Chapter 198 - Emperor Xianjia Fainted

Here was a brief introduction of Emperor Xianjia’s children. Putting aside the two princesses, currently, Emperor Xianjia had only five sons alive, that is, the eldest son, aka, the Crown Prince; the second eldest son, aka, Prince of Wei; the third eldest son, aka, Prince of Liang; the fourth eldest son, aka, Prince of Zhao; the fifth eldest son, aka, Prince of Shu.

Although Qiu Shuxia had appealed to change the heir in court, now the Crown Prince was still the heir. Hence, he could never be adopted!

Empress Su expressed her opinion of not giving away Prince of Zhao, so the range of choices was limited to Prince of Wei, Prince of Liang and Prince of Shu.

For Prince of Su and Prince of Xiang, at least two imperial sons were needed.

“Given the current situation, the Empress can’t choose Prince of Wei, or Daiguo Grand Princess will fight with her then!” Song Yixiao was speculating about the Empress’s thinking, “So she can only choose Prince of Liang and Prince of Shu. Prince of Liang’s birth mother is Noble Consort Cui. The Noble Consort and the Empress have come to an open conflict now. How can the Noble Consort agree on that?”

Noble Consort Cui was still grounded in the Palace of Xifu now but given the promotion of Beautiful Lady Nuan, it was clearly evident that she was not easy to deal with!

Empress Su was the mistress of the Intermediate Palace, but it was also not easy to make her birth son adopted by Prince of Su or Prince of Xiang!

Even if the Empress could do it, Song Yixiao assumed that the Empress wouldn’t want to do it. Prince of Su and Prince of Xiang died early but they were always reputable, who received so much praise from the founding emperor, late Emperor and Emperor Xianjia.

Being their adopted sons could have more protection.

Was a help for the Crown Prince?

As to Prince of Shu, his birth mother didn’t have a strong personality. As the head of Nine Concubines, Concubine Xu was not of low rank but she was always soft and gentle.

Yet, Concubine Xu had only one son!

Empress Su claimed that she had Prince of Zhao only, so she didn’t want him adopted by others. However, if she just forced Concubine Xu to part with her own son and this got leaked out, it was imaginable how seriously the empress’s reputation would be ruined!

Especially Prince of Shu was only eight years old, who still needed his own mother’s care!

“It seems not difficult to choose two out of three, but in fact, it is troublesome whoever to choose!” Song Yixiao glanced at the Empress curiously and wondered how she would respond?

After a short silence, Empress Su raised her chin and smiled, “Mother, in my opinion, to make inheritor for the two brothers, we don’t necessarily have to choose among His Majesty’s sons. After all, His Majesty has only five sons. Why don’t we choose among the descendants of the imperial clan? For example, Prince of Hengshan has three legitimate sons, who are all smart and filial. Supposedly, he is willing to give away one son or two to be adopted by the two brothers!”

Of course Prince of Hengshan would say yes!

Moreover, Dowager Consort of Hengshan and Princess Consort Wei would nod their heads immediately!

After all, the Dowager Consort and the Princess Consort fought for so many years only for the title of prince.

As was proposed by the Empress, Lu Guanlun and Lu Guanyun could each gain a title of prince, and Prince of Hengshan could still have one son left. Thus, the seniors didn’t need to come to conflict, which was a great thing!

However, the Empress Dowager proposed finding an inheritor for each of the two early-deceased sons in order to set against the Empress. How could the Empress Dowager let go of her so easily and grant her a chance to do Prince of Hengshan such a special favor? The Empress Dowager snorted, “Prince of Hengshan’s legitimate sons are certainly good! However, by blood and closeness, they are not as good as the imperial sons!”

The Empress Dowager wanted to continue saying when a young eunuch rushed inside and hastily reported without even curtsying, “His Majesty passed out in the Palace of Xuanming!”

“What?!” All the people present were shocked. The Empress Dowager and the Empress even stood up in astonishment!

They wouldn’t have the time to talk about the adoption now. The Empress Dowager didn’t get changed and ordered hastily, “Let’s go to the Palace of Xuanming!”

Song Yixiao felt quite embarrassed now. The Palace of Xuanming was the resting palace of the emperor and the location for the inner court. It was fine for the Empress Dowager and the harem to pay him a visit there, but as an outer titled lady, it was inappropriate for her to follow then.

Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager, burning with anxiety, rushed outside without waiting for the carriage to be ready. Song Yixiao couldn’t even find a chance to ask for withdrawal!

Gladly, Empress Su still remembered her. After getting out of the hall, she specially walked behind and said, “Yixiao, if you don’t have anything else to report, just go back first!”

“Okay!” Song Yixiao felt relieved and thanked her gratefully. Standing under the stairs respectfully, she saw the others leave and then said goodbye to Yuguo who stayed in the Qingxi Hall for garrison before leaving the imperial palace quickly.

After leaving, she hastened to order Qiaoqin to find Jian Xubai in the Ministry of War, “Tell Xubai about His Majesty’s fainting promptly. Be smart and remember not to let others hear you!”

Given the current situation, if anything untoward happened to Emperor Xianjia now, it would be of great benefit to the Crown Prince.

Qiu Shuxia was impeaching the Crown Prince aggressively now. As a saying went, a country must be governed by a king. Once Emperor Xianjia perished, the Crown Prince, the inheritor of the emperor, of course could directly ascend the throne!

By then, no matter what Prince of Zhao and Prince of Wei held in hand, they couldn’t turn the tide then!

As such, the Crown Prince couldn’t show any delight in his face. Otherwise, he would offer proof of being unfilial for Prince of Zhao and Prince of Wei!

She sent Qiaoqin, who was relatively prudent, to inform her husband. While Song Yixiao ordered to go back to the mansion, she pinched the middle of her eyebrows. Even if Emperor Xianjia couldn’t get through and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, it might not be a good thing for Duke of Yan.

“Cui Jianlian has just passed away. The Noble Consort and her son are angry about what she did, but as Liu Zhenxi takes the lead to disclose Madam Huang’s conduct, the Crown Princess can hardly exonerate herself from scheming against the Side Concubine. Maybe even I may be suspected of colluding with the Crown Princess…” Song Yixiao was worried, “Who knows what the Noble Consort and her son will do after seizing the power?”

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help praying that Emperor Xianjia could get through this time and hang on for as long as possible!

After a while, the moment that Song Yixiao just returned to the mansion, a batch of visitors arrived. It went without saying that they were here to find out Emperor Xianjia’s condition.

“I was with Her Majesty the Empress Dowager in the Qingxi Hall and the concubines were all there at that time. A eunuch came to the hall and reported that His Majesty was not feeling well. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager and the others immediately went to the Palace of Xuanming out of worry. Considering that I, an outer titled lady, shouldn’t go to His Majesty’s resting palace, Her Majesty the Empress sent me away then.”

Song Yixiao couldn’t remember how many times she repeated the above saying. Until she saw off the last guest at dusk, she hastily fetched the tea passed by Jinxun, took a sip of it and looked at the door, “It is about time that Xubai should get off work now?”

Qiaoqin finally found the chance to report, “Your Highness, His Highness got the message and then put aside his business to ask for leave with Mr. Xu. Judging from the direction where they were heading, they must have gone to the imperial palace to pay a visit to His Majesty!”

“No wonder!” Song Yixiao took a tumble with a nod. Jian Xubai was raised by the Empress Dowager. It was said inside and outside the imperial palace that Emperor Xianjia regarded him as the son. Now that his uncle fainted, how could a nephew not show up?

Jian Xubai and Xu Xishi stayed in the imperial palace for one day and one night.

He didn’t return to the backyard of Duke of Yan’s mansion tiredly until the next evening.

Song Yixiao had waited for one day and one night in anxiety. Before she asked him anything, Jian Xubai said first, “Uncle is fine. Cousin Xishi and I haven’t slept until now. Earl Yiping’s mansion is far away from the imperial palace so I’ve brought him to sojourn in our mansion. He has been taken care of in the front yard. Remember to send someone to Earl Yiping’s mansion to bring his stuff in case of any inconvenience for him!”

After saying that, he almost fell asleep immediately.

Song Yixiao heaved a sigh. She went out to order someone to send a message to the Xu Family and asked Jinxun to fetch a basin of hot water. Then she brought it into the room, washed her husband up, took off his outfit, tucked him in and put down the curtain before leaving.

When she was out of the room, she beckoned Qiaoqin and inquired, “How is it going on?”

“People are all concerned about the situation in the imperial palace,” Having spent the whole day inquiring about information under the order, Qiaoqin reported, “Even the thing that Director Qiu impeaches the Crown Prince has put aside.”

Song Yixiao ruminated and asked, “Why did His Majesty faint… Is there any explanation for that?”

“Your Highness, there are several sayings. The most popular one is that Director Qiu abruptly impeached the Crown Prince the other day, which made His Majesty so mad that…”

“This saying seems to be against Qiu Shuxia. Is it spread by the Eastern Palace?” Song Yixiao pondered, “It does render Qiu Shuxia the ringleader causing the illness of His Majesty, but it is not a nice move. Especially His Majesty has got better now!”

For a father, when he was in critical sickness, did he hope to see his son stay with him in worry wholeheartedly or just be calm enough to act filial piety by the bedside and meanwhile order to spread rumors to exclude the dissidents?

Particularly, Emperor Xianjia spent the most effort on the Crown Prince among all his children!

At this crucial moment, the Crown Prince still didn’t forget to set against his political dissidents in light of his father’s illness, which was correct from the perspective of an heir. However, as a son, he might be regarded as unconcerned about Emperor Xianjia’s health. People might even think that he was eager to see Emperor Xianjia perish so that he could ascend the throne!

“This is what the imperial family is! The Crown Prince must be filial and capable. It is not difficult to be filial but it is never easy to be capable to a proper degree! An incapable crown prince may disappoint the emperor and the officials, and also make his brothers and the other peers of the imperial clan envious, which may shake his position; however, an over-capable crown prince will easily make the emperor feel defensive!” Song Yixiao ruminated, “But after Qiu Shuxia set against the Crown Prince, judging from the Crown Prince’s performance, he has grown up under the protection of His Majesty. He is still not shrew and experienced enough. Maybe this is not done by him?”

However, it was not done by the Crown Prince but it didn’t mean that it was not done by the people of the Crown Prince, “It is even possible that Prince of Wei and Prince of Zhao ‘help’ the Crown Prince spread the information. Now that His Majesty has got through, these troublesome things become even more complicated!”

While she was pondering, Jinguo Grand Princess’s trusted maid, Jiayue came and said, “It will be Her Highness’s birthday tomorrow and the invitations have been sent out. However, now that His Majesty has just got better, Her Highness is not in the mood to celebrate. Therefore, the feast won’t be held this year. I’m thus specially sent here to tell Your Highness!”

“How is His Majesty now?” Song Yixiao was not surprised. Her mother-in-law always thought highly of family affection. Emperor Xianjia was in poor health and he just fainted too suddenly. Even though he got through this time, it was not certain that he would be fine then.

At the moment, of course Jinguo Grand Princess was not in a mood to hold a birthday feast for herself. The cancelation of the birthday feast quite made sense.

Jiayue followed Jinguo Grand Princess into the imperial palace to pay the emperor a visit yesterday so she was aware of the ins and outs of the matter. She simply said, “There’s nothing wrong with His Majesty’s health now, but according to the imperial doctors, His Majesty has to rest for some time.”

Song Yixiao sensed her perfunctory tone, so she was sensible enough not to ask further. Instead, she just accepted the arrangement and expressed her wishes for the emperor. Then Jiayue just left.

After she left, Song Yixiao thought of her grandmother’s birthday, which was one day away from her mother-in-law’s, so she ordered Qiaoqin to go to the Wei Family’s mansion, “Tell my grandmother secretly about the information that Jiayue just brought just now!”

Qiaoqin went as ordered and then came back, reporting, “Elder Lady Cao also claims to cancel her birthday feast. I’ve told her not to do so and just to keep a low profile about it. It’ll be fine for her family to have dinner together.”

After all, Emperor Xianjia was not dead. Restraining too much might look like hoping him to die. Nevertheless, the emperor was still sick in bed. If the Wei Family made Elder Lady Cao’s birthday feast too lively and bustling, inevitably, others might get the goods on them.

Therefore, the Wei Family had better continue celebrating for Elder Lady Cao’s birthday and yet, refine it to a family gathering only in a low-profile and simple manner.

Song Yixiao slightly nodded her head, “Exactly!”

Qiaoqin added, “Madam Mu secretly asked me to tell you one thing. The Wei Family has picked a scholar for Miss Wei, but they are not sure about the choice so they would like to ask you to help check on him!”