Chapter 155:

Madam Wan arrived very quickly. When she saw Layue’s figure, she showed no abnormality and slightly bowed to greet.

Layue hurriedly helped her up.

“Madam, please come in quickly. The Empress Dowager’s health is critical.”

Given Layue’s status, Madam Wan naturally needed to bow to her, but Layue always remembered their master-disciple relationship.

At this time, the Empress Dowager had already woken up and learned that Madam Wan would come. She displayed no special reaction, only her complexion was extremely poor and her face pale.

Layue did not follow them inside but remained in the outer chamber. Given her status, waiting outside in a respectful manner was more appropriate than entering the inner chamber.

Moreover, in such a vulnerable state, the Empress Dowager would surely prefer her son’s presence by her bedside.

Perhaps knowing that Shen Layue was waiting here, Consort Hui, Consort Qi, and other concubines gradually arrived. However, due to Emperor Jing’s words, “Go back and don’t cause trouble,” they had no choice but could not enter.

Consort Hui, in a bad mood and hearing the Emperor’s words, felt a surge of frustration and left directly.

In her view, the Empress Dowager’s condition had nothing to do with her. If she were to pass away, it would mean one less person opposing her. She had no intention of staying sincerely, so naturally, she left upon the Emperor’s command.

Some who followed Consort Hui also did not wait and left.

Consort Qi had recently fallen out of the Empress Dowager’s favor, and she naturally knew the reason. She realized it was not the first time the Empress Dowager had grown distant from her. However, Consort Qi believed that as long as she showed gentle affection, eventually things would improve.

It was the same last time, so even though Emperor Jing did not allow them inside, she still stood in the courtyard. Despite the bitter cold wind, she refused to leave, her expression deeply sorrowful.

Many others who had not left remained with her in the courtyard.

Inside the room, Layue could naturally see the situation outside. With all the palace concubines outside and only herself inside, it indeed looked unseemly.

If rumors were spread later, who knew what might happen.

However, Layue believed that at this moment, she could not take charge of Huicici Palace.

Thus, she stood there anxiously, her expression very urgent.

“Prince Six has arrived!” a eunuch’s shrill voice announced.

Layue looked from afar and indeed saw Prince Six.

Without being summoned, Prince Six could not normally enter the palace. Remembering that Lixi had previously sent a eunuch out, Layue understood that Emperor Jing must have summoned Prince Six upon seeing the Empress Dowager’s poor health.

After all, both were dearly loved by the Empress Dowager. Their absence would be unnatural.

Prince Six did not greet the other concubines at the door but went directly inside. Layue saw that his expression was also anxious.

Upon entering, he suddenly saw Shen Guifei standing there. A fleeting expression of surprise crossed Prince Six’s face, but he did not greet her and hurriedly went into the inner chamber.

Seeing his manner, Layue speculated that Prince Six was not as indifferent to the Empress Dowager as he pretended.

If he truly didn’t care, why would he be so anxious now?

“Your humble servant greets the Emperor,” a voice from inside the room sounded rather perfunctory.

“Good that my sixth brother has arrived,” Emperor Jing responded, his tone giving no hint of joy or anger.

Yan Lie was unaware of the Empress Dowager’s condition and, upon seeing her pale face, hurriedly bowed and sat by the bed’s edge. The Emperor did not mind such minor details.

If he were to mind every small matter, he and Yan Lie would truly end up in a fight to the death.

“How is my mother’s health? Is there any discomfort?”

At this time, Madam Wan was diagnosing the Empress Dowager. After finishing, she cautiously spoke, “The Empress Dowager’s body was weak in her youth and requires careful recuperation.”

She did not say more.

Not only because it might not be appropriate for her to say more, but also because everyone knew Prince Six and Emperor Jing were not on good terms. She was not a petty person, but she needed to report to her superior before speaking further.

The Empress Dowager stretched her hand out from under the quilt and held Yan Lie’s hand.

Then she looked at the physicians: “You may all leave.”

They all looked at Emperor Jing, who nodded.

Soon, only mother and her two sons remained in the room, with her holding both sons’ hands.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes briefly and slowly opened them: “I do not ask that you become close again, but I beg you, do not turn against each other. Will you grant this wish of mine?”

Both sons stiffened slightly.

The Empress Dowager’s voice became even more desolate: “You refuse? Could it be that even my last wish you are unwilling to fulfill?”

“Mother, why speak such ill-omened words? If the physicians cannot help, I shall seek remedies from the common people. Surely I can find experts. Besides, mother’s condition is merely a recurrence of old ailments from her youth. There’s nothing serious. Just rest and recuperate properly,” Emperor Jing, displeased with her words, argued.

The Empress Dowager smiled bitterly: “I know my own body. I fear I am nearing the end of my days. After all these years, I am indeed tired. Please grant my wish, my sons. Che’er, Lie’er… cough, cough!”

She began coughing.

As the Empress Dowager’s voice was low, Layue and others in the outer chamber could not clearly hear her words.

However, at this moment, Layue could roughly guess that the Empress Dowager desperately wanted to see her two sons reconcile during her illness. And what she was doing now was exactly that.

As for Prince Six, Layue truly disliked him. For his own selfish desires, he had orchestrated schemes that led to her family’s ruin.

She pursed her lips and looked across, where Madam Wan stood.

Madam Wan and several physicians had come out from the inner chamber and stood aside, waiting quietly.

Layue showed no special reaction.

If others discovered her close relationship with Madam Wan, it might not be a good thing.

In ordinary times, it did not matter, but at this critical moment, she needed to be cautious.

Inside, the Empress Dowager coughed for quite a while, causing some anxiety in her two sons.

“I… I do not ask for reconciliation between you two. I only beg that you do not harm each other, do not harm each other…”

The Empress Dowager held her sons’ hands and kept murmuring.

Emperor Jing, unable to bear it, turned his hand to grasp hers: “Mother, rest assured. Your son promises you.”

Prince Six did not refuse either and made the same promise: “Your son also promises you. Mother, please recover soon, recover soon…”

Perhaps because both sons had promised her, the Empress Dowager finally exhaled in relief.

She looked quite content.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager was still somewhat exhausted, Emperor Jing summoned Madam Gui into the room, and then everyone left.

Layue stood anxiously, and Emperor Jing instructed her to return to her quarters to rest.

As for Consort Qi and others waiting at the door, Emperor Jing’s expression also softened somewhat.

Many felt that although it was cold, their efforts were not in vain.

The Emperor had finally noticed them.

Prince Six did not leave but followed Emperor Jing to Xuanming Hall. Layue guessed the two had matters to discuss.

She obediently returned to her sleeping quarters.

Indeed, Emperor Jing and Prince Six, Yan Lie, had things to discuss.

After dismissing everyone, they faced each other.

After a long while, Emperor Jing spoke: “I only wish that during our mother’s lifetime, you and I can maintain a facade of harmony.”

A simple yet direct statement.

Prince Six sneered slightly, his smile bearing a faint resemblance to the Emperor’s.

He said with quiet sarcasm: “Even if mother dislikes me, I am still her son. I naturally will not let her feel sad or worried.”

“That would be best.”

The Emperor’s tone was not pleasant either.

“You are mother’s youngest son; she has always favored you. Yet you keep breaking her heart. Now you say such words. Do you think yourself so filial? Not making her sad or worried? All these years, how many things have you done that made her sad and worried?”

Emperor Jing usually would not say such things, but today, after experiencing the Empress Dowager’s critical condition, he felt the unpredictability of life and did not want her to remain distressed in her final days. Hence, he confronted Yan Lie.

Yan Lie looked at the Emperor, his eyes filled with resentment.

“You’re good at sweet talk. Mother favored you? Since childhood, she could only see you as her son. Do I need to elaborate further? I’m not stupid.”

“Bang!” The Emperor, furious, raised his hand and punched him.

Yan Lie staggered back a few steps, clenched his fist, and was about to rush forward.

Outside, Lixi’s low voice came: “Your Majesty, is anything wrong?”

He had also been worried.

Yan Lie clenched his fist again but finally let go, sneering: “Have I hit a nerve? Are you so ashamed that you fly into a rage? You’re the Son of Heaven; naturally, I won’t fight you.”

The Emperor’s voice was cold, no longer as usual:

“A pitiable person must have something hateful. A foolish person. All these years, has your age only grown in a dog’s belly? It was forgivable when you were young, but to remain like this even as an adult is truly despicable. If you want to talk about childhood, let’s talk about childhood. You felt mother favored me. But have you ever considered that at that time you were young, could you have survived so many schemes? Do you know how I grew up? How many schemes did I endure? How many times was my life in danger? You don’t know. You only harbored resentment, thinking I stole your mother’s love. But have you ever thought that perhaps mother acted that way to prevent you from becoming a target? If mother’s health were not poor, do you think I would have spared you? I have endured so much since childhood without weakness, but what hurt me most was you, my dear younger brother, trying to kill me for the throne.”

The Emperor was indeed extremely angry, and in his speech, he momentarily switched between “I” and “Your Majesty.”

Yan Lie looked at the Emperor in shock for a long while before continuing: “You’re lying. If that were true, why did mother still dislike me when I grew up? Why did father send me to that cold, desolate place? Fine, let’s not talk about the past. Take the recent case of Yue Feng, why was he betrothed to Fu Jinyu?”

The Emperor, seeing his urgent expression, calmed his heart slightly: “Keep you alive to continue trying to kill me? Keep you around to watch us destroy each other? Or keep you so I can eradicate you completely? You are of royal blood. Would mother allow you to marry a merchant’s daughter?”