The following February, in the bedchamber of Chengqian Palace, Qi Xiao led the princes to attend to the Emperor's illness.

"Physician Liu, what exactly is wrong with His Majesty?" After Liu Tianshou finished examining the Emperor's pulse, Empress Feng followed him out of the warm chamber. She frowned slightly and hesitated before lowering her voice, "What is it exactly? Last night, the palace servant only scalded the Emperor a little with the tea, but he got agitated and coughed for a long time, even..."

Liu Tianshou looked at Empress Feng and said softly, "He even coughed up blood, right?"

Empress Feng recited a Buddhist prayer, "As expected of you, Physician Liu, you can diagnose anything! But His Majesty is averse to admitting illness and forbids anyone from speaking of it. If Fu Hailu hadn't told me, I would still be in the dark. Could it be, could it be..."

The Empress couldn't bring herself to say it after hesitating. Liu Tianshou was silent for a while before saying, "His Majesty's illness stems from his heart. Since last year, he has often felt frustrated, and over time, it turned into a serious illness. The fire in his heart can't be released and remains inside. When heart fire is excessive, it's easy to get angry, which then injures the liver and spleen, and further harms the lungs. The symptom of coughing up blood comes from the lungs..."

Empress Feng felt her vision go black and cried out, "So it is consumption after all?!"

Liu Tianshou shook his head, "Rest assured, Your Highness, it's not that severe yet. If he recuperates well now, avoids anger, overwork, and heating foods, it can be cured."

Empress Feng sighed deeply, "How easy is it to keep His Majesty from getting angry? Not to mention forbidding him from overworking. Ever since he ascended the throne, he reviews memorials until the fifth watch every day, only sleeping two to three hours. How can we persuade him?"

Liu Tianshou lowered his eyes, "His Majesty bears the weight of the world, naturally he won't slack off. But this illness must be nursed. Your Highness... even a common cold requires rest to recover from, let alone this? To treat it, he must heed these three things, otherwise..."

Liu Tianshou didn't elaborate further, but Empress Feng understood. After a pause, she waved her hand, "It's no use telling just me, you must personally inform His Majesty."

Liu Tianshou nodded, "I understand. After I finish writing the prescription and discuss it with the other imperial physicians to make some revisions, I will enter the palace to speak with His Majesty."

Empress Feng nodded wearily, "Go then."

Before Empress Feng could catch her breath, Qi Xiao and the princes entered from outside. They all bowed in greeting.

Empress Feng forced a smile, "Rise. Thank you all for keeping vigil since before dawn on this snowy day. Don't worry, the Emperor is not in serious condition. The imperial physician has examined him. He just needs to recuperate well and slowly recover."

Qi Xiao adjusted his black fox fur robe and asked with half-closed eyes, "What are the symptoms exactly? What did the physician say?"

Empress Feng's smile froze on her face. After a pause, she said, "What else could it be? It's just an illness from overwork. His Majesty... sigh, His Majesty's temper hasn't been good lately, all because he's exhausted from state affairs. We can only hope you all will mature and be ready to assist him soon to share his burdens."

A glint flashed through Qi Xiao's eyes but he didn't respond. Instead, the Third Prince frowned with concern, "What is it exactly? Are there any rare medicinal ingredients that can help? I acquired a snow lotus last month and have been meaning to present it to Imperial Father, but kept delaying it as I couldn't find the right time. I'll have someone fetch it from my palace right away."

Empress Feng gave the Third Prince a deep look. After a while, she said, "You have always been filial, the Emperor knows this. When you bring the snow lotus, I'll have someone stew it well for him to consume."

Ever since the Third Prince Qi Qi took over the Ministry of Works late last year, the Xue family had become increasingly arrogant. Not only did Consort Xue have a strong foothold in the rear palace, Qi Qi also spoke more boldly in front of her.

Empress Feng inwardly sneered - what use was a favored concubine-born son? Putting aside Qi Xiao ahead of him, even her own son Qi Hua was superior to Qi Qi. He was just relying on the Emperor's growing regard for him in recent years to be so presumptuous. Running around the Emperor all day long like a panting dog, using filial piety as a front to deceive His Majesty into constantly giving him duties...

Thinking of this, Empress Feng grew even angrier. How was her son inferior to the son of that vile woman? He just wasn't as glib and didn't know how to curry favor! Empress Feng glanced around and noticed Qi Hua was absent among the princes paying respects. Her brows furrowed as she said coldly, "Where is the Second Prince? Why did no one summon him?"

After Qi Hua passed his 18th birthday last year, he moved out of the palace to reside in his previous estate. Many things were indeed more convenient outside the palace walls. Empress Feng had put in a lot of effort to make this happen. But once outside, although it was harder for others to know what he was up to, it was also troublesome to get messages across if something did happen.

No one spoke. Just as the atmosphere turned awkward, Consort Xue entered the main hall supported by a palace maid. She smiled gently, "Empress, don't be angry. I sent someone out of the palace to invite the Second Prince early this morning. It's just that the roads are slippery from the snow, so they were delayed a bit. He will be here."

Consort Xue approached and handed a small hand warmer to a palace maid. She made a graceful bow to Empress Feng, "Auspicious greetings, Empress."

Empress Feng struggled to suppress her anger. She was no stranger to managing palace affairs. There were many tricks involved in passing messages. Consort Xue claimed she had sent someone early, but she might have secretly ordered them to delay on purpose, deliberately making Qi Hua arrive late to incur the Emperor's displeasure.

Consort Xue wore a brown gold-embroidered duijin jacket with a black light fur robe. Her hair was piled high without excess adornments, just a red ruby hanging on her fair forehead. When she spoke or nodded, the gem would tremble and glimmer. Although her outfit had no eye-catching pieces, compared to the Empress bedecked in gold and silver, her head covered in rubies and pearls, Consort Xue exuded a unique charm.

"Now that the Second Prince lives outside the palace, it naturally isn't as convenient as when he resided inside. Even if he's a bit late, His Majesty won't blame him." Consort Xue maintained her smile. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Qi Xiao and started, "I sent someone out of the palace at the same time, yet the Crown Prince has already arrived?"

Empress Feng was enraged upon hearing this. What was Consort Xue implying? That Qi Hua was deliberately delaying and not taking the Emperor's illness seriously?!

Consort Xue feigned ignorance but inwardly sneered. Now the Empress knew how it felt to be angry? For the past dozen years or so, Empress Feng had often used such petty tricks to scheme against her. Now that the tables had turned, the Empress couldn't take it?

Qi Xiao disdained to let these two women use him as a front in their rivalry. He remained silent with a cold expression. Consort Xue dared to offend Empress Feng but not Qi Xiao. Sensing she had gone far enough, she knitted her brows in concern and asked, "I haven't inquired yet, Your Highness, how is His Majesty's condition?"

"Just fell asleep." Empress Feng still spoke irritably as she sat down, "Waiting for the imperial physicians to deliberate on the prescription."

Consort Xue currently enjoyed great favor, so Fu Hailu didn't dare neglect her too much. Seeing the Empress ignoring him, he had no choice but to step forward himself and describe the Emperor's condition. Upon hearing this, Consort Xue was so anxious that sweat appeared on her forehead: "What should we do? Which imperial physician is being used, is it reliable?"

Fu Hailu nodded: "Rest assured, Consort, the one taking the pulse is Imperial Physician Liu, the Dean of the Imperial Medical Academy. His pulse reading has always put the Emperor at ease."

"That's good, that's good." Consort Xue breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, "That year when the Third Prince was still young, he had a persistent high fever. So many imperial physicians took his pulse and prescribed so many remedies, pouring so much medicine into him, but none of it worked. I was incredibly anxious, almost to the point of begging for the Immortal's elixir from the gods. Finally, Imperial Physician Liu came to examine him, and after three doses of medicine, the illness was cured. Several years have passed, and Imperial Physician Liu has become the Dean, so his medical skills must have advanced even further. With him here, the Emperor will surely recover soon."

Fu Hailu deeply agreed: "Absolutely. Previously, when the Emperor first contracted this fever, he took many medicines that were ineffective. Only after taking Imperial Physician Liu's medicine did he improve significantly. It's just a pity... the Emperor is only willing to take medicine but not take good care of himself, dragging on and on, never fully recovering. Due to days of discomfort, he got angered again, and suddenly... sigh..."

Hearing this, Qi Xiao sneered coldly in his heart. Indeed, every time after Imperial Physician Liu took the Emperor's pulse, he would have someone stop the "medicine" for a day, and naturally the Emperor would feel refreshed, thus increasingly relying on Imperial Physician Liu.

As they were talking, the Emperor woke up. The crowd hurriedly went around the curio shelf and entered the warm chamber to pay their respects to the Emperor.

Since the drugging began only half a year ago, the Emperor seemed to have aged ten years, with a haggard face, flushed cheeks, and confused eyes. Due to insufficient qi and frequent outbursts of anger, even his speech was unstable, alternating between high and low pitches, sounding extremely harsh.

"The Emperor's throat is uncomfortable, making it inconvenient to speak. Have some tea brewed with loquat paste first." Empress Feng sat by the bed, took the tea handed over by the palace servant, and fed it to the Emperor spoonful by spoonful with a small silver spoon.

After drinking no more than half a cup of tea, the Emperor waved his hand to indicate he didn't want anymore. He looked up at the people standing by the bed and said in a low voice, "Sorry for troubling you all, guarding here so early in the morning. I'm fine, just feeling uncomfortable from the fever. Having taken Imperial Physician Liu's medicine pellets, I feel much better now."

Empress Feng, fearing the Emperor would notice Qi Hua's absence, gently persuaded, "Since you feel better, Your Majesty, why not sleep a bit more? When the decoction is ready, this concubine will wake you up, alright?"

The Emperor nodded and asked, "What did... Imperial Physician Liu say?"

Empress Feng quickly relayed the good parts and finally said, "The imperial physician said that as long as Your Majesty is willing to recuperate properly, you will recover before long."

Although the illness was annoying, it was easy to treat. Every time the medicine worked and the illness subsided, the Emperor believed it. He nodded and lay down again.

Fearing disturbing the Emperor's rest, Empress Feng persuaded the crowd to leave. Except for Consort Xue who insisted on attending to the Emperor, everyone else left in twos and threes.

Qi Xiao walked at the very front. When he left Chengqian Palace and walked towards the outside of the palace, seeing that it was open and empty in front and behind, Qi Xiao turned his head and said in a low voice, "What did he say?"

Jiang Deqing lowered his voice, "Coughing up blood in just half a year, at this rate, he can hold on for nine months at most."

Qi Xiao said indifferently, "Tell Xi Xiang, that's enough. From now on, the dosage of the medicine can be slightly reduced. I'm not in a hurry."

Jiang Deqing didn't understand and looked up at Qi Xiao. Qi Xiao curled his lips in a cold smile, "Let him keep thinking that this illness is still treatable, so he won't cause trouble for me."

If the Emperor knew his days were numbered, the first thing he would certainly think of would be to change the crown prince, which naturally would be of no benefit to Qi Xiao's plan.

Jiang Deqing suddenly realized and smiled, "Rest assured, Your Highness, this old servant will tell him when there's time."

Qi Xiao nodded. Just as he left the palace and reached the palace gate, Qi Xiao's carriage driver outside rushed up in a panic and said urgently, "Your Highness, Your Highness... early in the morning, our people from the He family came to report that the Princess Roujia, the Princess Roujia is about to give birth, but... but it's a difficult labor!"