The Child Emperor

Meng E sat quietly in the dark, motionless, until the door slammed before moving her eyes slowly, without her usual agility.

Someone entered the floor with a lantern. The lantern was behind the predecessor. The dim light was wrapped in the cold, and it couldn't illuminate the man's face. Meng E could only vaguely see that it was an eunuch.

The eunuch put the lantern on the ground, and placed the food box in the other hand on the table, then turned to look at Meng E in the corner quietly, as if to supervise her to finish the meal.

I'm not hungry, you can take it. Meng E said.

If you don't eat, you have no energy. How can you go out to sea if you don't have the energy?

Brother? Meng E said in surprise.

Meng Che took a few steps forward and turned his back to the lantern. Meng E watched carefully, and could already recognize the outline of his brother, and couldn't help but be even more surprised, but did not get up.

I came to rescue you out, let's go, let's go back to the East China Sea.

Meng E stared at her brother and shook her head slowly but firmly.

Are you worried that the East China Sea is not safe? Let's not go back to Yishi Island, nor go to Fuyu Country, go boating at sea, go to a farther place for refuge, and stop contacting Da Chu.

Brother... Meng E stood up, she knew how enthusiastic her brother was to restore Chen Qi, and now she had to give up all of this, which really surprised her.

Meng Che understood what his sister meant, and said: Reviving the country is a farce, Yishidao thinks he is superior, but in the eyes of others, we are just a group of robbers in the East China Sea, not the most powerful group. They may be able to kill the emperor, but they can't kill Da Chu. Even if Da Chu falls down now, there are still heroes in the world, and there is no place for the righteous person at all, and no one recognizes the two of us as brothers and sisters. identity of.

From the Qi rebellion to the desperate life, Meng Che had a lot of feelings, and the illusions he had cultivated on the righteous island since he was a child were shattered one by one. Now he only cares about one person - his own sister.

I... can't go.

Why? You stay here to wait for death, the empress dowager - the empress dowager Shangguan told me that the empress dowager Cining does not understand the rules of the court and is easily manipulated by ministers, and no one can persuade her, the emperor will not live long, you people are here The emperor will be removed before he dies. Meng Che paused, You can't do anything.

At least...at least I didn't turn around and flee when the emperor was most dangerous.

Meng Che knew this little sister and knew that she would not change her mind, but he still had to make his last effort, You told me that you came back to the emperor to learn the art of the emperor. Are you lying to me?

Nothing can be learned from a dead emperor.

Meng E was silent, just like when she was a child, when she was pressed by adults but she didn't want to reveal the secret, she kept silent. She was irritatingly stubborn and lonely.

Meng Che really wanted to directly ask his sister if something happened with the emperor, but he held back, this is his sister, there are some things that he can't ask, and he doesn't want to know.

So both siblings fell into silence.

There was a soft knock on the door outside, which was an urging, telling Meng Che not to stay too long.

Meng Che let out a long sigh, The favor that the Empress Dowager Shangguan owes us is now over. From now on, our life and death have nothing to do with her, and she will never help her.

My brother has guarded the queen mother for many years, and I left in the middle. The queen mother owes you favor, not me, I have never counted on her help. It's great to see you again, brother, let's go, as you said just now , Leaving Da Chu, the sea is vast, and there is always a place to stay. Leave me alone, there are some things, I can't make the decision, wait for me... When I regain control of myself, I will find you, no matter how far.

Meng Che sighed again, thinking that this would be a goodbye, he turned back to the door, raised the lantern, stretched it forward, illuminated his sister's face, looked at it for a while, and said, The queen mother said that only the pregnant Concubine Tong may still be able to Say a few words in front of Empress Dowager Cining.

Meng Che pushed open the door and left, Meng E vaguely heard someone complaining in a low voice outside, probably thinking that Meng Che stayed too long and was too risky.

Of course, Meng E couldn't go with her brother. She remembered the emperor, and at the same time did not want to add danger to her brother. As soon as she left, she was an important fugitive. From the capital to the East China Sea, there were thousands of mountains and rivers. Not one can escape.

She must stay.

But she couldn't do anything. After thinking for a while, she walked to the table and ate a few mouthfuls of food in the dark. She lost her appetite. She put down her chopsticks and returned to her original position to sit quietly.

In a room of the Cining Palace, Zhang Youcai knelt in front of the emperor's bed and stared at it for an unknown amount of time. Only when the candle was about to go out did he get up to cut the wick.

The imperial doctor not far away was sitting on a chair and fell asleep, snoring slightly.

The emperor's face was even redder than before, but the imperial doctor was helpless. He only said that he should take care of himself slowly. Two more imperial doctors were transferred from outside. They all said the same thing. .

Zhang Youcai had no choice but to stay beside the bed, hoping to see a miracle happen. He spent the whole night unconsciously, but he didn't notice that the sky was bright outside.

The door rang behind him, but the imperial doctor was not awakened. Zhang Youcai hurriedly turned around and kowtowed: The Queen Mother...

Empress Dowager Cining was alone, without a palace maid. The imperial doctor who was sleeping on the chair woke up when she heard the sound. Seeing the empress dowager was so frightened that she fell to the ground and kept kowtowing.

Go out. Empress Dowager Cining said coldly.

The imperial doctor crawled out and closed the door.

Empress Dowager Cining walked to the bed and put on a worried tone, Your Majesty's face doesn't seem normal.

It wasn't as popular as it is now half an hour ago.

You've been here the whole time?

Yes.

Well, there are so many people around the emperor, so you can still be trusted.

Zhang Youcai kowtowed again, It's not just me, but Cai...

Empress Dowager Cining raised her hand lightly, expressing that she didn't want to listen, and stared at the emperor for a moment, Did you notice Jing Yao's abnormality when you were in the East China Sea?

Jing Yao? Zhang Youcai was very surprised, I only saw him two or three times when I was in Donghai Kingdom, and I didn't even say a word, and I didn't notice anything unusual about him.

You hate Jing Yao, don't you?

Zhang Youcai blushed, knelt on the ground and said, When the queen mother asked me, I dare not not answer. When Jing Yao was the supervisor of the Central Division, he was not very good. He was very strict with his servants... not just me, but many in the palace. Nobody likes him.

Especially you 'miserable people'.

The more Zhang Youcai listened, the more frightened he became. He kowtowed again and replied in a panic, That's just a name that everyone said casually, and it doesn't exist anymore.

Why doesn't it exist? Your Majesty and I are also 'hard men', and we share the same disease as you. And you are the first batch of people to support His Majesty, and even follow him out of the palace. Your loyalty can be learned from heaven and earth. Little, never thought of disbanding.

Zhang Youcai kowtowed several times and said a little excitedly: The Queen Mother, we...we have absolutely no heart for the emperor.

The little eunuch couldn't speak flamboyant rhetoric, but Empress Dowager Cining was even more satisfied and nodded, Is Concubine Tong also one of the 'hard people'?

Yes, she can serve the emperor, we are all happy for her, and now she is pregnant with a dragon seed, which is a great joy.

The Empress Dowager Ci Ning smiled, Being flat.

Zhang Youcai hesitated for a while, then stood up on the edge of the bed, kneeling for too long, his legs and feet were numb, and he could not stand staggeringly.

I only trust you in the palace now. From now on, you don't have to stay by His Majesty's side, to protect Concubine Tong, and don't let her have any accident. There are many evil spirits inside and outside the palace, you have to be careful.

Zhang Youcai was about to kneel again, but was stopped by the Empress Dowager Cining. He asked suspiciously, Where's Jing Yao?

He's one of the demons I mentioned, don't worry about him.

Zhang Youcai's legs softened and he almost fell down, not because of the situation, but because he felt that things were changing too fast.

Empress Dowager Cining continued: You are weak and weak alone. You can find someone to help you, but you must be credible.

Brother Cai. Zhang Youcai blurted out, Cai Xinghai used to be an eunuch in the palace, and a member of the 'hard man'. He once used a sword to protect His Majesty from pursuit, and he is completely trustworthy.

Empress Dowager Cining thought for a while, Don't be busy for now, wait until I find out.

Yes, Queen Mother.

Empress Dowager Cining glanced at the emperor on the bed again, Go and call all three imperial physicians.

Yes. Before the numbness on his legs disappeared, Zhang Youcai walked out with a deep foot and a shallow foot. Finally, he didn't fall down. He quickly called the three imperial doctors who were waiting outside.

The three of them lined up, all shivering, and the emperor was the next thing to do. If Empress Dowager Ci Ning felt that they were not doing their best, this would be a calamity.

Your Majesty's face is getting more and more red, what's going on? You are imperial physicians, earning state salaries, and all of them claim to be able to rejuvenate themselves. Why can't they even find out the cause?

The three imperial doctors trembled even more clearly, and one of them replied boldly: Report to the Queen Mother, we... the three of us have a guess, I don't know if we should say it or not?

Do you still want me to beg you? Empress Dowager Cining was indeed very angry. She hoped to see Zhang Youcai, a loyal servant, thinking of the emperor wholeheartedly, instead of sitting on the side and sleeping soundly, not caring about the seriously ill emperor.

The imperial doctor kowtowed and said in a trembling voice: We... guess... Your Majesty's symptoms may be... It may be internal disturbance.

What is 'inner breath disorder'? Empress Dowager Cining couldn't understand.

We dare to speculate, Your Majesty... Have you practiced internal skills?

Your Majesty has been by my side since childhood, what kind of internal skills have you practiced? Empress Dowager Cining was furious, thinking that the imperial doctor was talking nonsense, suddenly remembered something, and asked Zhang Youcai: Have your majesty learned any internal skills?

Zhang Youcai looked dazed, Your Majesty has learned boxing and swords for a few days, internal skills... He also suddenly remembered something, Meng E, Meng E must have taught His Majesty the internal skills!

It's her again. Empress Dowager Cining turned her head to her son, many doubts were suddenly resolved, and she murmured, Why did Your Majesty leave the palace for? For whom?

After a while, she said, Zhang Youcai, go and serve Concubine Tong, you are not needed here.

Zhang Youcai bowed and stepped back.

The Empress Dowager Ci Ning looked at the three imperial doctors, Since you know that it is a disorder of the internal breath, treat it according to the law. If there is no effect, change a group of imperial doctors, and you can go home by yourself.

The imperial physicians kowtowed again and again, but no one dared to say that they could not cure the internal breath.

Empress Dowager Cining planned to meet Meng E, thinking that this was an enemy who had been hidden for a long time and suddenly revealed.