Chapter 13: Ming Xian and Zhi Wei


    It was the day after Yu Xiu woke up in the clinic. Liu Ming Xian, the crown prince of the Sai Empire, had been walking along the pce hallways with his most trusted confidante since morning. He headed towards the study of Zhi Wei, his father.


    Good morning, Father.


    He called out from outside the door. Zhi Wei, who was surrounded by several officials, looked up from the memorials that were spread on his table, and nced at him.


    Ming Xian. What brings you here so early in the morning.


    His side profile revealed his apathetic and unmotivated expression. His demeanor exuded lethargy, as if humans were not worth his interest.


    <i>His condition is still the same as usual.</i>


    It was said that he was a valiant and wise emperor twenty years ago, but now, his appearance was as if he were a ghost.


    Zhi Wei disregarded Ming Xians inner thoughts.


    Isnt Honored Consort Jiang bedridden?


    The ruckus yesterday also reached Zhi Wei ears.


    <i>You shouldnt be here right now.</i>


    It was as if Zhi Wei was tacitly implying that with his words. However, Ming Xian shook his head.


    There is no need to worry. Yu Xiu has recovered. I went to visit her yesterday evening. She was lively, albeit still weak. Doctor Chen, the clinics physician, said that she could return to the pce in two to three days time.


    Is that so. That is good.


    Zhui Wei narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin as he listened. Aside from Zhi Wei, the rest of the officials in the same room also heard about it, naturally. With this, the person behind the scheme would learn that their n to eliminate Yu Xiu through the disease had failed.


    They targeted Yu Xiu in order to prevent her from bing Ming Xians empress. The true wielder of power in the Inner Pce was not Zhi Wei, the emperor, but his mother  the empress dowager.


    Ming Xian was not the son of the empress, who was the niece of the empress dowager. Ming Xians mother came from a household that belonged to a faction that opposed that of the empress dowagers family.


    During the changing of dynasty, only the empress dowager, being the mother of the emperor, remained in the Inner Pce. If this continued on, the empress she raised would have to leave the pce. Her power would then weaken.


    The empress dowager was a power-greedy person, and she made several schemes in her desire to continue wielding her power even onto the next emperor. This n was one of them, as she intended to make one of her blood rtives to be Ming Xians empress.


    And so, she sent a barely ten-year old child to Ming Xian. With this excessive action, Ming Xians anger was immense. He was fed up. The girl herself was just an ordinary child, so she was bewildered from being separated from her mothers side.


    Ming Xian decided to take her under his wing, so he let her enter the crown princes pce. He intended to betroth her to the person she would like in the future. She was just a pawn; she was meless. Yu Xiu also agreed. However, should anything happen to Yu Xiu, then that girl would automatically be the prime candidate to be the empress.


    <i>Their n would have been sessful if the usual attendants were not there when she fell into the stream.</i>


    For Ming Xian, it was their good fortune.


    The recement of courtdies and maids attending to Yu Xiu did not push through, and they were able to forestall the circumstances of the incident. Ming Xian frankly thought that destruction had brushed past him.


    From the information he gathered through the rubbernecking courtdies at the scene, that girls actions were queer and ghastly as if she was possessed by a curse.


    <i>She was kissing the corpse, and assaulting it by beating the chest fiercely.</i>


    Those were the words of the frightened courtdies.


    However, ording to Doctor Chen, the girls actions were a form of life-saving method that came from a foreign country, and was not well known among the physicians. Without her, it would have been difficult to attempt that rescue method.


    <i>Well, it would have been difficult had Doctor Chen be the one to ce his lips on my consort.</i>


    Even if it was in the name of medicine, he would be used of adultery in a crowd of bystanders.


    It was a blessing in disguise. Thanks to that girl, Yu Xiu was saved. Moreover, he now had a reason to push the me onto the useless people to drive all of them at once. He would be able to secure her safety by surrounding her with people that he trusted.


    Yu Xiu was safe now in the physicians clinic, andter on, he would send the courtdy he had picked beforehand to go there as an attendant. He also made arrangements to station secret guards around the clinic for their safety. Instead of the crown pces kitchen, he sent his subordinates to the courtdies kitchen to prepare food that was safe.


    <i>I will never let that empress dowager interfere.</i>


    It was a good resolve; however, it was not the purpose of his visit to the emperor.


    I obtained something interesting, so I would like to present it to Father.


    Ming Xian smiled as he drew closer to his fathers desk.


    Did you acquire something rare?


    Indeed. Please see it for yourself.


    Ming Xian gestured to Li Yong, his subordinate standing behind him. Li Yong handed a tray covered in cloth. Ming Xian removed the cloth himself. It held a sprayer.


    ,,,Is there something wrong with that sprayer?


    After he gave those insinuating words, Zhi Wei brows puckered at the seemingly ordinary sprayer.


    Father, the contents are important.


    Ming Xian took the bottle, and sprayed it onto Zhi Wei.


    What!? It stinks of <i>sake</i>!


    Indeed, it contains watered down <i>sake</i>, after all.


    Ming Xian deepened his smile at Zhi Weis wry face.


    A person at the clinic told me that this is very effective against the current disease. Apparently, it must be sprayed on the hands frequently. Ah, drinking tea is also good, ording to her.


    I didnt hear anything like that from the physicians. Those quacks.


    The face of the court physician floated to Zhi Weis mind, and he scowled.


    That physician used money and became the empress dowagers underling, so his ability can easily be surmised.


    It was troubling that a mere physician from the clinic was morepetent than the court physician who was in charge of the emperors health.


    I offer this to you. I am praying for your health, Father.


    Is that so, then I will receive it with gratitude.


    Zhi Wei closely inspected the sprayer upon receiving it.


    T/L Thoughts: What might have happened to the emperor during those twenty years? The crown prince and the emperor seemed to get along, too. Interestingly, it was the empress dowager who was power-hungry. The emperor was not what I imagined he would be, based on Yui Meis perspective in the first few chapters. Any thoughts on this? Would love to hear your theories/ insights ?