Chapter 1543: Chapter 1543: Dreams and Disquiet

Zhou Shuren anxiously sat in the carriage headed to the palace, with Eunuch Zhang silent throughout the journey. This was not the time to leak information.

Zhou Shuren didn’t ask either, closing his eyes, contemplating all possibilities and organizing his words to respond to whatever the Retired Emperor might say.

Arriving at the palace gates, Zhou Shuren found himself alone. Being treated specially in this way didn’t make him happy; he would rather not have this honor!

He went all the way to the Retired Emperor’s sleeping quarters, where he saw Prince Qi and others kneeling, with the Crown Prince at the front.

Zhou Shuren, “…”

Don’t scare him like this. Could it be someone has already passed?

Fortunately, as he entered the sleeping quarters, the Retired Emperor was leaning against a cushion, the Emperor sitting by the bedside, and on the other side was the Empress Dowager, her eyes red, not knowing how many tears she had shed.

Zhou Shuren quickly paid his respects, “Greetings to the Retired Emperor, greetings to the Emperor.”

The Retired Emperor raised his hand, “Rise.”

Zhou Shuren didn’t inspect the Retired Emperor’s complexion closely, just glanced at it. The gray face wasn’t a good sign. After being granted a seat, Zhou Shuren sat carefully, noticing he was very close to the bed.

The Retired Emperor coughed once, the Emperor hurriedly offered water, and after the Retired Emperor moistened his throat, he spoke, “Shuren, my health is failing.”

Zhou Shuren, “…”

How to respond to that!

The Emperor replied, “Father, you will recover, nothing will happen to you.”

The Retired Emperor raised his hand, “Recently, with my severe illness, I’ve been in a state of muddled sleep, having numerous dreams. The dreams felt too real, real enough that I was desperate to wake up.”

Zhou Shuren’s heart skipped a beat, clearly indicating how significant a blow the dreams were to the Retired Emperor, given he didn’t even refer to himself as ‘We’, just ‘I’. “Dreams are often the opposite of reality.”

The Retired Emperor said nothing, his eyes fixing intently on Zhou Shuren. Already severely ill, the person appeared quite somber, and staring intensely was quite intimidating.

The Emperor froze, glancing at Zhou Shuren once more, quietly saying, “Father.”

The Retired Emperor withdrew his gaze, and Zhou Shuren felt a cold sweat on his back.

The Retired Emperor paused, then spoke, “In my dreams, Shuren wasn’t there. In my dreams, I passed away early, yet I still dreamt of the Emperor’s reign.”

Zhou Shuren, “…”

Silence is golden, silence is indeed appropriate, but must it be so frightening.

The Emperor, with a furrowed brow, said, “Father, dreams are merely dreams.”

The Retired Emperor continued with a raised hand, “In my dreams, last year’s war was brutal, the national treasury lacked Silver, the soldiers’ equipment wasn’t renewed, supplies couldn’t keep up; despite winning, it was a pyrrhic victory, with nearly half of the soldiers dead or injured. Villages and counties were draped in white everywhere.”

Zhou Shuren understood that the Retired Emperor was describing a scenario where he didn’t exist, not expecting that the Retired Emperor would dream of these things.

With lingering fears, the Retired Emperor continued, “And that wasn’t the worst. Last year’s flood led to nationwide poor harvests, and the shortage of grain. The government had no Silver or grain, and the whole country was in a dead silence, many perished.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shuren fully comprehended; it was not about entrusted words as a dying wish, but about the Retired Emperor’s fear. Thus, he wanted to see him and prove the dreams were false.

The Emperor’s pupils constricted. Even though he knew the dreams were false, he didn’t dare imagine if it were true as his father said. Where would there be ambition then? Being able to protect the nation would be enough.

Zhou Shuren stood up, “Retired Emperor, I have always believed dreams are false. If truly concerned, consider them warnings—warnings about the importance of grain, abnormal weather, and encouraging the court to prepare more.”

The Retired Emperor indicated for Zhou Shuren to sit, his gaze never leaving Zhou Shuren. Why did he fear the nightmares? Because he had them before abdicating, and they felt as real then, with the common factor being the absence of Zhou Shuren.

This further assured the Retired Emperor that Zhou Shuren protected the nation. Zhou Shuren’s strategies resulted in Silver in the treasury, and regardless of the past year’s war or food shortages, the Ministry of Revenue under Zhou Shuren’s control handled everything well. Nothing could be done without Zhou Shuren.

The Retired Emperor excitedly grabbed Zhou Shuren’s official sleeve, “Shuren, the master from Huguo Temple will enter the capital tomorrow. Meet the master with me.”

He had calculated things for Zhou Shuren, but several vivid nightmares left unease in his heart, prompting him to recalculate.

The hairs on Zhou Shuren’s back stood up. No, he was resistant, as he and his wife were most opposed to fortune-telling, fearing something might be uncovered!

Zhou Shuren tried to keep his tone calm, tugging at the corners of his mouth, “It’s inappropriate for me to stay in the palace.”

The Retired Emperor wouldn’t let go. Zhou Shuren tugged, but couldn’t move his official sleeve, utterly speechless. Was he afraid he’d run?

The Emperor said, “It’s alright, Prince Qin will accompany Marquis Zhou.”

He sensed his father’s unease. His father hadn’t confided after waking but only spoke when Marquis Zhou arrived. This showed how much his father valued Zhou Shuren. He also understood his father’s intention of inviting the master tomorrow due to the impact of the dreams, to calculate again for Marquis Zhou.

Zhou Shuren, “…”

No, you all have nothing to worry about; it’s him who has worries. He’s hidden his true identity for so long, not wanting to be unmasked. Just thinking about it made his back feel cold.

And the saddest part was he had to remain calm without any extreme reactions!

Outside the sleeping quarters, the gazes of Prince Qi and Prince Chu fell on Prince Qin. They’re pleased their father woke, but their father didn’t see them, instead inviting Marquis Zhou.

Rongchuan was also puzzled. He wished to know why his father-in-law was invited to the palace; it wasn’t to deliver a will. The chief physician mentioned that their father waking was a good sign, meaning he wouldn’t die. So why was his father-in-law summoned?

Prince Liang, half-kneeling and half-resting, had thought of following if their father passed. Before entering the palace, he arranged the aftermath. Yet things took a turn, their father could live, and he could too. After digesting, his gaze couldn’t help but fall on his fifth brother.

Prince Liang thought, if only he had a father-in-law like Marquis Zhou, alas, why dwell on it. Victory and defeat are part of life; he should let it go!

In the side hall, Xue Han was enduring the gaze bath from her sisters-in-law, also dumbfounded. She wanted to know why her father entered the palace!

The Empress warmly held Princess Qin’s hand, “Today, I’ve truly seen how dear the Emperor and the Retired Emperor hold Marquis Zhou.”

Stunned, she couldn’t have imagined that Marquis Zhou would be invited to the palace and stay for so long without any intention of leaving. Her son is the Crown Prince, and from what she’s heard, the Crown Prince hasn’t even entered the sleeping quarters.

With a clear understanding of her own health and the Emperor’s stance toward the harem’s noble families, she wasn’t bothered by the Imperial Concubine Hui. She knew the Emperor would act personally; there was no need to dirty her own hands.

Her heart focused on her eldest son, the Crown Prince. Her own family couldn’t be relied upon too much, but observing how much importance the Retired Emperor and the Emperor placed on Marquis Zhou prompted her to make plans for the Crown Prince.

Xue Han again felt the keen gaze directed at her and didn’t feel happy. Instead, a chill ran down her back. She wasn’t afraid of being ignored due to low profile, but rather feared being remembered. Evidently, her father’s involvement made her a target!