She tiptoed up and stood in front of the Retired Emperor's bed.
In just two days, he had visibly lost a full circle in weight. His waxen, purple-lipped face and his fierce, disorderly eyebrows were now his only sign of authority.
The once most powerful man in the Northern Tang Kingdom.
Now even his life and death were beyond his control.
Yuan Qingling placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating slowly and irregularly. Her own breath quickened.
"How is he?" Prince Rui came over, thinking she had examined him.
Yuan Qingling shook her head. "Still unclear."
Disappointment was evident in Prince Rui's eyes.
Emperor Ming Yuan's expression remained impassive as he watched the Imperial Physician concocting medicine.
The Imperial Physician let out a breath in relief and came over to report: "Your Majesty, there is cinnabar mixed with wisteria poison."
"Hard to cure?" Prince Rui asked.
"Not difficult. Now that we know the poison, we can prescribe targeted antidotes. The medicine we've tried so far doesn't work on cinnabar or wisteria poison, so we need a different prescription." The Imperial Physician replied.
Now that the Imperial Physician could provide an antidote, Yuan Qingling’s services were no longer needed. Emperor Ming Yuan sent her away to tend to Yuwen Hao.
When taking her leave, Emperor Ming Yuan said to her, "Dine with Us tonight."
Yuan Qingling didn't realize this was an enormous favor, but just thought it a common meal. After all, they were family. She agreed offhandedly before withdrawing.
Prince Rui admired her composure in the face of favor or disgrace.
Yuan Qingling was actually still worried about one thing - the wound in Yuwen Hao's private area.
It had just been stitched up. She wondered if it would rupture after the bumpy ride into the palace and walking several hundred steps. The area was so close to the testicles that stretching it would be agonizing.
This guy had phenomenal pain tolerance.
With so many people around earlier when the situation was urgent, she didn't have time to check on him. Now there should be just Tang Yang and Xu Yi caring for him in the annex, so it would be fine.
Entering the annex, it was indeed Tang Yang and Xu Yi on duty. Seeing Yuan Qingling return, Tang Yang hurriedly asked, "Consort, how is His Retired Majesty?"
Yuwen Hao also turned to look at her, a question in his eyes.
"They've found a cure," Yuan Qingling said.
Yuwen Hao was visibly relieved, his head and shoulders sagging down.
The annex wasn't a good place for conversation, so after brief thanks all around, they didn't discuss it further.
Yuan Qingling told Tang Yang and Xu Yi, "You two go on out. Let me check His Highness's wound again."
Yuwen Hao immediately glared at Yuan Qingling. "The wound is fine. No need to look."
"It needs checking!" Yuan Qingling said meaningfully.
Tang Yang tactfully pulled Xu Yi out, saying as they left, "We'll be right outside if His Highness needs anything."
Yuwen Hao's face was black. What would he be calling them for? He wasn't some woman.
Meanwhile, Yuan Qingling had opened her medicine box, preparing an IV drip and shots for pain and inflammation. He was averse to needles on principle, watching unknown substances enter his body gave him the creeps.
But even creepier was seeing the deep mockery in Yuan Qingling's eyes when she said, "Spread your legs!"
Some very colorfully worded opinions on Yuan Qingling's eighteenth generation of ancestors echoed through the annex.
Yuan Qingling actually wanted to explain proper conduct to Yuwen Hao - when you're weak and haven't violated principles, it's best not to resist, obey in everything, and you'll increase the other's efficiency and suffer less.
The wound wasn't a big issue and soon treated.
Exhausted, Yuan Qingling said, "Try to scoot over some so I can lie down."
"Can't scoot," Yuwen Hao said grumpily, but seeing how tired she was, he slowly inched over to make room.
Yuan Qingling lay down beside him, hands pillowing her forehead, and said heavily, "Hope everything will be fine and I can have some peaceful days."
"If His Retired Majesty is well, petition to leave the palace and return home," said Yuwen Hao.
"After dinner I'll go," said Yuan Qingling.
Annoyed, he said, "No food at home for you? What's so good about palace food?"
"His Majesty asked me to dine with him tonight," said Yuan Qingling.
Yuwen Hao froze. "Father asked you to dine with him? He meant after dinner you can leave, right?"
Father always dined alone, even visiting Empress's palace only after eating.
In all his years, except banquets, he'd never dined alone with Father.
Yuan Qingling still spoke heavily, "Don't know, that's what he said. Just being polite, I guess."
Yuwen Hao knew Father was never polite. Inviting someone to dine was a solemn affair.
If he had to name someone Father dined alone with after becoming emperor, only Grandfather.
"Anything to be careful of dining with His Majesty?" Yuan Qingling asked.
Yuwen Hao's face was very ugly. "How would I know?"
Yuan Qingling lifted her head slightly. "You don't know?"
Thinking he was unwilling to say, she said lightly, "If I embarrass myself, it's Prince Chu's face I'll lose."
Yuwen Hao was silent a moment before saying slowly, "I've never dined alone with Father."
Yuan Qingling laughed. "With so many in the family, of course you don't dine alone. I won't be dining alone with His Majesty either."
"Who else if not you and Father?" Yuwen Hao asked, surprised.
"I don't know, who does he usually dine with?" Yuan Qingling looked at Yuwen Hao, face slowly becoming serious again. "It can't be just the two of us dining alone, right?"
"Father never dines alone with anyone," said Yuwen Hao.
Stunned, Yuan Qingling said, "So he always dines alone?"
"Mm."
"Why?" Yuan Qingling really didn't understand. There were so many concubines in the palace, plus unwed princes and princesses. They could all dine together. Why insist on eating alone?
Yuwen Hao was silent, just gazing obscurely at Yuan Qingling. He also didn't know why Father preferred to dine alone, much less why Father who always dined alone would want to dine with Yuan Qingling tonight.
Yuan Qingling lay with her head on the pillow without breathing for a good while. She really didn't want to dine alone with His Majesty.
"Don't be afraid, Father won't eat you."
Yuan Qingling said gloomily, "It's not fear, just awkward for two unfamiliar people to dine alone, nothing to talk about."
"What is there to talk about? Answer whatever he asks and say nothing else," Yuwen Hao said irritably.
Hearing his tone, Yuan Qingling didn't want to provoke His Lordship and just rested with eyes closed.
His Lordship also felt dejected, thinking Father wanting to dine alone with Yuan Qingling could only mean one thing - he still didn't trust him and wanted to interrogate her about Prince Chu's estate.
The assassin had already taken poison and died, the matter could only be dropped. He couldn't clear himself of suspicious bitter flesh.
