Chapter 2640 - 2573: Calm Your Anger

Manbao was startled by the emperor’s displeased expression and quickly lowered her head, saying, "Your Majesty, Lord Wei is unwell."

Wei Zhi, however, lowered his sleeve, tidied it slightly, and saluted, "Your Majesty, I am not seriously ill. It’s Lord Zhou who is overly concerned."

Manbao frowned slightly, lifted her head to speak, but caught sight of the warning in Lord Wei’s eyes. She paused slightly, a chill running through her heart, and then hesitated.

Bai Shan, who had just received the new memorials for the day and was sorting them in the side hall, heard the unusual commotion. He picked up two rather important memorials that had just arrived and came over, just in time to see the emperor running out barefoot.

He also noticed Wei Zhi’s gaze, paused for a moment, then stepped forward and said aloud, "Your Majesty, this is an urgent message from Yingzhou, reporting a conflict between Goguryeo and Silla. A army from Goguryeo has entered the boundaries of Yingzhou, disturbing the local populace."

The emperor’s grim expression slightly softened. He sat on the dragon throne, face stern, and said, "Submit the memorial."

Bai Shan then presented the memorial he held.

Gu Zhong hurriedly came from behind with shoes and clothes, squatted down to put shoes on the emperor, but after slipping on one shoe, the emperor angrily threw the memorial out, kicked the half-worn shoe, and shouted, "It’s too hot, why wear clothes? Get out—"

Gu Zhong knelt on the ground, dared not make a sound, holding the clothes as he retreated backwards, bending slightly.

The emperor sat on the dragon throne with a face as black as a pot, without an outer garment, and only one shoe on. The ever-regulated Minister Li did not speak up to discipline, even the always honor-bound Wei Zhi acted like he saw nothing amiss with the emperor’s attire, returning to his seat.

Manbao saw the memorial fall by her feet, and as Gu Zhong sweated profusely trying to step forward to retrieve it, she bent down and casually handed it to Bai Shan.

Bai Shan: ...

He glanced up at Manbao, who signaled him with her eyes.

Bai Shan reached out and accepted it, raising an eyebrow — you owe me a favor.

Manbao bowed her head slightly — go ahead, I’ll repay you another day.

Bai Shan then took the memorial up, handed it back to the emperor, and slightly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the governor of Yingzhou requests to dispatch troops against Goguryeo. This is a grave matter, and the Ministry of War has directly submitted it. Would you like to summon the Ministry of War for deliberation?"

State Duke Zhao was guarding the capital, and only an assistant minister accompanied the Ministry of War.

The emperor’s face was as deep as water as he flipped through the memorial, then said solemnly, "Announce it."

"Yes," Bai Shan immediately bowed and retreated, pulling Zhou Man as he passed by.

Manbao could only salute, then grab her medicine kit and leave.

Once she left, while the atmosphere remained somewhat tense, it was not as taut as before. Gu Zhong lowered his gaze and quietly let out a breath.

Not long after, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of War followed Bai Shan in, and everyone began to discuss the memorial. As the atmosphere relaxed, apart from the emperor still with one bare foot, wearing inner garments looking quite messy, this court meeting was not much different from usual.

Poor right assistant minister of the Ministry of War didn’t know what had happened, but upon seeing the emperor like this, he understood there had been a tantrum, so he dared not say a superfluous word.

The emperor, feeling he could not get answers from him, became furious, directly stood up with one bare foot and pointed at him, cursing him thoroughly.

Yes, he could not scold officials without reason, but if there was a reason, he would scold, fearing no one.

The right assistant minister of the Ministry of War wiped his face, nearly unable to hold back his temper to resign, but thinking better of it, decided not to take it to heart today, considering the emperor’s foul mood.

Wei Zhi saw this and sighed, having to interrupt the emperor, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of War.

Capable officials generally have temperaments that aren’t too mild, and if he continued cursing, the emperor might truly have to find a new right assistant minister for the Ministry of War.

Many, like Wei Zhi, were reluctant to resign from their positions, but there were also those, like County Duke Yu, who were more carefree. Coincidentally, the current right assistant minister was somewhat carefree, willing to sneak off early from his office for a good jug of wine.

Manbao, after leaving Longevity Palace, carrying her medicine kit, considered for a moment and turned towards the office of the Imperial Hospital.

Opening the door, Imperial Doctor Zheng was concocting medicine for someone. Seeing her arrive, he stood up and saluted, "Imperial Doctor Zhou, you finally came. Quite a few nobles were affected by the summer heat yesterday and caught cold from last night’s chills, causing many to fall ill."

Manbao asked, "Is it serious?"

"Not very serious, just need some medicine. We are short-handed, can you lend a hand?"

Manbao nodded, placed down her medicine kit, and took the prescription written by Imperial Doctor Zheng to prepare medicine, asking, "When was the last time the emperor was attended to? Was it Director Xiao who went?"

Imperial Doctor Zheng thought for a moment and said, "It was Imperial Doctor Liu who went, five days ago — no, could have been seven days ago."

"Doesn’t the emperor get attended to every three days?"

Imperial Doctor Zheng replied, "What can you do if His Majesty is unwilling?"

He said, "Lately, His Majesty has been exceedingly irritable. Director Xiao mentioned it’s because of the summer heat, indeed there’s drought here in the capital region while rain excessively floods Jiangnan, several rivers burst their banks. Unsuccessful governance and therefore a bit hot-tempered. Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Liu have already instructed the royal kitchen to cook cooling sour soup for the emperor."

Manbao smirked, "That soup is horrid, not even comparable to plum soup. If it were me, I’d rather refuse to drink it."

Saying that, she paused — could the emperor not be drinking it because of this?

Imperial Doctor Zheng inquired, "You just came down from Longevity Palace? How is His Majesty?"

"Heat stroke," Manbao replied gloomily. "But the serious issue is Lord Wei’s condition."

She asked, "Did no one attend to Lord Wei’s pulse for peace?"

Imperial Doctor Zheng said, "That depends on the situation, typically for high officials like Lord Wei, the Imperial Hospital attends once a month. But at times we’re busy, or they are, if they aren’t ill and don’t call us, naturally we won’t bother. However, generally, we make it once every six months."

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Lord Wei’s last pulse check seems to be before the New Year."

Manbao asked, "Who attended it?"

"I did," replied Imperial Doctor Zheng, looking at her, "Why, is Lord Wei ill?"

Manbao sighed, "Lord Wei’s health has deteriorated."

Imperial Doctor Zheng was startled.

Manbao and Imperial Doctor Zheng prepared the medicine needed by various nobles, the cold is still superficial now and not difficult to treat. They kept the prescriptions simple to avoid affecting the efficacy, otherwise impair.

After some thought, Manbao said, "Remind those picking up their medicine to watch their diet, stick to bland food for now. The summer heat will dissipate after using the medicine in a day or two."

Imperial Doctor Zheng acknowledged.

Manbao then contemplatively prepared the moxa for the emperor. Imperial Doctor Zheng sat beside him dazed, "Before the New Year, when I checked the pulse, Lord Wei was indeed a bit overworked, but his condition wasn’t so poor."

Manbao said, "Maybe it was fine then, but prolonged overwork reaches a tipping point and becomes worse. This year hasn’t been well, from spring onwards troubles continuously arise, draining the mind greatly."

Imperial Doctor Zheng worried, "His Majesty might summon us later, right? Lord Zhou, do you have any good treatments?"

Manbao nodded, "Yes, indeed."

Imperial Doctor Zheng’s eyes gleamed, Manbao said, "Lord Wei needs to lay down his affairs and begin recuperating now; with two or three years of rest, he might fully recover."