The sutras transcribed by Princess Changning were at the very top of the stack. One could see them as soon as the large brocade box was opened.
In the past, items sent into the palace were strictly prohibited from being scented with incense or mixed with spices to avoid violating taboos or allowing someone to slip in poison. However, as soon as this box was opened today, a distinct fragrance wafted out.
The scent was a common one the incense the Empress Dowager always used for her clothes. Not only did the eunuch attendants recognize it, but the Emperor himself could smell it immediately.
Because of this, the Emperor's expression turned peculiar.
Wasn't this a case of "the more one tries to hide, the more one is revealed"? Fearing he might overthink things, someone had borrowed incense from the Empress Dowager to scent these scriptures! If they had simply left them alone, it might have been fine, but by doing this, weren't they practically telling him that these sutras truly did once carry a foul odor?
It was originally a small matter; everyone knew that aside from that lady who had lost her composure, the other transcriptions were likely fine. But this superfluous act of scenting them instead made it seem as though every single sheet had been tainted by the smell.
If it were anything else, it might have passed, but these were meant for the Grand Emperor's blessings and were to be placed before his funeral altar. It made the gesture seem... undignified.
Princess Changning had been educated by the royal family, and her handwriting was usually quite decent proper and neat. The Emperor swept his gaze over her work.
"Changning's writing shows more agitation than usual," the Emperor commented fairly, retracting his silent praise from a moment before. Her work was usually quite good, but his
eyes caught several characters where the brushwork was so forceful it had bled through the paper. The final strokes of many characters were poorly restrained, either jutting out like a stray foot or bending like a crooked elbow. The overall appearance lacked its usual symmetry.
The eunuch attendant sighed inwardly. He understood the reason. He had heard that Princess Changning had been quite infuriated yesterday. Transcription should be performed with a peaceful heart and a calm mind; how could one write well with a heart full of accumulated rage?
The eunuch turned to the next sheet. "Your Majesty, this was written by Miss Shen."
The Emperor looked again. Minister Shen's daughter was famous in the capital for her beauty and talent. Her calligraphy had been praised by many masters and was naturally far superior to Princess Changning's.
A single glance proved that her writing was a joy to behold, even without reading the content. Looking at her transcription of the Ksitigarbha Sutra even brought a sense of peace to one's heart.
Continuing down the stack, the others were also quite good. The girls had used the Zanhua Xiaokai style; their writing reflected their personalities bright, youthful, and elegant.
"They are all sincere children."
The Emperor had no intention of truly remaining angry over such a trivial incident.
"Your Majesty, the young ladies surely wished to share your burden and show their filial piety. The Grand Emperor was very fond of Princess Changning when he was alive, and the Princess is simply doing her best to repay that kindness," the eunuch added, his hand brushing against a silver note the Grand Princess had slipped him earlier.
The Emperor nodded. "Indeed, Changning has a good heart. Very well, send these sutras to the Grand Emperor's funeral hall..."
"Your Majesty, Prince Jin has arrived."
"What is he doing here?" The Emperor frowned.
"Imperial Brother." Prince Jin walked in without waiting to be announced. However, the Emperor's sharp eyes noticed that as the Prince stepped over the threshold, his foot seemed weak, and he even reached out to steady himself against the doorframe.
The Emperor's heart skipped a beat.
For years, Prince Jin had been traveling to seek treatment for a strange illness. Every time the Grand Emperor mentioned him, he would sigh, his face filled with worry even when he remained silent.
The Emperor knew that Prince Jin's health was definitely not improving! Yet, since his return to the capital, he hadn't seen anything amiss. The Emperor had been trying to find a lead, and now he had finally caught a glimpse!
There was definitely something wrong with Prince Jin's legs. He hadn't knelt once these past few days; he just sat! When asked, he claimed the Grand Emperor spoiled him and wouldn't want him to kneel. Now it seemed he simply couldn't kneel!
The Emperor suddenly felt invigorated.
"A-Yue, you've worked hard these few days. Are you heading back to your manor to rest? Let me summon an imperial physician to check on you. Our father was always most concerned about you; if you were to fall ill, his spirit would not find peace."
Coincidentally, two years ago, the Emperor had promoted an exceptionally skilled imperial physician named Tan Liang. He had originally been an ordinary doctor in a provincial clinic. Word was that he had a fortuitous encounter while gathering herbs on a mountain,
discovering several medical journals. After studying them, his skills improved miraculously, and his fame eventually brought him to the capital. The Second Prince had introduced him to the palace, and after his background was cleared, he joined the Imperial Academy of Medicine.
Over the past two years, Tan Liang's skill had been obvious to all. The Emperor even felt that Tan Liang's expertise was nearing that of Elder Fu.
Elder Fu was old and had already retired. Even the Grand Emperor had given him face, and the Fu family hall still hung a large scroll written by the Grand Emperor's own hand. Thus, the Emperor couldn't force Elder Fu to do anything he was unwilling to do.
For instance, whenever the Emperor asked Elder Fu to thoroughly investigate Zhou Shiyue's condition, the old man would always give vague, non-committal answers.
The Emperor had long been dissatisfied with this. Fortunately, he now had Tan Liang. Having Tan Liang conduct an examination would be for the best!
Prince Jin looked at the Emperor. His Imperial Brother looked truly sincere right now, his face overflowing with concern.
"Whether he is at peace or not, he is already gone," Prince Jin replied flatly.
He completely disregarded the usual social cues, leaving the Emperor almost unable to respond.
"When our father was young, he personally led troops into battle. He was severely injured then, which left him with chronic ailments. Years ago, Elder Fu said those old wounds shortened father's life. It was unavoidable." The Emperor sighed.
"So, when one is young and has health issues, one must not avoid treatment. You must have yourself checked thoroughly and take care of your body. There is a Physician Tan in the palace now whose skills are not inferior to Elder Fu's. I will have him come over to see you."
"No need."
Prince Jin rejected the offer directly. He looked at the stack of sutras, stepped forward, and placed the one in his hand before the Emperor.
"What is this for?" The Emperor was stunned.
"This copy was transcribed by the Princess Consort. Since she has finished it, and you've seen everyone else's, you might as well take a look at hers too."
Though Prince Jin didn't quite understand Lu Zhaoling's intentions, since she wanted the Emperor to see it, he would be direct and slap it onto the imperial desk. The Emperor had to look, whether he wanted to or not.
Even Lu Zhaoling hadn't expected Prince Jin to be so blunt and aggressive.
The Emperor instinctively looked down at the transcription. Prince Jin watched him closely. He wanted to see if the Emperor could perceive the Hidden Talisman beneath the text. He had tested it; no one else could see it but him.
As the Emperor's eyes fell upon the scripture, a sudden wind rushed through the doors, causing a corner of the paper on the desk to flutter.
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