SIDE STORY 2: Waking Up In The Middle Of The Night.

In the end, Yan HeQing was very sick, and the illness wasn’t light. It made him unable to get up, and he had to lay in bed with a high fever, making his consciousness fall into chaos.

Yan HeQing had never been seriously ill, so this sudden event shocked everyone.

For a while, the Imperial Bedchamber was crowded with Imperial Physicians, who were chattering and noisily discussing for a long time. Finally, everyone came to a conclusion.

A reputable old Physician bowed to Xiao YuAn to say: “According to your subject’s deduction, His Majesty the Emperor is suffering from evil wind1, and there’s a disharmony between his ying and wei2.”

Xiao YuAn: “Hiss, he caught a cold due to the cold weather.”

The old Physician said: “He has a fever, but he’s feeling cold. He’s sweating without relief, and even though he feels thirsty, he doesn’t want to drink water. There’s also a thin white coating on his tongue.”

Xiao YuAn: “Alright, I understand. The illness is acting on the Preoptic Anterior Hypothalamus3, making it unable to regulate the body’s temperature.”

The old Physician: “….”

‘What do you know?!’

‘I didn’t understand a word, alright?!’

Even though the old Physician didn’t understand what the Empress was talking about, he didn’t dare to ask!

So, he simply stopped talking altogether, and hurried to the Taiyi Hall with the rest of the Imperial Physicians to boil the medicine.

After several bowls of soup and medicine were poured down his throat, Yan HeQing sweated less, feeling much more comfortable. At least, he could sleep peacefully now. At least, he could sleep peacefully now. Xiao YuAn reviewed some of the memorials for Yan HeQing, and when he saw that it was getting late, Xiao YuAn asked someone to place a recliner beside the bed. Xiao YuAn had the intention of guarding Yan HeQing throughout the night.

Tian Xiang advised Xiao YuAn to leave that task to the physicians and the maidservants, so that he can rest. But Xiao YuAn refused.

How can a Tyrannical President let others take care of his one true love while he’s sick?

In the end, Tian Xiang couldn’t persuade him, and no one else could even think about it.

Even though the physicians were a bit worried.

What the hell can they do?

‘The Emperor had been burning up with fever to the point of being in a constant daze, and yet, the Empress didn’t pay attention to him, nor did he take good care of him. Will the Emperor become a fool after the fever?’

Xiao YuAn, who could sense the old physician’s sorrow, said faintly into his ears: “You think I want to usurp the throne? You’re overthinking.”

The old physician: “…..”

‘I’ll beg for my retirement tomorrow! Aaaahhhh!’

When the bright moon shone on the sky, and the milky way spread to the west, the night finally arrived.

After serving Yan HeQing the last bowl of bitter medicinal soup before going to bed, the idle people in the Imperial bedchamber retired, one after the other.

Finally, Tian Xiang was the only maid left behind. After she made the bedding for Xiao YuAn’s recliner, and stirred up the charcoal in the stove, she looked up. She saw that Xiao YuAn was sitting beside the bed, wiping away Yan HeQing’s sweat. Even though it was such a small thing, Xiao YuAn pursed his lips, focused his eyes, and moved with extreme care.

“Jun Wang.” Tian Xiang whispered.

Xiao YuAn took the towel and looked up at her. Then he heaved a sigh and said with a smile: “I just gave Yan-ge a bowl of hot medicinal soup, and Yan-ge is finally sweating a bit. If he sweats, then he’ll get better.”

Tian Xiang had been following Xiao YuAn for so long that she understood him better than anyone. Due to this, she tried to comfort him: “Jun Wang, don’t worry. His Majesty will get better in no time.”

Xiao YuAn nodded: “Go and take a rest. I’ll watch over him.”

Tian Xiang nodded her head, bent down, and retired.

Xiao YuAn then wet the towel to put it on Yan HeQing’s forehead. When Xiao YuAn saw that Yan HeQing was pursing his lips as he frowned, how white his lips were, and how flushed his face looked, Xiao YuAn couldn’t help but feel worried and distressed.

‘How could you get sick? And with a serious illness at that!’

Xiao YuAn stood by the bed for a while. After changing the towel on Yan HeQing’s forehead, Xiao YuAn felt a bit sleepy, so he went to sit on the recliner.

After lying down, Xiao YuAn closed his eyes, wanting to take a nap. However, he felt that something was wrong. When Xiao YuAn thought about it, he dragged the recliner to the bedside, extremely close to the edge of the bed. When Xiao YuAn laid down on his side, so that he could look at Yan HeQing, he suddenly felt much more at ease.

Xiao YuAn, who was quite worried about Yan HeQing’s illness, slept more restlessly than Yan HeQig himself. At one point, Xiao YuAn woke in the middle of the night to change the towel on Yan HeQing’s forehead. After wiping away Yan HeQing’s sweat, Xiao YuAn changed Yan HeQing into a new set of dry clothes.

With such careful care, Yan HeQing’s condition didn’t continue to worsen, and the fever slowly subsided.

Xiao YuAn was so relieved that he had to lie down on the recliner. It was the middle of the night, and because he was so exhausted, he soon closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

However, not long after falling asleep, Xiao YuAn was suddenly awakened.

Yan HeQing, who was on the bed, seemed to have a nightmare. He was gnashing his teeth and his hands were clenched into fists. Xiao YuAn woke up because Yan HeQing was shouting his name. With a heartbreaking voice, almost to the point of crying, Yan HeQing shouted: ‘Don’t go!’