The Sickly Emperor Is Only Immune to Me

Chapter 56: Chapter 056 Vulnerable Point

Sang Yan: “…”

Alright then.

The Emperor gives one sweet nothing each day.

She had become numb, “Your Majesty should just focus on copying Buddhist Scriptures.”

Hoping that the Buddhist concept of ’emptiness’ might cure his lovesickness.

Sang Yan took her leave and went to the Cold Palace.

She was worried about Consort Xuan’s health and wanted to visit her.

No one stopped her.

But a lot of guards followed.

Sang Yan ignored them, and after entering, she had Qiuzhi and Little Guizi attend close by, while the rest of the guards stayed outside.

“Lord Sang has arrived.”

Yun Qiao saw her, smiled, and paid respects, then reported Consort Xuan’s condition, “Her Ladyship just took her medicine and is asleep. Should I wake her?”

Sang Yan waved her off and spoke in a hushed voice, “There’s no need. I can sit and wait awhile.”

However, Consort Xuan wasn’t sleeping deeply and had already heard some noise, “Yun Qiao, who has come? Is it Miss Sang?”

Yun Qiao went to reply, “Yes, it is. My Lady, Lord Sang has come to see you.”

It was then that Sang Yan entered the bedroom.

Consort Xuan, propped up by Yun Qiao, looked wan but still managed a smile, “You’ve come.”

There was an oddly familiar feeling to that statement.

Was it because she bore a resemblance to her best friend?

Sang Yan wanted to be close to her and said with a smile, “Yes, I have. How are you today?”

Consort Xuan replied, “Much better, but I’m still weak. Cough cough cough—”

Seeing her still coughing severely, Sang Yan spoke to Yun Qiao, “Ask the Imperial Kitchen to make her some candied pear. It soothes the throat and nourishes the lungs.”

Yun Qiao promptly agreed, “Thank you, Lord Sang. I will go now.”

She left in a hurry.

Sang Yan found a seat, sat down, and didn’t speak.

One reason was not knowing what to say, and the other, as a salted fish for too long, she had become somewhat socially anxious.

Consort Xuan, however, was more talkative and initiated a conversation, “You really are different from the others.”

Sang Yan didn’t understand her meaning, so she asked, “How so?”

Consort Xuan explained with a smile, “You are deeply favored by the Emperor, yet you don’t act arrogant or indulgent, maintaining your initial sincerity. That is indeed rare in the Imperial Palace. Presumably, that is also why the Emperor favors you exclusively.”

Sang Yan: “…”

Is that so?

Actually, she had no clue why the Emperor liked her.

She felt that she was sensitive, melancholic, timid, lacking a sense of security, and apart from the original host’s face, she really had no charming qualities.

And these feelings, it seemed, now had someone to share with.

“I’ve always been self-aware.”

Back in her original world, she was just an ordinary office worker, average looking, with average talent, unloved by others and not loving anyone else. Everyday life was busy enough without having to worry about these things.

Thus, suddenly thrown into this world with the Emperor’s affection, she was truly anxious.

Like a pie falling from the sky, her first reaction wasn’t to catch it, but to dodge quickly.

After all, she lacked the confidence to catch this pie, much less to keep it.

“You are right, it’s valuable to have self-awareness. If I had understood this back then, I wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.”

Consort Xuan laughed at herself, but then said, “Yet, if I truly had the Emperor’s favor, I wouldn’t care about that at all. Life is so short, naturally, I would do what makes me happy.”

Sang Yan had no comment. @@novelbin@@

Having been an office worker for long, she really couldn’t indulge in reckless spending or pleasure.

Consort Xuan continued, “You are my savior, and I have no way to repay you. The only thing I can do is to share with you a philosophy I stumbled upon in the Cold Palace.”

Sang Yan cooperatively asked, “What is it?”

Consort Xuan coughed a few times and said with a smile, “It’s not really a philosophy, just a personal feeling. I think that fame and fortune are like passing clouds, and freedom is the most precious. Of course, this freedom—cough cough cough—is not the freedom of the body, but the freedom of the heart.”

Sang Yan listened and thought, suddenly realizing that all along, she had been pursuing physical freedom, but had forgotten about the freedom of the heart.

“Heart free, the world is wide.”

“Many times, if you do not seek trouble, no one can trouble you.”

“All is a cultivation of the mind.”

Noble Consort Xuan was still sharing her feelings.

Having lived in the Cold Palace for so many years and yet remaining so lucid, it was evident that her inner strength and cultivation were formidable.

Sang Yan admired such women of inner strength.

And interactions with such women were always beneficial.

“You make a good point.”

She sincerely accepted the advice, “My heart is not free at all. I still like to seek trouble for myself. I always overthink, not wanting others to be burdened because of me.”

Noble Consort Xuan nodded in understanding, “Being kind is not wrong, but being overly kind is foolishness. Everyone has their limits. Do not take on everything yourself. Do your best, then leave the rest to fate, without resentment or complaint.”

Sang Yan contemplated her words, nodding from time to time.

The two chatted idly for an entire morning.

Upon leaving, Sang Yan looked around, her gaze swept over the dim, oppressive environment, and the shabby décor, and she couldn’t help but take on another concern—after all, the Cold Palace was no place for recuperation.

So, she went to find the Emperor at Qingning Palace.

Qingning Palace main hall

He Ying was still copying Buddhist Scriptures.

For the entire morning.

Not only were his wrists sore, but his neck was also aching.

He then asked Pei Muyang to massage his shoulders for him.

“Why does the Emperor bother to do it himself?”

Pei Muyang showed an expression of deep concern as he massaged and patted the Emperor’s back while persuading him, “In the past, when He Taizu claimed the throne, he visited Long Chan Temple to pay homage. The abbot there asked Taizu to kneel. How majestic was Taizu? You are the present Buddha, how could the present Buddha kneel to the past Buddha?”

He Ying knew about this piece of ancestral history too.

His visit to Long Chan Temple might well have been with the intention of emulating his ancestor.

But—

“Although I am the present Buddha, regrettably, the present Buddha has a weakness now and can only kneel.”

“The Emperor is as romantic as Taizu.”

Pei Muyang wanted to say even more—that the He Royal Family had a penchant for falling in love!

He Ying withdrew his hand and rested his forehead, his gaze momentarily vacant, “Pei Muyang, do you think it is better for a person to be emotive or unemotive?”

Pei Muyang didn’t dare to answer.

This person, he was certainly referring to the Emperor!

He Ying seemed not to need his reply, musing to himself, “I feel like I am no longer like myself. Perhaps, as a peaceful ruler for too long, it’s inevitable to develop affections.”

Deep in his heart, the ambition to conquer the world burned bright.

He had always felt truly alive only on the battlefield.

Yet his fondness for Sang Yan seemed to evoke a similar sentiment.

He showed restraint in his aggression, cautious and deliberate in his conquest, his claim.

She was his most beautiful city, once seized, a lifelong glory.

“Emperor, Lord Sang has arrived—”

The little eunuch hurriedly came in with the message.

He Ying felt as if whatever he was thinking about would come to pass; in a good mood, he smiled as he looked towards the entrance—

Sang Yan approached in a hurry.

She wore a hibiscus-colored palace dress with elegant tassels at her waist. As she walked, her dress trailed on the ground, rolling with each step like ripples on water.

“Be careful. Watch out for a fall.”

He really was endlessly concerned for her.

“What’s the matter? Why such haste?”

He asked as he stood and went to greet her.

Sang Yan caught her breath and shook her head, “It’s nothing major, just that Noble Consort Xuan—Emperor, let her out of the Cold Palace.”

She merely felt that the desolation of the Cold Palace was unsuitable for recuperation, and that Noble Consort Xuan deserved a better place to live.

But He Ying misunderstood.

His expression changed on the spot, “Are you trying to push another woman towards me again?”