The most dissolute couple in the capital

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace, at the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity.

Prince Li Chengjing of Liang was carried directly from the flower-viewing banquet into the palace.

The imperial physician spent half an hour in the side hall wiping the body, feeding the medicine, and inserting silver needles into several acupoints before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.

The Empress Dowager sat on the warm couch in the main hall, clutching a string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, turning them over and over, her expression shifting between love and heartache.

She was over sixty years old, well-maintained, with a dignified face and glossy black hair, meticulously combed, exuding an air of authority and dignity. But at this moment, her eyes were red-rimmed, and her lips trembled slightly, indicating that she was very nervous.

"What did the imperial physician say?" The Empress Dowager's voice was somewhat hoarse.

The old nanny beside him bowed and replied, "The imperial physician said that His Highness Prince Liang inhaled some water, but fortunately, he was rescued in time and his lungs and internal organs were not damaged. He has recovered after taking the medicine, but he has caught a chill and needs to rest well for a few days."

The Empress Dowager let out a long sigh of relief, and the speed at which she moved the prayer beads slowed down.

"Fortunately, I was rescued in time." She murmured a Buddhist chant, "Amitabha."

Emperor Li Jin, sitting opposite him, held a cup of tea, his face composed. He was over forty, the prime of his life as emperor, with a dignified appearance, but at this moment, a hint of lingering fear also lingered between his brows.

"I have already sent people to investigate." The emperor put down his teacup. "The railings by the cold pool have been in disrepair for many years, and there are many people out for a spring outing today. A-Jing is a very active person, so he must have slipped and fallen while playing by the pool."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager felt another wave of fear: "With his temperament, how many times have I told him not to run around like that, but he just won't listen! Last time he almost fell off his horse in the hunting grounds, and this time he fell into the water. Does he think this old woman has too long to live?"

The Emperor glanced at his mother and comforted her, "Mother, please calm down. A-Jing is impulsive, but fortunately he is quite healthy, and the imperial physician said there is nothing seriously wrong."

"No serious injury?" The Empress Dowager glared at him. "He said he was fine when he took that knife for you back then! And what happened?"

The emperor's expression darkened slightly.

That happened more than a decade ago. In the late emperor's later years, the princes vied for the throne. During one palace coup, the young Li Chengjing somehow ended up beside him and took a knife for him. The wound was in his lower abdomen; although he survived, the imperial physician said it might have caused serious injury…

We all know what happened next.

The entire city of Chang'an knew that the Prince of Liang had "problems with having children."

The emperor's guilt towards his younger brother began with that one fatal blow.

"Mother," the Emperor's voice lowered slightly, "I have always kept A-Jing's matter in my heart."

The Empress Dowager looked at him, her eyes reddening again, but she didn't say anything more.

"Oh, right," the Empress Dowager wiped her eyes, as if remembering something, "the imperial physician said the rescue was timely, but who exactly performed the rescue? Weren't the servants all with them?"

The chief eunuch Zhao An, who was standing beside the emperor, stepped forward, bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty, when His Highness Prince Liang fell into the water, the accompanying servants were all on guard outside and did not notice it at first. It was a young lady from the Cui family who was attending the flower-viewing banquet who heard the commotion as she passed by. She first called for help and then went into the water herself to pull His Highness ashore."

"The Cui family's daughter?" The Empress Dowager sat up straight. "Which Cui family?"

"She is from a collateral branch of the Cui family of Qinghe. Her father, Cui Zhiyuan, is currently a sixth-rank secretary in the Secretariat." Zhao An answered in detail, "This Miss Cui's given name is Qingyi. She is sixteen years old and unmarried."

The Empress Dowager gave an "Oh," and slightly raised her eyelids:

"An unmarried young lady, especially from a prestigious family, dared to jump into the icy pond to save someone? That's incredibly audacious! Wasn't there anyone around to serve her?"

Zhao An, who had served the Emperor for many years and was adept at reading people's expressions, quickly explained in a low voice, "Your Majesty, this matter is rather strange. At that time, His Highness Prince Liang found the flower viewing banquet too noisy and secretly went to the cold pond in the back mountain to catch fish, leaving all the servants behind by a hundred paces. Miss Cui was changing clothes nearby when she bumped into him."

He paused, his tone carrying a sense of alarming urgency:

"According to the patrolling guards at the scene, after Miss Cui discovered that someone had fallen into the water, she first shouted for help at the top of her lungs, but the place was remote and it took her some time to get there. Seeing that His Highness Prince Liang was already submerged in the water, the girl was afraid that he would really die, so she gritted her teeth and jumped in."

"The water in that icy pool was bone-chillingly deep. Miss Cui was still young and frail; when she came up, she was completely purple from the cold and had swallowed several mouthfuls of muddy water. If she had been a moment later..."

Zhao An didn't say anything more, but everyone understood what he meant.

If it were for the sake of wealth and status, who would risk their life for a slim chance of success? It was like a frozen pond in early spring; the slightest mishap could mean a life for a life.

The Empress Dowager's expression finally softened completely.

"She called for help first, and only risked her life to save someone when that failed. This child is not only courageous, but also quick-witted." The Empress Dowager sighed and said earnestly, "She is an honest child, and also a blessed one. If she hadn't struggled so recklessly, A-Jing might not have come back today."

She turned to the emperor: "What do you think?"

The Emperor nodded: "Your Majesty, I have already sent the reward over. Although the Cui family is a collateral branch, the Qinghe Cui clan has a good family education. The fact that they could raise such a daughter shows that their family traditions are upright."

The Empress Dowager thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Unmarried?"

The emperor's fingers paused on the teacup, and he looked up at his mother, vaguely guessing what she was about to say.

The Empress Dowager didn't mince words and said directly, "A-Jing is already twenty years old, and he doesn't even have a concubine, let alone a principal wife. I know that those noble ladies look down on him... look down on him for that reason, and are unwilling to marry him. As for those from humble families, their social standing is not good enough. Now that such a girl has appeared, the Cui family of Qinghe has a respectable background, and she saved A-Jing's life. We know her well, and she's also very bold. Why not arrange the marriage?"

The emperor pondered for a moment.

"Does the Empress Dowager mean to bestow a marriage upon us?"

"You think this is inappropriate?"

The emperor shook his head: "A-Jing should indeed get married. But this matter depends on the Cui family's wishes, after all... A-Jing's reputation is not very good."

The Empress Dowager snorted: "Reputation? He's your own brother, the Prince of Liang in the Great Ning Dynasty. He lacks nothing in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities, living a life of luxury. He might have a bit of a temper, but he's got the right to be. Anyone who looks down on him is simply not fortunate enough!"

The emperor couldn't help but chuckle.

As the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were talking, an announcement came from outside the hall—

"The eldest princess and the second prince request an audience."

The Empress Dowager's expression softened slightly: "Let them in."

The curtain was lifted, and two people walked in one after the other.

Following behind the palace servants was the eldest princess, Li Zhao.

She was only twenty years old this year, the eldest princess of the Great Ning Dynasty, and the emperor's most beloved eldest daughter. Today, she wore a neat crimson-purple collared Hu-style robe, with a leather belt inlaid with gold and jade around her waist. Her long hair was tied up with a golden crown, revealing her smooth and full forehead. She was very dashing and walked with a steady gait. Although she was a woman, she naturally possessed an aura of majesty that made people dare not look directly at her.

Behind him stood the Second Prince, Li Han. He was nineteen years old this year, dressed in a moon-white round-necked robe, with a beautiful jade pendant at his waist, and meticulous attention to detail from his hair ornament to his boots.

The two bowed in unison:

"Your grandson greets His Majesty the Emperor. Your subject greets His Majesty the Emperor."

"No need for formalities," the emperor said, raising his hand.

Li Zhao straightened up and asked with concern, "I heard when I came that my uncle fell into the water at the flower viewing banquet. How is he now?"

The Empress Dowager pulled her hand and made her sit down beside her, then sighed, "The imperial physician has examined her; her life is not in danger, but she caught a chill and is still sleeping in the side hall."