Another busy day began, filled with harem concubines paying respects, followed by palace women officials and external court ladies. The empress attire was bowed to by waves of women for the entire morning.
Ruan Ning wished she could carve a wooden puppet to wear her clothes instead. Just as she hoped for lunch, a message came from Qingqing Palace that the Emperor’s condition had worsened, and he had vomited blood while unconscious.
Ruan Ning rushed over. The Emperor was in dire straits; his face had turned gray, and his lips were an eerie purple-blue, with vomited blood smeared on his beard and chin.
“Clean up for His Majesty,” she instructed.
The imperial doctors stood by the bed. The one with the longest beard nervously took the Emperor’s pulse and finally said, “Let’s try another prescription.” After over an hour of discussion, they drafted a new prescription. The Emperor stopped vomiting blood after taking the medicine, but his complexion continued to deteriorate.
By the second day, the Emperor could no longer take the medicine and had completely stopped eating.
“Your Highness must prepare early. The Eastern Palace guards and the Imperial Guards must be ready,” Qin Zhi urged. “Once the Emperor passes, we must ensure everything is foolproof.”
“I am the Crown Prince. The world should naturally be inherited by me. Why mobilize troops?”
Wei Shu looked at her suspiciously. “I’ve already told you not to interfere.”
“Your Highness, previously only Prince Jin could obstruct you, but now the Fifth Prince is being raised under the Empress’s knee, with a different status. I’m worried new variables might emerge,” Qin Zhi explained.
“A mere Empress with an empty reputation, a child—what can they do?” Wei Shu said gloomily.
Qin Zhi found it increasingly difficult to communicate with him. Ruan Ning’s ascension seemed to have eroded his rationality. Wei Shu was irritable and impatient, fixated solely on the throne while ignoring the complexities of the situation.
Realizing further discussion would be futile, Qin Zhi decided to use her seal to mobilize troops as a precaution. A flash of murderous intent crossed her eyes regarding the new Empress—she considered direct action instead of waiting for slow-acting poison.
Gu Lianzhuang was furious, believing his harem impenetrable until this slip-up occurred. The Eastern Factory was instructed to find the mastermind within three days.
