"Your Majesty!"
"Send for the imperial physicians at once!"
From below the hall, cries of alarm and the clatter of chairs and tables colliding with the jostling of heads echoed, causing Zhao Hua's ears to ring incessantly.
The royal relatives and consorts almost instantly surrounded the high seat in a swarm,
a dark wall of people pushing in so densely that it was nearly suffocating.
Zhao Hua was closest to Xiao Jingheng, and she called out 'Xiao Lang' several times in a low voice, but received no response from him.
She could only muster her courage and extend her hand to check his breath.
Unfortunately, he still had a faint breath remaining.
Someone was heard saying, "Quickly move His Majesty to a side palace!"
Zhao Hua hurriedly shouted, "Don't move him! His Majesty has suddenly fainted for unknown reasons. Before the imperial physicians arrive, he must not be moved carelessly, lest the situation worsens!"
She calmed her mind and peered through the gaps in the human wall to catch a glimpse of Xiao Jingyan.
Although he had coughed up blood and his complexion was not good, fortunately, he remained conscious and had not fainted.
As for Rongyue, she was in a state of frantic concern. While all the other consorts rushed towards Xiao Jingheng, she remained standing in her original position, slightly turned sideways, with a subtle urge to run towards Xiao Jingyan.
At this moment, if she made the wrong decision, how would that be any different from courting disaster?
In her desperation, Zhao Hua could only angrily rebuke those below the hall:
"Come! Arrest Concubine Jing!"
A loud shout instantly drew everyone's attention to Concubine Jing, who was standing dumbfounded below the hall.
And the restless Rongyue, under the scrutiny of all those eyes, could only restrain herself.
Several palace maids, upon receiving the order, immediately apprehended Concubine Jing.
Concubine Jing, with a face full of terror, cried out in a hoarse voice:
"Your Majesty the Empress, please calm your anger. This has nothing to do with your humble servant!"
The Internal Supervisors who tasted the food and drink at the banquet also came to Concubine Jing's defense, saying:
"We report to Your Majesty the Empress that the wine and food served at the banquet were repeatedly inspected by the palace maids from the Imperial Food Management Bureau, and there should be no problem."
"You say there's no problem?" Zhao Hua glared fiercely at the little eunuch, intimidating him without anger: "If His Majesty and the Prince of An have any mishap, will you take responsibility for it?"
The little eunuch, cowed by Zhao Hua's formidable presence, dared not utter another word and could only kneel and kowtow repeatedly, begging the Empress to forgive him.
Zhao Hua paid him no further attention and instead turned her gaze back to Concubine Jing.
"His Majesty and the Prince of An both suddenly fell ill after drinking the wine and water you brewed. How can you still cry foul?"
Concubine Jing wept as she pleaded her case, but before she could say more than a couple of sentences, Judge Zhang arrived in a rush with a group of imperial physicians.
Given the urgency of the situation, he did not even have time to observe proper etiquette and immediately proceeded to diagnose and treat Xiao Jingheng.
After examining his pulse for a while, seeing the furrowed brow and increasing concern on Judge Zhang's face, Zhao Hua asked:
"What has happened to His Majesty? Could he have been poisoned?"
Judge Zhang replied, "In response to Your Majesty the Empress, His Majesty has not been poisoned. From his pulse, it appears that His Majesty has been overly taxed by state affairs recently, exhausting his heart and blood, damaging his spleen and energy, and depleting his kidney essence... This has led to an illness caused by accumulated fatigue.
In my humble opinion, we should first move His Majesty back to the Chaoyang Palace to rest. During this period, His Majesty should also refrain from overexertion."
Judge Zhang only mentioned the burden of state affairs in his explanation,
but whether consorts or high-ranking officials present, who did not know about Xiao Jingheng's excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures?
Busy with court affairs during the day and revelry every night, let alone Xiao Jingheng being of middle age, even a young man in his prime would not withstand such exertion.
However, as this was ultimately a private matter of the Emperor, no one dared to comment.
Upon hearing Judge Zhang's words, Zhao Hua swiftly arranged for Xiao Jingheng to be carried back to the Chaoyang Palace for treatment.
As for Xiao Jingyan, although she was deeply concerned about him, she could not show the slightest hint of it outwardly.
She only casually instructed, "Leave two imperial physicians to also attend to the Prince of An."
Having said that, she hurriedly boarded the phoenix palanquin and accompanied Xiao Jingheng to the Chaoyang Palace.
With the Emperor's sudden illness, it was an opportune time for the consorts to showcase their skills and devotion.
Hence, whether out of true sentiment or pretense, these women had to follow and wait outside the Chaoyang Palace.
Those of lower rank could only stand in the snowy courtyard, enduring the cold while awaiting news.
Those of higher rank could sit and wait in the main hall.
As for Zhao Hua and Ning Wanshuang, the highest-ranking ladies in the harem, they could wait in the Warm Pavilion outside the inner chambers.
In private, Zhao Hua noticed Ning Wanshuang's restlessness, constantly rising on her tiptoes to peek towards the inner chambers.
It was evident that despite Xiao Jingheng's mistreatment of her, she still held lingering concern for him.
Zhao Hua did not pass judgment but simply asked her a question that had been bothering her:
"Earlier at the banquet, after we all drank the toast, why did you look at me with such an expression, Sister Wan?"
Ning Wanshuang furrowed her brow, "It's fortunate that you're unharmed. I thought for a moment that Concubine Jing had truly become so reckless as to present something like that. Is she tired of living?"
"What?" Zhao Hua asked.
Ning Wanshuang explained, "I don't know what was in your cup, but the wine and water we drank, after the effects kicked in, turned out to be Peach Blossom Wine."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hua was momentarily stunned, remaining in a daze for quite a while before saying:
"My cup contained nothing more than ordinary osmanthus flower tea."
Ning Wanshuang said, "On New Year's Eve, Concubine Jing intended to present her own brewed wine to curry favor with His Majesty. She must have discussed this with His Majesty beforehand. Since His Majesty knew you dislike peach blossom wine, he had her replace your drink, which is understandable. However, I am perplexed..."
Ning Wanshuang's face grew increasingly puzzled as she wondered:
"If His Majesty's coughing up blood and fainting was due to illness caused by accumulated fatigue, then what about the Prince of An? He was perfectly fine, so why would he also fall ill like that?"
