The Virtuous Concubine

When the prince came in, he stopped the eunuch at the door from reporting - he had not thought about whether he should see Concubine De. He was not in good condition and was not suitable to see anyone.

He thought that he was just treating Yonghe Palace as a garden for strolling.

The prince was about to walk to the back garden of Yonghe Palace when he heard the gentle voice of Concubine De coming from inside the house: "Come in, I know it's you."

The prince was slightly startled, then stepped into the room. He saw Concubine De sitting on the couch, holding a scroll in her left hand and a thin flower stick in her right hand, which should be used as a bookmark.

When Malu saw the prince, he smiled and said, "Your Highness, you are here just in time. Come and help me see what this sentence means, 'A wren nests in a deep forest, but only on one branch; a water rat drinks from a river, but only until its belly is full'?"

The prince walked forward, his eyes fell on the book, and he said without thinking: "Just look at this sentence, it is saying that the wren builds a nest in the deep forest, but only occupies a branch; the water mouse goes to the river to drink water, but only fills its stomach."

Malu chuckled: "Oh? Then according to the prince, what is the deeper meaning of this?"

The prince thought for a moment and said, "This sentence may be suggesting that people should be content with what they have and not be greedy for more."

When Malu saw that he had finished speaking, he nodded, put the book and the flower sign aside, and asked Bai Xia to serve tea to the prince. The prince was not polite and sat directly next to Malu, with a small table between them.

The prince was not interested and did not take the initiative to talk. He just picked up the flower lot and looked at it.

Written on it in neat, tiny calligraphy are the words "My thoughts for you are like flowing water, never ending."

The prince couldn't help but feel a strange emotion in his heart. Concubine De, do you like the emperor so much?

Not like ah!

He had seen many concubines craving for the emperor's favor, but none of them were as free and easy as Concubine De.

Seeing him looking at her, Malu took the stick back and carefully placed it in the book before asking, "Your Highness, is there anything bothering you today?"

How could he tell Concubine De about such a troublesome matter? The prince shook his head and said, "I was just tired of reading today, so I wanted to walk around, and ended up here."

Then he asked Malu: "Is this poem in your handwriting?"

Malu nodded shyly: "Yes, I just copied a few sentences to relieve my boredom when I was free."

The prince raised his eyebrows: "Since you copied only this poem, it seems that you are deeply moved."

He even added a comment in a proud and arrogant manner: "The calligraphy is good, but the poem is not good."

Malu was both amused and angry, thinking that the prince was really arrogant. But Malu still patiently explained: "I have feelings, but the time in this palace is long, and some feelings can only be hidden deep in my heart."

When the prince heard her say this, he said casually, "Your Highness must be feeling very lonely in this palace."

Malu sighed softly, and the sigh was like a feather scratching the prince's heart: "It's not that I'm lonely, but the affairs of the palace are complicated and turbulent, and it's inevitable that I feel tired."

The prince agreed with Malu's opinion at this moment: "Your Majesty is right. I sometimes feel that life in the palace is too oppressive..."

Malu smiled and looked at the prince: "As the crown prince, the pressure you bear is unimaginable to others."

The prince's eyes revealed a trace of confusion, and he said: "My queen, sometimes I really don't know how to deal with it..."

As he spoke, the prince leaned back unconsciously and leaned on the couch, his eyes gradually turning red.

Before Malu could say anything, the prince's breathing became rapid, and his voice was choked with sobs: "But I am really tired--"

Malu then noticed the prince's abnormality and said hurriedly, "Your Highness, don't worry, let me see."

She quickly stood up and walked to the prince's side, carefully checking his condition. It was obvious that he was suffering from asthma!

Malu quickly unbuttoned the buttons on the prince's chest and loosened his collar as much as possible to give him more breathing space. Then he reached out and untied the sachet on the prince's waist and handed it to the prince for him to smell.

After a while, the prince's breathing gradually stabilized and his symptoms were relieved.

Bai Xia was smart. Without waiting for her master to speak, she saw that the prince looked a little strange and ran to the Imperial Hospital to find Doctor Rong. Bai Fu also watched closely. The prince must not get into trouble in Yonghe Palace!

After the prince recovered, he lay in Malu's arms, feeling the warmth and comfort of the embrace. He said weakly, "My lady, I am sorry to have frightened you."

Malu gently patted the prince's back and said softly, "Your Highness, please don't say that. As long as you are well, I will be at ease."

The prince raised his head slightly and looked at Malu, his eyes full of dependence and vulnerability, tears flowing uncontrollably: "I have never been so unbearable in front of others, but in front of you, I really can't help it. Do you really care about me?"

Malu was also stunned. She naturally said what the prince wanted to hear: "I have never been false to you."

When the prince heard this, his tears flowed even more violently, and he said in a trembling voice: "Then why is it that everyone in this palace has something against me, except you..."

Malu gently wiped away the prince's tears with a handkerchief without saying a word.

Now the prince is still young, so he still has a desire for true love. When he grows up and has experienced the twists and turns in the palace and the treacherous hearts, perhaps he will no longer believe in true love so easily.

The prince grabbed Malu's sleeve and burst into tears: "If you are serious about what you said, I will never let you down."

At this time, Doctor Rong and the court judge hurried over. The prince's health was not something Rong Ji could diagnose and prescribe alone. So after thinking it over again and again, he still brought the court judge with him. After the court judge made a diagnosis, he said that the prince was fine now, so it was better to send him back to Yuqing Palace to take good care of him. Then he hurriedly led a large group of people to take the prince back in a sedan chair.

We can't let the prince recuperate in Yonghe Palace, that would be too inappropriate.

At this time, Kangxi should be handling government affairs in the previous dynasty. The person who reported had returned for a long time, but there was no news of Kangxi.

Malu personally escorted the prince and the judge away, and used the excuse of being concerned about the prince's health and wanting to ask the doctor Rong why Rong Ji stayed. But today, both of them were startled by the prince's sudden illness, and they didn't have any romantic thoughts.

Malu asked carefully: "The prince's illness...what is his real physical condition?"

Rong Ji wiped the sweat from his forehead, took the tea that Malu handed to him, looked at her with emotion, and then spoke: "The prince's disease... seems to be brought from birth. If he hadn't touched the willow sap with such a high concentration, it would never have been cured. In addition, he was too worried... Although it's not a big deal this time, if it continues like this in the future, I'm afraid it will get worse."

Malu frowned and asked worriedly, "Is there a cure?"

Rong Ji shook his head and replied solemnly, "To be honest with you, this disease is extremely difficult to cure. The prince has a special constitution and has been under pressure for a long time, which makes him physically and mentally exhausted. Unless the prince can be kept away from all troubles and in a good mood, and then carefully treated, there may be a glimmer of hope."

But in this palace, that's easier said than done.

The prince is basically beyond cure.

Ma Lu took note of this and asked Rong Ji, "You seem to have a good relationship with the judge, so he should be able to come to the same conclusion. But... has he told the emperor?"