Wishing to Leave the Palace

"Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. Your health must come first." Wei Fugui had entered the palace at seven and begun serving Emperor Jing'an, who had been only three at the time. Twenty-six years had passed since then. To Wei Fugui, Emperor Jing'an was not only the emperor of Great Yue, but also the master he would protect for the rest of his life.

Hearing Wei Fugui's words, Emperor Jing'an took a deep breath, then looked at him and said, "Tonight, I will dine with my imperial mother."

Emperor Jing'an did not intend to keep this matter from the empress dowager. He no longer trusted Cen Yongning, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, and suspected that Cen Yongning was Elder Princess Yue Shu's man.

If he wanted to ascertain the state of his health as soon as possible, his only option was to seek the empress dowager's help.

After all, in this palace, the one thing he could be certain of was that his imperial mother was surely of one heart with him.

The empress dowager had not even had time to rejoice at her son's arrival when she noticed that something was wrong with his expression.

After dismissing the palace servants and questioning him closely, she immediately said in agitation, "I knew that wretch would not let us, mother and son, off so easily!" With that, the empress dowager gripped Emperor Jing'an's hand and asked urgently, "My son, are you feeling unwell?"

"Please do not be angry, Mother." Though Emperor Jing'an was angry himself, he instead had to comfort the empress dowager when facing her.

Seeing that the empress dowager was still agitated after he spoke, Emperor Jing'an hurriedly said, "I came today not only to tell you about this, Mother, but also to ask you to contact Aunt discreetly and have her find a few renowned physicians from among the people to examine me." Seeing that the empress dowager still had not calmed down, he quickly added, "Mother, my condition has yet to be confirmed. The most important thing now is to find a few more physicians to examine me as soon as possible."

At his words, the empress dowager immediately reined in her anger and nodded. "Don't worry. I will personally speak to your aunt and have your uncle handle it."

The empress dowager knew that only by entrusting this matter to her own younger sister and brother-in-law could she keep it from getting out.

After all, she had no brothers in her maiden family, and for many years, her sister's family had been the only people outside the palace she could rely on. If her brother-in-law had not maneuvered on their behalf at court, her son's position on the throne would not have been so secure.

"Sorry for the trouble, Mother." As Emperor Jing'an looked at the empress dowager, he suddenly recalled the things Hua Meng had mentioned inadvertently that day.

"In truth, it was also because of something Consort Hua said today that I thought to consult a different imperial physician." Emperor Jing'an held nothing back from the empress dowager. After recounting what Consort Hua had inadvertently mentioned that day, he continued, "If not for what she said, I fear I would still have summoned Cen Yongning to take my pulse today."

When Emperor Jing'an mentioned Hua Meng, the empress dowager recalled her conduct at Chaohuang Palace that morning and immediately said, "That child is a good one. Your aunt and uncle are both quite fond of her." Thinking of how numerous the Hua family's offspring were, she suddenly said, "Why not use Consort Hua's homesickness as a pretext and have your uncle invite the best physicians from among the people to the Hua residence?"

Compared with bringing physicians from among the people into the palace, having Emperor Jing'an find an excuse to leave the palace would be less likely to arouse suspicion.

Emperor Jing'an had not originally considered it, but hearing the empress dowager's suggestion, he found himself somewhat tempted.

"I will ask Consort Hua in the next couple of days. After all, it would be best to have her cooperation in this matter."

Emperor Jing'an was truly pleased with Hua Meng, so he was unwilling to dote on her too much, worried that excessive favor would cause her temperament to change.

But then Emperor Jing'an thought that perhaps this could also serve as a test.

Having made up his mind, Emperor Jing'an summoned Hua Meng to attend him at Phoenix Approaches Palace again the next day.

Hua Meng did not know what Emperor Jing'an had gone through that day. When she arrived at Phoenix Approaches Palace, Wei Fugui led her into the hall.

Emperor Jing'an was sitting there, not reviewing memorials. Before Hua Meng could pay her respects, she heard him ask from his seat above her:

"Would you like to leave the palace and go home for a visit?"