Chapter Sixty: Fainting
As Peng Liang took the severed head and stuffed it into a leather pouch, as they galloped toward the imperial city, a figure in the uniform of a Grand Court constable hurriedly mounted his horse and rushed toward the residence of the Minister of Rites.
...
Inside the imperial palace, in the Imperial Study.
The old emperor put down his jade brush, leaned back into his chair, and stretched languidly.
He sighed, “I am getting old, no longer as capable as before. I used to review memorials all night long, but now, as soon as the evening lamps are lit, my energy begins to wane.”
Eunuch Su, hearing this, stepped to his side, gently massaging the emperor’s shoulders, and replied, “Your Majesty remains vigorous and handsome, with not a trace of old age. If you are tired, it is only because you have been too diligent lately; even an iron body could not endure such exertion.”
“You always know how to flatter.”
The old emperor closed his eyes, enjoying Eunuch Su’s massage, smiling and feigning annoyance. Yet the corners of his lips curled upward.
After a few moments, the emperor spoke without opening his eyes, “Lady Official Shangguan Yue is intelligent and talented, well-versed in learning, attentive and diligent in her service. She handles official business with clarity and precision.
Xiao Hongzi, for memorials that do not concern major affairs, why not let her handle them on my behalf?”
Eunuch Su’s smiling expression did not change in the slightest as he responded, “As long as Your Majesty is at ease.”
“Speaking of ease,”
The emperor sat up and glanced at the lanterns outside the hall. “I have not seen Minister Xue for several days. Go, summon him to the palace.”
“Yes.”
Eunuch Su bowed and prepared to leave.
Neither of them said another word about Lady Shangguan Yue’s handling of memorials.
Just then, a loud report suddenly rang out from outside the hall.
“Di Ying, Assistant Minister of the Grand Court, seeks an audience with Your Majesty despite his injuries!”
The old emperor sprang to his feet.
His eyes opened wide.
“Summon him!”
After giving the order, he quickly added, “Summon the imperial physician! No, summon the chief physician—quickly!”
Seeing a young eunuch rush off, the old emperor paced twice around the hall, then asked Su Hong, “Xiao Hongzi, why do I have a bad feeling? Di Huaijie is suddenly injured, and instead of tending to himself, he comes to see me. Do you think the culprit might be...”
The three words "Wu Family" were swallowed before leaving the emperor’s lips.
Su Hong lowered his head and replied softly, “Your Majesty need not worry. If Lord Di was able to make it to the palace, his injuries must not be severe. I hear his residence lacks even proper furniture.”
At this, Su Hong fell silent.
The old emperor understood: even if it was the Wu Family who acted, at most, compensation could be offered to Di Ying.
She drew a breath and waited, her mind at ease.
Soon, she saw Di Ying stagger in.
Under the candlelight, Di Ying’s face was pale, making the bloodstains on his arm even more glaring.
The sight made the emperor avert her gaze, wondering: How much gold will be needed as compensation?
Yet her expression remained stern as she questioned, “You came before me in this state on purpose—who do you wish misfortune upon?”
She waited to hear a name.
She was prepared to hear the name of someone from the Wu Family.
Yet the response was a thud.
She turned, startled, to find Di Ying had collapsed and passed out.
The emperor: “...”
This did not look like a minor injury.
She glared at Su Hong and was about to approach when the chief physician, carrying a medicine chest, rushed in, panting heavily.
At his age, the sprint left him breathless.
This stifled the emperor’s urge to reprimand him for being slow.
Stopping the physician from bowing, the emperor pointed to the man on the floor. “Go, take a look at him. If he’s feigning unconsciousness, kick him awake for me.
Does he think I’m a fool? The blood is black where it’s black, red where it’s red, dry where it’s dry, wet where it’s wet—and so much of it. That’s not the look of a fresh wound.
He deliberately held out until he was before me, then fainted—hmph!”
The emperor spoke and looked away.
The chief physician dared not reply.
He nodded, and with Eunuch Su’s help, turned Di Ying’s body upright.
After feeling his pulse and examining the wound, the physician finally caught his breath and reported,
“Your Majesty, according to my diagnosis, Lord Di was likely wounded in the afternoon. Since the arrow was not removed, blood loss was not extensive.
However, it appears he rode and ran after being injured, accelerating the blood flow—”
“No rambling. Who has the patience to listen to medical theory? Just tell me: will he live?”
The emperor cut him off.
The chief physician glanced at the emperor and nodded, “He will live.”
A faint “hmph” sounded from the emperor’s nose.
The physician continued, “Your Majesty, Lord Di’s life can be saved, but if the arrow is not removed soon, the wound may fester and become dangerous. See, it’s already swollen and red. May I...”
“Remove it here! Right now!”
The emperor, knowing what the physician meant to ask, issued a direct command.
The chief physician sniffed, looked at the cold hard floor and his aging legs, sighed, and knelt to begin the procedure.
Suddenly, a shrill cry echoed from outside the hall: “Your Majesty!!”
The birds that had been sleeping were startled awake and flew off in a flurry.
The emperor shuddered involuntarily.
The physician, startled, sat down hard on the floor.
The emperor was about to lose her temper.
How many times had she said it? How many strict orders had she given? This was the imperial city, her palace—why the shouting?
But seeing Wu Qiongsi stumble in, nearly tumbling over the threshold and crawling to her, the emperor pursed her lips.
She thought: He’s family, her beloved nephew—cannot scold him in front of outsiders.
“Your Majesty, my second son, Xiang Jin, is... is dead!”
Wu Qiongsi wailed as he entered, nearly tripping over the high threshold, finally kneeling and crawling to the emperor’s feet, clutching her legs and crying out.
The emperor: “...What did you say? Who has died?”
Wu Qiongsi: “It’s Xiang Jin, my second son—your grandnephew, wuwuwu~”
The emperor: “How did he die?”
Wu Qiongsi wiped his tears and snot, his bloodshot eyes glaring, and he cried out, “It was Di Ying! Di Ying opened the Grand Court in secret and, behind all our backs, executed my son!”
The emperor: “...”
Now she understood why Di Ying, wounded, had rushed to the palace and why he fainted upon arrival.
The emperor raised her hand to her chest, feeling as if her breath was blocked, unable to go up or down, utterly stifled.
Only when Wu Qiongsi, still clutching her leg, shook her twice did the emperor breathe deeply, pointed at Di Ying, and ordered the chief physician, “Wake him at once!”