A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1510 - 1508: Suspicion
Previously on A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace...
Chapter 1508
But it still doesn’t make sense!
Chenchen is the Emperor, the ruler of the nation, his health is crucial to the state.
He doesn’t need to risk himself at all!
He can simply issue orders from the back, and someone else will execute them.
Even if he wanted to personally go out and observe the people’s conditions, he would be surrounded by a crowd.
He wouldn’t have any contact with the patients!
The Great Chu Dynasty won’t let the Emperor take risks, no matter how dire the situation is.
So, how could Chenchen be in danger?
If Chenchen isn’t in danger, then what is Zhao Junyao so anxious and uneasy about?
Could it really be as he said, just a mere nightmare?
Xia Ruqing shook her head; she finds it hard to believe, yet must believe.
Something just doesn’t feel right!
...
Early the next morning.
Zhao Junyao got up full of energy.
After washing and dressing, he specifically told someone to dress him in the most dignified and noble attire, that of the Taishang Huang.
The Taishang Huang is also an Emperor, and he has a higher rank than the current Emperor.
Even though he no longer governs, his status remains noble, so his attire is more exquisite than the Dragon Robe.
It’s actually just for auspiciousness, to show higher status and the filial piety of the younger generations.
It doesn’t hold much significance, but the robe is quite grand and beautiful.
Xia Ruqing tied his Panlong belt while teasing him.
"Emper...husband?"
She changed her wording halfway through, and smiled.
"Now that you suddenly donned this attire, I feel like we are back in the old days!"
Back to the days when they lived in Duanning Palace, and she helped him dress for the morning court.
Although she liked to sleep in, she rarely served him.
But she did, on some occasions, which makes those moments precious.
Zhao Junyao also laughed.
"Exactly, I feel the same way!"
Though it’s not the Dragon Robe, the color is almost the same.
Let’s just pretend this is the Dragon Robe.
In the past, when he wore the Dragon Robe out, he would start fighting for the Great Chu Dynasty.
It’s the same now, the golden dragon embroidered on his robe still represents his struggle for the Great Chu Dynasty.
Zhao Junyao smiled bitterly.
Suddenly recalling a poem: Like the silk of spring that ends only at death, like the candle whose tears dry only when it turns to ashes!
He felt like he was that spring silkworm, that candle.
Even when pouring his heart out, he still felt driven, unwilling to give up the fight until the last moment.
"Alright!"
He withdrew his thoughts and said goodbye.
"It’s getting late, Chenchen needs me, I’ll go first! You can have lunch on your own!"
"Don’t worry about what to eat, don’t miss out on food, please don’t let yourself suffer with food!"
Xia Ruqing beamed with a bright smile.
"Alright, I understand!"
"You can go without worry!"
Zhao Junyao gently touched her cheek and rubbed her greying hair at her temples.
He rarely smiled so tenderly.
"Wait for me!"
Xia Ruqing almost couldn’t hold it in, but kept her bright smile.
"You, go quickly, don’t delay the Shi Chen, otherwise Chenchen might blame you!"
Zhao Junyao said nothing more.
He smiled at her and turned away, striding without looking back.
It’s not that he didn’t want to look back, but he didn’t dare, afraid that he wouldn’t have the courage to step out if he did.
...
Watching Zhao Junyao’s figure gradually disappear.
Xia Ruqing couldn’t hold it in anymore, her facial expression slipped away at once.
She called Zi Yue and Zi Ning over to give instructions.
"You two, find a clever person to secretly follow behind the Taishang Huang, find out where exactly he is headed? What’s happening in the city?"
Zi Yue hesitated a bit.
"Mistress, the matters in the city are in the hands of the Ministers, we shouldn’t meddle!"
Xia Ruqing shook her head firmly.
"You don’t understand!"
"I feel that the Taishang Huang is behaving unusually today!"
After sharing the bed with him for most of her life, no one knows better than her when he is acting normal or not.
Zi Yue had no choice but to comply and leave.
After dismissing everyone else around her.
Xia Ruqing slumped in the chair as if all her energy had been drained.
She forced a bitter smile, her face filled with helplessness.
’Husband, I know you want to protect me well by hiding everything from me!’
’I really want to cooperate with you, and be a carefree woman!’
’But have you considered my feelings?’
’We’ve shared adversity for so many years. Isn’t it too cruel to ask me to survive such difficult times without a care?’
About the epidemic wreaking havoc in the city, he has hidden it strictly from her, which is understandable.
This matter is not something she can deal with, so it can be considered part of governance, if kept secret, so be it.
But...what else has he hidden from her?
She massaged her chest, feeling a dull pain.
She squinted slightly, looked at the rising sunrise, and silently prayed.
’No matter what’s hidden!’
’Hope...hope everything will get better soon!’
Zhao Junyao has dedicated most of his life to the Great Chu Dynasty, he shouldn’t end up this way.
He deserves a peaceful retirement.
...
At noon, Xia Ruqing got up for lunch.
Zi Yue unexpectedly walked in with a somewhat heavy expression.
"Mistress!"
The moment Xia Ruqing saw her expression, she knew there was news, so she waved her hand to signal her to rise.
"What happened? Quickly tell me?"
Zi Yue hesitated, lowering her head.
"Do you really want to know?"
Xia Ruqing placed her chopsticks aside and urged her.
"Of course, speak quickly!"
Zi Yue then brought the Little Eunuch over to report.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the Taishang Huang took some people to the Emperor’s courtyard, stayed there for a Shi Chen, and then left with them!"
Xia Ruqing queried suspiciously.
"Left? Where? Who did he take with him?"
The Little Eunuch seemed scared, knelt tremblingly, and replied.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, I can’t recognize everyone, but I vaguely saw that he took some Ministers, Imperial Physicians, and several Generals brought by the Emperor!"
"They rode horses and headed south!"
Xia Ruqing remained silent for a while and continued questioning.
"So...did you find out what exactly is happening in the city?"
The Little Eunuch seemingly made up his mind and described the situation in the city.
"The epidemic is rampant, riots of various sizes occur frequently, there is famine, brawls, and other issues!"
"The Emperor and the Taishang Huang have been extremely busy these days!"
Xia Ruqing said nothing more.
After hearing this, her heart felt tightly gripped.
Indeed, she was right, things are not that simple.
But there is one thing she couldn’t figure out, since it is about observing the people’s conditions or disaster relief.
Why did Zhao Junyao have to dress so elaborately? For the disaster victims?
She glanced at Zi Yue, wanting to ask more questions.
Zi Yue came up to persuade.
"Mistress, let’s just stay here!"
"I’ve heard that the grain from Jiangnan is coming soon, once the victims fill their stomachs, the situation will improve quickly!"
Xia Ruqing could not say more, so she waved her hand.
"You may leave now!"