An Epileptic Fit

Chu Yuzhu froze as she watched Yang Wenguang suddenly collapse, his body convulsing, his eyes rolling back, and white foam spilling from his mouth. Could Yang Wenguang have some strange disease?

Fear crept into Chu Yuzhu's heart. She had no desire to catch some strange disease, so she hurriedly ordered her guards to take all the young men back to the Princess's Residence.

As Chu Yuzhu left with her guards, the servants of the State Uncle's Residence felt a weight lift from their shoulders. Then panicked shouts rang out. "Something's wrong! The State Uncle is having an epileptic fit! Quick, fetch a physician!"

The hall erupted like a pot boiling over. The servants crowded around Yang Wenguang in a flurry, then carried him back to his room in a tangle of hands and feet.

A physician was soon brought in. After examining Yang Wenguang, he told the servants attending him at his bedside, "The State Uncle's rage overwhelmed his heart and triggered an epileptic fit. I'll prescribe a dose of medicine first. Have someone prepare the decoction and give it to him, then watch him closely. Don't let him bite his tongue."

The servants attending Yang Wenguang hurriedly acknowledged his instructions and went to carry them out.

After returning to the Princess's Residence, Chu Yuzhu looked at the young men she had brought back from Yang Wenguang's estate, growing angrier the more she thought about it. That Yang Wenguang deserves a thousand cuts! How hateful! Not only did he covet Yan Xuanjing, whom I had my eye on, but he also hid such handsome men in his residence. I must report him to Father and have Father deal with him! At that thought, she sprang to her feet in a fury and called outside, "Prepare my carriage. I'm going to the palace!"

Chu Yuzhu climbed into the carriage in a rage, spending the entire journey plotting how to deal with Yang Wenguang.

The carriage entered the imperial palace. After getting out, Chu Yuzhu hurried straight to the Imperial Study.

Inside the Imperial Study, Emperor Mingqing finished reviewing the last memorial and set down his brush, preparing to take a stroll through the Imperial Garden. Just then, Eunuch Zhang's voice came from outside. "Your Majesty, the Third Princess has arrived."

Emperor Mingqing raised his brows slightly. That girl Yuzhu never came to the Imperial Study without a reason. Her sudden visit today surely meant she wanted something.

"Let her in," Emperor Mingqing ordered.

Soon, Chu Yuzhu walked in. She approached Emperor Mingqing and dipped into a curtsy. "Greetings, Father."

"Rise." Emperor Mingqing looked at Chu Yuzhu with affection and asked gently, "Tell me, what brings you to see me?"

At his words, Chu Yuzhu immediately put on an aggrieved expression. "Father, I've been wronged! You must seek justice for me."

Seeing her aggrieved expression, Emperor Mingqing could not help feeling curious. "Zhuzhu, what happened? Who bullied you?"

This daughter of his had a fiery temper and had been spoiled rotten by him and his mother. She was always the one bullying others. Who would dare bully her?

"Father, Yang Wenguang bullied me!" Chu Yuzhu said through gritted teeth, her voice thick with resentment toward Yang Wenguang.

Emperor Mingqing frowned. "Explain yourself. What happened?"

Chu Yuzhu recounted Yang Wenguang's misdeeds to Emperor Mingqing, adding oil and vinegar to the tale and claiming that Yang Wenguang had forced himself on every one of those young men.

After hearing Chu Yuzhu's account, Emperor Mingqing slammed his hand onto the desk and raged, "How dare Yang Wenguang commit such utterly conscienceless acts! It seems he no longer wishes to remain the State Uncle. Eunuch Zhang, go to the State Uncle's Residence and order Yang Wenguang to enter the palace at once!"

Eunuch Zhang departed with his orders.

Seeing Emperor Mingqing's anger, Chu Yuzhu secretly rejoiced. She continued fanning the flames. "Father, Yang Wenguang has no regard for you at all. When I discovered that he kept male favorites, he shamelessly insisted he had done nothing wrong. He said the Great Chu Dynasty had no law forbidding officials from keeping male favorites, and that even if you found out, you wouldn't punish him out of consideration for his sister, Consort Rong."

Emperor Mingqing's face turned livid at her words. Bang! He slammed his hand onto the desk again and raged, "That scoundrel Yang Wenguang! His audacity truly knows no bounds. I will teach him a proper lesson today!"

At the State Uncle's Residence, Yang Wenguang's epileptic fit finally stopped after he took the medicine the physician had prescribed. As soon as he recovered, his first question was what had happened to his male favorites.

His guards and servants all lowered their heads at his question, not daring to speak for fear that one wrong word would send rage surging into his heart and trigger another epileptic fit.

At their reaction, an ominous premonition rose in Yang Wenguang's heart. His face darkened, and he demanded in a low voice, "Speak! What exactly happened to them?"

Seeing his grim expression, the guards and servants could only tell him the truth. "My lord, the Third Princess took all your male favorites back to the Princess's Residence."

At those words, Yang Wenguang's already dark expression grew so stormy it seemed ready to drip water. Fury blazed in his heart. That bitch Chu Yuzhu actually took all my male favorites away! I will never let her get away with this!

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his eyes narrowed. Someone must have tipped Chu Yuzhu off for her people to find the male favorites he had hidden in the secret chamber. Otherwise, they could never have found them.

Yang Wenguang's face fell. Wearing a grim expression, he asked, "Who in the residence spoke to the Third Princess's guards today?"

The guards and servants exchanged glances, then all shook their heads to indicate that they did not know.

Yang Wenguang's gaze darkened at their response. "If you refuse to speak, I'll have every one of you beaten to death!"

Terrified by his threat, the guards and servants hurriedly dropped to their knees. "Spare us, my lord! None of us saw anyone in the residence speaking to the Third Princess's guards."

When they all claimed ignorance, Yang Wenguang was so furious that he ordered them all dragged away and given thirty strokes of the paddle. Piercing screams rose from the courtyard. Yang Wenguang listened without expression, his heart filled with hatred for Chu Yuzhu. This time, she had truly enraged him!

Before even half of the thirty strokes had been delivered, the gatekeeper hurried in to report that Eunuch Zhang had arrived and was waiting in the front hall.

At the news, Yang Wenguang had no time to dwell on his anger. He hurried to the front hall. Before he could react, Eunuch Zhang rose from his seat, approached him, and said in a shrill voice, "State Uncle Yang, His Majesty orders you to enter the palace at once."

Yang Wenguang's heart lurched, and a sense of foreboding rose within him. He asked tentatively, "Eunuch Zhang, do you know why His Majesty wishes to see me?"

Eunuch Zhang looked at him and said, "I don't know why His Majesty has summoned you either. You'll find out when you get there, State Uncle Yang." Then he offered a hint. "State Uncle Yang, the Third Princess went to see His Majesty."

Yang Wenguang's heart sank. He had guessed correctly. That damned bitch Chu Yuzhu really did go spouting nonsense in front of His Majesty!

"Make yourself presentable, my lord, and come to the palace with me at once. You must not keep His Majesty waiting."

Yang Wenguang dared not delay. He hurried out of the residence with Eunuch Zhang, climbed into the carriage, and set off for the imperial palace.

Throughout the journey, Yang Wenguang pondered how to deal with Emperor Mingqing's wrath.

But even after racking his brains, he could not come up with a flawless plan. After all, Emperor Mingqing deeply disliked officials keeping male favorites, and with that bitch Chu Yuzhu beside him fanning the flames, Yang Wenguang feared this time would bring far more peril than promise...