Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part V - Mistress of Hidden Night City: 86. Eagle on the Move

The Seventh Prince felt like his head and heart had both been pulled into the pit of his stomach.

What he had feared had come sooner than expected and caught between anxiety for his wife and fear for his father, he ground his teeth in frustration.

It's coming at us from all sides...

Opposite him, Zhao Ling Ye took a deep breath, and closed his eyes to focus himself. He had been prepared for this eventuality and now that it had arrived, it was time to fulfill his duty as the master of Hidden Night City.

Opening his eyes, Zhao Ling Ye smoothed his expression and then calmly turned to the panting guard and thereafter to his brother with: "I'll get Yang Ming Xi to go first. Zhao Ling Xian, wait a moment, I have things I need to say to you..."

Yang Ming Xi was quickly called out and he hurried away with the guard looking harried. Zhao Ling Xian crossed his arms and waited until his older brother turned his attention back to him.

"Before you go to Father Emperor, come with me..."

***

When Cui Xi woke, she was lying in her own bed in her own Kingfisher courtyard.

"A'Xian," she said, immediately reaching for him, but he gently pushed her back down onto the bed, his expression unreadable.

"Rest...the Frost Bone powder is resolved. Though I was worried, Doctor Yang says your body is fine. I'm surprised because of how much pain you were in, but you don't look too bad now."

She shook her head.

"No, I also feel like I'm fine. What happened after...?"

He was turned slightly so that his back was to her and didn't say anything for a moment.

"A'Xian?" she asked tentatively, concern flaring through her.

"Father Emperor collapsed. Yang Ming Xi says that his heart pain was aggravated by the events of the banquet."

A heart condition...that's right. In a place like this, with such primitive medical technology...

"A'Xian, is he alright?" Cui Xi asked, pulling herself back up and putting a hand on his arm. He flinched when she touched him, but he didn't try to brush her off. She frowned, feeling like something was off about the way he was acting.

"For now, he's fine," the Seventh Prince said in an even tone. "Yang Ming Xi said that it turned out better than he expected. On the other hand, An He was terrified. According to him, Father Emperor's face turned purple and he couldn't speak, and then he fell forward, gripping his chest like he was choking and couldn't breathe."

KYAAH...it sounds like a heart attack.