Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 772 The Life-Saving Master! [Thank you! Again I bow! 21k words owed]

"Furthermore, for the sake of me and my officials, if there is a shortage of fuel, order the curtains by the pool to be dismantled and plenty of hot water to be prepared!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

He Guan quickly took the lead and agreed.

At this moment, Lu Zezong, who was outside the hall, suddenly shouted, "Brother Huyan! Brother Huyan! Quick, save him! Brother Huyan has sunk!"

"Hurry up and save them! Cough cough cough!" Zhao Fang shouted.

The guards hurriedly ran outside.

Before the guards even left the main hall, they nearly collided with several imperial physicians in gold and purple robes who were coming towards them.

"His Majesty!"

After bowing and clasping his hands in greeting, Yu Huguang, who was in the lead, was about to step forward to take the emperor's pulse.

The emperor frowned and waved his hand, saying, "I'm fine! You all go quickly to save my beloved ministers! If you need anything, just tell me!"

Yu Huguang bowed deeply: "Your Majesty! I need..."

After listening to Yu Huguang finish speaking at a rapid pace, the emperor looked around, pointed at Liang Han's eldest brother, and shouted, "Liang family, quickly prepare these things!"

"According to the order!"

Liang Xu quickly bowed and led the group outside.

After the emperor entered the rear hall.

Then pots of hot water were brought in one after another.

Seeing the emperor's puzzled look, the eunuch in charge of adding water quickly said, "Your Majesty, it was the families of officials and nobles living by the pond who saw what was happening in the pond and brought over the boiled water."

As the eunuch spoke, baskets of charcoal would occasionally appear.

“Those were also sent by various families,” the official explained.

The emperor nodded, looking at the eunuch who hesitated somewhat as he picked up the kettle, and said solemnly, "Forget about all the formalities, just pour hot water over my head!"

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

Then, the prepared, warm, and slightly scalding hot water was poured over the emperor's head.

The water, still warm on the cheeks, cooled considerably by the time it reached the chest and abdomen, leaving a faint red mark in the middle.

That was the emperor's blood.

After several pots of water were poured, the emperor finally shivered and felt the warmth of the water.

"Your Majesty, please have some ginger soup!" an official suggested.

The emperor waved his hand: "No rush! Order the relatives of the Xu, Cao, Gu, Chai, Liang, and Rong families to enter the palace, bringing their own belongings!"

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

After the eunuch left, the emperor closed his eyes and said, "During my bath, you must promptly report which important officials in the court have drowned!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Less than a quarter of an hour after the incident involving the large dragon ship, the area around Jinming Pond and its inlet were surrounded and guarded by the Imperial Guards.

From time to time, bandits or naval soldiers who had come ashore in a disheveled state were bound by the Imperial Guards. After they were distinguished as friend or foe, they would be punished or rewarded.

After bathing, the emperor, wearing a thick hat and new clothes, appeared outside the Linshui Palace with a bowl of ginger soup in his hands.

"Ah!"

After bathing and changing his clothes, the chief eunuch sneezed and continued to stand beside the emperor.

"Drink it."

The emperor reached out and handed the remaining half bowl of ginger soup to the chief eunuch.

"This servant obeys the decree." The chief eunuch accepted the document with trembling hands.

"How long has it been since the people sent to relieve Tan Erlang of his post as commander of the Tianwu Army left?"

"Your Majesty, it has been more than a quarter of an hour since we left, and we should not have arrived yet."

"Ok!"

Has Song Chaozhong, the commander of the Divine Guard Army, arrived?

"Your Majesty, not yet!"

The emperor looked worriedly at the overturned dragon ship in the distance, sighed, and then followed his gaze to the various pleasure boats filled with people who had fallen into the water. He said softly, "How many officials have been confirmed to have drowned?"

Cao Yi, standing guard beside him in full armor, bowed and reported, "Your Majesty, two officials and a newly appointed scholar have already perished! Three golden-armored guards, perhaps because they were positioned too close to the edge, fell into the water and were unable to remove their armor in time."

"Several high-ranking physicians are doing their utmost to save lives."

As he spoke, Cao Yi shook his head.

Upon hearing this, the emperor continued to look at the scene outside the palace and breathed a sigh of relief: "It's much better than I expected."

Cao Yi also glanced outside the hall, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, several officials who came ashore said that they were also somewhat panicked after falling into the water and almost choked and drowned."

"Fortunately, Xu Jiawu appeared beneath them in time and pushed them to the surface of the water, allowing them to cling to various wooden objects and survive until they reached the shore for help."

The emperor nodded with satisfaction, his eyes glazed over, and asked with some doubt, "When did Jing'er become such a good swimmer?"

After drinking the ginger soup, the chief eunuch shivered and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, this servant knows something about this matter!"

"explain."

"Yes, Your Majesty. When Lady Xu came to the palace before, she mentioned that last summer, Wu Lang repaired the pond next to the Xu family's racecourse with stones so that he could exercise in the cooler environment."

"They all wear full sets of metal armor when they train in the Goro Pond."

The emperor paused for a moment, then nodded, looking at Cao Yi beside him and said, "A full set of armor? If I remember correctly, it would weigh over seventy catties, wouldn't it?"

“Your Majesty is wise! But Wu Lang still needs to use his fine steel spear in the water, and his clothes are soaked, so it must be more than that.” Cao Yi said with surprise in his eyes.

Looking at the somewhat chaotic scene outside the palace, the chief eunuch said, "Your Majesty, when we were in the pool, the young master of the Huyan family also said not to worry about Wulang, which means he knows Wulang's swimming ability."

"Hmm!" The emperor nodded slightly.

At this time,

The lame Marquis of Xiangyang, soaking wet, walked over and said, "Your Majesty, you have truly frightened this old minister today!"

The emperor breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Are you alright, you old codger?!"

Marquis Xiangyang, having narrowly escaped death, shook his head repeatedly: "I only swallowed a few mouthfuls of cold water!"

The emperor frowned and said, "Go take a hot bath and drink some warming soup! You're not young anymore, don't catch a cold."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

After the Marquis of Xiangyang had gone far away.

After closing his eyes and pondering for a moment, the emperor asked softly, "Where is Gao Jing?"

Cao Yi bowed and said, "Your Majesty! Gao Erlang was just brought outside the palace by Gao Lin and his men, and the two brothers are kneeling together right now."

The Emperor nodded and said, "Hmm! Has someone been sent to inform the Crown Princess in the palace?"

Cao Yi: "Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince have both sent people back to the palace to report that everything is safe!" The Emperor nodded: "Hmm! Remove Gao Jing from all his official posts and have the Imperial City Guard investigate thoroughly to find out who he was with when he came to Jinming Pond to inspect the warships."

"If he can't remember it himself..."

Looking at the official lying motionless on the ground, the emperor said coldly, "Then use torture, life or death is irrelevant!"

"Yes!"

Cao Yi bowed respectfully, then turned and left.

After a while,
The Empress and Zhao Fang walked over together.

The emperor spoke a few words in a low voice, about the Gao brothers.

The Empress walked to the Emperor's side, frowned, and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty, Gao Jing treated such an important matter as inspecting the warships as a joke, which is to be expected!"

At this moment, the Golden Bright Pool in the eyes of the Emperor and Empress was sparkling, but red hues could be seen appearing from time to time.

Zhao Fang stared blankly at Xu Zaijing, who appeared and disappeared at times near the large dragon ship.

"Fang'er, what are you thinking about?" the emperor asked softly.

The Empress also looked at Zhao Fang with tenderness.

Zhao Fang turned his head to look at his parents and quietly said, "Father, Mother, could Jing-ge be my savior?"

The Empress, holding the Emperor's hand, nodded gently to Zhao Fang.

The emperor turned to look at Xu Zaijing in Jinming Pond.

After watching for a while, the emperor withdrew his gaze from Xu Zaijing, looked kindly at Zhao Fang, and said, "Otherwise what?"

"Yes!" Zhao Fang nodded emphatically.

When Zhao Fang was speaking with the Emperor and Empress.

Outside the Linshui Palace, a bustling scene unfolded as various tourist boats carrying rescuers gradually docked.

High-ranking officials or newly appointed scholars who had survived the ordeal would occasionally disembark.

But not everyone was so lucky; some who drowned were carried off the boat by the Imperial Guards.

Those nobles, officials, and scholars who were still able to stand all showed expressions of lingering fear and regret when they saw the people being carried away.

But the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital did not give up, and instructed the imperial guards who were carrying the person to move the person aside.

at the same time.

On the south bank of Jinming Pond, the road leading from each family's tent to the Linshui Palace was crowded with officials' families anxiously inquiring about their loved ones' situation.

However, the road was blocked by imperial guards standing behind barricades, and no household was allowed to enter without the emperor's summons.

Everyone could only anxiously tiptoe towards the direction of the Linshui Palace, praying that their families would be alright.

Wang Ruofu and Lady Hai were among them.

Looking at the chaos surrounding Jinming Pond, Wang Ruofu cried out in a tearful voice, "What are we going to do?!"

The children accompanying the two ladies were equally anxious, their eyes filled with tears as they tightly clutched their handkerchiefs and looked at the Linshui Palace.

Some distance away from the crowd, Mo Lan looked at Chang Feng, who was anxiously stamping his feet, and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, whispering, "Brother, what's the rush?"

Changfeng was taken aback, then turned his head and frowned, saying, "Little sister, what are you saying! Second brother is our elder brother!"

Seeing Changfeng's furrowed brows and reprimanding expression, Molan covered her mouth with a handkerchief and whispered, "If something happens to Second Brother in Jinming Pond, then you will be the eldest son in the family!"

"Unless Father and Wang Ruofu can have another child, you will be the heir of the entire Sheng family!"

Changfeng was momentarily at a loss for what expression to make.

After Mo Lan finished speaking, she put down her handkerchief and continued to look at the distant Linshui Palace, a hint of schadenfreude in her eyes.

Changfeng shook his head: "Sister, don't talk nonsense! We still have our seventh brother!"

"Changzhen?" Mo Lan curled her lip: "His mother is like that, and she's not as favored as our little mother, so why should she compete with you?"

Changfeng frowned and shook his head, saying, "Alright! Molan, if you say anything more, I'll go tell Father!"

"Brother, you! I'm your own sister, born from the same womb as you! I'm saying all this for your own good!" Mo Lan said urgently.

Changfeng shook his head: "It's not like I haven't told you about Changzhen's birthday!"

"Moreover, if Madam finds out what you've said, she's in the throes of losing her son and would be capable of killing you."

"Grandmother won't stop her, and Father can't stop her either!"

"Me!" Mo Lan was speechless, looking at Wang Ruofu in the crowd with lingering fear in her eyes.

in the crowd,
"Mother, eldest sister is here!" Rulan called out, pointing to Hualan who was walking quickly towards them with Xie Shi.

Hai family matriarch, Hai Chaoyun, and Wang Ruofu hurriedly went to look.

Hua Lan and her sister-in-law quickly approached.

Wang Ruofu, without even greeting Xie Shi, hurriedly asked, "Hua'er, how are your brother and Zaizhang?"

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Hai family, who was being supported by Hai Chaoyun, also looked at Hua Lan with a worried expression.

After nodding to Wang Ruofu and Madam Hai, Hua Lan quickly said, "Mother, don't worry! My brother is fine, he just choked on a few mouthfuls of water."

"My lord didn't even board the ship; he's currently inside the palace helping to rescue people!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ruofu instantly collapsed into the arms of Liu's mother and Caihuan.

"Mother, are you alright?" Hua Lan asked anxiously.

Wang Ruofu weakly waved his hand.

Hua Lan breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Madam Hai and said, "Aunt Hai, Sister Chaoyun, you two don't need to worry! Mother-in-law saw the head of the Hai family just now, and he should be taking a shower and warming up in the back hall right now!"

Madam Hai, who had been clutching the handkerchief tightly, breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Hua Lan gratefully: "Child, you're so kind!"

Hua Lan nodded, pursing her lips: "There are still many things to attend to in the palace, Mother, we'll head over now!"

After saying this, Hua Lan glanced at Hai Chaoyun again, then turned and left with Xie Shi.

On the way back to Linshui Palace, wives and mothers-in-law from various families who were allowed to enter the palace passed by the two sisters-in-law one after another, quickly walked behind the imperial guards blocking the way, and told their relatives and friends about the situation of each family inside the palace.

Some were overjoyed, while others wept.

outside the crowd,
Wang Ruofu was helped by Liu Mama to walk towards her own tent.

"By the way, where is Sixth Sister?" Wang Ruofu, who had relaxed considerably, belatedly looked around and asked.

Rulan glanced at the magpie and Xiaotao behind her and hesitated, "Sixth Sister rode her horse to the vicinity of the Aowu! She's probably with the Chai and Rong family girls, heading to the Linshui Palace by now!"

Having regained some of her spirits, Wang Ruofu frowned and said, "If she really enters Linshui Palace today, then she will have saved the emperor! Look at Sixth Sister, and then look at yourself!"

"Mother! If I had known this was going to happen, I would have brought my horse too!" Rulan looked up and said, "But I didn't know!"

"You!" Wang Ruofu pointed at Rulan in anger at her lack of ambition.

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Mo Lan and Chang Feng bowing to her from not far away.

(End of this chapter)