Chapter 832: The Empress Falls Ill; The Question of the Heir

"Your Majesty!"

Outside the Kunming Hall, Liu Chengyou arrived through frost and dew, ignoring the palace maids who bowed in greeting, striding straight inside. Familiar with the path, he walked into the inner bedchamber, unfastened his outer robe, and tossed it aside casually, revealing the bright yellow dragon robe beneath.

Inside the room, the air was still fairly clear, though the atmosphere was somewhat tense. Empress Fu lay on the couch, looking utterly frail, her dignified bearing tinged with pallor, cold sweat beading on her forehead—a far cry from her usual resolute composure.

Seeing her condition through the beaded curtain, Liu Chengyou set aside imperial decorum, pulling the elderly imperial physician who had been attending her aside with considerable force. His expression was cold and stern as he suppressed his voice and demanded, "How is the Empress's condition?"

Though his arm ached from the grip, facing Liu Chengyou's dangerous demeanor, the old physician dared not delay and hastily explained, "Your Majesty need not worry. Her Highness has merely caught a chill—a case of overwork-induced jaundice, with fever and chills. I have already prescribed medicine to treat it."

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou immediately retorted, "Easy for you to say. Is this chill a minor illness? Look at the Empress's condition—how could it have struck so severely?"

Seeing the Emperor's anxious expression, the old physician thought it unwise to explain the illness and pharmacology in terms he wouldn't understand, and said with confidence, "Her Highness's illness came from bathing in water after sweating, the water entering through the sweat pores. Combined with Her Highness's pent-up anxiety and melancholy, it worsened the condition. The yellow-sweat formula I prescribed is specifically for this ailment—it should begin to take effect within six or seven days..."

Perhaps the old physician's confidence infected Liu Chengyou, who chose to trust the expert and released him. Seeing that the physician's arm clearly hurt but he dared not rub it, Liu Chengyou said in a low voice, "I lost my composure. Do not take offense!"

How would the physician dare accept such an apology? He replied deferentially, "Your Majesty is too kind!"

"You must treat the Empress well. You will be richly rewarded!"

"Yes! I will do my utmost!" Bowing his head, the physician's inner thought was that he needed no reward—only to get through this unscathed.

Re-entering the chamber, Liu Yang knelt before the couch, his eyes red and swollen, clearly worried about his mother's illness. In all these years, the elder Lady Fu had never once fallen ill, and this time it looked rather serious—it had given Liu Chengyou quite a scare.

"Father!"

"Erlang has come. Someone..." The elder Lady Fu's voice was as weak as she appeared.

Patting Liu Yang's head, Liu Chengyou sat sideways on the edge of the couch, reaching out to feel the elder Lady Fu's forehead—his hand was immediately soaked with hot sweat. He said with concern, "How could you be so careless as to fall this ill?"

Beside them, a female attendant who had been favored by Liu Chengyou held out a handkerchief to wipe the elder Lady Fu's brow. Liu Chengyou snatched it away and personally wiped the Empress's sweat, his movements very gentle. This kind of tenderness and attentiveness from him had been enjoyed by only a handful of people.

Feeling Liu Chengyou's movements, the elder Lady Fu managed a faint smile and said, "It's nothing. The physician said medicine and rest will suffice."

"Someone, take Liu Yang away."

"Still saying it's nothing!" Seeing her state, Liu Chengyou said gravely, "Even speaking is such a struggle for you!"

"You needn't worry. Birth, aging, sickness, death—they're all unavoidable. Since I'm ill, I'll just recuperate!" The Empress seemed to take it in stride.

This demeanor only deepened Liu Chengyou's pity. When the elder Lady Fu spoke, she kept her head turned to the side, giving him only a view of her profile—not because she was still angry with him, but simply afraid of passing the illness on to him...

"Take the Second Prince to the Wenhua Hall!" Liu Chengyou instructed the palace attendants, then said to Liu Yang, "Your mother will be cared for by me. Don't worry—go and read the *Classic of Filial Piety* nine times through, and she will recover!"

Though reluctant, Liu Yang obediently followed the palace eunuch away, heading to the Wenhua Hall to continue his lessons.

As for Liu Chengyou, he looked at his Empress with some emotion—even this extraordinary woman, usually so fierce and strong-willed, could appear so fragile. At the same time, some inauspicious memories surfaced in his mind. He vaguely recalled that in the original history, the elder Lady Fu had died young. All these years of peace and safety had made him forget that fact, but this sudden illness made Liu Chengyou's heart tighten with anxiety.

His concerned gaze revealed his worry completely. Noticing this, a faint flush finally appeared on the elder Lady Fu's face, and she instead spoke to comfort him: "You needn't worry!"

"Your Majesty, the medicinal broth is here!" At that moment, a palace eunuch carefully brought in a bowl of steaming herbal medicine.

Liu Chengyou took it himself, gesturing for the female attendant to fetch a bolster and prop up the elder Lady Fu. This was a bowl of yellow peony and cassia wine decoction. Liu Chengyou scooped up a spoonful, tasted it himself first, and checked the temperature.

"Erlang, you—!" Seeing this, the elder Lady Fu immediately spoke up, meaning to stop him.

"Don't talk! Open your mouth! Take your medicine!" Liu Chengyou commanded sternly, his hands steady as he scooped up the broth, blew on it, and brought it to her lips.

A glimmer of brightness passed through her somewhat dim eyes. Whatever grievances or dissatisfaction there had been before, at least at this moment, under Liu Chengyou's personally administered care, they slowly melted away.

The bowl of medicine was soon drained. After a trip to relieve herself, she returned to the couch, and under Liu Chengyou's orders, the Empress fell into a peaceful sleep. Afterward, Liu Chengyou did not leave—he remained in the Kunming Hall to keep her company. Learning that the Empress had fallen ill, the consorts of the harem came one after another to visit, and Empress Dowager Li also made a personal trip.

The winter night was dark and heavy, the seeping cold wind making the candle flames tremble slightly. On the bed, the Empress wore thin garments, her jade-like body reclined. Liu Chengyou sat beside her, holding a silk cloth, dipping it in water, wringing it out, and personally wiping the elder Lady Fu's body.

Her body's functions were working, seemingly expelling toxins. An unpleasant odor from the elder Lady Fu's body covered her usual fragrance. As the saying goes—even goddesses' shit stinks.

Between husband and wife, openness with each other was long since habitual, but at this moment, feeling Liu Chengyou's care and his gentle movements filled the elder Lady Fu with overwhelming embarrassment. Her swelling breasts trembled slightly with each breath, and a deep blush spread across her cheeks, which actually made her complexion look much better.

When a fresh quilt was draped over her, the flush gradually receded, and the elder Lady Fu felt a wave of warmth and tranquility. Her spirits much improved, she looked at Liu Chengyou and asked, "Do I look very ugly right now?"

Meeting her gaze, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but smile. "It seems no woman doesn't care about beauty—even the Empress of the Great Han is so concerned about her appearance!"

The elder Lady Fu said, "If I can't even keep my looks, I'm afraid Your Majesty won't even want to come to the Kunming Hall anymore!"

Hearing her plaintive tone, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but look at her with amusement: "Since when did you start feeling sorry for yourself? Jealous pining isn't your style!"

"I may be the Empress, but I'm also a woman—your lawful wife!" the elder Lady Fu replied.

Stroking her face, Liu Chengyou said seriously, "In all this world, you alone—the elder Lady Fu—are the only one I would serve like this!"

Hearing this, the elder Lady Fu couldn't help but laugh: "Then I am truly honored!"

Then she said, "You've stayed here with me for a day. I heard ministers came seeking an audience and you turned them all away. Don't neglect matters of state! I'm already much better!"

"What, already trying to chase me off?" Liu Chengyou replied jokingly, then added, "State affairs come every day—there's no end to them. If something happened to you, that's what would truly trouble me!"

"I heard you've been in a bad mood lately—still angry with me?" Liu Chengyou asked casually.

The elder Lady Fu shook her head. "How would I dare truly be angry with you? After all, you are the Emperor..."

"Saying that proves you still have anger in your heart!" Liu Chengyou said calmly. "You've always been too lenient with the palace attendants, so much that they've forgotten their place and lost their reverence. Such people cannot be tolerated!"

Previously, his punishment of several eunuchs in the Kunming Hall had indeed angered the elder Lady Fu, and Liu Chengyou's words now were pointed directly at that. Being both emperor and empress, maintaining lasting tenderness between husband and wife was no easy feat—once things cooled down, other considerations inevitably crept in.

"Sigh..." The elder Lady Fu couldn't help but sigh.

Looking at her, Liu Chengyou pondered for a moment, hesitated slightly, then seemed to make up his mind and said to her, "Over the years, ministers have repeatedly urged me to name an heir. I have thought it through very clearly—there is no other candidate for Crown Prince. Once Erlang is a bit older, I will formally proclaim it to the world!"

Hearing this, the elder Lady Fu's heart gave a leap, and she looked at Liu Chengyou with some astonishment: "Why did you suddenly think to bring this up?"

Since the last northern inspection tour, Liu Chengyou had already hinted at this before the elder Lady Fu, but hearing him say it outright now still caught her by surprise.

Pressing her hand, Liu Chengyou said, "The sons are still young, but their futures are promising. Yet no matter how I consider it, Erlang is the most suitable choice for heir."

Then Liu Chengyou smiled at the elder Lady Fu and said, "Erlang is still young, so you, his mother, must take good care of yourself!"