"Why did father call you?" Sheng Li questioned Ying Lili, who had just entered the chamber. Ying Lili removed her overcoat first and then went towards the bed.
"When did you wake up?" Ying Lili asked.
"A few minutes ago. I did not see you here and then asked Court Lady Xu about you. So, what was the matter that my father called you urgently?" Sheng Li demanded the answer.
Ying Lili recalled how the Emperor told her that his illness should not be brought out but she could not hide it from Sheng Li. To fight against the Empress, she needed to tell the truth to Sheng Li so that together they both could tackle that problem and find a way to save the Emperor.
"Why are you taking so much time? It seems that father and you conversed about something serious," proclaimed Sheng Li.
Ying Lili agreed with his words. She grasped Sheng Li's both hands in hers. With a bewildered expression, Sheng Li looked at her. "I promised you that I would be devoted to you only. For that reason, I am telling you something which is going to be difficult for you," Ying Lili asserted.
Sheng Li did not say anything as he waited for her to answer.
"Promise me that you will listen to me first and won't say anything until I finish," Ying Lili raised her little finger. Sheng Li joined his little finger with Ying Lili's and promised her. Both pulled their hands back. It was indeed difficult for Ying Lili to speak, but telling Sheng Li about this was essential.
"Father is terminally ill. He has given me a task before his…" she paused as words did not come out of her throat. But then, a few seconds later, she continued, "I need to bring the Royal Family together and end the reign of the Empress. He has been sick for a year, and regarding this, I even talked with the Royal Physician who told me that... that our father has only a month left to survive. Father did not let this come out because instability will arise among the regal people for power." Ying Lili found that not a single frown showed on Sheng Li's forehead.
"Say something!" Ying Lili told him.
"What shall I say? This Royal Physician is useless. I will call Hu Jingguo here. At least he has better knowledge of medicine than that oldie," Sheng Li pronounced. "I will not let anything happen to him. Even my mother was told that she was terminally ill, but she was fed poison. You did good by not hiding this fact," Sheng Li added and got down from the bed when Ying Lili grabbed his wrist.
"Don't go anywhere," she said.
"I need to save him before anything bad will occur," Sheng Li stated. Ying Lili got down from the bed and came to his front, facing him.
Placing her palm on Sheng Li's cheek, Ying Lili said, "I have told General Wang to bring Hu Jingguo here. Even I believe that his majesty will survive. We will make every possible effort to save him. But, Sheng Li, do not let it show on your face that you know about his majesty's health. The Empress, the Consorts, the Princes, and the Ministers must not know about this. This matter shall not leak out else rebellion will start within the Palace for the throne. Do not rush any decision."
Sheng Li understood Ying Lili's words. "We need to focus on tomorrow's plan. Sheng Li, even if we need to take risks, then we will tomorrow. Finding the mastermind is the most important task. It is our first and last chance to catch that mastermind. If he finds out about the Emperor's illness then, it will be a problem for us. Weng Wei stays close to the Emperor, and if she notices which she should not then, we will be trapped," Ying Lili asserted.
"I have the support of the military, and even the newly elected Prime Minister, so, in this short interval of time, they cannot do anything," Sheng Li stated.
"We shall not underestimate our enemies. We need to save not only the Emperor but also the entire Han Empire. One wrong move and the nation will fall apart. Let's not delay our work and work expeditiously," Ying Lili stated and passed a tiny smile to Sheng Li who agreed.
Internally, Sheng Li was worried about his father. He lost his mother for the same excuse that Royal Physicians had at that time, but he could not lose his father. Ying Lili pulled her hand back but kept reading the eyes of Sheng Li.
~~~~
The spy informed the Empress about the Crown Princess's visit to the Emperor. "Your majesty, the Crown Princess was told by the Emperor to mend her broken relationship with Princess Consort Xue."
"What?" Weng Wei drew her brows together. It was unbelievable for her that the Emperor would say such a thing to the Crown Princess.
"Are you sure?" Weng Wei asked again.
"Yes, your majesty. I followed the Crown Princess to the Royal Physician residence from where she brought the medicine to Princess Consort Xue," the spy informed the Empress, who was skeptical regarding that.
The Empress nodded and told her to go away. "She is indeed a kind woman. The one who tried hurting her, she put the medicine on her wounds," Weng Wei mumbled.
She picked the mirror from the table and looked at her reflection. "Due to stress, my face had turned pale. I shall not take so much stress," Weng Wei murmured and put the mirror down. She called a maidservant inside and told her to call Jian Guozhi there.
"Jian is ignoring me after that day. Today, I will make him understand how important it is to throw away Ying Lili from our way." She stood up from the floor mattress and went to the inner chamber. Opening the drawer of a table, she took out a scroll which was the message sent by someone in the day. Because she was busy at work, she could not read.
She opened the scroll and read the message written there. "Your son killed the assassins to whom you ordered to kill the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess."
Weng Wei was shocked to read the message.