First Suspicions

After dining with Hua Meng, Emperor Jing'an should have gone to review memorials, as was his custom.

But today, before he had even begun reviewing them, he felt a sticky film over his body.

At first, Emperor Jing'an suspected nothing, assuming only that he could not bear the heat this year and had begun sweating before summer had even arrived.

But once he entered the bath, Emperor Jing'an discovered that, as he soaked in the hot water, a layer of gray grime emerged on his skin.

He bathed every day, yet now this layer of gray grime had appeared. How could he not be suspicious?

Puzzled, Emperor Jing'an got out of the bath and immediately ordered Wei Fugui to discreetly find Imperial Physician Jiang, a man who kept a very low profile, at the Imperial Medical Academy.

Imperial Physician Jiang was somewhat bewildered when Wei Fugui brought him to the Phoenix Approaches Palace. Everyone in the Imperial Medical Academy knew that the Head of the Imperial Medical Academy had always examined His Majesty's pulse. Imperial Physician Jiang, meanwhile, was more skilled at treating children's illnesses thanks to his family's teachings, so he had been of no use in all his years at the Imperial Medical Academy.

"I summoned you because, though summer has yet to arrive, my body feels sticky." Emperor Jing'an spoke with feigned ease, then gestured for Imperial Physician Jiang to come forward. "There is no need to record this pulse examination. Just keep what you learn to yourself, and examine Fugui later as well."

Anyone who could serve as an imperial physician in the palace was shrewd.

Imperial Physician Jiang was in his early forties, neither particularly young nor old.

With Emperor Jing'an placing such trust in the Head of the Imperial Medical Academy, his chances of climbing higher were slim, since the Head was only five years older than him.

But he had not expected Emperor Jing'an to give him such a hint today.

"There is no need to record it" naturally meant that a fourth person could not be allowed to learn of this pulse examination.

"Examine Fugui later as well" naturally meant that if anyone asked when he returned, he had come to examine Eunuch Wei's pulse.

The chief eunuch most valued by His Majesty was indeed important enough to warrant his services.

"Your servant understands." Imperial Physician Jiang was excited, but kept his expression composed. "Please extend your hand, Your Majesty."

Imperial Physician Jiang had assumed the emperor was testing him. After all, five more consorts had entered the imperial harem this time, and perhaps one of them would render the great service of bearing the emperor a child.

When the time came, he would naturally have a chance to put his skills to use.

But when he felt Emperor Jing'an's pulse, he realized things were not so simple.

Imperial Physician Jiang spent a long time examining his pulse.

After feeling the pulse in his right wrist, he switched to the left, and finally back to the right.

As he switched back and forth, Emperor Jing'an's initial composure gave way to unease.

"You keep doing that... is something wrong with my pulse?"

Emperor Jing'an had only asked as a tentative probe, but to his surprise, Imperial Physician Jiang nodded.

The moment Imperial Physician Jiang nodded, Wei Fugui cried out, his voice strained, "Your Majesty!"

Wei Fugui's cry brought Imperial Physician Jiang back to his senses.

He was puzzled as well. The emperor's pulse was far too strange.

"Your Majesty, this servant's knowledge and skills are limited. I can only tell that something is wrong with your pulse, but I cannot determine exactly what."

By rights, His Majesty was not yet thirty and regularly took mild tonics to nourish his body, so his pulse should have been perfectly healthy. Yet the pulse he had just felt was somewhat strange.

And yet he could not determine what was strange about it.

Imperial Physician Jiang did not pretend to understand what he did not. Moreover, since the emperor's health was at stake, he did not dare speak carelessly and could only state what he knew for certain.

"Your Majesty's pulse is indeed not what it should be for a man in his prime."

When Imperial Physician Jiang said that his pulse was indeed abnormal, Emperor Jing'an had already become certain of one thing: the Head of the Imperial Medical Academy, whom he had trusted for nearly twenty years, was not actually loyal to him.

Suppressing his anger, Emperor Jing'an looked at Imperial Physician Jiang and said, "Fugui has been unwell lately. You should come by a few more times."

As soon as Imperial Physician Jiang heard this, he understood what Emperor Jing'an meant. "Your servant understands." After saying so, he dutifully went so far as to actually examine Wei Fugui's pulse.

Only after Imperial Physician Jiang gave Wei Fugui a bottle of Digestive Pills and withdrew did Emperor Jing'an let all his emotions spill out.

"The Cen Family deserves death! Cen Yongning deserves death!" Yue Shu deserved death!