Beneath the silver mask was a face of exquisite beauty, and to the Empress of Xia, this face was all too familiar, causing her to pause for a moment, her heart filled with immense shock.
How could it be him?
"Master, how should this person be dealt with?"
The leader of the death warriors inquired.
The Empress of Xia sent for Nanny Lan. Nanny Lan was not on duty that night and was suddenly summoned. Her clothes were not properly arranged, and her hair was somewhat messy. She was very nervous.
The Empress of Xia glanced at her and said, "This person is already dead. You handle it."
Nanny Lan was stunned. At first, she did not understand what the Empress of Xia meant. When she approached and saw the man lying on the ground, her face showed shock, but she dared not reveal her abnormality in front of everyone.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Nanny Lan called over two eunuchs she trusted. The three of them secretly carried the man on the ground into Kunning Palace, while outwardly proclaiming that the assassin was dead.
The death warriors who survived the assassination and the eunuchs and palace maids present that day were also secretly dealt with by the Empress of Xia's people on the same night.
Kunning Palace, the Empress's sleeping quarters,
On the bed,
The man's face was somewhat pale. His blood-stained clothes had been changed. A dark brocade robe accentuated his skin like fine jade. His handsome features made everything around him his foil.
The Empress of Xia sat by the bedside. Her slender fingers traced his hair, forehead, nose, and thin lips, moving down little by little. Her eyes, as gentle as water, were filled with his image: "The first time I saw you, you were an immature, handsome youth, and I was a delicate young lady ignorant of the world. When the beasts came, you saved me. From that day on, I decided that in this life, I would marry no one but you."
In her right hand, clutched tightly in a handkerchief, was a well-polished, milky-white tiger's tooth.
This was the tooth of the tiger he had killed when he saved her. She had picked it up, stained with blood, and taken it back. After processing, it was clean.
"It is a pity that fate plays tricks on people. I only learned later that you were the invincible Ninth Prince Nangong Mo of Dongsheng Kingdom, and I, the daughter of the Prime Minister of Xia, could never marry you. But I could never let go of you.
That is why I wanted to imprison you. In Zhongyang Palace, I had a secret room built that could trap you, but unfortunately, you escaped.
During those days, I sent people to look for you for a long time. Later, I learned that you had escaped back to Dongsheng Kingdom and resumed your identity as the Ninth Prince. Well, since you left, you left. Over the years, I have sent people to inquire, and I heard that you have never married a princess. I know that you still have me in your heart, and I am very pleased."
As she spoke, her left hand fell onto his strong chest. Through his clothes, she felt his burning body temperature.
"Qianying, don't go, don't leave me."
Muzzy, he grabbed her hand.
The Empress of Xia's eyes suddenly turned red, chillingly cold. She grabbed his hand in return, gritted her teeth, and followed his words: "Your Highness, I am here, I am here."
"Don't go, don't leave me, I can't live without you."
He kept repeating this sentence.
But his words felt very jarring to the Empress of Xia.
She tightly gripped the handkerchief, almost crushing the tiger's tooth wrapped inside.
Jealousy and resentment filled her heart completely.
Nanny Lan pushed the door open and cautiously walked in.
She dared not approach, waiting outside.
The Empress of Xia noticed someone entering. She lowered the bed curtain, stood up, and walked out.
"What did you find out?"
Walking to the desk, she looked at Nanny Lan, who knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Wang... he said... he is helpless. The poison in the young master's body is not just one kind. They are all deadly poisons. The young master is afraid... he doesn't have much time left."
"A bunch of useless people!"
She picked up the inkstone beside her and angrily smashed it towards Nanny Lan's head.
Nanny Lan dared not dodge. Her forehead was struck by the inkstone, and blood flowed down, dripping onto her own dress, spreading into a vibrant poppy flower.
She lowered her head, not daring to raise it. After thinking for a moment, she cautiously suggested, "Your Majesty, this old servant has a method."
"Speak!"
The Empress of Xia's tone was unfriendly and somewhat irritable.
"Gu Qianying, that little slut, although she deserves to die, her medical skills are indeed excellent, and she has done considerable research in toxicology. If she were to detoxify the young master, I believe the young master... would certainly recover..."
Before she could finish speaking,
The Empress of Xia coldly interrupted, "No! Absolutely not! How can I allow that slut Gu Qianying to remain by his side! If not for the fact that my illness requires me to tolerate her for five days, do you think I would have kept her until now!"
That slut Gu Qianying, after five days, she would definitely skin her, dismember her, and boil her in poison, making her wish she were dead!
"Your Majesty, to treat the young master's illness, it is not necessary for him to see the young master in person. We can keep Gu Qianying from seeing the young master's appearance by using the bed curtain and having someone supervise her from the side."
Hearing this,
The Empress of Xia slowly walked over. She lifted her leg and hooked Nanny Lan's chin with her toe. She looked down at Nanny Lan: "Your suggestion is quite good, but I never knew that you, this ugly, wrinkled old dog, could be so kind? Heh!"
Nanny Lan's forehead was still bleeding. The blood dripped onto the Empress of Xia's golden phoenix-embroidered shoes. Her eyes were cold, and she kicked Nanny Lan away.
Nanny Lan fell to the ground, then quickly crawled over, her hands flat on the ground, her head lowered, kneeling: "Your Majesty, please understand, this old servant is worried about you. You have been working tirelessly for the young master and have lost so much weight. If the young master can recover soon, you will also be happy. As long as you are happy, even if this old servant has to die, she will do so willingly."
"Oh, since you are so loyal, then you will arrange this matter. However, that slut Gu Qianying is very cunning. If she is to obey, it will take some effort. I do not want any accidents to happen to him, nor do I want the two of them to recognize each other. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, this old servant understands."
As if suddenly thinking of something, the Empress of Xia asked about the Emperor's recent stays in the harem.
"Does His Majesty still often go to Consort Chen's place recently?"
Nanny Lan replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, His Majesty goes sometimes and sometimes not."
"That vixen, she is about to give birth, yet she still monopolizes His Majesty. She is truly despicable."
Nanny Lan remained kneeling on the ground. The cut on her forehead was not large, and the blood, as it flowed, congealed. She could not understand why the Empress of Xia, who never inquired about the Emperor's stays with his concubines in the harem, was asking about this. She had doubts but dared not ask.
"Go, find an opportunity to let our noble Emperor陛下 witness Gu Qianying's superb medical skills. His Majesty often feels tired and has difficulty breathing, right? Gu Qianying is highly skilled in medicine, so this minor ailment should be no problem. You must arrange it properly when you have time.
I think Gu Qianying, that little slut, although she is not a good person, her appearance is that of a beauty. I believe our Emperor陛下 will surely like her very much."
Hearing this,
Nanny Lan's body trembled slightly.
Their Emperor陛下 was notoriously lecherous. With three thousand beauties in the harem, countless palace maids in various palaces had been touched by His Majesty, and even their Kunning Palace had several secretly dealt with.
And among these palace maids, if His Majesty was pleased, he would casually bestow one upon a lady or beauty, giving her some status.
However, those who served poorly, or those who displeased His Majesty, were directly fed to wild dogs.
Now, could it be that their Empress intended for Gu Qianying to become His Majesty's...
With an enemy country's identity, she would never become a minor noble in the palace, so her fate could only be death, toyed to death!
"Yes, this old servant will arrange it now!" Nanny Lan quickly agreed.
Whether Gu Qianying lived or died was of no importance to her.
She rose to pay her respects and, with a sideways glance at the peerlessly elegant man lying on the bed,
Years ago, he had given her a steamed bun, preventing her from starving to death on the streets. Now, at the risk of being executed by their Empress, she had spoken up to save him. She had done her utmost for this former master.
"Find out if that little slut Gu Qianying entered or exited Zhongyang Palace last night!"
The Empress of Xia called out to Nanny Lan as she exited the door, giving her orders.
She had to find out Gu Qianying's purpose for being here.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As Nanny Lan left Zhongyang Palace, she thoughtfully closed the door behind her.
The Empress of Xia turned and walked to the bedside, lifted the bed curtain, and looked at the unconscious man on the bed. A sickly smile played on her lips: "A'mo, you have reappeared before me, and I know this is a gift bestowed upon me by heaven. This time, I will never let you escape, no matter what."
She lowered the bed curtain and summoned her personal maid, instructing her, "Order someone to secretly forge a sturdy iron chain for me. The material should be dark iron. Dark iron is durable, strong, and not easily damaged. Remember, the sturdier the better!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The maid received the order and withdrew.
On this day, the Empress of Xia was in a good mood. Not only did she reward her subordinates with some silver, but she also uncharacteristically granted them two days off, leaving only her personal maid and Nanny Lan to serve her.