Chapter 23

Chu Zhaoyou took a sip of water, unable to hear clearly what Xiao Heng was saying. He silently covered his ears, wishing the Regent wouldn’t argue outside his sleeping quarters.

“Minister Xue, draft an edict.”

“Your Majesty, please speak.”

“Grant Wei Shuangshuang a bowl of sweet soup and two boxes of hairpins to express my remorse for the incident with Zhang Huiji. Remember not to enter the Wei residence and announce the edict publicly.” Chu Zhaoyou picked up the imperial seal and stamped it with a smile.

This matter definitely couldn’t be announced as originally planned. Zhang Huiji was a spy intending to assassinate, and now he was in the Regent’s dungeon. With one swift strike, the matter was settled, and there was nothing more to be done. The Empress Dowager was capable of such things and probably wouldn’t let them find evidence of treason. She would handle it later.

Chu Zhaoyou mentioned that he was petty and that just because Wei Shuangshuang was a woman, he wouldn’t hesitate to act.

“Sweet soup?” Minister Xue looked puzzled. Was it poisoned?

Chu Zhaoyou affirmed, “It’s just sweet soup.”

“I will attend to it, Your Majesty.”

As Minister Xue left, the Regent was about to enter and was stopped to verify the imperial edict.

Xiao Heng glanced at it and handed it back to Minister Xue. “Qian Shicheng, go with Minister Xue to announce the edict.”

“Understood.”

On the way, Qian Shicheng secretly asked Minister Xue, “What does it say? Are we to arrest everyone in the Wei residence?”

Minister Xue had fallen ill after eating at the Wei residence yesterday and had not kept up with the Emperor. Now, his mind couldn’t keep up either.

“The Emperor has bestowed a reward upon Miss Wei.”

“Ah?” Qian Shicheng slapped his forehead. What was he doing there? Was his master asking him to see how magnanimous the young Emperor was? Wouldn’t that just make the Regent appear capricious?

At the entrance of the Wei residence, the entire family came out to receive the edict. After Minister Xue finished reading the imperial edict, Wei Shuangshuang suddenly collapsed to the ground, trembling all over.

The Empress Dowager had clearly said that nothing would happen, and even if the young Emperor got into trouble, no one would care. Then her aunt would pretend to stand up for the young Emperor and advise him that a small mercy would lead to chaos…

Minister Xue said, “Miss Wei, please drink.”

Upon seeing Wei Shuangshuang’s pale face, Qian Shicheng suddenly understood. A is for apple, B is for… Wei Shuangshuang had a guilty conscience. She thought the water was poisoned. Even if nothing happened immediately, the suspicion would linger in her mind forever, making her paranoid.

Even though it was just a bowl of sweet soup.

The Emperor had no power in his hands, yet he could move mountains.

Qian Shicheng immediately threatened, “If Miss Wei doesn’t drink, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

Seeing Qian Shicheng bringing people with him, Wei Shuangshuang knew that she would not escape death today. She couldn’t help but think of what the Emperor had said to her in the Temple of the Matchmaker—always seeking retribution for the slightest grievance, easily angered.

The Empress Dowager had originally intended for Zhang Huiji to also capture Wei Shuangshuang to clear any suspicion. However, Wei Shuangshuang, fearing damage to her reputation, had changed the plan on her own, wanting to leave early under the pretext of an upset stomach.

She should have listened to at least one of the Empress Dowager or the Emperor’s words… She shouldn’t have been so presumptuous and disregarded everything after the young Emperor saw through her. Wei Shuangshuang closed her eyes, the sweet soup entering her throat, chilling her to the bone.

Wei Zhuo, with a stern face, pressed Minister Xue, “What has my sister done wrong? Please inform me, Minister Xue. Otherwise, I will have to enter the palace to ask the Empress Dowager to arbitrate.”

“The Emperor has bestowed a reward upon your sister. Why would Lord Wei say such a thing?”

“Is it really just sweet soup?”

Minister Xue had an inscrutable expression.

Wei Zhuo glanced at the incompetent Wei Shuangshuang and angrily asked, “What connection does Zhang Huiji have with the Wei family? Why did the Emperor mention them together?”

Qian Shicheng interjected, “Some things are better left unsaid. Do I have to publicly disclose them?”

As the edict was being announced at the entrance of the Wei residence, a crowd of people gathered. Some of them suddenly realized and began to discuss, “So it was Wei Shuangshuang who was engaged to Prince Zhang last time, not the daughter of General Xie. She’s General Xie’s own sister!”

One sentence disparaged two people. Wei Zhuo’s expression changed several times. Why couldn’t General Xie’s sister marry, while his own sister could be engaged?

Wei Shuangshuang did indeed have a connection with Zhang Huiji, involving marriage and collusion. At least one of these was true.

Wei Zhuo reluctantly admitted the former and glared at Wei Shuangshuang. “Get inside. Is a bowl of water worth this to you?”

Muttering to herself, Wei Shuangshuang said, “It can’t be just sweet soup. He will retaliate against me…”

“You fool!” Wei Zhuo couldn’t help but curse.

…

Chu Zhaoyou had just issued the edict and felt relieved. He had a half-piece of towel covering his face, which was said to have been infused with herbs to suppress retching and increase appetite.

Xiao Heng lifted Chu Zhaoyou’s towel, gazed at him intently for five seconds, and then covered him again.

Chu Zhaoyou lay motionless on the bed. When Xiao Heng approached, he only rolled his eyes.

The white towel was lifted and then covered again. What was with the Regent’s solemn expression, as if he were reverently viewing a deceased person? Chu Zhaoyou felt a metaphorical question mark hovering over his head.

Sitting down at his bedside, Xiao Heng hesitated before speaking, “Why are you vomiting so violently?”

“I don’t know,” Chu Zhaoyou pondered. “Perhaps Zhang Huiji’s blood was too nauseating, and its impurity offended my celestial body.”

He had indeed felt uncomfortable only after being dizzy and seeing blood, but it had lasted a bit too long. He was even feeling hungry.

“Has anyone else offended the Emperor?” Xiao Heng stared at him intently, his gaze sharp enough to cut through steel.

Chu Zhaoyou gave him a slow, deliberate look that said, “Just say it.”

“No one else,” he finally replied.

“You hesitated.”

Chu Zhaoyou hesitated before reporting, “One of Wei Shuangshuang’s guards pushed me. Does that count?”

“It does,” Xiao Heng said softly. “I will handle it.”

Chu Zhaoyou found the Regent’s words a bit unsettling. Perhaps the Regent should be a bit more irritable, a bit more impulsive, like Xiao Hei.

“What did the imperial physician say?”

As Chu Zhaoyou was about to respond, he noticed that the Regent was looking at Cui Geng… with an air of distrust.

Hmph.

Cui Geng respectfully said, “The imperial physician mentioned that the Emperor’s pulse was erratic, and it was difficult to discern anything at the moment. He prescribed a medicine to alleviate the vomiting, and it will be sent over from the imperial medical center. Also…”

Cui Geng glanced at Chu Zhaoyou.

Xiao Heng asked, “Also what?”

Cui Geng quickly revealed, “Last night, the Emperor poured the medicine into the bamboo.”

“I didn’t!” Chu Zhaoyou exclaimed loudly.

“Then shall I have the soil from the bamboo dug out for the physician to examine?” Xiao Heng inquired.

“The medicine is too bitter, and I can’t drink it,” Chu Zhaoyou felt that nausea was a psychological factor that couldn’t be treated.

“Good medicine is bitter.”

“But this is a heart ailment! There’s no cure!” Chu Zhaoyou argued, “I can’t even keep it down without drinking it. How could I possibly drink it?”

Upon hearing the words “heart ailment,” Xiao Heng’s expression darkened, becoming more convinced that Chu Zhaoyou was hiding something.

But he was determined to cure him.

The sound of Chu Zhaoyou retching made Xiao Heng uncomfortable for various reasons, perhaps even including a sense of distress. However, as a man of action, he didn’t want to delve into it and relied on his instincts.

“Summon the imperial medical center and have them change the medicine. The Emperor must be cured by the end of today,” Xiao Heng ordered.

Chu Zhaoyou sighed. There was no such thing as palatable medicine. He decided to play along and deceive the Regent, and whether he drank it or not would be his own decision.

Surprisingly, Xiao Heng had not been angry since he entered, and he even reflected, “I apologize for this matter.”