20demayo Chapter 367 The Emperor’s Cruelty
Chapter 367 The Emperor’s Cruelty
When Yu Ying'er heard the young eunuch report that Concubine He was visiting Changchun Palace, she looked at Li Yu uncertainly.
"Noble Lady He from Changchun Palace?" she repeated softly.
After getting Li Yu's nod of confirmation, Yu Ying'er quickly stood up, straightened her clothes and went out to greet him.
"This maid pays her respects to the noble lady He."
The rosy-complexioned Concubine He in front of her was a senior palace maid who served Zhen Huan, who was once at the peak of her power and almost became the Concubine Wan. Yu Ying'er racked her brains but could not figure out any connection between her and the Fourth Prince.
Despite her doubts, Yu Ying'er still respectfully welcomed the person into the house.
"Mr. He, please have some tea."
"Thank you, Madam Yushu. Today is the auspicious day when Yong'an Beile is conferred the title. I have come to offer congratulations. Please accept this small token of my gratitude."
Huanbi smiled and explained her purpose.
Yu Ying'er's heart skipped a beat. Concubine He actually came in person to deliver a gift. Could it be that she had not yet received the news that the Fourth Prince was poisoned?
However, as an elder came to congratulate her, she had to be polite.
Yu Ying'er saw Concubine He looking around and explained in a gentle voice.
"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. He. However, Lord Beile is injured and cannot come out to meet guests."
"I heard that Concubine Yu was pregnant, so I wanted to come over to visit her. I'm sorry for being so rude."
Huanbi nodded to Fubao and lifted the red cloth covering the small screen.
"This is the Guanyin Bodhisattva I embroidered myself. Please accept it."
"Thank you for your reward, my lady."
Yu Ying'er was laughing so hard that she rolled over.
The gift of the Goddess of Childbirth from Concubine He was truly miraculous. Not only did it bless the safe birth of her unborn child, it also blessed Prince Beile with many descendants.
Moreover, the Duan inkstone given by Concubine Qi from Changchun Palace is also excellent.
Doctor Zhang said that the prince had been hit by a series of attacks and his body was severely injured. His right hand, which held the pen, could no longer regain its previous grip.
All the mistresses in the harem sent gifts, and Li Yu recorded them one by one in a book so that he could return the gifts later.
The gifts sent by the two noble ladies in Changchun Palace must be approved by the Prince.
Yu Ying'er was very satisfied with the picture of Guanyin who delivers children that Huanbi brought, and she patiently chatted with her for a full quarter of an hour.
Huanbi didn't meet the person she wanted to see, and when she saw that it was almost time, she got up and said goodbye.
"If you have time, please go to Changchun Palace."
"Thank you for your invitation, my lady. I will come to visit you when I have some free time."
Yu Ying'er smiled and sent the person to the door, and was then pulled aside by Huanbi to talk for a long time.
After seeing off the talkative Concubine He, Yu Ying'er looked at Li Yu beside her with confusion.
"Does Lord Beile have a personal relationship with Noble He?"
Yu Ying'er recalled that the Fourth Prince had taken the initiative to chat with Zhen Huan several times in the garden, and wondered if he had met Huanbi at that time.
Li Yu shook his head firmly.
"Concubine, Lord Beile once asked me to inquire about Concubine Qi of Changchun Palace. However, I have never heard the master mention Concubine He."
"However, I just noticed that Noble He looked around as soon as he entered the courtyard. I think this person is not honest and should not be made a close friend."
"Okay, I understand. Doctor Zhang has been working day and night for Prince Beile's illness. Take some silver and go to the kitchen to choose some good dishes."
Yu Ying'er gave the order in a low voice.
Today, when Eunuch Lin from Yongshou Palace delivered the congratulatory gift, he informed the emperor that the imperial kitchen had started preparing meat dishes again.
Yu Ying'er, who was pregnant, had had enough of vegetarian food these days and wanted to eat some meat.
She directly took out fifty taels of silver and stuffed it into Li Yu's pocket.
"The palace servants serving my prince are also very hard-working. Please pick a few more dishes and bring them back."
Yu Ying'er was very satisfied with the people sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to serve her. She had already asked Concubine Hua to take these people with her when she left the palace.
"The slave understands."
Li Yu understood his intention very well.
They really need their own manpower to live in the Beile Mansion, and the palace maids trained by the Imperial Household Department are very useful. Now is a good opportunity to show them some favor.
Even if there are people sent by the master of the palace, there is no need to worry too much.
Prince Yong'an is now a useless person and is of no use to the emperor. The child in Concubine Yu's belly will not bother anyone.
Zhang Wuwei ate the sumptuous lunch sent by Li Yu, absent-mindedly thinking about the emperor's orders.
"Doctor Zhang, is the food not to your liking?"
"Eunuch Li, this meal is very good, but I am old and should not eat too fast."
"How's the wound on your face? Did you change the dressing on time?"
"Thank you for your concern, Doctor Zhang. Your servant..."
Half an hour later, Zhang Wuwei personally brought a bowl of medicine into the bedroom and fed it all into Hongli's mouth without leaving a drop.
Before leaving, Zhang Wuwei lit two calming incense sticks.
He gave instructions to Li Yu in a deep voice.
"The antidote the Imperial Hospital brought has been stored for too long and has lost some of its effectiveness, resulting in the remaining poison in Prince Beile's body. This Imperial Physician is worried that he will suffer too much, so I have lit some calming incense. Please try not to let anyone in."
"Thank you, Doctor Zhang, for the reminder."
Li Yu just thought that Zhang Wuwei was just being soft-hearted and that was why he gave him such special instructions, and he didn't take it seriously at all.
After dinner, when he was helping the prince to wash and dress, he suddenly discovered that his master's mouth was moving but no sound came out.
"Someone, come and get Doctor Zhang." He shouted in panic.
Zhang Wuwei arrived quickly and the results of the examination showed that the residual poison in the prince's body had injured his throat.
"Madam Shu, the matter of the prince losing his voice is of great importance. I must report it to the emperor as soon as possible. Please send someone to serve him personally for twelve hours to prevent the master from being unable to face reality and taking extreme actions."
Although the prince was lying on the bed and unable to move, he still had to say what he needed to say just in case.
Su Peisheng, who was guarding outside the Yangxin Palace, saw that the person coming was Zhang Wuwei and stretched out his hand to invite him in.
"Doctor Zhang, the emperor has asked you twice. Please go in quickly."
"Thank you, Eunuch Su, for the reminder."
Zhang Wuwei hesitated at the door for a few breaths, but finally stepped into the door that frightened him.
"Your Majesty, the guilty minister Zhang Wuwei, pays respects to the Emperor!"
The emperor squinted his eyes and looked at the person kneeling on the ground for a long time before he slowly spoke.
"Zhang Aiqing, please stand up. You have devoted all your energy to the health of Yong'an Prince. What crime have you committed?"
"Your Majesty, I am old and blind, and I failed to notice the abnormality of the antidote to Qianji Powder in time. I hastily gave it to Prince Beile. Now the residual poison in Prince Beile's body has erupted, damaging his throat."
"This humble official deserves death, and I beg Your Majesty to pardon me."
Zhang Wuwei banged his head loudly, but his heart was filled with helplessness and fear.
The emperor's eyes were as sharp as a knife, fiercely shooting at the person kneeling in the center of the hall.
"I am a man who knows right from wrong. You were the first to discover that Hongli was poisoned, and you immediately took the initiative to get the antidote from the Imperial Hospital, which saved his life. Qianji Powder is a highly toxic substance, and he is fortunate to be alive."
"But Yong'an Beile is my son after all. Your inadequate treatment has damaged his throat."
Zhang Wuwei's heart was in his throat. In less than half a year, he had witnessed the emperor's cruelty with his own eyes.
The Empress Dowager and Prince Yong'an deserved their punishment to some extent, but he, Zhang Wuwei, was just following orders.
He didn't dare ask for too much, he just hoped that the emperor would leave his body intact because of his loyalty.
Zhang Wuwei waited stiffly for the emperor's verdict. Drops of sweat fell from his forehead and rolled into his eyes. The hot and stinging sensation spread rapidly in his eyes, but he didn't dare to rub them with his hands.