Chapter 4

 

The next morning, servants and maids were seen rushing in and out of Richu Palace. Many royal physicians were also seen running back and forth as well.

“Hurry!” One said to another.

“Grab the bowl of water!” Another shouted.

The maids and servants all were working all morning to the point where they begin to turn pale; trying to get what the royal physicians needed.

What was going on?

“Crown Princess!” Cui Feng cried loudly as she held onto Taiyang’s hands kneeling on the ground beside her princess’s bed.

She was bawling in tears and snots were dangling from her nose. She was trying to wake her princess up from her mysterious coma.

“Wake up!” She snorted.

Taiyang was lying on her bed, as if she was dead.

 

Ming Palace;

 

Ruyang was seen sitting in her living halls drinking tea quietly until her maid came running in yelling, “6^th Princess!!!”

“… Why are you yelling!?” She made a sour face and lightly slammed her cup of tea down. Her mood was ruined.

“S-Sorry!” Her maid bows as she stops a few feet away from her. “Sorry!”

“… What’s the matter?” Her eyes rolled a bit into annoyance.

“It’s the crown princess…” Her maid replied.

Ruyang then became curious, “What happened?” She pretended not to know what was going on.

“The crown princess is in a very bad condition.”

Ruyang stands on her feet, “Of course,” She said. “There has never been reported anyone to survive this kind poison.” She stares into a blank space and then snaps back to reality, “Where is Princess Feiyang?”

 

Zhenzhu Palace;

 

Feiyang was getting ready to start her day by dressing up in a dark colored silk robe with a black fur across her shoulders. Her maid helped her tie up her hair and walks into her bed chambers was Ruyang.

“Don’t you ever get hot in all that fur?” Ruyang walks in and takes a seat at the table. “You do realize that it’s summer and not winter.”

“Ruyang?” Feiyang noticed her from her reflection in the mirror in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

“What? I can’t visit my little sister?” Ruyang sits and rolls her fingers together as she stares at Feiyang through the mirror as well.

Feiyang noticed Ruyang was in a good mood.

“What’s the matter?” Feiyang asked and pokes a golden hair pin into the side of her hair. “Did something good happen to you this early morning?” She said and a light bulb flashed over her head, “Oh, let me guess, father arranged you to marry an old wealthy man?” She joked and gently pats the side of her head.

Ruyang laughed at her joke, “You’re too funny!”

“You all are excuse,” Feiyang excused all her maids and stands to walk over to the table. “Tell me what the good news is then?” She glared with her sharp eyes.

“The plan is working. The crown princess is dying.” Ruyang announced to her.

“What? So soon? Aiya, I’m starting to miss her already.” She gave a snotty reply.

“You’re so daring…” Ruyang taps her fingers in front of herself, “Qiao-Er told me that all the royal physicians were summon all morning into Richu Palace.”

Feiyang took a seat across her sister, “Finally… She can die at last.” She whispered with ill intentions.

“Royal father is going to summon me first because I was the last person she saw.”

“I know what to do. Don’t worry.” Feiyang snarled in a sigh.

Ruyang was a bit annoyed at Feiyang’s sudden attitude towards her. Could it be that when Taiyang dies, Feiyang will get the Crown Princess title? She stood from the seat, “… Play your part well…” She ended the conversation and left Feiyang’s chambers.

7^th “Princess,” Feiyang’s personal maid quietly walks over, “If Taiyang dies, you’re the next candidate to take the title.” She whispered.

“You’re right, because Taiyang will most likely ask royal father to hand me the title.” Feiyang gave a sneaky laugh.

 

Richu Palace;

 

The Emperor came rushing with the Empress towards Richu Palace. He was old but built. His long dark colored robe dragged behind him as he enters Richu Palace in haste.

“Taiyang!” He called out for his youngest daughter. “Taiyang!” He ran into the room where everyone was in.

“Your Majesty!” Everyone bowed on their knees.

Cui Feng quickly moves to the side so he could rush to Taiyang’s need.

He kneels to her side, “Taiyang, what happened?” He cried. “What happened to her? Why is she like this?” He asked the Physicians. “Cui Feng! What happened?!” He asked her too.

“Y-Your majesty!” Cui Feng kneeled in tears, “I don’t know, I came in to check on her this early morning before the sun rose and found her like this.” She sniffed in snots.

“Your majesty,” The Empress frowns, “You should get up first, it’s not good for you to kneel like that.” She worried about his health first thing first.

The Emperor noticed the black colored blood all over the ground and it was spread on her white sleeping gown. “This is…?” He was shocked, “Doctor, how is she?” He ignored his wife.

“Reporting to your majesty,” The eldest physician walks over, “It may seem that she is ill… But we can’t find the source of it. Her lips are still a good color, her body is still warm and her finger nails are still pale. The only thing we find weird is her breathing.”

“Her breathing? What’s wrong with her breathing?” The Emperor peeks over his shoulders.

“Your Majesty,” The second eldest physician walks over and bows, “Her breathing is really heavy and cut short. It’s like she is going back and forth from the dead.”

“We’ve all checked her pulse and for a few moments it is fine, but other times it’s a mess.” Another physician added in.

“So, what is it?!?” The Emperor turns to them all with rage.

“Uhh…” They all gasped and looks at one another with no reply.

Silence filled the room for a moment.

“Reporting to your majesty.” The youngest physician steps out from the side.

“Speak!”

“I think I might have an idea to what is wrong with the crown princess.”

“Tell me!”

He was still young, but very smart! He had thin eye brows, small eyes and long fingers. He was known as the youngest Physician in the palace, Ke Chi.

“This case is very similar to a case that happened 22 years ago.” He explained.

“How!? What case!? Speak!”

“When the previous Emperor was murdered,”

Everyone in the room became silence. How dare he brings this problem up in front of the current Emperor? Even the elder physicians had no guts to say the truth. The Emperor bit his teeth as he glared red at Ke Chi.

“I know that it’s forbidden to talk about the issue, but the crown princess might be going through what the previous emperor was.”

“… With what proof?” The Emperor asked.

“The black blood that’s been thrown up, the heavy in and out breathing and…” He paused.

“And what?” The Emperor shouted.

“And… The small black spots on her body.”

“Her body? He dared to look at her body???” The other physician’s chatters away.

It was forbidden for any man to ever set his eyes on the crown princess body, but Ke Chi was lucky enough that he was a royal physician, to avoid punishment. Only the person they are to be married to and a physician, could ever set their eyes on a royal member.

Ke Chi got on his knees, “I know that I shouldn’t have done that without an order, but the crown princess is like a younger sister to me growing up, I had to know what is wrong with her to save her. If you shall need to punish me, please do so after we save her!” He bows his head to ask for forgiveness.

The Emperor took in a deep breath and sighs, “Get up and save my daughter; then you shall be excused from punishment.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” He bows and stands on his feet.

“Tell me how to save her…”

Ke Chi knew deep down that it might be too late to save her, but he kept it to himself for now, “First thing first… I think she might have been poisoned.”

“Black Poison?” The Emperor whispered and everyone in the room shivered in fear.

“So, you knew?” Ke Chi gasped in surprised with his eyes widen.

“I figured it out when you mentioned about the previous emperor’s murder case.” He said and peeks towards Taiyang. “She’s not going to make it, is she?”

Ke Chi frowns in sadness, “I… I don’t know. But I will do my best!”

“How? How are you going to find a cure?” He cried secretly as he stares only at Taiyang.

“Cui Feng,” Ke Chi called her over.

“Yes,”

“I need to know everything she had eaten yesterday.” He turns to face her.

“She ate…” Cui Feng tried to remember as she chokes on her tears. “She ate buns, roasted chicken, green beans and some flower snacks.” She counted her fingers.

“What else?” Ke Chi asked hurriedly.

“… Uh, that’s all I can remember.” She looks up to him as she wipes her tears.

“… Black poison is always in the color of black and has to be entered through the mouth or an injury. All those foods are of a light color. It couldn’t have mixed well with them.” He thought.

“… I remember!” Cui Feng shouted and everyone stares at her. “She ate some sesame soup before she the evening fell. The soup was in a dark color mix!”

“Then it has to be that! Because the crown princess doesn’t have any injury on her.” Ke Chi pin pointed it.

“Who brought it!?” The Emperor asked Cui Feng.

“Uh…” She lowers her head.

“Speak or else I will have you punish!”

“Hurry and tell us,” The Empress said with frown.

“It was…” Cui Feng looks side to side not knowing if she should say it, “It was 6^th princess Ruyang.”

“W-What!?” The Empress gasped in shock, “Impossible! You’re just trying to blame her!” Her anger stepped out from the box. “Your Majesty, don’t believe in her lies! She is a maid, anyone could have bribed her to say these words!” She spoke up for Ruyang. “Ruyang is a good child, she has never made trouble in the palace!”

That was her daughter after all. The Emperor released Taiyang’s hands and stands on his feet. They both his daughters, as a father, this was the worst thing that could happen.

“Summon 6^th Princess Ruyang here!” He ordered.

“Yes!” A few guards shouted and exits the room to fetch her.

“Your Majesty!” The Empress cries almost in tears, fearing for the worst.

“Your Majesty,” Ke Chi interrupted them, “I think, we should find a way to save the crown princess first. Her time, is limited now.”

“I’ll leave this up to you and the rest of the physician. I will personally integrate Ruyang.” He finished the conversation and exits Taiyang’s bed chambers as well.

“Yes!” Ke Chi bows as he waited until the Emperor and Empress leaves the room. “Cui Feng,” He calls her over.

“Yes,”

“I need you to do something for me,” He whispered to her and secretly handed her a bended note.

“What?” She quickly hid it in her sleeves.

“I need you to go and bring me some Woodberry water…” He hinted for her to go to Weiting’s resident. “Hurry!”

“Y-Yes!” Cui Feng nods her head and jolted out of the room.

In a matter of time Cui Feng reached the Chan manor, banging on the front doors to be let in. The male servants of his resident quickly learned of the news and ran all the way towards Weiting’s study room.

 

“What!?” Weiting stood from his chair with a shock look.

“The crown princess’s maid, Cui Feng, brought a message from royal physician Ke Chi.” His male servant handed the note over to him.

‘Weiting, the crown princess is dying. She was poisoned with black poison. It looks like the case of the previous emperor! I need you to bring me some of your family’s white berry powder to see if I can save her. I know that it’s against your family rule to let outsider use it, but she is dying! Besides, she is to be your future wife anyways, please… Ke Chi,’

Weiting hesitated for a moment as he folded the note back into place. Should he bring it to Ke Chi? If his father found out that he took some out of the storage, he will be punished severely. “… Lao Li,” He called the older male house servant over.

“Yes, young master,”

“Prepare some white berry powder for me.”

“Young Master!” Lao Li frowns, “Are you going to give it to the crown princess?”

“Yes,” He nods.

“But if the old master finds out--”

“Be quick! The crown princess is dying.” Weiting shouted at him with a nervous expression.

“Y-Yes,” Lao Li nods and leaves the room to prepare it.

Weiting didn’t care about what his father will do to him; the crown princess’s life mattered more. He quickly wrapped his dark colored cloak around his neck and had received a bag of white berry powered from Lao Li before heading out on his horse to the palace.

 

Richu Palace;

 

Taiyang was seen shaking in a nervously wreak way back and forth, side to side movement. Her eyes were closed and dark colored blood was still drizzling out from .

“Hold her down.” Ke Chi asked a female servant to do as he pokes needles into her head and neck.

He wanted to try to see if he could drain the poison out from .

“This isn’t working,” He worried and took a step back. “The poison is digging into her heart already.”

“How do you know?” A female voice enters the room suddenly.

“Luyang Jie?” Ke Chi was surprised to see her. “You’re back!?”

She was tall, tanned and had very sharp eye brows. She looked fierce and ready for any type of battle that was to come her way. She was dressed in a white and light blue robe with a white cloak tied around her neck; with different color jewelries dangling from all sides of her head and arms.

“Taiyang!” She flashed her cloak to the side and sat beside her, “Taiyang, wake up.” She called to her little sister.

“She’s been like this for the last few hours. She can’t hear you…” Ke Chi told her.

Luyang looks at him, “Who did this to her?!?”

“I’m not sure yet.” He hides his face, since she is good at reading expressions.

“You know who did this! You’re hiding it from me!? How dare you!?” She points her fingers at him.

She was known to be the toughest princess of all.

“I’m not hiding anything! I’m not sure if she is the one who did this yet.” Ke Chi fought in his defense.

“Who!?” Her eyes were ready to kill.

“… It was,”

“4^TH PRINCESS!?” Cui Feng rushes into the room with Weiting and his body guard following behind.

“Weiting,” Ke Chi sighs upon seeing him with a little bit of hope, “Where’s the white berry powered?” He approached him first.

“Here,” He reached it over in secret. “Hurry,”

“Hao, look after Taiyang while I go make the medicine.” He whispered to Weiting and leaves the room.

“4^th Princess!” Cui Feng ran over and kneeled in front of Luyang. “Sorry!”

“How dare you not watch over Taiyang!?” Luyang begins to lecture Cui Feng. “You need to be punished!” Her anger was thrown out at everyone.

Taiyang was special to Luyang, as it can be seen.

“I know, if anything happens to the crown princess, I’m willing to die with her!” Cui Feng cried.

“Nobody is dying today.” Weiting walks over. “How is she?” He got a glimpse of Taiyang sleeping on her bed, lifeless.

“You’re here too?” Luyang stands. “General Chan! How do you take care of her too? If you don’t like her, let her go! Why hold onto something that doesn’t mean anything to you!?”

It seems Luyang had already known about what happened between them. Taiyang had sent a letter to her in the past few days explaining everything.

 “Eh,” Weiting’s personal body guard, Lu Geng, walks over behind, “4^th Princess, please mind your words.” He tried to stay calm and professional.

“My words?” Luyang chuckles sarcastically and glares at them like a tiger. “What’s wrong with my words? It’s the truth! She wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for you!” She points her fingers towards Weiting. “I’m her older sister, I have every right to protect her!”

“You-” Lu Geng gasped and Weiting stopped him by pressing his right hand on his chest.

“Sorry.” Weiting bows his head and gulps his spit down his throat, “I see she told you about what happened.”

“Of course! Taiyang doesn’t hide anything from me.” She said and looks away.

Weiting nods, “I know, but what I said doesn’t simply mean that I don’t want to marry her. I just didn’t want to be tied down for now. I still have many things I need to accomplish… Yes! One reason is because she blind, but you can’t use that against me…” He admitted.

Luyang looks back to him with her arms now crossed on her chest, “Use it against you? You’re using it against her!”

Weiting stood there in silence while Cui Feng wipes her tears and gulps. Taiyang heard their voices fighting in her room, to which she slowly opened her eyes for a moment.

“Crown princess!” Cui Feng noticed her waking up first. “She’s awake!” She told everyone and they all look over.

Luyang turns around and bends over to Taiyang’s level, “Taiyang! How are you feeling?” She wraps her hands over Taiyang’s.

“Lu… Lu… Lu-yang… Jie,” Her voice was barely loud enough for them all to hear. “It’s-you--” She wanted to smile so bad. It’s been over 6 months since they last saw each other.

“It’s me,” Luyang whispered. “Who did this to you?”

“I… I…” Her eyes begin to close again. “I’m-so-tired…”

Weiting bit his lips as he watched them whisper to each other, “… What is she saying?”

“Who did this to you?” Luyang asked again, ignoring Weiting’s question.

“I… Don’t-know…” She replied. “But… It-hurts. My-heart-hurts,”

Her heart? Weiting is thinking about his conversation with Boran that Taiyang had overheard.

“Why-am ‘I-so-ill-fated?? But-dying-like-this-is-a-good-thing-too. I-wont-have-to-bother-people-any-more…”

“Don’t say that!” Luyang cried a river now. “You’re not a bother to anyone,” She said and peeks over to Weiting for a second before looking back to Taiyang, “You’re going to be okay! I promise you.”

“… Black-poison-black… poison…”

“What?” Luyang leaned in closer.

“I-heard-royal-father-said-it-was-black-poison,” Her eyes shut.

Luyang froze in silence. Black Poison? Her eyes had gone red with anger now. Who in the world could do this to Taiyang? Wasn’t black poison banned from the palace years ago?!? Her hands tighten on Taiyang’s hands.

“I promise you, I will find the person who did this to you and punish them!”

“Weiting… Weiting…” She called for him with her eyes closed.

“Weiting?” Luyang gasped still in tears, “He’s right here,”

Luyang pulls herself away from the side of the bed and allowed Weiting to walk over and sit there now.

“I’m here,” He spoke and grabs hold of her right hand.

“It’s-you--” She was able to smile now. “It’s-really-you,” Her eyes were still closed.

“… It’s me,”

“S-Sorry-I-was-mean-to-you. I-didn’t-let-you-explain-yourself-to-me… I-acted-like-a-child-I-didn’t-even-consider-your-feelings--”

“It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself.” He whispered to her.

“It’s-a-good-thing-that-I-can’t-see…”

“What do you mean?”

“I-can’t-tell-if-you’re-crying-or-not…” She teased slowly drifting into the afterlife. “It’s-a-good-thing----if-you’re-crying-I-wont-be-able-to-see-your-ugly-crying-face…”

He chuckles softly, “… Of course I’m crying,” He held in his tears. “… Sorry, I couldn't even protect you.”