Candlelight illuminated the eerie scene in the hall.
The emperor lay in the inner chamber, half of the bed curtains rolled up, able to see the long table in the central hall. On the purple sandalwood chair beside the table, his beautiful concubine was pressed down by his son in a bizarre posture, panic on her face.
Wei Shu was far from indifferent. He desired her intensely, but her mention of another man had offended him, igniting his need to prove himself. He tore at her clothing, not bothering to untie her upper garment, focusing on her skirt and undergarments.
Ruan Ning’s hands were pinned behind her back. In her panic, she cried out for help, but no one responded.
Desperate, Ruan Ning thought of the emperor. She pleaded quietly, “Your Highness, not here, please, don’t…”
“Right here,” Wei Shu breathed, pressing down.
At that moment, a young eunuch’s voice rang out: “Your Highness, Chamberlain Gu has arrived!”
Wei Shu’s desire instantly turned cold. Damn this eunuch!
Gu Lianzhang’s gaze remained fixed on her, his expression as lifeless as a dead man’s. He replied flatly, “Okay.”
Ruan Ning sighed in relief, ready to plan her next move, when her waist tightened—Gu Lianzhang embraced her, and in an instant, they were in another room.
This room was over twice the size of his bedroom, with white jade tiles forming a shallow pool in the center. The water was slightly white and misty, resembling a hot spring.
“Strip,” Gu Lianzhang commanded, sitting on a bamboo chair by the pool, his voice cold.
Ruan Ning steeled herself, thinking that he was just an impotent eunuch. She turned her back and quickly shed her outer robe and long dress. However, when she reached the gilded buttons of her middle garment, she hesitated. Even if he was a eunuch, he was still a strange man, making her feel awkward.
Gu Lianzhang, however, approached her, his icy fingers swiftly removing her middle garment and silk pants. When only her chest wrap and undergarments remained, Ruan Ning felt fear rise within her. She crossed her arms over her chest, pleading softly, “Master Gu, you’ve already seen what can be seen. Can’t we stop here?”
Gu Lianzhang looked at her, with a barely perceptible hint of desire in his gaze.
She had removed most of her clothing, her skin whiter than snow, with a delicate pink blush that made one want to cherish her.
I initially thought the emperor would not wake up, but since heaven has shown mercy, we must seize the opportunity to make him wake up, even if it’s just to say the crucial sentence: Abdicate to the Prince of Jin!
All eyes were fixed on the imperial physician, whose fingers trembled as he diagnosed the pulse. He listened carefully, looked at the emperor’s face, and asked, “Your Majesty, can you hear me?”
The emperor’s yellowish eyeballs rolled, and a hoarse sound came from his throat, but he could not speak.
“Imperial physician, you must ensure His Majesty is clear-headed and speaks as soon as possible!” the Prince of Jin urged.
The imperial physician trembled and looked at Wei Shu.
Wei Shu said coldly, “Imperial physician, do your best to treat His Majesty.”
The imperial physician stepped back. “Your Highness, the emperor’s pulse is weak and chaotic. I hear phlegm accumulating and rising to the brain, causing him to fall into a coma. I will use phlegm-clearing and heat-reducing prescriptions and then observe the effects.”
“How confident are you?” the Prince of Jin asked again.
Wei Shu sneered, “Second brother, why do you always interfere? Why don’t you treat Father Emperor yourself?”
The Prince of Jin said nothing. Consort De indignantly asked, “Crown Prince, is the Prince of Jin wrong to care about His Majesty’s condition?”
Wei Shu glanced at her with disdain. At this moment, the emperor’s eyes closed again. The imperial physician checked his pulse and, after a while, said, “The turbid qi is too heavy, and the phlegm is severe. I will write a prescription for decoction. After His Majesty drinks it, he might improve.”
The Prince of Jin’s excitement plummeted. He turned to Wei Shu, “Your Highness, let me attend to His Majesty tonight.”
Wei Shu had consistently found reasons to prevent the Prince of Jin from attending to the emperor, suspecting he was trying to obtain the imperial edict to change the heir. The Prince wanted to stay by the emperor’s side, waiting for him to wake up and write the abdication edict or an oral decree with witnesses.
However, Wei Shu flatly refused again: “No need. I will guard him.”
The Prince of Jin insisted, “You’ve worked hard attending to His Majesty these days. I am willing to share your burden.”
As he spoke, he looked at Consort De, signaling her to speak. She immediately echoed, “As sons of His Majesty, the Crown Prince should give his brothers a chance to show filial piety. If the Prince of Jin wants to show his filial heart, the Crown Prince should not obstruct him.”
The Prince of Jin glanced at Gu Lianchang. In the afternoon, he had hinted at wanting to discuss something, but Gu Lianchang had not responded clearly. If Gu Lianchang spoke now, he would reveal his stance.
However, Gu Lianchang remained silent, looking expressionlessly at the emperor who had fallen into a coma again. The Prince of Jin could not tell if he was supporting Wei Shu or staying out of it.
Consort De subconsciously looked over and saw her son staring intently at Ruan Ning. Her face darkened as she coughed, but the Prince of Jin was oblivious. She muttered “fox spirit” and coughed again. Finally, the Prince asked, “Mother, is your throat uncomfortable?”
Consort De glared at him, grabbed his hand, and quickly walked out. Qin Zhi observed everything silently, plotting in her heart.
Ruan Ning was unaware of the situation, nervously waiting for Gu Lianchang at the palace hall’s exit.
The Emperor had awakened suddenly, and Gu Lianchang hurriedly went to inquire about the situation, quickly wrapping her in clothes and bringing her out. However, he hadn’t let her wear a chest wrap, and she couldn’t find it.
Now, with the slightest breeze, she felt icy cold. The original body’s figure was curvaceous, and fearing exposure, she huddled behind others, waiting for Gu Lianchang.
He was the last to come out, organizing night duty and medical attendants to watch over Wei Shu. Noticing Ruan Ning’s strange posture, a subtle smile appeared on his lips. His fingers brushed against the light pink and gray chest wrap in his sleeve.
From this angle, her skin outshone the fabric, making her worth opposing Wei Shu and Prince Jin.
As he passed by her, he lightly touched her fingertips and whispered, “Wait for me to return.”
Ruan Ning sighed with relief, but just as she was about to follow, Wei Shu emerged, calling, “Imperial Consort, stop. I have something to say to you.”
Ruan Ning’s heart sank.
She pretended not to hear and tried to walk away, but Wei Shu wouldn’t let her escape, raising his voice, “Imperial Consort, I’m calling you to stop.”
Ruan Ning stood still, involuntarily looking at Gu Lianchang, who didn’t look back or help her, simply continuing to walk out.
Wei Shu paced in the side hall after Qin Zhi left. Delayed without satisfaction, desire for Ruan Ning had intensified significantly. With many people around, avoiding eager eyes and ears proved difficult.
As he walked, he discovered a small space between two bookshelves, hidden from view. He imagined pressing Ruan Ning against the shelves and muffling her sounds.
His thoughts were interrupted when Zhang Jing, a trusted eunuch of Gu Lianchang, reported outside the side hall: “Your Highness, this servant has been ordered to bring your midnight snack.”
Wei Shu walked out slowly, speaking gloomily: “Who told you to come?”
