Chapter 590: Chapter 2: Empress Dowager, Good Health (2)

The Shenglong Dynasty ultimately ended in disintegration.

Li Shuning was aware of it, yet she still did not open her eyes.

Her spiritual power was vast, and naturally, she could see through it that there was still a palace maid beside her.

Speaking of which, who could be blamed for the original owner ending up like that?

Wasn’t the current Emperor responsible?

He was, because he feared the Li Family. He was so much older, old enough to be the original owner’s father, yet he chose the original owner as the Empress. After marrying, he was afraid the original owner would conceive, disrupting the court’s balance, so he drugged her meals to prevent her from getting pregnant.

If the original owner had her own child, even though her father was no longer in the military at that time, with the prestige of the Li Family, she could easily have established her child as the Crown Prince.

Then it wouldn’t have been like in the plot, where she was insulted, and even the Li Family bore the black mark, scorned ever after.

Does the Emperor know? Would he regret knowing that the Shenglong Dynasty he cherished ended up in such a state?

Li Shuning sneered, born into the royal family, the so-called familial love and romantic love might not be so pure.

Especially the Emperor, to whom that the original owner was devoted at sixteen when she married into the Royal Family. The original owner was a pure person; once married, she gave her heart to the Emperor wholeheartedly.

But the Emperor’s suspicion led to drugging her meals.

Those drugs cause permanent harm to women.

At death’s door, did he start to pity the original owner?

Truly nauseating, feigning affection. If he had genuinely cared for the original owner, would he have treated her like that?

As for the Third Prince, hum, wasn’t he longing for the throne? She would make him feel it was within reach yet unattainable.

Li Shuning reviewed the events of the plot again and came up with a strategy.

She deliberately made her presence appear ethereal.

Lying there, with eyes still closed, a teardrop fell from her eyes, soaking into the pillow.

“Madam, what’s the matter? Are you feeling unwell?” The original owner’s trusted palace maid, who had been serving by her side, panicked upon seeing Li Shuning shed tears with her eyes closed.

Li Shuning remained silent, only shedding tears continuously.

Jie Geng felt heartbroken. She had been by her lady’s side since childhood, watched the lady enter the palace, saw her become the high and mighty Empress, but she never saw the bright smile she used to have. Seeing her lady silently weeping now filled her with sorrow.

“Madam, the servant knows you are aggrieved, but crying like this won’t help. Please take care of your health.”

No matter what Jie Geng said, Li Shuning remained silent, continuing to weep, as if she was lost in her own world.

At this time, the Emperor had fallen ill, fainting during morning court, and had been bedridden for a few days.

And because of this matter, the original owner had been taking care of the Emperor closely, and after returning to her own chamber, she fainted from exhaustion. Although she woke up after a while, the people in the Empress Palace took great care of her, yet the original owner refused to summon the Imperial Physician, leaving the attendants helpless.

The original owner wouldn’t allow summoning the Imperial Physician, yet when Li Shuning arrived, even if not for the previous fainting, the endless tears now were unsettling everyone.

If anything happened to the Empress, the Emperor’s wrath would be something they couldn’t bear.

Jie Geng, seeing that the Empress was unresponsive, was unnerved by her current state.

Jie Geng called upon Du Juan and Hai Tang, asking them to watch over the Empress, and sent a little eunuch to summon the Imperial Physician. As for herself, she rushed to Minghe Hall to inform the Emperor of the Empress’s condition.

Jie Geng, being the Empress’s main palace maid, hurried in, startling the little eunuch standing outside Minghe Hall.

“Sister Jie Geng, what’s the rush? Is there an urgent matter with the Empress?”

“Xiao Anzi, is Eunuch Wang here?”

Xiao Anzi was startled, seeing Jie Geng in some disarray, with reddened eyes, his heart skipped a beat, promptly summoning his godfather, Eunuch Wang, the Emperor’s trusted eunuch.

Then Jie Geng informed Eunuch Wang about the Empress’s situation.

Eunuch Wang was also somewhat agitated.

Your Majesty’s health was ailing, resting quietly in bed, not to be disturbed.

But he knew clearly that Your Majesty had a certain regard for the Empress.

If he didn’t report the Empress’s current condition, and if anything indeed happened, he feared the Emperor’s wrath would be inevitable upon finding out he had concealed it.

After some thought, Eunuch Wang directly brought Jie Geng to the Emperor.

After all, wasn’t there another main palace maid of the Empress here?

At this time, the Emperor’s complexion was somewhat pale, seeing Jie Geng come in, he was curious: “Did your lady send you here?”

Jie Geng directly knelt down with a thud, the sound of knees hitting the ground was so crisp that even Eunuch Wang winced.

Jie Geng, seemingly unfazed by pain, let tears fall, knowing the gravity of the situation, not daring to utter a wrong word lest it brought trouble for her lady.

“Your Majesty, please save our lady. The Empress has been sleepless for days, staying by Your Majesty’s side. When she returned after Your Majesty woke up, she fainted. But worried about Your Majesty, she wouldn’t summon an Imperial Physician. Originally, we dared not insist, but afterwards, the Empress inexplicably began to cry and has been crying for more than half an hour. No matter how we call her, she doesn’t respond.”

Jie Geng, choking with emotion, recounted the events, kneeling on the ground, not daring to lift her head.

The Emperor looked at Jie Geng: “Wang Yin, go to the Empress Palace and see if the Empress is indeed shedding tears interminably.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After about the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, Wang Yin hurried back.

“Your Majesty, the Empress has indeed been weeping uncontrollably, soaking more than half of the quilt. The palace is in chaos. Doctor Zhao is already there, suggesting the Empress might be in a state of hysteria.”

The Emperor initially thought it was some trick or notion of the Empress, but it turned out to be serious.

“Wang Yin, prepare the carriage for the Phoenix Palace.”

When the Emperor arrived at the Phoenix Palace, it was a complete mess.

The Emperor furrowed his brow. He was still alive; how could anyone dare neglect the Empress?

He understood that the Empress, having no children, had a weak standing. But he had orchestrated this. Didn’t he think he could protect his Empress?

If the Empress were bullied due to childlessness, while he lay ill, it was unacceptable to him.

After understanding the situation, seeing firsthand the tears flowing continually from the Empress’s eyes, the Emperor’s heart tightened.

After all, the original owner was beautiful, young, thoughtful, and devoted to the Emperor. Wasn’t the Emperor moved? He was indeed moved.

He felt at least a modicum of affection for the Empress.

Upon seeing Li Shuning’s state, the Emperor grasped her hand: “Ning, wake up. I’m right here with you, don’t be afraid.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep