Refusing to Serve Me? Then Off With Your Head!

Chapter 34

Cry for Zhen to See

I had no idea how long I was bed-ridden. I had a fever. Sometimes I woke up with a clear head, sometimes my head would get all fuzzy. Once I was well enough to climb out of the dragon bed, E Huang happily thank the gods. She said, when I was clear-headed, I would call Feng Zhao Wen 'Your Majesty' and when I was not, I would call him 'Father'. When the emperor was on the court, he became His Majesty and when he went out of court, he became 'Father'. He was so busy that he had gotten thin; he was really pitiful, she said.

I reflected on everything as I clutched my head in the nestle of the dragon bed. It was the prime example of dishonorable behavior.

When he returned from the morning court later, I was already eating. There were more than ten dishes on the table; ranging from spicy dishes to pastries. E Huang advised me from the sideline, "Miss, slow down.... You look like you haven't eaten for more than ten days."

I swallowed the Mei Mao Su in my mouth before drinking a mouthful of milk. Then, I turned around and glared at her, "I have been hungry for days!" In the corner of my eyes, I caught the silhouette of Feng Zhao Wen standing in the doorway in a daze. I beckoned him with my hand that was holding the remaining Mei Mao Su, laughing, "Have you just returned from court, Your Majesty? Come eat with me. Today's Mei Mao Su is so delicious!"

He regained his thoughts. He sat in front of me, his eyes sweeping the table before turning stern. He glared at E Huang, "She has only gotten better, why are you giving her oily food? Hurry and change them to healthier ones!"

I watched as my favorite caramelized pork hock and spicy beef wrapped in lotus leaves were taken away. In the blink of an eye, the table became empty.

E Huang bowed, "This servant will personally oversee them in the kitchen and bring more light-flavored food for Miss." After saying that, she practically flew out of the door. In the blink of an eye, she was seen no more.

I stared at the empty table and then at him, "Your Majesty, are you upset that I was eating too much?"

He sat so close and upon closer look, I discovered that his eyes had eye-bags around them. His usually clear phoenix eyes were red. E Huang was not lying, he had gotten thin.

Feng Zhao Wen must had been worried about me.

He frowned, his eyes filled with gentleness, "That report was discovered by Shi Qing in a hidden compartment of a drawer after we took over the palace. It was an accidental discovery. Since it was stored in a secretive manner, he knew it would be important, so he handed it over to me. Back then, I told him to hang onto it...." He seemed to hesitate as he looked at me, not sure if he should continue.

I confidently looked at him, sitting upright like a mountain. My facial muscle seemed to be out of my control. I smiled lightly. I could hear my own warm voice speaking, "No worries, Your Majesty. Continue talking."

He held out a hand towards my face and caressed it, "Xiao Yi, if you want to cry, cry on. Shi Qing said you had a lot of things pent up inside you. Your body and mind could not control it anymore, that was why you fell ill."

I stubbornly looked at him; I could feel the things I ate just now falling heavily into my stomach like large stones. As expected, one should not eat too much oily meals.

I shook my head, signaling him to continue speaking.

He spoke on, "Then, we asked the original official in charge of maintaining the medicine's store room. He said, the report was written by a previous physician who had the surname Zhang. That physician used to receive the previous empress dowager's trust."