Outside Chengqian Hall.
Eunuch Hua stood at the door, facing a crowd of officials who had cornered him. "This servant has already said that His Majesty is unwell today and will not be seeing any officials."
"How can this be? Everyone knows His Majesty's poor health is due to the Crown Prince, but His Majesty was still attending to court affairs behind a screen yesterday. How can he not see officials today?"
Minister Qi of the Ministry of Personnel looked puzzled.
Minister Ling of the Ministry of War, a good friend of Minister Qi, chimed in, "Indeed. Urgent news has arrived from Linzhou stating that Hua Rong of the Hua family has abandoned his post, and the Northern Di have plans to invade. This concerns the survival of the entire nation."
Upon hearing this, many of the surrounding officials began to murmur amongst themselves.
"Quiet! This servant says His Majesty is not seeing anyone, and he will not see anyone even if the sky falls!" Eunuch Hua shouted at the top of his lungs.
The court officials frowned, confused. Although His Majesty hadn't held morning court for a long time, affairs were still being handled. Now, with urgent news from the border, such behavior...
"We want to see His Majesty!" Minister Qi and Minister Ling exchanged glances, sensing something was amiss, and pushed forward, attempting to enter Chengqian Hall.
Eunuch Hua, unable to stop them and unsure what to do, saw the hall door open, and Shen Nong emerged from within.
She cast a casual glance at the two who were about to storm the hall and asked, "Minister Qi, Minister Ling, what is the meaning of this?"
"Your Majesty the Empress, we..."
"We want to see His Majesty!" Before Minister Qi could finish, Minister Ling, being from a military background and faced with an urgent situation, disregarded pleasantries and stated his business coldly.
Shen Nong's expression darkened. "Eunuch Hua just said..."
"What did Eunuch Hua say? He's merely a eunuch. We want to see His Majesty!" Minister Ling interrupted Shen Nong.
Shen Nong narrowed her eyes, preparing to retort, when a man also emerged from within. It was Eunuch Yun, who was by the Crown Prince's side.
"His Majesty is unwell and is not seeing anyone. Did Minister Ling not hear clearly?" Eunuch Yun's voice was sharp, and the coldness in his eyes was chilling.
"But... it's been several days, and I truly need to see His Majesty," Minister Ling said after a moment of hesitation, not sensing anything unusual.
"What is it? Submit it, and this servant will deliver it to His Majesty. You all wait outside," Eunuch Yun said, extending his hands.
Minister Ling was hesitant to hand over the memorial.
Eunuch Yun glanced at Eunuch Hua beside him.
Eunuch Hua said, "Minister Ling, Minister Qi, storming His Majesty's private chambers is an offense that will be investigated. This way, His Majesty will be informed."
Minister Qi's eyes flickered, and he nudged Minister Ling with his elbow.
Minister Ling, with no other choice, handed over the memorial.
Eunuch Yun took it, entered the hall, and closed the door once more.
Zhong Li, standing not far away, took in everything unfolding before her, including the conversation between Minister Ling and Minister Qi.
She lowered her gaze and thought for a moment. She stopped a passing junior eunuch. "Has His Majesty not seen officials for the past few days?"
The junior eunuch looked at the person who had stopped him. After bowing, he glanced towards Chengqian Hall, following Zhong Li's gaze, and replied, "Replying to your esteemed self, ever since the Crown Prince angered His Majesty into illness, His Majesty has been residing in Chengqian Hall. During this time, he received a few ministers and Consort Nangong, and his health was reportedly improving. However, for some reason, his condition has worsened these past few days. After seeing Her Majesty the Empress, he has stopped seeing even his officials."
"You say these past few days, how many days?" Zhong Li asked.
"Hmm... two days. It happened two days ago," the junior eunuch replied.
Two days.
Zhong Li narrowed her eyes, remembering that Lu Yuanhong had been sent away two days ago. She knew it couldn't be a mere coincidence, and furthermore...
Why would Eunuch Yun, the Crown Prince's attendant, be in Chengqian Hall? Eunuch Hua seemed to obey him implicitly.
"Does Minister Zhong also wish to see His Majesty?" the junior eunuch asked casually.
Zhong Li took out a silver pouch from her怀 and placed it in the junior eunuch's hand. "Please trouble this eunuch to help me."
"Ah?" The junior eunuch was new and had never seen so much silver.
"Go and summon Consort Nangong. Just say it's from me, and she'll understand."
"It's that simple." The junior eunuch felt the task was easy and wondered why he was being given so much silver.
Zhong Li smiled at him. "If you can summon her, this silver is not much."
She then walked towards the front of Chengqian Hall.
The junior eunuch, initially bewildered, was completely stunned when he rushed to Nangong Xiaodie's residence. The area outside the hall was already surrounded by guards. Moreover, the guards' attire indicated they were Imperial Guards, but he knew they were not, as he possessed a photographic memory. Despite being new, he had never seen these people before.
"What should I do?" The junior eunuch felt a pang of fear, clutching the silver pouch tightly.
Until he saw several palace maids carrying food into the hall, he had an idea.
...
"This minister, Zhong Li, Assistant Minister of the Dali Temple, requests an audience with His Majesty."
When Zhong Li reached the entrance of Chengqian Hall, the other ministers hadn't noticed her yet. It was only when her voice rang out that everyone snapped back to attention.
Eunuch Hua, still standing at the door, saw Zhong Li and quickly stepped forward, making a gesture of invitation. "Minister Zhong, please leave. His Majesty does not— will not see you!" He deliberately emphasized the latter part.
Zhong Li lowered her gaze, ignoring him, and continued to call out, "This minister, Zhong Li, Assistant Minister of the Dali Temple, requests an audience with His Majesty!"
Eunuch Hua became visibly anxious and was about to speak again.
Zhong Li spoke first, "Outside the palace, at the Changting Pavilion, the former Crown Prince Lu Yuanhong has escaped. This matter is of grave importance. I implore His Majesty to grant me an audience!"
As soon as her words fell, the crowd erupted.
What was happening? First, the Hua family defied imperial orders and returned to Jincheng, and now the Crown Prince had escaped. Was the sky about to fall?
There was still no movement from within Chengqian Hall.
Zhong Li's brows furrowed. She was about to shout again when the door finally opened.
Shen Nong stood within the hall, looking down at her.
"How dare you, Zhong Li!" Shen Nong pointed her finger at Zhong Li, her eyes betraying unconcealed hatred. "This is the palace, His Majesty's resting place. What are you trying to achieve by shouting like this?"
"An audience!" Zhong Li's voice was even louder.
"You!" Shen Nong knew Zhong Li was stubborn and difficult to provoke. She hadn't expected her to show no mercy and talk back like this.
"You dare to talk back to this consort? Guards..."
"What guards?" Zhong Li straightened her body abruptly, staring intently at Shen Nong.
Shen Nong was intimidated by her presence and took a few steps back.
"Your Majesty the Empress!" Zhong Li's expression was icy. She questioned, "If I recall correctly, Your Majesty confined you to Fengluan Hall for reflection. It hasn't even been three months, less than ten days in total. How are you here?"
"Zhong Li, I don't need to report my presence here to you, do I?" Shen Nong's teeth chattered from anger, but she suppressed it. "I see His Majesty is unwell, so I've come to care for him. What is three months compared to His Majesty's health? You must not incite other officials to have opinions of me."
"Opinions?" Zhong Li sneered. "I'm rather curious to ask Your Majesty, do you know the Crown Prince has escaped?"
"How could I..."
"For the sake of the Crown Prince, Your Majesty the Empress dares to defy His Majesty's decree and even resort to underhanded tactics against the young daughter of the Hua family. What time is it? The Crown Prince has been missing for two days. Whether you knew or not is irrelevant. Now that you know, why aren't you looking for him?" Zhong Li asked.
"I..."
"And you say His Majesty is ill and you wish to attend him. Is there no one else in the harem besides Your Majesty the Empress? Cannot Consort Nangong attend him?" Zhong Li asked again.
"Zhong Li, what do you mean? Are you doubting my words? Or do you suspect His Majesty is feigning illness? Are you questioning the Emperor?" Shen Nong trembled with rage but could only restrain herself, fearful of appearing flustered.
Zhong Li cupped her hands. "His Majesty vomited blood in full view of everyone. This minister naturally would not dare."
Seeing that her tone had softened, Shen Nong thought she had been intimidated and curled her lips. "Consort Nangong was feeling unwell, so His Majesty excused me from my period of confinement and specially asked me to attend to him. Therefore..."
"Sister, how come I don't know that I was feeling unwell and unable to attend His Majesty?"
Before Shen Nong could finish speaking, a voice came from behind Zhong Li.
Everyone turned towards the source of the sound.
Nangong Xiaodie appeared before them, followed by the Sixth Prince Lu Yuanfeng and Eunuch Xiao Chazi.