The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

The snow flakes fell like goose feathers, and the imperial city was gradually covered by the wind and snow. Every five steps there was a guard, every ten steps there was a flag, and everywhere there were solemn guards with swords.

The yellow glazed tile roof of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, shining brightly under the cold moonlight, was gradually covered by dense white snow. However, it still could not hide the inherent dignity and majesty of the royal family.

The palace and the corridors were heavily guarded by Jinyiwei and Jinwuwei. The Jinyiwei who came in and out to pass on messages were all dressed in flying fish uniforms.

Snowflakes fluttered down, and everywhere I looked was white.

The sheep-horn glazed palace lanterns on the wall emitted a faint light, and the vague sounds of quarrels in the hall could be heard faintly.

Imperial Concubine Jing tightly grasped the eunuch beside her and looked at Empress Cao with fierce eyes:

"Empress, the emperor suddenly became seriously ill, but you stopped the second prince from asking for the imperial physician. Why is that?"

Zhao Xu said solemnly, "Empress, although my father has not yet appointed a crown prince, as the eldest brother of all the princes, I just want to know how my father is doing. Now is definitely not the time to fight for power!"

After saying this, he winked at the eunuch Wang Xi beside him.

Wang Xi brought the young eunuchs to carry the brocade stools over and placed them respectfully next to the people in the hall.

Empress Cao sat in the chair at the head of the harem and looked at Zhao Xu with anger on her face. "Struggle for power? I am the head of the harem, how can I talk about fighting for power?"

She glanced at Concubine Jing and Zhao Xu, "The intentions of the Second Prince and Concubine Jing are obvious! If His Majesty cannot wake up, what are you going to do with us?"

The concubines and ministers at the palace banquet were invited by the Jinwu Guards to the main hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, while the female members of the family were arranged to stay in the side hall.

It was a handwritten order from His Majesty, who was currently unconscious in the inner hall.

When was this imperial edict issued, and why did the Jinwu Guards obey the Second Prince?

Zhao Xu was wearing a scarlet robe with a round collar and narrow sleeves. The dragon pattern on the chest of the robe was embroidered with golden silk thread. It was looming and ferocious as he walked. He smiled lightly and said:

"My father has always been in good health, but he suddenly fell seriously ill during the palace banquet today. The Queen is not worried about my father's health, but is thinking about controlling the government, and she is blaming her son for forcing him to abdicate...

The imperial physician is treating my father inside, and we don't know what the situation is. Whether the Empress is too anxious or not, the ministers in the palace will make their own conclusions!"

Empress Cao had been involved in intrigues in the harem all her life, but she never expected that at this moment, the Second Prince would take the initiative against her.

Zhao Xu turned his gaze to Grand Secretary Yang, and said, "Lord Yang, you also saw it in the Qianqing Palace just now. Father heard that the people who hurt Yongle were instructed by Imperial Concubine Chen, so he was very angry and hurt himself.

But now the Empress is pointing the finger at me and my mother, which makes me wonder if the Empress and Imperial Concubine Chen are trying their best to hide something."

Lord Yang was a man of integrity all his life. He sat there with a solemn expression and said, "When we were in the Qianqing Palace, His Majesty also said that this was a family matter... I dare not speak rashly, but if..."

He changed the subject and continued, "If anyone does something to harm His Majesty or the royal family's descendants, they would be condemned by the world and be disloyal, unkind and unjust!"

Imperial Concubine Chen sat in a chair next to the Queen and said in a cold voice, "Sir Yang, please don't force yourself to step out for others when the Emperor has not made a final decision."

Grand Secretary Yang nodded and closed his eyes. “Noble Consort Chen is absolutely right.” He looked perfunctory as if he was totally ignoring her.

At this time Huang Tong lifted the curtain and walked out from the inner hall, "The imperial physician is out." He spoke to remind everyone waiting in the hall.

A young man walked out behind him. He was Doctor Kong from the Imperial Medical Bureau.

Empress Cao and Imperial Noble Consort Chen stood up from their chairs and looked over. Imperial Noble Consort Jing placed her hand on Wang Ying's arm, took a few steps forward, and then stopped.

Before Doctor Kong could speak, Imperial Concubine Jing asked him hastily, "Is His Majesty awake?"

"Why isn't it Dean Zhao who comes? He has always been in charge of the emperor's pulse cases." The Queen Mother looked at the young Doctor Kong with a puzzled expression and a scrutinizing look in her eyes.

Wang Xi explained, "Today, Imperial Physician Kong is on duty at the Imperial Hospital. Lord Qin has already asked the Royal Guards to pick up Envoy Zhao."

Concubine Shu interrupted everyone with a cold voice, "Let Doctor Kong tell us! What is the current condition of the emperor?"

Imperial Noble Consort Chen raised her eyelids, glanced at her, covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and coughed twice, her eyes falling on Doctor Kong who was speaking.

Doctor Kong was in his twenties, thin in stature, with his blue official uniform with a round collar and right lapels hanging loosely on his shoulders.

His face was so tense that it turned pale, and large beads of sweat flowed down from under his black gauze hat. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty has been poisoned by cinnabar for a long time... I'm afraid..."

Before he finished speaking, he knelt on the ground with a plop, and said in a trembling voice: "Since the Queen Mother said that the emperor's pulse case is in charge of Zhao Yuanshi, we should wait for Zhao Yuanshi to come and make a decision."

For some reason, the prince thought of the bloody storm and displacement he experienced in his childhood, which made him feel a little uneasy sitting on the brocade stool.

He turned sideways and asked Duke Dingguo beside him: "Dad, what should we do?"

Seeing that his father ignored him, he looked at his second and fifth brothers.

I discovered that at some point, my fifth brother's calm and composed demeanor vaguely resembled that of my father when he was young, yet it seemed like they were very different.

Queen Cao took a deep breath. The question of whether Prince Zhao was on duty or not was all a trap set for her by Concubine Jing and her son.

It was she who jumped in on her own initiative, making it easier for the Second Prince to kill two birds with one stone for her and Imperial Concubine Chen.

Scholar Yang stood up from the brocade stool and took a few steps towards Doctor Kong. He asked anxiously, "What do you mean the emperor has been poisoned for a long time?"

"Since Imperial Doctor Kong has found the problem with His Majesty, we should do our best to treat him. There is no reason for His Majesty to wait for Envoy Zhao to come!"

Duke Dingguo sat in his chair with a big move, and in a loud voice, he asked the question that everyone wanted to know, "Is there an antidote to the poison of the emperor?"

Doctor Kong, who was kneeling on the ground, shook his head, his voice seemed to be as low as dust, "I am incompetent..."

The hall suddenly became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Empress Cao was unsteady. She held onto the chair behind her and sat down little by little with the help of Fang Ruo. She raised her eyes and looked at the ministers in the hall.

Imperial Concubine Chen pursed her lips slightly and swallowed without leaving any trace. The gazes of her brothers met in the air.

Chen Zhengde subconsciously touched his waist, and the empty feeling told him that military generals had to remove their swords when entering the palace.

Imperial Concubine Jing's eyes were red as she looked at Doctor Kong and asked, "If we find the thing that harmed people, can His Majesty still be saved?"

Doctor Kong raised his head slightly and said, "I will try my best."

Wang Xi came out of the inner hall holding a golden nanmu box. He opened the box and bowed to show it to everyone:

"Your Majesty has studied Taoism in recent years. Mr. Han, who is beside the eldest prince, often comes to the palace to study the art of alchemy with Your Majesty."

He took out a brown pill and said, "This is the Guyuan Pill that Mr. Han made for His Majesty. His Majesty took one after breakfast today."