Seeing the Empress Dowager's expression, Fuhua knew she was unhappy and quickly said, "Imperial Mother, you know that the Empress used to be very healthy. She's just exhausted from suddenly moving into the palace and not being used to it. I went to see her the day before yesterday—she drank a whole bowl of bitter medicine without blinking and downed it in one go. I could never do that. You can see she truly wants to get better soon."
The Empress Dowager thought about the sight of Wen Wan drinking her medicine and felt her mouth go dry with bitterness. She gave Fuhua a glare. "Such a glib tongue."
Fuhua smiled. Yueqing watched the two of them, a faint envy in her eyes.
Qi Junmu felt a sticky dampness on his body. In his sleep, he vaguely heard someone whisper that the Empress had come to pay her respects despite her illness.
The word "Empress" startled him, sending a chill to his heart. Suddenly, it was as if he had returned to the moment of his death in his previous life.
The word "Empress" startled Qi Junmu, sending a chill through his heart. Suddenly, he seemed to be back at the moment of his death in his previous life.
It felt as if he had suddenly stepped into empty air from a great height and fallen straight to the ground. His heart lurched, and he opened his eyes.
"The Emperor is awake!" a palace maid cried out joyfully. "Quickly, go report to the Empress Dowager."
Qi Junmu sat up. The urgent footsteps around him and the delighted gasps all grated harshly on his ears. He frowned and said coldly, "Silence, all of you. Withdraw."
The room fell instantly silent. The palace attendants exchanged glances, then lowered their heads and withdrew without a sound.
Qi Junmu sat on the bed, gazing at the empty room, feeling somewhat dazed. Wen Wan and he had known each other since childhood. She was beautiful and charming, and he truly liked her.
Of course, their luck hadn't been good. Before they could marry, she fell ill, but the wedding date was already set, so she went through with the ceremony while still ill.
After her condition improved a bit, the mourning period for Emperor Jing began. As the emperor, being intimate during the peak of the mourning period would have invited criticism, so he did not touch her. She was frail, and they never slept together. The Empress Dowager disapproved, but since Wen Wan was still young, he often protected her.
Later, the Empress Dowager urged him to take consorts. He refused because he had seen Wen Wan secretly crying to herself, thinking it would be better to wait until she had fully recovered so they could first have a legitimate eldest son.
But Wen Wan's illness dragged on, relapsing again and again. He kept waiting. He waited until even the Empress Dowager lost interest in the matter. Then Wen Wan suddenly told him she was pregnant.
At that moment, he was shocked, bewildered, and utterly incredulous. He had never so much as touched a single finger of Wen Wan's. So how could Wen Wan be pregnant? And whose child was she carrying?
Overwhelmed by fury, he suddenly grew dizzy, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the floor. He still remembered the look Wen Wan had given him then: pity, compassion, contempt, and as if it were only natural.
When he regained consciousness, the physicians diagnosed him with a stroke. He could not speak and could barely move his limbs. Two days later, he died—smothered in his sleep with a pillow.
He had died a pathetic death and hadn't even seen the face of the person who had suffocated him, though he could tell it was a woman.
That suffocating feeling still stirred in him a violent, murderous urge whenever he recalled it in the dead of night.
At these memories, a shadow seemed to fall over Qi Junmu's eyes, darkening his gaze. He slowly smoothed his robes, then got up from the bed and went to see the Empress Dowager.
By the time he arrived, Wen Wan and Yueqing were already gone. Fuhua was sitting beside the Empress Dowager, speaking softly.
Seeing Qi Junmu appear, Fuhua quickly stood and said worriedly, "Your Majesty, are you all right?"
Qi Junmu grunted in acknowledgment, then walked over to the Empress Dowager with his eyes lowered. "Your son's illness came on suddenly. This has made Imperial Mother anxious."
The Empress Dowager sighed. "You came to see me even though you're sick. I know you are filial, but you must never neglect your own health like this again."
Qi Junmu naturally agreed.
The Empress Dowager continued, "The Empress came by earlier. She is still coughing. She wanted to see you but was afraid of passing her illness to you, so I sent her back."
Qi Junmu's expression did not change. His tone was indifferent. "The Empress is thoughtful."
The Empress Dowager acknowledged this with a soft grunt. Qi Junmu then rose and took his leave, saying he would return to Qianhua Hall to rest. He was truly exhausted.
Seeing that he looked unwell, the Empress Dowager and Fuhua said no more. They gave strict orders to his attendants before allowing him to leave.
By the time Qi Junmu returned in his palanquin, the lanterns were already being lit.
The attendants at Qianhua Hall reported that Qi Junzhuo had been waiting for him inside the hall.
Hearing this, Qi Junmu's mood finally brightened a little. He pushed open the door and saw the man standing in the hall.
Qi Junzhuo looked up. The lamplight caught his eyes, and a faint glow seemed to ripple through his pale golden irises—brilliant and dazzling.
Qi Junzhuo was handsome, with distinctly exotic features. He had a high nose, deep-set eyes, a chiseled face, and a tall, straight bearing.
He always wore a cold expression. In Qi Junmu's words, just looking at his face made people think someone owed him money.
Qi Junzhuo was about to bow when he saw him, but just as he started to lift the hem of his robe and lower himself, Qi Junmu walked over and held him by the arm, saying with mild exasperation, "We're brothers. In private, there's no need for such formality."
Qi Junzhuo smiled, all coldness melting from his face. He said earnestly, "Imperial Brother is now the sovereign; your younger brother is now a subject. The rites must not be neglected."
Qi Junmu released him and shook his head. He walked to the imperial desk, took out a map of the imperial city from beneath a stack of memorials, and beckoned to Qi Junzhuo, a smile brightening his eyes and brows. "You've come at the right time. I've been looking at mansion sites for your new residence these past two days. There are a few decent locations here. Come and see if you like any of them. If there's a particular place you favor, tell me, and I'll grant it to you directly."
Emperor Jing had passed away before choosing a residence outside the palace for Qi Junzhuo or granting him a title. He was still living in the palace. Now, this task had fallen to Qi Junmu.
Qi Junzhuo had endured much suffering on Qi Junmu's behalf. The scars from those tortures still marked his body. Those scars were originally meant for Qi Junmu.
In his previous life, Qi Junmu had been hesitant, worrying about this and that, and had only chosen a decent mansion for Qi Junzhuo.
This life was different. Nothing else mattered to him. So of course, he would choose the finest royal mansion for his younger brother.
Qi Junzhuo paid no attention to the map. He looked at the young Emperor, his face full of displeasure. "Imperial Brother is ill. Why aren't you resting properly? Why tire yourself with these matters?"
Qi Junmu looked at him, the smile still lingering on his face. "I've already thought of your title. What do you think of the character 'Jin'?"
[The character 瑾 (Jǐn) means fine jade or beautiful gem. It is a highly auspicious character, often used to signify virtue, purity, nobility, and preciousness.]
Qi Junzhuo's eyes grew warm. He knew that if he didn't answer, Qi Junmu would not let it go. Since childhood, whatever his elder brother set his mind on, he had to accomplish.
So he lowered his eyes and yielded with resignation. "Whatever Imperial Brother chooses is fine."
Qi Junmu nodded. With his vermilion brush, he circled the largest and most beautiful mansion on Zhuque Road, the street closest to the palace, to be Qi Junzhuo's royal mansion.
He wanted the whole world to know that Qi Junzhuo was his most beloved younger brother.
After he set down his brush, Qi Junzhuo could not help but say, "Imperial Brother, you must summon the physician now."
Qi Junmu agreed.
And at that moment, Shen Nian's memorial from the northern frontier was already on its way to the capital.
Shen Yi had died of illness in the north. Shen Nian was escorting his coffin back to the capital, bringing the general's heroic spirit home. Another storm was about to break, inside the court and beyond.
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