jdhmnovel Chapter 322 Mistake
Chapter 322 Mistake
There was a strong wind blowing on the grassland in August. As soon as the emperor left the tent, he felt a cold wind blowing into his neck. The chill penetrated into his bones and made him wake up instantly.
He subconsciously paused, feeling a tightness in his chest.
Seeing this, Jinzhong, who was standing beside him, hurried forward and carefully put the cloak on the emperor's shoulders, muttering something.
"Your Majesty, please be careful and don't catch a cold."
The emperor frowned and whispered, "Send me to the hot spring. I want to bathe. Perhaps I drank too much wine. It's my fault for indulging myself today. I've been holding it in for so many years..."
His body was always very hot, making it hard for him to breathe. He rubbed his forehead, trying to ease the discomfort.
"Whoo."
Jinzhong quickly agreed.
Bathing in the hot springs was a habit the emperor had developed in recent years. Whenever he felt irritable or physically tired, a dip in the hot springs would always soothe him.
But today it was strange, the headache was like a carbuncle attached to the bone, and I couldn't get rid of it no matter what I did.
He had thought that going out of the tent to get some fresh air would provide some relief, but his head still felt like it was being pierced by thousands of needles, and the pain was so severe that his face turned pale.
That night, the emperor soaked in the hot spring for a full quarter of an hour. Normally, after soaking, his whole body would feel warm and his headache would be relieved a little. But this time, as soon as he came out of the hot spring, the headache came back like a surging tide.
The emperor's body swayed slightly, and Jinzhong was quick to step forward to support him, his face full of worry.
"Your Majesty, I am truly distressed by your appearance. How about I quickly call the imperial physician?"
Jinzhong's face was full of anxiety, and he was about to run out as he spoke.
The emperor raised his hand to stop her, then said slowly, "No need. I just want to rest now. We can talk tomorrow if there's anything. Perhaps it's been too long since I last drank, so after a few glasses of wine today, I feel a little overwhelmed. Go get me some sober soup."
As the emperor spoke, he rubbed his throbbing forehead vigorously. The headache seemed to be stretching his skull and bursting it. But at the same time, an irresistible fatigue and drowsiness quickly swept over his body, making it difficult for him to even stand.
Jinzhong did not dare to disobey the emperor's will and could only nod repeatedly.
"I will go right away. Your Majesty, please lean back and rest for a while."
After saying that, he hurriedly turned around and left the tent, and returned with some sobering soup a short while later.
The emperor forced himself to stay awake and, with Jinzhong's support, drank the sobering soup in one gulp, then lay down on the bed with his clothes on.
Jinzhong gently tucked in the corners of the quilt for the emperor and quietly blew out the candle beside the bed. Then he tiptoed out of the tent and stood guard at the door, full of worry, not daring to relax for a moment.
……
In the dim morning light, the emperor slowly woke up.
However, he was not yet fully awake, and he immediately noticed something was wrong. He felt as if his body was being pressed down by a heavy stone, extremely heavy, and his limbs seemed to weigh thousands of pounds, making it difficult to move at all.
He tried his best to get up, but could only lie on the bed in vain. After struggling for a few times, a trace of panic quietly crept into his heart, and he had no choice but to shout with a dry voice.
“Come in…come in…”
As soon as he spoke, the emperor was startled. His voice was hoarse, dark, and unclear, completely lacking the clarity and majesty of the past.
In an instant, a chill like an icy snake snaked down his spine, making him feel cold all over.
"Jin... Zhong..."
He used all his strength to squeeze out these words with difficulty.
"Your Majesty, I am here!"
Jinzhong, who was guarding outside the tent, heard the call and was extremely anxious. He rushed into the tent in one step, but the moment his eyes fell on the emperor on the bed, his legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground.
"Imperial Physician! Send the message to the Imperial Physician quickly!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs, completely losing his usual composure.
At this moment, the emperor was lying paralyzed on the bed, his face twisted, the corners of his mouth drooping, his eyebrows and eyes also crooked uncontrollably. The spirited and majestic appearance of the emperor in the past was gone. Only his eyes could move, full of panic and helplessness, and his body seemed to be nailed to the bed, unable to move.
A group of palace servants rushed in, but were so frightened by the horrifying scene that they stood there frozen in fear. The tent was instantly in chaos. Only Jin Zhongqiang supported his weak legs and rushed to the emperor's bed, muttering to himself.
"Your Majesty, please hold on..."
The tent was instantly in chaos. The palace servants were in a panic and were in a mess. Even the basin of water that had just been brought in to serve the emperor in washing was knocked over, and water splashed everywhere, soaking the felt carpet.
The emperor was filled with panic at this time, as if he had fallen into an icy cave. He subconsciously wanted to clench his fists and exert all his strength, but his limbs were completely out of control.
It was as if he was tightly bound by an invisible force. Not to mention raising his hands, even moving his fingers became a luxury. His fingers drooped limply and could not be curled up.
When Yan Wan heard the news, she was extremely anxious. She didn't even have time to carefully organize her jewelry and rushed over. She was the first one to arrive at the emperor's tent.
Her eyes flashed, and she quickly calmed herself down. She immediately ordered a blockade around the emperor's tent, strictly prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving, and keeping all news secret, not allowing a single word to leak out.
"Doctor Bao, how is the emperor doing?"
Yanwan moved lightly with lotus steps and slowly sat down next to the bed, her eyes fixed on the hand of Doctor Bao who was taking the emperor's pulse, her face full of just the right amount of worry.
Her brows were slightly furrowed, and tears were faintly visible in her eyes. Anyone who saw her would feel that she was deeply in love with the emperor and was extremely anxious.
Only she herself knew that this appearance was just an elaborate disguise.
Looking at his current appearance, no one could be happier than her.
Doctor Bao had cold sweat on his forehead. He placed his fingers on the emperor's wrist and probed again and again. The pulse beat fast and slow, disorderly and chaotically, like a death warrant.
After a long time, his body went limp and he crawled on the ground trembling, kowtowing like crazy, his voice trembling uncomfortably.
"Your Highness, spare me! The Emperor... The Emperor has had a stroke! His energy and blood are flowing backwards, his meridians are blocked, and his whole body is... completely paralyzed and unable to move!"
These words were like a thunderclap exploding in the tent. In an instant, all the servants serving in the hall knelt on the ground, their faces ashen and their bodies shaking like sieves.
"You bunch of slaves! How do you serve the Emperor on a daily basis? The Emperor has always been in good health, how could he have a stroke without any warning?"
Yanwan's eyebrows were raised, her eyes were wide open, and she suddenly raised her hand and swung it. With a crisp "bang", the teacup on the table beside her was knocked over. The scalding tea splashed everywhere, soaking the clothes of the kneeling servants, but no one dared to move.
Immediately afterwards, cries for mercy were heard throughout the tent, like a surging tide.
"Your Majesty, please spare me! I heard that the Emperor drank deer blood wine last night, which is extremely strong and hot. He then went out and caught a cold. The combination of cold and heat, coupled with the Emperor's recent toil on state affairs, has weakened his health. All these factors have come together to cause this unforeseen event! Please forgive me, Your Majesty. We will devote all our knowledge and efforts to healing the Emperor!"
Doctor Bao spoke tremblingly, and the other doctors followed suit. The sound of kowtows echoed in the chaotic tent.
The current emperor is already over sixty years old. At this age, his qi and blood are declining, his internal organs are weak, and stroke is not uncommon.
But he is the ruler of the world after all. If he makes any mistake, it will not be too much to exterminate all nine generations of his clan. Taking him to be buried with him would be considered a lenient punishment.
Yan Wan was still thinking about how to deal with this difficult situation. Before she could open her mouth, Wang Chan came hurriedly, staggering and almost knocking over the palace lantern at the door.
"Your Majesty, the ministers and princes have all gathered at the hunting grounds. Everything is ready, and we are just waiting for the Emperor. What should we do now?"
Wang Chan was breathing heavily, his face was pale, and his voice was full of anxiety and fear.
Yan Wan subconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand, and the handkerchief instantly wrinkled into a ball, and her knuckles turned white due to the force.
After a long while, as if he had finally made up his mind, he took a deep breath and said in a deep voice.
"Where is Yongyan now? Send him to see me immediately. Proclaim my order immediately: the Emperor caught a cold last night and is feeling unwell. The Seventeenth Prince will lead the hunt today. There must be no delays, as this would damage the royal dignity."
"Yes, I'll do it now, slave!"
Wang Chan did not dare to delay for even a moment. After receiving the order, he turned around hurriedly and his figure quickly disappeared outside the tent.
Yanwan took light steps, slowly turned her head, and looked straight at Jinzhong who was kneeling on the ground and trembling. After a moment, she nodded her chin at him, the movement was so slight that it was almost imperceptible.
The Emperor had just left the capital, bound for the autumn hunt beyond the Great Wall, when something so earth-shattering had suddenly occurred. The ministers at court were already divided, and if they had known that the Emperor was ill and paralyzed, the court would have been thrown into chaos.
People are in panic and government policies are not implemented. When ordinary people hear about it, rumors will spread and panic will spread. How easy will it be to stabilize people's hearts at that time?
Therefore, this matter must be kept strictly confidential and no information can be leaked.
We must not only do our utmost to safeguard the emperor's reputation and prevent the royal majesty from being tarnished, but we must also do everything we can to stabilize the current situation and not take a single wrong step.
Yan Wan had been planning for many years, and naturally she would not allow anything to go wrong at such a critical moment to disrupt her plan.
Jinzhong was very smart and immediately understood what he meant. He hurriedly crawled a few steps on his knees, then stood up and quickly followed Wang Chan out of the tent to announce the order.
As the emperor's personal attendant, he was always by his side and was greatly favored by the emperor. Only when he came forward to convey the emperor's orders could he control the situation and make everyone believe in him without any doubt.
……
"Your son greets you, mother."
Yongyan traveled quickly all the way, and just as he arrived in front of the emperor's tent, he saw Yanwan walking out of the tent.
At this moment, Yongyan had no idea that something big was about to happen. He still looked like a teenager, with a smile on his face and sparkling eyes, full of anticipation for the upcoming hunting event.
He stood there with an upright posture and respectfully, not noticing anything unusual.
However, Yan Wan's face was as solemn as ice, her brows were furrowed, and her eyes were staring straight at Yong Yan. Her gaze seemed to be real, as if she wanted to see through him.
After a long pause, she slowly spoke, "Get up, Yongyan. Have you remembered every single one of your royal father's earnest instructions to you?"
Yongyan was confused by the sudden seriousness and was full of doubts. He scratched his head subconsciously, but seeing his mother's stern expression, he didn't dare to say much and could only nod in confusion.
From the moment the emperor quietly issued a secret decree to appoint him as the crown prince, he had been keeping a close eye on his studies, and had also carefully taught him some of the ways of being an emperor and how to control his subordinates.
As time went by, Yongyan could now even review memorials properly and help the emperor handle some routine affairs in the court. Naturally, he did not dare to forget the teachings of his father.
"That's good. Yongyan, your royal father has suddenly become unwell. The winds are biting and the conditions are harsh here in Mulan Paddock. It's unsuitable for him to stay any longer. From now on, I will escort your royal father back to the palace to recuperate. All subsequent matters concerning the Autumn Hunt will be fully entrusted to you."
Yan Wan frowned, her expression solemn, and spoke seriously, word by word.
Yongyan rarely saw his mother so serious and cold. When he heard this, an ominous premonition suddenly surged in his heart.
"I obey your order. But... Mother, what happened to the Emperor? I am truly uneasy. No, I must go in and see the Emperor. Only when I see with my own eyes that he is well, can I go about my business with peace of mind."
Yongyan was extremely anxious, and his words were full of anxiety and eagerness. After he finished speaking, he raised his foot and was about to rush into the tent.
Yan Wan was quick-witted and quick-handed. She grabbed Yong Yan's sleeve tightly and spoke in a rapid but unquestionable tone.
"There's no time, Yongyan! You must leave immediately for the hunting grounds to take charge of the situation. You must not lose your composure. Don't worry, Mother is here to watch over us. She will take care of everything. Quick, bring the Fifteenth Prince's horse! Yongyan, remember Mother's words. You are your father's son, and even more so my son. You must not let Mother down at this moment. Don't let Mother down!"
After saying that, a group of palace maids and guards quickly gathered around, half pushing and half pushing Yongyan forward.
Yongyan was full of reluctance and looked back frequently, his eyes full of concern and reluctance, but all he saw was Yanwan's tall and straight figure standing alone in front of the tent, until the figure gradually blurred and finally disappeared.
The crowd hurried along, their figures receding into the distance. The noise and bustle faded away like the tide, and the enclosure quickly fell silent.
The wind rustled through the treetops, further accentuating the tranquility of the moment. Only the area around the carriages was bustling with activity.
The grooms looked nervous and checked the reins and wheels swiftly, while the palace maids, holding valuables, medicinal herbs and other items, placed them into the carriage quietly, quickly and orderly.
Everything is carried out in a tight and orderly manner, for fear of any mistake.
After a while, everything was ready. The carriage started slowly, the wheels rumbling, raising a cloud of dust, and then it galloped towards the capital.
The sound of horse hooves along the way seemed to be racing against time, and in a moment it disappeared at the end of the vast official road.