Love In The Forbidden City (Completed)

Chapter XXII - The Emperor's Death (Revised)

I was ordered by the emperor to resume my position as the Chief Tea Maiden the next day. 

When I brought a pot of hot tea to the emperor's chamber, I saw Ice Face feeding his father some medicine. Upon seeing me, too many expressions rode across his face — shock, scared, and fretfulness. He kept staring at me as I placed the tea set on the table. 

Was the medicine the cause of everything?

The emperor didn't seem to be aware of anything. After nodding plainly at me, he turned to his son. "I have done terrible mistakes. I am too occupied with handling the state affairs and have thus neglected my duty as a father. I should spend more time with all of you but..." 

He grabbed Ice Face's hand as he continued, "I did not sit with you under the tree and tell you the folklore. I did not visit you when you fell sick. But even though I feel remorseful now, my time is limited, Yin Zhen. Amongst all the princes, you share the most similar viewpoints with me. You know that I do not like the rift to exist between all of you..."

The emperor coughed again. He breathed with difficulties, like a severe asthma patient. I darted towards him and patted his back. When his breathing resumed the normal pace, he said, "Ruo Xi, you can leave now. Yin Zhen, I have something to tell you."

I was sent out of the chamber but I couldn't just leave. I had to hear what the emperor would say to Ice Face. Of course, I couldn't hear clearly but I got something like, "I have written the Will of Honour"... "Throne"... "Fourteenth Prince"...

My heart sank to the bottom of the pit. If the Fourteenth Prince ascended the throne, I was certain that there wouldn't be any rival or bloodshed between the brotherhoods. But Ice Face would be very disappointed. The next day, the emperor's ailment became worse and he even spat blood on the handkerchief. His face and lips looked ashen as if they were made of cement. His pulse beat slower and slower. All the princes were ordered to stay in their own residence, and hundreds of soldiers were assigned to guard in front of his chamber. The Royal Doctor uttered many honeyed words to relieve him but his eyes fell into thin slits... 

Slowly, they closed completely. His limbs and body became stiff. His pulse stopped. The emperor... had passed away. Silence enveloped the entire chamber. All of us who were present knelt on the floor, mourning for his death.

The highest General, Long Ke Duo, announced all of a sudden, "The emperor past me the Will of Honour before his death. He praised highly of the Fourth Prince for his explicit attitude. He had hence announced the Fourth Prince as the next ruler of the Qing Dynasty."

Before his voice trailed away, the door burst open, and Ice Face stepped in calmly. Tears lingered in his eyes as he knelt beside his father's corpse. Were they tears of grief or guilt or... relief?

Long Ke Duo repeated the Will of Honour again and said, "Accept this announcement and let us all salute to the new emperor to ascend the throne."

Nobody saluted Ice Face. Herald Lee, the Chief Eunuch who was the closest servant of the last emperor, scrutinized Long Ke Duo and Ice Face suspiciously.

Since no one took the first move, I bowed and said, "Your Majesty, may you be endowed with longevity and prosperity." The other servants and ambassadors heeded my words and greeted Ice Face as well. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Herald Lee kowtowing with his lips pursed tight. Now his eyes darted between Ice Face and me.

Ice Face ordered us to rise and said, "Long Ke Duo, ground all those that are not related to the funeral. Do not release them without my permission. Whoever that disobeys my order will be beaten until they blow their last breath." He uttered the last four words with sheer malice.