Chapter 147: A Sudden Illness

He casually wiped his face a few times, then somewhat unwillingly bowed his head to greet her.

“Yue Mingxuan greets the Imperial Consort.”

After finishing the courtesy, he stepped aside.

Doubt rose quietly in his heart.

Xie Lianhua had always kept a low profile in front of Concubine Hua because of Rong Tieshan.

Since when had she started associating with Concubine Hua’s sworn enemy?

Xie Lianhua saw that Yue Mingxuan was wearing a mask.

Thinking of the humiliation she had suffered at the Flower God Festival last time, the hand hidden in her sleeve clenched tightly into a fist.

“We’ve known each other for so long,” Xie Lianhua said, forcing a smile, “but I’ve never seen what you look like under that mask. Why don’t you take it off and let Her highness and me have a look?”

If the Imperial Consort Gui saw that colorful, painted face beneath the mask, she would surely accuse Yue Mingxuan of improper behavior.

Thinking of this, Xie Lianhua’s smile grew even more smug.

Yue Mingxuan saw through Xie Lianhua’s intentions at a glance.

He looked directly into her eyes and asked calmly, “We used to be very close, didn’t we? How could you not know what I look like, Sister?”

Hearing this, a trace of awkwardness flashed across Xie Lianhua’s face.

“People say women change as they grow, the same for a Ger,” she replied stiffly. “It has been quite some time since the last time I saw you.”

Yue Mingxuan was truly tired of these petty struggles between women. So, he glanced at Xie Lianhua and asked coldly, “Do you really want me to take off the mask?”

Seeing the sharpness in Yue Mingxuan’s eyes, Xie Lianhua suddenly felt uneasy.

When she thought of Yue Mingxuan’s stunning face and his recent strange behavior, unease crept into her heart and her voice lost its earlier confidence.

“Her highness probably hasn’t paid much attention to you yet. If you want to take it off, then go ahead.”

She could only gamble, gamble that this useless prince still painted his face like a palette.

When Yue Mingxuan heard Xie Lianhua say this, he let out a cold laugh.

He had truly had enough.

Fighting over a man until it turned into palace scheming, if he kept enduring this, the next thing would be something straight out of a harem drama.

Yue Mingxuan placed his hand on his mask.

Just as he was about to remove it, an inner attendant from the emperor’s side came running over in a hurry.

“Your Highness Imperial Consort Zhou, please go to Baohe Hall at once,” the attendant said urgently. “Prince Qing’s heart illness has flared up. He has been unconscious all night. His Majesty is furious in the Imperial Study and is demanding that the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau to come and see him with his head on the line. Concubine Hua has already rushed over. Among the high-ranking consorts, only you are still missing.”

When the Imperial Consort Zhou heard this, her face changed immediately.

She quickly run toward Baohe Hall without another thought, completely forgetting about Yue Mingxuan.

Xie Lianhua shot Yue Mingxuan a sharp glare and quickly followed behind as well.

Yue Mingxuan slowly lowered the hand that had been resting on his mask.

His head felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer, leaving him dizzy and unsteady.

Yesterday, Prince Qing had still looked perfectly fine.

How could he suddenly fall unconscious?

Then he remembered, Prince Qing had a congenital heart illness and an attack could happen at any time.

Yue Mingxuan did not know what he was thinking. In a daze, he followed behind the Imperial Consort Zhou and the others all the way to Baohe Hall.

Outside Baohe Hall stood the most elite guards of the imperial palace.

Even from outside, one could clearly hear the emperor’s furious shouts.

Yue Mingxuan entered the hall along with the group and quietly chose an inconspicuous corner to stand in.

On the large bed inside Baohe Hall, Rong Qinglei lay motionless.

His face was pale and he looked completely lifeless.

The emperor sat beside the bed, roaring in anger at the imperial physician who is kneeling on the ground and trembling.

“You useless trash!” the emperor shouted. “Are the salaries of the Imperial Medical Bureau fed to dogs?!”

Facing the wrath of the Emperor, the imperial physicians did not dare not say a single word.

They could only kneel and shake in fear.

Concubine Hua who is standing nearby wiped the corners of her eyes and said softly, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Prince Qing was fine just yesterday, yet today he is like this. In this concubine’s opinion, someone must be trying to harm Prince Qing.”

When the Emperor heard this this, a sharp light flashed through in his eyes.

He did not respond immediately.

After a moment, he said coldly, “Then according to your view, who wishes to harm Qing’er?”

Concubine Hua glanced sideways at the Imperial Consort Zhou and said, “This concubine dares not say.”

Seeing that Concubine Hua was clearly trying to push the blame onto her, the Imperial Consort Zhou quickly stepped forward and said, “This concubine thinks the same. Shan’er must have been harmed by some lowly and despicable person.”

Yue Mingxuan watched the two consorts biting at each other like dogs fighting over scraps.

A cold smile appeared on his face.

These women could not even tell what mattered most right now.

Whoever could save Rong Qinglei would be the one to earn the emperor’s favor.

Yet Rong Qinglei was not even dead and they were already speaking of murder and conspiracy, treating him as if he were already a corpse.

Sure enough, as soon as the Imperial Consort Zhou finished speaking, the emperor exploded in rage.

“Shan’er is not dead yet!” the emperor roared. “But the way you speak, it is as if you have already decided he is!”

The emperor’s words frightened both Concubine Hua and the Imperial Consort Zhou into dropping to their knees at the same time.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep