Consort Zhen had ruined everything.

But the Emperor couldn’t bring himself to punish her.

Ever since he was paralyzed, Princess Consort Zhen had come every day to wait on him, serving his tea, water, medicine, and meals.

She had even learned massage herself to tend to his limbs.

Sometimes, when he had an accident in bed, she would help clean him up, always patient and meticulous, never showing the slightest hint of disgust.

If it had only been for a few weeks, one might say it was all an act.

But she had been like this every single day for six years.

That could only mean she truly loved him and was willing to accept him completely.

Even though he was a paralyzed cripple, she still loved him with all her heart.

How could anyone not be moved by such deep and sincere affection?

Naturally, the Emperor was exceptionally lenient with her.

His expression softened. "Let this be a lesson to you. Don’t make such a foolish mistake again."

Princess Consort Zhen dabbed the corner of her eye with her handkerchief and replied in a trembling voice,

"I know I was wrong. From now on, I will listen to whatever Your Majesty says."

"As long as you know you were wrong," the Emperor said, satisfied.

The Empress Dowager suddenly interjected.

"Princess Consort Zhen, you may leave. We have something to discuss with the Emperor in private."

Princess Consort Zhen stood and curtsied. "I will take my leave."

As soon as she was gone, the Empress Dowager began to complain.

"You indulge Princess Consort Zhen far too much. She is merely a concubine, yet she’s meddling in the affairs of the court. Even the Yulin Guards are under her command."

"If this continues, won’t she soon have absolute power over both the court and the harem?!"

The Emperor replied, "Mother, you exaggerate. When has Qingqing ever interfered in matters of the court?

"As for the Yulin Guards, I plan to select a group from among them to be the Crown Prince’s personal guard.

"Qingqing is the Crown Prince’s mother, and she is clever and thorough.

"I asked for her help in selecting suitable candidates, which is why I temporarily put the Yulin Guards under her authority.

"Please rest assured, Mother. Once the selection is complete, I will take back command of the Yulin Guards."

Saying so much at once left him breathless, and the color drained further from his face.

The Empress Dowager quickly came to his side, gently rubbing his chest to help him breathe.

Once he had caught his breath, the Empress Dowager withdrew her hand and said with a frown,

"We know you are fond of Princess Consort Zhen. In your eyes, that woman can do no wrong.

"But you must understand that no woman who survives in the harem is a simple creature.

"That woman is not as simple as you think."

The Emperor was exasperated. "I am not a three-year-old child. I know what I’m doing."

The Empress Dowager lowered her voice. "Princess Consort Zhen’s sister is the Regent Queen. The two of them have always been very close. We worry she might secretly pass information to the Regent King for her sister’s sake."

The Emperor, however, was confident on this point.

"That won’t happen. Since the Regent King’s fall from grace, Qingqing has had very little contact with him. Their relationship is quite cold, and even the Crown Prince is very displeased with the Regent King. They would never help him."

The Empress Dowager replied, "That may be, but you can never truly know what is in a person’s heart. Who knows what Princess Consort Zhen is really thinking?"

The Emperor asked in return, "What would you have me do, Mother?"

But the Empress Dowager didn’t answer directly. Instead, she said meaningfully,

"It is too early to speak of such things. We simply want you to be on your guard. Do not let a woman jeopardize the foundation of our Great Zhou Dynasty."

After the Empress Dowager left, the medicine took effect and the Emperor drifted off to sleep.

He had a dream that he had died from his illness, and the throne had passed to Li Qiong.

But Li Qiong was young and naive. He listened to Princess Consort Zhen in all matters, great and small. This led to power falling into the hands of the consort’s family, whose influence grew immense. The Great Zhou Dynasty was thrown into turmoil, its centuries-old foundation nearly crumbling overnight.

The Emperor awoke from the dream drenched in a cold sweat.

He summoned Zuo Ji and commanded,

"Summon a Hanlin Academy Scholar. I wish to draft a decree."

"As you command."

Soon, the Hanlin Academy Scholar rushed over and bowed respectfully.

"This humble official greets Your Majesty."

The Emperor had someone prepare a brush and ink, then said in a low voice,

"I wish to draft a Holy Decree, and you shall write for me. Once it is written, do not make it public. Keep it with you. When the day comes that I am gone, you are to bring it forth."

The Hanlin Academy Scholar broke out in a cold sweat and said in terror, "Your Majesty, may your fortune be as vast as the heavens! May you live ten thousand years!"

The Emperor had no desire to hear such hollow pleasantries and began dictating the Holy Decree immediately.

The Hanlin Academy Scholar, trembling, picked up his brush and recorded every word.

When he was finished, the Hanlin Academy Scholar blew the ink dry, then carried the Holy Decree over for the Emperor to inspect personally.

After confirming its contents were correct, the Emperor had Zuo Ji bring out the Jade Seal and affix its red impression to the end of the Holy Decree.