Harem Daily Life

Doctor Xu arrived very quickly, and several doctors on duty at the Imperial Hospital that day followed closely behind him and all came to Changchun Palace.

He Linzhang got the news and rushed over. Everyone gathered in Changchun Palace and waited anxiously.

Eunuch Qin stood aside, wiping his tears. "The Queen Mother has been complaining of fatigue for the past six months. The imperial physician came to check her pulse and couldn't find anything wrong. I didn't expect her to faint this time. If anything happens to the Queen Mother, this old servant..."

Eunuch Qin didn't dare to say anything more. He had been with the Queen Mother for more than 30 years and was reluctant to leave her.

He Linzhang remained silent. A few years ago, the Empress Dowager had grown estranged from him because of the Li Fei incident. It was only with Tao Yanyan's arrival in recent years that the mother and son finally reconciled and resumed their loving relationship. If anything truly happened to the Empress Dowager, He Linzhang would be the most heartbroken and regretful.

"Your Majesty, don't worry. I believe that the Empress Dowager will be blessed by heaven." Tao Yanyan took He Linzhang's arm and advised softly.

He Linzhang sighed softly, "I was a jerk in the past few years, and I made my mother angry a lot. I finally enjoyed the happiness of your mother in the past few years, but I didn't expect your mother to..."

Tao Yanyan glanced at the still sleeping chamber and said, "Let's wait for the imperial physician's diagnosis. Perhaps the Queen Mother is just too tired."

Not long after, Doctor Xu and several other doctors came out, all with serious expressions.

"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother was neither poisoned nor ill. She simply fainted due to age and the deterioration of her bodily functions."

Doctor Xu's words made everyone happy and worried. They were happy because they had no poison or disease, so they didn't need to take medicine to treat it. But they were worried because people were born, grew old, got sick, and died, and human power was powerless to change them.

"Doctor Xu, this time the Queen Mother fainted in Changchun Palace and there was someone by her side. But if she faints in a dangerous place next time and no one sees..." He Linzhang didn't continue his words. Everyone knew what was going on.

"Then, do you need any supplements?" Tao Yanyan asked.

Doctor Xu shook his head. "If you're too weak, you shouldn't take any tonics. You should keep the Queen Mother happy and in a good mood. That's more effective than any tonic."

Imperial Physician Liu glanced at Empress Tao and said, "I did see a recipe in 'A Thousand Gold Prescriptions' that uses the herb Resurrection Grass. It can strengthen the body, prolong life, and restore youth. However, this herb is extremely rare and only grows in the mountains and forests of the north."

Doctor Xu also nodded and said, "I have heard of this medicinal herb, but because it is rare, I have never seen its efficacy."

Regardless of whether it works or not, we have to give it a try. He Linzhang glanced at Eunuch Zhang and said, "Ask Imperial Physician Liu for the map of the Resurrection Grass and send someone north to look for it."

Eunuch Zhang quickly agreed.

The imperial physicians said goodbye and left. He Linzhang and Tao Yanyan went into the bedroom to visit the empress dowager who had regained consciousness.

"Look at you, I'm fine, why worry so much? As we get older, this day will come sooner or later. I've been prepared for it." The Queen Mother already knew that she was not poisoned nor sick, she was just getting old normally, so she said it calmly, but He Linzhang felt uncomfortable listening to it.

"Your Majesty is only in her fifties, not old at all." He Linzhang whispered, "I have already sent people to find precious medicinal herbs. Once they are found, Your Majesty will be able to maintain eternal youth."

Although the empress dowager did not believe in the idea of returning to youth, it did not prevent the emperor from being filial to her, so she just smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of which, after what I experienced today, I have an idea that I would like to share with you, the Emperor."

The Queen Mother looked at He Linzhang and said, "Back when I was still a boudoir dweller, I longed for the outside world. I was originally engaged to a merchant, hoping to travel the lands of Great Zhou with his caravan. I never expected... I never expected that your father would choose me and bring me into the palace to become the Crown Princess. Once I entered the palace, I have been here for decades."

He Linzhang's heart skipped a beat, and he had a bad feeling: "Could it be that the Queen Mother wants to... leave the palace?"

The Queen Mother glared at him, "Why? I'm already this old, and I want to eat and play, but you, the Emperor, won't allow me to do so?"

How could one eat and travel the world without leaving the palace? Could one rely solely on reading a few local gazetteers or reading about them in books? The Queen Mother expressed her desire to experience the world in person.

He Linzhang choked and didn't know what to say.

The Queen Mother said angrily, "I have supported you to the throne, and I have almost completed my mission. I just wanted to go for a walk and have a look. Your Majesty stopped me, which makes me sad."

He Linzhang sighed softly, "It's not that I don't allow it, but I'm worried about the dangers of the places where your mother wants to go. How about this, your mother can go to any of the palaces and live wherever she wants? What do you think?"

The Queen Mother smiled and said, "Haha, it's nothing. I've already grown tired of living in just a few palaces."

Seeing that the mother and son were at odds, Tao Yanyan hurriedly advised, "The Queen Mother has just woken up. Why don't you rest for a while? I'll ask the kitchen to make some millet porridge for you. Please have a bowl to fill your stomach. If you want anything else, I'll make it for you."

Speaking of food, the Queen Mother remembered that a group of her lovely grandchildren were supposed to accompany her for dinner, but because she fainted, they missed out on such a sumptuous dinner, which was a pity.

Seeing her look of regret, Tao Yanyan, remembering the imperial physician's advice that there were no dietary restrictions, ordered the meal to be served. Although the children had been sent back to Changle Palace, she and His Majesty could still accompany the Empress Dowager.

He Linzhang was silent and taciturn the entire time, and he didn't eat much either. The Empress Dowager, on the other hand, had a good appetite and ate half a bowl more than usual.

After returning to Changle Palace, He Linzhang's face still looked glum, as if he were lost in thought. Tao Yanyan nestled in his arms and whispered, "Your Majesty doesn't want the Queen Mother to travel far, wanting to be by her side at all times. I fully understand. However, the Queen Mother's thoughts are understandable. After staying in the deep palace for so long, day after day, year after year, one loses much energy."

He Linzhang glanced down at her and asked, "Will Yan Yan also want to leave the palace in the future?"

Tao Yanyan rolled her eyes and cleared her throat: "Wherever Your Majesty is, I will be there. Besides, the children are still young. Even if I want to go out, I can't leave them alone."

After having a few little tails, Tao Yanyan's scope of action was obviously much smaller. In everything, he had to take care of the children first, and then himself.

This may be the greatest loss after becoming a mother.

He Linzhang sighed, "I feel conflicted. I want my mother to fulfill her dream, but I'm also afraid that if she passes away, I'll never see her again."

In ancient times, transportation was slow, and separation sometimes lasted a lifetime. Tao Yanyan understood He Linzhang's concerns, but in her opinion, if people were to turn into a handful of earth in the end, it would be better to experience as much as possible while they were alive so that their life would not be in vain.

She looked up and said, "If Your Majesty is worried, you can send someone to follow the Queen Mother and get the latest news and know her whereabouts."

He Linzhang didn't want to admit that he was indeed a little shaken, but the Empress Dowager's travel was a very serious matter. If the news leaked out, it would not only bring danger, but the ministers in the court would also impeach him and cause criticism.

"Let me think about it. It's almost November now. Even if my mother wants to go out for fun, she has to wait until spring."

However, the Queen Mother acted very quickly. She seemed to know that the Emperor would eventually compromise, and she asked Eunuch Qin to pack his luggage the next day.

Pack a little every day and be ready to travel at any time.

The people sent out to look for the Resurrection Grass did indeed find traces of the Resurrection Grass in the northern border of the Great Zhou according to the map. Unfortunately, once the herb was picked, it withered within a few hours and could not be transported to the capital.

Upon hearing the news, the Queen Mother raised her eyebrows and said, "It seems that the time has come for me to travel."