Chapter 3: Risking Death and Surviving 3. Stroke
I don't remember how I carried him to the bed in Guangde Hall, and I don't remember when the imperial physician arrived. I was like an empty shell without a soul. The only thing I could do was to hold his hand tightly. No matter how others tried to persuade me, I turned a deaf ear to them.
"Please step aside, Lady Yin. I will take your pulse..."
Liu Xiu was lying in front of me. I didn't know what the imperial physician had stuffed into his nostrils, but at least his nosebleed had stopped. But his face was as pale as snow, his lips were purple, and his eyes were tightly closed. His condition seemed to be even worse than before. If it weren't for the hissing inhalation sounds coming from his slightly open mouth, I would have collapsed mentally.
"Mr. Yin..."
"My Lord, please..."
No matter how they pulled me, I just refused to let go. I was afraid, and that strong fear filled every cell in my body. Liu Xiu's hands were very cold, but I stubbornly believed that I could give him warmth through the tightly connected hands.
"Noble Lady Yin--" A cold and sharp voice cut through the air, and then a white hand held mine.
I raised my head dumbly, and Guo Shengtong was standing in front of me, looking at me with disdain. Her eyes were quite sharp, and at that moment, I even felt as if I had recognized the wrong person.
"Back off!" These two short and powerful words exuded an irrefutable deterrent force, the aura that a mother of the nation should possess. I looked at her blankly, and for the first time, I read a deep hatred on that beautiful face with a complicated expression.
Yes, she should hate me! Just like... I hate her too!
My indifference obviously angered her even more. She applied a little force to my hand, and her eyes were filled with determination and cruelty. My fingers were pried open one by one in a burst of pain.
When the last finger was peeled off, she violently waved my hand away and said in a tone of disgust: "Noble Lady Yin is weak after giving birth and needs to rest. Dai Ang, choose someone to take Noble Lady back to the palace!"
Dai Ang leaned down with an embarrassed look on his face, and begged me in a low voice as I knelt under the bed: "I will escort you back to the palace."
My heart was broken, and I could no longer resist. Two eunuchs rushed over, holding my arms and dragging me away from the bed. I struggled angrily, watching myself getting farther and farther away from Liu Xiu. He was surrounded by countless people, separated from me...
Tears welled up in my eyes and I opened my mouth to scream, but Dai Ang in front of me quickly covered my mouth in time: "My dear, please don't embarrass me!"
I was so angry that I bit his hand. He groaned but didn't dare to shout. He endured the pain and urged his men to drag me out of Guangde Hall. I continued to struggle, but my limbs were weak and I couldn't move my hands and feet. I was dragged to the door by this group of eunuchs.
Dai Ang didn't let go of his hand until I tasted the sweet smell of blood and opened my teeth. He didn't want to let go either. The moment I was taken away from Guangde Hall, I felt the world lose its color and I couldn't see any light. I stopped struggling and was dragged down the stairs like a dead person.
Then, the forward steps suddenly stopped, and the crisp sound of slapping and screaming of pain rang out. Soon, the surroundings returned to silence again.
I bowed my head and kept silent the whole time, until a figure knelt down in front of me, hugged my legs, and cried out in a choked voice: "Mom... wake up! You can't collapse, the emperor needs you!"
This shout was like a bolt from the blue. I woke up instantly. I don't know where I got the strength from, but I pushed Dai Ang and others aside and ran into the hall.
Dai Ang said anxiously behind him: "Duke Donghai, this is what the Queen wants..."
I stumbled back to Guangde Hall. When I reached the door, the official in front of the door raised his long halberd to block, but one of them stepped forward to stop me. I gasped and looked up to see that the man was Liang Song. Liang Song nodded at me and pulled his companion aside. I didn't bother to thank him and rushed in.
The palace was in chaos at this time, and Guo Shengtong's voice kept shouting in panic: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! What do you want to say to me? Look at me, what are you looking for..."
The imperial doctors knelt on the ground, the chief imperial physician was sweating profusely, and the Crown Prince Liu Qiang knelt at the head of the bed, crying bitterly.
In the deep and dark Guangde Hall, there was a sound of mournful cries, and I staggered towards it.
"Yin... Noble Lady Yin..." A palace maid noticed me and widened her eyes, at a loss for words.
Guo Shengtong turned around abruptly upon hearing the voice, staring at me as if I were a monster. After a long while, she suddenly shouted angrily: "Dai Ang——"
I bit my lip, stubbornly holding back my tears, and slowly knelt down in front of her: "I beg the Queen to allow me to stay in the palace to look after His Majesty!"
"Your Majesty doesn't need your care!" She screamed as if someone stepped on her wound, and her usual noble and dignified mask was gradually crumbling. She pointed at me, her face pale, her eyes red, and her fingers trembling, "Please respect yourself!"
I burst into tears with sadness.
Self-respect! Of course I know my identity! Over the past decade, I have been working hard to play my role well every day. In this palace, I am just a concubine, and Guo Shengtong's patience with me has reached its limit. At least we are both trying not to strip off each other's last mask of self-esteem, and maintain the harmony and courtesy that should be on the surface.
but……
At this moment, I don't want to leave! Even if I am not qualified enough, I still want to stay by his side! At this moment, I can no longer respect myself!
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
Two dull blows were like a startling bolt of lightning in the gloomy and misty room.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
Guo Shengtong turned his head stiffly, and the imperial physician said in panic: "Your Majesty... has suffered a stroke, and we... are incapable. We can only... do our best and listen... to God's will..."
I felt my eyes go dark and I almost collapsed to the ground. The pounding sound became louder, like a drumstick hitting my heart. Suddenly, there was a "thump" beside me, and Guo Shengtong fell on his back. He couldn't bear the blow and fainted.
Everyone exclaimed, and the hall was in a commotion. While everyone was busy rescuing Guo Shengtong, I used my hands and feet to crawl to Liu Xiu's bedside. The imperial doctors who were taking care of him didn't dare to stop me. I crawled to the head of the bed with tears in my eyes, and I was shocked to find Liu Xiu lying on his back on the bed, his eyes wide open, his mouth slightly tilted, his purple lips trembling constantly, but he couldn't utter a syllable.
He just lay there with a wooden expression, his right hand clenched into a fist, pounding the bed board repeatedly.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
I pounced on him, holding back the heart-wrenching pain, and wrapped my trembling hands around his right hand. The hand struggled for a while, but this time it hit my finger bones heavily.
With tears streaming down my face, I held his hand tightly and cried bitterly: "Xiu'er! Don't be like this..."
His hand paused, and the strength of his struggle disappeared.
I cried and put his hand to my face: "It's me, I'm here..."
His eyes moved left and right, quickly finding the right focus and meeting my gaze. I saw that his facial muscles were stiff, and it seemed that he could not make any expression at all. I couldn't help but feel shocked and hurt, and burst into tears.
His hand moved slightly, and his fingertips gently rubbed the back of my hand. I opened my eyes and looked at him with tears in my eyes. He just looked at me like that, although his face was expressionless, but the soft and caring look in his eyes made me even more heartbroken.
"Why is this happening?" I stroked his thin cheek, my heart aching, "I...I would rather be the one lying here."
Tears welled up in my eyes and dripped uncontrollably onto his cheeks. I hurriedly wiped them away for him, but in the end I couldn't help but hug him and cry, "Don't leave me! Please stay, I can't live without you... I can't live without you..."
He looked at me with a dull expression, blinking his eyes, and a tear silently slid down the corner of his eye. I cried even more heartbroken, and he couldn't raise his arm, but his right hand tightly grasped my fingers, very hard, very tightly.
"Let her out..." A faint panting voice sounded behind me. Guo Shengtong struggled to the bed with the help of Liu Qiang and pointed at me, "Get out!"
Then three or four eunuchs came over to pull me away. I held onto Liu Xiu tightly and cried hysterically, "I won't leave! I won't leave!"
Those eunuchs were afraid that Liu Xiu would be implicated in the tug, so they did not dare to use force. Guo Shengtong was so angry that his face turned pale. He leaned on his son's shoulder and trembled as he scolded, "It's unbecoming... How long are you going to keep messing around?"
How could I care about those empty formalities? At this moment, I only knew that Liu Xiu was my life, and if I left him, it would be like asking for my life.
I refused to obey and was making a scene when a large group of people suddenly rushed in. Before Guo Shengtong could react, someone rushed forward and knelt down in front of her, saying, "Please show mercy, mother! Considering that Concubine Yin served my father, please let her stay and serve me!"
Guo Shengtong held his forehead and his body swayed, so Liu Yang bowed again: "Please have mercy, mother!"
Liu Cang, Liu Jing, Liu Yi Wang, Liu Zhongli, Liu Hongfu, and Liu Heng all stepped out from the group of princes and princesses who had just barged in. They all knelt behind Liu Yang and begged in unison, "Please have mercy, mother!"
"Mother, please let my mother stay with father! Heng'er will listen to you and be your good son in the future!" Liu Heng, who was only four years old, knelt forward timidly, pulled at the hem of Guo Shengtong's skirt, and said half-pleadingly and half-coquettishly.
Guo Shengtong closed his lips tightly and did not answer.
Liu Heng waved his hands hurriedly: "Brothers and sisters, please help me. Can you also ask mother for help? My mother is crying. No matter how naughty I am, she never cries... Brothers and sisters..."
Liu Fu and others who were standing aside looked at each other, not knowing what to do next.
Finally, Liu Heng helplessly pointed to Liu Jing, who was being led by Liu Ying and sucking his fingers with relish at the edge, with an expression of anxiety that was about to cry: "Brother, come here, come here..." Seeing that Liu Jing ignored him, he walked over angrily, dragged him in front of Guo Shengtong, and pressed his brother to the ground, "Quickly kowtow to mother, and beg mother to stop scolding you..."
Witnessing all this, I felt sorry for my children and grief for Liu Xiu. I felt that everything in my heart had been broken into pieces. My throat was choked with sobs and I couldn't speak. I held Liu Xiu's hand tightly while crying.
"Mother, father's health is important. Let's not worry about impoliteness for now." Finally, Liu Qiang pleaded in a low voice.
Guo Shengtong closed her eyes in pain and shed sad tears silently. Her hands were clenched into fists, her knuckles turned white and trembled constantly.
Everyone in the hall was waiting for her final order. I turned around and looked at Liu Xiu.
Those gray-brown eyes revealed a sad atmosphere. I knew he would understand my current determination, just as I could understand the pain he was suffering.
"The Grand Marshal is requesting a meeting outside the palace!" Dai Ang's familiar, slender voice sounded outside the door, causing a commotion in the palace.
I leaned over and kissed Liu Xiu's forehead gently, whispering in his ear: "I will definitely keep my word. If you are not here, I will stay with you, even in heaven or on earth. Don't think about getting rid of me, understand?"
Hardly had he finished saying this, and before he heard any reply from Guo Shengtong, he saw Wu Han in military uniform walking into the hall with Dou Rong and Dai She. Wu Han, who was born a military general, did not even take off the sword from his waist. In the blink of an eye, he strode with his head held high and arrived in front of the bed in a heroic manner.
The three ministers gathered together, and Guo Shengtong obviously did not expect such a scene to happen suddenly. Liu Xiu's illness had not yet been announced to the public, so the court officials should not have known about it.
"Grand Marshal Chen Han, I pay my respects to Your Majesty and the Empress!"
"Grand Marshal Chen Rong, I pay my respects to your Majesty and the Empress!"
"I, the Grand Minister of Justice, pay my respects to Your Majesty and the Empress!"
The atmosphere in the palace suddenly became extremely tense, and even the dumbest person could sense that something was wrong. Putting aside Dai She and Dou Rong, Wu Han, as the Grand Marshal, had hundreds of thousands of troops in his hands. Moreover, he was known for his bloodbaths during the marches and battles. How could he not be terrified when he suddenly appeared in front of the emperor's bed with a sword?
Liu Qiang subconsciously moved closer to his father's bed, slightly blocking Wu Han's sight. I looked up and glanced at the crown prince. This child was kind-hearted. No matter what his purpose and position were, at least he still cared about his father.
Guo Shengtong remained silent, perhaps because he was frightened to the point of losing his own opinion.
According to etiquette, when the three ministers saluted the emperor, the emperor should have stood up from his seat, and after receiving the salute, the attendants would sing: "Thank you for your salute." Only then would the salute be completed. But at this moment, Liu Xiu could not even speak, let alone stand up.
Dai Ang looked around, not knowing what to do. At this point, I didn't mind doing anything more wrong. I sighed in my heart, stood up from the bed, and said in a hoarse voice: "Your Majesty is not feeling well, please get up first."
Wu Han glanced at me calmly and stood up. I ordered someone to bring a table and invite them to sit down. The three of them declined. Wu Han asked the imperial physician about his condition in detail. Dou Rong and Dai She looked stern and unhappy. Only Wu Han sneered and said, "I have had this disease before. It was just dizziness. I just need to be strong and I will recover."
It didn't sound like he was lying, but his tone seemed too light, making people doubt it.
"Your Majesty doesn't need to take any medicine. Just drive out for a walk and you will recover... What do you think?"
Seeing Guo Shengtong's angry expression, I realized something and said boldly, "Your Majesty can't speak, but he can still hold a pen."
Wu Han opened his tiger eyes, and a sharp light flashed in them. I did not dodge, but always faced him directly. Finally, he raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and said with a smile: "Then please write down your instructions, Your Majesty."
Dai Ang was the quickest to react. Before I could finish my words, he had already ordered people to prepare pens and inkstones. By the time Wu Han opened his mouth to give orders, a wooden tablet had been handed to Liu Xiu. I raised my eyes to signal Liu Qiang to help Liu Xiu up. I deliberately stepped back two feet to avoid being criticized and suspected of forging the imperial edict.
Although Liu Xiu's right hand could move barely, his finger joints were still not flexible. I saw that his five fingers were stiff, gripping the pen like chicken claws, shaking as he wrote, his eyes full of pain, and his heart aching up and down.
After enduring for more than ten minutes, the pen slipped from his hand with a click, and Liu Xiu finally closed his eyes. The sweat on his forehead had soaked his hair. God knows how much pain he had to endure for more than ten minutes. As soon as he finished writing, I could no longer restrain myself and rushed over to him and hugged him tightly in my arms.
Guo Shengtong was proud of her status and could not be so rude to me. She straightened her back and stood tall. The makeup on her face had been smudged by tears, but all this could not damage her image.
Proud, noble, beautiful, graceful, and dignified, she observed all the etiquette that a queen should have, but I, on the other hand, far exceeded the rules that a noble should abide by.
If possible, I don't even want to be a noble, let alone a queen. I just want to stay with Liu Xiu in those three small rammed earth houses in Caiyang and spend the rest of my life in peace.
I only want him, my Xiuer...
"Empress! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" Wu Han handed the wooden tablet to Dou Rong and Dai She for perusal, and then reported to Guo Shengtong slowly, "Your Majesty agrees with my opinion and intends to leave the palace and return to Zhangling to recuperate."
"What?!" Guo Shengtong and Liu Qiang exclaimed in disbelief at the same time.
Wu Han said: "Your Majesty ordered Yin Guiren to accompany him, and the Empress stayed in the palace to manage the internal affairs of the palace..."
"This... How can this be possible!" Guo Shengtong said in panic, "Your Majesty's condition is so serious that he can't be moved easily, so how can he travel such a long distance? Imperial Physician, you tell me, Your Majesty..."
The imperial physician stammered and dared not answer. Dou Rong handed the wooden tablet to Guo Shengtong. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take it. I didn't see what was written on the wooden tablet, but I believe what Wu Han said was true, because after Guo Shengtong saw the handwriting on the wooden tablet, her expression changed drastically. Although she didn't look gnashing her teeth, she wanted to crush the wooden tablet.
The Guo Shengtong I know is very self-disciplined no matter when and where, able to control her emotions, and remain rational and calm. Today's series of out-of-control behaviors may be due to Liu Xiu's sudden critical illness, which made her lose her rational thinking.
"Your Majesty!" She was stunned for a moment and then knelt at the head of the bed, begging bitterly, "Your Majesty, you can't put your body in danger. The only good way to treat your illness is to rely on the joint diagnosis and treatment of the imperial doctors..."
Liu Xiu gently patted the bed board with his right hand, spread out his five fingers, and waved at her.
Guo Shengtong was suddenly choked up, and all the grievances in her heart finally turned into tears. She collapsed on the bed, buried her head and sobbed.
