Chapter 154 The Crown Prince Passes Away

Lü Sheng's sharp cry left the three people present utterly stunned.

Even Zhang Chenxin, the Chief Eunuch standing nearby, stood frozen with wide-open eyes.

Li Yuechen was the first to snap back to her senses; without a word, she turned on her heel and sprinted toward Shaoyang Courtyard.

Seeing her daughter bolt, Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi immediately followed behind her, while Empress Wu Zetian stepped firmly onto the pedal of her bicycle and surged forward.

Running at the very front, Li Yuechen executed a powerful leap over the balustrade, becoming the first to race into Shaoyang Courtyard.

At that moment, she finally understood why a sudden sense of dread had gripped her heart just moments ago.

A mounting wave of anxiety churned within her. Only last year, his illness had not yet reached such a critical stage, and there had even been signs of improvement following his marriage.

Why, then, had his condition suddenly turned fatal?

Seeing the Emperor and Empress both rushing over, Zhang Chenxin hurriedly gave chase, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Quickly, fetch Physician Liu! Inform all the Imperial Highnesses!"

In an instant, the imperial palace dissolved into chaos as countless eunuchs and maids began running in every direction.

Li Yuechen was the first to arrive at Shaoyang Courtyard. Before the guards at the entrance could utter a word, she had already swept past them like a gust of wind.

Stepping into the main hall before she could even catch her breath, she was met with the sound of violent coughing intertwined with Pei Qingwan's weeping.

Following the sound into the inner hall, she saw both of them collapsed on the floor, with her eldest brother resting in Pei Qingwan's embrace.

With almost every cough, fresh blood sprayed from his lips, staining his chin and collar a brilliant crimson.

Tiny specks of blood were splattered all over the floor around them.

The nearby maids and eunuchs stood paralyzed like wooden chickens, utterly panicked and at a complete loss as to what to do.

Facing such a scene, even Li Yuechen, who always maintained her composure, felt a flicker of panic in her eyes.

She quickly hurried over to Li弘's side, dropped to her knees, and called out frantically, "Eldest Brother! Eldest Brother..."

Hearing his sister approach, Li Hong opened his mouth as if trying to say something. However, after his lips moved slightly, another unstoppable fit of coughing wracked his body.

Amidst the coughing, more fine droplets of blood sprayed outward, accompanied by a faint mist of crimson.

Li Yuechen had never imagined that his illness had deteriorated to such a terrifying degree. A wave of guilt suddenly washed over her; if only she knew how to produce penicillin, perhaps things would never have reached this pass.

Leaning against Pei Qingwan, Li Hong looked at his sister. Realizing he could no longer speak, he slowly raised a hand stained entirely with blood.

Li Yuechen grabbed his hand instantly. "Eldest Brother, control your breathing! Physician Liu will be here soon!"

Li Hong coughed and shook his head, seemingly aware that his days were numbered. Yet, unable to utter a single word, he could only tighten his grip on his sister's hand.

Wu Zetian and Li Zhi ran in one after the other. Seeing this harrowing sight, they rushed over in a flurry of panic.

Disregarding everything else, Wu Zetian pulled her son away from Pei Qingwan's arms and pulled him tightly against her chest. "Hong'er, Hong'er, do not be afraid. You will be fine..."

Li Zhi knelt down beside them, taking hold of his son's other hand. "Hong'er, Hong'er..."

Li Hong coughed, turning his head to look at them, but no words came—only the relentless, agonizing spasms of his cough.

Amidst the sound of pounding hooves outside, Li Yuechen turned her head just in time to see Liu Shenwei dismounting his horse.

He had not even dressed properly; upon receiving the news, he had ridden over at full gallop.

Bursting into the hall, he took in the grim scene and, dispensing with all formalities, immediately dropped to a crouch and took Li Hong's pulse.

Then, pulling out a cloth pouch, he commanded, "Quickly, undo the Crown Prince's robes!"

Reacting the fastest, Li Yuechen immediately pulled open her eldest brother's collar to expose his chest.

Liu Shenwei drew silver needles from the cloth pouch and inserted them one by one into Li Hong's chest.

After a dozen silver needles were in place, Li Hong's symptoms eased noticeably, and the frequency of his coughing immediately dropped.

Liu Shenwei administered another dozen needles, temporarily subduing the fit.

Seeing his condition improve, the Imperial couple breathed a collective sigh of relief, turned around, and asked, "How fares Hong'er's condition?"

"This..." Liu Shenwei's expression turned pained before he slowly shook his head. "I beg the Emperor for forgiveness! Your subject... is powerless!"

"What do you mean by powerless?" Wu Zetian raised her head. "As an Imperial Physician, why can you not cure my son's illness?"

"Empress, this..."

"Mother, do not make things difficult for Physician Liu..." Li Hong, having finally caught his breath, offered a faint, strained smile. His voice was excruciatingly rasped, sounding like metal grinding against metal. "If there were even a sliver of hope, I am certain Physician Liu would not be acting thus..."

Liu Shenwei's eyes turned red as he bowed respectfully. "This subject thanks His Highness the Crown Prince for his understanding!"

Li Hong nodded slightly, his expression contorted with pain as if every single word he uttered caused a burning, searing agony in his throat.

Even so, he forced himself to ask, "How much... time do I have left?"

"I'm afraid..." Liu Shenwei wore an expression of unbearable sorrow. "Only about half a quarter of an hour..."

"What did you say?" Li Zhi raised his voice abruptly. "How can this be?"

Wu Zetian opened her mouth to speak, but Li Hong raised a hand to stop her. "Enough. You may withdraw; leave me some time to bid farewell."

"As you command!" Liu Shenwei bowed deeply, rose, and retreated out the door.

Leaning against his mother's embrace, Li Hong took a deep breath and continued, "This unfilial son is afraid he must take his leave first. I pray that my two parents will not hold it against me..."

"We do not blame you, we do not blame you..." Li Zhi's eyes were bloodshot as he fought back tears, shaking his head while holding his son's hand. "My son has already done well enough."

Clasping her son tightly, Wu Zetian buried her face in his shoulder and wept softly, unable to utter a single word.

Even at this juncture, Li Hong forced a weak, painful smile. "Father and Mother, do not grieve... This son thanks you both for the grace of raising me..."

Listening to Li Hong's final words, the imperial couple suppressed their weeping, incapable of speaking a single syllable.

Then, Li Hong turned his head once more to look at Li Yuechen. "Chen'er..."

"Eldest Brother, I am here." Li Yuechen gripped his hand tighter.

"In the days to come... help me... take good care of Qingwan..."

Li Yuechen nodded vigorously. "Rest assured, Eldest Brother, I will take care of my sister-in-law!"

Hearing her promise, Li Hong nodded. "That is good... I feel somewhat weary..."

Human nature seemed frail at the end; once a dying person had said all they wished to say, their remaining strength rapidly drained away.

Having finished his final requests, Li Hong took a deep breath and felt his eyelids grow unbearably heavy.

As his vision blurred, the world abruptly dimmed.

Every beat of his heart felt leaden and heavy; his mind began to drift into a murky haze, while his body felt as though it were floating upward.

Sensing the grip of her eldest brother's hand gradually loosening, Li Yuechen's nose twitched, and two clear streams of tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Eldest Brother..."

"I am weary... so weary..." Li Hong murmured repeatedly with his eyes closed.

Having spoken those words, he fell silent. The hand holding his sister's grew utterly limp and powerless, his head tilting to one side, completely still.

"Eldest Brother! Eldest Brother!"

At that moment, shouts rang out from outside the door. Li Xian and the others, having received the news, arrived alongside the two imperial princesses.

Rushing into the hall, the family surrounded Li Hong. Seeing the weeping imperial couple and their silently crying younger sister, a wave of panic washed over them.

Perhaps sensing their cries, Li Hong opened his eyes once more, managed a faint, crooked smile, and whispered, "All of you... must live well in the future..."

With those words, he closed his eyes for the final time.

The hands that had been grasping his father and sister loosened entirely. His head slumped sideways, and all breath left him.

"Eldest Brother!" Li Xian cried out aloud, flinging himself over the body in uncontrolled grief.

Wu Zetian reached out and pressed her fingers against her son's neck, finding no pulse. Only then did she break down completely, wailing aloud, "My son..."

Hearing the sounds of weeping echoing from within the hall, Liu Shenwei, standing outside the door, closed his eyes in sorrow.

The shrill voice of Zhang Chenxin, who had remained by the side the entire time, rang through the hall: "His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince has passed away—"

The surrounding eunuchs and maids dropped to their knees, wailing bitterly. In an instant, the sound of weeping engulfed the entirety of Shaoyang Courtyard.

Clasping her eldest brother's rapidly cooling hand, Li Yuechen felt a sharp pang of self-reproach.

Had she only known how to create antibiotics, perhaps she could have saved his life.

Just then, Li Zhi's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed straight to the floor, losing consciousness.

"Father!" Li Lun cried out first, rushing over to check on what had happened.

Li Yuechen turned her head, leaped to her feet, and shouted, "Physician Liu, come in quickly!"

Liu Shenwei dashed back inside without hesitation to take Li Zhi's pulse. While the family was still reeling from grief, this sudden collapse threw them into renewed panic.

After checking the pulse, Liu Shenwei looked up and ordered, "Hurry, have someone carry the Emperor to the couch!"

"I'll do it!"

Without a second thought, Li Yuechen scooped Li Zhi up by the waist and laid him gently onto a nearby couch.

Liu Shenwei immediately produced his silver needles to pierce the Emperor's scalp, while Wu Zetian hastily abandoned her son's body to run over. "The Emperor must not come to any harm..."

"Mother, do not panic. Father has merely fainted from excessive grief; do not disturb Physician Liu," Li Yuechen advised, pulling her mother gently aside.

The imperial brothers and sisters looked back and forth between the fallen body of Li Hong and the unconscious Li Zhi on the couch, completely lost and panicked.

"My two elder sisters, stay here and assist Mother in caring for Father. My brothers, help me tend to Eldest Brother's remains." Li Yuechen wiped away her tears and issued her commands.

Everyone was disoriented at the moment, but upon hearing her decisive orders, they immediately sprang into action.

Li Yuechen pulled all the silver needles from Li Hong's body and neatly arranged his garments.

At the same time, she instructed Li Xian and her other brothers to push several daybeds together before lifting the body—which still retained a trace of warmth—to place it gently upon them.

After laying him down, Li Yuechen gave him one last gentle embrace, leaning down to whisper against his already cooling ear, "Rest easy, Eldest Brother. I will take good care of my sister-in-law."

With that, she immediately marshaled the surrounding eunuchs and maids, assigning tasks and restoring orderly management to the chaotic scene.

...

After a long while, Liu Shenwei straightened up and let out a breath. "Empress, the Emperor is currently out of danger; it was simply a faint brought on by grief. He will wake by tomorrow at the latest."

Hearing this, Wu Zetian's legs turned to jelly, and she nearly collapsed.

Fortunately, Zhang Chenxin was quick enough to support her, preventing her from falling straight to the floor.

Wu Zetian looked blankly from side to side, noticing her daughter busy directing operations. She opened her mouth, but ultimately refrained from calling her over.

Rising to her feet, she walked over to Li Hong's body, gently stroked his cheek, and let fresh tears fall from her eyes.

...

The Crown Prince had passed away, and the Emperor had collapsed!

Such a monumental crisis could not possibly be concealed and quickly reached the households of most high-ranking officials.

Upon hearing the news, ministers of Chancellor rank were stunned before hurrying straight to the palace gates to await an audience.

The initial chaos inside the courtyard had quickly subsided under Li Yuechen's brisk administration. The two imperial princesses kept watch by Li Zhi's couch, while Wu Zetian knelt beside her son's corpse, weeping silently.

Pei Qingwan did likewise, clutching the Crown Prince's lifeless hand and weeping without sound.

At that moment, a junior eunuch hurried inside and whispered something to Zhang Chenxin. The head eunuch fell silent for two swift seconds before stepping briskly to Wu Zetian's side, murmuring, "Empress, numerous ministers are waiting outside the palace gates."

Wu Zetian acted as though she had heard nothing, offering no response as she continued to weep over her son's body.

Zhang Chenxin did not press further, simply standing quietly by her side.

Red-eyed, Li Yuechen stepped forward and spoke, "Tell them to go back and wait! They will be notified if there is any news!"

Hearing the Princess issue a direct command, Zhang Chenxin looked slightly startled. But glancing at Wu Zetian's desolate state, he finally bowed deeply and said, "As you command!"

Li Yuechen walked to her mother's side, gently pulled her up, and wrapped her arms around her in an embrace. "Mother should return to look after Father. Father is in a fragile state right now; you must not let grief overcome you!"

Soothed by her daughter's words, Wu Zetian wiped her tears. "But Hong'er..."

"Rest assured, Mother, I am handling everything here!" Li Yuechen patted her back softly, offering a steadfast and reassuring presence.

Gazing into her daughter's bloodshot eyes, Wu Zetian gently reached out to stroke her cheek, finally nodding in acquiescence to her advice.

"Someone come! Prepare the carriage and escort His Majesty back to Yanying Hall!"

"As you command!"

Wu Zetian wiped away her remaining tears, looked at her daughter, and managed a forced, bitter smile of gratitude. "My child has grown up."

Li Yuechen grasped her mother's hand and nodded. "Mother, just focus on taking care of Father and worry about nothing else. Once the mourning hall is set up, I will remain here to keep watch over Eldest Brother."

Li Zhi was carefully lifted onto a carriage and transported back to Yanying Hall, accompanied by Wu Zetian.

Once they had departed, Li Yuechen looked at her remaining brothers and sisters, turned her gaze, and called out, "Lü Sheng!"

"This servant is here!" Lü Sheng stepped forward, wiping his tears.

"The weather is growing increasingly warm; we cannot keep the body for long. By tomorrow at the latest, the coffin must be prepared."

"Understood!" Lü Sheng acknowledged the order, wiped his tears, and hurried off to execute it.

Li Yuechen then motioned to Fulai. "Pass down the word: the mourning hall must be fully erected before sunset."

"Understood!"

After Fulai departed, Li Yuechen turned to her two elder sisters. "Tonight, both of you shall stay here with me. We must help look after our sister-in-law; I fear she may collapse from grief."

"Very well!" the two princesses agreed in unison.

Nearby, Li Xian was still weeping. "Yuechen, what tasks should the rest of us perform?"

"My brothers must get some proper rest tonight. From here on out, we shall take turns keeping vigil by Eldest Brother's side!" Li Yuechen arranged firmly.