GTB Chapter 188

Chapter 190 Worries

Green Willow helped Jiang Jiuchu put on her outer garment, then sighed and said:

“Aunt Wang from the kitchen went out this morning to do some shopping and heard everyone on the streets and alleys talking about it. The eldest daughter of Grand Tutor Fan recommended herself for a position in bed, climbing into the Northern Kingdom’s crown prince’s bed.”

“Fan Yuwan?” Jiang Jiuchu’s hand, which was arranging her collar, stopped abruptly. She looked at Green Willow in disbelief and asked:

“Is the rumor true?”

Green Willow nodded busily. “Yes, yes, it’s true. Grand Tutor Fan took Fan Yuwan into the palace early this morning.”

“It’s said that an agreement was reached, and the Northern Kingdom’s crown prince has already agreed to marry her as a concubine.”

Jiang Jiuchu was stunned when she heard this, lowering her eyes to look at Green Willow, who was helping her tie her belt, a look of doubt rising in her eyes.

Wasn’t she in love with Shí Yan? No, even if she didn’t love Shí Yan, given her status, what kind of family in Dong Yue couldn’t she marry into?

Why would she be so foolish as to become a concubine to another country’s crown prince? Just because he was a crown prince?

“Miss, why can’t this servant understand what Miss Fan is thinking?”

Green Luo, who was standing to the side, voiced her earlier doubts, feeling that it was because of her low status that she couldn’t understand Miss Fan’s thoughts. Perhaps her own Miss would understand.

“Miss Fan is such a noble lady from a prominent family, with both talent and beauty. Why would she travel thousands of miles to marry into the Northern Kingdom?”

“Just because the crown prince will become the emperor in the future? But she has no relatives or support there, how can she gain a foothold in the harem?”

“Perhaps she has her own plans!”

Seeing that Green Willow had tied her belt, Jiang Jiuchu went to the washstand to wash up and sat in front of the bronze mirror.

Green Luo was right, she didn’t understand either. If Fan Yuwan wanted to climb up the ranks of the imperial harem, why didn’t she wait for the Dong Yue crown prince to be decided?

Was she too impatient, or did she see that she had no hope from Shí Yan’s rejection of the Northern Kingdom’s princess, and yet she couldn’t look favorably on the other princes?

“But no matter what, with her looks, she wouldn’t need to recommend herself for a position in bed to hook the Northern Kingdom’s crown prince, right?”

She didn’t think she was the kind of person who would debase herself like that. She couldn’t understand it, and she wouldn’t think about it anymore. In any case, it was none of her business.

“Where’s His Highness? Is he in the residence?”

Green Luo replied, “His Highness had lunch and then went into the palace. He left in a bit of a hurry, as if something urgent had happened.”

“Mm.” Jiang Jiuchu looked at the bronze mirror, a trace of sorrow overflowing from her eyes.

She was satisfied with everything, except for Shí Yan’s status. It had always been hanging in her heart. The road to vying for the throne… winning meant standing at the peak, but losing… what would happen?

She wasn’t afraid of going to the distant borders, and although she was a little afraid of death, she had the courage to face it. She only hoped that it wouldn’t involve her family, whom she had always kept neutral.

In the imperial palace, in the Qiande Palace, Emperor Yue An lay on the dragon bed, his eyes tightly closed.

The imperial physicians, helpless, knelt all over the floor, while several princes stood to the side with different expressions, their gazes all focused on Shí Xiu, who was applying acupuncture in front of the bed.

The eagerness hidden in the eyes of the Second Prince and Fourth Prince even held dark curses.

They prayed that Shí Xiu would fail and the emperor would die, so that they could accuse Shí Xiu and the crown prince of patricide and get rid of them in one fell swoop.

Shí Yan, standing to the side, lowered his eyes slightly, not looking at Shí Xiu, and there was no worry in his eyes.

He knew that since Shí Xiu dared to step up, he was confident that his father would be fine for the time being.

He glanced at the crown prince sitting in the wheelchair, and thought to himself, was it the crown prince who was anxious, or Shí Xiu?

“The Emperor is awake.” Eunuch De’s voice entered everyone’s ears.

Hearing this, everyone hurriedly stepped forward, calling out “Father Emperor” with concern.

Emperor Yue An raised his eyes to look at the sons in front of the bed, raised his hand to rub his forehead, and wanted to sit up.

Seeing this, Eunuch De, who was next to Shí Xiu, quickly reached out to help Emperor Yue An lean against the head of the bed.

“Father Emperor, how do you feel? Is there anything uncomfortable?” Shí Xiu asked as he finished helping Emperor Yue An and stood up.

Emperor Yue An did not answer, but looked at the imperial physicians kneeling in the room, glanced at the Empress who was getting up from the edge of the bed, and finally asked Eunuch De who was standing to the side.

“What’s wrong with me?”

Eunuch De hurriedly stepped forward and replied, “Your Majesty, after the Northern Kingdom’s crown prince left, you were preparing to get up for dinner when you suddenly fainted, scaring this old servant to death.”

The Empress also hurriedly chimed in, her eyes red, “That’s right, Your Majesty, you must never scare this concubine like that again. Even the imperial physicians were helpless. If it weren’t for Xiu…”

As the Empress spoke, she deliberately paused, then continued, “It’s thanks to Your Majesty’s dragon aura protecting you. However, you must still be careful of your imperial body in the future.”

Shí Xiu also spoke in a timely manner, “Yes, Father Emperor, remember not to overwork yourself again.”

Emperor Yue An looked at Shí Xiu in front of him. To be honest, there was a moment when he felt that although Shí Xiu was making pills for him, he had some impure motives, even though he had checked and the pills were fine.

But now it seemed that he was overthinking things. After all, in a situation where the imperial physicians were helpless, he had saved him at a crucial moment.

He stopped his thoughts and slightly raised his hand towards the imperial physicians kneeling in the room, “All of you, withdraw.”

He did not ask about the reason for his physical condition, after all, Shí Xiu had emphasized the word “overwork” very heavily just now.

He looked at the sons in front of the bed, “All of you, go.”

Then he turned his eyes to look at the Empress, “You go too. I’ll rest for a while.”

“Okay.” The Empress responded, then said to Eunuch De, “The Emperor hasn’t had lunch yet, remember to let the Emperor have something to eat before resting.”

“Yes, Empress.” Eunuch De responded respectfully and raised his hand to instruct a nearby young eunuch.

The people in the room all bowed and took their leave at this moment.

After everyone had left, Eunuch De poured a cup of tea and handed it over, “Your Majesty, have a sip of tea to moisten your throat.”

Emperor Yue An took the tea, took a sip, and handed it back. “It seems that I am indeed old and cannot tolerate being too overworked.”

“Your Majesty is not old, but it is true that you cannot overwork yourself.” Eunuch De thought to himself, laboring in the imperial study during the day and laboring in bed at night, wasn’t that overworking yourself too much?

Emperor Yue An was silent for a moment, then said to Eunuch De, “Send word that my princes are to come to court tomorrow morning.”

“Yes.” Eunuch De was slightly surprised, feeling that the Emperor was either going to re-establish the crown prince or going to heavily use several princes.

No matter which one, there was no difference in essence. Logically speaking, after the crown prince had an accident and became disabled, he should have immediately re-established an heir, but he didn’t know why the Emperor had delayed it until now.

In the Fenghning Palace, the Empress looked at Shí Xiu below, a trace of incomprehension in her eyes, “Why did you save His Majesty? Are you unwilling, or…”

Shí Xiu replied respectfully, “Mother Empress, if I hadn’t saved Father Emperor, I would have been used as a scapegoat, and I fear that it would have involved Mother Empress and the crown prince.”

“After today, Father Emperor’s trust in me will only be greater, and he will also put the matter of establishing a crown prince on the agenda.”

“But this… isn’t this what you and I are worried about? You must know that because of your status, the chance of establishing you as heir is very small, even if you have been working diligently for these past few months, even if your father trusts you.”

A dark color flashed in Shí Xiu’s eyes, “No matter who is established as heir, the Emperor will definitely let the remaining princes leave the capital, but this does not include the crown prince and me, because the crown prince is not a threat, and I… Father Emperor needs and trusts me.”

“That way, the people we deal with will only be one person, which will be much easier.”

“To take a step back, even if the other princes are not sent out of the capital, they will also become helpers, unanimously aiming their spear at the new crown prince, and we will still be much easier.”

“When the situation is reversed, we will force Father Emperor to re-establish the crown prince, which will be much easier to control than the current situation, which is not justified and chaotic.”

The crown prince, Shí Jue, who was next to him, nodded when he heard this, “Mother Empress, it is indeed easier to control than the current situation, let’s do as the Fifth Brother says.”

The Empress pondered for a moment and nodded, raising her hand to signal Shí Xiu to withdraw. Looking at his back, there was some worry in her eyes.

Could such a deep-minded person be willing to be used by them as a puppet?

Shí Jue seemed to see what the Empress was worried about and comforted her, “Mother Empress, don’t worry, he has no power or influence. No matter what ambitions he has, he can’t make much trouble.”