"It was Sixth Brother who found the person to save the Emperor," the Second Prince admitted reluctantly, though such a fact was impossible to conceal.
"Yan'er, is that so?" A flicker of hope ignited in the Emperor's eyes. It seemed she had a contingency for her son. Of course, she would have left something for her son.
He had already experienced the marvels of their family. If, if only one more person could extend his life, he was sure he could live on.
"Yes, but I can only wake His Majesty up. I can do nothing more," Zhao Yanxiang said, meeting his father's yearning gaze. He understood what the Emperor was hoping for.
"Can she see me?" The Emperor wasn't in a hurry to meet with his ministers. If his life could be extended, he would have plenty of time for them.
"She would not wish to see Your Majesty," Zhao Yanxiang shook his head.
"You!" The Emperor pointed at him in anger, but no words came out.
"Please do not be angry, Father. I will bring that person to see you immediately." The Seventh Prince knew where his Sixth Brother had taken that woman.
"Seventh, you!" Zhao Yanxiang was furious.
"Good, Seventh is truly my good son." The Emperor chuckled. "Yan'er, don't be angry either. That person should be Meng Niang, I haven't seen her for many years."
Upon hearing the Emperor utter the name Meng Niang, Zhao Yanxiang suddenly felt a strange nervousness.
Aunt Meng had said she was unremarkable in her family, which was why she could evade all surveillance and come to find him.
But hearing the Emperor's familiar tone, it was clear he was well acquainted with her. But why? Aunt Meng would not lie. It must be that the Emperor had never ceased his surveillance of his mother's family, not even sparing an unremarkable woman.
How terrifying. Was this truly his father? To think his father was such a person!
Soon, Meng Niang was brought in first. She did not bow to the Emperor on his bed, nor did the Emperor insist.
The adult princes were also sizing up the woman their father had demanded to see the moment he awoke, even putting aside matters of state and the Prince of Yingchuan.
"You are Meng Niang. You are growing to look more and more like Mei Niang."
"You do not need to mention these things to me. I can tell you very seriously, I absolutely cannot do what you ask."
"Indeed, there is only one Mei Niang in this world. But I recall you have two daughters. The elder one should be ten years old now. Together with her, you should be able to extend my life by five years." The Emperor seemed knowledgeable about this.
"It is impossible. If it were a month ago, it might have been possible. But now you are at death's door. Even if my sister were alive, along with everyone in our family, we could not extend your life.
Your lifespan should have ended tomorrow. My sister extended it by ten years. You were supposed to die tomorrow, ten years from now. But now that my sister is dead, the effect of the life extension naturally vanishes."
Actually, she had lied. The effect of the life extension would not disappear with the death of another person.
She said this merely to make him regret.
The other princes in the hall were startled to hear them speaking of life extension. No wonder their father was not in a hurry with other matters. If the life extension were successful, all problems would be solved.
The Emperor froze upon hearing this. He couldn't believe he would die so soon, nor that he would lose ten years of his life due to Mei Niang's death.
"I don't believe you! You are lying to me!" The Emperor glared at Meng Niang, his eyes burning with fury.
The other princes also looked at Meng Niang with newfound intensity. Life extension, who wouldn't want to live longer?
The Fourth Prince's gaze towards her held an additional layer of something unreadable.
So the Sixth Prince, who had always been unassuming, possessed such a hidden trump card.
"Your Majesty, the Grand Secretaries and the Ministers of the Six Boards request an audience," the guard at the door reported.
"Announce them!"
"Announce the Grand Secretaries and the Ministers of the Six Boards for an audience."
Upon entering, the elder officials paid their respects to the Emperor and the princes.