Chapter 982: Chapter 978: The End of the Story (22)
"Really?" Zhi’s eyes lit up, and a look of surprise appeared on his face: "Then how big must I grow before Third Brother returns?" He paused and asked, "As big as Big Brother?"
"Hmm..." Xiqiu appeared to think deeply: "When you’re as big as Third Uncle, Third Brother will come back."
Zhi counted on his fingers and then frowned, asking Xiqiu, "How old is Third Uncle?" Xiqiu couldn’t help but laugh at his expression and replied, "Wait for Third Uncle to come back and you can ask him, okay?"
"Okay." Knowing that Third Brother wouldn’t be gone forever, Zhi’s mood suddenly improved, and he jumped off the rose bed: "I’m going to practice martial arts, Master Hua says training strengthens the body, I’ll grow up fast, so Third Brother will come back sooner." With that, he looked at Fourth Master Xiao: "Dad, I’m going to practice now." Without waiting for Fourth Master Xiao to speak, he dashed out.
Xiqiu smiled and shook her head, and then discussed the details of Min’s "funeral" with Fourth Master Xiao for the next day.
The next day, carriages came and went incessantly at the Governor Mansion. Although it was just a premature death of a concubine’s son, people in the court knew how to conduct themselves. Though the situation in the court was not yet clear, keen-eyed people already saw the truth and came to the mansion to offer condolences for Min.
Fourth Master Xiao and Xiao Yanyi were busy receiving visiting officials in the outer courtyard, while First Madam, Xiqiu, and Madam Jiang were in the inner courtyard accompanying the lady guests.
At noon, the carriages of the Eldest Prince and Second Prince majestically entered the Capital, clearing the way as they headed straight into the Imperial City. Old Madam Shen, upon hearing of the Eldest Prince’s return to the palace, went to Fengwu Palace early to wait for him. However, she waited half the day with no sign of him, so the Empress sent Nanny Mao to inquire. After asking around, Nanny Mao learned that he was kept by the Emperor in the Imperial Study Room for a talk.
The Empress and the Grand Dowager were quietly pleased, at least the Emperor still favored the Eldest Prince.
Thus, they were not entirely without hope. Thinking of the cries to depose the Empress heard in the court yesterday, Old Madam Shen was furious—fortune turns, as long as the Eldest Prince is there, as long as the Shen family is there, they would eventually regain the power peak in Great Zhou.
It was not until the afternoon that the Eldest Prince returned to the palace from the Imperial Study Room, where Old Madam Shen anxiously went to greet him, only to see his eyes red as if he’d been crying. Alarmed, she asked, "What happened, what’s wrong?"
The Eldest Prince, overwhelmed by days of repressed suffering, finally cried in front of his grandmother and mother: "Grandmother!"
The Empress hurriedly got out of bed, supported by Nanny Mao: "Yan’er, what’s the matter?" After crying softly for a while, the Eldest Prince finally raised his head and embraced the Empress: "Are you in good health, Mother?"
"Don’t worry about me." The Empress examined him and focused on his left shoulder and arm, to which the Eldest Prince instinctively retreated a step, causing the Empress to pause and ask, "Is the injury not healed yet? Did I hurt you?"
"No," the Eldest Prince said, lowering his gaze, "The injury is mostly healed."
Old Madam Shen also looked at him with deep concern, trembled as she touched his hand, and asked, "Your hand..." Seeing this, the Eldest Prince looked at Nanny Mao and said, "Go get me some water."
Nanny Mao bowed and left, closing the door behind her.
The Empress grew more suspicious, pressing for answers: "What’s going on? Speak, why are you crying, why tell me the arm injury is healed but do not let me see?"
"I cried because Second Brother got hurt on the way." He paused and continued, "He was annoying in the carriage, so I let him ride a horse, he fell off and hurt his leg... all because he’s useless, and doesn’t know how to ride even when led by someone!" He looked aggrieved and indignant at the Empress, "Father blamed me for not taking care of my brother... I’m not a guard, why do I have to take care of him!"
"I understand, I understand." The Empress led him to sit by the bed: "Your father is not discerning. Besides, Second Brother has always been pampered like a girl, how can anyone blame you for him not sitting properly?" The Empress, though speaking, was more concerned about his injury: "Should I call the Imperial Physician to examine you?"
"No need, no need!" The Eldest Prince shook his head, tried to move his arm, and frustratingly looked at the Empress: "They don’t need to see... my arm... can’t move."
The Empress froze, staring at him: "What did you say?" She touched his arm: "Say it again, what happened to your arm?"
The Eldest Prince looked at the Empress’s expression, uneasily glanced at Old Madam Shen, who frowningly approached him: "Don’t scare him." She then looked at the Eldest Prince: "Did you ask the Imperial Physician, what do they say?"
"I haven’t told anyone. Telling them would mean telling Father, and Father would surely hate me," the Eldest Prince said, his head hanging, appearing full of dejection.
The Empress listened and trembled, stretching out her hand to gradually place it on his arm: "Really... can’t... move?"
The Eldest Prince nodded.
The Empress’s vision went dark, and she collapsed straight onto the bed.
"Empress."
"Mother."
Old Madam Shen and the Eldest Prince were shocked and quickly supported the fainted Empress. The Eldest Prince ran out shouting: "Quickly call the Imperial Physician!" Three or four palace attendants outside no longer reacted as promptly as before, instead lazily casting a glance at the Eldest Prince, then casually answered and sluggishly exited the palace.
The Eldest Prince’s face was dark enough to drip water; had this been in the past, he would have ruthlessly eliminated such contemptuous beings, yet now...
His heart full of resentment, he could only clench his fists tightly, suppressing his inner fury. He looked for Nanny Mao and instructed: "Go to the Imperial Study Room, and inform Father about Mother’s fainting." Nanny Mao complied, and he added: "Remember, the more serious you say it is, the better."
"This servant understands." Nanny Mao nodded, lifted her skirt, and left Fengwu Palace.
After a long time, the Imperial Physician arrived, administering acupuncture and medicine inside, while the Eldest Prince waited at the door for the Emperor. Once the Imperial Physician left with the medicine chest, the Emperor was still nowhere in sight. Nanny Mao returned alone, and the Eldest Prince impatiently asked: "Well? Have you informed Father?"
"This servant did not see the Emperor, but I informed Chief Chang, who said he will report to the Emperor later." Nanny Mao replied slowly, causing the Eldest Prince’s face to cool: "Didn’t I tell you to inform Father personally? Chief Chang, that insolent servant, always overlooks people... Go again and make sure to meet the Emperor."
Nanny Mao’s face showed a troubled expression: "Your Highness..." Hearing this, Empress had already awoken, making it pointless to inform the Emperor now.
"Useless thing." After bottling his anger all day, the Eldest Prince, without thinking, kicked at Nanny Mao’s knee—with his small stature, the kick wasn’t too strong, yet Nanny Mao still fell, clutching her leg, her face turning pale.
"Beast." Suddenly, the door opened to reveal the Emperor entering, his face stern and cold as he glanced at the Eldest Prince, then at Nanny Mao, who was kneeling on the floor, and asked again: "What are you doing?"
