C228

Although the news of the Emperor Ruikang being ill once again did not spread out openly, it still spread as the court officials followed them home.

It was just that the Emperor Ruikang had already decided on New Year's Eve, that they would be meditating on the Fifth Prince's Ye Jingxing. Furthermore, he wasn't young anymore, and his health hadn't been well since the new year.

Furthermore, Ye Jingxing was currently living in the palace, so even though everyone knew that Emperor Ruikang was sick, they did not panic.

After all, they had already chosen the next emperor. Even if the Emperor Ruikang were to pass away now, they would immediately welcome a new emperor.

This was what most people thought.

But apart from most of them, there were also those who were unwilling or planning to take advantage of this opportunity to do something.

On New Year's Eve, after Ye Jingche's birth mother failed, he was ordered by the Emperor Ruikang to be locked in the cold palace.

But even though the Emperor Ruikang had locked her in the cold palace, she had forgotten that the Madame Liu had been in charge of the palace for many years.

Although most of the people in Madame Liu's possession had been cleared out by Empress Hu and the Emperor Ruikang, there were still some scattered people that neither the Empress Hu nor the Emperor Ruikang had noticed.

Today, when the news of Emperor Ruikang's illness reached his, he sat motionlessly in front of the Buddha statue, not moving at all.

The palace maid who came to deliver the message waited for a long time before the Madame Liu who was sitting in front of the Buddha statue spoke: "My son shouldn't be here anymore, right?"

Although it was an inquiring tone, the palace maids could hear the affirmation from Madame Liu's words.

The palace maid was somewhat worried. She had originally planned to hide it from the Empress for several days, but who knew that she would actually guess.

"Empress, this servant did not intentionally hide it from you." The palace maid knelt on the ground, her eyes red from worry.

Hearing the palace maid's voice, Madame Liu turned to look at her, then sighed: "I know that you're doing this for my own good, but I understand my son's personality." After saying that, the Madame Liu thought for a moment, then looked at the palace maid and continued: "I still have one last wish, are you willing to help me?"

"Yes! This servant is willing! "

The palace maid had lost her own mother since childhood, and the empress had sent her to the palace. She had almost passed away due to illness, and all these years, it had been the Madame Liu who had been protecting her in secret.

At that time, she was just a small palace maid who did crude work. All these years, it was because of Madame Liu's promotion that she had her current status.

Although the palace maids knew that the Madame Liu was protecting her and possibly trying to bribe her, she also knew that if it wasn't for the help from Madame Liu in the past, she would have died a long time ago.

Furthermore, when her brother was getting married, it was the Madame Liu who secretly gave her money so that she could send it out of the palace to her brother. Now that her sister-in-law had given birth to a nephew, her brother also took his wife and children and left Beijing at the end of last year.

She only wanted to return the favor from Madame Liu and be a clean person in her next life.

Madame Liu should have also guessed what the palace maid was thinking, but she didn't care, as long as she was willing to work for him.

"This palace knows that you have connections, and I have a packet of medicine right here. Think of a way to add it to His Majesty's daily spring water."

When Madame Liu said this, the palace maid who was kneeling on the ground trembled.

Madame Liu saw that she was afraid and could not help but open her mouth again, "Ordinary people who have eaten this pill would only feel upset in their stomachs at most. The imperial physician would not be able to find anything about it."

She had the medicine ready by the end of last year when she knew what her son was going to do.

This medicine was the family heirloom of the woman in the imperial household. When she was about to enter the palace, her mother had given her the prescription.

It was just that after so many years, she had never used it in the palace. She thought that she would never be able to use it, but who would have thought that she would still need to use it now?

She knew that Emperor Ruikang's body was in a bad condition, if she took the pill even once, Emperor Ruikang's body would definitely not be able to take it.

When the palace maid heard Madame Liu's words, she already understood what she meant. At the same time, the palace maid also understood that from the start, she had accepted the medicine sent by Madame Liu, and after saving her, she had no other way out.

The palace maid took the medicine bag and left. She also promised to not come here again within three days.

Watching the palace maid leave, Madame Liu suddenly raised her head and smiled towards the Buddha statue.

"Che'er, don't worry. Just wait a few more days. Mother will accompany you."

Madame Liu's voice was very soft. Other than her, no one else heard anything.

— —

Because Emperor Ruikang had fallen ill, Xu Shiqiu had been exhausted in the past few days.

Just as he was about to speak with Dong Shu about Ye Jingxing becoming the emperor in a while, who knew that the bell within the palace that had not rang for many years would suddenly chime.

"This is …" Dong Shu had been instructed by Mama Yan and herself, so when she heard the bell, he immediately sensed that something was amiss.

Before she could even finish speaking, Xu Shiqiu suddenly turned and ran out from his armor.

But just as he ran a few steps, Xu Shiqiu suddenly stopped, turned and walked towards Dong Shu, holding her in his arms, and said: "My wife, I'm afraid I won't have time to return home." After saying that, Xu Shiqiu paused for a moment before continuing, "I'll leave the family to you!"

Finished speaking, Xu Shiqiu turned around again. This time, he did not take a few steps forward, but immediately turned and ran outside.

As he ran, he could hear the sound of his mouth opening as he continued instructing.

"Be on guard at home. The male servants guard the outer court and the servant women guard the inner court."

"Send a signal to the resting Iron Eagle Brigade soldiers, gather urgently."

"Send someone to give it to …"

Dong Shu could not hear any more.

In the instant that Xu Shiqiu's voice disappeared, the dazed Dong Shu suddenly regained his senses, he raised his hand to wipe the tears at the corner of his eyes, and then immediately shouted out: "Take down the red things, we need to rush to the plainclothes, the family will be under martial law!"

After saying this, Dong Shu also quickly turned around and walked toward the Main Yard.

The death knell was still ringing, and Dong Shu had also rushed to Old Madame Xu's Main Yard.

Even Yan Ye could not care about his own identity as he came to the Old Madame Xu's Main Yard.

"Why did the death knell suddenly ring? Even if he isn't anymore, Uncle should still inform Third Uncle that someone has been ordered to ring the death knell. "

Just as Yan Ye finished speaking, the Old Madame Xu let out a sigh and said: "I'm afraid something has happened in the palace again."

When Old Madame Xu said this, Yan Ye immediately stood up nervously, "I want to go into the palace to take a look."

Old Madame Xu was not surprised that Yan Ye would say such words. After all, Empress Hu was still in the palace.

Not only had they protected Yuanxi and the Mama Yan to come to the Main Yard, they had also guarded the Main Yard tightly as well.

Once Yan Ye said this, Yue Rong took a step forward and said, "This servant will protect Young Master as he enters the palace."

Yue Rong and the others were also worried about the Empress Hu in the palace. Although the Empress had people protecting her, they were still worried.

Seeing Yue Rong, Yan Ye immediately nodded and said, "Follow me to the palace through the secret passage. I believe that the elders will definitely be able to protect the secret passage well."

It was because of Yan Ye's words that Old Madame Xu and Dong Shu found out that the empress's Phoenix Palace was connected to a secret passage that led outside.

The other secret passage was at the house where the Empress Hu and Yan Ye met.

Hearing this, Dong Shu finally understood why Empress Hu was able to appear outside the palace soundlessly last time.

After Yan Ye and Yue Rong left, Dong Shu took Yuanxi to sit at the bottom of the Old Madame Xu, the worry on his face still present.

Just as Yan Ye and Yue Rong were about to enter the palace through the secret passage, Xu Shiqiu also rushed over to the palace.

The Prince Duan entered the palace ahead of Xu Shiqiu, and for the past few days, he and Xu Shiqiu had been guarding the palace. Today, the head of the institution just mentioned that the Emperor Ruikang was slightly better, and would be able to meet the officials tomorrow.

Who would have thought that when they went home, they would hear the death knell.

When he arrived at the hall where the Emperor Ruikang was lying on the ground, panting, he saw Ye Jingxing and all the people from the Grand Hospital kneeling beside the Emperor Ruikang's bed.

As for his older brother, his originally rosy face had turned black. The scariest thing was that his lips were purple.

"What's going on? What was going on? This King has only left for a short period of time. What exactly is going on? "

Prince Duan was angered to the point that he wanted to teach Ye Jingxing a lesson, but when he thought about how he had been guarding his royal brother's bed night and day these past few days, even going through the imperial reports, he endured.

It was just that he could not get angry at Ye Jingxing, but he would not let go of the people from the main hospital.

As the Head of the Guards had already gotten word from the Emperor Ruikang, he could return home after the new Emperor ascended the throne. As a result, these few days, when he treated the Emperor Ruikang, he brought along the other imperial physicians of the Grand Hospital.

Even his heirs' [Golden Needle Technique] and a few secret methods to nurture Emperor Ruikang's body were magnanimously told to the other imperial physicians of the Grand Hospital.

The head of the hospital was generous. The other imperial physicians wanted to risk their lives and sit at the head of the court after he left. They had indeed put in a lot of effort in the past few days.

But no one would have thought that just now, the Emperor Ruikang that consumed a bowl of medicine would quickly die.

"What about the medicine testing eunuch?"

When Prince Duan said this, Ye Jingxing spoke with a hoarse voice: "Ever since Royal Father got sick, your nephew has arranged for five medicine testing eunuchs. Every time you boil the medicine, you boil six portions of the same medicine, then you leave one portion for Royal Father, and the other five portions for the medicinal eunuch to use. " As he spoke till here, Ye Jingxing choked with sobs, then continued: "Tonight is also the same, wait until all five eunuchs are done with their work, then this nephew will personally attend to Royal Father's medicine, but who would have known …"

Ye Jingxing was truly sad, because he had personally watched his Royal Father drink the medicine he had fed. In the next few blinks of an eye, his life ended.

Hearing Ye Jingxing's words, the Prince Duan looked to the side at the Chief of the Imperial Hospital and the others.

When the dean learned that the Emperor Ruikang had passed away, he knew that he wouldn't be able to live any longer. Sensing the look in his father's eyes, he said bluntly, "All five eunuchs are fine. I've already tasted all of His Majesty's medicine, so there shouldn't be any problems."

"No problem?" "If there's no problem, how could Imperial Brother …" Prince Duan raised his hand and pointed at the black lips of Emperor Ruikang's Purple Clouds. He looked at the Head of the Guards and asked, "You, tell this king what exactly happened?"

Ye Jingxing saw that Uncle Wang was angry and was about to advise him otherwise, but before he could say anything, Empress Hu wearing a simple dress appeared at the entrance of the hall.

"This matter has already been investigated by me."