Chapter 038: The Little Emperor Falls Gravely Ill
By the time they returned to the palace from the Regent’s residence, the sky had already dimmed into a murky darkness.
Wei Wanlan felt his neck stiffen. The rumble of the carriage wheels echoed in his ears, the ride was steady, and the carriage carried a faint bitter scent of wood—it was Su Jingzhi's carriage.
The reason he had left in the golden carriage but was now returning in Su Jingzhi’s was because he had left in such a rush, almost in a daze, still dressed in women’s clothing.
Su Jingzhi hadn’t seemed to mind, but fearing that the emperor had disgraced the dignity of the ruler of Da Wei, he sent the golden carriage back. He arranged for Tang Tuan to escort Wei Wanlan, under the guise of "Miss Wan," which aroused no suspicion.
He had no idea how long the carriage had traveled.
Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt, and Wei Wanlan jolted slightly inside. From outside the curtain, Tang Tuan's voice rang out:
“Your Majesty, we have arrived at the Zichen Palace. Please, you should return.”
【What a treacherous minister! The Regent’s carriage dares to drive all the way to the Emperor’s sleeping quarters. But he’s already like a grasshopper after autumn, he won’t be able to jump for much longer.】
404’s voice echoed in his mind.
Wei Wanlan lifted the curtain, letting the faint night light spill in.
Tang Tuan didn’t dare offer the emperor any help, but his gaze remained fixed on him, his shiny eyes particularly focused on the hem of Wei Wanlan’s robe and the wooden steps laid at his feet.
“Please be careful, Your Majesty.”
Wei Wanlan responded, “Mm.”
He lifted the hem of his dress and walked slowly. His voice was slightly hoarse when he replied to Tang Tuan.
Tang Tuan quickly asked, “Your Majesty, are you unwell? Rushing back like this, should we summon the imperial physician?”
“No… it’s just…” He thought for a moment and said, “I’m a little tired.”
Tang Tuan frowned. It was possible that the little emperor, having been alone in the Regent’s study, might indeed be exhausted when he came out.
However, he shouldn’t be in this state—his face wasn’t flushed, and he wasn’t shy. Even his posture upon rising was normal. The Regent had even asked him to escort the emperor back, so it didn’t seem like they had quarreled.
Worried, Tang Tuan pressed, “Your Maj—”
Thump!
Sure enough, he was about to fall off the carriage again.
Tang Tuan rushed to catch him. After all, the emperor was used to falling by now, and Deputy General Tang was well-prepared for it.
But after Wei Wanlan stumbled a few steps on the ground, he managed to steady himself, though his back looked both flustered and pitiful.
Tang Tuan leaned forward, following closely. “Your Majesty.”
“Go back. I’m fine.”
Drunk people always claim they aren’t drunk, just as people with something on their mind always say they’re fine.
Tang Tuan racked his brain, trying to figure out why Wei Wanlan was in such a state, but he couldn’t come up with anything. Finally, in a low voice, he asked, “Has someone in the palace bullied you, Your Majesty? Or has something happened that you can’t resolve?”
Since the little emperor had not yet assumed full governance, no one knew for sure what the relationship between the Regent and the emperor was like. It wasn’t impossible that some foolish servants might be mistreating him. Tang Tuan couldn’t help but worry.
Deputy General Tang was actually a good person.
Wei Wanlan’s soft hair drooped across his forehead, making him look obedient and pitiful, his doe-like eyes filled with a hint of grievance. “Thank you, Deputy General Tang. No one has bullied me.”
Tang Tuan’s heart nearly melted from the cuteness.
If it weren’t for the fear of having his hand chopped off by the Regent, he would have loved to ruffle the little emperor’s hair. Instead, he solemnly said, “You don’t need to fear anyone now, Your Majesty, because you have the strongest backing.”
He might have been referring to the Da Wei court.
Wei Wanlan nodded. “Mm.”
The doors to Zichen Palace closed behind him.
【Host, Tang Tuan’s loyalty and bravery are commendable, but unfortunately, he’s a die-hard supporter of the Regent.】
【However, once the Regent is cursed to death by witchcraft, Tang Tuan won’t know it was your doing, and by then, he can still be of use to you.】
Wei Wanlan didn’t respond. By now, the weight on his chest was turning into panic.
He thought the symptoms were from low blood sugar, so he asked An Ruyi to prepare some sweets after returning to the palace. However, after only a few bites in bed, he felt nauseous and placed the dessert tray by the bedside, dry-heaving: “Ugh—”
【What’s this? Are you really pregnant?】
The nausea grew stronger, nearly draining the life out of Wei Wanlan. He lay slumped against the edge of the bed, his fingertips digging into the sheets.
404 continued teasing him in his ear, unusually talkative today:
【If you’re really pregnant with Su Jingzhi’s child, you’ve hit the jackpot. Once he dies, you’ll raise the child as a single father. The crown prince would have royal blood and be the descendant of a famous general, which would counterbalance your own timid nature. The kid would definitely be excellent.】
“…”
Wei Wanlan didn’t take the bait. His heart pounded in his chest, and the nausea worsened.
“Someone… someone, come…”
His voice carried through the dragon bed to the outside.
An Ruyi rushed in, her face pale with panic as she exclaimed, “Your Majesty, why are you sweating so much?”
Wei Wanlan’s nose rubbed against the bed, and speaking became difficult.
404 finally realized something was wrong:
【Host, are you sick?】
“I… I just want to lie down for a while…”
Wei Wanlan motioned towards the dessert bowl by the bedside. An Ruyi quickly removed his shoes and socks, tucking him into the dragon bed. She wiped his sweat with a handkerchief she always carried and called out, “Summon the imperial physician! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!”
Curled up on his side, his face buried in the blankets, Wei Wanlan’s dry lips wouldn’t part. He could only press them together and close his eyes, falling into a muddled sleep.
He wasn’t sure when Imperial Physician Fang entered the palace.
Wei Wanlan was half-conscious.
His body felt heavy, and he couldn’t move.
But he could sense someone taking his wrist, turning it to the inside, and Wei Wanlan’s arm twitched like a fish out of water. Then he vaguely heard the physician’s intermittent diagnosis, but it was like listening through a fog, and he couldn’t make out the words.
“… Emotional distress has caused an imbalance in the spleen and stomach. He needs to calm his mind and nourish his heart. There’s no rush to administer medication.”
“Understood. Come frequently over the next few days to check his pulse.”
“Yes.”
Since the system shared consciousness with its host, when Wei Wanlan lost consciousness, 404 couldn’t function either. It had no choice but to rest alongside him.
When consciousness returned.
Outside the Zichen Palace, birds were chirping.
Even in the dead of winter, the palace sparrows were noisy in the early morning. The emperor had forbidden the young eunuchs from chasing them away, so over time, the sparrows had multiplied in number.
Wei Wanlan sat up in the dragon bed just as the distant sound of firecrackers reached his ears. The bed curtains were open, and outside the window, dozens of sparrows took flight, perching on the branches of a nearby tree.
Wei Wanlan tilted his head, finally managing a smile.
【What’s this? You’ve finally recovered? Look at how scared you were about killing someone!】
404 muttered in his ear, now able to see that the acute illness from the night before had been caused by Wei Wanlan’s soft heart. The thought of using witchcraft to kill someone had pushed him to the brink of his emotional limits.
This wasn’t something he could control; it was his body’s natural reaction.
Though 404 found his cowardice somewhat contemptible, it didn’t blame him. Instead, in a calm tone, it pulled out the witchcraft doll, floating it before Wei Wanlan’s eyes.
The doll’s pale body and eerie smile, painted in cinnabar, were fully visible in Wei Wanlan’s sight:
【Call An Ruyi to bring paper and ink. You must write the charm yourself and paste it on.】
The Emperor-Nurturing System couldn’t do this for him.
“Alright…”
Wei Wanlan called An Ruyi in, washed up, and then asked her for paper and ink.
An Ruyi asked, “Is Your Majesty feeling better?”
“I’m better.” Even though Wei Wanlan said this, his pale lips couldn’t hide the fact that he still looked sickly, like a frail little creature.
An Ruyi didn’t dare disturb him. “Your servant will take his leave.”
“Wait a moment.” Wei Wanlan stopped her.
An Ruyi quickly halted. “What is it, Your Majesty?”
“Why are there firecrackers?” Wei Wanlan asked.
“Today is the Xiaonian,” An Ruyi answered quickly, her voice gentle. “It’s always lively during the Xiaonian.”
“Oh.” Wei Wanlan nodded.
After An Ruyi left, he picked up the brush and, with crude handwriting, wrote down Su Jingzhi’s birthdate and name on a strip of paper about five or six inches long.
As the ink dried, the system was satisfied, nearly giddy with excitement. If it had a physical form, it would have been jumping for joy:
【Do you know how hard it has been to guide you through this mission? I’ve been on the verge of collapse so many times!】
【But now it’s all good. You’ve completed the first task. I’m confident that tasks two and three will be a challenge, but nothing you can’t handle.】
The system had already built up trust in Wei Wanlan and was growing increasingly confident, almost to the point of arrogance.
Wei Wanlan said, “I haven’t even pasted the charm yet.”
【The system rewards have already been distributed. The great power minister will surely die. All that’s left is for you to paste the charm—just a matter of moments. Hurry, hurry!】
Wei Wanlan held the paper between his fingers, but as if after careful consideration, he set it down again. Seemingly having thought things through, he said to 404:
“I think there are many more important things to do before killing him.”
【What could possibly be more important than killing him?】
“Preparations,” Wei Wanlan replied weakly.
404 didn’t quite understand: 【What preparations?】
“If the Regent suddenly dies, it will have a huge impact on Da Wei, won’t it?”
【...—!!!】
At those words, 404, which had been eagerly urging him to complete the mission, suddenly fell silent for a moment.
The host of intricate thoughts extended along Wei Wanlan’s line of thinking.
Then, a chilling realization crept over 404. How had it not thought of this earlier?
If the Regent dies, the host may not necessarily be able to take over all of Su Jingzhi’s power.
On the contrary, the sudden death of the Regent could leave Da Wei without leadership, potentially triggering another rebellion!
After all, there were others vying for supreme power; the host wasn’t the only one. This was a world of political intrigue.
404’s electronic voice trembled slightly:
【You’re right. That makes sense. You’re becoming more and more like an enlightened ruler. Well done, your thinking is thorough. I have high hopes for you now.】
With that, 404 was filled with a fervor akin to that of a devoted advisor, and it began strategizing the available military forces for Wei Wanlan:
【Listen carefully. First, summon Princess Wei Wanyi. She’s on good terms with the Ministry of War and has some private soldiers.】
【When the Regent dies, go to his residence with the Princess’s troops. Verify his death, quietly inform Tang Tuan, and with the Regent gone, Tang Tuan will have no master. With the military seal in your possession, he’ll have no choice but to recognize you as his leader.】
404 was well-versed in conspiracy planning:
【Once you have the military seal, you’ll be able to command the entire realm. There will no longer be a second Regent who can simply waltz in and take your army away.】
404’s voice was so high-pitched that it hurt Wei Wanlan’s ears. Summoning Princess Wei Wanyi wasn’t a difficult task; after all, she was the emperor’s elder sister by blood.
【I’ve drafted the decree for you. Go call An Ruyi to deliver it. He won’t suspect a thing.】
“Alright.”
An Ruyi entered the room and received the order. Having a family dinner with his elder sister during the Xiaonian was the most normal thing in the world. The only concern was that Princess Wei Wanyi might storm through Zichen Palace like a whirlwind, so Eunuch An made a mental note to pay extra attention to the emperor’s change of clothes, making sure no one left the palace unattended.
“Your servant will take his leave and carry out the command.”
Given Wei Wanyi’s fiery personality, she would probably be there in less than half a stick of incense, and with at least several dozen attendants in tow, at the very least.
The outer hall of Zichen Palace was already bustling with palace maids and eunuchs preparing for the upcoming event.
After thinking it over, the system added:
【Wear this.】
Suddenly, a golden glow appeared around Wei Wanlan’s body. He pinched his clothes—it had some thickness. It was soft armor, likely some kind of protective treasure.
The system continued to ponder: 【Make yourself look presentable. Don’t look so sickly; it won’t leave a good impression on your subordinates.】
After another moment: 【Wear some cinnabar for good luck.】
That should be about right.
After all the system’s careful thinking, it felt that they had done all they could before Su Jingzhi’s death. If this were some high-tech world, it would have stuffed Wei Wanlan into an armored vehicle and bulldozed their way into the Regent’s residence to seize control.
But this was a political intrigue story, not steampunk or sci-fi. They had done as much as they could within reason.
The system had planned everything for Wei Wanlan meticulously and was now feeling a bit exhausted from all the mental strain.
404 even mimicked the sound of human panting with its electronic voice, proudly declaring:
【Host, let’s start! Kill the Regent and light a grand firework to celebrate our successful partnership!】
“Your Majesty.”
It was Eunuch An’s voice. He had returned so quickly.
Wei Wanlan was momentarily stunned, lifting his head like a little puppet. An Ruyi was walking ahead, with Princess Wei Wanyi and a large entourage behind him—the same familiar setup, though this time, the people Wei Wanyi had brought were soon to be conscripted as Wei Wanlan’s private soldiers.
An Ruyi, panting, said:
“Oh, Your Majesty, you have no idea how difficult it was to get into the palace! We passed by the Zhongshu Province, and wouldn’t you know it, we ran right into the Regent! When he saw the Princess bringing so many attendants to visit you, his face turned ashen. It gave me the creeps…”
“Isn’t he supposed to be recovering at the palace?”
Aren’t the court officials and ministers supposed to be with him at the regent’s residence?
An Ruyi replied, “He was recovering, but when he heard that you had fallen ill, the Regent came rushing in the middle of the night. He stayed until the imperial physician finished his diagnosis before leaving, but instead of returning to the residence, he’s staying at the Zhongshu Province.”
——I see. ‘Come frequently over the next few days to check his pulse.’
Wei Wanlan remembered his wrist being turned over the previous night and lightly touched the inside of his wrist. The rough sensation of the scrape was still there.
It seemed to stir something in him, making his nose prickle with a strange emotion.
But it was difficult to place these feelings. He silently asked the system, “If I were truly sick, it would be bad for his rule too, wouldn’t it? That’s why he was so anxious, right?”
【Of course! You’re getting smarter by the day! If anyone dares call you dumb, I’ll zap them!】
“Then today is the 23rd of the twelfth month?”
【Yes, it’s the Xiaonian.】
…It was also his birthday.
Wei Wanlan tightened the sleeve of his robe, feeling the slip of paper with Su Jingzhi’s birthdate still tucked inside.
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