GBP Chapter 621 Experienced Hunter
Chapter 621 Experienced Hunter
Yan Qing was serving Xiao Yu his medicine when there was a knock on the door.
A guard reported, "Your Highness, Minister Jiang of the Ministry of Revenue has arrived and requests an audience. He is currently waiting in the main hall."
Yan Qing paused in feeding the medicine, and said with a puzzled look, "I wonder what it is that Lord Jiang wants? Your Highness, please drink your medicine first, and I will go see him later."
Xiao Yu didn't pay much attention and casually hummed in agreement.
Yan Qing said to the guard at the door, "Please ask Lord Jiang to wait a moment, I will be there shortly."
"Yes."
No sooner had the guard finished speaking than Jiang Fu, panting heavily, strode toward them, followed by another servant looking troubled.
"Lord Jiang, His Highness is not in a position to receive guests..."
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Fu interrupted him: "Tell the prince that I have urgent business to discuss with him, concerning your princess."
Jiang Fu's hurried voice came through. Upon hearing that it was related to Su Lingyue, Xiao Yu disregarded everything else and instructed Yan Qing, "Let Lord Jiang in."
“But…” Yan Qing looked at Xiao Yu’s appearance and felt heartbroken.
He didn't want others to see the prince in such a weak state.
"Hurry!" Xiao Yu urged Yan Qing, and because of his fluctuating emotions, Xiao Yu began to cough.
Seeing this, Yan Qing disregarded everything and called out to the door, "Let Lord Jiang in." He immediately helped Xiao Yu up and slowly channeled his inner energy into his body.
Jiang Fu's heart tightened when he heard the cough.
After walking around the screen and seeing the person leaning against the headboard, panting heavily, he dared not take another step.
The person in front of him was already skin and bones, with sunken cheeks and no life in his face. If it weren't for the resemblance to Xiao Yu in the past, Jiang Fu would never have believed that this was the once noble and extraordinary Prince Su.
"Your Majesty, what are you doing..."
When Xiao Yu saw Jiang Fu, he tried his best to calm himself down. He leaned weakly against the headboard, wanting to speak but lacking the strength.
Seeing this, Yan Qing asked the question that Xiao Yu wanted to ask: "Lord Jiang, you just said it was related to the Princess Consort, what is it that is urgent?"
Hearing Yan Qing's voice, Jiang Fu finally snapped out of his shock.
He immediately recounted what he had seen at the Crown Prince's residence the day before.
"Although I really don't want to think of His Majesty this way, as a man myself, I know his eyes all too well, so I came to tell the Prince not to let Yue'er go to places where the Emperor is in the future. I didn't expect her to enter the palace."
"I had hoped that as a prince, I could bring Yue'er back to the palace, but..."
Given Xiao Yu's current condition, let alone entering the palace, he might even have trouble walking.
Seeing that Xiao Yu's eyes were red, Yan Qing was worried that he would suffer a stroke in his anxiety, so she directly raised her hand and struck Xiao Yu on the back of the neck, making him faint.
Yan Qing helped Xiao Yu lie down and covered him with blankets. Then, he stood up and said to Jiang Fu with a stern face, "Lord Jiang, as you can see, the prince is very ill and cannot withstand any stimulation. If you need anything in the future, please come directly to me."
Jiang Fuchao nodded to Yan Qing and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know Your Highness was so ill. Yue'er, I'll find a way to save you myself."
Only then did Yan Qing realize that her words just now sounded like she was blaming him, so she quickly blocked Jiang Fu's way and explained, "Lord Jiang, I didn't mean to blame you, nor did I mean to ignore the Princess."
Jiang Fu patted his arm and said, "I know. Since Your Highness is like this, only I, as your uncle, can make the trip."
*
Su Lingyue clutched her dress and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, the Empress is my aunt. She raised me and is like a mother to me. I also regard you as my father. Please do not make such a joke. The Prince is still waiting for me at the manor. Please allow me to take my leave."
Upon hearing this, the emperor stood up, slowly walked a few steps toward Su Lingyue, a smile playing on his lips, and asked, "Didn't you want me to send an imperial physician to treat Eunuch He? Aren't you going to continue pleading?"
Seeing the person in front of him trembling slightly from fright, the emperor's desire to tease him intensified.
He was like an experienced hunter, constantly showing his prey the bait, but never letting it eat it.
"Perhaps if you plead a few more times, I will agree."
Su Lingyue's grip on her dress tightened and loosened repeatedly.
Torn between her doting father-in-law, He, and the looming danger, Su Lingyue found herself in a dilemma.
Just then, Cui Mama's voice rang out at the entrance of the Hall of Diligent Governance: "Your Majesty, the Empress seems to have woken up. She keeps calling for Your Majesty, begging you to go and see her."
The hunting trip was interrupted, and the emperor's good mood vanished, his face instantly darkening.
After glancing at Su Lingyue, the emperor strode out of the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Su Lingyue's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.
As soon as the emperor left, Cai Die rushed in to help Su Lingyue, asking anxiously, "Miss, what's wrong?"
Su Lingyue held Cai Die's hand tightly and said, "It's alright, let's go quickly."
Holding Cai Die's hand, Su Lingyue walked out of the Qin Zheng Hall and immediately said to Cai Die with red eyes, "Go find Cai Yi quickly, take Cai Yi with you, and leave the palace now to go back to your residence."
Cai Die didn't understand what had happened. Her young mistress looked very frightened, and she didn't know what the emperor had said inside.
But given her condition, it would be best for her to return home.
Despite still feeling lingering fear, Su Lingyue followed along to Eunuch He's courtyard in Kunning Palace.
If there is no other way, this may be the last time I see Eunuch He.
Upon entering the room, Caiyi was still standing guard beside Eunuch He. Eunuch He's face, no longer young, was covered in a bluish tinge, and his eyes were half-open, staring unfocused at the green canopy ceiling.
Seeing the kind and smiling man of the past transformed into this, Su Lingyue felt a lump in her throat and cried out, "Eunuch He."
Upon hearing Su Lingyue's voice, Eunuch He's eyes flickered, and his gaze focused on Su Lingyue.
"Miss Yue, you've arrived."
His voice was as weak and feeble as a bubble, as if it could disappear with a gust of wind.
Su Lingyue sat down by the bed, took his hand, forced a smile, and said through tears, "Father-in-law, I've come to see you."
Eunuch He's lips twitched, as if he wanted to smile at Su Lingyue, but he didn't have the strength. He just looked at her and murmured, "It's so good to be able to see Miss Yue before I die!"
Su Lingyue could no longer hold back her tears, which dripped onto the back of Eunuch He's hand.
Even Cai Die and Cai Yi, who were standing to the side, couldn't hold back and choked up as they cried softly.
Su Lingyue held He Gonggong's hand tightly and said, "Eunuch, you won't die. I'll go and beg His Majesty again later."
Upon hearing this, Eunuch He immediately gripped Su Lingyue's hand tightly, shouting, "No! No! You can't go!"
Caiyi choked up and said, "Miss, just now, when Eunuch He heard that you went to the Hall of Diligent Governance to plead with His Majesty on his behalf, he sent me to find Granny Cui. The eunuch was worried that His Majesty would make things difficult for you because of the Prince. Did Granny Cui go?"
It turned out to be the case.
Su Lingyue nodded and said, "The nanny arrived just in time, and His Majesty did not make things difficult for me."
Hearing Su Lingyue say this, Eunuch He loosened his grip a little, as if his consciousness had returned. He looked at Su Lingyue's face and said with a smile, "It's so good to see you before I die! This servant has never regretted it, really."
After she finished speaking, Su Lingyue's hand felt lighter. Those once warm, large hands, the hands that had lifted her up and placed her on their shoulders, fell onto the old, faded quilt and never moved again.
Facing the unfocused eyes that were still staring at her, Su Lingyue felt no fear whatsoever.
Because those eyes used to look at her with a smile, and when she saw those eyes, she would unconsciously smile along with them.
Su Lingyue smiled and raised her hand to close the eyes of the person who had accompanied her as she grew up.