Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne
Chapter 101: One Hundred - s: Falling Ill

Chapter 101: One Hundred Chapters: Falling Ill

The Fourth Prince heard Zhao Yao sneeze, immediately turned his head to look at him, and asked with concern, "Tenth Brother, what’s wrong, have you caught a cold?" As he spoke, he reached out to touch Zhao Yao’s forehead.

"Fourth Brother, I’m fine. It must be because Eighth Brother is missing me." He’s not by Eighth Brother’s side, and Eighth Brother must be unaccustomed to it. Maybe, Eighth Brother has been thinking about him these past two days.

"He won’t miss you." The Fourth Prince was worried about Zhao Yao, "I’ll have Wei Mian call for the Imperial Physician."

"Call for the Imperial Physician?" Zhao Yao exclaimed in surprise, then quickly shook his head, "No need, Fourth Brother. I’m really fine, no need to call the Imperial Physician." He dreaded seeing the Imperial Physician, as it reminded him of the months he spent drinking medicine. During those months of severe illness, he had to drink medicine three times a day, making him feel like vomiting. Now, he wanted to throw up as soon as he smelled medicine.

"We can’t be careless, we must have the Imperial Physician take a look." The Fourth Prince said, then stood up and spoke to the gentleman.

Upon hearing that an Imperial Physician was to be called for the Tenth Prince, the gentleman naturally did not object.

The Fourth Prince instructed Wei Mian to call for the Imperial Physician.

The Ninth Prince mocked Zhao Yao for being so melodramatic, calling the Imperial Physician just for a few sneezes.

Zhao Yao couldn’t be bothered with the Ninth Prince, he only hoped that when the Imperial Physician came to examine him, he would find no illness.

The Fourth Prince heard what the Ninth Prince said and gave him a cold look.

The Ninth Prince, upon seeing the Fourth Prince’s icy gaze, immediately felt intimidated, but pretended to be indifferent and turned his head away. He wasn’t afraid of the Third Prince, the Seventh Prince, or even the Crown Prince, but in front of the Fourth Prince, he felt a little uneasy, though he would never admit it.

The Fourth Prince usually had a cold and distant demeanor, hard to approach. Except for Zhao Yao, no one dared to get close to him. Not only the Ninth Prince, even the Third Prince and others felt somewhat intimidated by him.

Zhao Yao saw that the Ninth Prince was afraid, and immediately mocked him.

The Ninth Prince, seeing Zhao Yao ridicule him, glared at him angrily.

Zhao Yao wasn’t afraid of the Ninth Prince and made a face at him.

"You..." The Ninth Prince, enraged, was about to reach out and go after Zhao Yao, but upon seeing the Fourth Prince’s chilly gaze, he immediately behaved and sat properly. However, he didn’t forget to threaten Zhao Yao, "Just you wait."

Zhao Yao was about to say "I’m scared of you," but accidentally choked on his saliva and began to cough violently: "Cough, cough, cough..."

The Fourth Prince, hearing Zhao Yao cough, became even more worried. He quickly raised his hand to pat Zhao Yao’s back, "Why are you coughing again?"

"Fourth Brother, I’m really fine..." Zhao Yao’s small face turned red from coughing.

At this time, Wei Mian arrived at Wende Hall with the Imperial Physician.

The Imperial Physician was about to salute the princes but was interrupted by the Fourth Prince, who instructed him to quickly check Zhao Yao’s pulse. Seeing the Fourth Prince so anxious, the Imperial Physician dared not delay and hurried to check Zhao Yao’s pulse.

Zhao Yao saw that the arriving Imperial Physician was an old acquaintance, and he couldn’t help but taste bitterness in his mouth. Suddenly, he felt a tickle in his nose and sneezed, startling the Imperial Physician.

"Doctor Lu, I’m sorry, I startled you."

"It doesn’t matter, but Your Highness, you..."

Hearing this, Zhao Yao’s heart tightened suddenly. He quickly interrupted Doctor Lu, "I’m fine, I’m well, I’m really not sick!"

The Fourth Prince, seeing Zhao Yao so nervous and scared, reached out to pat his small head gently, "Tenth Brother, don’t be afraid."

"Fourth Brother, I’m not sick, I’m really not sick!" He didn’t want to drink medicine.

"Whether you’re sick or not isn’t for you to decide, it’s for the Imperial Physician to say." The Fourth Prince asked Doctor Lu, "Doctor, how is Tenth Brother?"

"Responding to Fourth Highness, Tenth Prince has caught a cold, but fortunately, it’s not serious. A couple of doses of medicine will do..."

Upon hearing about taking medicine, Zhao Yao immediately stood up and took a few steps back, putting some distance between himself and Doctor Lu.

"I’m not sick, I don’t want to take medicine!"

"Imperial Physician, you may prepare the medicine."

"Yes, Fourth Highness."

"Fourth Brother, I don’t want to take medicine..."

The Ninth Prince laughed at Zhao Yao, saying, "Zhao Yao, you’re really useless, actually afraid of taking medicine."

"Are you not afraid?" Zhao Yao sharply retorted, "Are you not afraid of bitterness?"

The Ninth Prince certainly didn’t like taking medicine, but he would never admit it.

"I’m not like you, afraid of taking medicine. I’m not afraid at all, not afraid of bitterness either."

"Then have the guts to drink it."

"I’m not sick, why would I drink medicine?"

"You claim you’re not afraid of taking medicine, not afraid of bitterness, so drink some in front of us." Zhao Yao said with his hands on his hips, "If you don’t drink, you’re afraid."

The Seventh Prince chimed in, "Tenth Brother is right, Zhao Xun, if you don’t dare to drink it, you’re afraid."

The Ninth Prince didn’t fall for it, "I’m not sick, why would I drink Zhao Yao’s medicine."

"Ninth Brother, you’re afraid."

"Zhao Xun, didn’t expect you to be such a coward."

"Zhao Jing, what did you say?" The Ninth Prince picked up a book and threw it at the Seventh Prince. The Seventh Prince, unwilling to back down, grabbed a handful of books and threw them at the Ninth Prince.

Mr. Xiao had just entered and, seeing the Seventh and Ninth Princes throwing books at each other, scolded them sternly, "Stop it!"

Seeing Mr. Xiao had arrived, both the Seventh and Ninth Princes were frightened and stood properly.

Mr. Xiao, with a stern expression, said to them, "Seventh Prince, Ninth Prince, go stand outside."

The Seventh and Ninth Princes glared at each other resentfully, then obediently went outside. Once they were standing properly, Mr. Xiao also stepped out, holding a ruler in his hand.

Seeing the ruler in his hand, a look of fear appeared on the faces of the Seventh and Ninth Princes.

Other instructors would be lenient during punishment, only pretending to hit a few times, but not Mr. Xiao. He hit for real and didn’t hold back at all.

Without needing Mr. Xiao to speak, the Seventh and Ninth Princes tremblingly extended their hands.

Mr. Xiao took up the ruler and struck their palms hard. With a loud smack, he hit with great force, causing the Seventh and Ninth Princes to cry out in pain.

Hearing the cries of the Seventh Prince and others, even Zhao Yao felt the pain.

"After finishing class at noon, remember to go back and take your medicine." The Fourth Prince instructed, "I’ve already asked Wei Mian to inform Madam Zhaoyi."

Zhao Yao: "..." It’s over, he didn’t want to drink the medicine, and his concubine mother would make him take it.

"Fourth Brother, aren’t I your good little brother?"

"When you’re sick, you have to take medicine, be good."

Zhao Yao still wanted to say something, but Mr. Xiao walked in.

Mr. Xiao first approached Zhao Yao and asked with concern about his health, asking if he wanted to return to Kunde Hall to rest.

Normally, Zhao Yao would be eager to go back to Kunde Hall to rest, but today he was unusually unwilling to return and insisted that he was fine and wanted to continue studying.

Seeing that Zhao Yao was in good spirits, Mr. Xiao agreed to let him stay at the school.

The Fourth Prince watched as Zhao Yao preferred to stay at the school and study rather than going back to Kunde Hall to take medicine, filled with helpless laughter in his eyes.

For the first time, Zhao Yao hoped that noon would come later, or not at all, but noon still came on time.

He definitely wouldn’t go back to take medicine!

Oh, he could go to Mr. Xiao, ask questions, and then have lunch with him, so he wouldn’t need to take medicine.

Thinking he had a good idea, Zhao Yao was about to find Mr. Xiao when the Fourth Prince stopped him.

The Fourth Prince had long guessed that Zhao Yao wouldn’t honestly return to Kunde Hall, "I’ll escort you back to Kunde Hall."

"Fourth Brother, no need, I can go back by myself."

"Tenth Brother, you have two choices. One, I escort you back to Kunde Hall. Two, you come with me to Xingde Palace."

Zhao Yao smiled ingratiatingly at the Fourth Prince, "Fourth Brother, is there a third option?"

"No, choose one."

"Fourth Brother, I’ll go with you, then." At least Fourth Brother wouldn’t force him to drink medicine.

"Madam Zhaoyi is worried about you, I’ll still escort you back to Kunde Hall." The Fourth Prince took Zhao Yao’s hand and left Wende Hall.

Just as they walked out of Wende Hall, they saw Liang Zhaoyi coming with Gui Xing to personally pick up Zhao Yao.

Zhao Yao cried out in his heart, "It’s over," he couldn’t escape even if he wanted to.

The Fourth Prince saluted Liang Zhaoyi, and Liang Zhaoyi thanked the Fourth Prince for taking care of Zhao Yao.

Seeing Liang Zhaoyi had arrived, the Fourth Prince no longer needed to personally escort Zhao Yao back to Kunde Hall.

"Mother, why have you come?"

Liang Zhaoyi took Zhao Yao’s hand and said with a gentle face, "Mother came to take you back."

Zhao Yao: "..."

"Mother, look, I’m fine. How do I look like I’m sick... Achoo..." Before he could finish, Zhao Yao sneezed.

Gui Xing said nervously, "Your Highness, you even sneezed, yet you say you’re not sick."

"I’m really fine, it’s just Eighth Brother thinking of me."

Liang Zhaoyi pinched Zhao Yao’s ear, "If you’re sick, you obediently take your medicine, understand?"

Zhao Yao wanted to make a last-ditch struggle, "Mother, can I not take the medicine?"

"No, you can’t!"

Zhao Yao pouted, "I don’t like taking medicine."

"No one likes taking medicine, but if you don’t take it, you won’t get better." Liang Zhaoyi knew her son was scared of taking medicine because of those months of illness. "Good medicine is bitter."

"But, it’s too bitter."

Liang Zhaoyi laughed, "No matter how bitter it is, it’s not as bitter as coptis, right? Do you want your father to feed you coptis again?"

Zhao Yao’s small face showed a terrified expression, and he quickly shook his head, "I don’t want that!"

Liang Zhaoyi held Zhao Yao’s hand as they walked and patiently comforted him.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study, the Emperor had just finished discussing matters of state with Grandmaster Liu and the others. He invited them to stay for lunch, but Prime Minister He, worried about his orchids, declined the Emperor’s invitation for lunch and hurriedly returned to Lanyuan Pavilion.

Sun Kui saw Prime Minister He leaving the Imperial Study like a gust of wind and asked in surprise, "Why is Prime Minister He leaving in such a hurry?"

"He worries that the Tenth Prince will go to Lanyuan Pavilion to steal his orchids."

"The Tenth Prince is sick, and won’t be going to Lanyuan Pavilion to steal orchids for now."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately frowned and asked, "Is the Tenth Prince ill, and is it serious?"

"About two hours ago, the Fourth Prince sent someone to call the Imperial Physician to Wende Hall to check the Tenth Prince’s pulse." Sun Kui said, "Doctor Lu mentioned that the Tenth Prince caught a cold, but it’s not serious. A couple of doses of medicine should suffice."

The Emperor, recalling the image of his little son severely ill months ago, felt very concerned, "Let’s go to Kunde Hall."

Several months ago, it also started with Zhao Yao catching a cold and getting a fever. After that, his condition worsened. For months, Zhao Yao kept having recurrent fevers. Once, the fever got so severe that he nearly didn’t make it.

Both the Fourth Prince and the Emperor were so worried about Zhao Yao’s health because they feared he might end up like a few months ago.