Chapter 446: Chapter 252: Damning with Faint Praise
It was already the Hai hour (9-11 PM), and the emperor was still sitting at the imperial desk reviewing memorials.
Sun Kui hesitated for a moment, then walked forward to gently remind the emperor that it was getting late and he should rest.
The emperor ignored Sun Kui’s reminder and continued reviewing the memorials.
When it was the last quarter of the Hai hour, Sun Kui reminded the emperor again that it was time to sleep.
The emperor, annoyed by Sun Kui, finally set down his pen, closed the memorial in his hands, and looked up at Sun Kui, slightly displeased as he said, "Why do I find you getting more and more verbose?"
Sun Kui quickly smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I have to think about your health. You can’t review memorials without resting; it’s not good for your health. The imperial concubine has repeatedly instructed me to remind you to rest." Clever and shrewd, Sun Kui didn’t say it was Empress Xie or Noble Princess Consort Rong who instructed him, because if he said that, the emperor definitely wouldn’t listen. However, if he said it was instructed by the imperial concubine, the emperor would surely listen.
The emperor chuckled, raising his foot to kick Sun Kui’s buttocks lightly: "You’re good at using Xiao Xiao as an excuse."
With a smile on his face, Sun Kui said, "Your Majesty, you only listen to the imperial concubine, so I can only use her as a pretext."
"Alright then, assist me with washing up."
The emperor sat on the couch, soaking his feet. In his hand, he held a small figurine that looked just like him, a birthday gift from Zhao Yao.
Sun Kui crouched at the emperor’s feet, washing them. Seeing the emperor take out the figurine Zhao Yao had given him again, Sun Kui flattered, "The tenth prince carved it very well. I didn’t expect the tenth prince to be so skillful with his hands."
The emperor laughed, "That rascal poked several holes in his fingers carving this figurine for me, and he kept quiet about it."
"The tenth prince wouldn’t say anything because he didn’t want you to worry," Sun Kui continued to flatter, "Your Majesty, the tenth prince holds you dear in his heart, or he wouldn’t have carved such a good figurine."
The figurine in the emperor’s hand was lifelike, mimicking the emperor’s expressions and demeanor very closely.
"I haven’t doted on that rascal for nothing." The emperor spoke with a tone full of affection.
"The tenth prince is a filial child."
The emperor lifted his foot and set down the figurine, took the handkerchief from Sun Kui, and bent over to wipe his feet.
As he bent down, the Blood Jade dangling on his chest slipped out from his collar.
After wiping his feet, Sun Kui swiftly brought a basin of clean warm water for the emperor to wash his hands.
After drying his hands, the emperor tucked the Blood Jade back into his collar. When the Blood Jade touched his chest, a warm feeling spread across his chest.
"Ever since wearing this Blood Jade, my chest has remained warm." Although the emperor was not afraid of the cold, the Blood Jade was a show of Zhao Yao’s filial piety, and he wore it close to his heart.
"Your Majesty, didn’t the tenth prince say that this Blood Jade also helps alleviate pain?" Sun Kui asked curiously, "Your Majesty, do you find it useful?"
"It’s somewhat useful." When the emperor was young, he often went to war and received numerous wounds, some of them fatal, almost costing him his life. Although these injuries had all healed, they left many scars on his body. On the emperor’s chest, there was a scar about an inch long, which, though insignificant-looking, almost claimed his life.
Although this wound had healed, due to the severity of the injury, it left lingering aftereffects. Whenever it was rainy or he was overly agitated, a dull pain would arise in his chest.
Aside from the wound on his chest, other scars would ache faintly during rainy weather. These aftereffects couldn’t be completely cured, nor completely alleviated. The emperor had been enduring these pains over the years.
Despite appearing strong and walking with a vigorous stride, the emperor had many physical problems. Only the close eunuch Sun Kui knew about these issues; others did not.
Every time it rained, the emperor often couldn’t sleep due to the pain in his body. He could only divert his attention by reviewing memorials.
Each time Sun Kui saw the emperor reviewing memorials with a furrowed brow, enduring pain, he felt very upset.
In recent years, Doctor Feng had been using acupuncture and medicinal baths to alleviate the emperor’s pain. Although these methods couldn’t completely cure the pain, they could at least relieve it somewhat.
Now with this Blood Jade, the pain from the emperor’s lingering ailments had reduced somewhat.
In recent weeks, during the cold and damp weather, the emperor hadn’t experienced the sleepless nights from pain as he did before. Although there was still pain, compared to before, it had indeed reduced to some extent, at least allowing him to sleep.