mtl008 Chapter 449 The Emperor Has Not Woke Up
Chapter 449 The Emperor Has Not Woke Up
Within the palace walls, no one was destined to sleep soundly that night.
The emperor's bedchamber was brightly lit and filled with shadowy figures, yet it was permeated with a suffocating, deathly silence.
The palace servants who came in and out walked very quietly, not daring to breathe too loudly.
The Imperial Medical Academy staff surrounding the dragon bed felt as if they were in an ice cellar, with cold sweat pouring down their foreheads and temples, which they couldn't even wipe away in time.
This pulse... how could it be like this?!
Each imperial physician who took turns taking the emperor's pulse would turn deathly pale after only a moment of touching the emperor's wrist with their fingers, their eyes filled with disbelief, horror, and a deep-seated fear!
Just a short while ago, the Emperor's pulse diagnosis recorded that he was "vigorous and strong" and "full of qi and blood," showing signs of good health!
Even when Chief Physician Liu took Ping An's pulse yesterday, he did not notice such a dangerous sign!
How could it have become so lifeless and teeming with life overnight?!
All the imperial physicians had examined him, but no one dared to speak first.
Only suppressed breathing and the crackling of burning candlelight remained in the bedchamber.
The crown prince waited and waited, but the imperial physicians never returned with a report.
He already knew the answer in his heart.
The crown prince's expression turned angry. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a compelling pressure: "Speak! What exactly happened to Father?"
His gaze, sharp as lightning, slowly swept over the silent crowd, finally settling on Physician Liu, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy. His tone suddenly turned cold: "If they are truly so useless, then the Imperial Medical Academy wouldn't need to keep so many idle people around!"
Physician Liu trembled, and stepped forward with a stiff upper lip. His forehead was covered in cold sweat: "Your Highness, the Emperor's pulse... is... indeed..."
He paused, as if using all his strength, before uttering two words: "This is bad!"
Sure enough!
The crown prince understood, but his face showed shock, anger, and confusion. He suddenly stood up: "This is bad?!"
"Imperial Physician Liu, tell me, why is this?!"
"Father was clearly in good health before, which was also admitted by your Imperial Hospital. How could something be wrong in just one day?"
He pressed closer, his gaze sharp as a knife.
Physician Liu felt as if that gaze was about to pierce him, and the sweat on his forehead dripped even more rapidly, his official robes on the back already soaked through.
He inwardly groaned: It wasn't like this yesterday!
This pulse sounds like it belongs to a completely different person!
But he would never dare to say those words out loud!
Otherwise, it's because he's not skilled enough and has harmed the Emperor's health.
Seeing that his face was ashen and he could not answer, the Crown Prince sighed heavily at the opportune moment: "It seems that Father Emperor has been angered and hurt too deeply by Fifth Brother this time."
He was making a pointed remark, directing his criticism at Murong Jun.
Physician Liu grasped at this straw as if it were his lifeline!
He instantly understood the Crown Prince's intention!
He immediately bowed and, following the Crown Prince's lead, said decisively, "Your Highness is wise! His Majesty's health was indeed fine before; his pulse was stable and his blood and energy were abundant!"
"It was only because of sudden anger that his blood and qi surged upwards, causing him to faint suddenly and vomit blood continuously! This is an acute illness, not a serious one!"
"Bastard thing!"
The prince slammed his fist hard on the table beside him, making a dull thud.
"His father has always treated him so well, and this is how he repays him! He is truly unworthy of being a son!"
After venting his anger, the Crown Prince was filled with worry and helplessness, and turned to look at the two old princes who were silently watching from the side.
"Uncle, I am young and have been caught off guard by this sudden change. I am completely at a loss. Now that Father is unconscious, what should we do?"
The two old princes exchanged glances.
Prince Yu, being the eldest, coughed lightly and said, "The most important thing right now is to do everything in our power to save His Majesty and help him wake up as soon as possible."
"The affairs of the state cannot be left without a leader for even a day! The peace agreement with the Mohe must be sealed and handed over tomorrow. This is a matter of great importance concerning the national system and cannot be delayed under any circumstances!"
"Other urgent government affairs are piling up and require someone to make decisions. As the Crown Prince, Your Highness's position has long been established. At this critical moment, it is time for you to step forward and assume the responsibility of overseeing the country!"
"Yes, what Prince Yu says is absolutely right!"
Another prince echoed this sentiment.
The crown prince looked embarrassed and waved his hands repeatedly: "My uncles are too kind. Recently, Father has been very fond of his nephew..."
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, everyone recalled the Emperor's recent suppression of the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince gave a wry smile: "At this sensitive time, if I were to rashly interfere in state affairs, I fear it would invite criticism, and I am even more afraid that Father would be displeased when he wakes up."
"In my opinion, the daily operations of the court should be temporarily handled by Your Majesty, who should consult with the cabinet ministers to discuss and resolve the matter."
"We will make a decision once Father Emperor has recovered."
His words were sincere and his posture extremely humble, which made Prince Yu and the others secretly nod in approval.
Although they felt the Crown Prince was overly cautious, his humility and filial piety in the face of power genuinely won them their favor.
Compared to Murong Jun, who disgraced the royal family, the Crown Prince before them, who was humble, polite, and concerned for his father, was infinitely better!
I really don't know what the Emperor was thinking, that he had to promote such a thing.
-
Everyone thought the emperor would wake up soon, but the emperor showed no signs of waking up at all the following night.
Now, everyone panicked.
Many people wanted to enter the palace to find out information, but they were all turned away by the Empress Dowager.
Over the years, the Emperor has governed the Great Jing Dynasty well, and the Empress Dowager is not one to worry about things and has never interfered in state affairs.
Given the Emperor's current condition, even the seventy-year-old Empress Dowager had no choice but to step in.
Lady Zhaohua was still kneeling outside, while Murong Jun was imprisoned.
The Empress Dowager was furious at the thought of the mother and son.
The Empress Dowager was a member of the Sun family, the aunt of the late Empress, and had an extraordinary relationship with the Crown Prince.
The Empress Dowager has also heard about the things the Emperor has been up to lately.
Although Murong Jun was highly favored, the Crown Prince remained the heir apparent, and the Empress Dowager remained composed, not demanding an explanation from the Emperor.
In short, the Empress Dowager had no good feelings towards Consort Zhaohua and her son.
"Making her kneel down is the result of her poor upbringing. Raising such a despicable and immoral child is the consequence of her lack of manners."
The Empress Dowager looked at Physician Liu with a cold expression: "When will His Majesty wake up?"
Physician Liu said with difficulty, "This humble servant dares not guarantee it either."
The Emperor is extremely weak, like someone who has been ill for a long time.
He still can't figure out how he suddenly became so sick.
However, the entire Imperial Medical Academy was united and stuck together, and no one dared to tell the truth. They insisted that the Emperor was angered by the Fifth Prince.
“Useless people. There isn’t a single useful person in the Imperial Medical Academy.”
The Empress Dowager is old and won't last much longer.
Before she got up to leave, she said to the Crown Prince earnestly, "You are the Crown Prince. At this time, you should put the country first. Although you want to be filial to your father and not seize power, you cannot let this drag on."
"If your father doesn't wake up in a couple of days, you will assume the regency."
The Crown Prince obediently replied, "Grandson will obey Grandmother."