Chapter 4 When Will We Cut the Candle in the West Window Together? 1. Epilepsy
On May 21st of the 17th year of Jianwu, Emperor Jianwu returned to Luoyang.
In the midsummer of the Nangong, the towering palaces lay dormant in the sun. The emperor entered the palace from the Suzaku Gate, and all the officials came to greet him . The group passed by the Pingshuo Palace, the Qianqiu Wansui Palace, the Zhongde Palace, and the Jingzhanghua Gate, and arrived at the Quefei Palace.
The Queen and her entourage were waiting quietly at the Quefei Gate. Under the gorgeous canopy, Guo Shengtong, who was dressed in gorgeous clothes, led Concubine Xu and stood there quietly. Her slender waist was straight, but her eyes were unusually empty as she watched me helping Liu Xiu get off the jade carriage.
The Crown Prince Liu Qiang and other princes who were on patrol came forward to pay their respects to my mother. I stood next to Liu Xiu at the bottom of the steps, with a faint smile on my face, and a canopy covering my head to block out the scorching sun.
With the ministers by my side, I helped Liu Xiu onto the stone steps of the Quefei Palace, leaving the people in the harem far behind.
The first thing I did after returning to the palace was to go see my little princess Liu Shou, who was born not long ago. After being apart for nearly two months, the little girl had grown fat and became heavier in my arms. I felt great satisfaction holding my daughter. Later, Liu Jing pestered me to hold her, and I couldn't free my hands, so I let Liu Heng play with his younger brother. Although Liu Heng was only four years old, he acted like an older brother, giving all his toys to Liu Jing to play with, and occasionally teaching his babbling younger brother to sing.
"Princess Yuyang will leave the palace to worship the ancestral temple tomorrow. This is the official ceremony of receiving the title. Remember to prepare a gift for me. I will have to go to Changqiu Palace to congratulate her then." While coaxing Liu Shou, I asked Shanan to pay attention to various matters after returning to the palace. The past few months have been too intense, making me feel very tired. For a moment, I was a little confused. "Since we are not in the palace, has there been any change in the Queen's daily life?"
"I have inquired about it. The queen's mother has been staying in the palace to accompany her during this period. In addition, Guo Kuang, the Marquis of Mianman, often comes to the palace to pay his respects. In addition to him, there are two other people who always go in and out with him."
"Who is it?"
"Xinli Marquis Guo Jing and Fagan Marquis Guo Kuang are the Queen's cousins."
I was stunned for a moment and couldn't help laughing: "I thought she had found some helpers. Is there no one else in the court?"
"My dear, please don't underestimate these two people. However, putting this aside, outsiders are not as reliable as your own brothers. Some things still depend on your own family. Those people in the court are all fence-sitters, and they will lean towards whichever side is more powerful. Now that my dear has gained favor and his popularity has soared, the queen will naturally need the help of her brothers from her mother's family if she wants to find a confidant."
"Brother from my mother's side." I sneered, "When it comes to brothers, can a man named Yin really lose to a man named Guo?"
Shanan was amused by me and said with a smile: "Yes, didn't the nobleman just bring someone back from Nanyang this time?"
"You mean Yin Song?" As for this cousin recommended by Yin Zhi, I knew his name and had met him briefly, but I had no idea about his character and ability. I originally hoped that my eldest brother could come to the capital to help me, but this possibility was not high. Even for Yin Jiu, my eldest brother would not let him get involved in officialdom.
The characteristic of the Yin family is that no matter what they do, they always consider self-preservation first, and they are incredibly low-key.
"Dang-dang-" There was a loud noise outside, as if something fell to the ground and broke, and then the little palace maid screamed in panic: "Your Highness, what did you do?"
My heart tightened, I handed the baby in my hands to the wet nurse, and ran out in a hurry.
Liu Heng was standing there, his right hand clenched into an empty fist, the wooden sword he was playing with in his hand disappeared. A goose-foot lamp in the corner of the room was knocked over, the lamp oil spilled, and the flames burned the gauze curtain, which suddenly jumped up high.
The palace servants were in a panic, and Shanan rushed forward to put out the fire.
I saw that Liu Heng was so scared that his face turned pale. He was like an idiot and couldn't move. I couldn't help but yell at the palace maids who could only scream, "Why are you all standing there? Hurry up and take the little prince out!"
The maids woke up from their dreams and carried the crying Liu Jing out. Someone was about to carry Liu Heng, but before they could touch his body, he suddenly fell down and hit his forehead on the corners. The maids screamed in fear, but the child seemed to be really frightened. There was a bloody cut on his forehead, but he didn't even cry. He stared with a pair of empty eyes and couldn't even blink.
"Heng'er! Heng'er!" I screamed and rushed forward to hold him in my arms, holding his bleeding forehead with one hand and hugging him tightly with the other hand, "Don't be afraid, baby, it's okay!"
Someone cleverly handed me a handkerchief. I panicked and shouted, "Call the imperial physician. What are you all standing there for? Call the imperial physician—"
The fire was not big, and Shanan quickly put it out, but the room was choked by smoke. Shanan came over with a wooden sword in his hand: "The sword was thrown out and hit the lamp..."
I didn't want to listen to her report, I just carried Liu Heng out of the room without crying or making a fuss. As soon as I stepped out of the door, the little body in my arms trembled slightly, and suddenly burst into tears. My heart trembled, and I hurriedly coaxed him softly: "Don't cry, baby, mother is here! Don't be afraid..."
He cried sharply, and kept shouting in pain, which made my heart clench. I finally managed to hold on until the imperial physician arrived, and he treated the wound amid the child's cries. Not long after, Liu Xiu heard the news and rushed over. When he came in, I was holding Liu Heng, who had cried until his voice was hoarse, and walking around the room.
When Liu Heng saw his father, he suddenly stopped crying, perhaps because his wound had been bandaged. As a child, he cried and laughed like a gust of wind. He snuggled in his father's arms, blinking his big eyes, and said to me with a timid expression: "Mom, I didn't throw the sword, it was the one who was naughty and didn't listen to me, so he flew out by himself..."
I was really angry and amused when I heard this. Seeing that he had caused trouble and suffered enough because of it, I couldn't bear to scold him anymore, so I pinched his nose hard and said, "If you are naughty and disobedient like this again, I will throw you out!"
He defended himself aggrievedly: "I was very well behaved, it was him that was not, not me..." He muttered and pouted, with tear marks still on his pale face.
I sighed, worried that Liu Xiu's newly recovered body couldn't hold the child, so I said, "Does it still hurt? If not, get down and walk by yourself. Daddy is tired and can't hold you anymore."
He pouted and said sullenly, "It hurts." His expression was reluctant, and his little hands were still clinging to Liu Xiu's neck, hugging him tighter. I deliberately frowned and shook my head at him. He let go of his hands and slid down from Liu Xiu. After getting off the ground, he did not forget to look up and said to his father seriously, "Daddy, you can't hold me. When I grow up, I will hold you!"
Liu Xiu and I smiled at each other and said in unison, "Okay! Keep your word!"
This little episode passed quickly. With the arrival of June, the hottest month of summer, all palaces were busy trying to avoid the heat in various ways. I dug a small swimming pool in the courtyard. When it was too hot at noon, I taught Liu Jing and Liu Heng how to swim. Liu Jing was very smart and learned it after one lesson. However, Liu Heng seemed to be too young. I taught him for a week but still got nothing out of him.
"This child's limb coordination is really poor!" I sat in the shade, eating iced fruit, and sighed helplessly, "How come he looked so smart when he was young, but after not seeing him for two months, he seems to have become stupid and often stares blankly for no reason..."
Shanan was fanning me from behind. After hearing this, Liu Xiu turned back from the pool and said, "You are too impatient. He is only a little old."
I pouted nonchalantly, "When Yang'er was his age, he could beat his brother to a pulp." At this point, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him, "Come to think of it, this is your fault. Seeing that this child looks just like you, you always have a bias towards him. Now, a child who is spoiled too much will never grow up. As soon as he sees you, he immediately becomes spoiled. How can he endure even the slightest hardship?"
Despite my unreasonable and aggressive attitude, Liu Xiu did not accuse me of doting on the child. Instead, she smiled and admitted, "It's my fault."
I pursed my lips coquettishly. As soon as Liu Xiu sat down, I handed him a piece of pear with a small knife and fork: "Moisten your throat."
Liu Xiu was not restrained from being intimate with me in front of the palace maids. Fortunately, there was no one else serving besides Shannan. He smiled and swallowed the fruit. While taking the handkerchief, he said to me: "There is something... I want to discuss with you and hear your opinion."
"What's up?"
"It's about...King Yi."
I sat up straight and glanced at Liu Xiu with sharp eyes. He looked at me and smiled gently. I sighed softly: "She is only twelve years old."
"I know."
"She is the eldest princess, but she is also your daughter."
Liu Xiu was silent for a long time before he said, "I know."
Looking at Liu Heng and Liu Jing struggling in the water, I was a little dazed. Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, we, the parents, are about to be promoted to grandparents. Although I am a little unwilling, I have to admit that I am old.
"I heard that the Crown Prince's new child is pregnant, and I would like to congratulate Your Majesty in advance." We are not a poor couple, so our children are not ordinary people. They are born princes and princesses, and they are destined to follow such rules of survival.
Liu Xiu smiled helplessly and said, "The Queen and I have discussed and are planning to promote this girl to Liangdi. Also, the Imperial Clan Director and the Imperial Household Department reported that the Crown Prince will soon become a father, and proposed to hold the crowning ceremony early, build a Crown Prince's Palace, and appoint a Crown Princess..."
He spoke very slowly, but I was still hurt by his words. If Liu Qiang had performed the capping ceremony, it would mean that he had become an adult. After becoming independent, Liu Qiang was no match for Liu Yang, who was not even old enough to tie his hair. The gap was too big. In addition, once Liu Qiang had a grandson, he would have no worries about his offspring.
I slowly lowered my head, resting my chin on my chest, bending my back, and kowtowed heavily: "Princess... Your Majesty will have the final say."
Liu Xiu helped me up and soothed me softly, "Don't worry too much. I think Liang Song is a very good boy, and Prince Yi treats him very well. Haven't you seen how they get along over the past few years?"
I almost shed tears, and said unhappily, "But she is only twelve years old after all. How can she understand what is good and what is bad? If she finds out in the future that the person she likes is not the one in front of her, wouldn't she..."
"Don't worry, we're just going to arrange the marriage first. If the child grows up in a few years and doesn't like this marriage, we can think of another way."
Although I know Liu Xiu deliberately said it so lightly in order to comfort me as a mother, but judging from the current situation, this is the only way to win over the officials in Hexi. Although I am reluctant to use my daughter as a pawn, as the eldest princess's righteous prince, no matter what kind of husband she chooses in the future, as a mother, I will not be 100% satisfied.
Such a contradictory and complicated feeling, just like my elder brother Yin Shi who promised to marry me to Liu Xiu.
I was feeling so conflicted that I couldn't describe it, when suddenly I heard a scream from the palace maid who was watching by the pool. Before I could look up, Liu Xiu, who was sitting beside me, rushed out like an arrow.
Under the scorching sun, Liu Heng, who was struggling in the water, suddenly sank to the bottom. When Liu Xiu rushed to the edge of the pool, the eunuch had already lifted Liu Heng out of the water.
I was so frightened that my limbs went limp. It took me two or three seconds to react. With my limp limbs supported by Shanan, I half-dragged and half-pulled myself to the edge of the pool.
Liu Xiu had already hugged the child, but little Liu Heng's face was blue and purple, his eyes were staring at the sky blankly, he let out a shrill scream, and his limbs kept twitching and shaking.
Liu Xiu was so scared that he quickly held him down, but he continued to scream, his pupils dilated, and white foam slowly came out of his mouth. I covered my mouth in horror and knelt by the pool at a loss. Liu Xiu angrily said, "Call the imperial physician!"
"Heng'er! My Heng'er..." I crawled over with my hands and feet, feeling dizzy and having heartaches. "What's wrong with you? Don't scare me!" I was finally frightened by Liu Heng's sudden strange behavior and burst into tears.
Shanan suddenly said, "Mr. Linhuai vomited blood."
My eyes went dark when I heard this, but fortunately Liu Xiu immediately explained: "He is not vomiting blood, he is biting his tongue." He held his jaw with one hand, trying to pry open his teeth, but unexpectedly, Liu Heng bit his finger instead.
Liu Xiu shook his hands, and the blood on his fingers splashed onto the ground. Dai Ang anxiously wanted to bandage him, but he pushed him away with a palm: "What are you all blocking here for? Why don't you go and get the imperial physician!"
I was completely at a loss for words. I just held the child's head, touched his cold face which was still experiencing muscle spasms, and tears streamed down my face: "Heng'er! Heng'er!" I was at a loss as to what to do except calling the child's name over and over again.
Careful Shannan brought a blanket and wrapped Liu Heng, but the child with cold hands and feet continued to twitch. Liu Xiu and I each held one of his hands and feet, and our hearts were twitching as he trembled.
When the imperial physician arrived, Liu Heng's signs of convulsions were no longer very obvious. The tossing and turning for just over ten minutes seemed to have exhausted all his strength. Liu Heng calmed down, curled up his thin body, and snuggled in Liu Xiu's arms like a poor kitten.
Liu Xiu wiped his wet soft hair, and refused to let others hold his son while the imperial physician felt his pulse. The imperial physician examined him very carefully and asked very detailed questions. He not only asked about the symptoms just now, but also called Liu Heng's wet nurse and housewife to ask about his daily diet, some of his usual preferences and habits, etc.
After about an hour, when Liu Heng fell asleep in his father's arms, the exhausted doctor announced the final answer with great fear and trepidation: "Duke Linhuai suffers from epilepsy."
As soon as these words came out, it was like a bolt of lightning from the blue, striking me dumbfounded.
