The Little Consort's
Eps. 83: Too Long to Go

A month had already passed in Dongling Kingdom. Autumn has come, peach petals have fallen to earth. The same peach petals also fell on the courtyard of Xingyue Palace. The beautiful peach that had always been Li Anlan's favorite spot whenever relaxing and contemplating, now moltted the leaves. Unfortunately, the owner could not watch every moment of the fall of the petals and leaves.

The Taoist physician Zhun many times said that the hope of survival for the Noble Empress was very small. This one month that passed was passed by heavily and dramatically. The woman's body temperature is often variable, her body condition is also often decreased drastically. It could be said that the Grand Empress had vegetative states many times and lost her breath and heartbeat.

Despite that, Long Ji Man would not give up. He believes that hope, though small, remains a hope that must shine. Li Anlan must have survived. Long Ji Man had always held high confidence that the woman would wake up one day.

Now, the woman's body had even been placed on a large ice cube. The extremely small and weak pulse allowed the woman's body to become a dead body that could decay at any moment. In order to prevent all that, Long Ji Man ordered all of his subordinates to bring along a large block of ice so that the body of his Royal Empress remained intact.

Every day, every day after working in the court at Taiji Palace, Long Ji Man spent his time accompanying Li Anlan at Xingyue Palace. Long Ji Man asked him to tell a lot of things, even though there was no answer or just a blink of the eye as a form of response from the person being spoken to. It was fine, even if he spoke to himself, he was sure that in the subconscious there, Li Anlan heard his voice and heard the entire story.

The five concubines who were arrested at the Harem Palace were executed. They were punished for poisoning the Grand Empress on purpose in order to bring her harm. The families of the concubines asked His Majesty the King for forgiveness, but the law remains the law. Moreover, harming the Royal Empress was an offense whose law was the same as rebellion. There is no amnesty for this punishment. Whoever it is and whatever his position, all will be punished in accordance with the decree issued by Long Ji Man when Li Anlan was newly appointed as Grand Empress.

Regarding the execution, Long Ji Man also told Li Anlan. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he said that those who had evil intentions towards him had partially responded. He also said that Li Anlan should not be angry if he takes a very long time to find and punish the real culprit.

It is not uncommon to cry alone at night. Long Ji Man missed Li Anlan very much. The man longs for his voice, misses his laughter, misses the mess he makes, longs for the sometimes endless debate, Long Ji Man longs for everything she has in him. She misses. Missed him terribly.

“Huang An, you will continue to fall asleep?”

Long Ji Man rubbed Li Anlan's cheek with the back of his hand. The cheeks that were usually colored were now so pias like they were bloodless.

“You know? You haven't done a job for a month. Didn't you break our agreement? In that case, I'll cut your salary.”

“No, I was just kidding. I'm not gonna cut your pay 'cause you're sick. You said, I should be a kind-hearted boss, who doesn't count too much with his employees.”

“Huang An, I told you that you can't disappear from my sight. Why did you break it? You know the punishment of breaking a King's orders?”

Long Ji Man looked down for a moment. The man's tears fell.

“See, it's autumn. Li Huang An, you can't be too long gone.”

From a distance, on the threshold of the entrance of Xingyue Palace, Empress Dowager Han Yuemei and Xiao Biqi stood up as they looked at Long Ji Man dejectedly. It was really painful to see these two special people in Dongling Kingdom like that. It was heartbreaking to see a king sitting by the bed crying in front of his wife who had been ill for so long.

Slowly, Empress Dowager Han Yuemei's tears also dripped. His son had grown up, had already become a great king, but could not find the happiness of a woman. Li Anlan, who had given color to her son's life, was lying helpless even before his beloved son expressed all his feelings. A mother's heart, however strong, will still be fragile when her son is sad and weeping bitterly.

“Your Highness, you'd better take a break. Servants will look after His Majesty the King here,” Xiao Biqi said.

“What Man’er really likes Grand Empress Nobles?”

“Hamba did not dare to answer him, Your Majesty.”

“My daughter is not okay. My son got hurt. Biqi, tell me, what should I do now?”

“Your Majesty, I dare not guess, I am very stupid and know nothing.”

“Why did the Grand Empress fall asleep for so long? Didn't she see that my son was so worried about her?”

“Your Majesty, I am sure that Lady Huang also heard His Majesty's cry in her subconscious.”

Empress Dowager Han Yuemei turned around. He's going back to the Harem Palace. He was really not strong anymore to continuously watch his favorite son cry over the Noble Empress. Just as he was stepping his feet, he suddenly heard the voice of his son shouting very loudly calling people from behind.

Empress Dowager Han Yuemei paused her steps again. He turned back. There, on the ice bed, Long Ji Man continued to shout calling out to people while tightly holding onto Li Anlan's hand. His face was panicked. Empress Dowager Han Yuemei immediately approached them with quick steps.

“Man’er, what's up? Why are you yelling?”

“Delay, Huang An's breath disappears again!”

“What? Quick, call the healer!”

“Wait for what else? Quickly bring Tao Zhun here!”

Xiao Biqi and the two eunuchs of Xingyue Palace ran to the Royal Medicine Hall. By the time they arrived, the lights there had already gone out. Without waiting for anything, Xiao Biqi immediately shouted as he banged on the door of the Royal Medicine Hall loudly. The two eunuchs who followed him also did the same.

Fortunately, one of the workers of the Royal Medicine Hall was still awake. That person instantly woke Tao Zhun up. Hearing his name being summoned to Xingyue Palace, Tao Zhun instantly came to a realization. His eyes were wide open. He was really awake.

“What's so bad, Physician Tao?”

“Something must have happened to the Grand Empress!”

Together with Xiao Biqi and the other two eunuchs, Tao Zhun ran from the Royal Medicine Hall towards Xingyue Palace. He's racing against time. Something bad must have happened to the Noble Empress. Falling into a vegetative state many times, experiencing a decrease in condition many times, if handled too late, perhaps the life of the Grand Empress would not be saved!

The four people ran over the bridge of Lake Houchi. Not too long later, the gate of Xingyue Palace was already in sight. Tao Zhun ran the fastest. He preceded Xiao Biqi and the other two eunuchs. Tao Zhun directly entered into Xingyue Palace as the door was wide open.

“Hamba is here, Your Majesty,” he said with a gasp of breath.

Long Ji Man and Empress Dowager Han Yuemei turned their heads.

“Quick!”

“Good, Your Highness.”

Tao Zhun started to inspect Li Anlan. The breath of this woman does not exist. Tao Zhun grabbed Li Anlan's wrist, then pressed down on it. His pulse was also not felt. The woman's face was very pias. Her lips, which were usually pink and fresh, were now blue.

Tao Zhun checked once more. The result remains the same. He then pressed down on the acupoints on Li Anlan's body, hoping that his pulse and breathing could return even if they were slow and small. Unfortunately, even though it had been a while, both his pulse and his breath, both of them did not return.

The young physician took a long breath. He's down.

“How is it?” ask Long Ji Man.

“Really, how is my daughter-in-law? She's okay isn't she?”

“Sorry, Your Majesty,” Tao Zhun said softly.

“Why are you sorry? Quickly say it clearly!” long Ji Man shouted half a snarl.

“Pe..Empress Nobles...It's gone..”.

Bak was struck by lightning, the bodies of Long Ji Man and Empress Dowager Han Yuemei collapsed. His strength seemed to have gone unceasingly. Long Ji Man stared blankly at the direction where Li Anlan was lying. His whole body suddenly shook. What did this doctor just say? Li Anlan is gone? To where? Where did the soul of the woman go now?

Xiao Biqi, the two eunuchs, Wang Tianshi, the Queen Mother's personal servant, Xie Roulan, and the two additional maids from the Harem Palace instantly kneeled. Other than Xie Roulan, those people changed their body positions to prostrate. They're crying. Their tears fell down the floor of Xingyue Palace.

“You're kidding? Huang An is not dead, he is just asleep!”

“Your Majesty, forgive this helpless servant,” shriek Tao Zhun.

“Cannot be!”

Long Ji Man grabbed Li Anlan's wrist, then placed it on his cheek. Long Ji Man shook his head violently. Nope, no! Li Anlan is still alive. He's just asleep. Tao Zhun must have lost his ability from running too far from the Royal Medicine Hall to Xingyue Palace. The stupid physician must be mistaken! He must have made a mistake!

“Mrs...My Nyonyaku is still alive! Physician Tao, you must have mischecked!” exclaim Xie Roulan while crying.

Long Ji Man did not believe it. Li Anlan is fine. That woman will not die so soon! There must be a misunderstanding here!

However, no matter how many times Tao Zhun was asked to re-examine, the results remained the same. The woman was dead, already lifeless, already losing her breath and pulse. Even asking the legendary greatest healer in the world to examine it, the results would still be the same. They will agree on the conclusion: that the Noble Empress is dead!

Long Ji Man started crying again. Is this woman really dead? Is it really over?

He failed to keep his wife alive. Long Ji Man had already failed to become a husband. As a king, he could not defend the life of his Royal Empress. The night sky in Dongling Kingdom became extremely dense. The sound of thunder suddenly sounded thunderous. Lightning in the sky began to be seen. The wind is blowing hard. The water in Houchi Lake surged, some of which had already passed through the walls and fortifications.

Nature changes too suddenly. The air temperature becomes very cold. The people of Dongling Kingdom who were still awake wondered what was going on. Nature is suddenly like wrath. But the so-called wrath is actually a form of heartache incarnated from the heart of a king, a queen mother, and those closest to the royal family. Inside the palace there, in a corner near the legendary Houchi Lake, a special woman had just been declared gone for all eternity!

“No! Huang An, you can't go!”

...***...

Note: Author wrote this episode:(