Winter nights are always exceptionally short. Before you have slept for long, the day has already dawned.
Han Bo went to bed late but got up early. He got up early to prepare the carriage for Shen Chen to enter the palace. But when he got up, he found that Shen Chen had already gotten up and was explaining things to Qingfeng and the others. He couldn't help but sigh.
It’s too early. I’m afraid Shen Chen hasn’t even closed his eyes.
He glanced at the window, turned around to arrange everything Shen Chen would need for entering the palace, and then came back to have breakfast served.
Shen Chen ate a few bites hurriedly, then put down his bowl and chopsticks and prepared to enter the palace.
If what Kong Gongfeng said was true, Emperor Longqing would definitely not be able to attend the early court today, and there must be an explanation for not being able to attend the early court.
I don’t know what the inner palace will say at that time.
Sure enough, when he arrived at the Taiji Hall, all the cabinet members and ministers were already there, pestering Eunuch An and asking him questions.
Chu Jingwu winked at him, and when he walked to a secluded place, he frowned and said, "Second brother, I don't know what happened, something is wrong today. The emperor is late for the morning court, and the cabinet... Prime Minister Jiang and others seem to have some secrets..."
Shen Chen's heart instantly began to lift. He knew that what Kong Gongfeng said yesterday might come true, and something really happened to Emperor Longqing.
None of the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Service left the palace yesterday. Jiang Zining, the Prime Minister who was on night duty in the cabinet, must have heard some rumors. Therefore, when Emperor Longqing did not come in the morning, he immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Now it's just a matter of seeing what it says.
He held Chu Jingwu's shoulders and whispered, "Don't worry no matter what you hear later. If there is news that the emperor is ill and needs to be taken care of, don't agree."
Chu Jingwu initially thought he had misheard, wondering why Shen Chen suddenly spoke so seriously. But when he heard that Emperor Longqing was ill and that he might have to take care of him, he suddenly felt like fireworks were exploding in his head.
If Emperor Longqing was really ill and asked him to take care of him, he would probably kill himself...
He was startled, and before he could find out the whole story, he heard a quarrel ahead. The two men looked at each other and headed forward, and saw that Censor Chen seemed to be arguing with Eunuch An, and they both hurried to the front.
Eunuch An looked at Jiang Zining and the others with a sad face and laughed: "The imperial doctors are still treating His Majesty. His Majesty is fine now..."
Censor Chen refused to give in, his expression solemn: "No matter what, the emperor is suddenly seriously ill, and we, as ministers, are really worried. The imperial doctors have no conclusion yet?"
Jiang Zining, who was always mature and prudent and rarely expressed his opinions, was also a little angry: "It is not without precedent that cabinet ministers have attended to the sick in the past. If the emperor is sick, we, as ministers, must do our best to take care of him..."
Eunuch An was a little embarrassed: "The ladies are in the emperor's bedroom. I'm afraid it's not appropriate for you to go there at this time."
Qian Shiyun followed closely and said firmly: "If it is not appropriate for us to go now, please ask the ladies to set a certain time, and when they are not here, we will go to pay our respects. Is that okay?"
Eunuch An frowned, looked around, and saw that Jiang Zining and the others all had resolute expressions, so he smiled and sighed: "In this case, I will go in and ask Concubine De what she thinks."
Jiang Zining and others nodded.
Even though all the officials were confused before, they now knew that the emperor was sick!
Since Emperor Longqing ascended the throne, he rarely missed court sessions and had always been considered diligent. Now that he was suddenly told that he was ill and would not attend court sessions, they were all a little panicked - if he was not seriously ill, Emperor Longqing would probably not have been willing to do so.
Is Emperor Longqing really seriously ill
But if Emperor Longqing is really seriously ill, then... ... a lot of things will have to be replanned!
Eunuch An has already announced that there will be no court today, and people are leaving the palace in groups of three or four, all with something on their mind.
Chu Jingwu finally found the opportunity to speak, and pulled Shen Chen in panic: "Second brother, what happened? Why did His Majesty suddenly become ill?"
His hand holding Shen Chen was trembling a little. You know, if Emperor Longqing died now, all the previous plans would be invalidated, and he might not be able to leave the capital alive.
Shen Chen knew that he was panicking, so he patted his hands to calm him down, then lowered his voice: "Don't panic yet, things may not be what we think..."
As he was speaking, Censor Chen inside shouted, "What's the reason?!"
Both of them couldn't help but look in the direction where Censor Chen said, and saw Eunuch An coming out again with two young eunuchs, and saying something to Censor Chen and the others.
"Let's go and have a look." Shen Chen pulled Chu Jingwu, and when he got to them, he heard Jiang Zining say, "Since the emperor is ill, the Imperial Hospital must give an explanation. What is the illness, how to treat it, and how to treat it? Don't they say anything?! The Queen said that she would decide whether to summon the cabinet ministers to see the emperor after the emperor wakes up. How can this be done? How many important matters are waiting for the emperor to deal with? If something really happens, how to arrange the next things? The country cannot be without a monarch for a day!"
After all, he is an old fox, and he also became suspicious of Emperor Longqing's sudden serious illness and coma.
Shen Chen followed behind and echoed with a worried look on his face: "That's right, what the Prime Minister said makes sense. What happened to the emperor?"
Eunuch An hesitated, but finally couldn't stand the pressure from the crowd and went to the back with an embarrassed look on his face.
Censor Chen took this opportunity to glance at Shen Chen. The two looked at each other and saw the solemnity and uneasiness in each other's eyes.
But at the same time, Shen Chen felt relieved.
If Emperor Longqing didn't really eat the golden elixir and kill himself, but was murdered by Concubine Peng De... then things would have turned around, and it would be a great opportunity...
Everyone waited anxiously for a while before Eunuch An finally arrived. This time he brought good news that was acceptable to hear. He bent over and said respectfully, "The Empress Defei said that she would like to invite the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the cabinet elders, the Marquis of Pingxi, and the Prince of Linjiang to the inner hall to talk."
Concubine Peng De finally gave in, and everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Jiang Zining was trembling, and with Qian Shiyun's support, he slowly walked to the back.
Shen Chen and Chu Jingwu followed behind. Chu Jingwu was thinking about everything. He secretly glanced at his second brother, feeling very anxious and unsure.
After finally reaching Emperor Longqing's bedroom, he pulled himself together, exchanged a glance with Shen Chen, and followed everyone into the inner hall tacitly.