Chapter 40

Because most of the royal family and the civil and military ministers had accompanied the emperor to the Jehol Palace, the entire capital became desolate and quiet.

To the northeast of the former Qínwángfǔ was a sizable Chǔwángfǔ.

Chǔ Wáng was the fifth son of Emperor Yongfeng, born to Consort Hui.

By the end of his life, Emperor Yongfeng had only two grown sons remaining: the legitimate second son, Qín Wáng, and the fifth son, Chǔ Wáng.

Regardless of birth order or legitimacy, Qín Wáng was the best candidate for the throne. However, Emperor Yongfeng continuously delayed appointing a crown prince.

This caused Chǔ Wáng’s ambition to swell day by day, as he increasingly considered himself to be the favored choice of his father, Emperor Yongfeng, to inherit the throne.

Even in the imperial court, a large number of Chǔ Wáng’s supporters began to emerge.

But no one could have predicted that Emperor Yongfeng’s final choice would still be Qín Wáng.

Chǔ Wáng’s birth mother, Consort Hui, had been taken by her son to his residence seven years ago after Emperor Yongfeng’s passing.

Since then, two new emperors had ascended the throne. Today, Consort Hui should have been referred to as Empress Dowager Hui or Grand Empress Dowager Hui, but for convenience, she was simply called “Consort Hui.”

Since Chǔ Wáng had taken his family to the Jehol Palace, the only legitimate master remaining in the residence was Consort Hui.

Upon learning that the Crown Prince had contracted smallpox and was gravely ill, Consort Hui was overjoyed, not expecting things to progress so smoothly.

Although she never became the Empress, Consort Hui had been the most favored concubine during the Yongfeng era.

Moreover, due to her background in the family of the Zhenguo General, Consort Hui’s influence in the harem far exceeded that of the current Noble Consort, who came from a humble background.

Since the emperor’s ascension five years ago, he had made sweeping reforms throughout the entire palace, eradicating many of the disgusting remnants from the Yongfeng era.

However, some deeply hidden supporters of Consort Hui still lingered in the palace.

Chǔ Wáng had many wives and concubines, and his family was full of descendants. Once, seeing that the emperor had been childless for many years, Consort Hui secretly plotted to have her own descendants adopted into the imperial family to inherit the throne.

Unexpectedly, earlier this year, Consort Kang successfully gave birth to a son.

This Crown Prince had naturally become a thorn in Consort Hui’s side.

Now, she only waited for the Crown Prince to breathe his last, so she could unite with Chǔ Wáng’s old supporters and her family, the Zhenguo General’s house, to petition the emperor, urging him to adopt Chǔ Wáng’s grandson as his heir.

Meanwhile, the emperor and consort, who had hurriedly returned from Jehol Palace, were traveling at a fast pace.

Kang Yuyi had been riding for a long time in the morning, and during the lunch break, she felt her legs aching terribly, as if they were filled with acidic liquid.

The base of her thighs was chafed and burning with pain.

Now, riding back to the capital on the same horse as the emperor, her entire body was jolted uncomfortably. She was pale, and her limbs felt weak and unsteady.

Only the thought of her beloved and sickly little child kept her from collapsing, as Kang Yuyi bit her lower lip to endure the pain.

The emperor, after galloping for a while, found that riding single-handedly wasn’t fast enough. So, he swiftly turned Kang Yuyi around, making her sit facing him on the horse.

In this way, Kang Yuyi could easily wrap her arms around his lean and firm waist, and he could use both hands to speed up the horse.

Kang Yuyi, terrified by the speed, which was a hundred times faster than her morning ride, felt her heart pounding wildly, her ears filled with the deafening sound of wind and hooves.

She clung tightly to the emperor’s waist, terrified of falling off the horse.

“Don’t be afraid; I can protect you,” the emperor noticed her trembling.

“Mm,” Kang Yuyi responded, her voice trembling.

After galloping for over three hours, they finally arrived at the palace in the capital at midnight.

The imperial guards stationed at Nan’anmen Tower had already received word from the emperor’s guards, who had arrived just ahead of them, and had opened the gates in advance.

The golden-brown horse, soaked in sweat, carried the two straight to the gates of Ren Shou Palace without any hindrance.

A few imperial physicians and eunuchs, who had been waiting at the palace gates, quickly presented masks for the emperor and consort to wear before entering to visit the Crown Prince.

The Emperor and Kang Yuyi disregarded everything else and quickly made their way to the east side of Ren Shou Palace, where the Crown Prince was located.

When they arrived, they were met with a distressing sight: the Crown Prince lay on the bed, his condition critical. His high fever showed no signs of abating. His once plump face had become gaunt and was now flushed a deep red from the fever. His entire body was alarmingly hot to the touch, and his skin was dotted with numerous small red spots.

In his dazed and weakened state, the Crown Prince managed to catch a glimpse of his parents. He struggled to open his eyes wide, trying to confirm that they were really there. His little mouth, however, remained pouted in misery, as if it could hold a kettle of oil.

Kang Yuyi, who had been anxious throughout the journey, was overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing her son in such a frail and pitiable condition. Tears welled up and streamed down her face uncontrollably.

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