Chapter 27
He was bedridden for a full day, afterwards, the Blind Concubine and the Emperor, with each passing day had become more intimate.
The Emperor would stay and treat him like his beloved person. Not even caring to avoid any suspicion in front of the Palace's servants.
Every day, they would eat together and read together.
The Blind Concubine could see nothing, the Emperor would read out loud for him to listen.
Once in a while, they would enjoy the beautiful moon from the front yard while rowing in a small boat to the middle of the lotus pond.
The Blind Concubine's body was weak and feeble. The Imperial physician wrote a prescription to build his health by taking nourishing foods. Two times a day. Slightly bitter.
The Blind Concubine unhappily drank the herbal medicine. He complained: "I have passed through many years without having the need to take any medicine and I am still fine. Nowadays, why should I suffer this kind of hardship?"
The Emperor patiently told him: "You have promised me to be with me for the rest of your life. If you stay like this, how can you fulfill your promise to be with me forever?"
The Blind Concubine said nothing to refute, he obediently drank down the herbal medicine bit by bit.
The Emperor put a block of crystal sugar into his mouth.
"During 'my' childhood, my temper was bad and surly. Often I cried and stirred up trouble for hours because I didn't dare to drink the medicine. The Great Empress would use crystal sugar to coax 'me'."
The Blind Concubine said to him: "Compassion is the heart of all parents in the world. The Great Empress extremely loved Your Majesty."
The Emperor bent down his body and lightly rubbed his eyebrows. His eyes were like the abyss of a deep pond. "You have to treasure yourself, don't ever let my heart hurt for you."
The Blind Concubine hung down his eyelids. Replying softly: "Yes, Rui Xuan."
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Today, the sun was shining rather gently. The Blind Concubine was being helped by Xiao Bao to go and sit in the Imperial Garden.
The Little Prince was also in the Imperial Garden, by his back, several of the Palace's servants dressed in identical robe followed him.
He sat on the stone bench by the Blind Concubine's side. He quickly ordered two little palace maidens to step forward and keep them cool with the big fans. He carried in both his hands all kinds of sweets, which had been arranged by the Palace's Servant.
Xiao Bao sucked on his own tongue: "Such ostentation and extravagance."
Rui Ze with his clear voice, like the voice of a child while reading out loud, said to the Palace's servants: "The Blind Concubine has resided in the Imperial Palace, he could be counted as half a Master already, you lots may not ignore him, understand?"
The Palace's servants were nodding their heads obediently albeit a little bit confused.
Rui Ze added more: "His Grace's eyes can't see anything; you all can't do without adding more of your attention to take care of him. Do not make things more difficult for His Grace, understand?"
The Palace's servants had to nod for another answer.
The Blind Concubine was unable to hold in his laughter, "I have made the Little Prince become troubled and anxious."
Rui Ze put his little hands behind his back, held up his round and circular face, then said: "It's only natural."
Qi Sheng strode into the Imperial Garden, he didn't wear his government official's robe today. Only wore a dark colored brocaded robe. On his waist, he fastened a jade belt, matching perfectly with his sword. His features were outstandingly handsome.
The Little Prince gave him a weird look while asking: "Today we don't have to practice, why does the General come to the Palace?"
Qi Sheng answered him: "The Great Empress was summoning me. On the way back, I came here."
The Little Prince asked again: "What business does the Royal Mother have?"
Qi Sheng replied: "It wasn't anything about the Country, it was merely about affairs in the Palace."
The Little Prince said: "Then you are coming just in time, come sit with us and let us eat these pastries together."
Xiao Bao raised his brows: "You think that everybody will like your too sweet to the point of sticking to the teeth sweet food?"
The Blind Concubine laughingly said: "Once in a while, eating these kinds of sweets won't be harmful."
Qi Sheng responded to him: "If it is like that, then it is better for me to accept deferentially than to decline your offer courteously."
With a giggle, the Little Prince tried to make a deal, "General, you have eaten my food, tomorrow, can you be a bit lenient? Allow me to lessen the practice for an hour?"
Raising his brows, Qi Sheng told him: "Sweets are the easiest to cause fat, by practicing martial arts one can avoid that. Tomorrow, you don't have to worry that you will be exempted, instead, you will get an additional one hour of practicing."
Rui Ze pulled a long face, softly, he leaned and got into the Blind Concubine's embrace, and lodged a complaint: "General is bullying me!"
Xiao Bao widened his eyes into circular shapes and glared at him: "Obviously you were the one who tried to bribe the General, your attempt failed so you are making a false countercharge."
The Blind Concubine covered his mouth and laughed for a while, "The General's intention is good, otherwise, if the next day you are suffering from a toothache, nobody would come to help you."
The Little Prince put on a suffering face: "But we will be happier when we eat sweet things."
The Blind Concubine gently caressed his fluffy small head, slowly, he told him: "That is correct. If there is sweetness in our mouth, we won't feel any bitterness in heart."
Xiao Bao and Qi Sheng both fell silent and didn't say a word.
The Blind Concubine also didn't have the intention to talk. He hugged Rui Ze tightly, as if there was something burdening his mind.
At the moment, the Imperial Garden became so quiet and peaceful, only the sound of a gentle breeze could be heard.
Not long after eating his sweets and pastries, the Little Prince stood up to take his leave.
The Blind Concubine warned him again and again: "After going back, remember to review your lessons, the Great Teacher will carry out examinations soon."
The Little Prince nodded his head, then said: "Brother has a waterside pavilion residence outside the Palace. It is on the center of a lake. In the summer time, it is perfectly pleasant and cool. I had begged Brother to lend it to me for several days. He already agreed. You also can come together with me."
The Blind Concubine slightly laughed, "Alright."
The Little Prince's eyes were sparkling with happiness, gleefully he said: "The lake has many Koi. Very beautiful. There are also aquatic birds, very early in the morning they will scream awfully loud. We can bring fish food there. We could feed the fish. It will be very amusing."
Xiao Bao cut him off: "You only know about playing for the whole day."
The Blind Concubine laughed: "If you study properly, of course I will listen to you."
The Little Prince happily went back.
Xiao Bao heaved a sigh: "That kid, he is actually easy to coax."
Qi Sheng stood up, spoke to the Blind Concubine: "Could we walk a bit to talk?"
The Blind Concubine answered him: "Of course."
With Qi Sheng, they walked to a secluded corner in the Imperial Garden, the Blind Concubine asked: "I wonder, what kind of affairs General Qi wants to talk about?"
Qi Sheng briefly paused for a while before he began to talk: "I don't want to hide the truth from you. Empress Dowager summoned me to the Palace today, the cause was none other than to talk about Your Grace's affairs."
The Blind Concubine's body was quivering, "...….. General, please do explain."
Qi Sheng continued: "The Empress Dowager had known that recently the Emperor is only doting on you. This matter makes her heart extremely unhappy. The Emperor is her only son. Since this is about her beloved son, she is anxious, The Little Prince is her adopted son. Perhaps you already know."
Slowly, the Blind Concubine nodded his head, "Empress Dowager...… how will she punish me?"
Qi Sheng told him : "The Empress Dowager has been a vegetarian and praying to Buddha for many years, she only ordered me to take you far far away, not to step a foot in the Capital anymore."