This time the prince acted alone without the support of the empress and the tutor. After he confessed the matter, he was completely at a loss as to what to do. He just kept begging the empress dowager to forgive him and not to make the matter public.
The Empress Dowager looked at him with disappointment. As a prince, he was crying and begging for mercy without admitting his mistakes. He couldn't even say a word that was dignified. What a waste, what a waste.
"You can't even act. How can you be qualified to be the crown prince? How can the kingdom of our ancestors be entrusted to you?" the empress dowager said with great sorrow.
"My grandson won't dare to do that anymore. Please don't tell my uncle or the Grand Tutor." The prince cried.
The Empress Dowager wanted to slap him. She stood up and felt dizzy for a moment. Eunuch Sun hurriedly supported her and said, "Empress Dowager, calm down!"
The Queen Mother sat down slowly, and a thought suddenly came to her mind: No, this prince is not good enough. If the throne falls into his hands, sooner or later he will ruin the foundation laid by his ancestors.
"Go back to the Eastern Palace. You are not allowed to leave without my permission, and you are not allowed to see anyone, not even the Grand Tutor." The Queen Mother said sternly.
"Yes, yes, grandson will go back right away." The prince was really afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would say that she wanted to depose him.
"Don't be happy yet. This matter must be told to your uncle. Let your uncle decide how to deal with you." The Queen Mother said coldly.
"Grandmother..."
"Get out!" The Queen Mother slammed the table and screamed at the top of her lungs.
The prince knew that she was furious and would not listen to anything, so he had to leave first.
After the prince left, the empress dowager looked at Eunuch Sun sadly and said, "I am only worried that sooner or later this country will be lost in his hands."
Eunuch Sun did not comment, "Don't worry, Queen Mother. Let the prince worry about the affairs of the court."
"No, no," the Empress Dowager waved her hand, "I have to talk to the Emperor while he is still conscious."
"It's better not to make the emperor worry. He should not be excited while recuperating from his illness." Eunuch Sun said.
"No, he has to know."
After the Empress Dowager finished speaking, she ordered someone to take the sedan chair and go to the Xiwei Palace.
It was really a double whammy. As soon as the empress dowager entered the Xiwei Palace, she saw the imperial physician rushing out. Upon seeing the empress dowager, he hurriedly said, "Empress Dowager, the emperor's condition has become serious again."
The Queen Mother's heart sank, "What?"
She walked in quickly and saw another imperial physician standing guard at the bedside. The emperor's face was sallow and he was having difficulty breathing. Although he was still conscious, his eyes were rolled up and he could lose consciousness at any time.
The Queen Mother was at a loss, "What... should we do? You guys figure out a solution quickly."
"I have tried all the methods I can think of. There is really no other way." The imperial physician said as he knelt on the ground.
Eunuch Lu said softly, "Empress Dowager, should we let the princess come into the palace to take a look?"
"No, no!" The Queen Mother refused. "Absolutely not."
Eunuch Lu said, "Empress Dowager, you can't just watch the emperor get into trouble. Don't you trust the princess?"
The Empress Dowager looked at the Emperor, who was barely breathing, and felt heartbroken. She sat down on the bed and held the Emperor's hand, "My son, I am here. You must hold on."
The emperor opened his eyes and tried to focus on the empress dowager. He panted, "Mother, I'm afraid I'm useless..."
"Don't talk nonsense, don't talk nonsense." The Queen Mother felt sad and cried, "Are you willing to let your Regent Princess come to the palace to treat you? If you are willing, I will issue an order immediately."
"No..." The emperor's chest roared, and his breathing was like a bellows, making it impossible to catch the sound.
Eunuch Lu and Eunuch Bao, who were serving in front of the emperor, knelt down together and said sadly, "Your Majesty, the princess is a skilled doctor. Why don't you invite her to the palace to treat you?"
“No…” The emperor rejected it again, this time breathing even faster, his face turned purple, and he almost died.
In a residential house on the street in East City of Beijing.
Xia Wan'er rented a courtyard house here. The one hundred taels of silver had long been spent. Later, Chen Linglong came to see her again. The expenses of the mother and daughter could only rely on Chen Linglong to go out and find wild men to support them. Although she said that she was hanging out with the prince again, she knew in her heart that she could not become the prince's consort. Therefore, she had to dress herself up to keep the prince's heart. It would be best if she could give birth to a son or a daughter. Even if she could not enter the palace, she could at least be a free and easy lady. Only this was the best plan.
After all, it was impossible for her to get married. No one would tolerate her, the daughter of a criminal.
She took out Chen Liuliu's purse, which contained some small change and banknotes. The banknotes were worth three hundred taels, and they were issued by Dingfenghao. Of course, she would not be stupid enough to take them now.
There are several pieces of jewelry, all of which are good things. Having been the daughter of the Prime Minister for many years, she can naturally tell what is cheap and what is high-quality.
These earrings, headpieces and bracelets are worth several hundred taels in total, which can at least allow her to splurge in a year.
She hid these things, and when she heard the noise outside, she opened the door and walked out, "Where's the reward money given by the Chen family? You have to give me half."
Chen Linglong said unhappily, "What's there to share? I'm the one paying for all the current expenses."
"How long have you only got it? I rented this house. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even have a place to stay now." Xia Wan'er said coldly.
"We are mother and daughter, why do you have to say such harsh words? I have paid the rent, right? I paid for the house this month, and I bought all your food and clothes. Besides, you don't know how to save money, and you don't know how to save money. We are in such a difficult situation now, and you still buy so much rouge and powder. It's okay to buy them, but they are all high-quality products, enough for our monthly expenses."
"Don't say it's all your credit. Didn't the money His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gave me this month go into expenses? I just bought rice and some bacon the day before yesterday. No matter what, you have to give me half. I also contributed." Xia Wan'er said unyieldingly.
"No, no!" Chen Linglong said angrily.
Xia Wan'er said coldly: "If you don't give it to me, then move out."
"You..." Chen Linglong was so angry, "You treat your mother like this? I gave birth to you and raised you for many years, and this is how you repay me?"
"Don't talk so nicely. You are not the one who raised me. You just gave birth to me. When I die, I will return my body to you, but you have to give me half of the money."
Chen Linglong subconsciously gathered her sleeve pockets and walked inside, "Don't even think about it!"
Seeing that she was determined not to give it to him, Xia Wan'er stepped forward and tried to snatch it away, saying viciously, "How dare you keep it all to yourself? If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten a penny."
"You're talking nonsense. I was the one who found the person and I had someone carry him back. You just followed him for a while. Why should you give me half? Get out of here!" Chen Linglong pushed her away angrily.
"Do you think it's all your credit? Humph, look at the axe in the woodshed. If I hadn't injured her, do you think you could have picked up these fifty taels of silver for nothing?" Xia Wan'er said coldly.
Chen Linglong stopped and looked at her in surprise, "What did you say? Did you chop her? Are you crazy? She is from the Chen family!"
(End of this chapter)