The court officials noticed that the Emperor seemed somewhat out of sorts today. In the past, he had always been earnest and attentive during morning audiences. His commitment to governing diligently was evident from his decision to hold discussions of state affairs at the Gate of Imperial Purity every single day, rather than on an occasional basis.
Yet today, the Emperor’s mind was clearly elsewhere. Just after Minister Sonin finished presenting his report, he paused for quite some time before responding, and his reply was even somewhat irrelevant and off-topic.
Realizing that the Emperor was not in a state of mind to deal with matters of state thoroughly today, some officials set aside reports on less urgent matters, deciding to present them the next day instead. They knew that if they submitted their reports now, the Emperor would likely not pay proper attention, and he might well question them later about details he had missed—an outcome that would certainly work to their disadvantage.
Once Kangxi had heard all the routine reports, he gave a subtle signal to Liang Jiagong.
“Let all who have matters to present speak now; those who do not may withdraw…”
With these words, Kangxi rose from the Dragon Throne. When he had left to attend the audience, Yiqing had still been running a fever, and nearly half an hour had passed since then—he could not help but wonder if her condition had improved or remained unchanged.
Prince Gong watched his brother depart, feeling somewhat perplexed. He had never seen the Emperor in such a hurry on ordinary days, and he could not fathom what urgent matter had prompted this unusual behavior.
When Kangxi returned from the Gate of Imperial Purity to the side hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, he found Empress Hešeri already there.
Naturally, word that the imperial physicians had been summoned in the middle of the night had reached the Empress. When she had inquired further and learned that Yiqing had fallen ill, she had become even more anxious. She had come as soon as day broke and had already been tending to the child for some time.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty.”
Seeing Kangxi return, Empress Hešeri immediately stepped forward to offer her formal greeting.
Kangxi personally helped her to her feet and asked, “Why have you come here?”
“I heard that Yiqing is unwell,” Empress Hešeri replied, her eyes turning toward Yiqing, who was still fast asleep, her expression filled with tenderness and concern. “I thought I would come to see how she is. It might be best to take her to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility to recover for a few days, and then return her to the Palace of Compassion and Peace once she has regained her strength. The Empress Dowager is advanced in years, and if she were to catch the illness from the child, it would be most unfortunate to have both of them unwell at the same time.”
Kangxi shook his head. “She should remain here to recover. The imperial physician has already examined her and confirmed that it is nothing more than a common chill. With two courses of medicine and proper rest, she will soon be well again.”
“But,” Empress Hešeri hesitated, “what if Your Majesty were to catch the illness from her as well?”
“There is no need to worry,” Kangxi said with a smile. “I have practiced martial arts since childhood, and my constitution is far stronger than most. Besides, how could such a small child possibly pass on an illness to me?”
Seeing that Empress Hešeri still appeared hesitant and seemed about to speak again in an attempt to persuade him otherwise, Kangxi spoke in a firm and decisive tone. “This matter is settled. It is good that you have come. After I have checked on Yiqing, I must return to attend to official business. I will leave the child in your care. You are far more attentive and careful than the nurses, and I shall feel much more at ease knowing she is in your hands.”
Hearing his words, Empress Hešeri could only nod her head in agreement.
Kangxi walked over to the bed and looked down at the child, whose cheeks still bore the flush of fever. He reached out and touched her forehead, finding that her temperature did not feel as high as it had before he had left for the audience. Turning to Zhang Huazhi, he asked, “Is the princess feeling any better?”
Zhang Huazhi’s mouth twitched slightly. The Emperor had been gone for less than an hour—there was no illness that could be cured so quickly. The medicine had only just been prepared, and was still being cooled down; it had not even been administered yet.
“Your Majesty, we will not know how she is progressing until she has taken the medicine.”
Kangxi frowned. “Has the medicine not been prepared yet?”
“It has already been prepared. The nurses are fanning it outside to help it cool down more quickly.”
Just at that moment, Nurse Zhao entered the room carrying a bowl of medicine.
“It is time to wake the princess so she can take her medicine. She will recover much faster once she has taken it.”
Nurse Zhang leaned close to Yiqing’s ear and called her name gently several times, giving her a soft shake. Yiqing stirred and opened her eyes, looking around in confusion. She could still feel discomfort throughout her body.
“Princess, wake up and take your medicine now,” Nurse Zhang said in a soft, soothing voice.
Empress Hešeri took the bowl of medicine from Nurse Zhao’s hands. “Allow me to feed her.”
As Nurse Zhang held Yiqing securely, Empress Hešeri carefully scooped up a spoonful of the medicinal liquid, blew on it gently to cool it further, and then brought it to Yiqing’s lips.
The medicine tasted terrible. Yiqing had always believed that traditional Chinese medicine was merely bitter, but this experience had completely changed her understanding. This concoction was not only bitter, but also astringent and even slightly sour. The moment the liquid touched her tongue, despite her best efforts to endure it, she could not help but retch and spit it out immediately.
It was common for children to cry and make a fuss when taking medicine, but if they refused to swallow it at all, the treatment could not proceed.
After feeding Yiqing two spoonfuls, both of which were promptly brought back up, Empress Hešeri grew increasingly anxious.
It was not that Yiqing was being deliberately difficult; the taste of the medicine seemed to trigger an automatic physical reaction of revulsion, and she could not stop herself from vomiting no matter how hard she tried.
Kangxi too frowned deeply, his heart filled with worry. “The child is already unwell; all this crying and distress will only make her feel worse.”
After a short while, Yiqing grew accustomed to the taste. Though she still felt the urge to retch, she managed to control herself and keep the medicine down. Seeing that the child was now able to swallow properly, Empress Hešeri fed the remaining medicine as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Fortunately, the dosage for a young child was very small, and it took only seven or eight spoonfuls to complete the dose.
The whole process was exhausting for everyone involved. Empress Hešeri, who had fed the medicine, and Nurse Zhang, who had held the child, were both soaked with sweat from the effort and tension. Even Kangxi, Nurse Zhao, and Zhang Huazhi, who had merely stood by and watched, found themselves sweating profusely.
Once the medicine had been taken, Yiqing was allowed to return to sleep. Nurse Zhang wiped away every trace of the medicinal liquid from Yiqing’s face with a soft cloth, then tucked her back carefully beneath the covers.
Empress Hešeri sat beside the bed to keep the child company, while Kangxi went to his study to continue reviewing official documents.
Zhang Huazhi was taken to another side hall to wait. Kangxi had given strict orders that he was not to return to the Imperial Medical Office until Yiqing’s fever had completely subsided. He was to remain there on standby throughout this time, ready to be summoned immediately should any changes occur in the child’s condition.
With his daughter lying ill in the side hall, Kangxi found it impossible to focus properly on his work. Every half hour or so, he would feel compelled to come and check on her, to see if her fever had eased, to see if she was awake, or if she might be feeling hungry.
By the time the hour of the Sheep arrived, Liang Jiagong noticed that neither the Emperor nor the Empress had given orders for their meals, and he stepped forward carefully to make a reminder.
“Your Majesty, Your Imperial Highness, it is time for the evening meal.”
In the imperial household, there were generally only two formal meals each day—breakfast at the hour of the Dragon and dinner at the hour of the Sheep. Smaller snacks and refreshments could be taken between these meals as needed, depending entirely on when their masters felt hungry or wished to eat.
The Emperor had already missed his breakfast, and now that the time for the evening meal had arrived and he still showed no sign of requesting food, Liang Jiagong felt he had no choice but to speak up. If the Emperor were to fall ill due to neglecting his health, those who served him personally would surely be held responsible and punished.
Kangxi had originally had no appetite and intended to skip the meal, but when he turned and looked at Empress Hešeri, he changed his mind. “Let the meal be served. The Empress should also come and eat something. She will need her strength to care for the child properly.”
Empress Hešeri nodded gently. Her lips were somewhat pale, for she had rushed to the palace as soon as she had heard the news early that morning and had not taken even a sip of water since her arrival. She had not felt any need for food or drink until now, but hearing Liang Jiagong’s words, she suddenly realized that she was indeed feeling hungry.