nycdaug Chapter 130 Dragon Travels the World 17
Chapter 130 Dragon Travels the World 17
"Mother Empress—!"
Tears of emotion welled up in Chu Tianyou's eyes. The torrent of emotion broke through the dam of reason. He took three steps at a time, quickly stepped forward, and abandoned all his usual demeanor and manners. He embraced the Empress Dowager tightly, freely expressing the longing in his heart.
"Mother, I miss you so much! Mother!"
Although the Empress Dowager no longer has her previous memories, she was still moved by his overwhelming emotions, and her eyes welled up with tears. She raised her hand and patted his back, silently comforting the person in her arms.
"Greetings, Empress Dowager! Long live the Empress Dowager!"
None of the people present wanted to disturb the mother and son who had been reunited after so long, but out of courtesy they dared not be negligent and all knelt down to pay their respects.
The sudden sound brought Chu Tianyou back to his senses. He suppressed his inner turmoil, slowly releasing the Empress Dowager. Looking at his mother's face, which was considerably older than he remembered, and her gray hair, he felt an overwhelming pang of sorrow. Tears finally streamed down his face, and he immediately knelt on the ground, his voice choked with emotion.
"Mother, it is your unfilial son who has caused you to wander among the common people for fifteen years and suffer so much."
Looking at the crowd kneeling all around her, a look of confusion and helplessness flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes. Her lost memories made her feel unfamiliar with the current situation and at a loss.
Chu Tianyou noticed the Empress Dowager's unusual behavior. Before he could ask any questions, He Yaozu said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager suffered a severe head injury, which caused her to lose her memory. She doesn't even remember who she is."
"what!"
Chu Tianyou exclaimed in surprise, "What's going on?"
"This is a long story, and there are too many people coming and going here. It's not a good place to talk. Let's find a quiet place to discuss it!" He Yaozu looked around and found that although there were few people around, it was still inconvenient to talk.
Lady Tang stepped forward at the opportune moment and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I have already sent people to prepare the room. Please come in and rest for a while."
He thought to himself: Today is Yao'er's big day. Not only is the king coming, but the empress dowager who has been living among the common people for many years is also coming to visit. It is a triple blessing. Today is indeed an auspicious day. The fortune teller who chose the date was really capable. I must send him some generous gifts later.
Madam Tang once again acted as a guide, leading everyone to a quiet courtyard within the mansion. The courtyard was spacious and grand, with a tranquil environment, lush flowers and trees, and a variety of flowers vying for attention.
The interior furnishings are elegant yet luxurious, with every detail, from the antique furniture to the exquisite porcelain, revealing the owner's taste and dedication.
Chu Tianyou personally helped the Empress Dowager to the seat of honor, his movements gentle, as if he were escorting a rare treasure.
He then chose to sit next to the Empress Dowager, but his gaze remained fixed on her, unwilling to be separated for even a moment, as if he wanted to make up for all the years he had missed.
Her once gentle yet firm gaze had transformed into a deep longing for her son.
At this time, all irrelevant personnel had been taken away and properly settled, leaving only the Empress Dowager, Chu Tianyou, Zhao Yu, Bai Shanshan, Ding Wuwei, Madam Tang, He Yaozu, and Xu Zhisheng in the room.
No one dared to disturb the warm atmosphere, and they unconsciously lowered their voices.
Chu Tianyou was completely immersed in the joy of reuniting with his mother and the feeling of making up for the king's regret, but he still had some rationality left. Remembering what He Yaozu had said about the Empress Dowager having a headache, he quickly called Ding Wuwei forward to examine the Empress Dowager.
Ding Wuwei nervously stepped forward to take the Empress Dowager's pulse. He had previously suspected Chu Tianyou's identity, and this time he was truly certain.
Thinking of his previous 'outrageous' words and actions towards the king, he felt even more uneasy. It took him a long time to clear his mind of all distractions and focus on taking the Empress Dowager's pulse.
With a third person stepping forward, the Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief. Although she knew the person next to her was her son, she had lost her memory and suddenly became the focus of everyone's attention in this unfamiliar environment, which made her feel unprecedentedly embarrassed and confused.
Her son stared intently at her, his intense gaze making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Ding Wuwei, the 'third party,' is now between the two of them, allowing her to turn her attention to him and temporarily escape Chu Tianyou's gaze.
After a moment, Ding Wuwei withdrew his hand from taking the pulse, then pushed aside the Empress Dowager's sudden movement and carefully examined the back of her head before thoughtfully withdrawing his hand.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Empress Dowager beckoned to Xu Zhisheng, calling him to her side. The latter, with a hint of shyness and unease, walked cautiously to her, feeling somewhat uneasy.
His initial encounter with his adoptive mother was purely coincidental. However, as his adoptive mother's status changed from an ordinary commoner to the Empress Dowager, the bond between mother and son seemed to suddenly take on a different meaning. He couldn't help but worry that the king might suspect him of harboring ill intentions.
Chu Tianyou was unaware of his identity, let alone his worries, and was now eagerly asking Ding Wuwei, "Wuwei, how is the Empress Dowager's health? Can her amnesia be cured?"
Ding Wuwei pondered for a moment and replied, "The Empress Dowager's health is not a major issue. It seems someone has been taking medicine to regulate her body. Although her constitution is still somewhat weak, she can recover with more tonics. However, her headache is a bit troublesome. She suffered a severe head injury in the past, which caused blood pooling in her skull, resulting in amnesia. This injury is estimated to be more than ten years old, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to treat!"
"Is it curable?"
“…Yes!” Ding Wuwei nodded after thinking for a moment.
Chu Tianyou smiled again and said to Ding Wuwei, "Wuwei, as long as you can cure the Empress Dowager's illness, I will appoint you as the head of the Imperial Medical Academy and give you overall command of the Imperial Medical Academy!"
Now that Chu Tianyou's primary objective for this trip—finding the Empress Dowager—has been successfully achieved, and with everyone watching and no one being an outsider, he no longer intends to conceal his identity. He simply presents himself as the Lone King, his majesty naturally revealed.
The position of Director of the Imperial Medical Academy is the highest official rank in the Imperial Medical Academy and represents the pinnacle of honor for physicians.
Chu Tianyou has now given this position to Ding Wuwei, not only because the latter is artistically superb, but also because he has come to understand Ding Wuwei's true nature after spending a long time with him.
Although Ding Wuwei claimed to be a conman, he was actually kind-hearted and hated evil. He mostly swindled incompetent and greedy officials and wealthy merchants. However, he often helped the poor and needy, and generously gave back the money he had swindled to the people.
It can be said that although Ding Wuwei's behavior was flawed, his character was impeccable.
In addition, Ding Wuwei had helped him repeatedly along the way and remained loyal to him in times of crisis. Chu Tianyou had long intended to reward him, but it was inconvenient to hide his identity before.