Not Your Typical Villianess

Hours earlier, the Crown Prince's palace

"Your majesty", the maids and eunuch standing outside the common room chorused as the Emperor walked into the palace. Emperor Zhong paid no mind to their greeting as he walked past the long roll of palace maids and eunuchs stationed at Xinfeng palace. His maids and eunuchs stood back by the door leading into the room.

While Emperor Zhong walked into the bedroom with only Caihong following him into the room. Empress Lu and the Crown Princess consort Xia Ying stood a short distance from the bed. While the imperial doctors walked around the bed as they tried to revive the Crown Prince. 

Empress Lu looked to the door as the door was pushed open, she stood and bowed as Emperor Zhong walked into the room.

"Your majesty, she said head down, Everyone else in the room turned around and bowed as they heard her words.

"Rise", Emperor Zhong placed his hands on Empress Lu's shoulder and helped her up. "Empress, what happened?"

Empress Lu glanced at the Crown Prince and sighed, "A maid came in to chance the incense when she found a pool of blood under the bed." Tears ran down her eyes as she continued, "He.... He.... He slit his wrists".

Emperor Zhong's lips folded into a thin line, he gazed straight at his unconscious son. "Coward," he muttered. 

Empress Lu looked up at him as soon as he said this. "Your majesty?"

Patting her gently on the shoulders, Emperor Zhong walked forward. He looked down at the pale face of his unconscious son and frowned. He said loudly, "Do whatever you can to keep him alive".

" Yes, your Majesty", the Imperial doctors chorused. 

Three hours later, the sun had already risen in the clear white sky. It was nearly daybreak when the crown Prince was discovered. The sky had brightened up during the long heart-wrenching wait. The chipping sounds of birds could be heard as they flew out of their nurture rest spots in search of food. The maids opened the windows and doors as they delivered a tray of tea into the room.

Emperor Zhong and Empress Lu were both seated at both sides of the top seat in the main room, with Zhongshan Cheng and Xia Ying seating on the wooden settee. When the director of Imperial College of medicine walled out of the room. He bowed at the Emperor, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is now out of the woods. He has fallen into national sleeping".

"Oh thank the gods" Empress Lu muttered.

Emperor Zhong nodded and stood, "I am off to morning court", he glanced from Empress Lu to the open bedroom door and sighed. "My Lady, I will leave the Crown Prince to you".

"Yes, Your Majesty" Empress Lu replied. She stood aside head bowed until the Emperor left the room. She waited a few minutes for the Emperor and his entourage to put some distance between them and Xinfeng palace. She rushed into the room, her fast heartbeat reduced as she got closer to the bed. 

Empress Lu sat on the stool next to the bed, Zhongshan Ling looked so pale lying in the bed silently. She leaned forward and pulled the blanket higher to his chin. She glanced at the quiet Xia Ying, "Ling'er isn't in a good state of mind. He needs some time to adjust to everything, it can't be easy getting used to not being able to do everything for yourself. Don't leave him alone, try to prevent him from thinking so much".

"Yes, mother" Xia Ying muttered eyes locked on the Crown Prince. Her heartbeat ran like a stopwatch, she had never felt like her life and future depended on the Crown Prince until now. She had resolved to her faith this last few weeks, although this was not where she wanted to be and the Crown Prince wasn't who she wanted to be with. She was married to him now there was no changing that.

Her grandmothers words to her on her wedding day replayed continuously in her head right this moment.

"You are now married to the Crown Prince, Your position, life and every single piece of your being us tied to him. You are now one, everything that happens to him directly affects you. You must get accustomed to that if you want to survive ".

She had forgotten her grandmother's words until now but this was what she needed to slap herself back to reality.

*********

The Emperor's audience hall

The officials stood in small groups and discussed between themselves. Their conversation all focused on the Crown Prince's suicide attempt, the citizens demanded the Crown Prince be removed from office. Things were not looking well for the Crown Prince and the Emperor, they had nearly given up on the morning court sessions holding after waiting for over an hour without a response from the Emperor. 

When a eunuch at the door announced, "play the music, the Emperor has arrived". The ministers immediately broke away from their groups and good their various positions on either side of the wide audience hall. The officials went on their knees, they rested their forehead and hands resting on the ground.

"Long live the Emperor, Long Live the Emperor, Long live the Emperor," the officials all announced loudly. They stayed that way as the Emperor walked in with his small procession of maids and Eunuchs. Finally standing when the Emperor was seated and ordered them to rise.

The officials picked up their white blanks and stood. The Eunuch standing on the last step below the dragon throne once again announced 

"Court has begun!!"

Emperor Zhong looked and felt wary of these officials serving him. Because of the entire fiasco with the suicide, he had failed to control the spread of news regarding the Crown Prince's health. The news of his suicide had already spread and as expected the demand for dethroning the Crown Prince's was louder but he secretly hopes that no one would bring that up.

He was only seated for ten minutes when an old courtier who had served under his father came forward and bowed.

"Your Majesty, news of the Crown Prince's suicide attempt has spread. While the entire citizens sympathise with your majesty, in these trying times. We need a Crown Prince both physically and mentally strong. If the Crown Prince isn't up to the task, we could consider relieving him of these responsibilities".

As the minister stepped back to his previous position, a stout minister with white beards stepped out holding up his white plank bowed and shouted,

"Your majesty, we have a huge problem in our hands. The citizens are demanding that the Crown Prince be disposed of, I fear that if we ignore their cries a riot may begin. Your majesty should consider relieving the crown Prince of his position. This suicide attempt was unsuccessful this time, what about the next time he tried this. There are four mature princes to choose from. Any of them could easily fill up the position, please relieve the Crown Prince of his position".

The officials in support of his request, which were more than half of the officials, stepped to the centre of the doom and knelt behind him. They shouted, "Please relieve the Crown Prince of his position".

Emperor Zhong looked down at the long line of officials kneeling before him and sighed. He moved gaze to his good friend Minister Zhu who stood in the front lines. His old friend remained silent throughout the arguments these past few weeks. He was curious which side minister Zhu would take, he needed a level headed person to break the tie.

His good friend was in-laws with one of the three princes that were vying for the Crown Prince's position. Emperor Zhong was curious how his good friend would answer, he glanced at Minister Zhu and asked, "Maquis Zhu has been silent for some time, I am curious what you would suggest. Do you think that the Crown Prince should be relieved of duty or not".

Minister Zhu Looked up, he saw the challenging look the Emperor gave him. He could tell that this was a trap that he couldn't avoid easily. The Emperor wanted to play games with him, this was a question that had no correct answers. If he supported the removal of the Crown Prince, it would be seen by the Emperor as supporting the sixth prince. 

The Emperor would think that he did so for his benefit and if he supported the Crown Prince Emperor Zhong will assume that he did so to get on his good side and isn't to be trusted. Both results were undesirable, so he might as well be undecided. Minister Zhu came forward, held up his white plank and bowed.

"Your majesty the citizens are right to demand the Crown Prince's removal from office. A good official is one of both sound mind and health. The Crown Prince should be removed if he is indeed found to be of sound health and mind. Although his suicide attempt calls for attention, I don't think it is proper for him to be removed on just that ground.

"When should focus on the war at our borders Instead of focusing on non-existent problems like this. After the war at the borders is settled we can take care of these other matters. It is my opinion that he highness the Crown Prince be given more time to get accustomed to his new reality before making any drastic moves".

There were some seconds of silence as Emperor Zhong gazed at minister Zhu. Finally, his lips curved up and he laughed softly, "Well said, let us talk about this when the Crown Prince is healed and can defend himself".

The small smile n the sixth Prince's face fell and he turned to his left to glare at Minister Zhu.