With a bang, the emperor slammed his hand down on the tea table beside the couch in the Imperial Study, making the cups atop it rattle sharply.
"Are the Heavenly Prison guards nothing but wine sacks and rice bags? They couldn't even keep watch over Lu Haixian alone!"
The elderly eunuch Zhao Chaolin stood anxiously to one side, while the emperor trembled all over with rage.
"What did the imperial physician say?"
Only then did the elderly eunuch dare answer cautiously.
"The imperial physician said Lord Lu is old and frail, and his body was already severely depleted. This incident has gravely injured his spleen and stomach, damaging the very foundation of his vitality. He can only recuperate slowly and be moved elsewhere once his health improves..."
Lu Haixian remained in the Heavenly Prison, chiefly because he could no longer be moved casually. An imperial physician attended him around the clock. Apart from the poor surroundings, everything else amounted to treatment fit for imperial kin.
The emperor's expression was unreadable.
"Does he want to die that badly?"
Zhao Chaolin glanced at the emperor's face and hurriedly spoke.
"Your Majesty, Lord Lu may feel ashamed for having deceived you earlier, but he may also be troubled because he divulged heaven's secrets."
The emperor glanced at the elderly eunuch. Perhaps he dimly understood something himself, but whether he would acknowledge it now was another matter.
"Tell the imperial physicians they must cure my loyal minister Lu. If anything happens to him, I will hold the Imperial Medical Bureau accountable. Go there yourself!"
"Yes."
"And send someone to summon the Director of the Directorate of Celestial Observations to see me. Hurry!"
Zhao Chaolin bowed in assent.
"Yes, this old servant will attend to it at once!"
Only after leaving the Imperial Study did