Chapter Thirty-two, White Ears

When Zi Wan saw him wake up, she was so happy her eyes curved. She used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat on her forehead that came out due to worry and nervousness, then ran out to bring in a cup of hot water, “Duke, please have some hot water.”

Xiao Zuo nodded his head, Zi Wan then carefully cushioned him with a pillow, and he leaned on the pillow against the back of the bed, drank some water, and finally had come to from that strange nightmare. Xiao Zuo slightly breathed a sigh of relief, and saw the doctor grab the prescription, and lamented with surprise, “This White Ears certainly has some miraculous effect.”

“Doctor.” Xiao Zuo coughed, “You’ve worked hard, Doctor.”

The old doctor continuously shook his hand like he was surprised by the honour, “It is all thanks to Duke’s miraculous medicine, this old one cannot be considered to have done anything.” After saying this, he wrote down another prescription, and gave it to Zi Wan, “Now that the fever has subsided, there isn’t much of a big problem, it will be fine after quietly recuperating for a few days.”

Xiao Zuo laid down for a few consecutive days, so his waist and back was quite sore- he rejected the idea from Zi Wan to have him continue sleeping for a while, and slightly leaned on the back of the bed, and randomly took up a book on military tactics, then used the swaying candlelight to read it.

When He Xuan came in through the door, it was this sort of calm scene.

Xiao Zuo was wearing white underclothes, draped with an inky-green silk robe on the outside, and his long hair was slightly tied up, loosely placed to the back of the head. His fingers’ joints were distinctive, slender to the point they were pleasant to the eyes, and at this time, they were holding a corner of a book. That pitiful paper was kneaded by him so much it turned all wrinkly, but Xiao Zuo did not realize it at all. The dim yellow candlelight passed by his dense and fine eyelashes, and fell onto the paper, creating a considerably tender shadow.

He Xuan’s footsteps paused, he could not help but slow down his breathing, afraid to disturb this seldom beautiful scene. But the shadow he had was far too honest, it straightly defected to the enemy camp, and sold him out completely cleanly. Xiao Zuo lifted his head up and glanced at him, then narrowed his eyes and smiled, “Your Highness has come.”

“Mm.” He Xuan pursed his lips, took off the big cloak, hung it on the rack to the side, then walked over and sat on the side of the bed, “Has the fever subsided?”

“En.” Xiao Zuo nodded his head. He closed the book and placed it to the side, then hung his head down and glanced at his own fingers without a sound, the hung eyelashes gathered into a shadow, making it hard to see the expression in his eyes.

“Next time……” He Xuan paused, the excuse he thought of originally made a circle in his mouth, like the courage to go in alone instantly took a strike from an army tens of thousands strong, and dissipated without a trace. He sighed, and in the end, said some insignificant words, “Rest well, Ig will come see you in two days again.”

❀

“Is that White Ears truly this incredible?” He Yang excitedly asked again, that old doctor nodded his head, and respectfully said, “It is the utmost truth, I saw they were unwell, but who knew once they ate the medicine, the fever would subside immediately, and with a blink of an eye, they could already jump and run.” Perhaps for his own money, he even exaggeratedly embellished the epic of how Xiao Zuo was so sick, then how he had escaped from death, and stretched it, making He Yang practically rub his hands in eagerness, anxious to jump out.

“Rewarded!” He Yang waved his hand, and let the servant give that old doctor a bag of silvers. He saw [the doctor] smile so much he couldn’t close his mouth while receiving it to put it in his bag, and even glanced at him disdainfully, “What a pauper, to think he could be sent away with a few silvers.”

A few days ago when he went into the palace, Empress Liu pulled him aside saying He Heng’s wind chill could not be uprooted at all, it would be better for a few days then return, making He Heng have a headache. Empress Liu then had him go to the commoners’ realm to find some rare prescription, if it could heal He Heng’s illness, then that would be a great achievement, bound to make He Heng give him another glance.

It just so happened that Xiao Zuo also got a wind chill, He Yang then bought out the doctor who treated him, and heard his sickness was quite severe as well- originally, he probed about it in passing, but did not think that he really hit the jackpot.

“This time, it’ll be a victory against He Xuan.” He Yang took a small sip of some wine, and grabbed some cold dishes and placed it in the mouth, then pridefully sought merit from Empress Liu. Empress Liu was also happy, but as someone within the deep of the palace, she was accustomed with concealing her emotions, so she only slightly curved her lips, and drank a bit more wine than usual, then put down her chopsticks, “Oh you, don’t be so happy, be a bit more reserved.”

“Don’t worry, Mother.” He Yang narrowed his eyes, and stuck his head out to say in a small voice, “I saw He Xuan whole-heartedly thinking of that fellow from the south, these few days, there were even a few places he missed in his court duties, tsk.”

Empress Liu indifferently glanced at him, “He is just playing, a wolf cub like He Xuan……” As she said this, she lightly laughed, like she had thought of something, “However, this is also our chance.”

“Chance? What chance?”

Empress Liu paused. She did not follow up He Yang’s words, and only slowly put the sharp and thin gold finger protector on her finger, and played with the gems cast on the surface like she was in deep thought, “Do you remember that dancer who entered the palace a few while ago?”

“Beauty Jiang?”

“Now that little bitch has already been granted a title of Noble, as expected of a dancer background, to be full of tricks of seduction, she has coaxed the emperor to rest in her palace for a long time already.”

“Oh?” He Yang disdained the public and private fighting between the women of the back palace, but due to Empress Liu’s face, he only went through the motions, “She is merely a dancer, Mother’s status is of noble standing, how important is it to beat and kill a single dancer?”

Empress Liu was accustomed with being contaminated by back palace, how would she not know of these shady tactics that could not be brought to the table yet was the most common? She was accustomed with using these things when she was young, but she turned older in these years- when she was young, she did not believe in the heavens nor destiny, and dared to use whatever shady tactics she could- but once she got old, she could not help but start getting scared.

Empress Liu hung her eyes down, two fingers pinched a bamboo stem, and lightly played with the blackbird in the birdcage.

She had been trapped in this golden and luxurious birdcage for this entire lifetime, even if she had to go to the hells of oil, she couldn’t be considered to have much grudges. But her Yang’er, Empress Liu sighed. Since this path couldn’t refrain from getting stained with with blood, then let her do it. For her Yang’er, she must, in this deep palace that swallowed people whole, create the world’s most honourable scenery.

“With that blockish brain of yours, Ibgdon’t think I can get anything out.” Empress Liu put down her words, then turned around, “Hurry back, I am tired.”

She was old, after all. Beauty withers and love dies, that Jiang Ni was right at a good age, so fresh and tender that she was just like a freshly plucked soft-stem bulrush, and was well-versed in how to grab a man’s heart, even she could not help but fall for her. In this palace, status was most important, but also the least important. In the end, it all merely was based on the mood of the emperor alone, if that Jiang Ni really entered He Heng’s eyes, and then birthed a son or daughter, then it might be that that seat would have an extra opponent.

That thin and long nail protector of Empress Liu’s was held in her palm and drew open a wound, yet she didn’t feel it at all.

❀

“Where is his Majesty?” Empress Liu blew on the tea leaves, the luxuriously done face was hidden in the winding mist. Lan Yi stood behind her while massaging her shoulders, and answered, “Still in the Zhao YangManifest the ‘sun’ Palace.”

“Pah.” Empress Liu suddenly placed the cup of tea in her hands down heavily, the splashes from it soaked the silk tablecloth that was given as tribute, and for no reason at all, had some meaning of ridicule to it.

“Please don’t be angry, Mother.” He Yang knitted his eyebrows, Empress Liu glanced at him, then waved her hand and said to Lan Yi, “Go to the Zhao Yang Palace, just say Yang’er has entered the palace, and is waiting to have dinner together with his Majesty.”

Jiang Ni was wearing a cascading crepe dress, her barren arms were wrapped with gold silk ribbons, while the tall flying hairstyle[1] made her neck long and delicate, emitting a bright and smooth sheen. She made some graceful steps and passed by a group of musicians while He Heng leaned on a pillow to the side, and smiled as he watched her whirl the flying silk ribbons. With that long, long, gold-threaded band tightly wrapped around her, she seemed like a butterfly that just came out of its chrysalis, chasing after the beautiful dreams of its past lifetime, yet also seemed like a lofty celestial lady, making people bear thoughts of blasphemy for no reason at all.

“Your Majesty.” Sun De Lu bent his waist and came in, got close to He Heng’s ears and said something, He Heng slightly helplessly waved his hands, and Jiang Ni stopped dancing, then came over in small steps like a light and nimble yellow oriole and filled his wine, then leaned on He Heng’s shoulders and asked in a tender voice, “What is it?”

He Heng pulled her hand and pulled her into his arms, then smiled, “Yang’er has come, Iz must go to look.”

“Your Majesty.” Jiang Ni hung her eyes down with a bit of yearning, and clutched at He Heng’s hand like she was acting spoiled. He Heng sighed, but stood up in the end, “Iz will come see you tomorrow.”

Jiang Ni only pouted her lips and got the outer robe for He Heng, then sent him out of the palace with her eyes.

“Hurry and return, it is cold outside.”

He Heng turned his head from inside the royal sedan, and looked at Jiang Ni who was still standing at the entrance of the palace, and felt quite sorry [for her].

“This one will send off your Majesty.” He Heng took one last look at the beauty in the night winds who was as thin as bulrush, and could not help to have some worries.

❀

“How did you remember to enter the palace today?” He Heng stepped inside the palace, he doted much on this small son since young, and never mentioned any harsh words- at this time when he saw He Yang come over, he smiled and said, “Let mezhen see if you’ve gotten thin, hm?”

“Father.” He Yang bowed, and pulled on the crook of He Heng’s arm and merrily said, “This son has found a treasure in the common realm, it will definitely heal Father’s wind chill.”

“Oh?” Once He Heng heard this, he slightly curiously stopped in his steps, and Empress Liu also joined in, “This child Yang’er is filial. Since he knew your Majesty’s royal body was unwell, he searched for [a cure] all over, and it really did get found by him. Your Majesty also is the true dragon, son of Heaven, and naturally has the blessings of the dragon’s aura.”

“How could Mother say that, this is just this son’s duty.” He Yang spoke while bringing He Heng into his seat, and a maid on the side started putting down dishes. After they finished dinner, He Yang scooped up the thick soup while saying, “Father, would you like to try this son’s prescription today?”

He Heng nodded his head, “For Yang’er to be so filial is very good.”

He took up handkerchief the maid handed, then wiped his hands, “Call the imperial doctor over.”

“Imperial Doctor, try adding this White Ears, grind it into a powder, then consume it before the concoction, perhaps there might be a miracle.” He Yang had Lan Yi bring the White Ears, and handed it to the imperial doctor to look.

That old imperial doctor stroked his beard, narrowed his eyes and pinched a small bit of White Ears, then brought it close to the nose and smelled it, and nodded his head in a tremor, “This is a specialty of Nan Liang, it is rarely seen in Jin, it can clear heat and dissolve poison, and has a gentle medical effect, it would not hurt to try it.” Then he rewrote a prescription, and added White Ears to it.

The movements of the imperial doctor hall was very quick- after about a dual-hour, they made one portion, and once it was cooled, the maid brought it in for He Heng to drink. At first there wasn’t much, but in the evening when He Heng went to the study to mark the memorials, he felt his entire body turn very dehydrated, drank a whole pot of water, then let out an entire body of sweat. When it was time to sleep, he felt like his entire body relaxed a lot, there was wind from the study to the bedchambers, but he did not feel cold, and only felt great.

Normally, because the body was uncomfortable, He Heng would always toss and turn in the night, and not sleep easily- each time, he had to light up a soothing incense, then drink a sleep-aiding medicine to be able to get to sleep, but today, he only felt like as soon as he touched the pillow, he fell asleep, and slept all the way until it was bright the next day, and actually got a good night of rest, without even a single dream.