"If anything happens to Her Majesty the Empress, all of you shall die."
Feng Xie's violent aura was ignited. His beautiful eyes were like those of a ferocious wolf, bloodthirsty and cruel, fixed on the trembling palace maids and eunuchs. Even Mu Xing felt the terrifying presence of his Imperial Father and dared not utter a word.
Just then, the imperial physicians arrived, following a eunuch. Several renowned imperial physicians, who were Her Majesty the Empress's attending physicians, esteemed and highly skilled, entered.
Upon entering the grand hall, sensing the Emperor's fury, they did not know what had happened. Trembling with apprehension, they knelt and paid their respects to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, we greet you."
"Come here at once and examine Her Majesty the Empress. What illness is it? Why has such a sickness suddenly appeared?"
Feng Xie waved his hand, killing intent radiating outwards like a Shura in the dark night, awaiting souls to claim. The imperial physician, seeing the Emperor's expression, thanked him for his grace and cautiously approached.
The Empress's complexion was extremely grim, as pale as a ghost, her face covered in cold sweat. Her delicate brows were furrowed, and she let out a soft moan, her expression indicating extreme pain, as if a myriad of ants were gnawing at her.
The imperial physician dared not delay. He immediately knelt before the imperial couch, by the Emperor's side, and placed his hand on the Empress's pulse. He gasped after a while, his lips trembling, for the Empress's pulse was beating too rapidly, as if someone were plucking the strings of a heart, leaping up and down. This symptom could only mean one thing: she had been poisoned by Gu. The thought of this possibility made the imperial physician kowtow profusely.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Her Majesty has been afflicted with Gu poison. This Gu grows within the body, but I am foolish, I do not know what kind of Gu it is."
Upon hearing that Liu'er had been poisoned by Gu, Feng Xie knew that Gu poison was the most difficult poison to cure in the world. It was incredibly potent, and entering the body was like being pierced by ten thousand arrows.
The suffering Liu'er was enduring at this moment could not be adequately described. Feng Xie was on the verge of madness. How could someone in this imperial palace employ Gu? Who was it? Liu'er had always stayed within these inner palace walls; who would have poisoned her?
Large beads of sweat rolled down Feng Xie's forehead. His internal suffering was no less than Liu'er's. He was so tense he could barely breathe, his chest aching. He kicked the imperial physician fiercely and ordered another to examine her. The second imperial physician dared not step forward, repeatedly kowtowing from his kneeling position.
Feng Xie roared like a madman, "Guards, drag him out and behead him at once!"
"Yes," Yue Ying, leading several guards, rushed in from outside the hall. Although he sympathized with the paralyzed imperial physician, he dared not disobey the Emperor's command. The imperial physician had already fainted, foaming at the mouth, completely oblivious to his surroundings.
As everyone watched the imperial physician about to meet a terrible fate, they heard the Empress let out a soft whimper. To everyone's surprise, she spoke, "Your Majesty, release him. Do not kill the innocent."
"Liu'er, you're awake. Liu'er!"
Feng Xie embraced Liu'er tightly. Seeing her, pale as if she had just died, utterly weak and unable to speak, Feng Xie was reminded of the events five years prior. He could no longer control the panic in his heart. Must he once again watch Liu'er die before his very eyes?
No! Feng Xie roared like a wolf, his killing intent filling the hall. Liu'er's fingers lightly tapped his hand. With great effort, she gathered her thoughts and spoke softly.
"Lou Si Jing is not mad. She smeared the Gu on Mu Xing's body and then transferred it to me. Now, send Hong Xiu to find A Bao immediately. He might have a way."
After speaking, Liu'er exerted all her remaining strength and fainted. Upon hearing Liu'er's words, Feng Xie's starry eyes fixed on Mu Xing below, and he spoke coldly.
"Mu Xing, this is all your doing! Why did you go to the cold palace? Look, you've almost killed your Imperial Mother?"
Feng Xie's reprimand stunned the young Mu Xing. He was already scared, and seeing his Imperial Father's terrifying expression, the little figure finally realized his fear.
Cui'er, seeing the fear on Mu Xing's small face, quickly reached out and hugged him tightly. At this moment, she understood. That Lou Si Jing was not foolish at all; she was waiting for an opportunity to exact revenge because she hated the Empress for destroying everything she had. However, she couldn't get close to the Empress, so she waited for an opportunity. Today, she finally found one, when Mu Xing went to see her. Who knew she would actually succeed? Cui'er blamed herself at this moment. If she had resolutely prevented Mu Xing from going near her, she would not have succeeded. Thinking of this, Cui'er hugged Mu Xing, and they both began to cry.
Feng Xie shifted his gaze from Mu Xing's face to Liu'er in his arms. Her face, usually so radiant, was now lifeless. His heart felt as if it had been trampled countless times, drops of blood falling to the ground. He felt as if he were about to faint.
However, he still had things to do. He had to capture that mad Lou at once. If he caught this damned woman, he would flay her skin and grind her bones to avenge Liu'er.
"Release him! Go to the cold palace at once and bring that slut Lou Si Jing to me!"
Feng Xie waved his hand, ordering Yue Ying. Although he knew it was unlikely that woman was still in the cold palace, considering she could even concoct Gu, her martial arts were likely formidable. How could that woman quietly wait there to be captured? But he could no longer afford to wait.
Yue Ying respectfully nodded, "Yes, my Lord. Your servant will attend to it immediately." Yue Ying rushed out. Thinking of how that woman had harmed Her Majesty the Empress, he was filled with anger, wishing he could pierce her body with several holes.
A deathly silence fell upon the hall. Feng Xie turned to Hong Xiu, remembering Liu'er's words about the one named A Bao. He immediately ordered, "Ri Ying, go with Hong Xiu to fetch A Bao. Be quick."
Ri Ying entered. Seeing that Her Majesty the Empress had been poisoned, his heart ached more than anything. He realized that, unknowingly, he had already recognized her as his mistress. Thinking that Lou Si Jing had poisoned his mistress, he felt an urge to send that woman to the afterlife immediately.
"Yes, this subordinate will attend to it," Ri Ying said. Impatient about the Empress's condition, he saw Hong Xiu moving slowly and swiftly grabbed Hong Xiu by his collar and pulled him outside. Hong Xiu could not break free from his grasp and could only be dragged out by him.
The hall returned to a deathly silence. Only the Emperor's pained murmur could be heard: "Liu'er, how are you? Liu'er, please don't be alright!"
His large hand gently caressed her cheek, his fingertips trembling inch by inch. His eyes felt hot, but he suppressed it with all his might. His heart felt hollowed out. Why was Heaven so cruel? Why? If anything happened to Liu'er, would he still have the courage to endure for another five years?
If Heaven could bring her back to life, he was willing to accept any punishment, even if the mother Gu was transferred to his body. Feng Xie gazed at Liu'er in pain.
The urgent voices of eunuchs sounded outside the hall: "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is here! His Highness Prince Yan is here! Her Highness Princess Yan is here!"
It turned out that today was the day Prince Yan, Feng Lie, and Princess Jie Lan were scheduled to visit the Empress Dowager. They had originally intended to visit the Empress later.
Because Xin Hun wished to see the Crown Prince, the Empress Dowager had instructed a young eunuch to bring Xin Hun to play with the Crown Prince. However, shortly thereafter, news spread of Her Majesty the Empress being poisoned. This immediately startled the Empress Dowager, Prince Yan, and Jie Lan, and the group rushed to Weiyang Palace.
Upon entering the grand hall, they saw the Emperor, his face etched with pain and despair, holding the Empress. The hearts of the three sank, and their minds grew hazy. Could Her Majesty the Empress truly have been poisoned? Feng Lie's gaze swept across the hall. He saw an imperial physician fainted and another injured. He knew then that the Empress had indeed been poisoned. His heart ached, and he quickly spoke.
"Your Majesty, what exactly has happened?"
Feng Xie looked up. A single tear rolled down his cheek. This tear startled the Empress Dowager and Feng Lie. The Emperor had shed tears! Since ancient times, emperors were said to be heartless, their affections wounded by ruthlessness, but was that truly the case? The Emperor was a man of such pride, a unique and arrogant figure in the world. Yet, now he was weeping. At this moment, the three felt an inexplicable sense of dread. If something happened to the Empress, what would become of the Emperor? Would he still live? It was likely that he would be far worse than the walking dead he had been before. This time, perhaps no one could stop him, and therefore, they all felt a fear they had never experienced before.