The prince is more stable

Chapter 706 Life is like a play
In the north wing of the Prince's mansion's rear courtyard, as Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly vomited blood, the more than thirty generals in the crowded room were all stunned.

Di Ying and the other women were so anxious that their eyes were filled with tears. The maids rushed in in a panic, and the room was in complete chaos.

Not long after, an elderly doctor carrying a medicine box was dragged in by Chen Shou. Before he could even catch his breath, the furious Chen Shou forced him to put his hand on Zhao Xiaoqian's wrist.

The room fell silent instantly, everyone's eyes fixed on the old doctor, not daring to utter a sound.

The old doctor placed three fingers on Zhao Xiaoqian's pulse, closed his eyes, stroked his beard, and remained silent. As time slowly passed, the old doctor's expression grew increasingly solemn.

Di Ying choked back tears and couldn't help but ask, "Doctor, my husband..."

The old doctor said in a deep voice, "The internal injury has flared up, and it's more serious than it was a few days ago. The situation is probably not good..."

After a brief silence, Di Ying and the other women burst into tears and threw themselves onto the bed.

Chen Shou, who was standing by the bedside, had a livid face and his teeth were clenched so tightly they were grinding together.

The thirty-odd generals had different expressions; some were secretly pleased, some looked bewildered, and some remained expressionless.

Di Ying cried, "Please, doctor, save my husband! No amount of money is a problem, and we can get even the most precious medicinal herbs..."

The old doctor said gravely, "His Highness's internal injuries are quite severe. He should rest and recuperate, keeping his mind calm. His injuries are not serious, but his condition is really not suitable for receiving guests. You..."

As he spoke, the old doctor turned his head, looked around the crowded room, and cast a dissatisfied glance at the more than thirty generals. He said in a deep voice, "Knowing that His Highness needs to rest, you all rushed to see him, disturbing His Highness's peace of mind while he was recovering. That's why he suddenly vomited blood today."

After their initial shock, Zhong Cheng and the other generals were immediately horrified.

While eating hot pot and singing, a huge black pot suddenly fell from the sky and covered them.

Are you trying to take advantage of us like we're Japanese?

Why is His Highness the Prince spitting blood somehow connected to them? If this gets back to Bianjing, even if the Emperor doesn't want to investigate, won't the court officials be in an uproar?

After all, Zhao Xiaoqian's prestige is not only unparalleled in the military, but also enjoys great fame in the court and among the people, and is admired and respected by everyone.

If the people of Bianjing found out that they had caused Prince Zhao to vomit blood, the problem would be serious; they would be drowned in the spittle of the entire nation.

The thirty-odd generals felt a chill run down their spines, and some of the hot-tempered ones immediately started cursing.

"Hey! What are you saying, old man? What does His Highness the Prince's spitting blood have to do with us? We're just..."

Before she could finish speaking, Princess Consort Di Ying stood up with a livid face, pointed at the generals and shouted angrily, "What are your intentions in coming to see my husband today? At a time like this, you still dare to make a scene and shout at him, showing no respect for him whatsoever!"

"Are all the military officers sent by the Emperor so disrespectful and insubordinate? They've harmed my husband like this, and yet you still have the nerve to act so self-righteously!"

"I am, after all, the Princess Consort of a Prince. If you are still not satisfied, I will submit a memorial to Bianjing and let the Emperor, the Council of State Affairs, and the Privy Council judge this matter! In this vast world, is there no place where reason prevails?"

His roar, like a lion's roar, immediately intimidated the more than thirty generals.

Zhong Cheng's face was extremely ugly, and he secretly felt regret.

Originally, it was optional for them to come to pay their respects to Zhao Xiaoqian today, and the Emperor did not require them to do so.

Zhong Cheng and his men felt that since they were on their way to the military camp, they had to check on Zhao Xiaoqian in Zhen Ding City. If they could find out that Zhao Xiaoqian's injuries were fake or not as serious as they thought, it would be good to relieve the Emperor's worries. They asked the Emperor to recall Zhao Xiaoqian to Bianjing as soon as possible.

In this way, the Yan-Yun garrison will be leaderless, which will make it easier for them to infiltrate and divide the garrison, and to help the emperor regain military power.

Who would have thought that after simply paying a visit to this young prince, and without even exchanging a few words, he would inexplicably be burdened with this huge stigma, with no one to reason with.

Zhong Cheng's expression was uncertain. He stared at Zhao Xiaoqian, who was lying unconscious on the bed, for a long time. Then he gritted his teeth, forced a smile, and spoke in a much gentler tone this time.

“Your Highness, we were impolite. But Your Highness was present and should be able to testify on our behalf. We did not say a single word to provoke His Highness. His Highness’s sudden vomiting of blood has caused us great concern and anxiety, but we cannot bear the guilt of plotting against His Highness.”

"Please, Princess Consort, make the judgment."

The generals behind him also looked grim. They realized that if they couldn't explain why His Highness had vomited blood today, it would be a big problem in the future.

Before they even arrived at the army camp, they were likely to incite resentment among the people. Under pressure, the emperor had no choice but to recall them to Bianjing.

After all, Zhao Xiaoqian's stature was undeniable. His contributions to the Song Dynasty, his sacrifices for the nation, and his prestige within the court far surpassed those of these dozens of obscure mid-level generals. For Zhong Cheng and the others, Zhao Xiaoqian vomiting blood in front of everyone was like mud falling into their crotches—an inexplicable situation. Would the people really bother to smell their crotches before judging the matter?
Many of the generals present had tears in their eyes. "Your vomiting blood has really put us in a terrible situation!"
I'd heard before that this young prince was quite unscrupulous, but I never expected that even after being seriously injured, he would still act like a monster, taking care of them with his eyes closed...

Zhong Cheng's forehead was covered in a layer of white sweat, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Zhao Xiaoqian no longer showed the subtle hostility he had shown when they first met.

His eyes were filled with pleading at that moment.

Your Highness, please get up and explain to your wives that your vomiting blood really has nothing to do with us!
Zhong Cheng wished he could slap himself a few times. He could have chosen not to come today, but after discussing it with everyone, he insisted on coming. Now, trouble has come his way.

Zhao Xiaoqian's face was deathly pale, and as expected, he remained with his eyes closed, completely unreliable.

Zhong Cheng turned his pleading gaze to the old doctor: "Doctor, is His Highness the Prince's injury very serious? Is it possible to save him?"

The old doctor stroked his beard, his expression grave, and sighed worriedly, "I've done my best. Whether he can be saved is up to fate..."

The old doctor glared at them with displeasure and said, "What are you all still doing gathered in the room? I just said that His Highness should not receive guests, should not receive guests! Can't you understand human language?"

The generals were filled with unease. After being scolded by the old doctor, they dared not argue back and bowed to Di Ying and the other women to take their leave.

Once all the generals had left, Di Ying rushed to the doorway, pointed at them, and shouted angrily, "This isn't over! You wait and see! If you can't save my husband, I'll make you pay with your lives!"

The generals remained silent, their steps faltering and chaotic, as if they were fleeing from a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.

After a long while, a servant came to report that the generals had already left the Prince's residence, and Zhao Xiaoqian on the bed slowly woke up.

Upon opening his eyes, Zhao Xiaoqian let out a weak sigh. His eyes were vacant and blank, his pupils darting around as he murmured, "Where...where am I?"

Seeing his pathetic state, Di Ying spat angrily and said, "The people are gone, why are you still pretending, sir! You're perfectly fine but you're acting like you're half-dead. Don't you care about bringing bad luck? You should burn more incense and paper money for your ancestors later, otherwise they'll jump out of their graves and curse you."

Zhao Xiaoqian seemed not to hear him, and tremblingly stretched out his hands: "Let me... pretend a little longer, so that I can at least realize my ideal for the rest of my life."

"What are your aspirations for the rest of your life, sir?"

“My ideal is… when I finally die of old age, just as you are about to bury me, you will suddenly hear a series of knocks from inside the coffin. Then, my children and grandchildren will frantically open the coffin and let out horrified screams, ‘He’s alive! Holy crap! He’s alive!’…”

A faint smile appeared on Zhao Xiaoqian's lips. He clicked his tongue and said, "The current situation has a bit of a 'resurrection' feel to it. How wonderful."

Di Ying and everyone in the room were both amused and exasperated. Even the old doctor next to them burst into laughter, revealing his big mouth with two missing teeth.

Zhao Xiaoqian turned to look at the old doctor and smiled, "Thank you very much for cooperating with this performance today, doctor."

The old doctor chuckled kindly and said, "Your Highness is too kind. Although I am old, I still find it quite amusing to do some of the foolish things of my youth. Your Highness is a person of great fortune, and if I can do my best for you, perhaps I can extend my life by a few years."

The old doctor continued, "Just now I took His Highness's pulse, and it is becoming increasingly steady and strong, indicating that his health is recovering well..."

"However, internal injuries are a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. Your Highness still needs to rest. I will prescribe a dietary and medicinal formula for Your Highness later. If Your Highness follows the formula, you should see improvement in three months."

Zhao Xiaoqian and everyone in the room hurriedly expressed their gratitude.

Di Ying personally saw the old doctor out and ordered the accountant to withdraw money for the doctor.

Just before stepping out the door, the old doctor suddenly turned back and said, "I will keep quiet about what happened today, Your Highness, please do not worry."

"Although I don't know why Your Highness is putting on this show, I don't care about right or wrong. I only know that Your Highness must have your reasons for doing this, and I have no reason to question it."

After speaking, the old doctor respectfully bowed to Zhao Xiaoqian and walked out of the room.

After seeing the old doctor off, Di Ying returned to her room and glared at Zhao Xiaoqian resentfully: "The whole family has been fooling around with you. Are you satisfied now, my husband?"

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed and said, "I'm satisfied. After today's incident, these generals are probably worried. We've turned the tables and they won't dare to act too arrogantly in the army in the future. Today's incident is like I've got a small but significant handle on them."

"If this matter reaches the imperial court in Bianjing, it will cause a lot of trouble. No one will listen to their explanations, but someone will definitely listen to what I say."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian praised Di Ying and the other women, "You all acted very well just now, especially the scene where you were crying by the bedside. Your acting skills were simply divine. I even hesitated for a moment whether I should actually die, otherwise it would be too unfair to your acting skills."

(End of this chapter)