At the hot - spring mountain villa, there were activities like horse - riding, archery, hunting, bathing together, fishing, and even researching vegetable - planting...
Ling Shan never had a single day when she could get up early and have a leisurely time.
The days at the villa were so relaxing and pleasant that one couldn't help but want to open their hearts. However, every time she wavered.
Ling Shan would clench her teeth tightly and firmly guard her controllable heart.
But even the heart lake that she used to think was under control couldn't help but sink gradually in Jun Wuyuan's daily sugar - coated bullets and gentle traps. Uncontrollably, ripples began to spread on it.
It should have been a beautiful thing of mutual love, but in her eyes, it was like a fierce flood and a terrifying beast, making her feel uneasy.
Ling Shan thought she must be sick.
And she must be seriously ill.
Otherwise, how could she have fallen in love in such a place where one could easily lose their life? After struggling with the most useless love and affection, she even stubbornly went all the way without thinking clearly.
At this moment, Ling Shan knew rationally that she should hide all her feelings. Just like before, with a sweet face and a ruthless heart, she should firmly capture Jun Wuyuan's heart with sweet words.
However, for some unknown reason, her rationality was burned out by the inexplicable emotions.
Facing the uncontrollable affection, the first thing that came to Ling Shan's mind was to avoid it.
She even thought about distancing herself from Jun Wuyuan. Moreover, she felt a kind of panic and self - abasement that she had never felt before.
Every time the affection she held in her hand surged, while feeling self - satisfied, Ling Shan even morbidly just wanted to escape.
As a result, the hot - spring mountain villa, which had been quite warm before, for some unknown reason, seemed to be extremely cold like sudden ice and snow in the past two days.
Jun Wuyuan was once again caught in a confused and skeptical state. Liang Jiusi once again stood in front of the emperor.
He was so numb that while listening to the emperor's endless and repetitive doubts and self - justifications, his mind drifted away.
These days, unlike in the palace, Liang Jiusi could stay by the emperor and the imperial concubine for a longer time, so he could understand better what the emperor said.
However, he was not as confused as Jun Wuyuan.
He always felt that something was wrong.
As for the personality of Concubine Zhao, although this old man didn't know her very well, he was at least three or five percent familiar with her.
Leaving aside whether the affection the emperor was worried about was genuine or not, the change in her personality was really too much.
Tracing back to the source, an ominous thought suddenly popped up in Liang Jiusi's mind.
"Your Majesty!"
A sudden scream interrupted Jun Wuyuan's endless chatter.
Jun Wuyuan looked up unhappily and met Liang Jiusi's pale face as if he had seen a ghost. His eyebrows frowned.
"What's the matter?"
Liang Jiusi didn't care to look at Jun Wuyuan's expression that seemed to say 'you'd better have something important'. With a pale face, he said:
"Your Majesty, this old servant thinks we should summon Imperial Physician Chang to check the imperial concubine's pulse."
"What's wrong with Shan Shan? Wasn't she fine when she got up this morning?"
Jun Wuyuan's face changed. As he said that, he was about to get up and leave quickly, which really startled Liang Jiusi.
"No, no."
Liang Jiusi quickly said, "Your Majesty, please don't be in a hurry. This old servant just has a guess in mind and doesn't know if it's correct. Please listen first and then make a decision, okay?"
Jun Wuyuan stopped in his tracks. He couldn't help but turn back and glare at Liang Jiusi fiercely, then sat down again.
Liang Jiusi didn't dare to delay. He carefully thought over his guess and told it all.
Jun Wuyuan's face froze slightly and then gradually darkened.
It seemed that the room instantly turned into a frozen place. The veins on the back of his hand bulged, showing how much he was holding back.
Growing up in the treacherous palace, he was no stranger to some strange and poisonous things.
However, Jun Wuyuan had never carefully thought about whether there was something wrong with them.
Until this moment, when Liang Jiusi pointed it out, it was like the clouds were cleared and the sun was seen, and everything became extremely clear.
"Quick, send someone to fetch Chang Wei here at full speed -"
Chang Wei looked ashen. He finally rode here on horseback and then heard the emperor's cold and inhumane words.
He felt so miserable in his heart, but his fingers still gently tidied up his clothes and waited to be announced.
As soon as Liang Jiusi opened the door, he saw Chang Wei's smiling face like a chrysanthemum and almost screamed in fright.
"Old Chang, why are you here?"
The gloom in Liang Jiusi's eyes dispersed. He reached out and held Chang Wei's hand like he had seen a relative, overjoyed.
"Hurry, hurry, come with me to see the emperor right away. Answer carefully."
Although Liang Jiusi was happy in his heart, he hoped that it wasn't what he had guessed. Otherwise, once the emperor got angry, it would really...
But unfortunately, things didn't go as he wished. Chang Wei had rushed here from the palace all the way, so there must be something extremely important.
Therefore, as soon as he entered the room, Chang Wei voluntarily knelt on the ground to plead guilty with a good attitude.
This action immediately made Jun Wuyuan and Liang Jiusi's hearts sink.
"You're simply damned!"
After hearing the plea for guilt, anger boiled in Jun Wuyuan's eyes. He even wished he could just drag Chang Wei out and behead him regardless.
But...
As he paced back and forth, the anger deep in his eyes was finally suppressed. His eyes were cold and angry. He gritted his teeth and asked:
"Is there any way to lift it?"
Chang Wei's back had already been chilled by the emperor's anger. How could he dare to say 'I can't do it' at this time?
Moreover, it could be said that it was because of his lack of medical skills that such a mistake occurred.
Fortunately, it was not too late to detect it, and there was still room for remedy. Otherwise...
Chang Wei was afraid that he would never be able to forgive himself in this lifetime.
"Yes, yes. I hope Your Majesty can give this subject a chance to atone for his crime. This time, it will surely be foolproof. I definitely dare not make the slightest mistake again!"
Jun Wuyuan's cold eyes were fixed on Chang Wei who was kneeling on the ground, like a sharp blade constantly testing where to fall.
The long - absent feeling of cruelty and tyranny was surging in Jun Wuyuan's chest and was about to get out of control.
Not only Chang Wei but also Liang Jiusi was startled.
They were afraid that the emperor would really be so angry that he would drag Chang Wei out and behead him.
Fortunately, after a few breaths, Jun Wuyuan sat back in the grand master's chair again. The coldness on his face completely disappeared, and his voice was low:
"Don't let this happen again. I don't want to hear your plea for guilt again."
Chang Wei breathed a slight sigh of relief and said loudly and firmly:
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. There will definitely not be a next time. This subject is willing to stake his head to prove that Concubine Zhao will be in good health and there will surely be no problems!"
"Remember your words."
Chang Wei nodded repeatedly. He even wished he had some supernatural power to take out a sincere heart on the spot to show his loyalty to the emperor.
"Don't tell Concubine Zhao about this for now. Just say it's a tonic to nourish her body. If you reveal the slightest bit and make Shan Shan feel uneasy..."
Jun Wuyuan's voice was cold and sharp: "You will be punished for multiple crimes. By then, I won't be so easy - going."
"Yes."
"By the way, I once casually flipped through some medical books and heard that a prescription like this is just suitable for the symptoms like the empress dowager's serious and long - lasting illness?"
Chang Wei felt a chill in his heart.